Artists at the Festival of the Arts

My favorite part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is meeting the artists. It's so fun to chat with them about their art and get a few pieces autographed, too. At the 2024 Festival, we met several artists including Jerrod Maruyama, Ashley Taylor, Ann Shen, and Jasmine Becket-Griffith, whose Strangeling art is the kiddo's favorite. 

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord

All images: Lucasfilm

The next animated series in the Star Wars saga focuses on a character who just keeps coming back: Maul. The series takes place in the early days of the Empire, just a few years after Order 66.

Here's the official synopsis from Lucasfilm: 

"Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord" picks up after the events of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars", for a pulpy adventure that finds Maul plotting to rebuild his criminal syndicate on Janix, a planet untouched by the Empire. There, he crosses paths with a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan who may just be the apprentice he is seeking to aid him in his relentless pursuit for revenge.

The voice cast is led by Sam Witwer, who also lent his voice to Maul in "Clone Wars", "Star Wars Rebels", and beyond, Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, Wagner Moura as Brander Lawson, Richard Ayoade as Two-Boots, Dennis Haysbert as Master Eeko-Dio Daki, Chris Diamantopoulos as Looti Vario, Charlie Bushnell as Rylee Lawson, Vanessa Marshall as Rook Kast, David W. Collins as Spybot, A.J. LoCascio as Marrok, and Steve Blum as Icarus.

The first two episodes of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord arrive on DisneyPlus on April 6th. Two new episodes will debut each Monday with the final episodes arriving on Star Wars Day, May the 4th.

Introducing Wonder Man

All images: Marvel

Marvel's Wonder Man looks hilarious. Poor Simon desperately wants the role of Wonder Man, but will he be able to hide his secret? Perhaps, with a little help from Trevor Slattery. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the series.

Here's the official synopsis from Marvel: 

Aspiring Hollywood actor Simon Williams is struggling to get his career off the ground. During a chance meeting with Trevor Slattery, an actor whose biggest roles may be well behind him, Simon learns legendary director Von Kovak is remaking the superhero film “Wonder Man”. These two actors at opposite ends of their careers doggedly pursue life-changing roles in this film as audiences get a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.

Marvel Television's Wonder Man stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams and Ben Kingsley, who reprises his role as Trevor Slattery.

All 8 episodes of Wonder Man arrive on DisneyPlus on January 27th.

Lunar New Year Treats At California Adventure

All images: Disney

Disney is marking Lunar New Year with a month long celebration at California Adventure. This year is the year of the horse, which symbolizes independence, energy, and strength. To celebrate, there will be special appearances by characters in holiday attire, Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession, and the Hurry Home – A Lunar New Year Celebration pre-show before World of Color Happiness! And of course, there will be lots of sweets and treats to enjoy. The celebration runs from January 23-February 22.

Performance Corridor

Bamboo Blessings

• Five-Spice Popcorn Chicken with sweet chile-garlic sauce 🍊
• Strawberry Milk Tea Macaron: Strawberry buttercream with a milk tea center

• Guava Dragon Fruit Sparkler: Simply Lemonade, Topo Chico, and guava and dragon fruit syrups garnished with frozen dragon fruit 🍊🧋
• Brown Sugar Milk Tea: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Ceylon Tea, oat milk, and brown sugar, maple and butter pecan syrups garnished with banana milk-inspired whipped cream 🧋
• Guava Dragon Fruit Vodka Cocktail: Vodka, Simply Lemonade, Topo Chico, and guava and dragon fruit syrups garnished with a lemon wheel 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Longevity Noodle Co.

• Japchae Noodles with kalbi short rib 🍊
• Garlic Noodles: Long noodles tossed in zesty garlic butter with parmesan
• Strawberry Lychee Cocktail: Bourbon, strawberry purée, lychee syrup, and lime juice garnished with a lime gummy wedge
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Lucky 8 Lantern

• Phở Dip with rice noodles, sliced beef, shaved jalapeños, pickled onions, and phở broth
• Chocolate Firecracker: Light chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache filling, chocolate almond dacquoise, and popping candy featuring DOVE Dark Chocolate
• Red Envelope Margarita: Tequila, orange juice, sweet and sour, raspberry purée, blood orange syrup, and gold shimmer 🍊
• Yuja-Melon Cocktail: Gin, Lillet Blanc, yuja purée, and rock melon syrup garnished with a purple orchid 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Prosperity Bao & Buns

• Char Siu BBQ Pork Bao with pickled red onions and jalapeño
• Kung Pao Bao with plant-based chicken, toasted peanuts, and scallions
• Brewery X, Grapefruit Citrus Seltzer 🍊
• Coronado Brewing Co., Nado Premium Rice Lager 🍊
• Harland Brewing Co., Lucky Horse 🍊
• Unsung Brewing Company, Photo Nuclear Orange 🍊
• Year of the Horse Beer Flight: Brewery X Grapefruit Citrus Seltzer, Coronado Brewing Co. Nado Premium Rice Lager, Unsung Brewery Company Photo Nuclear Orange Wheat Ale, and Harland Brewing Co. Lucky Horse West Coast IPA 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Red Dragon Spice Traders

• Spicy Chicken Wings with sesame seaweed crunch
• Mandarin Orange Cream Puff filled with citrus cream and Mandarin compote
• Honeydew Colada: Rum, melon liqueur, honeydew cream, coconut cream, and sweet and sour topped with a slushy made with DOLE Whip Pineapple 🍊

• Green Apple Soju Cocktail: Soju, grapefruit liqueur, green apple syrup, and sweet and sour 🍊
• Mango Soju Cocktail: Soju, Sprite, mango purée, and sweet and sour 🍊
• Peach Yogurt Soju Cocktail: Soju, Sprite, white peach syrup, and yogurt 🍊
• Soju Cocktail Flight: Peach Yogurt Soju Cocktail, Mango Soju Cocktail, and Green Apple Soju Cocktail 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Wrapped with Love

• Quesabirria Eggroll with guajillo pepper consomé
• Taro Vietnamese Cold Brew: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Vietnamese-style Coffee, cocoa powder, and condensed milk garnished with taro chocolate sweet cream 🧋
• Cold Brew Cocktail: Bourbon, Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Vietnamese-style Coffee, cocoa powder, and condensed milk garnished with taro chocolate sweet cream and a chocolate wafer stick 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Buena Vista Street

Carthay Circle Restaurant

• Golden Moonfire Cocktail: Pomegranate martini served with a strawberry-mint garnish 🍊

Trolley Treats

• Firecracker Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallow on a stick dipped in caramel and red-colored white chocolate decorated with yellow sanding sugar, a piece of red licorice, yellow-colored white chocolate, and a gold and red flower chocolate piece

Hollywood Land

Award Wieners

• Scallion Pancake Tostada: Fried scallion pancake, bulgogi beef, kimchi aïoli, and spicy scallion salad
• Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler 🍊

Churros at Hollywood Land

• Feng Li Su Churro: Churro rolled in shortbread sugar topped with pineapple jelly and cherry-flavored popping pearls 🍊

Hollywood Lounge

• Tteokbokki: Rice cakes with gochujang sauce topped with cheese, sesame seeds, and green onions 🍊
• Lychee Soju Cocktail: Soju with lychee syrup topped with grenadine and club soda 🍊

Schmoozies!

• Hotteok-Inspired Mickey-shaped Waffles: Red batter waffles with brown sugar and cinnamon custard, yellow whipped topping, and sprinkles 🍊

Studio Catering Co.

• Tteokbokki: Rice cakes with gochujang sauce topped with cheese, sesame seeds, and green onions 🍊

Avengers Campus 

Pym Test Kitchen

• Spicy Pork Belly Grilled Cheese: Pork belly marinated in Korean spices with white American cheese, spicy aïoli, pickled onions, sourdough bread, and green onion crust served with potato bites 🍊

Cars Land

Cozy Cone Motel 5 – Popcone

• Crispy Chicken Bao: Fried chicken coated in sweet chile sauce with cucumbers, carrots, and sesame seeds served in a soft bao bun 🍊

San Fransokyo Square

Aunt Cass Café

• Year of the Horse Bread: Horse-shaped Boudin sourdough bread 🍊🥬
• Strawberry Green Tea Bread Pudding: Strawberry and green tea-layered bread pudding with green tea crème anglaise and whipped topping 🍊
• Almond Cold Brew: Almond cold brew with orange cold foam 🍊🧋

Boudin Bread Cart

• Year of the Horse Bread: Horse-shaped Boudin sourdough bread 🍊🥬

Lucky Fortune Cookery

• Mango Milk Tea with brown sugar tapioca spheres topped with pineapple cold foam 🍊🧋

Pixar Pier

Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff

• Firecracker Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallow on a stick dipped in caramel and red-colored white chocolate decorated with yellow sanding sugar, a piece of red licorice, yellow-colored white chocolate, and a gold and red flower chocolate piece

Lamplight Lounge

• Chef’s Special: Mongolian beef topped with green onions, sesame seeds, red Chile flakes, and crispy shallots served with noodles tossed with Chinese broccoli, cabbage, and carrots 🍊

• Coconut Pandan Donuts 🍊
• Lunar Cocktail: Baijiu, gin, mango purée, lychee syrup, and lemon juice

Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining

• Lunar Cocktail: Baijiu, gin, mango purée, lychee syrup, and lemon juice

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats

• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Paradise Gardens Park 

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta

• Korean Pork Belly Pizza: Roasted soy-glazed pork belly with kimchi cucumber, mozzarella, yellow corn, sesame seeds, and kimchi marinara 🍊

• Pandan Cheesecake: Pandan-flavored cheesecake, brown butter graham crust, coconut whipped topping, and strawberry jam 🍊
• Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler 🍊

Paradise Garden Grill

• Lemongrass Pork Skewers: Grilled lemongrass-marinated pork belly skewers served with fried garlic rice, pickled carrots and daikon radish, and a side salad 🍊

• Vietnamese Coffee Roulade: Coffee sponge, Vietnamese coffee mousse, coffee cookie crumble, and sweetened condensed milk whipped cream 🍊
• Strawberry-Lychee Cocktail: Bourbon, strawberry purée, lychee syrup, and lime juice garnished with a skewered lime gummy
• Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Chiller at Paradise Gardens Park

• Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Corn Dog Castle

• Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Grizzly Peak
Smokejumpers Grill

• Bulgogi Fries: Fries with marinated bulgogi beef, kimchi cucumber, mozzarella cheese, and gochujang aïoli topped with sesame seeds and green onions 🍊
• Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler 🍊

Select Outdoor Vending Carts

• Mickey-Shaped Hot Dog Bun: Classic milk bread with hot dogs, hoisin glaze, parmesan, green onion, and sesame seeds
• Blue Vanilla Cotton Candy: Blue vanilla cotton candy 🍊
• Watermelon Cotton Candy: Pink watermelon cotton candy in 70th anniversary bag 🍊
• Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler 🍊
• Lunar New Year Straw Clip 🍊

Disneyland Hotel

The Coffee House

• Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler 🍊

Be sure to buy one of these adorable gift cards featuring Mickey and Minnie in their Korean-inspired outfits to make paying for all of these delicious delights quick and easy.

🍊 - New

🧋 - Non-alcoholic 

🥬 - Plant-based

Chocolate Stitch

Amaury Guichon

Amaury Guichon's latest Disney-inspired chocolate creation is an adorable Stitch on his surfboard. No matter how many times I watch him form characters out of chocolate, I'm always amazed to see them come to life.

Knowing What I Know Now - Wish

Disney

Disney's Wish has some of the best songs. 

Wish is available on DisneyPlus.

Bookish Quote

BBC

"I must have tea.

Without tea I am merely unreconstituted dust."

- Gabriel Book, Bookish