Hoop Dee Doo Revue is set for a triumphant return to Walt Disney World this summer, including a few new surprises. This story, plus the 2022 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, Disney hugs and all the latest Disney travel news you need to know.

Listen to the Latest Disney Travel News

Olaf Will be Pleased, as Hugs are Back across the Disney travel universe
As early as April 18, Disney will start reintroducing traditional character greetings at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as aboard Disney Cruise Line and at Disney Aulani Resort in Hawaii. What does this mean? You will once again be able to hug Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and more friends, and get an autograph from your favorite Disney Princess (or villain). 

To manage expectations, Disney notes that not all locations will be available immediately for character interaction, but they are planning to reopen in phases throughout the spring and early summer of 2022.

Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Returns Summer 2022

Get ready to welcome back another old favorite as the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue returns this summer to Walt Disney World. Reservations will be available starting May 26 for showtimes beginning June 23.

The Pioneer Hall Players lead the way on this frontier-style family fun dining experience in Pioneer Hall at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground. First debuting in 1974, Hoop-Dee-Doo is a rousing Wild West performance, featuring singing, old style comedy with lots of fun (including audience participation). The food is also great, featuring fried chicken, smoked BBQ ribs, a variety of savory sides and even strawberry shortcake for dessert.

This show is the longest running performance at Walt Disney World. When it returns, Hoop-Dee-Doo will have a few updates to its script and scenery, while staying true to the treasured experience that it’s been known for all these years.

EPCOT will Officially Have a Roller Coaster Before Summer 2022 Begins!

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind Roller Coaster Debuts on May 27

Disney has officially announced that the Cosmic Rewind coaster at EPCOT will officially debut on May 27, 2022. 

While the coaster itself promises to have elements of Crush's Coaster from Disneyland Paris, there is also a pre-show. As the story goes, Xandarians are coming to Earth and building the first “other-world” showcase pavilion at EPCOT, called the Wonders of Xandar pavilion. Guests will learn more about their technology and culture as they move through the pavilion, and discover how our two cultures are similar in so many ways.

We will report more details in future episodes as the news comes in.

2022 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival Begins July 14

The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is returning to Walt Disney World Resort this summer, from July 14 through November 19, 2022.

It will be back with everything that you know and love about the festival and we will share full details on the event as it draws nearer. But if you plan to attend, you now know the dates!

Connections Café and Eatery Opening Soon

Connections Café and Eatery will soon open its doors at EPCOT. This new dining experience embraces cultures from around the world and will bring them to life in true EPCOT fashion.

Here is a preview of the menu for this highly anticipated restaurant. It's a casual quick-service restaurant with a global culinary feel.

If you love burgers, there's the French Bistro Burger with caramelized onions, bacon and brie, or the Southwestern Burger featuring a roasted chipotle-corn salsa and guacamole spread. That's not all, you can also enjoy the Vietnamese-inspired Banh Mi Burger or the Greek-inspired Mediterranean Burger.

For a lighter option, there are salads inspired by French and Chinese cuisines. The Niçoise-style Salad is packed with potatoes, white and green beans and olives drizzled with a delicious Dijon vinaigrette. For an Asian flare, the General Tso Chicken Salad features ingredients like broccoli slaw, red bell pepper, mandarin oranges and crispy wontons.

There are four types of pizza as well, including a classic Meatball Pizza and a plant-based Curry Spice Pizza topped with carrots, potato, peas and lime “yogurt.”

And for the little ones there's a Grilled Chicken Bao or classics like the Chicken Nuggets Basket or Cheeseburger.

Connections Eatery will also have a dessert-style dish: the Liege Waffle. This treat is made with brioche yeast dough stuffed with pearl sugar and finished with tasty toppings.

For the milkshake lover, there are two options: A Mango-Coconut Milk Shake topped off with a pomegranate molasses drizzle, and the delectable Apple Pie Gelato Shake.

Both adults and kids can enjoy specialty beverages at Connections Eatery. The Watermelon-Mint Agua Fresca is alcohol-free. For adults there are multiple wines and draft beers available, along with the Cucumber and Thai Basil Cooler, a specialty cocktail filled with freshness and flavor.

As a reminder, Connections Café is the future home of Starbucks at EPCOT.

Exclusive Merchandise and Enchanting Memories Await Aboard the Disney Wish

The Disney Wish will feature an elegant retail district that runs between the Grand Hall and the Walt Disney Theatre on deck 3. On either side of this shop-lined promenade, five distinct outlets will offer exclusive Disney merchandise and luxury gifts like jewelry, watches and accessories.

One of these shops, Treasures Untold, will be the go-to destination for signature Disney Cruise Line collectibles, including the largest selection of Pandora Jewelry ever, plus limited-time Artist Spotlight collections and guest-favorite Dooney & Bourke handbags.

In a new location on deck 5, returning Disney cruisers will find a familiar sight: Mickey’s Mainsail, a fleet mainstay filled with Disney Cruise Line themed souvenirs and gifts, plus even more Disney Wish exclusives — like the special-edition Loungefly mini-backpack and headband above. And on the upper decks, Dory’s Forget-Me-Knots will feature swimwear, water-play gear and fun graphic tees inspired by favorite Disney stories.

Thank You for Listening to The Disney Travel News Podcast

Thank you for joining us at 1923 Main Street, Amelia and I hope that you enjoyed the show. If you did, we would be very grateful if you could rate, review and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcast player. A brief review about what you liked most about an episode truly helps to keep the show going by exposing it to new listeners. We look forward to continue producing new episodes and the latest Disney travel news on our Disney podcast each week.

Contact us at 1923 Main Street

We know that you enjoy Disney podcasts and we thank you for listening to the Disney Travel News Podcast at 1923MainStreet.com. As always, we love to get feedback and questions from our listeners and to hear your suggestions and ideas that we can include in future episodes.

Please be sure to follow along on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

Your Source for the Latest Disney Travel News

If you would like to help support the show, please share 1923 Main Street with your friends and on social media. We very much appreciate the support!

Shop Disney

Be sure to visit our online shop for a wide selection of 1923 Main Street merchandise, plus original Disney-inspired t-shirts and more.

Thank you for listening and have a magical day!

Mike Belobradic and Amelia Belobradic

For this, the 100th Episode of The Disney Travel Podcast at 1923 Main Street we've switched to a brand-new 15-minute news format. Join us for the very latest Disney travel news and exactly what it means for you.

Listen to The Disney Travel Podcast

Mickey's ToonTown is Closing

Mickey's Toontown at Disneyland Parks is going to be reimagined with new experiences and more play areas for young families, including grassy lawns. It closes in March 2022 and will reopen in early 2023 alongside Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.

One of the new areas coming to Mickey’s Toontown will be CenTOONial Park, the first space Guests will see when they enter. This natural space will be anchored by two interactive play experiences. At the center of CenTOONial Park will be a fountain, designed for play, which will also become a center icon for Mickey’s Toontown. As its base, water tables will invite Guests to play with the water and have a sensory experience. At night, the fountain will be brought to life in a unique spectacle.

A nearby dreaming tree will be inspired by the tree a young Walt Disney would daydream under in his hometown. Sculpted tree roots will provide an opportunity for children to play, crawl and explore, and undulating topography will offer rolling hills and a place to sit and dream.
Here's an update on the new DVC tower at Disneyland Hotel themed after stories of being a Disney artist, from sketching styles of Walt Disney himself to rooms based on original drawings from classic Disney films like Sleeping Beauty. Plus a very kid-friendly pool area.

News From Destination D23

At Destination D23, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro revealed Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will open summer 2022 at EPCOT as part of the Walt Disney World Resort 50th Anniversary celebration. This new family-friendly coaster matches the “grandosity” and fun of the blockbuster “Guardians of the Galaxy” films in what will be one of the longest fully enclosed coasters in the world. an intergalactic chase through time and space. And it features a reverse launch!
 
At Disneyland Resort, the next evolution of Downtown Disney District is being planned with work starting in January 2022. The multi-year project to reimagine Downtown Disney District will include an even broader collection of shopping, dining and entertainment experiences. More details are coming in 2022! 

Galactic Starcruiser March 2022, but there are soft launches earlier in February.
Live entertainment is coming back almost everywhere, including shows and Festival of Fantasy Parade in early 2022.

Also, “World of Color” and “Fantasmic!” are returning to the Disneyland Resort next year, along with the “Main Street Electrical Parade”.

MagicBands are Coming to Disneyland (finally)

This will mark the first time MagicBand+ will be available at Disneyland Resort. Some of the features of MagicBand+ will vary between Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort but they haven't shared details yet.  The “Hey, Disney!” voice assistant will work alongside Alexa on Amazon Echo devices and also will begin rolling out to Guest rooms across the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.  

Disney Imagineers are working on bringing characters – of all sizes – to life in authentic ways at Disney Parks and right now they’re developing a full-body exoskeleton system they’ve nicknamed “Project EXO.” It’s still in early concept development and Josh and team shared a glimpse at what the future of Disney Parks may look like!

EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays 

The 2021 festival will run from November 26 through Dec. 30, 2021. It celebrates holiday traditions from around the globe, with a variety of yuletide decorations, family-friendly activities, and the return of the beloved long-standing tradition of “Candlelight Processional.”

What are holidays without delicious food and drink? The 14 Holiday Kitchens are scattered throughout all 11 World Showcase pavilions and beyond offering returning fan-favorites and delicious classic holiday dishes and festive beverages.

The fun Holiday Cookie Stroll is back this year with a sweet cookie scavenger hunt. The Festival Passport lists the five official Holiday Cookie Stroll locations, and each stop will offer a delicious cookie for purchase and a stamp for your Festival Passport. Once Guests have collected all five stamps, they can bring their Festival Passport to the Holiday Sweets & Treats Holiday Kitchen to receive a 50th anniversary celebration cookie! Guests can complete their Holiday Cookie Stroll at their leisure – they can even bring back their stamped Festival Passport to EPCOT at any time during the festival to complete their stroll. 

In The American Adventure rotunda, EPCOT pastry chefs have recreated the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and The American Adventure building in miniature gingerbread versions.

Also at Epcot, a new Walt Disney statue in the World Celebration area is likely to become a hot spot for photos. Dreamer's Point near Spaceship Earth will basically be the Partners of this park.

More Fun PhotoPass Lenses!

WDW has launched even more Disney PhotoPass Lenses! These new Lenses, along with our current collection, are available through the My Disney Experience app with a purchase of Disney Genie+ service.

The Disney Wish will have two new stage shows: Sieze the Adventure will feature Captain Minnie and a new live action adaptation of The Little Mermaid with a new take on the story.
In related news, Disney Cruise Line has announced that guests 5 and older must be fully vaccinated to sail as of January 13, 2022 and Adventures by Disney January 12, 2022. We will see how this all plays out given Florida legislation.

Mirabel from ‘Encanto’ Joins Disney ¡Viva Navidad! During Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure Park.

Thank You for Listening

Thank you for listening to 1923 Main Street, Amelia and I hope that you enjoyed the show. If you did, we would be very grateful if you could rate, review and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcast player. A brief review about what you liked most about an episode truly helps to keep the show going by exposing it to new listeners. We look forward to continue producing new episodes of our Disney podcast each week.

Contact us at 1923 Main Street

We know that you enjoy Disney podcasts and we thank you for listening to the Disney Travel Podcast at 1923MainStreet.com. As always, we love to get feedback and questions from our listeners and to hear your suggestions and ideas for future episodes.

Please be sure to follow along on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

Your Source for the Latest Disney Travel News

If you would like to help support the show so that we can continue to improve the podcast, please share 1923 Main Street with your friends and on social media. You can also drop by our Patreon page (which is kind of like a virtual tip jar), where we have set up some special support levels for anyone who would like to help out in that way.

Shop Disney

Be sure to visit our online shop to see a wide selection of 1923 Main Street merchandise, plus original Disney-inspired t-shirts and more.

Thank you for listening and have a magical day!

Mike Belobradic and Amelia Belobradic

Disney Parks are a big part of any Disney vacation. So how much time should you spend in a Disney park on any given day? Is it an all-day affair, or it that a mistake?

Listen to Episode 99 of The Disney Travel Podcast

Is it Really a Good Idea to Spend All Day in Disney Parks?

With so much to do on a Disney vacation, it's easy to get lost in the belief that spending all day in the parks is the right thing to do. But is it?

In Episode 99 of The Disney Travel Podcast at 1923 Main Street® we explore how much time you should dedicate to visiting Disney Parks and how much time you should leave to enjoy the other aspects of a Disney vacation.

We also cover our favorite things to do in Disney Parks and the most important things to know so that you make the most of your time there (without burning out).

Thank You for Listening

Thank you for listening to 1923 Main Street, Amelia and I hope that you enjoyed the show. If you did, we would be very grateful if you could rate, review and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcast player. A brief review about what you liked most about an episode truly helps to keep the show going by exposing it to new listeners. We look forward to continue producing new episodes of our Disney podcast each week.

If you are interested in helping to support the our show, we have set up some great rewards for our supporters on Patreon. So feel free to drop by for a visit.

Contact us at 1923 Main Street

We know that you enjoy Disney podcasts and we thank you for listening to the Disney Travel Podcast at 1923MainStreet.com. As always, we love to get feedback and questions from our listeners and to hear your suggestions and ideas for future episodes.

Please be sure to follow along on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

If you would like to help support the show so that we can continue to improve the podcast, please share 1923 Main Street with your friends and on social media. You can also drop by our Patreon page (which is kind of like a virtual tip jar), where we have set up some special support levels for anyone who would like to help out in that way.

Shop Disney

Be sure to visit our online shop to see a wide selection of 1923 Main Street merchandise, plus original Disney-inspired t-shirts and more.

Thank you for listening and have a magical day!

Mike Belobradic and Amelia Belobradic