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So MUCH is happening in Disney World. It sometimes feels like too much to try and keep track of all the progress happening around the parks and resorts! Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Splash Mountain in Magic Kingdom is getting a makeover to become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. New restaurants are being built at Disney’s BoardWalk and at Disney Springs. But we want to talk about the new Disney Vacation Club (DVC) villas coming to Disney’s Polynesian Resort, so let’s take a look at the progress on those! When we last checked in, we were continuing to watch the progress of the buildings (yep, so far there are TWO buildings) moving onwards and upwards at the construction site for the new DVC villas. Here’s what it looked like a few weeks ago. TWO buildings Well, those buildings just continue growing and growing taller. Moving upwards! These buildings seem to be expanding before our very eyes. Here you can see what might be a stairwell between these two parts of the building. Moving Along We’re also seeing a better idea of how the two buildings will be connected as more structures are completed between them. Connection Loads of pipes have also arrived on the site near one of the Polynesian’s existing buildings. As you can see, a LOT is going on here. This actually looks similar to what it looked like the last time we checked in. This land remains empty, so we don’t know what will go here. Some of the area is still a bit of a mess There’s still a lot of work to be done. The villas aren’t expected to open until late 2024, but we do know that Disney has said that their theming will be “inspired by early concepts for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort” while also honoring the existing themes at the Polynesian. We’re intrigued! Things Really Are Moving Along This addition will not just bring more rooms to the resort, though. The expansion will also bring some new recreational activities for guests AND new dining options (okay, we can’t WAIT to see what kind of restaurants we’ll be visiting here). We’ll continue to keep an eye on construction progress here and keep you updated, so stay tuned to DFB for more! When are you headed to Disney World next? Have you checked out our line of fun graphic tees to wear on your trip? Love this t-shirt! We’ve designed some for the whole family – from infants to adults! Click here to check them out! Everything We Know About the New Hotel Rooms Coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think of this construction so far? Will you be interested in booking a stay at these DVC villas? Let us know in the comments! The post See the Latest CHANGES at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Don’t go to Disney World until you’ve seen what’s going to be CLOSED at the theme parks and hotels. Magic Kingdom Rides, attractions, restaurants, and other things have to close occasionally as Disney updates and refurbishes them. So that you’re prepared before your upcoming trip, check out everything that’s going to be closed in Disney World next week here! Magic Kingdom Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Splash Mountain closed on January 23rd for a long refurbishment. The ride is being re-themed to become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, with a Princess and the Frog theme. More Painting and Work Being Done The new ride will reopen sometime in late 2024. We’ll be watching for more updates on the reopening timeline. The tree at the top of this ride has been removed as Disney continues construction, and several new rock structures have been built at the bottom of the drop. Construction If you miss Splash Mountain or want to celebrate the new ride, you should check out our DFB t-shirts! We have a Splash Mountain Farwell Tour shirt… DFB Exclusive! …and a Tiana tee as well! Check out our new Tiana-inspired merch! You can shop both tees (and lots of other Disney merch) at our online store. Click here to shop our DFB merchandise store. Disney’s Hollywood Studios Voyage of the Little Mermaid This Little Mermaid-themed stage show has been closed in Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a long time now. Voyage of the Little Mermaid Disney hasn’t announced when or if the Voyage of the Little Mermaid will reopen. Get one of the best snacks at Hollywood Studios before it’s GONE. EPCOT In the Japan Pavilion, Tokyo Dining is currently undergoing a major refurbishment, and will not reopen until summer 2023. Construction on Tokyo Dining However, a brand new restaurant is coming to EPCOT this summer: Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya will be a table-service restaurant featuring a “festive dining experience in a sharable Izakaya-style.” ©Disney The restaurant will be located in the Japan Pavilion, on the second floor (above the Mitsukoshi Department Store), and will offer “stunning views of EPCOT, the World Showcase Lagoon, and, of course, fireworks.” That location sure sounds a LOT like the current location of Tokyo Dining. Disney has not confirmed that this new restaurant will be taking over the Tokyo Dining location, but we’re certainly keeping our eyes and ears peeled for more news! Click here to learn more about the NEW restaurant coming to EPCOT. Disney’s Animal Kingdom The Boneyard The Boneyard play area in DinoLand U.S.A. is going to be closed for all of next week in Animal Kingdom. The Boneyard This spot should reopen soon, on June 13th. Part of the attraction — the Dino Dig Site — has reopened, however. Check out the ultimate guide to the BEST coffee in Animal Kingdom here. Disney World Hotels Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn This closure isn’t for this week, but since it’s coming up so quickly we’re including it here anyways. Trattoria al Forno will be closed for a brief refurbishment from June 11th through the 17th, 2023. Trattoria al Forno Trail’s End Restaurant at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Trail’s End Restaurant at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground closed in mid-April and is currently undergoing a MAJOR refurbishment. Trail’s End It will reopen this summer as “a marketplace concept with expanded quick service options.” The table service option will no longer be offered. Thousands of Disney fans voted on the BEST Disney World hotel — see their answer here. Disney World Water Parks Blizzard Beach Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park has officially reopened, but now the other water park, Blizzard Beach, has closed for refurbishment. Blizzard Beach Be sure to check the My Disney Experience app for updates! The BEST Rides at Blizzard Beach, Ranked Looking for more resources to help you get ready for your upcoming trip? Check out these posts to learn all about Disney World’s rides: 10 Rides to AVOID in Disney World if You Struggle with Motion Sickness What It Takes to CHANGE a Disney World Ride 9 of the SCARIEST Rides in Disney World, According to YOU! A FULL LIST of the Thrill Rides in Disney World! The Ultimate Guide to the BEST and WORST Seats On EVERY Magic Kingdom Ride We’ll keep you updated with all the latest news, so stay tuned to DFB. Click here to check out more upcoming closures and current construction projects at Disney World. Planning a Trip to Disney World? We’ve Got Everything You Need to Know The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Disney World Vacation A Month-by-Month Guide to Planning Your Disney World Trip Tips, Hints, Lists, and Videos for Planning the BEST Disney World Trip Learn About the Disney Park Pass System The Ultimate Disney World Packing List Everything You Need to Know About Genie+ Insider SECRETS for Your First Trip to Disney World A Complete Look at the Current Disney Discounts and Deals The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! Join the DFB Newsletter to Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click Here to Subscribe Are you visiting Disney World this week? Let us know in the comments! The post 3 Attractions and 2 Restaurants Will Be CLOSED Next Week in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s summertime in Disney World, and that means a lot of things. Summer has arrived! Crowds are picking up in the parks as more families take summer vacations, but we do our best to help you make the most of your vacations even when the parks are busy. However, if you’re looking to dine at one particular EPCOT restaurant, there’s something you need to know. Disney announced that part of the Biergarten restaurant in EPCOT’s Germany Pavilion will be closed in July. ©Disney The restaurant itself will still be open, but the dance floor will be closed from July 17th-28th for refurbishment. Live music will still be available while you dine, though. (PHEW!) Biergarten If you want the full authentic experience of dining at this restaurant, you might want to hold off during the temporary refurbishment this July. Luckily, there are TONS of other places to eat in the World Showcase, like Le Cellier, Via Napoli, and La Hacienda de San Angel. Here’s a look at some of the foods we’ve tried here! We’ve got a full review of this restaurant if you’re on the fence about this restaurant, but keep in mind this is a table service restaurant that will likely take up a decent chunk of park time. That said, the atmosphere is pretty lively, and we’ve had a lot of fun dining here in the past! Biergarten is so pretty inside! In other refurbishment news, you may notice a giant crane in the center of the World Showcase during your next trip to the parks. We have a feeling that it has something to do with the recent removal of those huge Harmonious barges on the World Showcase Lagoon. We noticed this giant crane in EPCOT recently! Between all the construction projects happening around the World Showcase and the new Moana walkthrough attraction coming soon to EPOCT, there’s a LOT going on in the park right now! Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana is coming soon! As always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news! Here’s why some families are SKIPPING Disney World this summer Need Disney Restaurant Advice? We’ve Got EVERYTHING You Need to Know The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! See Our Complete Disney World Restaurants Guide The Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants The Best EPCOT Restaurant Restaurants The Best Restaurants in Disney’s Hollywood Studios The Best Restaurants in Disney’s Animal Kingdom The Best Disney Springs Restaurants The Best (and Worst) Disney World Hotel Restaurants Check Out Dozens of Disney Dining Tips and Tools Learn All About Tipping at Disney Restaurants How to Use Mobile Order in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest Disney food news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What’s your favorite place to dine in EPCOT? Tell us in the comments! The post A Big Dining CHANGE is Coming to the Biergarten Restaurant in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

You probably read this title and wondered: “Why in the world would I want to avoid Magic Kingdom?!” Magic Kingdom There is so much to do in the original Disney World theme park — meet tons of characters, see the Festival of Fantasy parade, ride the brand new TRON Lightcycle / Run, and eat inside Cinderella Castle. So why are we saying that you should avoid Magic Kingdom right now? The answer is simple — a major jump in wait times. That’s right — wait times went up at 19 rides in Magic Kingdom over the past week, and we’ve seen some of the crowds to prove it! Now there are ways to combat the growing wait times in Magic Kingdom without avoiding it altogether. Some tools you can use include rope dropping, which means you arrive at the park before opening time so you get a head start on the crowds at the most popular attractions. If you are a Disney World hotel guest, you can also enter the park 30 minutes early via the Early Theme Park Entry perk! Getting out of bed early not your jam? You can also purchase Genie+ so that you can grab Lightning Lanes to skip the lines at rides. It’s still a good idea to get up early to lock in your first Genie+ selection at 7AM, but this can be a helpful tool when used with or in lieu of rope drop. Want to learn more about Genie+? You can do that right here! Take a look at the average wait times at every Disney World ride to see what we’re talking about! Use this as a tool to decide if you think Genie+ is worth it for your family on your upcoming trip. It’s an additional cost on an already expensive vacation, so this can be a very important choice to your budget! Magic Kingdom Starting in Magic Kingdom, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had the longest average wait time of 79 minutes. Last week the average wait time was 69 minutes, so the time has increased again this week. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Next, Peter Pan’s Flight averaged 64 minutes, Jungle Cruise averaged 50 minutes, and Space Mountain averaged 51 minutes. After that, average wait times had Haunted Mansion at 41 minutes, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at 37 minutes, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 36 minutes, Pirates of the Caribbean at 32 minutes, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at 31 minutes, Astro Orbiter at 30 minutes, and Enchanted Tales with Belle averaged 23 minutes. Magic Kingdom After that, “it’s a small world” averaged 21 minutes, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, and The Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini averaged 20 minutes, Tomorrowland Speedway averaged 18 minutes, Mickey’s PhilharMagic averaged 14 minutes, and Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover averaged 12 minutes. “it’s a small world” Next, Dumbo the Flying Elephant averaged 16 minutes, Mad Tea Party averaged 12 minutes, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel and 10 minutes. The Enchanted Tiki Room, Carousel of Progress, the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, and the Liberty Square Riverboat all averaged 5 minutes. Dumbo The Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree, and Tom Sawyer Island averaged no wait. Major Magic Kingdom REGRETS and How to Avoid Them EPCOT Heading over to EPCOT, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure had an average wait time of 66 minutes — this is an increase compared to last week’s average of 56 minutes. Frozen Ever After’s wait time also increased to 67 minutes — that makes these the highest average wait times in the park. Frozen Ever After Next up is Test Track at 59 minutes, Soarin’ at 33 minutes, Turtle Talk with Crush at 15 minutes, Mission: SPACE at 17 minutes, and Spaceship Earth at 14 minutes. Journey Into Imagination with Figment Then, there is Journey into Imagination at 13 minutes, The Seas with Nemo and Friends at 10 minutes, and Living with the Land, and Gran Fiesta Tour at 9 minutes. Spaceship Earth Awesome Planet, Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival, Impressions de France, and Reflections of China had no wait times this week. VIDEO: Spaceship Earth EVACUATED in EPCOT Hollywood Studios Over in Hollywood Studios, Rise of the Resistance’s wait time increased to 73 minutes this week (compared to 61 minutes last week). Slinky Dog Dash was the highest wait time in the park with a 83-minute average. Slinky Dog Dash Other wait times in the park include Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (which as finally reopened) at 54 minutes, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at 53 minutes, Toy Story Mania at 51 minutes, and Tower of Terror at 40 minutes. Galaxy’s Edge After that, Alien Swirling Saucers averaged 30 minutes, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue averaged 13 minutes, Muppet*Vision 3D averaged 10 minutes, Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy averaged 9 minutes, and Walt Disney Presents averaged 8 minutes. Get One of the BEST Snacks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Before It’s GONE! Animal Kingdom And last but not least, let’s talk about Animal Kingdom! Avatar Flight of Passage still had the longest average wait time this park this week with 89 minutes. This means the time went up a lot from last week’s 73-minute average. Flight of Passage Following that, Na’vi River Journey at 61 minutes, Kilimanjaro Safaris at 33 minutes, Kali River Rapids averaged 31 minutes, Expedition Everest at 26 minutes, and DINOSAUR at 21 minutes. Dinosaur It’s Tough to Be a Bug averaged 10 minutes and TriceraTop Spin averaged 7 minutes. Both The Boneyard (which is currently closed for refurbishment) and Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail averaged no wait time. The Ultimate Guide to the Best Coffee in Disney’s Animal Kingdom When are you headed to Disney World next? Have you checked out our line of fun graphic tees to wear on your trip? We’ve designed some for the whole family – from infants to adults! Click here to check them out! DFB t-shirt Stay tuned to DFB for more updates from Disney World! AVOID Disney World On These 31 Days in 2024 Planning a Trip to Disney World? We’ve Got Everything You Need to Know The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Disney World Vacation A Month-by-Month Guide to Planning Your Disney World Trip Tips, Hints, Lists, and Videos for Planning the BEST Disney World Trip Learn About the Disney Park Pass System The Ultimate Disney World Packing List Everything You Need to Know About Genie+ Insider SECRETS for Your First Trip to Disney World A Complete Look at the Current Disney Discounts and Deals The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! Join the DFB Newsletter to Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click Here to Subscribe What is your favorite thing to do in Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments! The post 19 Reasons to AVOID Magic Kingdom Right Now first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Lucky you! Your Disney vacation is going to include tempting treats and memorable meals. To help you narrow down your dining options we have some recommendations. Previously, we’ve looked at the overall best places to dine at Disneyland. Now, we’re helping you with character dining for your trip to Disneyland Resort in California. Minnie and Daisy! If you have a small child in tow on your Disneyland trip, a character meal is practically a requirement. After all, most kiddos love meeting larger than life characters. But kids and adults alike can agree that meals are extra-special when they include Disney pals. And is it our imagination or does the food actually taste better too?! Visitors to Disneyland have four options for character dining. Choosing the best one for your family may depend on the characters. Or perhaps you’re more concerned about the menu or cost. No matter — there’s a character meal for you! Goofy’s Kitchen Goofy’s Kitchen offers a very popular character meal for breakfast or dinner at the Disneyland Hotel. While there are other character meals, this is your only option to dine with your favorite Disney friends at dinner. At this lively buffet, you may see characters such as Pluto, Chip ‘n Dale, and Minnie — as well as the head chef, Goofy! Meet Goofy Children (and the young-at-heart) will love all the kid-friendly food! For breakfast, you’ll find specialties like Mickey Pancakes, Goofy’s Famous Peanut Butter Pizza, and more. Peanut Butter and Jelly Pizza Enjoy both kid and adult-pleasing dishes at dinner time, such as selections from the carving station, the catch of the day, and a huge spread of hot and cold dishes. Goofyroni and Cheese? Yes, please! Chef Goofy at Goofy’s Kitchen Goofy’s Kitchen boasts yummy desserts, including decorated cupcakes! Click HERE to see EVERY dining location in Disneyland Resort! Minnie & Friends Breakfast at the Plaza Inn Wake up with Disney characters in the Plaza Inn’s beautiful Victorian-style dining room at Minnie & Friends Breakfast in the Park! Plaza Inn The Plaza Inn really shines each morning with pink umbrellas providing shady, outdoor spots and gorgeous flowers blooming all around. Plaza Inn This DFB Favorite meal features a diverse cast of characters! It’s Daisy! Of course, we always recommend the Mickey Waffles and the hostess even requested her own menu item — MINNIE Waffles! Love the bow. Mickey and Minnie Waffles During lunch and dinner hours the Plaza Inn becomes a cafeteria-style counter service restaurant. See photos from our experience at Minnie and Friends Breakfast here! Mickey’s Tales of Adventure at Storytellers Cafe Storytellers Cafe, in Disneyland Resort’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, is a buffet-style restaurant that celebrates the art of storytelling in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. This would be a great spot to dine before a day at Disney California Adventure. Character dining at Storytellers Cafe You may see Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Chip ‘n Dale dressed in adventure gear during Mickey’s Tales of Adventure. Smoked Salmon Bagels Breakfast is served Mondays through Thursdays, with delicious food including, pastries, fresh fruit, and Mickey Waffles. But there are plenty of hearty options as well — Chile Verde Chilaquiles, hand-carved meats, an omelet station, Egg White Frittatas, and much more. The Best Food At Disneyland For 2023 Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures at Napa Rose A high-end experience at Napa Rose in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures is held 8AM – 11AM on Thursdays through Mondays. Dessert A 2-hour experience where you can meet princesses like Rapunzel, Mulan, Jasmine, and Ariel, this a pricey meal. Aurora at Napa Rose Breakfast While it will set you back a whopping $125 for both adults and children, we were really impressed by both the food and the level of interaction with the Princesses. Click here to read out full review of Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures at Napa Rose We think you’d be happy with any of these character dining experiences at Disneyland. Don’t forget to make a Priority Dining Reservation as soon as you choose a Disney character meal! If you’re ready to plan a Disneyland trip, check out our video — 3 Perfect Days in Disneyland — below! Regardless of whether you’re looking for a meal with great food and/or character interaction, there are some wonderful options available for character dining at the Disneyland Resort. Want to Learn More About Disneyland? Check Out the Links Below! DFB Disneyland Restaurants Guide Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Closures and Construction at Disneyland Learn All About Disneyland Park See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure Learn About Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Get All the Details About the Disneyland Mobile App Everything You Need to Know About Mobile Order in Disneyland Learn More About Disneyland’s Magic Key Program Full Details About the Holiday Season in Disneyland Full Details About Halloween Time at Disneyland Get Some STRANGE Tips for Disneyland Click HERE to Check Out Lots of Other DFB Posts About Disneyland Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click here to Subscribe What character meal at Disneyland would you recommend to friends?The post The ULTIMATE Guide to Character Dining in Disneyland first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know it’s just the beginning of summer — but who’s ready for Halloween? (Hint: it’s us!). Halloween in Magic Kingdom (2022) What’s not to love about Halloween? First, we get to go to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Disney World and Oogie Boogie Bash in Disneyland. Second, we get to eat all those AMAZING Halloween treats in the parks. Third, pumpkin spice EVERYTHING. We’re also ready to get some Halloween merchandise, and lucky for us, some brand new Loungeflys are giving us ALL the spooky Halloween vibes. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. These new Loungefly bags come courtesy of Entertainment Earth — and they’re both available for pre-order RIGHT NOW. Pre-Order the Pluto Skellington Loungefly Mini Backpack Okay, how can we resist this bag that features Pluto front and center dressed up as a skeleton? AND it glows in the dark! SOLD! This bag features a matching lining, adjustable straps, zipper closure, shiny gold hardware, and more. ©Entertainment Earth View on Entertainment Earth Pre-Order the Loungefly Disney100 Trick or Treaters Mini-Backpack You can celebrate Halloween AND Disney’s 100th Anniversary with this Loungefly, which features Goofy dressed as a mummy, Donald dressed as a devil, and Mickey dressed as a skeleton, all standing in front of a creepy haunted house. ©Entertainment Earth View on Entertainment Earth Grab these bags NOW before Halloween, so you’ll be able to head into the spooky season in style! We’ll also let you know if we find any OTHER Halloween merchandise online, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more. While you’re in the shopping mood…have you checked our DFB exclusive graphic tees and merch? Get these before they’re gone! It’s super fun stuff to wear to the parks, or to rep your happy place at the grocery store! Click here to visit the DFB Merch Store! ALERT! Get These Disney Loungefly Bags on SALE on Amazon! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Do you have any Halloween Loungefly bags? Tell us all about them in the comments! The post This is NOT A Drill! Disney Halloween Loungefly Bags ARE HERE! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s Pride Month, and Disney World is celebrating! Pride mural at EPCOT We’ve already had our share of rainbow-themed snacks, as well as seen a ton of Pride merchandise in stores. But there are some great Pride drinks in Disney World now, too, including a NEW one that you can get RIGHT NOW in Disney Springs. If you head on over to Disney Springs, make a beeline for The Polite Pig. Now, you know we already LOVE the food here — and we’ve gone on and on about it. We’re getting hungry just thinking about all those tasty dishes! Coconut Jerk Pork Sandwich But you can also get some amazing cocktails here. For Pride Month, though, there’s a NEW drink: the Key Lime Pride Cocktail. Yes, you read that right: KEY LIME. ©The Polite Pig It’s a frozen slushie-like drink with Key Lime flavors, so basically, this is like drinking summer in Florida. It’s made with Key Lime and Bubba’s Secret Stills Whiskey. We are ALL about key lime here at DFB, and if you love that flavor, too, you’ll want to try this out. This IS a limited-edition cocktail, so get it before it’s gone. The Polite Pig Looking for even MORE delicious Pride snacks and drinks? We also love the Pride Lunch Box Tart, which is returning this year to Woody’s Lunch Box in Hollywood Studios. Not at the parks? Head to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to visit Gasparilla Island Grill to get the Pride Coconut Key Lime Pop (yep, like we said, we’re all about that key lime flavor). Pride Coconut Key Lime Pop WE KNOW – there are SO many great snacks at Disney World! How do you choose (we don’t want to choose but will blow our budget on Day 1 otherwise)? We’ve got you covered! We have reviewed nearly EVERY snack available at Disney World, and we’ve written a series of DFB Guides about them! DFB Guide and Snacks Bundle Check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining + Snacks Bundle for all the details you need to plan your snackin’ and spending. You can even download them to your smartphone – it’ll be like we’re right there with you in the parks! Here’s A List of ALL The Pride Snacks in Disney World and Disneyland Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Do you have a favorite Disney Pride snack? Let us know in the comments! The post This Polite Pig Menu CHANGE Might Tempt You to RUN to Disney Springs first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Summer has officially arrived in Disney World, and, well, the crowds situation has been…a bit weird. Are you headed to Disney World this year? We have also seen a rise in Genie+ prices — but nothing like what we saw during Spring Break. Now that summer HAS arrived in Disney World, we’ve been keeping an eye on park pass reservations. Here’s the thing, though — we usually see park pass reservations completely sell out AT LEAST in and around the 4th of July, but this summer — well, something is different. In May 2022, we had already seen park pass reservations COMPLETELY GONE for the 4th of July for Magic Kingdom. It makes sense because Magic Kingdom does a few special things for the holiday, including the special fireworks show “Disney’s Celebrate America! — A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky. 4th of July fireworks in Magic Kingdom This year, though, already seems different. So let’s take a look at park pass availability over the next few months. The month of June is completely open for all four parks for both guests with theme park tickets and select resort hotels. ©Disney July also has complete availability for both groups of guests. That includes the 4th of July, which — we have to say — is unexpected. ©Disney August is also completely open for all four parks for guests. ©Disney So what about Disney World Annual Passholders? Well, for those with an Incredi Pass or Sorcerer Pass, all three months are completely available at every park. That includes the 4th of July. ©Disney Those with a Pirate Pass just have blockout dates in July from July 1st-4th. Again, that’s not too surprising. ©Disney Pixie Dust Passholders have the usual weekend and holiday blockout dates, including July 1st-4th. ©Disney So what’s going on? Well, it seems that either Disney World has increased capacity (meaning there are more park pass reservations available on July 4th) or the demand for the 4th of July this year isn’t as great as it was last year. We’ve previously predicted that Disney World may see fewer visitors this summer, so maybe this isn’t as unexpected as we originally thought. However, we will continue to keep an eye on park pass reservations, particularly for the 4th of July, and let you know if anything changes, so stay tuned to DFB for more. The Best and Worst Days To Visit Each Disney World Park Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Will you be visiting Disney World this summer? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments! The post The SURPRISING Park Pass Change in Disney World Right Now first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

From our iconic Mickey Mouse balloons to fireworks, I thought it would be fun to showcase my favorite Hidden Mickey photo ops at Walt Disney World Resort - so here are my top 5! View the full article

Staying at a Disney World hotel comes with its share of perks. Disney’s Yacht Club Resort First, there’s free overnight parking for guests, which is very important for those who drive to Disney World. Then, of course, there’s the free Disney World transportation that will take you pretty much EVERYWHERE you need to go throughout the resort. Plus, Disney World hotel guests also get access to Early Theme Park Entry. However, guests at two NON-Disney hotels can get that perk in 2024. Disney World visitors staying at the Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista and Wyndham Lake Buena Vista will have access to Early Theme Park Entry in 2024. This will allow those hotel guests to visit the theme parks 30 minutes before they officially open to the public. ©Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area Granted, these two hotels already offer Early Theme Park Entry to guests, but that perk is confirmed to be returning for hotel guests through 2024. Magic Kingdom entrance Guests staying at other Disney Springs-area hotels also get Early Theme Park Entry through the end of 2023, but they have not yet been confirmed to receive that perk for 2024. Disney suggests guests check back later to see which hotels will have Early Theme Park Entry for 2024. ©Disney We’ll also keep an eye on things and let you know which hotels will have Early Theme Park Entry in 2024, so stay tuned to DFB for more! When are you headed to Disney World next? Have you checked out our line of fun graphic tees to wear on your trip? We’ve designed some for the whole family – from infants to adults! Click here to check them out! Which Disney World Hotels Have Suites? Find Out Here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you planning a trip to Disney World in 2024? Let us know where you’re staying in the comments! The post BIG Disney World Perk Confirmed for 2 Hotels Next Year first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The Disney Dining Plan is coming BACK but you could be making a BIG mistake with it! Full spread from Columbia Harbour House You’ll be able to use your Dining Plan credits as you please on qualifying foods in a number of restaurants. But if you don’t go in with a strategy, you could end up using your precious Dining Plan credits on incredibly cheap (or not satisfying) meals. If you really want to make sure you’re getting the BIGGEST bang for your buck, using the Dining Plan to your advantage, and getting the BEST food possible with it, there is a bit of planning that needs to go into your day. And we’re here to help! Today we’re breaking down the BEST Value Quick Service Restaurants for the Disney Dining Plan! What Is the Disney Dining Plan? First, let’s start with a quick Disney Dining Plan 101. Basically, with a Disney Dining Plan, you pay a set amount to get a certain number of “credits” that you use throughout your stay. You can then redeem those credits for snacks, Quick Service meals, or Table Service meals (depending on the credit type and plan type). It’s a way to essentially pre-pay for your Disney meals and make your vacation feel more all-inclusive. Once it’s time to pay for your actual meal in Disney World, you’ll simply use your credit to cover the cost of your food, instead of paying out-of-pocket at that time (since you’ve already paid for the Dining Plan itself). Food from PizzeRizzo Dining Plans are pre-purchased and added onto a Disney Vacation Package (i.e. you must be staying on a Vacation Package at a Disney-owned-and-operated hotel, and have purchased at least one theme park ticket per person), so that all you have to do when you get to Disney World is head to a restaurant on the list, eat, and scan your MagicBand/card/etc. (Certain specific rules apply for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members wanting to book a Dining Plan.) Get all the info on the new dining plans by signing up for our 2024 Dining Plan & daily newsletter! Check out our FULL Disney Dining Plan FAQ page here When Will It Be Back? Disney Dining Plans will be returning for stays starting January 9th, 2024. Bookings opened up on May 31st, 2023. For help with your booking, you can reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations — they’re Disney experts and can help you save money and stress when planning your next trip. http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Small-World-Square-Banner.png Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money when you book your Disney trip or cruise. (Why should you use a travel agent when you go to Disney? See what we think here! Or click here for a no-obligation price quote today!) When it returns, only 2 plans will be coming back — the Quick Service and Standard Disney Dining Plans. Here’s a look at what Disney says you can expect from the Standard Dining Plan: Everyone in the travel party will receive 1 Table Service meal per night, 1 Quick Service meal per night, and 1 snack/nonalcoholic drink per night of their package stay—along with 1 Resort-refillable drink mug. Meals and snacks can be redeemed at any time during the stay. For example, if you book a 4-night package with a Disney Dining Plan, each Guest in your party would receive 4 Table Service meals, 4 Quick Service meals, and 4 snacks or nonalcoholic beverages—which can be used at any time during your 4-night stay. Did you miss the Disney Dining Plan? Here’s some basic information about the Quick Service Dining Plan: Everyone in the travel party (ages 3 and up) will receive 2 Quick Service meals per night, and 1 snack/nonalcoholic drink per night of their package stay – along with 1 Resort-refillable drink mug. Meals and snacks can be redeemed at any time during the stay. For example, if you book a 4-night package with a Disney Quick Service Dining Plan, each Guest in your party would receive 8 Quick Service meals and 4 Snacks or Nonalcoholic Beverages—which can be used at any time during your 4-night stay. What does your Quick Service meal credit include, though? Well, each credit will include: 1 Entrée 1 Nonalcoholic Beverage (or Alcoholic Beverage, for Guests 21 and older) In terms of beverages, alcoholic options will include a single serving of: Beer or Cider Wine or Sangria Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails Pad Thai Fizz For nonalcoholic beverages, a single serving includes: Milkshakes Fresh Smoothies Premium Hot Chocolate Soda, Coffee, or Tea Note that certain things are NOT included in the Disney Dining Plans, including: Items that are more than a single serving (such as a box of doughnuts or a jar of peanut butter) Items (such as popcorn or drinks) that are served in a souvenir container Items considered to be merchandise (such as bottle toppers, glow cubes and bottle straps) Special dining events offered at certain Table-Service locations For more details about what the plans include, see our pages below. Click here to see our full page about the Quick Service Dining Plan And learn more about the Standard Dining Plan here Why Is It Important to Plan? The Standard Dining Plan comes with 1 Quick Service meal per night, while the Quick Service Plan comes with 2 Quick Service meals per night. But those Quick Service credits can be used at a variety of restaurants throughout the parks and resorts, and not all of those restaurants (or their food items) are created equally. At some spots, you may find very standard food items at relatively inexpensive prices (compared to other things), while other places may have MUCH more expensive items and/or much more high-quality (and tasty items). Full Spread Sure, you could use that Quick Service credit for a basic burger at a food court at a Disney World hotel, but what if instead, you could use it to get a much more delicious and upscale burger that qualifies for the same Quick Service credit? Which gives you a better value per credit? The tastier and more high-quality (and likely more expensive) one, right? Right! That’s why using your Quick Service credits carefully is important. The restaurants below are ones that can help you get the MOST value out of that Dining Plan credit without skimping on food quality. (Note that we’re mainly focusing on lunch/dinner menu options here.) See the full list of 2024 Disney Dining Plan participating restaurants HERE Important Disclaimer: Food prices are subject to change. Menu options also change frequently in Disney World. Check to see if these are available and what they’re priced at during your trip. Additionally, note that this is based on the assumption that these menu options will be included as part of the Disney Dining Plan in 2024 at the restaurants below — changes in that could affect values or other details in the post. Best Value Quick Service Restaurants in 2024 1 — Docking Bay Food & Cargo (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) Looking for a more heavily themed environment with tasty eats that’ll again give you a good bang for your buck? Oh, and you’re in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Head on over to Docking Bay Food & Cargo in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! This Quick Service restaurant features delicacies themed to the Star Wars universe which you’ll enjoy as you’re surrounded by all the things you’d find in a ship docking bay. Inside Docking Bay 7 Some of the menu items here are also on the pricier side, giving you a better value for your credit. You could maximize your credit by opting for things like the Batuuan Beef and Crispy Topato Stir-fry for $18.99, Smoked Kaadu Pork Ribs for $16.99 (not our favorite but good if you like sour-based savory dishes), or Peka Tuna Poke for $17.99 (though note that this is on the lighter side). Batuuan Beef and Crispy Topato Stir-fry Plus, you could add on an alcoholic drink like the Takodana Quencher for $16.50. Add that to the $17.99 Tuna Poke and you’re looking at a $34.49 value — that’s pretty great for one Quick Service Dining Plan credit. Takodana Quencher While not all of the items at Docking Bay 7 have been total hits for us, some of them are VERY tasty. Plus, they are often much more unique than your standard theme park eats, and there’s a decent selection here with a variety of dishes available. To maximize your Dining Plan credit values in Hollywood Studios, add this restaurant to your list. See our full page about Docking Bay 7 here! 2 — Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) If you want unique pan-Asian counter service, Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes has it all in an open-air dining environment. You get a pretty decent portion size with these items, and while not every item will knock your socks off, we have enjoyed a number of dishes here. Local Food Cafes Again, to maximize credit value, you may want to opt for some of the pricier options here, like the American Kobe Cheeseburger at $18.99, Sweet-and-Sour Tempura Shrimp for $16.99, and Rib Tips for $16.99. American Kobe Beef Cheeseburger (2016) Pair that with an alcoholic beverage like the Opici Family Sangria for $14, and that can make this meal up to a $32.99 value. Local Food Cafes 2020 Seating is outdoors with some tables covered by canvas umbrellas. But because it is located close to two of Animal Kingdom’s most popular attractions — Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids — it can get busy during peak times. Still, we think it’s a good option for a satisfying and quick meal. Get menu and review details for Local Food Cafes here 3 — La Cantina de San Angel (EPCOT) A beautiful view of World Showcase Lagoon (and the fireworks at night), good portion sizes, and tasty dishes — La Cantina de San Angel in the Mexico pavilion has it ALL. La Cantina de San Angel In terms of entrees on the pricier side here, you can pick up the Tacos de Barbacoa for $15.50, Taco Trio for $14.99, and some other taco options for $14.75. The Taco Trio is great for the indecisive members of your family because the Trio gives you one of each of La Cantina’s tacos — currently barbacoa, shrimp, and chicken! Plus, it includes a generous side of rice and black beans. Taco Trio Add on an alcoholic beverage — they range from around $10.50 to $17 — and you could really get a good bang for your buck, potentially up to a $32.50 value. See our full page on La Cantina de San Angel here! 4 — The Polite Pig (Disney Springs) Note that Disney’s website seems to list The Polite Pig as Quick Service and Table Service, though it does NOT truly offer a Table Service option. We anticipate that the entrees below will be included in the Quick Service Dining Plan, but it’s possible Disney may make a change there. Be sure to check and see what is available to order on the Quick Service plan when you visit. ©Disney If you are looking for some seriously flavorful eats in Disney Springs that don’t require a reservation and are served to you fast — go to The Polite Pig, you will NOT regret it. The Polite Pig features modern barbecue in a variety of wood-fired smoked and grilled items, and all drinks are served on tap. The owners, James and Julie Petrakis (in partnership with Chef Brian Petrakis) are already well-known in the Orlando area for their restaurants The Ravenous Pig and Cask & Larder which focus on using local seasonal ingredients. The Polite Pig The pricier options on the menu here will really help you get the best value for your Quick Service credit. You could opt for Layla’s Ribs for $26, the Cedar Plank Salmon for $26, or the USDA Prime Brisket for $22. The Polite Pig Brisket (2017) Plus, there are PLENTY of cocktails, beers, and wine choices to pick from, ranging in price from $5 to more expensive options around $16. If you pair a $16 cocktail with the Ribs, you’re looking at a $42 value for your Quick Service meal — that’s pretty incredible (and the food is tasty too). Read ALL of our reviews of The Polite Pig Here 5 — Satu’li Canteen (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) If it’s a great quality meal you’re after with BIG portion sizes, unique dishes, a good variety of options, and customizable meals that’ll be friendly for the whole group, do NOT overlook Satu’li Canteen. This spot is located in Pandora — The World of AVATAR in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom park, and it features customizable bowls and steamed pods (twists on bao buns) along with unique drinks and desserts. Satu’li Canteen Some options here are on the more expensive side, like the Combination Bowl: Grilled Beef and Chicken priced at $17.49, the Ocean Moon Bowl priced at $17.49, and the Chili Garlic Shrimp Bowl priced at $15.49. Moon Bowl Add on the Ilu Splash Margarita for $13.50 and you’ll have a meal worth around $30.99. So Bright! And it’ll be totally delicious (and probably gorgeous for your Instagram feed) too! Click here to learn all about Satu’li Canteen 6 — Flame Tree Barbecue (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) Flame Tree Barbecue is an incredibly popular Quick Service location in Animal Kingdom and for good reason. The dishes here (barbecue classics) can be delicious, the seating is outdoors in a beautiful environment and you can seek out the pavilions for shade, and the portion sizes are good. Flame Tree Barbecue Some of the higher-priced items here include the Ribs, Chicken, and Pulled Pork Sampler for $18.99, the St. Louis Rib Dinner for $16.49, and the Ribs and Chicken Combo for $15.69. So Much Meat! When we last had the Ribs and Chicken combo, we found the ribs to be juicy and packed with flavor. The chicken was a little dry but the barbecue sauce totally helped overpower any issues there. Ribs (2018) Pair this meal with something like the Island Breeze drink without the glow cube ($13.50) and you could be looking at a single meal worth $32.49 — that’s a great value! Read about Flame Tree Barbecue here! 7 — Connections Eatery (EPCOT) Connections Eatery has some seriously tasty options, a pretty decent variety in terms of different dishes to satisfy the family, good portion sizes, lots of indoor seating (hello air conditioning!), and a slightly more upscale feel with the “real” plates and silverware used. Connections Eatery The dishes here are inspired by global flavors. To make the most of your credit, consider some of the pricier options like the French Bistro Burger for $13.49 (the toppings here make the dish!), and the Southwestern Burger for $13.79 (not the most delicious burger we’ve ever had in Disney World, but still a fine option). French Bistro Burger Plus, you can add on a beer, wine, or specialty cocktail to get the most bang for your buck. The Cucumber and Thai Basil Cooler is a delicious and refreshing option for $14.50. Drink up! Adding that drink brings a total meal value here up to around $28.29. EVERYTHING you need to know about Connections Eatery 8 — ABC Commissary (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) ABC Commissary might be a restaurant you’ve walked past and overlooked dozens of times, but you should really stop in and see what this place is all about next time! Menu upgrades and changes made here over recent years have really elevated the food options and made it much more unique than some other Hollywood Studios spots. ABC Commissary Some of the pricier options on the menu include the Shrimp Tacos for $12.99, the Chicken Club Sandwich for $12.79, and the pretty fantastic Mediterranean Salad with Chicken for $12.29. Mediterranean Salad with Chicken (Regular Version) Plus, you can add on a drink like the Watermelon Margarita for $16.50 to give you around a $29.49 value. Watermelon Margarita That’s a good overall value for a restaurant within a theme park, plus some of the dishes here (like the Shrimp Tacos or Mediterranean Salad with Chicken) are delicious, substantial (in terms of portion size), and will leave you feeling totally satisfied. Learn more about the ABC Commissary here! 9 — Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue (EPCOT) Regal Eagle celebrates American BBQ and serves up craft brews on tap. There’s indoor and outdoor seating and a variety of sauces to pick from to really add some unique touches to your meal. In the past, we’ve had some “misses” here in terms of certain dishes, but others have been spectacular. Regal Eagle Some of the pricier options you may want to consider here are the Memphis Dry-Rub Pork Ribs for $16.29 (nice bark and good flavor), Kansas City Smoked Half-Chicken (so tender) for $14.29, BBQ Burger (delicious!) for $14.29, and the Loaded Burnt Ends Fries for $12.99. Yum You can also add on a beer or specialty cocktail here, with one of the pricier options being the Tennessee Lemonade priced at $15.50. Tennessee Lemonade Add the Tennessee Lemonade to something like the ribs, and you’re looking at a $31.79 value for just one Quick Service credit. Read all about Regal Eagle here 10 — Harambe Market (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) At Harambe Market, you’ll enter an East African marketplace to check out ribs and chicken bowls, Mediterranean-style salads, and more in an outdoor setting. What we really like here is that the options can feel healthier than your standard fried foods, and they are pretty filling with good portion sizes. Harambe Market Some good options here include the Ribs & Chicken Bowl for $14.99, Ribs Bowl for $14.99, or the Grilled Chicken Bowl for $12.99. When we last had the Ribs & Chicken bowl, the ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, the chicken was juicy with a succulent grilled flavor and smoky aroma, the rice was cooked perfectly, and the salsa added a nice lil kick without being TOO spicy. Talk about a bowl of deliciousness. Ribs and Chicken Bowl There are also some alcoholic beverages here, the most expensive of which is the Leopard’s Eye which is $16.50. That can bring the total value of your meal up to $31.49. See FULL details about Harambe Market here 11 — Columbia Harbour House (Magic Kingdom) Columbia Harbour House is one of our FAVORITE Quick Service spots in Magic Kingdom and it could become a favorite of yours too. There’s lovely indoor seating, particularly upstairs where some tables have a view of the Haunted Mansion and part of Liberty Square. It can also be a little bit more relaxed (particularly upstairs) than some other Magic Kingdom spots, and the menu options here are a little more unique than certain other restaurants. And they’re incredibly tasty too. Upstairs at Columbia Harbour House To make the most of your credit, opt for some of the pricier options here like the Lobster Roll for $16.99 (soft bun and mayo that doesn’t overpower the lobster), New England Shrimp Boil for $15.99 (a true favorite — flavorful and lots going on!), or Grilled Shrimp Skewer for $14.29 (tons of flavor). Columbia Harbour House Spread There aren’t any alcoholic beverage options here, which does limit the value you’ll get but for some of these more unique options, it can still be worth it. You may be able to opt for something like the Lemonade Slushy, however, which is priced at $5.99 to at least get more bang for your buck there. Get the delicious details about Columbia Harbour House here 12 — Sunshine Seasons (EPCOT) Last on our list is a spot with a good variety of dining options right in the heart of EPCOT — Sunshine Seasons! There are a lot of things to like about this spot. There’s plenty of seating indoors in a bright and airy environment with some fantastic attractions right nearby (namely Living with the Land and Soarin’). Plus, you’ll find a good variety of food options on the menu, making it an attractive dining location when eating with a group of people whose taste buds may not all be alike. Sunshine Seasons To get the best value for your Quick Service credit, you’ll want to opt for the pricier options like the Rotisserie Chicken for $12.79 (flavorful, tender, and good portion size), the Oak-Grilled Salmon for $13.29 (not your regular “theme park food”), or the Mongolian Beef for $13.49. You do need to probably opt for the pricier options to get the most value out of your credit here, but the portion sizes are pretty substantial and some of the dishes can be very tasty. Good portions of beans and rice There are alcoholic drink options here to pick from as well, so you can add on something like a Cutwater Bloody Mary for $11.50 to really stretch that credit. See all of our reviews of Sunshine Seasons here Honorable Mentions Now, let’s quickly go through a few honorable mentions! Capt. Cook’s at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has some amazing dishes, but some of those more signature items aren’t necessarily the most expensive (Thai Coconut Meatballs are $10.49, and Pulled Pork Nachos are $10.29, while the Bacon Cheeseburger is more expensive at $12.79). Still, if you are looking for a Quick Service at a hotel with some more unique dishes (those nachos are where it’s AT) consider trying this spot. Pulled Pork Nachos Roaring Fork at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is another good option in terms of a hotel Quick Service with dishes that are a good value and tasty. Some particular stand-outs here in terms of pricier items are the Barbecued Brisket and Burnt Ends for $18.99 (delicious!!), and the Country-Style Meatloaf for $14.99 (good, just not as flavorful as the brisket and burnt ends). Brisket and Burnt Ends Finally, we’d like to give a quick shout-out to The Mara at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. This really delivers in terms of unique Quick Service menu items that are packed with flavor. Some of the pricier items here that’ll help you stretch that credit include the Combination Bowl (shrimp and chicken) for $15.49 and the Chermoula-Spiced Shrimp Bowl for $14.49 (SO fresh and such amazing flavors). Shrimp Bowl So what’s the moral of the story here? Using your Quick Service credits wisely — at restaurants with high-quality food items, pricier food options, and alcoholic beverages to pick from — can help YOU get more out of that Quick Service credit than just a burger and a soda. You paid for the Dining Plan, so you might as well make it worth it for you, right? Remember that, as we noted above, menu options, prices, and more can change. But the key is to know that there’s a lot more value in your credits than you might realize. Meatloaf: Yay or Nay? We’ll continue to watch for updates about the Dining Plan and let you know what we find. Stay tuned for all the latest updates. Click here for our FULL page all about the Disney Dining Plan  Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think is the best value quick service for the Dining Plan? Tell us in the comments. The post Best Value Quick Service Restaurants for the Disney Dining Plan first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Oh, Gideon’s Bakehouse. We love you! Gideon’s is all about sea turtles this month! You are the PERFECT destination for those of us with a sweet tooth and we will NEVER not enjoy nomming on your delicious cookies, cake slices, and smooth cold brews. Now, though, we have a NEW reason to visit Gideon’s Bakehouse, and we suggest you add a trip to Disney Springs on your calendar SOON. We’ve already told you about Gideon’s Cookie of the Month, the Sea Turtle Cookie. It’s made with premium chocolate, homemade caramel, and whole candied pecans, sprinkled with Gideon’s signature sea salt. We also told you that IT WAS DELICIOUS. Sea Turtle Cookie Well now, you can get those flavors in a cake slice. The Sea Turtle Cake Slice has arrived! It’s Three layers of soft Chocolate Cake completely covered in Butter Pecan Buttercream with Caramel and Candied Pecans on top. Are you drooling yet? We are! ©Gideon’s Bakehouse You’ll be able to find this cake slice at Gideon’s Bakehouse in Disney Springs every Wednesday and Saturday through June — but it’s only available while supplies last. That means you should probably make a note to get to Gideon’s early! Gideon’s Bakehouse If you’ve never been to Gideons before, you will need to visit the shop and sign up for the virtual queue if you’re headed there on the weekend. You’ll give your phone number and then get a text when it’s time for you to go inside the store. However, Gideon’s has mentioned in the past that things are sometimes a little quieter on weekends, so the weekend waits in the virtual queue may be shorter. On weekdays, you may just need to wait in line. Gideon’s Bakehouse Remember that part of the proceeds made from the Sea Turtle cookie will help support the Florida’s Sea Turtle Conservancy. So you can have a sweet treat AND support a good cause. We’ll let you know about any other new cookie, cake, and cold brew flavors at Gideon’s, as well as keep you updated on ALL Disney news, so stay tuned to DFB for more. WE KNOW – there are SO many great snacks at Disney World! How do you choose (we don’t want to choose but will blow our budget on Day 1 otherwise)? We’ve got you covered! We have reviewed nearly EVERY snack available at Disney World, and we’ve written a series of DFB Guides about them! DFB Guide and Snacks Bundle Check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining + Snacks Bundle for all the details you need to plan your snackin’ and spending. You can even download them to your smartphone – it’ll be like we’re right there with you in the parks! Here’s our review of the Sea Turtle Cookie at Gideons Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What’s your favorite Gideon’s cookie or cake slice? Let us know in the comments! The post A NEW Gideon’s Bakehouse Cake Slice Arrived – And It May Be an INSTANT Disney Fan-Favorite first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Okay, where are our popcorn bucket collectors at? ©Sony Pictures Animation We know you’ve waited for HOURS in line to get your hands on that Figment Popcorn Bucket in EPCOT. We’ve seen MORE lines for the latest 100th Anniversary Popcorn Bucket in Magic Kingdom. But you can get some pretty awesome popcorn buckets OUTSIDE Disney Parks. Just head to your local theater and get two NEW popcorn buckets instead. We’ve already told you about the AWESOME popcorn bucket that AMC Theatres has been selling to celebrate the release of Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid. It even lit up and was a better bargain than the popcorn buckets we buy at Disney World. ©AMC Well, AMC is at it again with two NEW popcorn buckets. That’s right — TWO! These are celebrating the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and again, AMC outdid itself on these. There’s a Miles Popcorn Bucket featuring Miles’s masked face as Spider-Man, but there’s also a Gwen Popcorn Bucket with her masked face! How cool are these? ©AMC Each popcorn bucket is $29.99 (plus tax) and that includes a large popcorn. So if you plan on heading to AMC Theaters to catch the movie (which is out NOW), be sure to check those popcorn buckets out! AMC in Disney Springs You can look right here to see the full list of theaters selling these new popcorn buckets. Good news, Disney fans! The AMC in Disney Springs is on the list of participating theaters, so you can pick up a popcorn bucket in Disney World, too! In the meantime, we’ll be here covering ALL Disney news — and more — so stay tuned to DFB! Need a new graphic tee (uh, when don’t you need a new graphic tee!)? We’re dropping new Disney-themed designs! Click here to see ‘em! Check Out The Spider-Man WHOPPER at Burger King! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you seeing Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse this weekend? Have you already seen it? Leave us some thoughts about the movie in the comments! The post You’re Not Looking HERE for the Best Disney Popcorn Buckets, But You Should! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Hey, you! Yep — YOU. We know you’ve been working hard, and we think you deserve a treat. Hey, Mickey! As much as we’d love to send you a DOLE Whip in the mail, we’ve unfortunately discovered that those don’t travel well. So instead we tracked down five awesome Disney deals on Amazon that you can shop to reward yourself after a long week. Before you start shopping — do you have Amazon Prime? If not, you can sign up for a free trial by clicking below! Now, let’s get to the deals. Get 12% off this Stitch crossbody sling bag ©Amazon This sling bag measures 7.5 by 3.5 by 15.4 inches, so it’s small enough to be convenient to carry but still big enough to hold all your Disney park essentials. View on Amazon Get 42% off this 4 Pack of Cooling Towels ©Amazon We never visit Disney World in the summer without a few different ways to keep cool, and these cooling towels are a great option. Each towel comes with a carrying pouch and a carabiner clip as well. View on Amazon Get 50% off this 5-pack of Disney character Crocs Jibbits ©Amazon We know there are a lot of people who love wearing Crocs in the Disney World parks, so why not theme your shoes to the occasion? We found a 5-pack of Disney character Crocs Jibbits that includes Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy. View on Amazon Get 52% off this Mickey and Minnie American Tourister Suitcase ©Amazon We spotted an American Tourister carry-on suitcase for over half off! The hardshell suitcase is 20″ and has spinner wheels, plus it’s decorated with our favorite mice, Mickey and Minnie. View on Amazon Get 25% off this family pack of reusable rain ponchos ©Amazon Rainstorms can pop up in minutes during summer in Orlando, so it’s best to come prepared! This pack of five ponchos will do the trick, and it’s 25% off right now. View on Amazon We’ll continue watching for more Disney deals online, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest updates! Click here to check out more Disney deals on Amazon! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Which of these deals are you planning to add to your cart? Let us know in the comments. The post We Found 5 Disney DEALS on Amazon for Up to 50% OFF! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

To some people, Disney World may just be a giant resort with theme parks, but it’s also a resort with restaurants headed by celebrity chefs, seriously great hotels, and some of the best entertainment in the world. BoardWalk However, did you know that Disney World’s bars are also getting a lot of recognition? Now, we’ve told you about what WE THINK are the best bars in Disney World, but now, ANOTHER Disney World bar is getting some serious recognition at the national level. According to Esquire, Disney World’s Jellyrolls is one of the best bars in America in 2023. Yep, that’s right — it’s a pretty big deal! If you haven’t been to this popular location, Jellyrolls is a lively bar at Disney’s BoardWalk resort with non-stop dueling pianos every night, along with great drink specials. Jellyrolls Esquire writes, “Jellyrolls should not work. At all. Then you hear a man who could be Billy Joel’s doppelgänger sing “The Bare Necessities.” Then you hear that man just go ahead and sing “Piano Man” as if he wrote it. His partner sings—what’s going on here, Walt?— “Let It Be.” They start taking requests. You realize, after much more of this, that no one has left since you walked in.” Piano battle at Jellyrolls Jellyrolls is also one of the rare establishments at Disney World that only allows guests who are at least 21 years and older. It’s open from 7PM (the entertainment starts at 8PM) to 1:45AM. Our best advice is to get there early so you don’t miss a beat (or tune, as it is). There is a cover charge of $18 per person. Jellyrolls If you’re a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member or a Disney World Annual Passholder, you can get 10% off your Jellyrolls admission on Mondays through Thursdays. If you’re a Cast Member, you can get 50% off admission every night with FREE admission on Sundays. Valentine’s Day Cocktail at Jellyrolls So if you’re looking to check out some entertainment for adults in Disney World, be sure to go visit one of the best bars in America! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news! Hold up for a sec! Before you plan your next trip to Disney World, check out our DFB Guide Everything Bundle here. You will get ALL of our best-selling eBooks with details on Disney World Dining, EPCOT Festivals, the BEST snacks in each park, and soooooo many tips and tricks we’ve learned over decades of visiting our happy place. You’ve Probably Never Visited One of the BEST Bars in EPCOT Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Have you ever been to Jellyrolls? What did you think about it? Let us know in the comments! The post Popular Disney World Bar Voted One of the BEST in America first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Find out WHERE you can eat with the Disney Dining Plan, the big new announcements about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the best new snacks in Disney World. (Disney) It’s time for your weekly dive into all things Disney parks news right now, on DFB Guide. Check out all of the week’s big news in our video below! By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to the channel and never miss a single episode! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/subscribe.png So check out the video and then let us know: Which Disney news of the week are you the most excited about? The post DFB Video: Latest Disney News: Dining Plan Details, NEW Details About Tiana & MORE! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

News flash: Disney World is super expensive. And some people don’t even know the half of it. Magic Kingdom As a guest, you save up money all year ‘round to go on that oh-so-special Disney World vacation, only to find these sneaky hidden costs making your bank account a whole lot less magical. If you’re not expecting *these* added costs, they will definitely be an unpleasant surprise when they appear on your post-vacation tab. Today we’re going to talk about those sneaky hidden charges in Disney World. Now some of these charges can be avoided — and we’ll tell you how! But others? Well…you’re going to have to cough up the extra dough. But knowing is half the battle, and equips you to budget appropriately. Let’s get started! New(ish) Transportation Costs Disney’s Magical Express – the free way to get from the Orlando Airport to your Disney World Hotel, ended at the beginning of 2022. Instead, you now have to pay a bus transportation service, use a taxi or rideshare, or rent a car. Remember Magical Express? These options will cost you anywhere from around $40 for a round trip ticket on a bus service, to several hundred dollars for a rental car for the week. We’ve got lots more information about your options here. $100 Authorization Hold and Tourist Tax Ready for a big truth bomb? When you book a room at a Disney resort, they may put a $100 hold on your credit card on top of what you already owe for the room, along with any other outstanding expenses. Yacht Club This $100 hold is for incidental expenses. Basically anything you’d buy and charge to your room — like room service, upgraded wifi, or any other charges you haven’t already paid ahead of time. Don’t panic if you see this hefty added fee! Think of this like a deposit you’d put down for an event space. If you DON’T charge anything to your room, you’ll get the $100 back after your stay. But it can be scary to see that $100 charge you weren’t expecting! Art of Animation BUT let’s talk about tourist taxes that will bump up that final total for your resort. Those will NOT be refunded after your stay because… taxes. For example, let’s say you’re staying at Disney’s Art of Animation for $284 per night The Orange County Accommodation Tax is going to add an extra $1.42 per night for your stay. The Orange County Tourist Development Tax is going to add $17.04 per night for your stay. AND last but not least, the Florida State Accommodation Tax will tack on $15.24 per night for your stay. Therefore, you’re actually looking at paying around an extra $34 per night on top of what you’re already paying for your room. Automatic Gratuity For Large Parties While you’re budgeting for your Disney World meals, don’t forget to figure in the server tip! If you’re traveling with a party of 6 people or more, an automatic 18% gratuity will be placed on your bill. Technically, Disney isn’t supposed to charge gratuity if your 6th party member is under the age of three, but it has been known to happen. It’s totally up to the restaurants’ discretion, so if it happens to you, don’t be surprised. Inside Whispering Canyon Cafe Did your server do an OUTSTANDING job and you want to show your appreciation further than 18%? You can always increase that amount! Just let your server know! I’m sure they’ll be appreciative! Cancellation and No-Show Fees Change your mind about your Disney plans? It might cost ya! If you need to make a resort cancellation, the Disney World website requests that you cancel 30 days out to receive your full refund. Now, there ARE different rules depending on your reservation type. Welcome to Disney World! If you’re only booking a room, you can cancel up to five days in advance without a cancelation fee. If you book a package, your cancellation fee is going to vary depending on what package you’ve booked and HOW you’ve booked. If you’re booking a room through Expedia, most of their hotels are fully refundable. Just double-check on the website to make sure your resort isn’t a special case. Whether you’re booking through a third party OR through Disney’s website and you cancel 1 day out OR don’t show up for your check-in time, you will have to pay the full amount on a package, or the first night on a room-only booking This also goes for experiences like Savi’s Workshop. If you don’t cancel at least 1 day before your reservation, you’ll be charged the full amount for the experience (Which is a whopping $219) You will also have cancellation fees for restaurants — These vary based on if you’ve prepaid for a meal or not. Usually, it’s $10 per person if you’re a no-show; but pre-paid meals like Cinderella’s Royal Table will keep your whole payment if you don’t show, or don’t cancel within the cancelation window. Some special experiences have cancellation fees, too, such as the VIP Tours and Behind The Scenes Tours. You’ll receive a cancellation fee for your Private VIP Tour “equal to 2 hours at the booked rate per tour if you do not provide at least a 48-hour notice” Backstage Magic Tours have a similar cancellation fee. If you don’t show up for your tour AND you don’t cancel at least 48 hours in advance, then you’re just going to have to kiss your money goodbye. Before you book that Disney vacation, make sure to read all of the fine print (that goes for flights, car rental, and off-site hotel as well). We have a blog post here detailing all of the refund and cancellation policies right now. So pay attention, friends! And mark those cancellation deadlines in sharpie in your planners (or in bold on your Google calendars…with notifications every 10 minutes). Peak Season Ticket/Resort Price Hikes Prices for Disney World tickets aren’t ever set in stone — especially when it comes to peak season. If you go to Disney’s website and look at their “ticket visit guide,” it’ll show you the standard ticket price point: $109 per day. TRON Lightcycle / Run is open! Disney’s not so sneaky when it comes to telling you how much it’s going to cost to add park hopper/park hopper plus privileges on top of that — they tell you flat-out it’ll be an extra $65-$85+ on top of your daily park ticket But this is what you’re going to find in the fine print: First off, the price per day of your ticket DECREASES with the more days you spend in the parks. Disney’s tagline for this is “The longer you stay, the less you pay per day.” So Disney’s intentionally trying to give you the vibe that you’re going to “save money” by staying longer — which sounds like a win-win. But, really, it’s a win-win on Disney’s part. If they keep you in the parks longer, they keep you spending more money on food, souvenirs, and other experiences of theirs for longer. It’s looking pretty busy this morning! Okay, so let’s say you’ve selected the number of days you want to be in the parks and picked your park ticket option (in this hypothetical scenario, I’m just going to choose the standard park ticket without the park hopper). Now, you’re going to keep on scrolling to finish up your payment, and… Well, well, well — look what we have here! Disney will ask you to select a starting point for your vacation on the calendar below. Some days, sure, are still at $109, buuuuut that’s not true of all the days! Headed to Disney World during the holiday season? Expect to pay a premium! Take a look at the schedule for the last few months of 2023, for instance. The LAST day of the year that costs that low, low price is September 28th. Toward the end of the year, those prices start to increase, creeping up to as much as $159 per day. If you’re paying for peak prices for your Disney park tickets, double-check on your hotel cost as well. Hotel prices will fluctuate just like the tickets will — hiking up during peak seasons and weekends. Oh and don’t get us started on surge pricing for food — character meals have been known to bump up pricing during busy seasons, as well. You can check out our guide here on the best (and worst) times to go to Disney World. PhotoPass PhotoPass prices sneak up on you, too! It’s fun to go up to Photographer cast members around the parks and get those professional park-beacon shots at Cinderella Castle, The Tree of Life, Spaceship Earth, and Hollywood Tower Hotel. It’s EXTRA fun when the photographers add a little *spice* to your photos by including magic shots or zoom shots! I mean, being able to hold Tinkerbell or Remy in the palm of your hand? Adorbs. ©Disney PhotoPass Oh, and don’t forget those in-ride pictures, too! Those will be added to your PhotoPass, as well, so you can remember your wild, bug-eyed expression after launching 0-60 on Rock n Roller Coaster. *Sigh* Memories… (You CAN get those ride photos free for download if they’re taken on a day when you bought Disney Genie+, though!) At the time of getting the pictures uploaded to your My Disney Experience Account, all you have to do is scan your Magic Band or Park Ticket, with no charges necessary! You get to see all your pictures with the PhotoPass watermark and ooh and aah over them. But when you get home and have to decide which pictures you want? Yeeeeahhh that’s when you begin to realize how much those cutesy shots are actually gonna cost ya. Haunted Mansion On-ride Photo ©Disney Getting all your Memory Maker pictures for one day will cost you $69. So, if you know in advance that you’re going to want ALL of your PhotoPass pictures from your trip, you can purchase the Memory Maker in before you get to Disney World for $169 If you decide to purchase access to ALL your Photopass pictures during or AFTER your trip, it’ll cost you $199 But what if you just want ONE special photo? Do you still have to purchase an entire day’s worth of pictures just for one special moment? Nope — Each individual digital copy is $16.95. However, the My Disney Experience App doesn’t advertise this. You’re going to have to go directly to Disney’s website to make single photo purchases. ©Disney If you decide to go ahead and buy the Memory Maker, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. Study up on ALL PhotoPass Points — and magic shots — and get your money’s worth! There are hundreds of different PhotoPass Opportunities around the parks, so track down those PhotoPass Photographers and pose like there’s no tomorrow! But be aware that buying those pictures is gonna cost you — no matter which way you slice it. Disney Dining Plan Disney has just announced pricing and details for their Disney Dining Plan, which returns in January 2024. Even though Disney promotes it in a way that makes you think you’re gonna save all kinds of cash money, we have usually found it difficult to actually break even with this plan in the past. So if you’re looking for a way to budget for your trip — the Dining Plan CAN actually sink you a little further into a Disney World money pit if you’re not super smart about it. How can you be smart about it? Yuba Roll at Takumi-Tei Do the following: NO CREDIT LEFT BEHIND: Prep ahead of time to use all of your dining credits. GET BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: Buy the most expensive things you can with your credits. Choose the steak and the lobster at table service restaurants, don’t use table service credits on breakfast — the cheapest meal of the day — unless it’s an uber expensive character meal, use snack credits on the most expensive and unique snacks (shameless plug — we have full e-books that list out every snack in every park, show you a picture, and give you the pricing as well as a review…so there’s no better way to plan for snacks than those! Find them at DFBStore.com. Vacation Package Deals Disney Vacation Packages usually consist of Park Tickets, Room, Dining, and any extra experiences, all wrapped up in one nice, convenient purchasing bundle. Disney tries to convince you that buying these package bundles is going to save you some serious moolah. And, well, sometimes they could. But it’s the way they MARKET these packages that could really trip you up! We have a video discussing the different ways Disney manipulates you into spending more money like this, which you can totally check out right here: Disney likes to put in the big, bold print that you can save aaaaaall this money if you’re getting a vacation bundle for a 6-night stay. But in reality? That bundle is still available for you if you’re only planning on staying 2 nights, too. (This is just more fine print mumbo jumbo.) So no, you don’t have to book a 6-night trip to get that deal. Disney just uses that as an “example” in their marketing that just so happens to kind of look like a requirement? But it’s not. If you can’t or don’t want to do a week-long trip, you DO NOT HAVE TO. You can get the same deal when you’re staying fewer nights. Lesson here? Always read the fine print! Don’t skip out on a potentially great package deal just because you’re staying fewer nights than Disney would like you to. Read over the details and check to see if this deal can still apply to you and your travel party. (FYI — DFB will always tell you the minimum night booking number in our blog posts so you don’t have to search it out yourself.) Remember — Disney wants to keep you on their property just as much, if not more, than you want to stay there because that means more moolah for them No More Free Magic Bands Once upon a time, you could score a free Magic Band for staying at a Disney resort. This is no longer the case — you must pay for your Magic Bands now.Magic Band prices currently range from $19.99 to $34.99 (though hotel guests can get standard one-color magic bands for a discounted price). Scanning into the park So why is Disney making you pay for these now? We’re guessing a couple of reasons: Magic Bands are still useful. They still get you into your resort room, hold your payment info, and keep track of your park tickets. However, they’re not as essential as they used to be. Disney’s trying to push the Disney Magic Mobile function on your My Disney Experience App, which holds all of the same functions as a Magic Band does on your phone. Honestly, this isn’t a *bad* thing. The mobile app is free to use. But this is causing Magic Bands to become more of a cute, useful accessory rather than a necessity Disney’s probably charging for these bands…well… because they can. (To put it bluntly.) Sure, it’s frustrating to have to pay for bands when we were able to get select styles complimentary before, but for those who’ve traveled to Disney before and know the excitement of receiving those bands in the mail? Well…You might just be willing to fork over more cash to experience the unboxing thrill again. Disney Genie+ IThe old, free FastPass system that used to come complimentary with your Disney World theme park tickets has been kicked to the curb and replaced by Disney Genie+. For a fee that ranges from $15-$35 per person per day, you can book “Lightning Lane” selections the day of your visit, which allow you to skip those stand-by lines. However, some rides aren’t available under the standard Lightning Lane prices. If you’re wanting to skip over the giant lines for hot-ticket attractions like Rise of Resistance, Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train, or the new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, you’re going to have to pay even more for the privilege of skipping the main line. Disney calls these “individual attraction selections.” Kali River Rapids LIghtning Lane So, yeah — wanna ride rides? Free. Wanna ride rides with lower waits? $15-$35 per day. Wanna ride super duper popular rides with lower waits? Even more monies on top of that. Whew!! OK — I know that was a LOT to take in. But I’d much rather have you know NOW than get hit with a massive credit card bill you weren’t expecting AFTER your trip. When you’re ready to forgive me for these truth bombs, let me know. Now for the good news — around here, we’re in the business of helping you SAVE as much as you can as you prep for and experience your Disney vacation. We write blog posts about ways to save, put out the alerts on discounts (and even write posts reminding you when a discount is about to end so you can take advantage of it before it’s gone — for real — we write ‘em every month for you), let you know the cheapest days to go to Disney World, and give you the brass tacks on how much it’s going to cost to go to Disney World at certain times of the year. We also break down for you in our DFB Guidebook how to figure out if the Dining plan is the right choice for you! So if you’re ever looking for more Disney World deals and discounts, stick with us. Sign up for our newsletter and never miss another update on ways to save in Disney World! We’ve got you covered! We do the research so YOU don’t have to!! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW The post Hidden Charges on Your Disney World Bill first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Have you gone “under the sea” and seen Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid yet? ©Disney This film has been officially released and we’ve been sharing TONS of news about the movie! We’ve covered some celebrities’ inside thoughts about the film, like Melissa McCarthy and Jodi Benson, and we’ve even shown you where you can meet the live-action version of Ariel in Disney World! Well, now, there are two Disney celebrities that have shared their thoughts about a potential spin-off! According to the Hollywood Reporter, Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem, who play Ursula and King Triton in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, already want to have an Ursula/Triton spin-off! That was fast! ©Disney In Disney’s reimagined version of the original movie, McCarthy and Bardem play rival siblings Ursula and King Triton. In a recent interview with the two, McCarthy said she made a point to enjoy every second that she shared with Bardem. ©Disney She said, “I was really nervous to meet him, but the nerves went away within two seconds. The second you meet Javier, he’s like a walking warm hug,” and when asked if she had crossed paths with him, “I’ve dreamed of it. I’ve always wanted to, so this is quite a thrill for me.” Bardem also shared, “I follow the amazing work that she does, and we love her at home. So it was great to know that we at least had a day that we could cross paths on the set.” ©Disney He then went on to reflect on her acting by saying, “She’s brought everything that you can ask for and imagine. So I need an Ursula spinoff, and since our characters are siblings, I want to have one scene with her while having dinner.” To which McCarthy immediately responded, “Let’s go for six or seven if we’re throwing it out there. C’mon!” ©AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN/FILMMAGIC We are TOTALLY on board for a live-action Ursula spin-off and can only hope that Disney is listening! And there you have it. We’ll keep updating you with any news about this movie and more, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest! Click here for this actor’s thoughts on the changes in NEW Live-Action Little Mermaid Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Have you seen the live-action The Little Mermaid yet? What do you think about this potential spin-off? Let us know in the comments! The post We're 100% Here for This Live-Action 'Little Mermaid' URSULA Spin-Off! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The new terminal at Orlando International Airport just opened last year, but it continues to grow and expand. Orlando International Airport Terminal C is pretty huge, and it has a lot of popular things, including Sunshine Diner (which is homed by Chef Art Smith, who also owns Homecomin’ in Disney Springs) and Wine Bar George (which is also in Disney Springs). Terminal C is also home to the Brightline train station, which will be opening soon. But something else NEW is also coming to Terminal C. Earlier this year, Orlando International Airport began to consider a moving walkway to Terminal C after passengers complained about how long it took to get to the furthest gate (15 minutes). The walk spans nearly half a mile and had become a source of stress for many travelers through the airport. Terminal C The original plan for Terminal C was to install the moving walkways when the terminal was still under construction, but it was scrapped to keep the project on budget. Now, according to The Orlando Business Journal, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which is in charge of the airport is “in the early stages of adding a pedestrian walkway.” Orlando Map in Terminal C at the Orlando International Airport The aviation authority is looking for design and building services for the project with hopes of creating a 450-foot elevated, enclosed, and air-conditioned pedestrian walkway that will connect Terminal C to the existing facility that will eventually house “up to four forms of passenger rail and all forms of public and private ground transportation.” Orlando International Airport Terminal C The plan also includes adding a rental car lobby adjacent to the pedestrian walkway. The airport has already held a private procurement meeting with three firms interested in the project, so it looks like plans will be moving forward to make it happen. Orlando International Airport Terminal C There are also plans to build a new hotel either next to or within Terminal C. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority previously approved a request for proposals for the development of the hotel. We’re excited to see all the updates being made at Orlando International Airport. We’ll keep you updated on any others that are announced, so stay tuned to DFB for more! Here Are 2 Things That Shocked Us About the Orlando Airport Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think of these additions to the airport? Let us know in the comments! The post Something NEW Is Coming to the Orlando International Airport first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’ve had our fair share of weird snacks and meals in Disney World. Disney Springs We’ve eaten things in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and cuisine that was definitely a little out of our comfort zone. Disney seems to constantly try and push the envelope when it comes to culinary creativity! But now, it’s not Disney’s fault that there’s a BIZARRE new treat in Disney Springs. One place where you can stop for a sweet treat when you’re visiting Disney Springs is Sprinkles Cupcakes, located near Frontera Cocina and Raglan Road. The cupcake shop is known for its iconic Cupcake ATM, where you can order your desserts from a machine like what you’d see at the bank! Sprinkles Disney Springs Each month, Sprinkles rotates out a few flavors so you can get a variety of treats, but this month…well, one of the flavors has piqued our interest. And maybe not in a good way! Check out this tweet from Sprinkles announcing the June flavors. YEP, that’s right — there will be a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Cupcake! That has to be a crime, right?! We suppose we can’t knock it till we try it, but we’re definitely intrigued by this addition to the menu. If you’re a fan of spicy and sweet, it might be right up your alley. This flavor will ONLY be available at stores nationwide from June 9th-11th, so you’ll want to hurry if you’re going to snag one! ©Sprinkles We’ll be on the lookout for any more unusual treats in Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB! There are a lot of great desserts in Disney Springs, including spots like Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew, Salt & Straw, and Gideon’s Bakehouse, so make sure to check out those as well on your next visit. 9 of the Best Snacks Under $10 in Disney Springs! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Would you try this cupcake? Tell us in the comments! The post Disney World Has a Flamin' Hot Cheetos CUPCAKE and We Are Not Okay first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

When it comes to producing live-action films of beloved animations, it seems that Disney is on a roll! AMC Theater for ‘The Little Mermaid’ A live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid arrived in theaters on May 26th, and Disney has also told us that live-action versions of Lilo and Stitch and Moana are in the works. As far as Moana goes, many Disney fans were a bit confused as to why a relatively new animation was already becoming a live-action film. It didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the films receiving live-action adaptations, as most are at least 20 years old at this point. However, that doesn’t seem to stop anyone’s excitement! We just learned a NEW detail about the upcoming film, and we have a feeling it’s only going to add to said excitement. We’ve received quite a few details regarding the Moana movie so far, including the fact that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will be returning to play the pesky yet lovable demigod, Maui. The Rock just shared on Instagram that Helmer Thomas Kail will be directing the new Moana film. In case the name isn’t ringing any bells, that’s the director of Hamilton! Kail has won numerous Tony Awards and has a knack for combining historic culture and society with modern-day pop culture — and portraying it all through (extremely catchy) song and choreography. ©Disney The Rock said, “He’s ‘the hardest worker in the room’ who’s won multiple Tonys for directing HAMILTON and IN THE HEIGHTS, so he comes to this project with intrinsic reverence for history and culture — edge and vibe — and music and dance.” ©Disney Wow! The Rock went on to show lots of enthusiasm regarding working with Kail and the rest of the team, and ended with, “Our ancestors are watching and the ocean will always have a pulse.” Moana Y’all, we don’t want to develop any premature opinions, but we have a feeling that this movie will be good. We can’t wait to learn more details! We’ll continue to keep you updated with all the latest news, so make sure to follow along for more. Looking for more Disney entertainment news? Click here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you excited about Moana? Let us know in the comments! The post NEWS: ‘Hamilton’ Director Will Direct Disney's Live-Action ‘Moana’ Movie first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

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We’ve tried hundreds, probably THOUSANDS, of snacks in Disney World. Magic Kingdom From cupcakes to Dole Whip floats to savory treats, we’ve had years of practice tasting some of the most delicious (AND some of the least delicious! ) things that Disney World has to offer. We’ve got our preferences for the best treats around property, but recently, we stopped by a resort to try out one that gets some serious points for style. For the summer season, Disney World decided to introduce several limited-time snacks, and we made it our mission to try out several of them. But perhaps the most creative of all of them was the Sweet Summertime Favorites at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort! Sweet Summertime Favorites Cookies Nope, your eyes aren’t tricking you — this treat is ENTIRELY made of dessert! Impressive, right?! (It had half of our team fooled!) The “hot dog” is an eclair with a chocolate filling and icing on top, while the “fries” are sugar cookies. The “ketchup” is made from a raspberry jam that you can dip your treats in. You can get the whole thing for $6.79 at End Zone Food Court. That is an impressive feat! This is one of the most impressive-looking snacks we’ve ever had, but what about the taste? Well, sadly not all parts of this treat were home runs. The hot dog eclair was definitely on the tough and chewy side — the bun reminded us of shortbread. It was hard to bite without the chocolate mousse-like filling spilling everywhere. The chocolate though, was rich and creamy and quite delicious. (Although it melted in the sun!) The “hot dog.” However, the French fry sugar cookies were DA BOMB. These things were soft and just sweet enough with little sugar crystals to look like salt. They practically melt in your mouth and have more of a cookie dough consistently that we loved! Fries were a WINNER The jam was probably our least favorite part of the dessert. It was really thick and practically solidified, so it was difficult to dip the cookies in it without them breaking. The raspberry flavor was VERY tart, and it blended fairly well with the chocolate in the eclair, but again, that consistency made it hard to scoop and eat at all. Raspberry Jam All in all, we might get this treat again, simply for the looks! I mean, we can’t deny that it’s a seriously cool bit of culinary art! And the flavors were pretty good, even if the textures were a smidge bothersome on the jam and the bun. Inside the “hot dog bun” Either way, this one is very worthy of your food pictures, and it might be a good enough reason to tempt you to visit All-Star Sports! We’ll keep you in the loop with any more snack reviews from Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB! We’ve got all the food updates you need to know before your next vacation. WE KNOW – there are SO many great snacks at Disney World! How do you choose (we don’t want to choose but will blow our budget on Day 1 otherwise)? We’ve got you covered! We have reviewed nearly EVERY snack available at Disney World, and we’ve written a series of DFB Guides about them! Check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining + Snacks Bundle for all the details you need to plan your snackin’ and spending. You can even download them to your smartphone – it’ll be like we’re right there with you in the parks! Click Here to Learn About All the Summer Snacks in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Would you order this snack? Tell us in the comments! The post We Don’t Trust Our Own Eyes Thanks to Disney World’s New Snack first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Have you ever run in a Disney race? runDisney Through runDisney, runners have the opportunity to participate in extra-magical events. This year, we’ve already had the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in January and we’re looking forward to the 2023 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend in November. Now, we have more information about a 2024 runDisney event! Let’s go runners! Disney just announced the themes for the 2024 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by CORKCICLE. The half marathon week is running on February 22nd – 26th, 2024, and it’s all about discovering your inner hero! ©Disney There are a total of four courses with Disney characters. The four events are a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and 19.3-mile Disney Fairy Tale Challenge. The 5K (3.1-mile) course is themed after Disney’s The Little Mermaid. This run takes place on February 23rd. ©Disney The 10K (6.2-mile) course is themed after Disney’s Tangled. Here you will let down your hair and race with Rapunzel on February 24th. ©Disney The 13.1-mile Half Marathon is themed after Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. You’ll join Tiana to chase after your dreams and savor the journey with music and magic on February 25th. ©Disney And then there’s the 19.3-mile Disney Fairy Tale Challenge! Here you will be running this challenge with Anna & Elsa in both the Half Marathon and the 10K. Challengers will need to complete both courses on February 24th and 25th. ©Disney You can also join the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon virtually! ©Disney With the events coming up soon, here’s the registration info: Club runDisney Gold & Platinum Member registration beings on June 13th, 2023, at 10AM ET General registration begins on June 20th, 2023, at 10AM ET Virtual registration begins on June 23rd, 2023, at 10AM ET Stay on the lookout for more information about upcoming runDisney events! Click Here To Learn More About runDisney events! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you planning on running a Disney race? Let us know in the comments. The post THEMES ANNOUNCED for the 2024 Princess Half Marathon Weekend in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s been a little over six months since Bob Iger returned as the Walt Disney Company’s CEO, but in that short amount of time, the company has gone through a LOT of changes. ©Disney Not only has Iger overseen a series of “organizational and operations changes,” but there have also been some serious budget cuts made to the tune of $5.5 billion. A portion of those budget cuts included laying off 7,000 employees, and the company has now met that goal. According to Variety, Disney recently finished handing out notices to the remaining employees affected by its final round of job cuts. These job cuts mainly affected those employed in Disney’s media divisions, with those employed at the Disney Parks left mostly untouched. ©The Walt Disney Company However, Disney still has plans to get rid of more international roles within the company, but it has reached the immediate goal that it set back in February 2023. Other cuts the company is focusing on include $2.5 billion in “non-content costs,” as well as cuts of $3 billion in non-sports content costs. Most recently, Disney pulled more than 50 shows from its Hulu and Disney+ streaming libraries in an effort to cut costs on streaming. ©Disney Disney’s streaming cuts arrived right after the Writers Guild of America went on strike, with part of the WGA’s demands being better compensation (among other things) when it comes to their work on TV shows and movies on streaming platforms. The strike has already affected some of Disney’s upcoming projects, including the Blade movie. ©Marvel Meanwhile, Iger is also in the midst of a battle between the Walt Disney Company and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after Florida stripped Disney of its Reedy Creek District to set up the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board for the property that is in and around Disney World. This came after Disney made an official statement in response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law. We’ll continue to report on ALL Disney news, so stay tuned to DFB for more! WHY Disney+ Is Getting Rid of Over 40 Films and Series Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think of Disney’s cost-cutting plans? Let us know in the comments! The post Bob Iger Hits Important Goal at Disney first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article