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There are so many different types of rides at Disney World — from slow-moving dark rides with the occasional thrill to rides that will make you question your entire existence. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind If you’re prone to motion sickness, you know all too well just how it can ruin your day when it happens. There are probably a few rides at Disney World you might want to avoid, but if you’re curious about Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in particular — you’ve come to the right place! When it comes to Disney World rides, some are a bit more motion-sickness-inducing than others. We have a full list of what attractions you may struggle with if you’re prone to getting sick, but the newest ride at EPCOT definitely belongs on that list. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is located in World Discovery and is one of the longest indoor roller coasters ever built. It takes guests on an intergalactic adventure with Marvel’s motley crew. In typical Guardians fashion, not everything goes according to plan, and guests are suddenly tasked with helping to save the galaxy. Guardians queue Rocket, Groot, Drax, Gamora, and Star-Lord need guests’ help to save the galaxy after receiving that S.O.S. from the Nova Corps that their outpost on Earth is in danger. This means riders have to get out of the ship FAST, and are evacuated by using “Starjumper shuttles – small escape pods that launch from the Starcharter cruiser.” Here’s the thing about those “escape pods” though — they aren’t quite what they seem. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Ride Vehicle Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is Disney’s first Omnicoaster — meaning each ride vehicle spins around a full 360 degrees. While you’re moving “forward” on the track, the Omnicoaster is also rotating from left to right, pointing you in the direction of whatever you’re supposed to be looking at. If you’re someone who struggles with motion sickness on your run-of-the-mill roller coaster, Cosmic Rewind is like that on steroids. Not only are you being propelled in one direction, but you might also be spinning around at the same time. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Cosmic Rewind is also an indoor coaster, which can be disorienting in and of itself. It’s DARK in that big ol’ building, with only screens and other elements lit up at certain times. It can be hard to tell what direction you’re headed in, which can often give you that pit in your stomach. While Cosmic Rewind isn’t a 3D screen ride that requires glasses, the combination of rapid movements and having to try to focus your eyes on a certain fixed point can add to how sick you might get. So Much to See! Did we mention just how DARK it is in that show building? You’re flying through outer space, multiple galaxies, universes, etc., and if there’s one thing we know about space, it’s that it can be pretty darn void of light. Certain aspects of the ride are illuminated based on where you’re supposed to be looking, but ask anyone who has walked out of a Disney dark ride into a bright summer day knows just how jarring that can actually be. ©Disney There’s also the fact that Cosmic Rewind features a reverse launch. You might be thinking, “I’ve been on Expedition Everest and that goes backward!” While you are correct, Everest doesn’t launch you backward — Cosmic Rewind does. Getting Ready At first, you’ll head out facing forward thinking everything is copacetic, and then, your Omnicoaster rotates a full 180 degrees, placing you in the opposite direction you just were. Before you know it — BAM! You are propelled backward and the party really gets started (or ends if you’re prone to getting sick). Pre-show You don’t stay backward for the entire ride — those coasters spin around, remember? — but if you’re not expecting it and are braced to go forward, it can be quite a shock. But, being that this is a new coaster, it is incredibly smooth. You don’t get the typical bumps and jostling you might find on Big Thunder Mountain or other coasters, but the rest of the technology and elements of this ride can make riders queasy. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind It’s less about intensity and more about the rotating of the ride vehicle coupled with screens, which may make Cosmic Rewind disorienting for some people. However, the aforementioned Omnicoaster vehicles do an excellent job of directing rider attention where it needs to be, and the action usually moves in tandem with the roller coaster trains. This makes the likelihood of feeling queasy due to the different motions low — it’s not jarring or disorienting. Cosmic Rewind It moves quickly, and there’s a lot of turning back and forth throughout, as well as turning your head around to watch the action unfolding. If you typically have problems with things like that, then this may make you sick. If you are prone to sickness, eating something small before riding, and requesting a seat toward the middle (specifically rows 5 and 6) could be helpful. Spaceship Earth At the end of the day, you know your body best and what is most likely to make you feel sick or get queasy. If you do end up getting motion sickness, let someone in your party or a Cast Member know so they can get you the care you need — and don’t forget Disney World has First Aid Centers in each park. Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World tips and info! 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! Have you been on Cosmic Rewind? Tell us in the comments. The post Guardians of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Motion Sickness Info and Tips first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Okay, one thing that really gets us excited is NEW food in Disney World, especially when new restaurants open. Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin We recently got a sneak peek (and taste) of the upcoming Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but recently we got an update on when ANOTHER new Disney World restaurant is opening. Now, we also have the full menus for that spot! Rosa Mexicano will be opening at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin on March 19th, according to the Swan and Dolphin website. The restaurant will serve “a fresh take on authentic Mexican cuisine,” including classic items as well as reimagined dishes. The menu also features award-winning margaritas, including the Rosa Mexicano Signature Frozen Pomegranate Margarita, which was named the Best in New York City. Rosa Mexicano The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The breakfast menu features a breakfast buffet for $29.99 for adults and $19.99 for children. The buffet will include hot selections like various meats, scrambled eggs, pancakes, Mickey waffles, made-to-order omelets, and Rosa’s Guacamole and Toast. A Continental Breakfast Buffet will also be available for $21.99 for adults and $11.99 for children. ©Rosa Mexicano There are also a variety of a la carte options for breakfast, like Oatmeal, Eggs Your Way, Pancakes, Churro Waffles (um…we need to try that), a Breakfast Burrito, and Huevos Rancheros. A Kid’s Menu will also be available. Two cocktails will be offered with breakfast: Michoacán Mimosa and Bloody Mari(a). ©Rosa Mexicano The Lunch menu includes tasty appetizers like Guacamole made tableside, Quesadillas, Chicken Flautas, Rosa’s Signature Nachos, and Crispy Tortilla Soup. Um…y’all, there’s a Guacamole Tasting, too! Several Salads will also be available. ©Rosa Mexicano Lunch entrees include Tacos, Fresh Ahi Tuna, Red Chile Chicken, Birria Quesatacos, Duck Carnitas, and more. For Sandwiches, a Torta and Cheeseburger Grande will be available. Guests will also be able to order sides, like Sweet Corn Esquites and Mac n Queso. ©Rosa Mexicano Dinner will also include Guacamole, as well as a variety of Ceviches, including Shrimp, Tuna, and Salmon. A Ceviche Tasting will also be available. Okay, we’re here for the tastings! ©Rosa Mexicano Other Starters include Fresh Ahi Tuna Tacos, Camarones Diablos, Black Bean & Cheese Empanadas, and more. ©Rosa Mexicano Entrees include Roasted Half Chicken, Salmon Pipian, Pork Carnitas de Cazuel, Mushroom Huarache, and more. Guests will also be able to order Rosa’s Signature Crispy Cracklin’ Pork Chop For Two. ©Rosa Mexicano A Mexican-style mixed grill option is also available for two people — these mains come accompanied by Freshly Made Corn Tortillas, Roasted Onions, Frijoles Borrachos, Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeño, Charred Tomato Salsa, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole. Guests will also have several options for Enchiladas (as well as an Enchiladas tasting). A la carte mains will also be available. ©Rosa Mexicano The dinner menu also features options for Tacos, as well as Birria Quesatacos. ©Rosa Mexicano Several sides are also available, including the option to put Queso on anything (okay, Rosa Mexicano — we like how you think). ©Rosa Mexicano Alright, that’s all the food. Let’s talk about drinks! The restaurant will have an extensive wine list, as well as a broad selection of beer. ©Rosa Mexicano Now for the good stuff. There’s a good selection of Margaritas, including that award-winning Pomegranate. You’ll also be able to select from a variety of other cocktails, including the Mexicano Mule, Paloma, Old Fashioned Al Gusto, and more! Non-alcoholic selections include Hibiscus Pomegranate Iced Tea, Blood Orange Spritzer, Mango Ginger Refresco, and more. ©Rosa Mexicano Reservations are now open for Rosa Mexicano. We can’t wait to try out this food and these drinks for ourselves. We’ll definitely be checking out everything when Rosa Mexicano opens, so stay tuned to DFB for more! With DOZENS of places to eat at Disney World, we know it can be tough to plan your meals. That’s why we wrote the DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World. We have reviews, pictures, and details about every restaurant all in one digital download – along with ALL of our best tips and strategies from decades of Disney World trips. We’ve got a special discount code for DFB readers, too! Use WDW2023 at checkout for 25% off! Check Out The Best Restaurants Near 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. Will you be trying out Rosa Mexicano during your next Disney World trip? Let us know in the comments! The post FULL Menus Revealed for NEW Disney World Restaurant first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It seems like everyone wants to be part of Ariel’s world right now. The Little Mermaid at D23 Expo Disney recently released its first full trailer for the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. There’s already a scramble for the live-action Ariel doll AND we’re hearing some buzz about Melissa McCarthy’s turn in the film as Ursula. But the trailer itself has already broken one record. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the trailer for the live-action The Little Mermaid generated over 108 million global views IN ITS FIRST 24 HOURS. That makes it the second most-watched trailer for any Disney live-action film EVER within 24 hours of its release, coming in second to the trailer for the live-action The Lion King in early 2019. ©Disney The trailer for the live-action The Lion King got 130 million views in spring 2019. But The Little Mermaid trailer has easily beat out other trailers for Disney’s live-action remakes, including Aladdin, which was viewed 106.5 million times, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Mulan, and Cruella. ©Disney Note that this number doesn’t just include views online, but also on broadcast TV. However, that’s still a lot of eyeballs watching that trailer. On YouTube alone, the total number of views is currently over 9 million. That’s just ON YOUTUBE. Halle Bailey stars as Ariel in the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. She’s joined by McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, and Jonah Hauer-King, who all co-star in the movie. After the full trailer aired during the Oscars, The Little Mermaid trended at #2 on Twitter. It has also been the #1 Global Trending Video on YouTube. ©Disney We can’t wait to see the movie when it releases in theaters on May 26th. In the meantime, stay tuned to DFB for more updates about ALL upcoming Disney movies! Here’s a list of every live-action remake currently in the works. ‘I Am Gonna Cry.’ Halle Bailey Shows Off New ‘Little Mermaid’ Merch 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. How many times have you watched the new Little Mermaid trailer? Let us know in the comments! The post Why 'The Little Mermaid' Could Be Disney's BIGGEST Live-Action Movie Yet first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Spring Break has arrived in Disney World, and so have the Spring Break crowds! EPCOT So what does that mean? Well, it means that if you’re going to Disney World in a week or so, you should be prepared with EVERY last bit of information need. That means knowing park hours, as well as having your advance dining reservations and park pass reservations already made. We’re going to take a look at those hours for next week, as well as park pass availability, and if you’re an Annual Passholder, we’ve got a little bit of bad news. Magic Kingdom Park Hours Magic Kingdom is open from 9AM-11PM on March 19th and March 21st-25th. The park is open from 8AM-10PM on March 20th. ©Disney There is a Disney After Hours events on March 2oth from 10PM-1AM. Extended Evening Hours are on March 22nd from 11AM-1PM. EPCOT Park Hours EPCOT park hours are from 9AM-9PM on March 19th-25th. ©Disney Extended Evening Hours are on March 20th from 9PM-11PM. Hollywood Studios Park Hours Hours for Hollywood Studios are from 8:30AM-9:30PM on March 19th-25th. ©Disney There is a Disney After Hours events on March 22nd from 9:30PM-12:30AM. Animal Kingdom Park Hours Park hours for Animal Kingdom are from 8AM-8PM on March 19th-25th. ©Disney If you’re a Disney World hotel guest, you can enter the parks 30 minutes before the official opening time with Early Theme Park Entry. Park Pass Reservation Availability Park pass reservation availability is dependent on whether you’re a guest with theme park tickets, a Disney World hotel guest, or if you’re an Annual Passholder. For visitors with Theme Park Tickets, all four parks are available March 19th-25th. ©Disney The same is true for guests staying at select resort hotels: all four parks are available for March 19th-25th. ©Disney Disney World uses a different calendar to track park pass availability for Annual Passholders. For the IncrediPass, all four parks are available on March 19th, and March 21st-25th. Magic Kingdom is sold out for March 20th. ©Disney It’s the same for guests with the Sorcerer Pass: all four parks are available on March 19th, and March 21st-25th. Magic Kingdom is sold out for March 20th. ©Disney Those with a Pirate Pass will see the same thing. All four parks are available on March 19th, and March 21st-25th. Magic Kingdom is sold out for March 20th. ©Disney Those who have a Pixie Dust Pass have blockout dates on March 19th and 25th. All four parks are available on March 21st-24th, but Magic Kingdom is sold out on March 20th. ©Disney That’s everything you need to know about park hours and park pass availability in Disney World next week. If you haven’t made those park pass reservations yet, we suggest doing that as soon as possible! 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 WDW2022 to get 25% off! 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 in Disney World next week? Let us know in the comments! The post Magic Kingdom Is SOLD OUT for Annual Passholders on One Day Next Week first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Although Disney World’s new ride, TRON Lightcycle / Run wasn’t scheduled to officially open until April 4th, Disney just announced the ride will actually have a soft opening SOON on March 20th. TRON Lightcycle / Run The ride will NOT have a standby line, but will instead use a virtual queue system (like we’ve seen previously with other new rides), as well as be an Individual Lightning Lane (pay-per-ride) option. Now, one of those options is available to view in the My Disney Experience app. Like with previous new rides at Disney World, the virtual queue is available during specific times of the day to guests FOR FREE. Guests have to be fast to access the virtual queue, though, and to be assigned a boarding group indicating what time they should get in line for the attraction. TRON Lightcycle / Run The times to access the virtual queue for TRON Lightcycle / Run will be available at 7AM and 1PM. However, Disney World guests with access to Extended Evening Hours will also be able to try again at 6PM. Although the ride hasn’t technically opened yet, the virtual queue information for the soft opening is now on the My Disney Experience app (note that you won’t be able to sign up for the virtual queue until March 20th). ©Disney Guests are not guaranteed a boarding group even when using the virtual queue system, and it’s likely that the boarding groups will go FAST. So you’ll need to be quick to snag a free ride at the attraction. The other option is to pay for the Individual Lightning Lane, but again, we expect that option to sell out quickly, so you’ll have to be fast on the draw to nab that, too. TRON Lightcycle / Run For those planning on riding the attraction, we’ve listed out EVERYTHING you need to know about the ride’s queue, the ride vehicles, the locker system, and more. We’ll continue to provide coverage on the ride’s soft opening AND its official opening, so stay tuned to DFB for more. TRON Is Better AFTER DARK — Here’s How To Ride It at Night 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. Will you be trying to ride TRON Lightcycle / Run during your next Disney World trip? Let us know in the comments! The post Major CHANGE Hits Disney World App first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

In 2023, there are a lot of Disney World restaurants opening — specifically in the EPCOT Resorts area. So Pretty! We have already seen Carousel Coffee open at the Disney’s BoardWalk Resort earlier this year. We are still looking forward to The Cake Bake Shop opening this summer. The Dolphin Hotel is also getting a new restaurant, Rosa Mexicano. We now have an official opening date for it. According to the Swan and Dolphin website, Rosa Mexicano is set to open on March 19th. Rosa Mexicano will offer “an elevated fiesta dining experience” which will include signature menu items and award-winning margaritas. Credit: Luke Townsend via New York Magazine The menu at Rosa Mexicano will offer a contemporary interpretation of authentic Mexican cuisine which will include beloved classics and innovative dishes that pay tribute to Mexico’s richly varied culinary regions. Over 100 varieties of tequila and agave-based spirits will be featured. The restaurant’s signature frozen pomegranate margarita (which was named the best in New York City!) will also be available. Rosa Mexicano food at the 2022 Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic We have seen Rosa Mexicano’s food at the 2022 Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic. Here we had their Roasted Mushroom Taco — it’s made with Shitake, Cremini, Oyster Blend, Pasilla Chile, Green Apple Slaw, Sliced Avocado, Queso Fresco, and a Corn Tortilla. Roasted Mushroom Taco As we learn more about the menu and pricing, we will be sure to share it with you. However, reservations are now available for dinner and are highly recommended. You can make those on the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin website. As well as when we could expect to make dining reservations for Rosa Mexicano. For more Disney restaurant news, be sure to follow DFB! Click Here for Every Restaurant Opening in Disney World in 2023 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! Will you be adding Rosa Mexicano to your next trip? Let us know in the comments below! The post Opening DATE Announced for NEW Disney World Restaurant first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World’s 18-month 50th Anniversary celebration is quickly coming to an end. Cinderella Castle This celebration brought us lots of new snacks to try, entertainment to check out, and, of course, a complete makeover of Cinderella Castle. But will the Cinderella Castle makeover stay after the 50th Anniversary? Here’s what we know! Disney announced the makeover back in February 2020, but it was then put on hold due to the pandemic closures. However, the original paint makeover was not for the 50th Anniversary! It was instead to celebrate Cinderella’s 70th Anniversary, and that’s one of the reasons why we think the current Cinderella Castle color palette will NOT be going away after the 50th Anniversary ends. Cinderella Castle This paint job also took Disney a year to complete, and since there have been no plans announced to change the paint and the castle isn’t under refurbishment right now, it’s unlikely that Disney will choose to go back to the previous colors. Painting Cinderella Castle (2020) Although it doesn’t seem like the paint on the castle will change, the 50th anniversary decorations will most likely be taken down when the celebration ends on March 31st. We even saw a big hint at this in some of the merchandise. No more 50th elements This is just one of the many looks the castle has donned over the years, which also means that it may be a while before we see a new design. So while we won’t be surprised if the large 50 is taken away from the front of the castle, we think the paint is here to stay for a while longer. As always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news! Click here to see EVERY SINGLE Disney World and Disneyland Castle designs over the years! Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Details and Info See Photos & Reviews of All of Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Eats and Treats Check Out All of the 50th Anniversary Merchandise You Can Get Online Get a Look at Some of the 50th Anniversary Merchandise You Can Get in the Parks Click Here to See the 50 Best Ways to Celebrate Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Check Out Our 50 Pieces of Advice for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Click Here to See the Best Ways to Celebrate Disney World’s 50th Anniversary from Home See the New 50th Anniversary Nighttime Looks for All 4 of Disney World’s Park Icons Check Out Our 50th Anniversary Cupcake Crawl Click Here to See Our Rankings of the 50th Anniversary Treats in Magic Kingdom See Our Rankings of the 50th Anniversary Treats in EPCOT Check Out Our Rankings of the 50th Anniversary Treats in Hollywood Studios See Our Rankings of the 50th Anniversary Treats in Animal Kingdom Click HERE for Your Guide to Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe What do you think about this most recent design? Tell us in the comments below! The post Will Cinderella Castle Go Back to Its Original Colors After the 50th Anniversary? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Some Disney vacations begin at Orlando International Airport, and this can make or break your trip! Orlando International Airport Orlando International Airport is located just about 20 miles from Disney World. Guests traveling to Disney World often take advantage of this if they are having to fly in from out of town. The airport just got a federal grant of $69 Million to continue to update its newest addition, Terminal C. There used to be one common way for Disney World guests to get to the resort: Disney’s Magical Express bus service. But since that went away at the end of 2021, we have to make our own arrangements for transportation. If you’ve decided to use Uber or Lyft to get to Disney World, we have an important tip for you! If you are looking for the rideshare location at Orlando Airport, you might not find it right away! Leaving Orlando International to Disney! In many airports, you can follow the signs for “ground transportation” and wind up on a level where you’ll find pick-up locations for taxis, shuttles, and rideshares like Uber or Lyft. But at Orlando Airport, the rideshare pickup is NOT on the same level as the pickup for taxis and other ground transportation! It has tripped us up before, so we want to save you the same confusion. Level 2 is where you would want to head to be picked up by Uber or Lyft for terminals A & B. If you follow the signs for ground transporation in Terminals A or B, you’ll wind up on Level 1 and have to head back upstairs. If you fly into Terminal C, you’ll need to go to Level 6 for rideshare pickup. Magical Express For more travel tips, keep following DFB! Check Out Our Favorite MCO Staff Members! 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 What is your favorite way to travel to Disney World? Let us know in the comments. The post WARNING: Uber Pickup at Orlando Airport Isn't Where You Think first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Spring Break crowds have started turning up at both the Orlando International Airport AND Disney World. Things are BUSY in Disney World right now That means we’re seeing a lot of long standby wait times for rides. That also means we’ve recently seen Genie+, which allows guests to bypass those long lines, has been priced at its absolute highest for several days in a row. HOWEVER, today, something has changed. The price of Genie+ in Disney World has actually gone DOWN today. Instead of $29 per person, as we’ve previously seen it, it’s $25. That means Disney expects less demand for the service than over the past few days, which may seem a bit strange considering it’s a weekend DURING the busy Spring Break travel season. ©Disney As you may know, though, not ALL rides are included on Genie+, so we also took a look at the Individual Lightning Lane option for those rides that offer it. Here’s what we noticed: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: $12 Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: $17 Rise of the Resistance: $25 Flight of Passage: $16 It’s important to note that these are the same prices we saw when Genie+ was $29. Lightning Lane at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Of course, $25 could still be considered high, and there WILL be crowds in Disney World this weekend, but it kinda’ surprised us that it did go down, if briefly. So should you buy it? Well, if saving time and having an opportunity to ride more attractions is a priority for you and your party, it’s probably going to be worth it. As they say, time IS money. Otherwise, you might be spending your entire time in the parks standing in line for rides. Have you used Genie+ in Disney World? Of course, you can skip the popular rides and hop in lines that are shorter for rides that aren’t as in demand, especially if you don’t care to ride those bigger rides. In the end, it’s up to you to decide if spending the money on Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes is worth it. 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 in ebook format that gives you all of the info you need, all in one place! Use code WDW2023 for 25% off our DFB Guide to Dining at Walt 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. Will you be traveling to Disney World during Spring Break? What’s your strategy for avoiding long lines? Sound off in the comments! The post Genie+ Sees Price DROP in 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. Finding the perfect Disney item you’ve been searching for can be a difficult task. What did we ever do before Amazon? ©Amazon There are so many websites to turn to! Even when you do settle on a site to use, like Amazon, their massive stock can quickly become overwhelming. This is why we do our best to bring the best deals and finds straight to our readers, so you can save time when shopping and simply order the items you need! That way whether you’re looking for a birthday gift, researching the best items to pack on your next trip, or just treating yourself, you know you’re getting the best. Take a look at some of the items we’ve been loving recently! A luggage tag helps identify your bag not just for others but for yourself! How many times have you headed over to baggage claim only to realize how many other people travel with large, black suitcases? American Tourister Disney Luggage Tag The American Tourister Disney Luggage Tag is just the thing to separate your bag from the rest while adding a little bit of Disney fun! The front features Mickey’s smiling face, while the back has a spot to insert an identification tag. Plus, the heavy duty silicone is durable and will stay intact through the chaos of travel. American Tourister Disney Luggage Tag We never go to the parks without a hat. Useful in both sun and rain, this is a no-brainer accessory you’ll see many other guests opt to use. We like this Disney Mickey Mouse Dad Hat for its classic shape and cheeky design! Disney Mickey Mouse Dad Hat An embroidered Mickey Mouse peeks out from the brim on this otherwise plain hat, but there’s a secret surprise: under the brim is a Disney comic strip! Get this hat for $19.99! Disney Mickey Mouse Dad Hat Did you know Tamagotchi pets are back in? It’s okay if you can’t find yours from the 90s; there are new ones for sale now, including digital pets based off of your favorite Disney characters. Check out this sweet Star Wars Grogu – Tamagotchi we found on Amazon! Star Wars Grogu – Tamagotchi Just like the ones you remember, this little keychain device contains a virtual pet that you are responsible for (so much pressure!). The best part about this one is that it comes with a little matching Grogu case for easy carrying. This Tamagotchi and case come in a set for $27.89. Star Wars Grogu – Tamagotchi If you love collecting Funko Pops, then these need to make it into your collection. The Pilot Mickey Mouse Pop! 2 Pack: Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse is a collector’s dream; two classic characters in a set together! Pilot Mickey Mouse Pop! 2 Pack: Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse We love the unique vintage design they used for these Mickey and Minnie figures. They really nailed recreating their retro designs as a 3D model! Pilot Mickey Mouse Pop! 2 Pack: Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse Let’s face it; it’s time to replace your old Disney tees with new ones. They might hold plenty of memories, but they also are falling apart and hanging on by a thread (pun intended). Tuck them away somewhere safe and sound, and grab some new styles from Amazon! Disney Men’s Giant Mickey Mouse Gray Graphic T-Shirt This Disney Men’s Giant Mickey Mouse Gray Graphic T-Shirt is an awesome basic piece to bring with you on your trips for the days when you just want to be comfortable. The faded appearance of the print gives this shirt a vintage vibe without the worn-out fabric! Disney Men’s Giant Mickey Mouse Gray Graphic T-Shirt Who needs AirPods when you can have these Mickey Mouse Bluetooth Earbuds? They have the same charging case feature, have no wires, are super cute, and come in at a fraction of the price. Mickey Mouse Bluetooth Earbuds with Charging Case These officially-licensed earbuds connect to your devices through Bluetooth and have a fun and vibrant Mickey Mouse print on both the case and the earbuds! Mickey Mouse Bluetooth Earbuds with Charging Case Brb, adding these to our shopping cart! We think every kitchen needs a little bit of fun and playfulness, and what better way to add that in than with the JoyJolt Disney Mickey Mouse Squad Collection Tumblers? JoyJolt Disney Mickey Mouse Squad Collection Tumblers This set comes with four, clear stemless wine glasses with a unique take on a Disney character design. Mickey, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy are each featured on a glass, so you and your guests can each use your favorite! JoyJolt Disney Mickey Mouse Squad Collection Tumblers That’s it for now, but stay tuned to our site for more fun Amazon finds! If you don’t have Amazon Prime, you can click the banner below for a FREE trial that comes with all of the bells and whistles, no payment necessary! 7 Random “Must-Bring” Items to Add to Your Disney World Park Bag 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. If you could have unlimited spending in any Disney World store, which would it be? Comment your pick below! The post The Amazon Disney Deals You Need This Weekend first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The Walt Disney Company has undergone some MASSIVE changes since Bob Iger stepped back into the role of CEO of the company. ©Disney The company was restructured and several executives have left. Some changes made to Disney Parks during the previous CEO’s tenure were adjusted. Iger also recently stated that the company would be making $5.5 billion in spending cuts, part of which includes reducing the workforce by 7,000 jobs. Now, we have an update on those upcoming layoffs. According to Business Insider, managers at the Walt Disney Company have been given “targets to reduce their budgets along with headcount.” The company is currently looking over everything to find redundancies and get rid of executives where it can, while executives have been told to prepare their proposed budget cuts and lists of employees to be laid off. Layoffs are coming to the Walt Disney Company It’s expected that the layoff news will come in April — managers have been told they have to turn in these lists over the next few weeks. The Walt Disney Company is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary Previously, Josh D’Amaro, Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, stated in an email to Cast Members that the job cuts won’t be in one sector of the company. There will also be cuts in the Parks, Experiences, and Products division. However, he also explained that Disney did not believe that those working in hourly frontline roles in operations would be impacted. Josh D’Amaro speaks at SXSW. The layoffs will add up to 30% of the cuts Disney plans on taking from its general operating costs. The rest of the general operating costs cuts will happen like this: 50% in marketing and 20% in technology, procurement, and other expenses. The company is also planning on cutting $3 billion in non-sports content. ©Hulu In the meantime, Disney World Cast Members are pushing for gradually increasing starting wages at the resort to $20 per hour over the next five years. The unions say their members need bigger raises because of the cost-of-living increases happening in Central Florida. Disney recently made an offer, but the members of six unions representing those Cast Members voted “no” on the contract. We love Disney Cast Members! We’ll be keeping an eye on news about the layoffs and update y’all when we know more, so stay tuned to DFB. Disney To Cut Spending By $5.5 Billion — Here’s How 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 are your thoughts on these layoffs? Let us know in the comments! The post NEWS: THOUSANDS of Disney Employees to Be Laid Off Next Month first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There has been a lot of Disney news in the past week, and we’re here to give you all the updates! TRON Lightcycle / Run Disney’s newest coaster is opening EARLY, Happily Ever After is BACK (almost), new meet-and-greets are coming to Disney World AND Disneyland, we went inside Disney World’s newest restaurant, and MORE! Check out all the big Disney news of the week in our latest DFB Guide Video!  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! 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: TRON Opens Early, NEW Characters in Disney World, NEW Restaurants, & MORE first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Bob Iger may have only just returned to the CEO position at Disney in November of 2022, but he’s already faced some huge challenges. ©D23 There have been executive leadership changes, a major reorganization of the Company is underway, and huge cost cuts (we’re talking BILLIONS) are planned for the Disney Company. But that’s not all. Right now, we’re tackling 3 of the major unexpected challenges Iger has had to face and just what the future might hold. Let’s break it all down! 1 — The DEATH of the Reedy Creek Improvement District and a NEW Board of Supervisors When Iger resumed the CEO position in late 2022, the Florida bill that would dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) in June of 2023 had already been passed, but just what the future would hold for the RCID had yet to be determined. Back in November of 2022, Iger noted that he was sorry to see Disney dragged into conflicts with Florida’s politicians. ©Reuters | Disney CEO Bob Iger He noted that he didn’t particularly like seeing the Company become “embroiled in controversy,” but also made a point to say that “The state of Florida has been very important to us for a long time, and we have been very important to the state of Florida.” Some had speculated that the Reedy Creek District would likely be allowed to continue in some way with just a few changes to give the Florida Governor (Ron DeSantis) the appearance of a “win.” But things have significantly changed since November of 2022. ©DIA DIPASUPIL/GETTY via The Hollywood Reporter | Disney CEO Bob Iger Disney’s Reedy Creek District is officially DEAD. A bill was swiftly passed in early 2023 by the Florida legislature and signed into law by Governor DeSantis that does a number of key things. The bill: Keeps the District from being dissolved in June of 2023 Replaces the current Board of Supervisors with an entirely NEW Board selected by Governor DeSantis (and approved by the Florida Senate) Renames the District to “The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District” Removes some powers from the District (like the District’s power to build a nuclear power plant) Subjects the District to more rules (mainly around the filing of reports) The key change is really the removal of the current Board and its replacement with new members the selection of which Disney has NO control. ©Governor Ron DeSantis Website DeSantis has already named his new Board for the District and they are what the Orlando Sentinel has called “politically connected Republican allies.” The new Board includes a lawyer that (through an investment firm) has donated around $50,000 to DeSantis, the co-founder of Moms for Liberty (which the Sentinel describes as a group that has called for book banning in public schools), the CEO of The Gathering USA ministry (who has reportedly defended Christian nationalism), and 2 others. via Twitter While some think that the Board may be “friendly” to Disney’s interests, others aren’t so sure. Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro has said, “If that new board understands the value that gets created here and how it positively impacts the Central Florida community, I think they will be aligned with our vision.” But according to the Sentinel, Richard Fogleson (who wrote a book on the origin of Disney World), said “It is not clear to me the kind of people he appointed to Reedy Creek board are going to feel the need to work collaboratively with the business executives.” ©Spectrum News 13 Representative Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, has warned that the Board could do things to put pressure on Disney to end certain projects DeSantis might not like. For example, Eskamani noted, “They could say Disney can’t do Gay Days anymore by dragging out zoning for a new project.” Still, some believe Disney could use the cities that fall under the RCID as a kind of loophole, and potentially take back some powers that had been delegated to the RCID. Reedy Creek Trash Cans The new Board has already met once and given a hint of what might be to come. According to Spectrum News 13, Bridget Ziegler (one of the members of the new Board) said that the Board is not there to be political — it’s “really there to oversee land use, taxing authorities, and make sure we are balancing scales and serving the best interests of Floridians at the end of the day.” She admitted that she has been “disappointed” with some of Disney’s path in recent years in terms of its political involvement, but noted, “as a board member for oversight…I don’t know how much that will play.” ©WFTV 9 According to the Orlando Business Journal, one new Board member (Brian Aungst Jr.) alluded to the possibility of seeking to eliminate the 2 cities that fall under the District — Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. Aungst also said he wants the District to oversee the law enforcement contracts for those cities and make sure they can’t supersede the District’s decisions regarding building codes and land-planning powers. Ziegler also said she wants COVID-19-related restrictions to be similar to any statewide laws. Another Board member (Martin Garcia) said the Board will create many changes reflecting the Board’s “broader representation” of more of Florida. Reedy Creek Fire Department Sign While some may be concerned about the state takeover of Reedy Creek, others seem to be happy about the change. Jon Shirey, President of the Reedy Creek Firefighters Union, shared “For many years there has been a blatant disregard and bias against the first responders here and the lack of concern for public safety.” Jon Shirey, President of the Reedy Creek Firefighters Association | ©Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel There is an expectation that much of the day-to-day action will remain the same, but much remains to be seen. How will Iger deal with a NEW Board that is not at all selected by Disney? Will the new Board cause “trouble” for Disney and prevent it from doing some of the things it has planned for its theme park resort in Florida or will it be business as usual (for the most part)? We’ll have to wait and see, but you can bet we’ll be looking for updates. Click here for a timeline of the battle between DeSantis and Disney 2 — Some Movies Aren’t “Bangers” Anymore Disney movies can sometimes be HUGE box office hits, particularly when it comes to Marvel. Several of the highest-grossing films in the box office are Marvel films like Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War. And movies like Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and others made over $1 BILLION in the worldwide box office (Business Insider). But Disney has swiftly learned that not every Marvel movie will be a big hit. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania at AMC Theatre in Disney Springs To be clear, it’s not as though this is the first time a Marvel movie has not performed as well as Disney likely hoped, but Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has resulted in a unique situation Iger must face. Though the movie started off with a $106 million opening week, it only made $32.2 million in its second week — a decrease of 69%. This marks the BIGGEST week-to-week drop in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And, according to Business Insider, it is the lowest-ranked MCU movie according to global box office results (as of February 25th, 2023). ©Marvel Disney has also faced other recent movie “troubles” with Strange World not performing particularly well in the box office. While Avatar: The Way of Water certainly blew up in the box office, not every Disney film has seen the same results, even ones that perhaps could have been expected to do better. Coming up this year, Disney has Peter Pan and Wendy (which will go straight to Disney+), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Little Mermaid (live-action remake), Elemental (from Pixar), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Haunted Mansion, and The Marvels. Perhaps once upon a time Disney would have thought that every Pixar film and/or Marvel film would be a “guaranteed” box office hit, but recent history seems to suggest that isn’t always the case (especially when it comes to films like Lightyear on the Pixar side). Instead, Disney could be setting itself up for big “wins,” only to be severely disappointed. ©Marvel And big shifts already seem to be underway when it comes to the future of Star Wars movies at Disney, according to Variety. Some films have reportedly been shelved while others may still be continuing forward. Disney has realized some of the things that went “wrong” with its prior films (like Lightyear), so we can only expect they’re examining what has happened with Quantumania to may key decisions about future movie plans. And it seems like sequels might be their current “solution,” at least when it comes to animation, with sequels announced reently for Frozen, Zootopia, and Toy Story. Some original animated films are slated for the future though. Elsa and Anna! Ultimately, what movies Disney decides to greenlight in the future and whether they go to theaters or directly to Disney+ could greatly be impacted by recent box office struggles and Disney’s desire to cut BILLIONS from its spending budget. How this will impact future movies remains to be seen, but ultimately less-than-ideal box office results is something Iger will likely have to address somehow. Click here to see our full post about how Quantumania has made history…but not in a good way 3 — Cast Member Troubles And finally, Iger has had to face some tough Cast Member matters. First, we’ve got ongoing Cast Member union negotiation battles. Some Cast Member contracts ended back in Octoeber of 2022, and negotiations for a new contract have been ongoing since then. Disney’s latest contract offer was rejected by a 96% margin, so the unions and Disney went back to the bargaining table, but things didn’t exactly get “better.” The Cast Member unions recently HALTED negotiations with Disney, saying “Disney refused to add even one cent to its wage proposal,” and Disney reportedly made the contract offer WORSE than before. ©Orlando Sentinel Disney, in response, said “We’ve provided the union with options that would set all non-tipped cast members on a path to $20 an hour and provide opportunities for immediate increases, and we look forward to continuing discussions.” But the Cast Member unions had previously indicated that Disney’s offer, which proposed raises of “only $1 a year for most workers,” was not enough to address immediate concerns surrounding the increased cost of living. They had demanded an immediate minimum wage of $18 per hour. Thus far, the latest update has been about a survey sent out to Cast Members, which the union is encouraging workers to fill out to “tell the world how hard it is to live on [their] curent wages.” Ultimately, this Cast Member contract issue continues to linger, and Iger (as well as the rest of the Disney team) will have to figure out just how to reach a resolution. ©Orlando Sentinel On top of this, Iger recently announced that hybrid employees would have to return to working in the office at least 4 days a week, but that transition hasn’t gone totally smoothly. In mid-February, more than 2300 employees signed the petition asking Iger to reconsider this rule change, saying that it’s “likely to have unintended consequences that cause long-term harm to the company.” According to the petition, the new rule could lead to “forced resignations among some of our most hard-to-replace talent and vulnerable communities” while “dramatically reducing productivity, output, and efficiency.” Disney had announced thousands of job cuts perviously, and it’s possible that it anticipated some of these “forced resignations” would result from some rule changes. TRON Cast Member in NEW Costume Either way, Disney will have to deal with cuts to its budgets, thousands of job cuts, a battle with Cast Member unions, and resistance from its hybrid Cast Members all within the next few weeks/months. How will Iger balance these situations and find a resolution to them? That remains to be seen. And those are just 3 of the big unexpected problems Iger is dealing with now. Many more problems may arise in the coming days, weeks, and months as Iger continues to serve as CEO for around 2 years. Who will ultimately replace Iger as CEO? Will the replacement perform “better” than Bob Chapek in the Board’s eyes? Will Disney be able to meet fan expectations moving forward when it comes to movies, park attractions, and more? There are lots of questions and not many answers at this time, but we’ll be on the lookout for updates. EPCOT For more details, see our post below on one unique candidate that could fill Iger’s place at Disney in the future. And stay tuned for more news! Click here to see what “out of the box” candidate could replace Disney CEO Bob Iger  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 other major challenges do you think Bob Iger will face in the future? Tell us in the comments. The post 3 Big Problems Bob Iger Is Facing Right Now first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Okay, when it comes to Gideon’s Bakehouse, we all have some differing opinions. We LOVE Gideon’s With so many different cookie flavors to choose from, everyone is bound to have a favorite. So we decided to take 16 of the most popular Gideon’s cookies and pit them AGAINST each other in our new bracket and asked our readers to choose their favorites. Here are the results of round one! First, we made you choose between Cookies and Cream and Chocolate Churro. Yes, we know this isn’t fair when both cookies are so wonderfully chocolatey, but you still had to choose just one. Cookies and Cream vs. Chocolate Churro This one was close, but Cookies and Cream won with 59% percent of the vote. Read our review of the Cookies and Cream Cookie here. We also were COMPLETELY unfair in making you compare the Original Chocolate Chip with the Triple Chocolate Chip. Sorry, not sorry. Original chocolate chip vs. Triple Chocolate Chip Now this one actually surprised us because Original Chocolate Chip won by a landslide with a whopping 79% of the vote! WOW! Y’all had some opinions on this choice. Read our review of the Original Chocolate Chip Cookie here. Next up, we put the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip up against Pistachio Toffee Chocolate Chip and it seemed you had a strong opinion about this one, too. Banana Bread Chocolate Chip vs. Pistachio Toffee Chocoalte Chip The Banana Bread Chocolate Chip won out by a HUGE margin with 70% of your votes. Read our review of the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookie here. So we decided to look at two more limited-time cookies: this time it was Eternal Flame vs. Eternal Flameless. Which one did y’all decide was your fave? Eternal Flame vs. Eternal Flameless Eternal Flameless won this bracket with 62% of you voting for it. That was another surprise for us! Read our review of the Eternal Flame Cookie here. Next, we made you pick between two special holiday cookies (again, we know that’s not fair, but, oh, well!). It was the Kris Kringle vs. Cookie von Krampus. Which holiday cookie won the round? Kris Kringle vs. Cookie von Krampus The Cookie von Krampus sealed a win with 60% of your vote. Read a review of BOTH of these cookies! Again, we forced you to make a hard decision, especially if you’re a peanut butter fan. We put the Peanut Butter Crunch against Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl. But you had one clear favorite. Peanut Butter Crunch vs. Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl A HUGE 74% of DFB readers prefer the Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl. Okay, we get it. Peanut Butter is even better WITH chocolate. Read our review of the Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl here. We also put the two Coffee Cake-inspired cookies to the test. For this round, it was the Coffee Cake Cookie vs. the Dark Coffee Cake Cookie. Which one reigned supreme? Coffee Cake vs. Dark Coffee Cake You overwhelmingly told us you prefer the Coffee Cake Cookie with 75% of the vote! Read our review of the Coffee Cake Cookie here. Finally, we asked you to choose between White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut and Lemon Poppy Seed. These two seemed to be a bit more controversial and the votes were a bit closer. White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut vs. Lemon Poppy Seed But 61% of you still voted for the White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Cookie, making it the winner. Read our review of the White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Cookie here. So there you have it, the Round 1 winners for the Gideon’s Bakehouse cookie bracket. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and keep an eye on our stories so you can vote on the next round! Will your favorite cookies make the cut? We’ll find out! 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! Stay tuned to DFB for more updates! 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 Gideon’s Bakehouse cookie? Let us know in the comments! The post Cookie MADNESS: We’re Finding the BEST Treat at Gideon’s Bakehouse in Disney Springs first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, and THE place to celebrate in Disney World is Raglan Road. St. Patrick’s Day is here! This Irish pub and restaurant in Disney Springs serves up food and drinks straight from the Emerald Isle year-round, but this time of year is when they really go all-out and celebrate. We were invited to attend a media event at Raglan Road and they truly pulled out ALL of the stops. Raglan Road is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with plenty of food, drink, and performances! Take a look at all of the acts going up just today: We got to try out their menu as well as enjoy some wonderful performances! Most of the items here are from their regular menu, but this special Seafood Sharing Board has some new additions they are testing out. Menu We tried out the Misty Irish Eyed prosecco beverage which is a festive green … Misty Irish Eyed … as well as the non-alcoholic Berry UnIrish filled with berries and sparkling water. Berry UnIrish The Truly Scrumpet Goat Fig was a nice combination of sweet and savory and was the perfect starter dish before the other main entrees. Truly Scrumpet and Goat Fig The crumpet itself was thick and bready, and the chives and fruit together made for an interesting flavor profile. It was definitely pretty! Next up was That Salad With Seared Beef. Honestly, calling this a salad was pretty generous … it was mostly crunchy onions on a bed of arugula with two pieces of steak. The horseradish gave this dish plenty of flavor, but we only suggest ordering this if you’re not that hungry or are planning on getting an entrée as well. That Salad with Seared Beef The Dalkey Duo is their take on classic battered pork sausages! These sausages are fried in a Dalkey mustard beer batter and served with Dalkey mustard mayonnaise and buffalo apple sauce. That apple sauce was what really made this dish! It kind of reminded us of the sweet and sour sauce from McDonald’s, only homemade. Dalkey Duo The semi-new item was their Seafood Sharing Board, which comes with two items already on the menu (the Pink Panko and Kiss Before Shrimp) as well as two new items they are testing out that might end up being added to their regular menu! Seafood Sharing Board We got to try out these new dishes, including the Smoked Fish Cake. Smoked Fish Cake This cake was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside. There’s a generous amount of filling, and the crispy outside complimented the fish on the inside. Look at all that filling! They weren’t skimping when it came to these portions! The Sesame Crusted Tuna came with two large pieces of fish, each coated with a thick layer of sesame seeds. They came with a small slaw and a sweet sauce; if you like fish, definitely check out this sharing platter. Sesame Crusted Tuna We finished everything off with a piece of Guinness Chocolate Cake! This perfect piece comes with a bit of ice cream and is topped with a whiskey caramel sauce. Delicious! Guinness Chocolate Cake Raglan Road is already known for its regular live entertainment, but during St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, they like to showcase Irish culture through song and dance. We got to witness some pretty amazing singers … Singers … as well as watch this talented Irish dancer show off her moves! She is the dancing queen! All of these fun festivities and more are still going on at Raglan Road today and throughout the weekend, so be sure to head over to Disney Springs and stop by for a slice of Ireland! Disney Springs Restaurants – The Ultimate Guide 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. Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at Raglan Road. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ The post Come With Us To the BEST St. Patrick’s Day Party in Disney Springs first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Sadly, a member of the Disney entertainment family has passed away. ©Disney A “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series is set to come to Disney+ in 2024 and we’ve provided updates about the show in the past. But today’s update is a truly unfortunate one as a member of this show’s cast has died. Variety has shared that Lance Reddick has passed away of “natural causes” at the age of 60. Reddick had been cast to guest star as Zeus in the Disney+ Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Zeus had been described as “The all-powerful god of the sky and leader of Mount Olympus, Zeus is tempestuous and mistrustful. He’s promised to wage a war if his stolen thunderbolt is not returned.” ©WireImage (obtained via Variety) Reddick is known for his starring role in “The Wire” on HBO, and his role as Charon in the “John Wick” movie franchise. Reddick reprises his role as Charon in the upcoming “John Wick: Chapter 4” which will hit theaters on March 24th. Reddick was born in Baltimore and studied music and composition. He then earned a Master of Fine Arts from Yale, and went on to play Detective Johnny Basil in the HBO drama “Oz.” Reddick has also done work in “Fringe,” Amazon’s “Bosch” series, “Resident Evil” on Netflix, and more. Video game fans will recognize him as the voice of Sylens from “Horizon: Zero Dawn” and “Horizon: Forbidden West.” ©Getty (obtained via Variety) Reddick is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, along with his 2 children. We are saddened to hear of this loss and send our deepest condolences to his family and all those grieving during this time. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post NEWS: Actor Lance Reddick, Cast in the Disney+ “Percy Jackson” Series, Passes Away first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Are you planning a trip to Disney World soon? Then you’ll want to know what’s changing at the parks and hotels. Disney’s Hollywood Studios We keep track of all the big (and little) changes happening in each of the four Disney World theme parks. We’ve already taken a look at some changes at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, so now let’s find out what’s happening over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! If you want to make sure you don’t miss a thing during your next trip to Hollywood Studios, make sure you download our FREE checklist that covers the entire park. Just enter your email and we’ll send the list straight to your inbox! Now, on to the updates. Hollywood Studios Food Updates A brand-new restaurant is opening in Toy Story Land on March 23rd: Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Full menu We recently had a chance to go inside and try some of the food here! The menu consists of barbecue dishes, plenty of sides, and a few desserts. DIG IN! We wrote up a full review of all the eats — check it out here to see our honest thoughts. Click here to read our review of the eats at Roundup Rodeo BBQ! Hollywood Studios Construction Updates Besides trying out all the food at Roundup Rodeo BBQ, we also saw a pretty major update at this table service restaurant: the sign is now visible to guests walking past! Check out the sign! Previously, it was covered up by some tarp. There are still hedges placed in front of the entrance, which will likely remain there until it opens later this month. What’s that? In addition, Disney added a couple of large decorations to the top of the restaurant. Stinky Pete and Buttercup They feature Toy Story characters like Stinky Pete and Buttercup the unicorn. Click here to learn all about Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Hollywood Studios Merchandise Updates Mickey’s of Hollywood At this store, we found several new nuiMOs outfits, including a red dress… Red Dress …a gray and silver outfit… New Outfit …a silver jacket… Silver Jacket …a gray and blue outfit… Blue shirt …and a red jacket with black pants. Outfit You can get each of these outfits for $12.99. Legends of Hollywood At Legends of Hollywood, we spotted a Cheshire Cat with bunny ears shirt for $39.99… Cheshire Cat Tee …some Alice in Wonderland sweatpants for $54.99… Alice in Wonderland pants …a Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster shirt for $29.99… Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster tee …another Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster tee for $36.99… Ride tee …and a Star Wars Boba Fett shirt. Boba Fett tee This tee was $39.99. The Dark Room We spotted lots of new pins at The Dark Room, including a Disney Princess one for $19.99… Princess Pin …a mystery pack with Disney car pins for $7.99… Cars Mystery Pin Pack …one from The Lion King with Simba and Mufasa for $14.99… Lion King Pin …another Lion King pin for $14.99… Simba Pin …a Max and Roxanne pin for $14.99… Max and Roxanne Pin …and a Goofy Movie pin for $14.99. Max Pin We also found a Winnie the Pooh hat for $24.99… Winnie the Pooh hat …and a floral Apple Watch wrist strap for $36.99. Apple Watch strap On to the next shop! Keystone Clothiers We found a new Mandalorian shirt here for $39.99… Mandalorian Shirt …a Princess Leia puzzle for $24.99… Star Wars Puzzle …a Star Wars Women of the Galaxy shirt for $44.99… Star Wars Shirt …Star Wars Women of the Galaxy shorts for $39.99… Star Wars Shorts …a Star Wars Women of the Galaxy tank top for $44.99… Star Wars tank top …and a black Princess Leia shirt for $44.99. Star Wars shirt We also spotted a special edition Bo-Katan Kryze action figure. The figure was $49.99. Jessie’s Trading Post Here, we found a new Toy Story-themed backpack! Toy Story backpack It has the little green aliens on the front and says “OooOoOoh the Claw” on it. Sunset Club Couture There was a new Minnie Mouse shirt here. Minnie shirt It costs $49.99. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Merchandise Cart Just outside of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, we found some new drumsticks. Drumsticks You can get the set for $19.99. Click here to learn about a NEW store coming to Disney World. We’ll continue to watch for more updates in Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news! Click here to find out what’s new at Disney World hotels. 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 thing to do in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments. The post What's New at Disney's Hollywood Studios: We Ate at the NEW Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The shuttles will connect the high-speed rail line with travelers heading to airports or to major sporting events, such as the U.S. Open and Dolphins home games. View the full article

Oh boy! The time has finally come to welcome back Disneyland Resort cast members and guests alike to the reimagined Mickey’s Toontown on March 19. This week, cast members had the “opporTOONity” to be among the first to visit Mickey Mouse and the gang in the land they call home, which closed for its transformation […]View the full article

Are you planning a trip to Disney World this year? Pop Century Resort If you are, you’re probably starting to think about what hotel you want to stay at. Let’s say you’ve got it narrowed down to Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort or Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Which one is right for you? Well, let’s find out! Each of these hotels comes with its own merits and drawbacks, and with the All-Star Resorts being a little less expensive than Pop Century, that could sway you more in that direction. But hear us out before you make your final decision! There’s no doubt that Disney vacations are expensive, and no one wants buyer’s remorse when it comes to what can usually be the most EXPENSIVE part of your Disney trip. We’re approaching this chaos-agent of a decision with as much logic as possible, so we’re breaking it down into five categories: Common Ground Theme/Rooms Pools Food Transportation We’re going to compare these two resorts o see where they stand to help you make the best decision on where to stay for your Disney World trip! Common Ground Both of these hotels fall under Disney’s value resorts category, which means they’re the most budget-friendly hotel category on Disney World property. Both hotels also have similar rooms, room sizes, and amenities, and both have strong theming: All-Star Sports is based on…well…sports. And Pop Century is based around pop culture throughout the decades. You’ll find HUGE icons around both resorts with those themes, including around their pools. ​Both hotels also allow guests to have access to Early Theme Park Entry. All-Star Sports Resort Each of these resorts is also divided into separate areas with specific names that come in handy when navigating around the resort (and they are HUGE). Because of their kid-friendly design (bright vibrant colors and fun theming), these resorts are also very kid-friendly, meaning that it’s likely you’ll see a lot of families with children at them. Pop Century You’ll also find the single shop at each resort very similar, although you may find some resort-exclusive merchandise, too. Shop at All-Star Sports However, the key difference is that Pop Century’s shop is actually combined with its food court (which we’ll get to in a bit). However, you’ll find very similar merchandise there. Everything Pop! at Pop Century is a shop AND food court At All-Star Sports, the rate for Standard Rooms starts at around $128 per night — these rates can be found at the times of the year when the parks aren’t so busy and rooms are cheaper. The most expensive room rate runs around $289 per night — that’s for a Preferred room during Christmas Week, when the parks are busier. Both room types can sleep up to four adults. Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort A standard room at Pop Century runs around $182 per night during the cheapest part of the year. The most expensive room during the most expensive part of the year can run $381 per night — again, that’s for Christmas week in Disney World. So there’s a bit of a price difference to look at when you’re considering these two hotels. How to Prevent Price Increases From RUINING Your Disney World Trip Theme/Rooms Although these are both value resorts and MOST of the value resorts have the same room themes, there are some differences between these two hotels, at least for the time being. All-Star Sports All-Star Sports has not yet had its rooms completely refurbished, so you might just end up with one of the older rooms. These rooms, though, are VERY SPACIOUS. There’s plenty of room for people AND their stuff. You’ll only find two room types here, though: Standard and Preferred Room. All-Star Sports ALL rooms at All-Star Sports have two double beds, which means that the beds here are smaller than the beds in the Pop Century rooms. Because many of these rooms are still awaiting refurbishment, they also feel very outdated and even a little dingy. However, you will find some Disney characters among the old decor. Shelf with pegs We also think these rooms feel a little dark — they certainly don’t have the updated lighting that we’ve seen in the other All-Star Resort refurbished rooms. The rooms seem dark The theming here is also over the top, and it’s all sports-themed. You’ll find all kinds of icons related to various sports, so if you have a favorite, you might want to request a specific room area. All-Star Sports Overall, the theming would be appreciated by those guests who are sports fans! Pop Century So the rooms at Pop Century were recently renovated to match those at the All-Star Resorts, so if you’ve stayed at All-Star Movies or All-Star Music, you’ll know what to expect. Even the basic design is the same. You can choose from a variety of room categories, though: may reserve a Standard Room, a Standard Pool View Room, a Preferred Room, or a Preferred Pool View Room. Pop Century Standard Room All room types at Pop Century are suitable for up to four people (any more than that, and things might feel cramped). Each room has a queen-size table bed (it’s a Murphy bed that folds up into the wall and becomes a table) and a queen bed or a king bed. This table becomes a bed Outside, you’ll have a theme that covers the 50s, 60s, 70s, or 80s. Pop Century Resort The decor here is SO much fun that you’ll want to wander around and see it all. You’ll find a giant yo-yo, nods to specific Disney movies, a giant Rubik’s Cube, and more! Results For now, the winner is Pop Century. Although both hotels have fun theming throughout their exteriors, inside, there’s a real difference. The rooms at Pop Century are newer and include great uses of space, plenty of places to store your stuff, good lighting, and lots of outlets, including USB plug-ins. Once the rooms at All-Star Sports are completely refurbished, though, the rooms will be the same. We also think Pop Century would appeal to a broader variety of people because not everyone loves sports. Are Disney World Hotel Perks Worth the Hefty Price Tag? Pools If you love the theming of these hotels, wait until you see their pools! We’re going to start with the two pools available at All-Star Sports. All-Star Sports The main pool at All-Star Sports is Surfboard Bay, which was designed to make guests feel like they’re catching waves on the beach! The buildings around the pool have waves on them with giant surfboards. Plus the pool itself has a shape that resembles a beach on the ocean. You’ll find loads of chairs available here to catch some rays, too. Surfboard Bay Pool Goofy is the star of the Grand Slam Pool, where he’s on the pitcher’s mound with a water cannon aimed right at the swimmers. This pool also has a sundeck that looks like an outfield. There are also giant baseball bats around the pool. It is ALL about theming here! Grand Slam Pool The Grand Slam Pool does tend to be quieter, so if you’re looking for that, you’ll know where to go! Pop Century Okay, so Pop Century has gone all out for theming with its pools, too, starting with the groovy Hippy Dippy Pool. This far-out body of water has flower-shaped water jets and is themed around the 1960s. It’s also HUGE (and hugely popular). The buildings around it are also themed to the 60s. Can you dig it? There’s also a kiddie pool nearby. Hippy Dippy Pool at Pop Century You can celebrate the 1950s at the Bowling Pool, which is a smaller pool shaped like a bowling pin. Bowling Pool There’s also the Computer Pool, which is themed to the 1990s and is shaped like a computer, complete with a giant floppy disc (remember those?) and a keypad. Computer Pool Both pools tend to be less chaotic than Hippy Dippy, so you’ll have two to choose from if you’re looking for some quiet time. Results Again, we’re going to have to declare Pop Century the winner here. With THREE pools to choose from plus the VERY cool and fun Hippy Dippy Pool, Pop Century just offers a little more, including two pools that are good for those seeking out a more quiet pool experience. The BEST of the BEST Disney World Pools, According to You! Food Both All-Star Resorts and Pop Century have food courts, but like we previously mentioned the food court at Pop Century is combined with its shop. But which food court reigns supreme? Let’s take a look. All-Star Sports All-Star Sports has the End Zone Food Court, which pretty much offers standard food court fare. Each section in the food court, though, is themed to a different sport, just like the rest of the resort. You’ll also find plenty of indoor seating here. Mobile Order is also available here. The End Zone Food Court Most menu items here are $15 and under and you can get breakfast (including Mickey waffles), lunch, and dinner. The options are basic food court options: burgers, fries, sandwiches, salads, etc. There is a signature burger here, though, the Bases Loaded Burger, which comes with bacon, cheddar, lettuce, and tomato. We’ve also seen grab-and-go options here. Pulled Pork Sandwich from End Zone Food Court There’s also a resort-exclusive cupcake, the MVP Cupcake, which is a Yellow Cupcake with Apple Pie Filling, Buttercream Baseball, and Caramel Popcorn-Peanut Crunch. MVP Cupcake If you’re lounging by the pool and need a drink or snack, you can visit Grandstand Spirits near the Surfboard Bay pool. You’ll find specialty cocktails, beer, wine, and even frosé! You can also order up some snacks like a Mickey Pretzel, as well as a salad or sandwich. Grandstand Spirits Pop Century Everything POP! is both a shopping and dining destination at Pop Century, but the food part of the area is also a typical Disney hotel food court. You’ll find plenty of seating available PLUS you can use Mobile Order here, too. You’ll be able to grab breakfast, lunch, and dinner here. Everything POP! The menu here is almost identical to the menu at End Zone Food Court. You’ll find Mickey waffles and other breakfast items in the mornings, and burgers and sandwiches for lunch and dinner. However, there is a SIGNATURE dessert here that guests rave about: the Tie Dye Cheesecake. Tie Dye Cheesecake If you’re hanging out at the pool and craving a fun specialty drink, head on over to Petals Pool Bar, which is probably the MOST fun-looking pool bar at Disney World! This pool bar is also one of our favorites and has some of the best bartenders in Disney World. Petals Pool Bar This bar is always coming up with fun seasonal concoctions, too. Results This one is a little tougher to nail down: both food courts are very similar, although if we had to choose by the signature snack, we’re going to always go for that Tie Dye Cheesecake at Everything POP! We also love Petals Pool Bar, and it’s genuinely one of the best bars in Disney World! So, it’s a narrow win for Pop Century! Everything you wanted to know about Everything POP! Transportation Okay, so transportation is where these two resorts REALLY differ, and we’re going to tell you why. All-Star Sports Disney bus transportation will take you anywhere you need to go to and from All-Star Sports. Bus stops are just outside the main hotel entrance. However, buses are the only Disney World transportation option here. Disney’s All Star Sports Resort It is very convenient, but you might find yourself having to wait a little while for buses occasionally. It’s also not the most GLAMOROUS of transportation options in Disney World. Pop Century Now here’s the real reason Pop Century probably costs more than All-Star Sports. Disney’s newest form of transportation, the Skyliner, has a station between Disney’s Pop Century and Art of Animation Resorts. So you can hop on the Skyliner and visit a few other hotels, as well as Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. Disney Skyliner Station The Skyliner is probably one of the most efficient transportation systems at Disney World, and it’s almost like an attraction itself. There are issues when it goes down, though (like in bad weather), so keep that in mind. For all other destinations, Disney buses are available. Results Having access to buses AND the Skyliner makes Pop Century a much more attractive choice when it comes to Disney transportation. The Unexpected Problems You’ll Have on the Skyliner in Disney World The Winner Okay, it’s time to figure out exactly which hotel has come out on top. Although there are a lot of similarities between these two properties, we do think that Pop Century has certain features that make it stand out just a bit more. The rooms are better (again, that will change once All-Star Sports’ rooms have been refurbished) PLUS you have the Skyliner station nearby. The winner! However, we will say that if price is a factor, book that room at All-Star Sports and save your money for more important things…like food. In the end, it’s up to you to decide which hotel features are more amenable to you and your group. 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 stayed at either of these resorts? Which do you prefer? Let us know in the comments! The post All-Star Sports vs. Pop Century Disney World Resort Guide 2023 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Mickey’s Toontown has been reimagined and is reopening soon in Disneyland Park! Toontown The updated space will have new play experiences, reimagined rides, exciting character meet-and-greets, and so much more. And if you’re looking to snack on something special, it looks like Mickey’s Toontown will have you covered! According to Scott Gustin (with information shared via Twitter), 3 UNIQUE snacks will be available to purchase in Mickey’s Toontown when the reimagined area of the park reopens. It is set to reopen on March 19th. These are snacks that you might have seen but never imagined would become reality. They’re actually some of the snacks featured within the queue for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Disneyland! Concession Snacks Within the queue, you’ll find a concession stand absolutely full of hilarious gags and references to other Disney movies and shorts. And now you’ll be able to buy some of these props…for real! Time to Get Those Snacks! When Mickey’s Toontown reopens, Power Limes sour straws will be available for purchase! In case you don’t get the joke, these are a reference to the Powerline pop star from A Goofy Movie. Power Limes Next up, Gustin reports that Golly Pops will also be available for purchase. These have a few “signature” Disney character phrases on them like “Gawrsh” (a Goofy staple), “Hot Dog” (which all too many people will recognize as the central phrase in the Hot Dog Dance on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), and “Oh Boy” (a popular phrase from Mickey!). Golly Pops Finally, according to Gustin, McDuck’s Chocolate Coins (back left in the photo below) will also be available to purchase. This is a reference to Scrooge McDuck and his oh-so-incredible bin full of money! Cool! So if you’re looking for a really unique way to celebrate the reopening of Mickey’s Toontown and your love of Disney movie references, and you want a unique souvenir — keep an eye out for these! Gustin indicated that they would be “available to purchase” so we expect they’ll be “real,” edible snacks. To learn more about the NEW eats coming to Mickey’s Toontown — click here. And stay tuned for more Disneyland news. Click here to see some of the amazing Easter eggs and references in Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway! Want to Learn More About Disneyland? Check Out the Links Below! See Our DFB Disneyland Restaurants Guide Learn About Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland Check Out What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Get All the Info About 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 Should You Go to Disneyland in 2022? 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 Which of these snacks would you most want to try? Tell us in the comments! The post We Bet You NEVER Thought Disney Would Make These Snacks a Reality first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Watch as ABC, Disney+, and Disney Channel stars experience TRON Lightcycle / Run and thrilling Disney rides at Walt Disney WorldView the full article

There are 22 Gluten/Wheat Friendly and Plant-Based options at the 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival! Check out the delicious items available at select booths.View the full article

If you are flying to Disney World, chances are you will land at Orlando International Airport. While it’s a popular choice because of how many other cities it connects to, it isn’t quite within walking distance of Disney World (in fact, it’s a decent drive to get to the parks). © The Sunshine Flyer With the loss of the free Magical Express and the average price for an Uber to Disney World ranging from $40 to $80 or more, many guests opt for cheaper alternatives. One such option is the Sunshine Flyer and right now they’re making it even more affordable to get to Disney World! The Sunshine Flyer is a fun, train-themed shuttle bus service that ferries guests between Disney World and the Orlando International Airport. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, they’re holding a surprise flash sale! They are currently running a sale to celebrate their 12-month birthday by bringing the price of a one-way ticket down to just $12, but for the holiday weekend, you can save an extra 17% on top of that, bringing the price down to just $9.96. © The Sunshine Flyer To take advantage of this discount, just use the code LUCKY17 at checkout when buying your Sunshine Flyer tickets. This extra discount can be applied this holiday weekend ONLY to all new tickets booked for dates from now through May 31st, 2023, so even if you aren’t traveling to Disney until later on this spring, you can still save. Sunshine Flyer bus Recently the Sunshine Flyer opened a new check-in area at the airport, so if you haven’t been in a few months be on the lookout for the new check-in. The check-in counter is now inside the airport in Terminal B on the ground level. Once you have landed and retrieved your luggage, just make your way there to climb aboard! Stay tuned to our site for more travel news for your future Disney vacations. How LONG It Takes to Get to Disney World From the Airport 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 How do you typically get from the airport to the parks? Comment below! The post How To Get to Disney World from the Orlando Airport for UNDER first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’ve been really feeling the roaring 20s and art deco vibes Disney has been bringing back with their 100th Anniversary items. You can also step into the world of the 20s at The Edison in Disney Springs! The Edison The Edison was inspired by the original place of the same name in Los Angeles. It’s an “Industrial Gothic”-style restaurant, bar, and nighttime destination themed to a 1920s-period power plant, and we just received word that they’re expanding their menu! The Edison is known not only for their exquisite interior but also for their classic American food and craft cocktails that change frequently. We learned that they are bringing some new dishes to the menu, including both savory and sweet options. Let’s take a look! The Edison bar The Prodigious Pretzel is an impressively large, sharable pretzel topped with coarse sea salt and comes served with their signature beer cheese sauce and Dijon mustard. Grab it for yourself or share it for $15. © The Edison The all-new Prohibition Chili is created with Impossible beef made from plants and includes black beans, pinto beans, onions, and white cheddar. Try it out for $15! © The Edison You can also try out this chili on their plant-based portobello mushroom burger. The Prohibition Chili Burger is topped with Impossible chili, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and vegan cheese on a kaiser roll, served with fries for $25. © The Edison Their High-Voltage Chicken Sandwich is a juicy yet crispy fried chicken breast with sweet and spicy Korean gochujang sauce topped with jalapeño lime crema, frisée, tomato, and pickles on a kaiser roll. It comes served with fries for $24. © The Edison Craving some steak? The Edison Flat Iron Steak is a tender marbled Certified Angus Beef (CAB) with a garlic-herb salt rub. Paired with blistered tomatoes, caramelized onions, and truffle potato wedges you’ll be satisfied with this $38 meal. © The Edison Ready for dessert? The Bright Lemon Deep-Dish Meringue Pie starts off with a base of graham cracker crust and is topped with vanilla meringue and blueberry compote. Add this to your meal for $18. © The Edison For something a bit richer, try out the Lights-On Dulce De Leche Cheesecake. It’s served with whipped cream, crunchy caramel pearls, and caramel sauce for $18. © The Edison The In-The-Dark Ultimate Chocolate Layer Cake is the last word in decadence. Chocolate mousse, crunchy ganache, and a salted chocolate sauce come together to create this delicacy for $18. © The Edison Head on over to Disney Springs to visit The Edison and order one of their newest additions! Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on all the latest Disney news. The Definitive List of the BEST Desserts in Disney Springs! 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! Comment below which item you would want to try first! The post 8 NEW Menu Updates at The Edison in Disney Springs first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article