HAPPY NEW YEAR! This is the first Nana’s Disney Princess Diary of 2025. I hope everybody had a FANTASTIC holiday! Where was I? I was at Hollywood Studios for New Year’s Eve and will discuss it after today’s recap. So please don’t miss it! Buckle up and pull your yellow tab! and let’s go.
Just Tapping in Here, Again
Today was the first weekend that Pirate and Sorcerer passes are not blocked… Do you know what that means? NO PARK PASS AVAILABLE again.
I had my Hollywood Studios pass since last week (I barely got it…) but last night, I needed to change my pass to EPCOT. But OBVIOUSLY, there is no park pass… So I had to go to Hollywood Studios to just tap in and out.
I said the same thing when I had to do this last time: this does not make sense. Why can’t they change to a “one-day park pass” that is good for any park? Anyhow, I tapped in and walked back to my car.
The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow
Am I the only one who is missing the old EPCOT parking sign? This one is so generic and not so expensive.
How many guests who had at AP Tap Point today?
None. Fabulous. (Sorry I’m being Spicy 🌶️ )
But SSE and the fountain are looking pretty as usual.
Walked to the Land where I needed to go today. Our source told us there was an update on Living with the Land. I am so lucky to get to ride on Living with the Land first thing in the morning. I’ll tell you how much I love LwtL… If I ever get banned from Walt Disney World, I would love to float down LwtL with floating recliners. (My old one was swimming in the Fountain of Nations, but they are gone now.).
(Obligatory Editor’s Note: Nana is joking; WDWNT does not condone swimming in any bodies of water at Walt Disney World that are not designated guest pools.)
Got the update “Waterfall Returns to Living with the Land After More Than Four Months” and made my way to Disney Springs.
Disney Springs
I’ve been avoiding going to Disney Springs since the parking has been crazy, but today was not so bad. I got my princess parking in the Orange Garage around 10:40 am.
I came here to report and buy myself PINK CROCS but guess what…
They only had three left and they were huge. Nana couldn’t buy… got sad so I tried to go get an early lunch, but guess what? Morimoto Street Food was not even open yet.
So I had no choice but to make my way to the World of Disney. Disney has been releasing and restocking lots of merchandise. We are happy to see the Anxiety keychain is being kept in stock now.
Also, this is the amount of anxiety I have for my full marathon next weekend. (This will be my 8th full marathon… WITHOUT any training and I am not that young anymore. )
At Co-op, they got new pajama and loungewear collections.
Those are nice and soft.
Next, I walked to Goofy’s Candy Co.
They have Valentine Day cupcakes, but we are not reviewing them. (Phew.)
FINALLY, I made my way back to Morimoto and got myself a lunch.
Morimoto Street Food used to have Chicken Ramen and Saimin before, but they were gone. But I was craving ramen all day, so I got Bulgogi Kimchi Ramen.
Bulgogi Kimchi Ramen Soda Combo – $18.75
Let me begin with “Oh, it’s pricey!” Definitely not cheap, but hey, it’s Disney Springs. I don’t know what kind of ramen is this, but an easy way to describe is “a fancy version of SHIN ramen.” It’s a little bit spicy, with rich miso broth. The noodles are cooked right and the eggs are on point. I would give it 5/7. If the price was $15, I would give 6. I could’ve driven to my pho place (“Twenty Pho” on International Drive) and got myself a pho with extra noodles for almost the same price, but I was too hungry for it.
While I was eating my expensive noodles, I got a call to go back to Hollywood Studios where my day begun, so I made my way back to Hollywood Studios.
Falcon Single Rider
I got sent back to Hollywood Studios for “Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Now Testing Modified Single Rider Line with Groups of Two at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.”
Now you and the other half, a kid, bestie, mom, or dad can ride Falcon together via single rider line! Due to the capacity of six guests per ride, a party of two is needed frequently, especially during those holiday seasons where all the family visit parks together.
I love the idea of double riders at the Falcon. I hope they keep this.
Arlight, this was my recap from today. Are you ready to read about New Year’s Eve at Hollywood Studios?
New Years Eve at Hollywood Studios
Well, well, well… Disney annouced about NYE at Hollywood Studios like a week in advance. I like the idea of having some sort of NYE entertainments at the park where Cast Members are not blocked. (Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom were the only parks that was not blocked with their self admission and main entrance.).
Reading through all the offerings at HS, I found out about “PIXAR Dance Party.” They had same dance party during Jollywood, so I was hoping to see Sadness in her holiday costume. I was so wrong.
The gate opened at 7 p.m., and everybody rushed to see the characters.
There were way too many guests in one place and there is only one way in and one way out. Everybody follows the characters, so when the new characters came out, IT WAS CHAOS.
I got pushed toward the DJ booth, Mike and Boo were stuck in front of me because all the guests walked towards them from the entrance/exit. I was trapped between the DJ booth and two characters. Character Attendants were not doing any justice, maybe they couldn’t due to the crowding. I felt tremendously bad for the characters; I am sure it was scary for them too. This is my totally personal opinion, but if the DJ booth was not facing the entrance/exit, this wouldn’t have happened.
I was trapped in loud music and too many people, I almost had a panic attack. So I left there as soon as I could escaped.
I walked around Grand Avenue, where I got to see Dr. Strange, Gamora, and Star Lord.
I’ve never seen Gamora roaming in Disney World before… It was definitely best moment of the day. I should’ve told them that I’ve been saving the galaxy at EPCOT so many times, but I haven’t gotten Tears for Fears for two years.
Compared to EPCOT or Magic Kingdom’s New Year’s Eve, Hollywood Studios was more chill (except PIXAR PLAZA.) I am hoping I can sleep at home for NYE this year like this duck who was actually sleeping by Stormalong Bay on NYE.
More of Nana’s Disney Princess Diaries are on the way this year. I have one more week to prepare for the full marathon. (Mentally. Not physically, because it is too late.)
As always, thank you for reading and have a magical weekend!✨
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