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Turns out, you really CAN teach an old park new tricks! Cinderella Castle Find out what BRAND-NEW things are being introduced to the Disney World scene in 2023, here on DFB Guide. Check out our video below: 6 Things Disney World is Doing for the First Time in 2023 Are you a DFB Video subscriber? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our channel and catch up on ALL of our latest episodes! And stay tuned for more Disney news! 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 How Many Days Do You Really Need in Disney World? How to Have the CHEAPEST Trip to Disney World 5 Simple Planning Tips You Need to Know About Before Your Next Disney World Trip The CHEAPEST Days to Visit Disney World in 2023 EVERYTHING You Need to Know Before Booking a 2023 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 new thing are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below. The post DFB Video: 6 Things Disney World Is Doing for the First Time in 2023 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Are you expecting a little one in 2023? ©Disney If so, congratulations! Planning for a new baby is a very exciting time, and if you’re reading this — we’re just going to assume you love Disney. If you’re looking for subtle (or not so subtle) Disney-inspired baby names for your little one, you’re in the right place! We curated a list of Disney-inspired baby names that could make it high on your list of potential baby names — or even be the one you use! This list has names that can satisfy both the subtle and not-so-subtle Disney lovers while paying homage to both new and classic Disney tales and movies. Are you ready? Let’s name a baby! A — Alice Ace (Pandora World of Avatar: A.C.E.) Adelaide (Aristocats) Aladdin (Aladdin) Alice (Alice in Wonderland) Anastasia (Anastasia) Angel (Lilo and Stitch: the series) Anita (101 Dalmations) Anna (Frozen) Ariel (Little Mermaid) Athena (Hercules) Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) B— ©Disney Bambi (Bambi) Belle (Beauty and the Beast) Ben (The Descendents) Benny (Who Framed Roger Rabbit/MuppetVision 3D) Bernard (The Rescuers) Bert (Mary Poppins) Bianca (The Rescuers) Billy (Hocus Pocus) Bonnie (Toy Story 3) Bruno (Luca/Encanto) Brutus (Cinderella) C— Cinderella Cara (The Mandalorian) Carlotta (The Little Mermaid) Charlotte (Princess and the Frog) Cinderella (Cinderella) Clara (Orphan’s Benefit) Clarabelle (The Shindig) Cleo (Pinocchio) Coco (Coco) Cody (The Rescuers) Constance (The Haunted Mansion) Cornelius (Meet the Robinsons) Cutler (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest) D— Donald Daisy (Mr. Duck Steps Out) Darling (Lady and the Tramp/Peter Pan) Dash (The Incredibles) Domino (102 Dalamations) Donald (The Wise Little Hen) Dot (A Bug’s Life) Duke (Cinderella) E— Elsa Edgar (The Aristocats) Eli (Princess and the Frog) Ella (Cinderella) Ellie (Up) Elsa (Frozen) Ena (Bambi) Eric (Little Mermaid) Esmeralda (Hunchback of Notre Dame) Ester (Bolt) Eudora (Princess and the Frog) Eve (Wall-E) F— Flower Faline (Bambi) Fantasia (Fantasia) Finnick (Zootopia) Flora (Sleeping Beauty) Flower (Bambi) Flynn (Tangled) Flynt (DuckTales) Francis (Oliver and Company) Franny (Meet the Robinsons) G— Gaston Gaston (Beauty and the Beast) George (George of the Jungle) Gideon (Gravity Falls) Gracey (The Haunted Mansion) Gus (Cinderella) H— Mama Imelda and Hector Hans (Frozen) Hector (Coco) Hera (Hercules) Hercules (Hercules) Hiro (Big Hero Six) Horace (101 Dalmations) Hugo (Hunchback of Notre Dame) I— Iago ©Disney Iago (Aladdin) Ian (Onward) Ichabod (Legend of Sleepy Hollow) J— Jafar Jacques (Cinderella) Jafar (Aladdin) Jane (Tarzan) Jaq (Cinderella) Jasmine (Aladdin) Jasper (101 Dalmations) Jessica (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) Jiminy (Pinocchio) Joanna (Rescuers Down Under) Joey (Liv & Maddie) John (Robin Hood) K— Anna & Kristoff Kenai (Brother Bear) Kiara (Lion King II) Koda (Brother Bear) Kristoff (Frozen) L— Lilo Laverne (Hunchback of Notre Dame) Leah (Sleeping Beauty) Lilo (Lilo & Stitch) Louie (Jungle Book) M— Merida in Fantasyland Major (Cinderella) Marie (Aristocats) Maui (Moana) Maurice (Beauty and the Beast) Max (Tangled) Megara (Hercules) Melody (Little Mermaid II) Merida (Brave) Michael (Peter Pan) Mickey (Steamboat Willie) Minnie (Steamboat Willie) Moana (Moana) Molly (Toy Story) Morgana (Little Mermaid II) Mowgli (Jungle Book) Mufasa (Lion King) Mulan (Mulan) N– Nala and Simba Nakoma (Pocahontas) Nala (Lion King) Nani (Lilo and Stitch) Naveen (Princess and the Frog)O— Olaf (Frozen) Oliver (Oliver & Company) Orville (Rescuers) P— Pascal ©Disney Pascal (Tangled) Peg (Hercules) Penny (Rescuers) Pepper (Pepper Ann) Percy (Pocahontas) Perdita (101 Dalmations) Peter (Peter Pan) Phillip (Sleeping Beauty) Phillipe (Beauty and the Beast) Pierre (Tiki Room) Ping (Mulan) Prudence (Cinderella II) R— Ralph Ralph (Wreck It Ralph) Ray (Princess and the Frog) Red (Turning Red) Robin (Robin Hod) Roger (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) Rosie (A Bug’s Life) Ruby (Lady and the Tramp) Rufus (Rescuers) S— Sebastian Samson (Sleeping Beauty) Sarah (Lady and the Tramp) Sebastian (Little Mermaid) Sid (Toy Story) Simba (Lion King) Snow (Snow White) Stefan (Sleeping Beauty) Sven (Frozen) T— Timon Tadashi (Big Hero Six) Teague (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End) Thomas (Pocahontas) Tiana (Princess and the Frog) Tigerlily (Peter Pan) Timon (Lion King) Timothy (Dumbo) Toby (Robin Hood) Tremaine (Cinderella) U— Ursula ©Disneyland Ursula (Little Mermaid) V— It’s Vanellope! Vanellope (Wreck It Ralph) Victor (Hunchback of Notre Dame) W— Wendy Wally (Wall-E) Walt (Walt Disney) Wendy (Peter Pan) Wilbur (Rescuers) Winnie (Winnie the Pooh) Z— Zazu! Zazu (Lion King) And there you have it! Disney-inspired baby names, from A to Z. Planning for a baby is such an exciting time, but can be stressful if you’re also planning a trip to Disney World. Going to Disney while pregnant is no small feat, so we’re here to help! Click the link below to view a complete guide to riding Disney World rides while pregnant. Oh, and follow along for more Disney tips, tricks, and advice. Click here for a complete guide to riding Disney World rides while pregnant. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Which of these baby names is your favorite? Let us know in the comments! The post HUGE List of Disney Inspired Baby Names first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

An ambitious plan announced last week to return Lolita, a killer whale held captive for more than a half-century, to her home waters in Washington’s Puget Sound thrilled those who have long advocated for her to be freed from her tank at the Miami Seaquarium. View the full article

If you happen to be at Disney World today, make sure to hurry to Disney Springs for your last chance to grab some limited-time merch. Gideon’s Bakehouse Gideon’s Bakehouse in Disney Springs has a rotating lineup of delectable treats and they also have exclusive souvenirs. This shop just announced an important merchandise UPDATE that you may need to know about! Did you know that, along with fantastic cookies and giant cake slices, Gideon’s Bakehouse also distributes trading cards? You usually receive one free trading card in every box of four or six Gideon’s cookies, but that will be CHANGING soon as the first wave of the Gideon’s Bakehouse trading card series is coming to a close. But don’t worry — you still have time to complete your collection and Gideon’s wants to help you do that! Starting today, all medium and large cookie boxes will contain two cards per order, whether in-store or online. This doubles your chances of finding rare chase cards or finishing your set. Gideon’s Bakehouse To get your hands on these cards, there are two options. In-store, purchase enough Cookies to fill a Medium or Large Cookie Box at Gideon’s Bakehouse, and two cards will be hidden inside. For online orders over $20, they will include two random cards with your purchase. Gideon’s Bakehouse Please note that these cards cannot be purchased separately, and specific cards cannot be requested. Have you completed your collection yet? It sounds like a new series of trading cards could be coming soon, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled for more news about that! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news! Click here to see links to ALL of our reviews of Gideon’s Bakehouse 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 Check Out the 19 Best Restaurants in Disney World in 2022 Our Top 50 All-Time Best Disney Dining Tips These Are the BEST Meals in Disney World for Under $15 Ranking Every Single Magic Kingdom Restaurant Ranking Every Single EPCOT Restaurant Ranking Every Single Restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Studios Ranking Every Single Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Ranking Every Single Restaurant in Disney Springs Ranking Every Single Restaurant in Disney World Hotels – Cheap Eats Edition 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 is your favorite treat from Gideon’s Bakehouse? Tell us in the comments! The post The NEW Reason You’ll Want To Buy TONS of Cookies at Gideon’s Bakehouse in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Happy Tron Day! It’s April 4th, which means that TRON: Lightcycle / Run is officially open in Disney World. That factor combined with spring break season, the Flower and Garden festival, and the Easter Holiday has some pretty intense crowds at Disney World. TRON Lightcycle / Run This was reflected in the Genie+ prices, as today we saw the skip-the-line service hit a record-breaking price of $35 per person. Not only did Genie+ break the price record for the highest price we’ve ever seen, but it broke another record as well. Genie+ SOLD OUT this morning before 10AM EST! This is the fastest we’ve seen Genie+ sell out in Disney World since its debut in 2021. ©Disney Before today, the fastest it ever sold out was actually yesterday, April 3rd. Yesterday, it sold out just before noon. ©Disney With all these exciting things happening at Disney World, it doesn’t surprise us that the crowds are so dense. If you’re in Disney World today and you missed out on purchasing Genie+ to skip those undeniably long lines, you can still check the Disney app for any Individual Lightning Lanes that are still available. Lightning Lane We like to call Individual Lightning Lanes “pay-per-rides” because you buy them to skip the line for one attraction at a time. You can do this for a maximum of two rides per day, but they’re only available for certain super popular rides in each park. Individual Lightning Lanes can also sell out, and they tend to run out quickly for rides like TRON Lightcycle / Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Disney World Lightning Lane Remember that you can buy Genie+ each day starting at midnight (12AM), and you can make your first Lightning Lane selections at 7AM. During busy times — like Spring Break — you should plan to buy Genie+ ASAP if you want to use the service. If you don’t want to pay to skip the lines, you can still use standby lines at most attractions, except for those with Virtual Queues (like TRON Lightcycle / Run). We recommend rope-dropping (being at the park before it opens) in order to avoid long lines in this case! Magic Kingdom Entrance As usual, make sure to follow along here at DFB for all the latest Disney news and updates. We post all the time about things happening at the Disney parks to help you prepare and make sure that you have the Disney vacation you’ve always dreamt of! If you’re in the parks today for the opening of TRON: Lightcycle / Run, click the link below to learn everything you need to know. Learn all about TRON Lightcycle / Run here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Have you experienced the new TRON ride yet? Let us know in the comments! The post Genie+ Sells Out FAST Even with Record-High Price in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Are you ready to enter the Grid? Get ready to enter the Grid! TRON Lightcycle / Run is officially open in Magic Kingdom today! Disney is using both a Virtual Queue system and Individual Lightning Lanes to manage the demand for this new ride, so you’ll have to be ready bright and early on the My Disney Experience app to secure your spot. If you do happen to snag a Virtual Queue, did you know there’s still one more problem you might face when trying to get on this ride? At 7AM, if you happened to get a boarding group for a Virtual Queue (those spots fill up quick, so you’ll need to be fast!), you’ll notice that the app gives you an estimated time of return. At some point in the day, Disney will send you a notification that your boarding group has been called, and then you’ll have an hour to make your way over to the ride to scan in. But what happens if you’re late? TRON queue Well, for attractions with a similar setup, like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Disney is pretty flexible if you show up late to the ride. However, we’ve been monitoring the situation with TRON during the soft opening, and Cast Members have been a bit stricter with how much time you’ll have to get to the ride. Visitors arriving at TRON during the soft opening Now, Disney has even updated the language on the My Disney Experience app and TRON webpageto explicitly say that arriving on time for your boarding group is important. Under the Virtual Queue page, Disney now says “Late arrivals may not be accommodated.” ©Disney Previously, during the soft opening, this language was not used. While they were still enforcing that guests be on time in the past, now they are making it very clear that being on time is necessary. ©Disney This new attraction is pretty popular at night, so this may be a way for Disney to manage crowds and prevent too many visitors from trying to ride it when it’s dark. Regardless, make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to make your Virtual Queue. You might get called much earlier than your estimated callback time, and if you’re nowhere near Tomorrowland when that happens, it might be a challenge to make it over there in time. We’ll continue to keep an eye on the situation, so stay tuned to DFB for more! Click here to see how to get TRON merchandise in the parks! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Have you been turned away for being late to TRON? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney Shares WARNING About the New TRON Coaster first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise officially opens today and the planDisney panelists are here with their best tips for navigating the Grid! View the full article

When we visit Disney World, we’re usually inundated with nothing but truly magical experiences. Even Stitch knows that sometimes things aren’t 100% perfect at Disney World HOWEVER, there are times when things don’t quite go according to plan. Rides close, things malfunction, and yes, sometimes even restaurants disappoint us. But when we asked our readers for their most HORRIFYING stories from Disney World restaurants, we maybe got more than we bargained for. Here are 10 of the worst Disney World restaurant stories DFB readers shared with us on Facebook. Raw Chicken?!?! Erin answered: “Definitely the time we went to Rays Cosmic Cafe and there was raw chicken on my salad. I had started eating the salad before realizing. It was the first day of our trip, and I’m grateful to this day that I didn’t get food poisoning!” Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe Raw chicken? EW! Starting to eat it before realizing it? Double ew! A Scary Server DFB Beka answered: “Cinderella’s Royal Table – We went last year for our first trip to Disneyworld. I was so excited for this dining experience. Our server was awful and ruined the whole experience. His demeanor seemed almost angry and he kind of threw the plates and silverware at the table when serving. He was unfriendly, never smiled even once, and was generally unpleasant. I almost felt like we had done something wrong to deserve such treatment. You never know what someone is going through so maybe he was just having a bad day, but I can’t imagine that someone could keep that job very long with an attitude like that. It is too expensive a dining experience for it to be that deeply unpleasant. We didn’t mention it to anyone at the time because I would not have wanted the server to get in trouble, but it was very frustrating to say the least.” Cinderella’s Royal Table We like that Beka even acknowledged that Cast Members can sometimes just have bad days, but this still sounds like a really REALLY off day. When Someone Just Poos All Over Your Day…and The Wall We’ve got another story from Cinderella’s Royal Table, and we will warn you ahead of time: this one is NOT for the faint of heart. Nikki told us: “Cinderella’s Castle….my boy who is now 10 was under a year old. He was fussy. He had a blowout and poop went all over the wall! It was so embarrassing. Had to throw his clothes away. Luckily we had pj’s in the diaper bag.” Stained glass inside Cinderella’s Royal Table Okay, so we can’t control what happens with kids, and these things happen, but GROSS. The Dark Is Scary For Young ‘Uns According to one reader, Stephanie, a dark restaurant left her little one scared. She said, “Be our guest. Horrible seats, my kids were afraid of the dark and hated it, then I got the wrong meal and my kids ordered chicken with a side of Mac and cheese and fries and got Mac and cheese for their entree and both sides.” Rose Gallery seating at Be Our Guest We get it — restaurants that are dark inside could be off-putting for smaller children. Other Guests Ruining The Experience Sometimes the problem isn’t the service or what YOU do, but what other guests do. John answered: “Le Cellier. My wife and I were sat next to a table of four. Although well dressed, I swear they’ve never been in a restaurant. The woman kept sending her salmon back because ‘it was pink in the middle’. ?????? Salmon is pink all the way through. But that wasn’t even the worse part. Her late teen sons were blowing their noses while at tye table, and throwing the used kleenex on the floor under the table. I love the steak at Le Cellier, but we haven’t been back since.” Le Cellier Steakhouse That does sound like a problem we’d rather NOT have while dining! Watch Out For The Flood! Meredith shared a story about a bathroom incident: “Sci-Fi. My 11 y/o really needed to pee and the bathroom was flooded and flooding into the hallway. They told us the nearest bathroom in the park but our food was already at the table so she held it. It was fun otherwise!” Sci-Fi Dine-In Okay, that’s not necessarily a good thing to happen inside a restaurant! But tip: If you or your kid really have to go and that happens, just leave the restaurant and find the closest bathroom outside the restaurant — we get they didn’t want to do that at the time, though! Waiter, There’s A Hair In My Dessert Melissa told us: “Had the coconut bar dessert at Skipper Canteen and after taking a bite, I turned it to give to my bf to try only to find a thick short hair on it, like long facial hair lol. My server took it off the check after I whispered to him it was on there, it might of been his beard but hey.. sh happens lol.” Skipper Canteen At least, Melissa didn’t seem TOO upset about it. Things DO happen, and when they do, you can usually just bring it up to your server and they’ll take care of it. The Dysentery Tavern Alina shared two stories with us, but this is the one that stuck with us (and not in a good way): “We have two: One was our first trip when we didn’t know about making reservations and ended up eating at Liberty Tree Tavern. We all got food poisoning and lovingly refer to it now as The Dysentery Tavern (7 years ago).” Liberty Tree Tavern Atmosphere Wow. Just WOW. No Seating Available Barry said, “Using the top of a trash can for at table at Caseys Corner.” Casey’s Corner can get REALLY busy Okay, we admit that this story hit home because when things get busy at Disney Parks, it’s sometimes hard to find a place to actually sit and eat. And we’ve eaten on the top of trash cans MORE often than we would like. The Restaurant That Wanted Guests To Freeze To Death Lori told a story about a restaurant in Animal Kingdom: “This was my bad experience at a Disney restaurant, and I’ve only had one! Yak & Yeti was a spot we were really looking forward to, but it went downhill fast! We were seated for dinner in the upstairs area. Okay, so not the greatest decor, which is part of the appeal. But the problem was the temperature! It must have been 40 degrees up there! I had a sweatshirt with me for air conditioning, because I tend to chill, but the sweatshirt didn’t help with the cold! I had napkins wrapped around my hands because they were freezing! I ate dinner as fast as I could, and I don’t even remember what I ate. I just wanted to get out of there! As soon as I was finished, I ran outside and sat in the sun to warm up. I was shivering in the sun! It was that ridiculous! I’ll probably give the restaurant another chance, because I really don’t remember what the food was like, but next time I’ll check the temperature in the seating area before i commit! “ Yak & Yeti Restaurant Yes, sometimes Disney gets a little EXTRA with that Florida air conditioning, especially in the summer. It’s hard to enjoy a meal when you feel like you’re dining inside Elsa’s ice castle. We got SO many comments and feedback on this one, and most of the stories weren’t quite as extreme as these, but it is a good reminder that sometimes things aren’t always as magical as we want them to be while on vacation in Disney World. So the best thing you can do in such a situation is if there is a problem with your food or service, calmly bring it up to a Cast Member or supervisor. When other things outside of Disney’s control happen, though, you just have to sort of grin, bear it, and try to find the humor in it. Chef Goofy We’ve got a great resource for you when you plan your NEXT Disney World trip – our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining. We wrote our ebook after decades of visiting Disney World, so that we could help you have a stress-free vacation! Click here and use code WDW2023 to get 25% off! Here Are The Best (and Worst) Disney World Hotel Restaurants Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Do you have a Disney World restaurant horror story? Share it in the comments! The post 10 Horror Stories from Disney World Restaurants first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

As many of you know, our newest thrill ride at Walt Disney World, TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise, is officially open! And to celebrate this exciting milestone, we’re releasing an exclusive series of “TRON” digital wallpapers.View the full article

It’s a BIG day in Magic Kingdom today — TRON Lightcycle / Run has officially opened! TRON The highly anticipated coaster held some Annual Passholder and DVC Member previews, and then it had a soft opening for a couple of weeks, but now it’s officially open and ready to welcome guests. With the new ride opening in Magic Kingdom, however, it looks like a major price increase has hit Genie+ — the paid way you can skip the lines at some of the most popular Disney rides. Disney Genie+ costs $35 per person in Disney World today, which is a BIG jump from its previous high of $29. Thanks to Mark Alan Hemphill on Twitter for alerting us to this news. ©Disney It wasn’t too long ago that Disney introduced variable or surge pricing for Genie+, meaning that the cost of this skip-the-line service will depend on the date of your visit. Magic Kingdom is certainly going to be busy today, with the spring break crowds and the opening of a new thrill ride, so that high demand has led to a price increase. Magic Kingdom crowds Note that TRON Lightcycle / Run is NOT included in the regular Genie+ system, so even if you purchase Genie+, you will not get to skip the line to ride TRON. Instead, this coaster has an Individual Lightning Lane, meaning you’ll need to pay an extra, separate fee to skip the line at this particular ride. Today, that fee is $20 per person. ©Disney These Individual Lightning Lanes can and do sell out quickly, so you’ll want to be ready as soon as they become available each morning. For people staying at Disney-owned hotels, they go on sale at 7AM; for all other visitors, they become available when Magic Kingdom opens. TRON queue If you want to ride TRON without paying the extra fee, you’ll need to join the virtual queue (and you’ll want to be quick! Spots tend to fill up within seconds). A traditional standby line is NOT currently offered for TRON. You will have 2 daily opportunities (plus 1 additional one on select nights if you qualify for Extended Evening Hours) to request to join the virtual queue — the first will be at 7AM, and the second will be at 1PM. ©Disney If you want to request to join the virtual queue at 7AM, you do not have to be inside Magic Kingdom, but you DO have to have a theme park reservation for Magic Kingdom in order to join. If you’re trying to join the 1PM virtual queue, you have to be INSIDE Magic Kingdom. TRON Lightcycle / Run So, you will essentially need a theme park reservation for Magic Kingdom either way, as you can’t park hop from another park until 2PM (and the 1PM virtual queue spots will more than likely fill up before the hour is up). Learn EVERYTHING you need to know about TRON Lightcycle / Run here! Disney Genie+ is the paid replacement for the old FastPass+ system. Up until recently, you’d pay $15 per person per day to utilize Genie+. With surge pricing, however, we’ve seen the cost range from $15 to now $35 per person, per day. Genie+ Make sure you keep these changes in mind if you’re planning an upcoming trip to Disney World and want to use Genie+. It can be a great way to save some precious time in line, but if you don’t want to spend the extra dough you can always consider rope-dropping the parks (getting there as soon as they open or even a few minutes early!). Magic Kingdom entrance Whew. We know that planning a Disney World trip is A LOT. And this Genie+ thing can be so confusing – which is why we bring you posts like this so often. But we’ve also put together a complete guide to planning a Disney World trip, including month-by-month instructions. Click here to find our month-by-month guide to planning a Disney World vacation. Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney World news and updates! A Step-by-Step Guide To Using Genie+ in Disney World All About Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selection READ THIS Before Using the New Genie Planning Tool in Disney World Check Out the FULL List of Rides Included With Genie+ in Disney World See What Rides You Can Pay EXTRA for in Disney World & How Much They May Cost Learn What Rides Are Included With Genie+ in Disneyland (Plus the Ones You’ll Pay EXTRA to Ride) You CAN’T Re-Ride Disney World Attractions With Genie+ You CAN’T Cancel Pay-Per-Ride Selections in Disney World Get the Answers to All of Your Burning Questions About Disney Genie See Why You May Want to Stay in a Disney World Hotel When it Comes to Disney’s Pay-Per-Ride System Here’s What Annual Passholders and Magic Key Holders Need to Know About Genie+ See 5 Ways Genie+ Might Surprise You Learn Some Disney Genie HACKS Get a Step-by-Step Guide to Using Disney Genie+ See Genie+ Tips for the Most Crowded Days in Disney World and Disneyland Still Confused About Disney Genie? Check Out These DFB Videos Learn About How Disney Genie Can Be Your Personal Assistant in Disney World Click HERE to See More About Disney Genie Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Do you use Genie+ in Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post Genie+ Hits RECORD HIGH PRICE in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’re a member of the military or Department of Defense (DoD) and planning a trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, you may be wondering if Shades of Green, the resort exclusively for military members and their families, is tax-free. The short answer is yes, but let’s dive into the details. […] The post Is Shades of Green Tax Free? appeared first on Military Disney Tips Blog. View the full article

Gatorland introduces rock-climbing wall, Winchester the rescue alligator, three baby goats and future crocodile spot. View the full article

A fan-favorite nighttime show is now BACK in Disney World! Happily Ever After March 31st was the final day of Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. With the celebration ending, we’ve seen lots of themed items swapped out over the past few days, including snacks, merchandise, and decorations. But one of the biggest changes is the switch-up of the nighttime shows at both EPCOT and Magic Kingdom. As part of Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, Magic Kingdom debuted the brand-new fireworks show Disney Enchantment in 2021. In addition to the fireworks, the show also featured immersive projection effects down Main Street, U.S.A., from Cinderella Castle for the first time. Enchantment But with the 50th Celebration ending, Disney Enchantment had its final performance on Sunday, April 2nd. And as of this evening (April 3rd), Happily Ever After has officially returned to Magic Kingdom! The changing of the guard also took place in EPCOT this evening, as Harmonius had its final performance last night, and the EPCOT Forever nighttime spectacular has now returned for a limited time. The EPCOT Forever show will be replaced with a NEW 100th anniversary show later this year. New EPCOT show ©Disney We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more changes around all of the Disney World parks, so stay tuned to DFB to keep up with all of the major Disney news. Watch the FULL Happily Ever After Fireworks Show in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What’s your favorite Disney World fireworks show? Let us know in the comments! The post Get the Tissues Ready -- Happily Ever After Is BACK in Magic Kingdom! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s BACK! After leaving us in 2021, the EPCOT Forever fireworks show has returned! Spaceship Earth Since it was announced last year that the show would be returning, we have been waiting for this day. EPCOT Forever debuted in 2019 (taking over for the long-running Illuminations show), and it was replaced by Harmonious in 2021. Now, this show is back for a limited time. Come with us to check it out! When we first got to EPCOT this evening, the crowds looked pretty light. Just before the show began, however, the viewing area got much more crowded! It’s busy! Note that the Harmonious barges are still in the middle of the World Showcase Lagoon, but Disney has announced that they will be removed soon. EPCOT Forever will only stick around for a limited time. Later this year, it’ll be replaced by a NEW show that will celebrate The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary. New EPCOT show ©Disney We’re excited to see this nighttime show back in EPCOT, even just for a short amount of time. For more Disney parks news, keep following DFB! Get a sneak peek at the NEW EPCOT fireworks show here. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Will you be seeing EPCOT Forever on your next trip? Let us know below! The post VIDEOS: EPCOT Forever Fireworks Have Officially RETURNED to Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s an important day in EPCOT! Spaceship Earth The EPCOT Forever fireworks show has returned to this park hot on the heels of the 18-month long run of Harmonious, which celebrated Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration. The 50th anniversary is over now, so EPCOT Forever is back (for a limited time). Come with us to check out the crowds on the first night of this show’s return! In case you’re not familiar with this show, EPCOT Forever was first introduced to us in 2019. It took over for EPCOT’s long-running nighttime show, Illuminations. EPCOT Forever has a very nostalgic feel with nods to yesteryear’s EPCOT, including songs or sound clips from Living With the Land, Kitchen Cabaret, and Horizons. Epcot Forever Harmonious had its last show on April 2nd, and the official return of EPCOT Forever is tonight, April 3rd. We were in the park to celebrate, and at first, it felt like we were one of the few who came. Where’d everybody go? Walkways About an hour before the show began, there was plenty of space around us in the viewing area. But about fifteen minutes before the start of the show, that changed drastically. It’s busy! We watched the show from the entrance of World Showcase, right in front of the lagoon. This area provides a great view of the show, but you’ll want to be pretty early to secure your spot. It can fill up surprisingly quickly! If you’re about a half hour early, you should be able to find a spot most days. Lots of people here to watch the show Although there were a LOT of people in this area, Cast Members made sure that walkways remained clear so that you can still get in and out. For now, the Harmonious barges are still in the lagoon, but these will be removed soon. EPCOT Forever will only be back for a limited time. Later this year, it will be replaced by a NEW show that will celebrate The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary. New EPCOT show ©Disney We’ll keep watching for more updates from Disney World, so stay tuned for all the latest news! Get a sneak peek at the NEW fireworks show coming to EPCOT this year! Want MORE Details About EPCOT’s MASSIVE Transformation? EPCOT’s Three New Neighborhoods Have Debuted – Learn More Here See Our Full Review of One of EPCOT’s Newest Restaurants – Connections Eatery Get a Full Tour Inside EPCOT’s New Starbucks Location – Connections Cafe See All the Details You Need to Know About the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Coaster, Now Open in World Discovery NEW Festival Areas, Gardens, a Meet-and-Greet Area, and More Are Coming to EPCOT Go Inside Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure With Us Check Out All of the Tasty Details About La Crêperie de Paris See Our Full Reviews of Space 220, Which Has Officially OPENED in EPCOT Check Out Spaceship Earth’s Permanent New Nighttime Look Learn More About EPCOT’s New Nighttime Spectacular -- Harmonious See Full Details About the New PLAY! Pavilion Coming to EPCOT Learn All About Journey of Water -- Inspired by Moana, Coming to World Nature The Mary Poppins Attraction is on Hold – Learn More Here What’s Been CUT From the EPCOT Transformation? Click HERE for All the News and Details about EPCOT’s Transformation! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest EPCOT transformation news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! How do you feel about EPCOT Forever’s return? Tell us in the comments below! The post The UNUSUAL Crowds at the Return of EPCOT Forever Fireworks first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Got your tissues ready? Good, because Happily Ever After is officially BACK in Magic Kingdom! Getting ready to begin! We’re so excited to have this show return to Disney World, and we’re not the only ones celebrating. Fans have been awaiting the return of the beloved nighttime show since it was first announced at the D23 Expo in 2022. We were able to get a preview of the show’s return last month, but today (April 3rd) is its official return, and the crowds definitely turned up to see the “new” show. We are at Magic Kingdom tonight to see the show’s first official night back, and we’re bringing you along to check it out. Before we get to the crowds, we have to ask — do you have an outfit ready for this show’s return? If not, we have just the thing for you! Our DFB Store has some NEW Happily Ever After designs. You can shop them by clicking the image below! We arrived a few hours early to get a good viewing spot for Happily Ever After, and it turns out, a lot of other people had the same idea. We’ll continue to update this post and bring you all the news from Magic Kingdom tonight, so stay tuned! It wasn’t just a big night tonight at Magic Kingdom, though — EPCOT also had a return of a previous nighttime show, EPCOT: Forever. This show will run in EPCOT for a limited time before a new 100th anniversary show debuts later this year. New EPCOT show ©Disney Keep following DFB for more of the latest Disney news. 3 Tricks To Getting the BEST View of Happily Ever After Fireworks in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Are you planning to see the Happily Ever After fireworks soon? Let us know in the comments. The post HUGE Crowds Showed Up for the Return of Happily Ever After Fireworks in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney CEO Bob Iger shares a closer look at Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, at EPCOT during the 2023 Disney Annual Shareholder’s Meeting.View the full article

It’s safe to say that the travel plans of many were hindered this past December when Southwest Airlines canceled a ton of domestic flights due to a winter storm. These cancelations resulted in thousands of angry travelers, warranting refunds and even a senate hearing. Southwest Airlines ©Reuters These cancelations left many passengers, flight attendants, and pilots stranded in airports with no way of traveling home. Southwest has worked to make things right after the incident, and now they’ve revealed even more information about how they plan to move forward and prevent future problems. Southwest has recently spoken out on the cause of these cancelations and provided insight on what they plan to do to avoid situations like this happening again. According to Southwest Airlines, insufficient infrastructure and winter equipment were the culprits behind the winter cancelations. Southwest “We had insufficient winter infrastructure and equipment in key airport locations to adequately react to a winter storm of Elliott’s epic scale, velocity, and duration, and we faced staffing challenges from the need to rotate employees outside in bitter winter weather,” Southwest said. “These issues hindered our ability to keep our flight crew networks flowing from key crew bases.” According to Southwest, the airline came to this conclusion after conducting an internal review alongside its Board of Directors and a third-party aviation assessment. Based on the findings, the airline said that it would now be reinforcing airport infrastructure, increasing equipment, and further preparing the airline as a whole for winter weather. Southwest New equipment and infrastructure include de-icing trucks, pads, ground equipment, engine covers and heaters, new tools to provide pilots real-time insight into departure time once an aircraft has been de-iced, more staff, a reassessment of fuel management processes, and the refinement of ramp-cleaning procedures. ©Southwest Airlines Further, Southwest said it would be enhancing dashboards and establishing clearer lines of communication when it comes to cancelations and delays, from increasing the phone call capacity system to the improvement of flight notifications across the airline. Southwest Airplane Hopefully we won’t have to worry about mass cancelations in the future! As usual, make sure to follow along for more travel news — from Disney updates to airlines! If you’re traveling to Disney soon, click the link below to check out some CHEAP flights! Looking for cheap flights? Look no further! Click here for more! Travel Updates, Tips, and Tricks Complete Guide to Booking the CHEAPEST Flight to Disney World What to Do if Your Flight to Disney World Is Canceled Our Best Tips For Flying Through the Orlando International Airport Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get to Disney World From the Orlando Airport The Ultimate Disney World Packing List for 2022 You’re SLEEPING on These Packing Hacks Air Travel Tips That’ll Change Your Life 8 Catastrophic Travel Mistakes and How to Solve Them The BEST and WORST Airlines in the US, Ranked by Customer Complaints The MOST and LEAST Reliable Airlines in the U.S. This Small Change Will Save You From Lost Luggage The Best Disney Luggage for 2023 21 Things a Former Flight Attendant Needs You To Know 7 Highest-Rated Travel Items on Amazon Join the DFB Newsletter to Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click Here to Subscribe Do you still fly Southwest? Let us know in the comments! The post Southwest Airlines Announces New Strategies To Reduce Cancelations first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney has been caught in a number of battles lately, and now Bob Iger has spoken up on a few of them. ©Disney When it comes to the Reedy Creek Improvement District drama and Disney’s battles with Governor DeSantis, Iger shared that some of DeSantis’ actions were “anti-business” and “anti-Florida.” And now Iger has responded to some more general criticism Disney has received about agenda-driven content. The Question During the 2023 Shareholder Meeting, Iger responded to a few questions from shareholders. One particular question was from William Russel from New York. Russel said that he’d like to address the “elephant in the room.” Russel shared that in his opinion Disney has turned from a place of magic for children to an “ideological company serving LGBTQIA+…lobbies to groom children.” Pride Mickey Ears He said that in his opinion Disney’s films and entertainment are “increasingly promoting the woke agenda.” He then asked, “How can you explain to parents worldwide that you recently celebrated 100 years of history by collaborating with the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, to produce an LGBTIA+-themed Disney musical? This is a group who have explicitly stated that they want to indoctrinate children. They literally sang a concert and they sang the words ‘we will convert your children, Quietly and subtly. And you will barely notice it.’ Disney chose to collaborate with these predators to sing to children.” Rainbow Mickey He also asked, “how can you explain to parents worldwide that over the next few months, dozens of highly sexualized gay pride parades will take place in Disneyland parks worldwide, the exact places where they used to take their children for fun?” He noted, “parents have simply had it up to here.” In conclusion, he said he had a “simple question — would it not be beneficial for the Company to ditch the LGBTQIA+ and gender ideology for good?” His advice? “Turn Disney back to the a-political fun place that it used to be and I bet that you’ll win back both the trust of families and the stock market.” Iger’s Response In response, Iger noted that the comments were about more than just content but about experiences too, and in that regard, Iger said that Disney prides itself on being “accessible to all people.” Iger continued, “we’ve been telling stories for 100 years aimed at entertaining and inspiring families from all over the world. And we’re extremely proud of the positive impact we’ve had on billions of people over that 100-year period of time. For generations, the stories that we’ve told have touched people’s hearts, because they’ve been infused with right values.” 100th Anniversary Balloons In talking about those “right values” in Disney’s films, Iger said, “They’ve celebrated heroes, emphasized the value of family and friendship, they’ve instilled a steady faith in the belief that good triumphs over evil, that tomorrow is always brighter than today. And I think those stories have had an amazingly positive impact on the world, a world that always loves and needs great stories, and…great entertainment, particularly in today’s world.” Iger then turned to the criticism, acknowledging, “We’ve recently gotten criticism…for what some perceive to be agenda-driven content. And I’m sensitive to that, actually. Our primary mission needs to be to entertain. And then through our entertainment to continue to have a positive impact on the world.” ©Pixar | Obtained via Variety Iger said, “I’m very serious about that. It should not be agenda driven. It should be entertainment driven. That should be the goal in all of our stories.” Iger acknowledged that they likely won’t please everyone all of the time, but said, “we should be sensitive to the fact that parents have different levels of comfort with the content that is delivered to their children. I want parents to be able to trust the content that we’re creating for their children, and we’re committed to delivering age-appropriate content for family audiences while also telling stories that reflect the world around us and that foster greater understanding, greater perspective, greater acceptance of all people.” ©Disney He shared, it’s “my hope that Disney continues to be a source of hope and optimism for the world. And we’re honored to actually carry forth Walt’s legacy of inspiring joy and wonder for everyone.” Want to know more about what’s happening here? Let’s break it down. San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus In terms of the first accusation regarding the Gay Men’s chorus, this stems from a 2021 video. Fox News reported that the San Fransisco Gay Mens Chorus faced a “wave of backlash” after posting a video that it described as “ironic humor about fears surrounding children and the ‘gay agenda.'” In the video, the chorus sang about indoctrinating children, specifically about having them be “more concerned about ‘fairness’ and ‘justice.'” Disney Family Pride The lyrics include phrases like “We’ll convert your children. Happens bit by bit. Quietly and subtly. And you will barely notice it…We’ll convert your children. We’ll make them tolerant and fair.” In other lyrics, they said “We’ll convert your children. Someone’s gotta teach them not to hate…Your children will care about…fairness and justice for others.” In response, the chorus argued that the far-right conservative media had “taken the lyrics out of context.” They also reportedly said that the video was obviously “tongue-in-cheek humor.” Disney did not collaborate on that 2021 video from what we understand, but rather what the shareholder seemed to be referencing in terms of Disney working with the chorus is the presentation of Disney Pride in Concert 2023. This was presented by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus in early March 2023, per their website. ©San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus It’s not exclusive to that group, however. It is a presentation that has been offered in multiple areas in years past and this year. You can see information about it being performed online by the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, the Heartland Men’s Chorus in Kansas City, and the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus. According to the description on the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus page, “You don’t have to be a Disney fan to find something to love. No matter your age, background, or sexual orientation, the selection of songs will touch your heart.” Essentially, it seems to be a performance of hit Disney songs by gay men’s groups. The description for the San Francisco version reads, “We’ll perform Disney’s iconic songs alongside a 30-piece orchestra, celebrating themes including love, LGBTQ+ pride, and family ties. As well as showcasing Disney’s globally acclaimed musical legacy, this program will also serve as a vehicle for our chorus members to share their personal journeys, and how this music has shaped their lives.” Gay “Pride Parades” In terms of the pride parades the individual spoke about, they may be referring to Gay Days, which take place within Disney’s parks. Disney actually doesn’t sponsor or promote most Gay Days events, according to a 2022 article from The New York Times. Generally, the Gay Days group organizes their own events, similar to other conventions held at Disney resorts. They typically include visits to some of Disney’s theme parks, but there is no parade. Event-goers usually meet up in the park and wear similarly colored shirts. ©Gay Days | Obtained Via The OCR Disney has celebrated Pride Month with food and merchandise in the past. And we have seen Disney a little more involved in Gay Days in Disneyland — where there was a D23 photo op and some Disney vendors in the Gay Days welcome center at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort. Gay Days Pins! And things are a bit more unique at Disneyland Paris, where Disney does coordinate the event. There, Disney says there will be a colorful pride parade where “Disney Characters dressed in rainbow colours celebrate diversity in their magnificent sparkling vehicles.” ©Disneyland Paris Disney World is also hosting a gay rights summit in Orlando later this year. This is the 2023 Out & Equal Workplace Summit, aimed at discussing inclusivity and equality in the workplace. Disney is one of the organization’s top sponsors. Other partners include Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Apple, Uber, Walgreens, and more. There are also government partners including the USDA, Department of State, and FDA. The information about the summit’s events does not include mention of a pride parade. Other Related Commentary This wasn’t the only question about Disney’s involvement in cultural and political issues that Iger fielded during the Shareholder Meeting. Another individual asked whether it was wise for Disney to take a position on “political” issues. Iger said, “I don’t think we should or can weigh in on every issue…But I strongly feel that we alone have to determine whether, when, or how to weigh in on an issue, whether it’s private or public. Of course with the standard that when we take a position on those matters, there’s a true reason why we have. And in almost all cases it has to be because it directly affects our business or our people.” ©Disney Iger also turned back to history to note that companies have been expressing their opinions on issues for decades, and he said the country is better off for that. Iger noted how this was particularly the case during the Civil Rights era, when many companies weighed in on “injustices they saw in America,” and he noted that it was “certainly true during World War 2 when those who stood in silence in some ways still carry the stain of indifference.” He concluded by saying, “As long as I’m in the job, I’m gonna continue to [be] guided by a sense of decency and respect and trust our instincts that when we do weigh in, we weigh in because the issue is truly relevant to our business and to the people who work for us.” Cinderella Castle We will continue to watch where Disney takes this matter from here, how things are handled in the future, and what Disney might speak up about in the years to come. Stay tuned for more updates. Click here to see Iger’s thoughts on the DeSantis drama Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post CEO Bob Iger Responds To Accusations of Disney “Collaborating With Predators” first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

On top of Disney’s battle with DeSantis over the Reedy Creek District (now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District), Disney has been in the news for its large amount of layoffs. Spaceship Earth in EPCOT In 2022, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced a hiring freeze and when Bob Iger took over as CEO in November, he confirmed that this planned hiring freeze would still happen. Recently, though, Disney has started its first wave of layoffs from the company including some executives. Now, though, we have an update on the future of jobs at Disney World. On April 3rd, Disney held its Annual Shareholder meeting where people can ask Bob Iger questions and Disney has the opportunity to share news about upcoming projects. ©Disney When asked a question about what steps Disney is taking to protect shareholder value regarding the Reedy Creek and DeSantis legal battle (which you can read all about here), Iger revealed Disney World’s plans to grow over the next 10 years. Iger said, “We’re currently planning now to invest over $17 billion in Walt Disney World over the next 10 years.” He explained that these investments ©Disney So just how will this impact the parks? Well, no exact plans were shared by Iger, but Disney has hinted at some growth we could see in the theme parks in the future. At the D23 Expo in September 2022, Disney announced some Blue Sky Projects that the company was working on. “Blue Sky” means that Imagineers are brainstorming around an inspiration, but it does not mean a project will 100% happen. D23 Expo Disney gave the audience a look at the possibilities that lie beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom. This included a look at some concept art for Coco, Encanto, and Disney villain-themed lands. We did a deep dive into this concept art to see what these lands could look like if they come to fruition. Possible Land Expansion in Magic Kingdom Some new lands were teased in Disney’s Animal Kingdom as well for the space where DinoLand U.S.A. currently is. DinoLand is currently home to two attractions, however, snack stands and the ride Primeval Whirl have been removed from the land. Back in 2022, Disney teased Zootopia and Moana-themed lands for this part of the park. Why is Disney CEO Bob Iger Obsessed With Zootopia? None of these are confirmed — all we have to go off of right now is the concept art Disney showed at the D23 Expo. However, it’s possible that these projects could be part of the $17 billion Disney plans to invest in Disney World over the next 10 years. Adding more parks projects will create more jobs which could contribute to the estimated 13,000 Disney World will create. Concept Art This news comes after Disney just began its first wave of layoffs at the company. Disney announced at the Quarter 1 earnings call that it would be reducing its workforce by 7,000 jobs in order to cut $5.5 million worth of costs. Several Disney executive’s jobs have already been cut and Disney will also remove some open positions at the company. We’ll continue to keep you updated on the latest Disney updates, so stay tuned to DFB. “Anti-business” and “Anti-Florida” — Disney CEO Bob Iger Comments on DeSantis Actions Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post Bob Iger Announces 13,000 New Jobs Will Come to Disney World 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. It’s finally April, which means the 50th Anniversary Celebration at Walt Disney World has officially come to an end. Goodbye to the 50th! We’ve seen the finales of nighttime spectaculars, the removal of park decor and character costumes, and even new park maps! Now, we’re seeing more merchandise pop up in the parks for the Disney100 Celebration at Disney World, and we can’t wait to see what else will show up for the platinum celebration. Speaking of merchandise, though, an ALL NEW Disney100 merchandise collection just popped up online, and included are some things we saw in the parks over the weekend. The Disney100 Unified Characters Collection features beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters TOGETHER on select merchandise items. Do we have your attention yet? Let’s check them out! First, there are the Disney100 Unified Characters Women’s Pajamas. ©Disney This pajama set features a pink base with all of Disney’s beloved characters scattered across! Click here to purchase the Disney100 Unified Characters Women’s Pajamas Next, we have the Disney100 Unified Characters Woven Button-Up Shirt for men. Disney100 Unified Characters Woven Shirt This shirt features a black base with Disney characters scattered across. We actually came across this shirt at Discovery Trading Company in Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Click here to purchase the Disney100 Unified Characters Men’s Woven Shirt Looking for a hoodie to commemorate Disney’s platinum anniversary? This could be the one! ©Disney The Disney100 Unified Characters Hoodie is black with a Disney100 logo along with some iconic Disney characters. Click here to purchase the Disney100 Unified Characters Hoodie This Mickey Mouse Unified Characters Crossbody Bag could be your next favorite park accessory. ©Disney This small bag features Mickey Mouse and a small Minnie Mouse keychain. Click here to purchase the Disney100 Unified Characters Mickey Mouse Crossbody Bag Looking for something a bit larger? The Disney100 Unified Characters Backpack could be a great fit for you. ©Disney This blue backpack features a roomy interior with all the beloved characters on the outside. Click here to purchase the Unified Characters Backpack If you’re hoping to check out more of this brand new collection, you can click here! Oh, and while you’re in the shopping mood…have you checked our DFB exclusive graphic tees and merch? 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! New Disney-inspired tanks! As usual, follow along for more Disney news and updates. Click the link below to check out some more Disney merchandise we’ve spotted online recently! Looking for more Disney merchandise? Look no further! Click here for more. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Which of these new merchandise items is your favorite? Let us know in the comments! The post A NEW Disney 100th Anniversary Collection Is Online Now! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney is a dream come true for many — for many reasons! Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland One aspect of the Disney parks that draws in guests from around the world is the chance to meet fan-favorite Disney characters. There are numerous opportunities to do this throughout the parks, from spontaneous meet and greets to character dining. Character breakfasts in particular are a popular way for families to fuel for their busy park day while also saying hello to some Disney pals and collecting autographs. There are countless choices for character breakfasts at both the Disneyland and Disney World resorts, but we’re going to give you a brief overview of every character breakfast at both resorts to make your choice a bit easier. We’ll start with character breakfasts at Disney World! Disney World Character Breakfasts Disney World currently hosts seven different character breakfasts — each with different themes. Please note that each of these are available by reservation only! Reservations can be made up to 60 days prior to your desired dining date. Chef Mickey’s Chef Mickey’s is located inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort and offers character meals for breakfast and dinner. Chef Mickey’s Here, you can meet Mickey and the rest of the Fab Five as they’re dressed in their chef’s uniforms. American breakfast cuisine is served on an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet — complete with the iconic Mickey Waffles. Topolino’s Terrace Located in Disney’s Riviera Resort, the Topolino’s Terrace breakfast takes you on a tour of French-Italian cuisine, from pastries with chocolate hazelnut mousse to wood-fired butcher’s steak. Mickey! You’ll be able to meet Mickey and the gang while they’re dressed as artists from the European Riviera! Cape May Cafe If you love a good day at the beach, the Cape May Cafe character breakfast might be for you! Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast allows you to meet Minnie and her friends before they head out on an adventure on the beach. Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast Located in Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Cape May Cafe serves up a buffet full of fan-favorite breakfast items, such as Mickey AND Minnie waffles and Cape May’s special Salted Caramel “Beach Buns.” ‘Ohana Ready to take a trip to the Pacific Islands? Let’s go to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Here, we’ll find ‘Ohana — home to one of Disney’s most popular character breakfasts because of the chance to meet Lilo and Stitch as well as Mickey and Pluto dressed and ready for some luau fun. Stitch at ‘Ohana Breakfast Breakfast is served family-style and consists of Hawaiian bread, sausage, biscuits, Stitch waffles, and more! Oh, and guests go crazy for the POG juice — a pineapple, orange, and guava juice blend that is delicious. Cinderella’s Royal Table Perhaps the most iconic character meal you can have at Disney World is the one located in Cinderella Castle. Cinderella’s Royal Table The visiting princesses have recently returned to this restaurant in Magic Kingdom, where you’ll find shrimp and grits, quiche, avocado toast and more on the breakfast menu. This is Disney World’s most expensive character breakfast, but you are really paying for the location and experience here! Hollywood & Vine Located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Hollywood & Vine hosts a fan-favorite character dining experience starring several Disney Junior characters! Here, you’ll find a menu full of American breakfast cuisine, from blueberry muffins to salmon bagels. Vampirina! Guests will have the chance to meet characters such as Vampirina, Fancy Nancy, and Doc McStuffins. Tusker House Tusker House serves a buffet of African and American breakfast cuisine in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Our favorite Goofball Here, you can meet Mickey and his friends clad in Safari gear before they head out on their next adventure. Crystal Palace Located in Magic Kingdom, Crystal Palace breakfast allows you to meet friends from the Hundred Acre Wood! Yep, you can meet Pooh Bear, Piglet, Tigger, and more. Hi there, Pooh! Breakfast consists of American cuisine served buffet-style. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall If it is princesses you’re looking for, there is one alternative to Cinderella’s Royal Table: Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. Breakfast has not been served here since the park closures in 2020, but Disney has announced that it will be returning on May 14th, 2023. Snow White at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall This restaurant in the Norway Pavilion at EPCOT serves food family-style. Breakfast typically includes pastries, scrambled eggs, potato casserole, and Norwegian waffles. Garden Grill (Currently Unavailable) We’ll give an honorable mention to the currently-unavailable Garden Grill breakfast located in EPCOT. Here, you were able to enjoy a breakfast of Chip and Dale’s Sticky Buns, tater tots, eggs, bacon, and Mickey Waffles as you overlooked Living With The Land. Dale You could also meet Chip, Dale, Pluto, and Farmer Mickey! Disneyland Character Breakfasts At Disneyland, there are just a few options, but great options nonetheless. Just like at Disney World, you’ll have to book a reservation up to 60 days in advance if you’re hoping to experience these. Mickey’s Tales of Adventure at Storytellers Cafe Located inside Disneyland’s Grand Californian Hotel, this character breakfast allows you to meet Mickey, Minnie, Chip, and Dale before they head out on their forest adventure. Mickey’s Tales of Adventure with… Mickey! In hiking gear! Here, you can enjoy a buffet of American breakfast including Mickey Waffles, pancakes, and cereal. Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures at Napa Rose Also located inside the Grand Californian Hotel is Napa Rose. Here, you can dine with Disney Princesses such as Aurora, Belle, Ariel, and more! Aurora at Napa Rose Breakfast Served on the breakfast buffet is American cuisine complete with Mickey Waffles. Minnie & Friends Breakfast at the Plaza Inn Located inside Disneyland park, Plaza Inn’s breakfast allows you to meet Minnie Mouse and the rest of the gang while they serve up breakfast in the park. Minnie at Plaza Inn Breakfast is buffet-style and features American food, including — you guessed it — Mickey Waffles. Goofy’s Kitchen Located inside the Disneyland Hotel is Goofy’s Kitchen, which allows guests to meet various characters, including Goofy, Minnie, and Chip and Dale. Meet Goofy Here, you can indulge in Mickey Mouse pancakes, Goofy’s famous peanut butter pizza, and more! And there you have it! That is every single character breakfast that you can experience at Disney World and Disneyland. So, which one will you choose? If you’re looking for Disney dining suggestions, you’re in the right place. Click the link below to check out an upcoming brunch at Disney. Click here for Disney brunch! 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 Check Out the 19 Best Restaurants in Disney World in 2022 Our Top 50 All-Time Best Disney Dining Tips These Are the BEST Meals in Disney World for Under $15 Ranking Every Single Magic Kingdom Restaurant Ranking Every Single EPCOT Restaurant Ranking Every Single Restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Studios Ranking Every Single Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Ranking Every Single Restaurant in Disney Springs Ranking Every Single Restaurant in Disney World Hotels – Cheap Eats Edition 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! Have you been to any of these character breakfasts? Let us know in the comments! The post Guide To EVERY Character Breakfast in Disney World and Disneyland first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s almost time! TRON Lightcycle / Run opens tomorrow. TRON Lightcycle / Run We’ve already gotten to try some of the new TRON-inspired eats and got to see the canopy all lit up at night. But there’s still one element of this new attraction that we have yet to try and many have been anxiously awaiting — the Tomorrowland Launch Depot. The new store will have tons of new merch as well as the TRON Identity Program — but unfortunately, it won’t be opening to all guests along with the ride tomorrow. Fortunately, you won’t have to wait until it does open to get some of the new merch! Today in Magic Kingdom, a Cast Member confirmed that although Tomorrowland Launch Depot won’t be fully open to all guests on April 4th (when the TRON coaster opens), those with a Virtual Queue or Lightning Lane for the ride would have access to the shop. Other guests will be able to get some of the new merch from two other locations! Star Traders, located across from Tomorrowland Speedway, will be offering select merch for this new attraction. Star Traders We noticed that Cast Members have begun setting up the store in preparation for the sale of the new merch. Virtual Queue Station There will also be a separate pop-up shop across from the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor entrance in Tomorrowland, where Stitch’s Great Escape used to be. Stitch’s Great Escape used to be here. To manage demand for this new merchandise, there will be a Virtual Queue system set up for both of these shops. While the opening time for these Virtual Queues has not been confirmed, similar queues have opened at 7AM. So if you’re hoping to snag some new merch for the rides opening day, make sure you check the My Disney Experience app bright and early! To use a Virtual Queue in Disney World, you’ll go to the My Disney Experience app and find the queue you want to join (they can generally be found on the homepage of the app. If you don’t see it, try using the search feature). You can reserve your spot, and you’ll be given a “boarding group” or callback number. When it’s your turn to go into the store, you will receive a notification that tells you how long you’ll have to return to the store. You can head there and start shopping! TRON merchandise We’ll be there tomorrow for opening day, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news! Click here to take a look at the TONS of new TRON merchandise coming to the parks! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Have you ridden this new ride yet? Let us know in the comments below! The post NEWS: Virtual Queue Will Be Used for TRON Merchandise in Magic Kingdom first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney’s annual passes have changed a lot over the years, but we just got a big update on one pass type. Enchantment No, it’s not about the potential for sales of new Annual Passes in Disney World. And it’s not about the price increases that have hit Disney World’s Annual Passes or even the Annual Passholder lawsuits related to Park Passes. This update is about a particular pass type you may have never realized was an option a while ago. Some time ago, there used to be a ticket type called the Premier Passport. This essentially served as a joint annual pass for Disney World AND Disneyland. The pass type was discontinued some time ago. Back in 2021, Premier Passport holders got Disney World entry through March 31st, 2021, and then had to take action to keep ONLY their Disney World pass. During the 2022 annual shareholder meeting, then-CEO Bob Chapek was asked about the potential return of these coast-to-coast annual passes and shared that he would check on the possibility of its return. So what has happened now? Tree of Life Well, since the time of Chapek’s response, there really hasn’t been any update on the Premier Passport front. It never returned as an option for guests to buy and now we know why. During the 2023 shareholder meeting, returning CEO Bob Iger was once again asked about the Premier Passport ticket option. The individual who called asked why “true fanatics” who want to visit both coasts and have an annual pass that works at both resorts should be “punished and restricted.” Iger responded to this matter by noting that he had actually looked into this issue in anticipation of receiving a question about it. Iger shared that he discovered the caller was one of the very few people who are actually interested in such a pass. Disneyland According to Iger, because demand for that Premier Passport is so limited, it doesn’t make sense for Disney to support it. He noted that there are some costs associated with supporting it and they simply couldn’t justify the cost to keep it going. So it sounds like the Premier Passport won’t be coming back (at least for now). Perhaps if demand for the pass were to dramatically increase, Disney might reconsider, but it sounds like the need for it simply isn’t there at the moment. Pixar Pier at night We’ll keep an eye out for more updates and let you know what we find. Click here to see what Iger had to say about the battles with Ron DeSantis Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post NEWS: Disney CEO Bob Iger Confirms Premier Annual Pass Will NOT Be Coming Back first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Marjorie Colas, senior facilitator for Disney Institute, has always brought a unique perspective to leadership and a passion for inclusion. Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she began her Disney journey supporting Haitian cast members as a language service translator in 2004. “It was such a unique time. The company was still evolving,” Marjorie said. […]View the full article