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This morning we said good-bye to Cape Town as we boarded our flight up South Africa’s Garden Route to George. The views from the flight were absolutely stunning – this coastal region is where lush forests meet pristine beaches and would rank high among aviary, simian and human travelers alike. This was perfect as our first stops in George were to Birds of Eden and Monkeyland.
“Birds of Eden is a two-hectare dome that spans over a beautiful gorge of indigenous forest. It is home to over 3,500 birds from over 220 species, with the main focus being African birds. The forest contains stately tree ferns, solid ironwood and majestic yellowwood trees. It is amazing how you can recreate a forest with enough time and effort – this land used to be a farm dump site!”
—Dr. Mark
“Monkeyland is the world’s first free roaming multi-species primate sanctuary. It was built to provide a home for pet monkeys that weren’t working out as pets. That means almost all pet monkeys! They thrive in this beautiful natural forest.”
—Dr. Mark
“I find the lemurs especially endearing to watch in the forest. They have a comical joie de vie that is irresistible.”
—Dr. Mark
After a morning amongst the exotic birds, we indulged in the best bread you will ever taste (seriously) and then retired to our picture-perfect resort overlooking the Knysna waterfront.
Click here to see more about this amazing safari adventure.
Continuing our awesome avian encounters from yesterday’s penguins, this morning we set off to visit a raptor wildlife rehabilitation and conservation center in Spier. We were given an up-close and personal introduction to their numerous eagles, hawks, falcons, owls and, my favorite, vultures!
It was awe-inspiring to watch these majestic birds soar inches above our heads.
“Meet some of Africa’s majestic birds of prey, and the people who help injured birds and return them to the skies. Africa has an extraordinary array of eagles, vultures, sparrowhawks and more. Falcons (especially the Peregrine) are known as the Ferrari of the skies. You’ll be amazed by the speed and incredible precision with which these rapacious predators hunt. They are incredible!”
—Dr. Mark
Having worked up our appetites interacting with these incredible creatures—we couldn’t leave the Cape Winelands without visiting at least one winery for lunch. This area of South Africa is famous for creating the pinotage grape variety, a blend of Hermitage and Pinot Noir, thanks to its rich soil, hot dry summers and cool wet winters.
“Today we entered wine country. Back in the 1600s, French and Dutch settlers established these farms in the perfect climate for vineyards, and still produce some of the world’s most famous wines.”
—Dr. Mark
At the winery near Stellenbosch, South Africa’s second-oldest European settlement and acknowledged wine capital, we dined inside this Cape Dutch Manor home—an architectural reminder of its Old World origins. It was quite a unique experience being in South Africa, while still seeing the influence of Dutch colonial culture as we strolled down the oak-shaded streets of Stellenbosch surrounded by lush vineyards and breathtaking mountains.
Click here to see more about this amazing safari adventure.
Glue or tape where shown on flaps to assemble the driedel.
Poke a hole where shown to insert a dowel or pencil.
How to Play the Game: Distribute to each player equal amounts of coins or candy.
All players put in one coin or candy.
Each player, in turn, spins the dreidel and then takes the action that coordinates to the letter that is facing up when the dreidel stops spinning. See on the PDF.
If the pot runs out before the end of the game, everyone puts in a coin or candy, and the game continues until one player has all of the coins or candy
It’s time to deck the halls—which, for Disney fans, means the time has come to put away the Disney décor… and bring out the Disney holiday décor! Mickey and Minnie Baus—which does, indeed, rhyme with M-O-U-S-E—know a thing or two about Disney holiday magic. The couple’s home, located just a skip and a hop from Walt Disney World, is a Disney fan’s dream, with rooms paying tribute to Aladdin, Olaf, Tinker Bell, Mickey, and more. But at Christmastime, their imagination and their love for Disney take their house to another level, as they create custom cut-outs, build Mickey-shaped “topiaries,” and adorn their front yard with too many mouse ears to count. Meet Mickey and Minnie and marvel at their incredible collection of all-things Disney in this clip:
Now Mickey and Minnie hope to add a new treasure to their trove: the coveted Light Fight trophy, which will be awarded to the winner of ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight. On an episode of the series airing this Monday, December 3 (8–9 p.m. ET/PT), Taniya Nayak, who judges The Great Christmas Light Fight with Carter Oosterhouse, will visit Windermere, Florida, to see Mickey and Minnie’s Disney World Christmas Wonderland—featuring their very own take on the Main Street Electrical Parade—for herself. Here’s an exclusive look at the Baus house, which includes a room where it’s Christmas all year long:
Tune in to ABC on Monday evening to see their dazzling Disney display in its entirety!
We also asked Nayak and Oosterhouse to share some decorating Do’s and Don’t’s with fans who want to blend the spirit of the season with the spirit of Disney Parks at their own homes.
D23: What advice do you have for Disney fans who want to re-create a Main Street Electrical Parade as part of their own holiday décor?
Oosterhouse: DO always use LED Lights. It’s the only way to use a lot of lights and not break the bank. You might even have to retrofit certain blow molds or cutouts. Always try to bury the cords when you can so people don’t trip and risk your lights going out. When trying to create a large display, consider creating numerous smaller scenes. This way you can give attention to each scene individually or certain parts of the yard. You won’t get overwhelmed as fast and it’s easier to balance out a large display.
D23: When it comes to building a collection of holiday items, such as the one Mickey and Minnie Baus have put together, what should people keep in mind?
Nayak: DO keep your collection manageable and under control by keeping what is most important to you. Try to keep everything organized in bins that are properly labeled. DON’T hang on to items that are broken and may not have any value to you anymore—and if something is still in good condition, consider donating it!
Oosterhouse: DO try to keep within a theme. It can get a little overwhelming when you have 200 different styles and looks. It’s easier to display if you have a more systematic approach. Think: color, year, size, shape, etc.
D23: How can any Disney fan incorporate their love of Disney into their holiday decorating?
Nayak: DON’T have everything scattered about in a way that doesn’t tell a story. Perhaps consider mixing photos of family trips to a Disney park with special decorations that have a character theme. DO have fun with it and let your personality shine through!
Oosterhouse: We’ve seen all kinds of Disney characters on The Great Christmas Light Fight, and it’s so amazing to see how people put their own spin on each character. I don’t think there can be rules on this one. I think nostalgia is part of the essence of Christmas. We all grew up with Disney in our lives—it makes perfect sense to incorporate your favorite characters however you can!
Refreshing ocean views from the Cape of Good Hope kicked off our morning. Originally thought to be the southernmost tip of Africa, this was an important stopping point for ships sailing between Europe and the eastern colonies.
Two oceans’ currents from two completely different Oceans meet in these waters, resulting in wild and stormy seas. The region was named the Cape of Storms in 1488, and this point has at least 26 sunken ships. Watch for the spray of humpback whales at sea, and the beautiful nectar-feeding orange-breasted sunbirds among the vegetation.
-Dr. Mark
Joe broke out his art supplies and shared why sketching is so important to him as a world traveler:
I always bring a sketchbook when I travel, and on this trip, so will everybody else. People might be worried that they can’t draw, or that their work isn’t good enough, whatever that means, but sketching is not really about making a great picture. Sketching is about making yourself look. You can take a photograph of something and be looking in the complete opposite direction, never really looking at it at all. But if you sketch it…no matter the quality of the sketch, you have to really really look. If you really really look, you are going to see things you would not have seen. And if you are on a once in a lifetime Adventures by Disney trip to Africa…you want to see those things.
-Joe
From the crisp ocean visit at the Cape of Good Hope, we then headed to a special beach with a VERY strict dress code.
Boulders Beach is one of only three land based penguin colonies in South Africa.
Among the beautiful granite boulders you’ll find the African penguin. There are about 3000 birds in this colony – a great success story showing how people can live with nature around them. Listen for the sound of donkeys braying – those are penguins! They used to be known as the jackass penguin.
-Dr. Mark
After Boulders Beach, the clouds cleared and we headed up to the beautiful Table Mountain.
Table Mountain is South Africa’s most iconic landmark. It rises up 3,500ft and is often covered with a beautiful white tablecloth. Best view of Cape Town from the top!
-Dr. Mark
We wrapped up our first full day of adventure with a Celebration of Africa dinner! Before the meal was served, we “earned” our food with an interactive African drumming class.
Join in the drum experience – in Africa, drums are not just about entertainment. They have great cultural importance, and allow communication over vast distances – when your cell phone isn’t working!
-Dr. Mark
Combined with the evening’s accompanying masks, music and Malian puppeteering – this was truly the perfect way to celebrate the day’s experiences!
Click here to see more about this amazing safari adventure.
As we celebrate the holiday season and Mickey’s milestone 90th anniversary, D23 is pleased to share this festive depiction of a scene from Mickey’s Christmas Carol, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this yuletide.
Originally designed as the 1983 Christmas card from The Walt Disney Studios, the piece represents the Studios’ tradition of sharing yuletide charm through an annual holiday card keepsake, which brought delight to business and industry partners, as well as employees and dear friends.
Download and print this on high-quality paper or cardstock and fold in half. Be sure to include a special note and give to the ones you love!
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs. baking potatoes (3 to 4 potatoes)
½ medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 large egg
2 tbsp. matzo meal or unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
1 tsp. kosher salt
¹/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canola oil
Applesauce, crème fraîche, or sour cream for serving
Chopped chives for garnish
Instructions:
Set up a wire cooling rack with paper towels.
Grate the potatoes and onions. Use a food processor or a box grater to grate the potatoes and onion.
To get crispy latkes, the potato and onion mixture needs to be dry. Transfer the grated potato and onion onto a large triple layer of cheesecloth. Gather the corners and tie around the handle of a wooden spoon. Dangle the bundle over a large bowl, then twist and squeeze the potatoes and onion to remove all of the liquid. Pour out the liquid from the bowl, but keep the potato starch remaining at the bottom.
Mix the potato starch, egg, matzo, salt, and pepper with the potatoes and onion. Use your fingers to distribute all of the ingredients evenly.
Form the latkes. Use a ¼-cup measuring cup, a slotted spatula, your fingers, and a fork to form a flat, four-inch patty.
Fry the latkes. Heat the oil until latkes sizzle immediately upon entering the oil. Fry until each side is dark golden-brown.
Remove latkes from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve or keep warm in the oven.
A little over seven months ago we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom with the Party for the Planet festival, brand-new photo locations and Wilderness Explorers badges, limited-edition merchandise and a very special Adventures by Disney Safari to South Africa hosted by Joe Rohde and Dr. Mark Penning. Now, after just a few *short* flights, we have arrived in the beautiful city of Cape Town to begin this incredible adventure!
Honestly, Cape Town is nothing like we expected. This metropolitan city feels like any major oceanside city in the states, with beautiful views and weather almost like Los Angeles (which makes sense as Cape Town is approximately as far south of the equator as Los Angeles is north of it)! Our luxurious accommodations are set right on the V&A Waterfront with stunning views of the historic port framed by Table Mountain in the background.
“Most people in Cape Town speak Afrikaans, a language derived from Dutch and French settlers. Saying ‘thank you’ for anything in Afrikaans is easy—baie dankie. Pronounced ‘buy a donkey.’”
—Dr. Mark
During the welcome reception, we not only had the chance to meet our fellow Adventurers but also our Adventure Guides Craig and Kira who, along with Joe and Dr. Mark, will be hosting us through the next 10 days of unforgettable experiences.
“Welcome to South Africa, a country famous for its richness of diversity. It has the highest number of official languages, and only 5 countries on earth have greater species biodiversity. Prepare for a rich experience.”
—Dr. Mark
So, as Craig taught us: Masambene! Meaning “let’s go!”
Click here to see more about this amazing safari adventure.
Downtown Disney District will feature nightly entertainment throughout the holiday season. From a cappella to carolers—and even a few magicians—there is something for everyone in Downtown Disney. You never know what magical moment you might see while you’re strolling through this winter wonderland.
Seasonal Overlay
Even with a wintery chill in the air, your heart will melt as you take in the new seasonal overlay, featuring an artificial 30-foot-tall tree positioned near Uva Bar. A tree that tall takes a lot to decorate it—6,200 ornaments in total! You can take in 800 ornaments glimmering on the tree and 900 in each of the six planters.
Holiday Eats and Treats
Catal Restaurant
Breakfast with Santa (Dec 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23): Santa Claus is coming to town and he’s paying a very special visit to Catal Restaurant. Join jolly old Saint Nick and his merry band of elves throughout the holiday season at Catal Restaurant’s classic Breakfast with Santa experience. Guests are invited to feast on a decadent family-style spread of menu offerings such as buttermilk pancakes, crispy bacon, and farm-fresh eggs while Charles Dickens carolers serenade them with their favorite festive tunes. Adults are welcome to sip on bottomless mimosas while little ones are treated to a cookies-and-milk station and steaming cups of hot chocolate from the cocoa cart. After they share their Christmas wishes with Santa, he will gift every child with a pre-stuffed Build-a-Bear™ Workshop teddy bear in addition to a personalized stocking and a complimentary photo print of their magical time with him. Make your reservation today to enjoy this beloved yuletide tradition that is sure to put a smile on every child’s face and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen
Christmas Day Menu: Offering specialty menu items such as Gulf Shrimp Ravigote and Fried Green Tomatoes, Blackened Filet Mignon, and a Cappuccino Pot De Crème for dessert
New Year’s Eve Menu:
Live entertainment on both floors performing until 12:30 a.m.
Party hats and noisemakers available for dine-in guests
Offering specialty menu items such as a Cauliflower Goat Cheese Bisque, Seafood Jambalaya Risotto, and Rib Eye Steak
Holiday Corn Dog (Now through January 6): Our Holiday Feast is a 1/4-pound Chicken Apple Sausage Corn Dog served with cranberry sauce and a side of applesauce
California Churro
White Christmas Churro (Now through January 6): Our White Christmas Churro is coated in powdered sugar with a minty flavor
Cotton Candy Creations
Ornament Cotton Candy (Now through January 6): Guests can create their own cotton candy ornament by choosing a holiday stencil that will be placed onto the ornament-shaped cotton candy
Starbucks
Sugar Plum Cheese Danish (Now until early January): A croissant pastry topped with a tangy cream cheese filling and a plum jam (pictured above)
Caramel Brulée Latte (Now until early January): Espresso, steamed milk, and rich Caramel Brulée sauce, topped with whipped cream and Caramel Brulée topping (pictured above)
Gingerbread Latte (Now until early January): Sweet and spicy Gingerbread syrup with espresso and steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and ground nutmeg
Christmas Blend Espresso Roast (Now until early January): Cedary and herbal spiciness with an intense caramelly sweetness
Earl of Sandwich
Holiday Ham (Now through December 31): Ham, cheddar, yams, and cranberry sauce on freshly toasted artisan bread
Sprinkles
Bakeries will be giving out Surprise SPRINKLE JOY Favor Boxes to guests at random all month. The favor boxes will include a Red Velvet cupcake and a $10 Sprinkles Gift Card
Seasonal Cupcakes:
Pumpkin (November 1–30): Fragrant ginger, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon cake, topped with sweet cinnamon cream cheese frosting (pictured above left)
Pumpkin Pecan Pie (November 1–30): Spiced pumpkin cake with a rich candied pecan filling and finished with toasted marshmallow frosting (pictured above right)
White Chocolate Raspberry (November 1–11): White chocolate chip-studded raspberry cake, frosted with white chocolate frosting marbled with raspberry compote
Double Stuffed Oreo® (November 12–30): Chocolate cake with an Oreo® cookie crust, vanilla buttercream filling, finished with a vanilla buttercream frosting and Oreo® crumb rim
Saturday Late-Night Exclusive (Available at ATM Bakeries only, after 8 p.m., in-bakery and in ATM)—Nutella® Hazelnut Mocha (November 3, 10, 17, 24): Rich coffee chocolate cake filled with whipped Nutella®, frosted with mocha buttercream, and finished with a rim of chopped and toasted hazelnuts
Salt & Straw
Gingerbread Cookie Dough: Rum royal ice cream swirled with cookie butter and bits and pieces of gingerbread. (pictured above left)
Peppermint Bark Cocoa: Rich cocoa ice cream with a dash of peppermint oil and handfuls of mint dark chocolate bark, white chocolate and handmade peppermint candy bits. (pictured above left)
Cinnamon Coconut Eggnog: Rum-infused almond milk churned with coconut ice cream and laced with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Disney Springs
Entertainment
The elves have been hard at work all across Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney Springs is no exception. From a whole forest of Christmas trees at the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail and a special visit from Santa Claus, to seasonal sights and sounds along the waterside promenade, there are boughs of cheer decked across every pathway as far as the eye can see.
While the holidays are a time of joy and gift-giving, sometimes our plans get foiled! It’s a special season’s greetings to sleuths everywhere as you embark on a merry mission to help Stitch recover his lost gift list at Stitch’s Holiday Gift Hunt.
Holiday Eats and Treats
The Ganachery
Hot Ganache—hot drinking chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate crispies (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
Santa Mickey Piñata—dark chocolate Mickey sphere filled with marshmallow treats
Mickey and Minnie Christmas Cottage—chocolate cottage filled with peppermint bark
Peppermint Bark—layers of milk chocolate and dark chocolate swirled with peppermint pieces
Eggnog Ganache Square
Candy Cane Ganache Square
Planet Hollywood
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Naughty (alcoholic) and Nice (non-alcoholic) Frozen Cocktails—mint chocolate frozen beverage garnished with brownie and candy cane
Earl of Sandwich
Holiday Ham Sandwich—ham, cheddar, yams, and cranberry sauce on freshly-toasted artisan bread
Holiday Turkey Sandwich—turkey, cornbread stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and mayonnaise on freshly-toasted artisan bread
Vivoli il Gelato
Candy Cane Sundae—cheesecake, vanilla, mint chocolate chip, ginger, and salted caramel gelatos with caramel sauce, graham cracker, and whipped cream
Splitsville Dining Room
Gobble Gobble Sliders (available now through December 26)—three sliders stacked with hand-carved roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, and crispy fried onions dressed with rich turkey gravy and sweet-sour cranberry sauce
Getting Figgy With It (available now through December 26)—fig-infused vodka, fig jam, ginger liqueur, allspice, and rhubarb bitters
4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck
Gingerbread Churro Balls—bite-sized gingerbread tossed in spiced sugar and served with cream cheese frosting for dipping
D-Luxe Burger
Peppermint Cookies and Cream Shake
Turkey Burger—signature turkey burger with fried butternut squash risotto, fresh mozzarella, bacon-cranberry jam, lettuce, and tomato
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar
Jock Frost—a Floridian tropical treat with cinnamon cream liqueur, coconut rum, blue liqueur, pineapple, and lemon juice garnished with an orange
Jock’s Holiday Nog—a simple holiday eggnog with vodka, cinnamon cream liqueur, vanilla syrup, and mint candies
Amorette’s Patisserie
Gingerbread Hat Cookie Ornaments
Goofy Hat Cookie—November 25–December 1
Donald Hat Cookie—December 2–9
Pluto Hat Cookie—December 10–17
Minnie Hat Cookie—December 18–24
Mickey Hat Cookie—December 25–30
Orange Cranberry Chardonnay Wine Slushy
Peppermint Chocolate Milkshake—topped with whipped cream and served with a paper straw coated in crushed peppermint
Pear Mousse—with poached pear wine reduction and fresh pears
Santa Mickey Macaron Lollipop—filled with eggnog ganache
Snowman Macaron Lollipop—hot-chocolate-flavored macarons filled with milk chocolate ganache and a marshmallow cream center
Spiced Plum Petite Cake—five-spice chiffon cake with plum pâté de fruit and honey mousse
Winter Wonderland Petite Cake—cinnamon nutmeg chiffon cake with cranberry cherry pâté de fruit and salted caramel calvados mousse
Gingerbread Mickey Dome Cake
Santa Mickey Dome Cake
The Daily Poutine
Turkey Poutine with Cranberry Chutney
Goofy’s Candy Company and Disney’s Candy Cauldron
Assorted Holiday Crispy Treats
Holiday Mickey and Minnie Candy Apples
Sandy Claws Candy Apples
Snowflake Candy Apples
Assorted Holiday Cake Pops
Select Outdoor Vending Carts
Mickey Pretzels topped with Holiday Sprinkles
Tree Trail
Frozen Eggnog (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
Frozen Hot Chocolate (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
Gingerbread Cookies
Holiday Sugar Cookies
Holiday Crispy Treat
Holiday Cotton Candy—available in gingerbread, eggnog, or peppermint flavors
Disney Junior is getting ready to take fans on an incredible and mysterious journey to Jalpur, a magical land inspired by the cultures and customs of India. Production is under way on a brand-new animated series, Mira, Royal Detective, slated to debut on Disney Junior Channels and programming blocks around the world in 2020.
It doesn’t take a detective to deduce that Mira, Royal Detective is sure to be amazing. Mira, a young commoner, becomes a royal detective after she solves a mystery (and saves the kingdom’s young prince); she then travels throughout Jalpur helping both royals and commoners alike. Each episode will feature two 11-minute stories that feature authentic music, dance, and customs that are rooted in India’s vibrant heritage.
Mira will be voiced by 15-year-old newcomer Leela Ladnier. The young sleuth will be joined on her new adventures by her friend Prince Neel, a talented inventor voiced by Kamran Lucas (Disney’s Mech-X4); her creative cousin Priya, voiced by newcomer Roshni Edwards; and two comical mongooses, Mikku and Chikku, voiced by Kal Penn (Designated Survivor) and Utkarsh Ambudkar (The Mindy Project), respectively. The series’ star-studded voice cast also includes Freida Pinto (The Path) as Queen Shanti; Hannah Simone (New Girl) as a young commoner named Pinky; Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) as Mira’s Auntie Pushpa; Aasif Mandvi (Shut Eye) as Mira’s father, Sahil; Sarita Choudhury (Homeland) as Prince Neel’s Great-Aunt Rupa; Aparna Nancherla (BoJack Horseman) as Mira’s cousin Meena; Karan Brar (Disney Channel’s BUNK’D) as Prince Veer; Karan Soni (Deadpool) as twins Ranjeet and Manjeet; Sarayu Blue (I Feel Bad) as the palace tailor; and Parvesh Cheena (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) and Sonal Shah (Scrubs) as bandits Manish and Poonam, respectively.
Joe D’Ambrosia, senior vice president, Original Programming, Disney Junior, said in today’s announcement, “We are eager to introduce kids and their families to the rich, diverse cultures and customs of India through Mira, a young girl who looks at things with her own unique lens to gain different perspectives and help others in her community. We hope that she will encourage our audience to engage actively with the inspiring world around them and appreciate the little details that make life extraordinary.”
Mira, Royal Detective is executive produced by Emmy® Award nominee Sascha Paladino (Miles from Tomorrowland); the series was developed by Becca Topol (Elena of Avalor), who also serves as story editor. Sue Perotto and Dorothea Schoentag (both of Phineas and Ferb) are supervising director and art director, respectively. Serving as consultants for Mira, Royal Detective are IW Group’s Shagorika Ghosh, who is the series’ cultural consultant; Bollywood dancer and choreographer Nakul Dev Mahajan (So You Think You Can Dance) and music producer Deepak Ramapriyan (Basmati Blues). The series will feature original songs written and produced by Emmy nominees Matthew Tishler (Fancy Nancy) and Jeannie Lurie (The Muppets) and music from composer Amritha Vaz (Miss India America). Wild Canary produces in association with Disney Junior.
We’ll be on the hunt for more clues about the upcoming series until Mira officially begins her sleuthing on Disney Junior. Stay tuned for all of the details.
