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EPCOT has a reputation. And no, we are not just talking about the giant golf ball, the festival merch, or the way this park can convince fully grown adults to spend $18 on a cocktail and call it “cultural enrichment.” EPCOT We’re talking about the food. EPCOT is where Disney World food dreams go to become line items on your credit card statement. This is the park of croissants, tacos, fish and chips, pretzels, noodles, festival booths, fancy margaritas, champagne carts, and the sudden, dangerous thought: “What if we just eat our way around the world?” Beautiful idea. Dangerous execution. Very expensive little hobby. But here’s the good news: you can eat around EPCOT for under $30. The trick is not walking into one restaurant and ordering a big meal. The trick is building your own little snacky-tapas-pick-a-mix meal situation across the park. Is it elegant? Sometimes. Is it financially responsible? Comparatively, yes. Will it include three cocktails? Absolutely not. We’re budgeting, not manifesting. The $30 EPCOT Food Strategy Here’s the basic idea: instead of spending your entire budget on one entrée, you’re going to choose a few smaller items from different spots. Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure meal, but instead of fighting a dragon, you’re fighting Disney pricing and your own urge to get a frozen margarita in Mexico. Tacos de Langosta For under $30, you can usually pull together something like: A heartier anchor item, like fish and chips, soup in a bread bowl, a crepe, or a slice of pizza. One salty snack, like pretzel nuggets, egg rolls, mac and cheese, or chips and guac. One sweet treat, like a pastry from Les Halles or that precious little Pretzel Bread Pudding from Germany. So many options! And yes, if that $30 budget is set in cement, lovingly guarded by a dragon, and not open to negotiation, you are probably skipping cocktails in this park. EPCOT drinks are many things. Budget-friendly is not usually one of them. Wait Until You See These Utterly Ridiculous Disney World Snacks Start With an Anchor Item If you’re trying to make this feel like an actual meal and not just “I ate cheese in six countries and called it dinner,” start with one bigger item. Fish and Chips from Yorkshire County Fish Shop The Beer-battered Fish and Chips at Yorkshire County Fish Shop in the U.K. Pavilion is currently listed at $14.49, which means it takes up nearly half your $30 budget. But it’s also one of the more substantial grab-and-go meals in World Showcase, so we’re allowing it into the budget committee meeting. Fish and Chips This is a classic EPCOT move for a reason. It’s crispy, salty, filling, easy to carry, and dramatically improved if you can snag a waterfront spot and pretend you’re not eating fried fish while sweating through your sunscreen. Pair this with a smaller dessert or snack later, and you’re still in good shape. Fish and Chips Budget idea: Fish and Chips plus a pastry from Les Halles plus Pretzel Bread Pudding from Sommerfest. That’s a pretty solid EPCOT food crawl without requiring a small personal loan. Soup of the Day from Les Halles Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in the France Pavilion remains one of the best budget weapons in EPCOT. The Soupe du Jour, served in a bread bowl, is currently listed at $7.95, which is frankly suspiciously reasonable for Disney World. Pumpkin Soup in a Bread Bowl Soup in a bread bowl is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. It’s cozy, filling, and gives you the satisfaction of eating both the meal and the container, which feels extremely efficient. We respect efficiency when it comes with carbs. This is especially great if you want something more meal-like without blowing half the budget in one bite. A Crepe from Crêpes À Emporter Over in the France expansion, Crêpes À Emporter by La Crêperie de Paris is another smart stop for under-$10 options. The Butter & Sugar Crêpe is currently listed at $6.95, while other sweet crepes like the Housemade Hazelnut & Chocolate Spread Crêpe and Red Berries Crêpe are under $9. Housemade Hazelnut & Chocolate Spread Crêpe Is a sweet crepe lunch? Emotionally, yes. Nutritionally, that is between you, your vacation mindset, and whatever walking mileage you have logged between Guardians of the Galaxy and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. The crepes are especially useful if you want something that feels like a treat but still leaves room in the budget for another savory stop. Pizza by the Slice from Pizza al Taglio Pizza al Taglio in the Italy Pavilion is a great “I need real food and I need it now” stop. Slices like Pizza Margherita are around $8.50, and pepperoni around $9, making this one of the easier World Showcase meal anchors to work into a $30 crawl. The Pepperoni! This is not your fanciest EPCOT food moment. This is not a “tell me about the terroir” situation. This is pizza by the slice, and sometimes that is the exact correct answer. Especially if you are traveling with kids, picky eaters, or someone who has reached the “I no longer wish to discuss cuisine, I wish to consume bread and cheese” portion of the day. Add Something Salty Once you’ve picked your anchor item, layer in a salty snack. This is where EPCOT starts getting fun, because the small bites are often where the park shines. Pork Egg Rolls from Joy of Tea Joy of Tea in the China Pavilion has Pork Egg Rolls listed at $5.95 for two pieces, which makes this one of the best little budget bites in World Showcase. Eggs Rolls Are these going to replace a full dinner? No. Are they hot, crispy, portable, and under $6? Yes, and in EPCOT, that deserves a polite round of applause and possibly a commemorative plaque. These are a great add-on if you’re trying to snack through the park without fully committing to one huge entrée. Macaroni & Cheese from Regal Eagle Regal Eagle Smokehouse in The American Adventure Pavilion has Macaroni & Cheese listed as a side for $5.49. It is not fancy. It is not pretending to be fancy. It is mac and cheese, and frankly, sometimes mac and cheese is the emotional support casserole we all deserve. So cheesy! This is a smart move if you want something filling without spending entrée money. It’s also helpful if you’re traveling with kids, picky eaters, or adults who have had a long day and no longer wish to be challenged by cumin. Pretzel Nuggets from Block & Hans Block & Hans in The American Adventure Pavilion is serving Pretzel Nuggets with house-made beer-cheese sauce for $8.79. Pretzel Nuggets with Beer Cheese This is exactly the kind of snack that makes EPCOT dangerous. It sounds simple. It sounds innocent. Then suddenly you’re standing in America, eating pretzel nuggets with cheese sauce, wondering if this counts as dinner. It can. We are not here to judge. We are here to create a budget strategy and possibly enable you. Chips and Guac from La Cantina de San Angel La Cantina de San Angel in the Mexico Pavilion currently lists Guacamole with Totopos at $12.50. Now, this one is slightly pricier than some of the other snacks on this list, but it can be a good shareable option if your group is doing the “everyone grabs a thing, and we all pick at it like civilized vultures” strategy. Guacamole with Totopos If you’re solo and sticking to $30, this may be more of an anchor item than a casual add-on. If you’re sharing, it becomes much easier to justify. Also, it’s chips and guac in Mexico. We’re not made of stone. Save Room for Something Sweet If you leave EPCOT without eating something sweet, did you even truly visit EPCOT? Spiritually questionable. A Pastry from Les Halles Les Halles is one of the best places in EPCOT to get a sweet treat without immediately demolishing your budget. Current menu listings include a plain croissant at $3.25, Pain au Chocolat at $4.25, a chocolate chip cookie at $5.25, and several pastries around $5.95. This is why we keep wandering back into Les Halles like carb-seeking moths. Citron at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie You can grab a pastry as breakfast, dessert, or a mid-afternoon “I need sugar before I start crying in the France Pavilion” emergency ration. Bonus: it pairs beautifully with pretending you are a sophisticated international traveler and not someone who just got very excited about a theme park restroom with nice tile. Pretzel Bread Pudding from Sommerfest The Pretzel Bread Pudding at Sommerfest in the Germany Pavilion is currently listed at $4.79, which makes it one of the most charming little budget desserts in EPCOT. This one has been a DFB Favorite since we discovered it because it is exactly what we want from a Disney snack: sweet, salty, shareable if you must, and cheap enough that you don’t have to whisper an apology to your bank account. Looks SO good If you are building a $30 crawl, this is a near-perfect dessert pick. It leaves room in the budget and still gives you that “I found something good” feeling. Don’t Sleep on Kids’ Meals Kids’ meals at quick-service restaurants can also be a sneaky way to keep costs down, especially if you’re feeding an actual kid or someone with a smaller appetite. Many EPCOT quick-service kids’ meals land well under adult entrée prices and often include a drink and sides. Regal Eagle, for example, lists kids’ options like Kids’ Macaroni & Cheese and Kids’ PB&J Uncrustable in the $7-ish range, depending on the item. Kids’ Meal at Regal Eagle in EPCOT Now, official menus often frame kids’ meals as intended for children ages 9 and younger, especially in dining plan contexts, so don’t build your entire adult vacation personality around hacking the kids’ menu. But for families, lighter eaters, or those moments when you just need something small and practical, kids’ meals can absolutely help stretch the budget. Translation: sometimes the tiny mac and cheese knows what it’s doing. Adults Are Secretly Ordering THESE Kids’ Meals at Disney World This Summer Festival Booths Can Help, Too If you’re visiting EPCOT during a festival, outdoor kitchen and marketplace booths can be a huge part of this strategy. EPCOT’s festivals are basically snack crawls in official Disney costume. Flower & Garden, Food & Wine, Festival of the Holidays, Festival of the Arts — they all tend to bring small plates, shareable bites, and “I’ll just try one thing” energy that quickly becomes “why did I buy six things and a commemorative tray?” energy. Full Spread at Opening Bites Festival booths can be especially useful if you want variety. Instead of one full entrée, you can grab two or three small plates and build your own meal. Just watch the pricing carefully, because some festival items are budget heroes, and others are tiny luxury confetti served in a paper boat. ALL of the DFB Outdoor Kitchen Food Booth REVIEWS for the 2026 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Sample $30 EPCOT Crawls Here’s how this can actually work in the parks. The Classic World Showcase Crawl Start with Fish and Chips from Yorkshire County Fish Shop for $14.49. Add Pretzel Bread Pudding from Sommerfest for $4.79. Finish with Pork Egg Rolls from Joy of Tea for $5.95. Estimated total before tax: $25.23. That gives you a hearty savory meal, a sweet German dessert, and a crispy China Pavilion snack. You even have a little wiggle room left for water, coffee, or the emotional cost of walking past a cocktail stand and choosing restraint. The France-Heavy Carb Crawl Start with Soupe du Jour from Les Halles for $7.95. Add a Pain au Chocolat for $4.25. Grab a Butter & Sugar Crêpe from Crêpes À Emporter for $6.95. Estimated total before tax: $19.15. This is not just eating around EPCOT. This is eating around France with a brief moment of soup-based dignity. You still have room left in the budget to add another snack elsewhere, like mac and cheese from Regal Eagle or egg rolls from Joy of Tea. The Snacky Chaos Crawl Grab Pretzel Nuggets from Block & Hans for $8.79. Add Macaroni & Cheese from Regal Eagle for $5.49. Get a pastry from Les Halles for around $5 to $7. Finish with Pretzel Bread Pudding from Sommerfest for $4.79. Estimated total before tax: roughly $24 to $26. Mac and Cheese This is not a traditional meal. This is a snack board spread across half the park. But honestly? EPCOT was built for this nonsense. The Share-and-Snack Duo Plan Split Guacamole with Totopos from La Cantina de San Angel for $12.50. Split Pretzel Nuggets from Block & Hans for $8.79. Each person grabs a small pastry from Les Halles, depending on what looks good. Estimated total before tax for two people: about $31 to $35 total, depending on pastry picks. Guacamole from La Cantina de San Angel That means each person is landing closer to the $16 to $18 range before tax. This is how you make EPCOT feel abundant without letting your wallet burst into flames. The Drinks Are the Budget Goblin We need to talk about the gorgeous, expensive elephant in the room. EPCOT cocktails are fun. They are photogenic. They are often delicious. They are also very good at turning your under-$30 food day into an under-$30 food fantasy. La Cava National Margarita Drink Many specialty cocktails around EPCOT cost well into the teens, including options like the Tennessee Lemonade at Regal Eagle for $17.50 and the English Garden festival offering at Yorkshire County Fish Shop for $17.50. Tennessee Lemonade That means one cocktail can cost more than fish and chips. One cocktail can cost more than soup, a croissant, and pretzel bread pudding combined. So if your goal is truly eating around EPCOT for under $30, this is the moment where we gently place a hand on your shoulder and whisper: choose food. Frozen French Martini Or, you know, blow the budget and get the drink. We are Disney Food Blog, not your accountant. The Real Trick: Don’t Order Like You’re at Dinner The biggest budget mistake at EPCOT is assuming every food stop needs to be a full meal. It doesn’t. EPCOT works best when you treat it like a grazing park. A little here, a little there, something crispy, something sweet, something cheesy, something you absolutely did not plan on buying but now suddenly need because it smelled good from 30 feet away. Le Bete de Crepe or The Beast Crepe If you go in trying to order a full entrée, drink, and dessert at one location, under $30 gets tricky fast. If you go in with a mix-and-match mindset, EPCOT becomes much more manageable. The formula is simple: one anchor item, one salty snack, one sweet treat. Skip the booze if the budget is firm. Share when you can. Watch the festival booth prices. And always, always check menus before you commit, because Disney prices like to do little surprise gymnastics. Final Bite So yes, you can eat around EPCOT for under $30. You just need to order strategically. Grab the fish and chips. Pick up the pretzel bread pudding. Split the guac. Find your way to Les Halles because pastry is a basic EPCOT survival tool. Use festival booths when they’re available. And remember that eating around the world does not require a giant meal in every country, unless your vacation budget is sponsored by Scrooge McDuck. Fish and Chips from Yorkshire County Fish Shop EPCOT can absolutely be expensive. But with the right plan, a little restraint, and maybe a heroic ability to walk past a $17 cocktail without blacking out and handing over your credit card, you can build a seriously fun food crawl without going bankrupt. Will you still be tempted by the margaritas? Of course. We said budget-friendly. We did not say emotionally easy. More Disney Dining Tips! REVIEW: This EPCOT Breakfast Is One Of Our Favorites — Is It As Good As We Remember?“Tastes Like Childhood” — There’s a Reason We Refuse to Shut Up About This EPCOT World Showcase SnackREVIEW: This Special Disney Springs Brunch is NOT to Be Missed!REVIEW: Does This Disney World Hotel Restaurant Have the BEST EPCOT Fireworks View?!REVIEW: One of Disney World’s Most Refreshing Drinks Is NOT Where You’d Think Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news, tips, tricks, planning hacks, and secrets! The Best Places to Escape in Disney World When Your Anxiety is Through the Roof What are your go-to EPCOT cheap snacks or meals? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

The answer depends on which kind of military Disney ticket you mean. This is one of the most confusing parts of Disney military ticket planning, because people often lump all military Disney tickets together as if they work the same way. They do not! There are really two different categories of military Disney tickets at […] The post How Many Military Disney Tickets Can You Buy (And Who Can Use Them)? appeared first on Military Disney Tips. View the full article

Every week, we report the average Disney World wait times in every park so that you can be prepared for your next trip to Orlando! Big Thunder Mountain Disney World wait times have a reputation for being, well, unpredictable. Sure, we can look at past data to get an estimate of the crowd levels in Disney World, but you never know what may happen from year to year. Take a look at this week’s average wait times for proof! This is everything you need to know about the average wait times in Disney World this past week! Big Thunder Mountain returned after a refurbishment that lasted over a year, and the iconic coaster had a wait time close to one hour. However, it wasn’t the busiest ride at the Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom Wait Times Seven Dwarfs Mine Train TRON Lightcycle / Run — 71 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad — 52 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train — 49 minutes Tiana’s Bayou Adventure — 41 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight — 39 minutes Space Mountain — 37 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin — 35 minutes Jungle Cruise — 35 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh — 33 minutes Haunted Mansion — 24 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean — 19 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle — 18 minutes Jungle Cruise Astro Orbiter — 16 minutes Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid — 15 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini — 13 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway — 12 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant — 11 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin — 11 minutes “it’s a small world” — 11 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic — 11 minutes Mickey’s Philharmagic Country Bear Jamboree — 9 minutes Mad Tea Party — 9 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover — 8 minutes Carousel of Progress Enchanted Tiki Room — 8 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel — 7 minutes Carousel of Progress — 4 minutes 3 Magic Kingdom Restaurants the Experts Refuse to Book EPCOT Wait Times Test Track Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — 83 minutes Test Track — 73 minutes Frozen Ever After — 52 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure — 49 minutes Soarin’ — 31 minutes EPCOT Mission: SPACE — 17 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush — 15 minutes Spaceship Earth — 13 minutes Living with the Land — 13 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends — 12 minutes Journey into Imagination — 12 minutes Gran Fiesta Tour — 7 minutes Awesome Planet, American Adventure, Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival, Frozen Ever After, Impressions de France, and Reflections of China had no wait times this week. This Is One of the BEST Things To Do in EPCOT, and You Can’t Change My Mind Animal Kingdom Wait Times River Journey Avatar Flight of Passage — 64 minutes Na’vi River Journey — 45 minutes Expedition Everest — 31 minutes Expedition Everest Kilimanjaro Safaris — 29 minutes Zootopia: Better Zoogether — 13 minutes These Disney Adult Animal Kingdom Hacks Are Getting Out of Control Hollywood Studios Wait Times Slinky Dog Dash Slinky Dog Dash — 63 minutes Rise of the Resistance — 54 minutes Tower of Terror — 46 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway — 41 minutes Toy Story Mania — 39 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run — 32 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers Alien Swirling Saucers — 24 minutes Star Tours — 7 minutes Walt Disney Presents had no wait times this week. 5 Magic Kingdom Secrets Disney Doesn’t Want You to Know Stay tuned to DFB for more updates from Disney World! Don’t want to go through all of the stress of booking your Disney World trip alone? Reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings, compare discounts, and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And, they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW How long would you wait for your favorite ride? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

Do you have a trip to Disney World planned for the summer? We’re begging you…PLEASE, do not leave without bringing these items with you! ©Disney We may sound like a broken record, but you seriously need to check out these Disney World essentials on Amazon. They’ve made our Disney vacations so much easier, and we know for a fact it will help you as well. From chargers to storage, check out this list of must-grabs! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Get this Charging Station for MagicBand’s Doohoeek Charging Station for MagicBand+ Take a look at this Doohoeek Charging Station for MagicBand+! The charging station fits four MagicBands, making it perfect for parties and families who love to rock the interactive Disney bracelet. No need to worry about sharing ports or single chargers, when you can charge a bunch of bands at the same time. View on Amazon This 3-in-1 Charger is also excellent! Charging Station The 3-in-1 Charging Station for Multiple Apple Devices has also done us wonders at our Disney World hotel! The charger is wireless for the devices and plugs into the wall. It’s perfect for travel as it takes up one outlet spot, while covering all the devices you need. It’s compatible with iPhone 17/16/15/14/13, Apple Watch, and AirPods. The charger is also foldable — making it even easier for travel than it already is. You can get the charger for 18% off! View on Amazon There’s also the Flat Plug Power Strip Flat Plug Power Strip We showed you two charging stations already, and this Flat Plug Power Strip is another great option. It’s portable and effective, allowing you to charge multiple devices while not taking up too much space. It has three outlets and 4 USB ports (two USB-C). We find it’s great for hotels, resorts, or wherever you’re staying. We can charge our phone, laptop, and whatever else we brought, while only taking up one outlet in the wall. Oh, and it’s 41% off right now! View on Amazon Don’t forget about this Hanging Travel Bag BAGSMART Hanging Travel Bag The BAGSMART Hanging Travel Bag has been great for us! It’s perfect for any vacation, and 100% worth it for your Disney vacation. It’s easy to pack, and it holds all of your Disney outfits once you unpack at the resort. It also provides extra room for clothes for big parties. It has spots for shoes, towels, and accessories. You won’t regret this buy, especially since it’s 54% off! View on Amazon And finally, the Dreamegg White Noise Machine Dreamegg Portable Travel White Noise Machine Sleeping away from home can be tough, even if it’s at Disney World. That’s why we love this Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine! The machine is egg-sized, weighing just 1.6 ounces, and fits easily into your pocket, carry-on, wallet, or briefcase. It offers 16 soothing nature sounds, including ocean waves, rain, birds, fan sounds, and white noise. view ON AMAZON We’re always on the hunt for the latest and greatest Disney souvenirs and essentials, so don’t forget to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for more! View the full article

It’s been quite the week in Disney World, with the reopening of a major ride over in Magic Kingdom (that’s had some rough days following — we hope it sorts itself out soon), but Disney Springs has also seen lots of changes this week. Disney Springs If you’re heading to Disney World soon and plan to do lots of shopping around Disney Springs, you may notice that some of your favorite stores have closed their doors, some of them a bit unexpectedly. In addition to all the other changes going on around the resort, we feel it’s important to keep up-to-date with it all! This past week, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad finally reopened in Magic Kingdom following a 16-month closure. While we’re big fans of the changes made to the ride, it’s been dealing with loads of issues since reopening. There’s no way to tell if or when these will sort themselves out, as Test Track still has issues frequently, even after having reopened about a year ago, but we’ll keep an eye out. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Disney Springs also saw the closure of TWO stores this past week alone, so things are changing pretty quickly over there, too. Shore, located in Town Center, has permanently closed its doors, as has Johnston & Murphy, which closed on May 7th. Many other closures are continuing in Disney World this week, so if you’re traveling, let’s take a look at the other closures taking place from May 8th through May 14th. Magic Kingdom Storybook Circus Pete’s Silly Sideshow is temporarily unavailable as of January 4th, 2026. This is the Storybook Circus meet and greet area, where you can meet Donald Duck, Goofy, Daisy Duck, and Minnie Mouse as they join the circus. Good news, though! While Pete’s Silly Sideshow will be closed, you can still meet all of the characters! You will find Goofy and Minnie at the entrance to Storybook Circus, and you can find Donald and Daisy in the back of Storybook Circus by the restrooms. Pete’s Silly Sideshow However, now there’s ANOTHER closure in the land as well. Big Top Souvenirs closed on February 20th, and Disney has said it’ll “reopen for guests to enjoy later this year,” but there’s no date in sight. When we stopped by recently, we noticed that the entire top of the store is GONE right now! Talk about a jumpscare! The tent disappeared! We’re really curious to see how this all turns out, so we’ll keep you updated! Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island An iconic part of the Magic Kingdom is now permanently closed. As of July 7th, 2025, the Rivers of America, including the Liberty Square River Boat and Tom Sawyer Island, are permanently closed to make way for the new Cars area, Piston Peak. There are lots of construction walls up in the area now, and the structures on Tom Sawyer Island have been demolished. Most recently, we saw some updates to the concrete on the land, as well as leveling taking place for the new attractions — how exciting! Piston Peak construction Piston Peak National Park will be replacing this area of Magic Kingdom. Disney has not yet announced an opening date for the new Cars area, but we do know it will feature two brand-new attractions and be themed to look like a National Park. Disney CONFIRMS Rare Fireworks Show Is Returning This Summer Disney’s Hollywood Studios Vacation Fun Disney just recently announced that Vacation Fun, the short film that plays throughout the day in the Mickey Shorts Theater, would close for refurbishment beginning on April 29th. Vacation Fun The theater opened to host a special May 4th Star Wars merchandise event this past week. However, it’s unclear when regular showings of this popular film will resume. Animation Courtyard Animation Courtyard closed on September 25th, 2025, to make way for Walt Disney Studios. This new area will open on May 26th, 2026, and will be a special nod to the Walt Disney Studios lot. Star Wars Launch Bay will be turned into The Magic of Disney Animation. This attraction will have you interacting and exploring with this fun take on Disney Animation headquarters, complete with the return of the Sorcerer Mickey hat! Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat is back! However, most recently, we’ve seen a lot of progress on this upcoming land — new pavement is almost all set, and it’s really starting to come together. This area will also feature a new Drawn to Wonderland indoor play area and the current Disney Jr. Play and Dance! show will be getting a makeover. It’ll turn into Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live, and we just recently got confirmed showtimes for the new experience, which will open on May 26th. Some of the walls have also recently been taken down, revealing more of the courtyard area! Muppets Courtyard Muppet*Vision 3D and PizzeRizzo closed on June 8th, 2025, and Muppets Courtyard has been walled off for construction on the new Monsters, Inc. land. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano has been closed since May 11th, 2025. Most recently, we saw FOUR permits filed for different buildings inside this area, which is quite exciting. We also recently got some more aerial photos of the upcoming suspended roller coaster, which looks fantastic so far. ©Bioreconstruct Don’t worry, the Muppets won’t be missing from Disney’s Hollywood Studios forever. The Muppets will be taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster this summer! Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will open on May 26th, 2026! This new ride will feature iconic Muppets like Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo, plus a brand-new soundtrack featuring Def Leppard, Kelly Clarkson, and Jennifer Hudson! Most recently, we’ve seen a lot of work being done on the guitar, which is now rainbow… Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster …and the front entrance is now painted gray/silver and has a new G-Force Records sign! Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets Disney has already made tons of progress on the new version of this iconic attraction! The previous name of the ride has already been removed from multiple locations, including on the guitar, which is now behind the scrim and scaffolding. Disney is also already putting new paint on the car at the entrance to this area to transform it into the Electric Mayhem’s iconic van! Most recently, we also got a look at the queue area for the new ride, which has us very excited. ©Disney Disney also recently announced Cast Member previews for this ride, which will begin on May 6th! Disney World Set To Replace 6 Long-Abandoned Buildings with New Experiences in Hollywood Studios EPCOT Refreshment Port Refreshment Port located near the Canada Pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase closed for refurbishment on January 12th. We’ve heard nothing on it for months, but now, we know that when it reopens, it’ll become La Poutinerie! La Poutinerie Concept Art ©Disney The spot will be sponsored by Air Canada, and promises to deliver “a Canadian classic with a twist.” Disney hasn’t announced an opening date or a menu, but we’re hoping our favorite poutine will come back any day now! Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and Impressions De France For weeks now, Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and Impressions De France have been closed in the France Pavilion, but now we’ve got a reopening date! Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and Impressions de France Theater Both shows will return to the park beginning on May 10th. A MAJOR Change Is Hitting EPCOT This Month Disney’s Animal Kingdom Rafiki’s Planet Watch On February 23rd, Disney temporarily closed Rafiki’s Planet Watch and the Wildlife Express, which takes guests over to this part of the park, to make way for the new Bluey attraction coming to the park for Cool KIDS’ SUMMER on May 26th. For the time being, you can still visit the Wilderness Explorer badge offerings, as well as a few character meet and greets, at the train station. Rafiki’s Planet Watch is officially closed Bluey’s Wild World will become a permanent addition to the park, where you can meet Bluey and Bingo, play games with them, and even pet animals from Australia in the petting zoo, Jumping Junction! DinoLand, USA On February 2nd, DinoLand, USA officially closed to make way for the new Tropical Americas land, Pueblo Esperanza. Most recently, a new permit was filed for the new Encanto ride to install set elements, and nine new permits were filed today for electrical work. ©Disney || Tropical Americas Land coming to Animal Kingdom This new land is shaping up nicely! It will have three new rides – a carousel featuring classic Disney animals, an Indiana Jones ride where you’ll explore a Mayan temple, and an Encanto ride that invites you into the Madrigal’s home! Most recently, we saw two new permits filed for the upcoming Indiana Jones ride! 4 Disney World Traditions Canceled for 2026 Typhoon Lagoon On February 15th, 2026, Blizzard Beach reopened in Disney World, and Typhoon Lagoon closed for refurbishment. Typhoon Lagoon will reopen again on May 12th, 2026! Typhoon Lagoon For the majority of the summer, we’ll have both water parks open again. Typhoon Lagoon is Disney’s oldest water park with fun for both kids and kids-at-heart, plus one of the largest wave pools in the world. It’s themed to be a tropical paradise that just survived a typhoon. NEWS: Level99 Opens at Disney Springs THIS SUMMER! Disney World Hotels Kiddie Pool Deck — Disney’s Pop Century Resort Disney recently announced that the Kiddie Pool Deck at Disney’s Pop Century Resort will close for refurbishment beginning April 13th. Kiddie Pool Deck The previous timeline for reopening was the end of April, but now the Disney World website lists that the closure will begin on May 4th and continue through mid-May. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa This hotel has been undergoing refurbishments for quite some time now, but some sections of the hotel — specifically the porte cochere — will continue to undergo refurbishment through at least early 2027. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort We certainly hope it’ll actually reopen on this timeline — we’re a little tired of seeing construction all over this beautiful hotel! Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Currently, work is taking place all over Bay Lake Tower through Late 2027. Additionally, exterior elevator landing repairs will be taking place through late May 2026. Bay Lake Tower While currently no major closures are taking place due to this construction, it’s important to note you may see or hear construction during your stay. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort For those looking to dine at this hotel, you need to know that the Turf Club Bar & Grill and Turf Club Lounge will both be under refurbishment from mid-March through mid-September 2026. Turf Club Bar & Grill In early April, the Turf Club Lounge will close for refurbishment and will reopen in early August. In the meantime, the Turf Club Bar & Grill will remain open with a pop-up bar serving a modified Lounge food and beverage menu. Then, from early to mid-August, the Turf Club patio will close for refurbishment, and finally, from mid-August through mid-September, the Turf Club Bar & Grill will be closed for refurbishment, but the Turf Club Lounge will be open. Leisure Pools — Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort Disney’s Yacht Club and Disney’s Beach Club Resort are currently undergoing visible exterior maintenance. The maintenance could affect views and may require alternate routes at times. In addition, two of the resort’s leisure pools will close for routine maintenance. Tidal Pool At Disney’s Yacht Club, the Admiral leisure be will be closed for maintenance through early May 2026. At Disney’s Beach Club, the Tidal leisure pool will be closed for maintenance through early May 2026. Guests may see or hear construction work, but it will only be done during the daytime hours. Crew’s Cup Lounge — Disney’s Yacht Club Resort On February 23rd, Crew’s Cup Lounge closed for refurbishment and will reopen on June 1st, 2026. Yachtsman Steakhouse Additionally, Yachtsman Steakhouse will close for refurbishment on May 11th, meaning these closures will overlap for a few weeks. It’s expected to reopen sometime in early August. Promenade Fine Art Gallery — Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and Resort The Promenade Fine Art Gallery closed its Disney’s BoardWalk location on October 20th, 2025. However, the Promenade Fine Art Gallery isn’t closing for good, and it will just be moving to a new location. Promenade Fine Art Gallery The gallery hasn’t announced yet where that new location will be, but we will keep you updated as we learn more! Jellyrolls — Disney’s BoardWalk Jellyrolls at Disney’s BoardWalk officially closed on April 19th, 2025. This entertainment venue has provided our team with countless memories, and we know many others are also sad to see it close. Jellyrolls had its final farewell performance on April 19th. 2025 and closed its doors forever on Disney’s BoardWalk. Jellyrolls Now, we know that Jellyrolls will be moving to a new location about 10 minutes away, and a grand opening is planned for late summer or fall 2026. We also know that the new location will have free parking, be closer to the space that the original Disney location was in, and allow people to be dropped off and picked up by rideshare services right at the front door. A Definitive Ranking of EVERY Disney World Hotel! We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disney World news, so stay tuned to DFB! Disney’s Latest Announcements Made One Thing Abundantly Clear Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW When is your next Disney World vacation? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

Okay, so what’s NOT to love about the France Pavilion? It literally has everything…great shops with French souvenirs, amazing restaurants, WINE, ice cream martinis, a creperie, and one of our favorite quick service restaurants in all of Disney World (yep, we’re talking about Les Halles). France Pavilion France is also home to three attractions, including the recently updated Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Well, for a while, two of the three attractions in France have been closed, but we’re happy to report that these two attractions have reopened EARLY. Both the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and Impressions de France have been closed for a routine refurbishment. Both were scheduled to reopen on May 10th, but we popped by the France Pavilion today, on May 9th, and both were already open…a FULL day early! The two attractions share a theater, so both were closed while refurbishment was being done inside the theater. The theater is open! Of course, we stopped for a moment to pay homage to two GREAT musicals, The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables by checking out the display case showcasing those works. I dreamed a dream… Of course, there are many other wonderful displays you can check out here, too. Oddly enough, not a lot of people know these are here! You’ll find a total of six gallery cases with costumes, music, and artwork that have brought French literature to life through movies, theater, ballet, and opera. Be sure to check out the displays! Inside the theater, we noticed some brand new seats! Yep, the theater got new seats for both shows. We were also told that the curtain was now fixed for when Impressions de France is showing. New seats! We stuck around for the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, which is a 15-minute retelling of the classic animated Beauty and the Beast, complete with subtitles so everyone can sing along! It plays from 10 AM to 6:30 PM (although you’ll want to double-check the Disney World calendar in case that changes). Singing along with Belle Meanwhile, Impressions de France, an 18-minute film showing the beauty and charm of France, shows from 9 AM to 9:30 AM and 7 PM to 8:30 PM. We’ll keep an eye out for more openings and closures in Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB for more. Three Days in 2026 When I’m Skipping Magic Kingdom and Going to EPCOT Instead Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Do you make time for these attractions when you visit EPCOT? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

If you’re looking for your new favorite Loungefly bag, we’ve got you covered. Loungefly just released eight brand-new mini backpacks that will make your next outing 10x more magical! ©Loungefly Whether you’re hitting the parks or staying at home this June, a brand-new Loungefly is waiting for you! Get them now before they fly off the shelves. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Go once upon a dream with this Aurora Stained Glass Portrait Mini Backpack! ©Box Lunch This Aurora Stained Glass Portrait Mini Backpack features appliques of Aurora, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather surrounded by the prettiest pink, green, and blue stained glass design! The side pockets feature Prince Phillip and Owl. Get the Box Lunch exclusive on preorder for $84.90. view ON Box Lunch This Minnie Mouse Key Lime Pie Lime Scented Mini Backpack is perfect for summer! ©Box Lunch This Minnie Mouse Key Lime Pie Lime Scented Mini Backpack features a die-cut Key Lime Pie-shaped front pocket accented with embroidered lime slices and whipped cream. The star of the show is the 3D lime ears and bow! Order the Box Lunch exclusive on preorder for $84.90. view ON Box Lunch This Enchanted Rose Shimmer Mini Backpack is so glittery! ©Box Lunch This Enchanted Rose Shimmer Mini Backpack features an applique enchanted rose on the front pocket surrounded by silver shimmer! The side pockets feature a golden silhouette of Belle surrounded by embroidered red and yellow roses. Get the enchanted rose delivered straight to your door for $84.90. view ON Box Lunch Rep your favorite Pixar movies with the Pixar Characters Mini Backpack! ©Box Lunch This Pixar Characters Mini Backpack features designs of your favorite Pixar characters on the front – there’s Remy, Boo, Mei Mei, a Green Alien, Russel, and Heimlich! The body of the bag is dark blue with embossed designs of the Pixar ball, Boo’s flowers, Remy’s cheese, and Heimlich’s leaves. Preorder the Box Lunch exclusive bag now for $84.90. view ON Box Lunch The Belle Quilted Mini Backpack is enchanted! ©Box Lunch This Belle Quilted Mini Backpack features an embossed design of Belle with Mrs. Potts and Chip surrounded by embroidered flowers! The body of the bag is a gorgeous cream color with a quilted design. For only $84.90, this bag is a steal! view ON Box Lunch This Winnie the Pooh Floral Gingham Mini Backpack is sweet as honey! ©Box Lunch This Winnie the Pooh Floral Gingham Mini Backpack features Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore with honeypots! The bag is an all-over yellow gingham pattern with red accents. Bring home a part of the Hundred Acre Woods for only $84.90. view ON Box Lunch Light the lights with The Muppets Character Patches Mini Backpack! ©Box Lunch The Muppets Character Patches Mini Backpack features applique and embroidered details of Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo with Fozzie on the side pocket. The body of the bag is an adorable cream corduroy with orange accents. The inner lining is just as fun with colorful text of your favorite Muppets. For only $84.90, you can’t miss this steal! view ON Box Lunch The Cats Portrait Mini Backpack is purr-fect! ©Hot Topic The Cats Portrait Mini Backpack features an all-over print of cat portraits from The Aristocats, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and Pinocchio. The straps and inner lining are a sleek cream color that makes the pattern pop! Treat the cat lover in your life for only $52.90. view ON Hot Topic We’re always on the hunt for the latest and greatest Disney souvenirs and essentials, so don’t forget to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for more! View the full article

It was just reported that there was a collision with Frontier Airlines. ©Frontier Airlines According to the New York Times, a Frontier Airlines jet struck and killed a person who was walking on the runway at Denver International Airport at night on May 8th during takeoff. “Frontier Flight 4345 reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026. There was a brief engine fire that was promptly extinguished by the Denver Fire Dept.,” the airport wrote in a post via X. “Emergency crews responded to the scene and bused passengers to the terminal. 231 souls were on board. Emergency response and investigation are ongoing. The NTSB has been notified. Runway 17L will remain closed while the investigation is conducted.” Frontier Plane at the Orlando Airport Reportedly, the person who was struck had breached airport security Friday night to scale a perimeter fence and dash out onto the runway. This was stated by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The post Sean Duffy wrote on X read, “The trespasser on the runway was then struck by Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 during takeoff at high speed. The pilot stopped takeoff procedures immediately.” Flying Frontier “The Frontier plane was then quickly evacuated while law enforcement and firefighters responded. Preliminary reports are 12 people were hurt, with 5 taken to the hospital. Local law enforcement handles airport security and is investigating with support from the FAA and TSA. No one should EVER trespass on an airport,” Duffy concluded. ©Frontier Airlines A Denver Airport spokesperson told Fox News Digital that their security teams and Denver Police regularly patrol the perimeter of the airport. They added that the person scaled the barbed-wire fence and was hit within two minutes of going out onto the runway. The Denver International Airport posted on X saying it “has examined the fenceline and found it to be intact.” They added, “We are extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved.” Frontier Airlines According to ABC News, the person killed was struck and “at least partially consumed” by one of the plane’s engines. Jose Cervantes told CBS News that the plane was already going pretty fast, and then they felt as if “the plane started to tilt up when out of nowhere, it just — we felt like a thud and heard, like, an explosion.” ©Frontier Airlines “I was right on the wing, so I looked to my right and I just see, like, the right wing just on fire and it, like — it’s exploding, and it sounds, like, horrible, you know — and right away they shut the aircraft off,” Cervantes said. “Well, when that happened, the aircraft lands back down and starts to swivel from side to side, then they shut it down right away. And then the cabin starts to fill with smoke, and that’s when they started evacuating everyone.” Frontier This is a tragic and terrifying story that has just unfolded. Our thoughts are with everyone who was impacted by this incident. View the full article

We LOVE our Owala water bottles, and these accessories take them to the next level! Rapunzel Owala Owala water bottles are fine on their own, but there are several upgrades you can grab on Amazon that can really enhance these bottles. Quite a few of these are super cost-effective, and we’re sharing with you some of our favorites! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Make gripping your Owala easier with this souvenir ©Amazon Costing under $10, the Owala Silicone Boot is available in many different sizes and colors on Amazon. This accessory is dishwasher-safe and improves grip and stability, while also quiting the noise made if you drop the bottle. If you have an issue with butterfingers, this silicone boot goes a long way! BUY ON AMAZON These straws cost even less! ©Amazon If you’re looking to upgrade or replace your Owala straws, check out this Metal Straw Replacement Pack! Intended for 24 and 32-ounce bottles, this set comes with four reusable stainless steel straws and two straw cleaners. BUY ON AMAZON Make carrying around your Owala bottle easier with this essential ©Amazon This Water Bottle Holder features an insulated interior that keeps your drinks at an ideal temperature, and it can accommodate bottles ranging from 32oz to 40oz in size. This holder also comes with detachable handles and an adjustable shoulder strap — giving you two ways to carry it. It also includes a main pocket with a drawstring closure, two front zippered pockets with a key leash, and ample space to store both your bottle and everyday essentials. BUY ON AMAZON And there you have it! Which Owala accessories do you use? Let us know and continue to follow us here at DFB for more fantastic everyday/theme park essential finds! View the full article

Loungefly doesn’t always make stained glass Disney souvenirs, but when it does, it absolutely delivers! ©Disney Whether you’re looking for unique Loungefly ears, backpacks, or more, Amazon has you covered. There are some really fun stained glass designs themed after some of our favorite Disney characters, and we’re sharing some picks with ya that are definitely worth checking out! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. These Amazon-exclusive Ears Honor A Beloved Disney Princess ©Amazon These Loungefly Moana Ears are part of the Disney Princess Stained Glass Collection and feature a Moana-themed stained glass motif! The stained glass comes to life with a floral design, and the headband is brought together by the bow sitting front and center. BUY ON AMAZON Fans Of Quasimodo And His Pals Should Check Out This Next Souvenir ©Amazon The Loungefly Hunchback of Notre Dame Stained Glass Window Mini Backpack lets fans showcase their love of this underrated classic. Brought to us by BoxLunch and Loungefly, this bag features beloved characters from the animated film amid a design that looks like a tower with stained glass windows. BUY ON AMAZON Relive A Tale As Old As Time With This Final Souvenir ©Amazon Also from BoxLunch and now available on Amazon, the Loungefly Beauty and the Beast Belle Stained Glass Portrait Mini Backpack features Belle front and center, as well as an all-over rose red and blue stained glass design. You’ll even be able to spot imagery from the classic Disney animated film! BUY ON AMAZON We’re always keeping an eye out for great Disney souvenirs that you can grab on Amazon, so be sure to keep it posted right here at DFB for the latest updates! View the full article

Spirit Airlines was a popular budget airline for getting to and from Orlando, but it abruptly closed on May 2nd, leaving nearly 1,000 flights from Orlando Airport canceled. ©Spirit Airlines Hundreds of thousands of budget flyers relied on Spirit for their Disney World vacations and general travel. A campaign has even been created to revive Spirit Airlines! But just in case the beloved yellow Airbus is gone for good, here are four great alternatives for your next Orlando trip. Frontier Airlines Frontier Airlines is an ultra-low-cost airline that offers 50 direct routes from the Orlando International Airport. The airline already offers multiple flights at Orlando that Spirit previously flew, including major cities such as New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Chicago. ©Frontier Airlines Following Spirit’s closure, Frontier Airlines announced that it will add nine routes and 15 daily flights this year out of the Orlando International Airport. Frontier Airlines is the best airline for Spirit flyers since they offer most of the same direct routes at a similar, if not lower, price. Southwest, Who? Your Bags Could Fly FREE on Frontier Airlines Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines is the largest airline at the Orlando Airport, connecting Orlando with over 50 destinations and making up 22% of the airport’s flights. If you live near a more remote or smaller airport, odds are that Southwest will still offer a route to Orlando. Southwest Planes at Orlando International Airport Southwest just announced it’s expanding 17 current routes out of Orlando between June and November. These routes will mean more frequent flights to Disney World for travelers across the country. The South will see more flights in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, with New England having the largest expansion in New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. 3 Important Rules You Should Know Before Choosing Your Seat on Southwest Airlines Breeze Airways Breeze Airways is a popular budget airline with 40 direct routes from Orlando. Their most popular routes from Orlando are to Providence, Rhode Island (PVD), Hartford, Connecticut (BDL), New Orleans, Louisiana (MSY), Norfolk, Virginia (ORF), and Raleigh, North Carolina (RDU). ©Tad Denson | Breeze Airways Breeze Airways announced it would begin a new nonstop flight route between Orlando and Atlantic City, New Jersey, beginning on July 3rd. The new route will run each day, with a one-way ticket starting at just $89. Breeze Airways Adds A New Nonstop Flight at Orlando Airport Delta Airlines While not a budget airline, Delta has a strong presence in the Orlando International Airport. They offer 20-plus nonstop flights to major cities across the country. Their hubs include Atlanta, Georgia (ATL), Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), New York, New York (LGA/JFK), Washington, D.C. (DCA), Los Angeles, California (LAX), Minneapolis, Minnesota (MSP), and Detroit, Michigan (DTW). ©Getty Images Delta just announced plans to add seven more nonstop flights out of Orlando. These new flights will make it even easier for travelers in the Midwest and New England to get to the most magical place on earth! Delta Airlines Adds 7 NEW Nonstop Flights at Orlando Airport We’ll be sure to keep you updated on everything you need to know for your next Disney vacation. Stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for more travel news! The Airline Rule You DON’T Want To Break Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What airline is your favorite? Comment below! View the full article

Magic Kingdom has entered a very interesting food era. For years, this park had a reputation for being the place where you survived on corn dog nuggets, popcorn, Dole Whip, and the emotional strength of your next EPCOT reservation. But lately? Magic Kingdom has been quietly getting its act together. There are better quick-service picks, some genuinely useful snack strategies, and a few sit-down spots we actually do recommend. Dole Whip from Aloha Isle But that does NOT mean every Magic Kingdom restaurant deserves your precious dining reservation. Our 2025 list called out Crystal Palace, The Plaza Restaurant, and Be Our Guest. For 2026, we’re making one swap: The Plaza gets paroled, and Cinderella’s Royal Table is officially on the list. Want to dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table? Make a reservation as early as you can. So, let’s talk about the three Magic Kingdom restaurants we think experts are most likely to skip this year, what’s actually good about them, and why we’re still side-eyeing that “Reserve Dining” button like it owes us money. The Crystal Palace Let’s start with a classic. The Crystal Palace is one of the most recognizable restaurants in Magic Kingdom, and honestly, it has a lot going for it. Buffet It’s gorgeous. It’s bright. It’s greenhouse-y. It has that Victorian Main Street charm that makes you feel like you should be wearing a straw hat and dramatically discussing your inheritance over tea. Plus, this is where you can dine with Winnie the Pooh and friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. You should plan to stay about 90 minutes here to engage with the available characters, so this is definitely not a “grab a quick bite and sprint to Space Mountain” meal. All the Signatures Are Right There And to be clear, we are NOT saying to avoid Crystal Palace entirely. We still think breakfast is the strongest play here. Breakfast is currently priced lower than lunch and dinner, and the menu includes things like fruit, yogurt, bacon, eggs, pancakes, waffles, cereal, biscuits and gravy, and assorted pastries. Our Breakfast Eats But lunch and dinner? That’s where our expert alarm bells start jingling like Tigger after three espressos. Lunch and dinner are currently priced at $64 per adult and $44 per child, plus tax and gratuity, with buffet offerings like seasonal salads, pasta, country fried chicken, mashed potatoes, roasted carved beef, shrimp creole, vegetables, and assorted desserts. So what’s the problem? Is that bad? Not necessarily. But for that kind of money, we want consistency, quality, character time, and a meal that does not make us quietly wonder if we should have just eaten cheeseburger spring rolls and called it a personality trait. More Eats Crystal Palace can feel rushed. Buffet quality can vary. And by lunch or dinner, you’re also giving up a big chunk of prime park time for a meal that may not feel dramatically better than some of your cheaper options elsewhere. Why Experts Skip It Experts are skipping lunch and dinner at Crystal Palace in 2026 because breakfast remains the better value and better experience. You still get Pooh and friends, you’re paying less, and the food tends to make more sense for the setup. Winnie the Pooh Our take? Book breakfast if you love Pooh, have kids who will melt into a puddle over Tigger, or want a sweet Main Street start. Skip lunch and dinner unless the characters are the whole point. Be Our Guest Restaurant This one hurts a little. Be Our Guest used to feel like THE Magic Kingdom dining reservation. You were eating inside Beast’s Castle! There was snow outside the windows! The West Wing was moody and dramatic! The napkins practically whispered, “Put our service to the test.” Be Our Guest And the theming is still genuinely impressive. Be Our Guest is a prix-fixe restaurant with three heavily themed rooms: the Grand Ballroom, the West Wing, and the Rose Gallery. The menu is also not nothing. Lunch and dinner currently include a three-course prix-fixe setup with appetizer choices like French Onion Soup, Blue Crab Bisque, and Escargot de Bourgogne, entrées like Short Rib Beef Bourguignon, Grilled Filet Mignon, Steak Frites, Swordfish au Poivre, and Poulet Rouge Chicken, plus desserts including the Blooming Rose filled with “The Grey Stuff.” Steak Frites So what’s the problem? The price. The expectations. The lack of a true character meal. The dining experience that often feels more “expensive Beauty and the Beast museum with dinner” than “this was absolutely worth rearranging my park day.” The Grand Ballroom in Be Our Guest Restaurant Be Our Guest is currently $72 per adult and $43 per child, plus tax and gratuity, for lunch or dinner. And while you may see the Beast, this is not the same thing as a full character meal where multiple characters visit your table. That distinction matters when you’re paying premium prices and trying to maximize both your budget and your Disney magic. Why Experts Skip It Experts skip Be Our Guest because the theming is better than the value. If you’ve never been and Beauty and the Beast is your favorite movie, sure, we understand wanting to go once. We are not monsters. We simply know how spreadsheets work. Blooming Rose But for repeat visitors, food-focused travelers, or anyone who wants the best use of a Magic Kingdom dining slot, Be Our Guest is a hard sell in 2026. It’s expensive, it takes time, and the food often does not rise high enough to justify the castle-sized bill. Our expert move? Visit once if it’s a bucket-list meal. Otherwise, spend that money at a resort restaurant on the monorail loop and let Lumière live rent-free in your memories instead. Cinderella’s Royal Table And now, the glass slipper drops. Cinderella’s Royal Table is replacing The Plaza Restaurant on our 2026 “experts refuse to book” list. Not because it’s bad. Not because it isn’t magical. Not because we are immune to stained glass, stone archways, and the emotional manipulation of eating inside Cinderella Castle. We are not made of dryer lint. Menu Cinderella’s Royal Table is one of the most iconic dining experiences in all of Disney World. You dine inside the castle, meet Cinderella in the Grand Hall, and enjoy visits with Disney Princesses during the meal. The restaurant has a storybook setting with stone archways, medieval flags, and stained-glass windows overlooking Fantasyland. There she is! The food also has more ambition than some people give it credit for. Dinner entrées currently include options like roasted lamb chops, grilled filet mignon, catch of the day, chicken cottage pie, and pan-roasted cauliflower, with desserts like The Clock Strikes Twelve and Jaq and Gus Cheesecake. So yes, there are good things here. So what’s the problem? But this is where the expert math gets spicy. Dinner is currently $89 per adult and $54 per child, plus tax and gratuity. Breakfast is also pricey at $76 per adult and $47 per child. And if you’re using the Disney Dining Plan, Cinderella’s Royal Table requires 2 Table-Service meals per person. That is a LOT for a meal where the main selling point is the location and princess access. When Will My Life Begin Pasta And listen, for some families, that is absolutely worth it. If you have a kid who dreams of eating in the castle, meeting princesses, and living their full royal fantasy, this can be a core memory. A sparkly, expensive, possibly tiara-shaped core memory. But experts tend to ask a different question: “Would we book this again based on food, value, convenience, and overall experience?” For us? Usually no. Magic Carpet Ride Pork Tenderloin Why Experts Skip It Experts skip Cinderella’s Royal Table in 2026 because it’s a bucket-list experience, not a best-value meal. It’s not that you shouldn’t ever do it. It’s that you should only do it if the castle and princesses are the point. If you’re booking it because you want the best meal in Magic Kingdom, you may walk out feeling like your wallet was turned into a pumpkin. Cinderella Card Our expert move? Book it for a once-in-a-childhood or once-in-a-lifetime moment. Otherwise, meet princesses elsewhere and eat somewhere that gives you more flexibility for less money. What About The Plaza, Tony’s, and Skipper Canteen? Let’s rapid-fire the restaurants that almost made the list. The Plaza Restaurant is still not one of our top Magic Kingdom recommendations, but it’s a la carte, less expensive than the prix-fixe heavy hitters, and has practical comfort food like burgers, sandwiches, salads, shakes, and sundaes. Current entrées include things like a Bacon Cheeseburger, Triple Decker Turkey Club, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Pot Roast Stack, and Chipotle Barbecue Pork Sandwich. Is it thrilling? No. Is it sometimes useful when you need AC and a table? Absolutely. Full spread at Plaza Restaurant Tony’s Town Square is still divisive. The Lady and the Tramp theming is cute, and the current menu includes Italian-American staples like Chicken Parmigiana, Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Rigatoni alla Vodka, and Shrimp Scampi. We still wouldn’t call it a must-book, but it didn’t beat out Cinderella’s Royal Table in the “price vs. payoff” department this year. Tony’s Garlic Bread Skipper Canteen? Absolutely not on the skip list. In fact, this is one of the Magic Kingdom table-service spots experts are more likely to recommend. It has actual personality, a more interesting menu, and dishes like “Tastes like Chicken” Because it is!, Curried Vegetable Crew Stew, Nile Nellie’s Noodle Bowl, Mess Hall Duck Fried Rice, and Falls Family Falafel. If your group can handle flavors beyond “theme park beige,” Skipper Canteen remains one of the better sit-down bets in Magic Kingdom. This was delicious! The Final Dish For 2026, our expert skip list is: Crystal Palace lunch and dinner Be Our Guest Restaurant Cinderella’s Royal Table That does NOT mean these restaurants are universally terrible. Disney dining is personal. Your dream meal might be our “please don’t make us do this again” meal, and that’s okay. We all contain multitudes and questionable reservation histories. Crystal Palace But if you’re trying to make the smartest use of your Magic Kingdom dining time and money, these are the three reservations we’d think very carefully about before booking. Our advice? Do Crystal Palace for breakfast if you want Pooh. Do Be Our Guest once if Beauty and the Beast owns your heart. Do Cinderella’s Royal Table if eating inside the castle is the dream. Castle entrance But if you’re asking where the experts are most likely to spend their own Magic Kingdom dining dollars in 2026? We’re probably heading to Skipper Canteen, grabbing quick-service favorites, or hopping on the monorail for a better resort meal. Pao de Quijo Because sometimes the most magical dining decision is knowing when NOT to book the famous restaurant. We’re always here to help you plan your upcoming vacation and make you feel as prepared as possible before you start your trip, so stay tuned to DFB! Our FAVORITE Meal at Every Magic Kingdom Restaurant Need Disney Restaurant Advice? We’ve Got EVERYTHING You Need to Know The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! See Our Complete Disney World Restaurants Guide The Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants The Best EPCOT Restaurant Restaurants The Best Hollywood Studios Restaurants The Best Animal Kingdom Restaurants The Best Disney Springs Restaurants Check Out Dozens of Disney Dining Tips and Tools Learn All About Tipping at Disney Restaurants How to Use Mobile Order in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest Disney food news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What else would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments! View the full article

Well, we’ve got some…not-so-great news out of Disneyland Resort, and honestly? It’s something we NEVER saw coming. Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin Over in Toontown, you’ll find lots of different attractions for guests of all ages to enjoy. You can tour Mickey and Minnie’s houses, take a ride on Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway or Chip ‘N’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster, and dine at Café Daisy or Good Boy! Grocers. However, there’s one ride here that’s scared a bit for basically all of time, but it’s still lots of fun — that was, until this major issue took place. We had begun to hear rumors that Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin in Disneyland wasn’t exactly behaving as it should. Normally, part of the fun of the ride is that it spins you around and around in each scene, making it extra fun. It was starting to be reported, however, that the ride no longer spun and that there were scenes of the ride guests were actively missing because of the direction they were facing during the spins. Detective Jessica Rabbit Animatronic inside Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin We hopped on the ride ourselves, and sure enough, not only did our car not spin, but we were BACKWARDS 90% of the time, meaning we missed practically the whole ride! We were stuck facing the car behind us, and they were facing forwards, so we just stared at each other…the whole time. This ride recently reopened from a refurbishment, and our assumption is that, since the car still spins during major scenes, it’s only because they’re pre-programmed to focus on the plot details. Otherwise, there’s no more spinning. The wheel of the car still moves, though it’s for no reason! Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin If you’re heading to the park soon and want to ride, we recommend requesting the back car instead of the front, as the issue seems to only be affecting the front cars. We did speak to a Cast Member about the issue, and while they indicated they’re aware of it, there’s no telling when it’ll be fixed. More Recent Disneyland Resort News! Uh Disney? Why Did You Change This Iconic Toontown Ride?Disneyland’s Bat Day Dates Announced for 2027NEWS: Timeline Revealed for Changes to Opening Day Disney RideGUYS. You Won’t Believe Who We Just Met in Disneyland!4 Exclusive Disney Snacks Are Returning For A Limited Time We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disneyland news, including the status of this attraction, so stay tuned to DFB! Disney Fans Have THOUGHTS About Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Timeline Changes Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Have you ever ridden this ride before? Tell us in the comments! View the full article

Did you know there’s another place in Orlando besides Disney World where you can meet a mermaid? We just met a mermaid! SEA LIFE Orlando is a huge aquarium located in Orlando’s ICON Park, right in front of The Orlando Eye. They have tons of exhibits featuring marine life and experiences. Now, you can meet a mermaid at the popular aquarium, and that’s exactly what we did! The agents at Small World Vacations know how to save money on your Disney Vacation! When you book your trip with Small World Vacations, their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings. They also compare discounts and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation. You can meet a real-life mermaid at the Mermaid Meet & Greet at SEA LIFE Orlando! It’s a close-up interaction with mermaids in the enchanting grotto. Listen to their captivating tales from adventures at sea, and take a picture with them! It’s open Friday through Sunday from 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM. Mermaid meet-and-greet That’s not all the mermaid fun there is to enjoy at SEA LIFE Orlando! You can go see a mermaid swimming during Mermaid Dives. Watch them swim around the Atlantic Ocean habitat surrounded by sea turtles, stingrays, eels, and sharks. You can catch these on Friday through Sunday, from 11:30 AM to 1 PM, 2 PM to 4 PM, and 5 PM to 6:30 PM. Mermaid Dives! There is also something called A Mermaid’s Quest, which will be a new virtual reality experience. You’ll join a young seafarer on a thrilling journey to uncover the secrets of the sea. The VR will also teach you about the conservation of the ocean. SEA LIFE Orlando SEA LIFE Orlando’s mermaid events are available every Friday through Sunday in May until the final day on Memorial Day! Every mermaid attraction is included with any aquarium ticket that you purchase, so you don’t need to worry about add-ons. You need to check the attractions out! Come see the mermaids! Orlando is home to some of the biggest theme parks in the world, but there are some other attractions, like SEA LIFE Orlando, that people need to check out. We really enjoyed our time there, and we know you would too. For more, make sure to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog! Three Days in 2026 When I’m Skipping Magic Kingdom and Going to EPCOT Instead DON'T DO IT ALONE! Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money, when you book your Disney trip or cruise. Their agents compare current offers to find the best deal for you -- they've literally saved their guests millions of dollars since 1996. Plus, their services are 100% FREE FOR YOU! (They're DFB's recommended travel agency, and you can see why here!) So book that trip now, then sit back and enjoy planning your Disney World Trip with a DFB-approved expert! Click here for a no obligation price quote today, and let them know DFB sent you GET MORE INFO Have you been to SEA LIFE Orlando before? Let us know in the comments below! 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 Sea Life Orlando to attend their media preview 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 View the full article

Previews have been announced for TWO brand‑new rides, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is officially rumbling through Frontierland again, Mickey’s Not‑So‑Scary Halloween Party tickets are already on sale for select guests, AND we’ve got some major news coming out of Universal Orlando that you absolutely need to know about. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad All of the latest Disney and theme park news is coming up right now, on DFB Guide. Check out our video below: Latest Disney News: Annual Passholder Previews for New Rides, Big Thunder is OPEN Again & MORE! Are you a DFB Video subscriber? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our channel and catch up on ALL of our latest episodes! And stay tuned for more theme park news! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What video do you want to see from DFB next? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

One of Disney World’s most popular hotel perks is going to be unavailable this coming January, and that’s having us rethink stays at these four hotels. Pop Century Since its opening in 2019, the Skyliner gondola system has become one of Disney’s most popular transportation methods, linking EPCOT and Hollywood Studios with the Pop Century Resort, Art of Animation Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, and the Riviera Resort. However, the service will be closed for a period early next year. The Skyliner will be closed for its annual maintenance from January 24th through January 30th, 2027. Skyliner closed While Disney will be providing complimentary bus service between the four resorts and the theme parks during the closure, guests will not be able to travel as easily from hotel to hotel, eliminating one of the major perks of staying at those respective hotels. Skyliner at Disney’s Riviera Resort Guests staying at resorts that are indirectly serviced by the Skyliner — such as the Boardwalk, Yacht Club, and Beach Club resorts, each of which is within walking distance to the EPCOT station — will have access to the already provided transportation methods that already service those hotels, including buses and the boats that link EPCOT and Hollywood Studios with the EPCOT Resort Area. Other confirmed closures and refurbishments at Disney World hotels in 2027 include: All-Star Movies Refurb: May 2026 to January 2027. Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House Refurb: May 2026 to January 2027. Grand Floridian Resort-Wide Refurbishment Including Porte-cochère: Through early 2027. Port Orleans Room Refurbishment: Through August 2027. Beach Club Exterior Refurbishment: Through Late 2027. Contemporary Resort-Wide: Through Late 2027. Skyliner at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort The temporary closure of the Walt Disney World Skyliner in January of 2027 means that for just about a week, the Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, and Riviera resorts will be missing one of their biggest perks. Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on Disney’s operational calendar. Disney Is Opening New Rides in 2027. Here’s the Full List. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Would you avoid Skyliner hotels during this closure? Let us know in the comments below. View the full article

Flying has many specific rules, and some of them you won’t know until you’re there at the airport or on the flight, especially if you haven’t flown in a while, or it’s new to you. ©Getty Images Don’t worry, that’s why we’re here! We fly and travel ALL the time, and even when we’re not, we keep up with all the latest news so you can feel up-to-date and prepared before your trip begins. One of the essentials we say are VERY important for your Disney World trips are none other than portable chargers, because trust us, your phone WILL die in the parks otherwise. However, when you’re flying with it, there’s a rule you CANNOT break! According to Forbes, now MORE airlines have banned having portable chargers and other lithium batteries in checked bags, and those in carry-on bags have to be under strict rules, all due to a jump in fires on planes. Yes, these batteries HAVE caused fires on multiple planes — at least three so far this year, to be precise. Do you know the new rules about flying with portable chargers? American Airlines is the latest to adjust its rules, now meaning that all four of the “big” U.S. airlines have rules around portable chargers on their flights. Now, American Airlines passengers can only have two lithium batteries or portable chargers in their carry-on luggage. If one is in use, it has to be in plain view, while ones that are fully turned off can remain in carry-on bags. INIU Portable Charger Southwest Airlines has taken things a step further, and they were the first to implement a rule about portable chargers. Currently, passengers can only bring one portable charger on board, and it CANNOT be in an overhead bin. Instead, it has to be in plain sight at all times. United Airlines has also started a similar process as of March 1st, asking passengers to keep any portable chargers out of the overhead bins and in sight. Delta Airlines also limits passengers to two portable chargers and states that they must be easily accessible, instead of in an overhead bin. Southwest Airlines The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported 28 lithium battery-related fire incidents on board planes so far this year, which averages 1.9 incidents a week. Since the FAA began tracking these incidents in 2006, there have been a total of 717 incidents, with nearly four in ten incidents involving portable battery packs. INIU Portable Charger If you’re heading to Disney World or Disneyland, you likely have at least one of these in your bag, so we highly recommend looking into the rules for your specific airline before flying. The last thing you want is to be told you can’t bring one with you, and then you have to put that money down the drain. More Recent Travel News! The Airline Rule You DON’T Want To BreakCould Brightline Be Heading Towards Bankruptcy?Popular Airline Adds 2 NEW Nonstop Flights at Orlando AirportDelta CHANGES Snack Policy, And We’re MOURNING The Free Cookies!5 Checked Bag Rules Airports Are Enforcing in 2026 We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest travel news to help you prepare for your upcoming trips, so stay tuned to DFB! 4 Carry On Bag Rules TSA Is Enforcing in 2026 Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW How do you feel about these rules? Tell us in the comments! View the full article

If you’re anything like us, your jaws probably hit the floor when it was announced earlier this week that Spirit Airlines had gone under overnight, and now, we’re here to tell you that another prominent travel option could be in trouble as well. Brightline Train Station The Brightline train runs multiple different routes around Florida, making travel much easier for those who don’t prefer to drive, can’t drive anymore for any reason, or who don’t like to fly. While there have been talks of a west coast expansion, and last year there were talks of Brightline using a $400 million bond to pay for the “design, development, acquisition, construction” of a rail system towards Tampa, it’s now looking like things may not be working out as the company wanted. According to The Wall Street Journal, just last week, the private railroad operator issued a warning that raised questions about its ability to continue operations. In response, more creditors of Fortress Investment Group’s Brightline have hired restructuring advisers to hopefully assist with the issue. Brightline train Currently, the Brightline train is at $5.5 billion in debt, and they’ve been working to reduce that while seeking outside capital. While those talks are in the works, the possibility of bankruptcy continues to loom overhead. Currently, Brightline is in talks with some of its bondholders, including holders of a series of 11% bonds due in 2030, advised by Davis Polk & Wardwell. The company has also stated that they’ve entered into a grace period with lenders to defer interest payments on the municipal bonds in February, which will extend through June 15th. Brightline at Orlando Airport Recently, a company spokesperson was quoted saying, “Brightline continues to demonstrate strong momentum, with first quarter 2026 marking the highest ridership and revenue performance in our history, with 20% year-over-year growth in March,” and that they’re “engaged with our partners on various options to enhance our balance sheet and position our company for long-term success.” Despite this, the company still appears to be in pretty significant trouble. More Recent Travel News! The Airline Rule You DON’T Want To BreakCould Brightline Be Heading Towards Bankruptcy?Popular Airline Adds 2 NEW Nonstop Flights at Orlando AirportDelta CHANGES Snack Policy, And We’re MOURNING The Free Cookies!5 Checked Bag Rules Airports Are Enforcing in 2026 We’ll be sure to keep you updated on this as information continues to come out, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB. Something NEW Is Coming to American Airlines This Summer! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW How do you feel about Brightline’s troubles? Tell us in the comments! View the full article

When it comes to deciding which Walt Disney World park to visit, not every day is created equal. EPCOT For example, while the Magic Kingdom is the resort’s — and the world’s — most visited theme park, there are a few days this year when guests should probably consider making their way to EPCOT instead. May 13th While the rest of our days are full of special events and Holidays, May 13th is just a random Wednesday. So, why is it wise to skip the Magic Kingdom for EPCOT that day? Two Words: Private Event. Cinderella Castle The Magic Kingdom will be closing to the general public at 5:30 PM that day for an event. Meaning that there’s no evening dining at the park, no Starlight Parade, and no Happily Ever After fireworks. In other words, if you plan on engaging in any of the after-dark activities, you’ll want to head over to EPCOT instead for a meal and some fireworks, specifically Luminous. Starlight August 7th August 7th marks the first day of this year’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party! The annual event is a favorite of many, offering all the treats and trappings of spooky season. However, those who don’t have party tickets will need to be out of the Magic Kingdom by 6:00 PM that day, which creates similar issues to those above. So once again, EPCOT would be a better bet. Magic Kingdom at night during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Honestly, the same could be said for every date of the Halloween Party — the aforementioned August 7th, as well as August 11th, 14th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 28th, 30th, September 1st, 4th, 8th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 27th, 29th, and October 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th, and 31st — as well as the as-yet-unannounced dates of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Luminous at EPCOT November 27th The day after Thanksgiving — AKA Black Friday — is always a busy day at Disney World’s theme parks, including the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. However, the date is usually a special one for the latter park, as it is traditionally the launch of EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays. What better way to kick off the Holiday Season than by embracing how it is celebrated around the world? 2025 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays If you’re planning a trip to Disney World during any of these dates this year, you may want to skip over the Magic Kingdom for EPCOT on these particular dates. Stay tuned to DFB for more 2026 Disney World tips! “Tastes Like Childhood”: There’s a Reason We Refuse to Shut Up About This EPCOT World Showcase Snack Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you heading to Disney World later this year? Let us know in the comments below. View the full article

So much has happened in the aviation industry in the past week, and a lot of it hasn’t been great news. ©Breeze Airways Most notably, popular budget airline Spirit Airlines officially went under and ceased all operations overnight, leaving a gap in affordable flights offered for travelers. However, now there’s some good news for flyers who are traveling in or out of Orlando International Airport — two airlines have now added new routes! According to the Orlando Business Journal, two airlines will expand their offerings at Orlando International Airport following Spirit’s shutdown. On May 5th, Breeze Airways announced it would begin a new nonstop flight route between Orlando and Atlantic City, New Jersey, beginning on July 3rd. The best part? It’ll run EACH day! The new route will begin at just $89 for a one-way. In the press release announcing the addition, Breeze Airways CEO David Neeleman said, “The daily nonstop to Atlantic City is another extension of the growth we have seen as MCO continues to be one of our largest markets. Our guests will enjoy this service to America’s Playground, and we look forward to welcoming them onboard.” ©Breeze Airways Just a few days prior, on May 2nd, Avianca Airlines announced that they plan to expand their current flight between Orlando and Medellin, Colombia, to become year-round, AND to be offered daily. However, the expansion is currently pending approval from both governments. Previously, this flight was typically only offered during the summer season. Orlando International Airport These new flights are helping to lessen the gap the shutdown of Spirit has caused, but there are still many routes that need replacing. Could we see more airlines step in to assist with those in the near future? We’ll keep an eye out, because it is possible! More Recent MCO Airport News! Popular Airline Adds 2 NEW Nonstop Flights at Orlando AirportCHANGE Hits Orlando Airport’s Terminal B!It Took Me 3 HOURS to Get From the Airport to My Disney World Hotel — Here’s What Went WrongThe New Rules You HAVE To Follow In the Orlando AirportCONFIRMED: The Orlando Airport Is Officially One Of The Best In The US We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest travel news to help you plan your upcoming trips accordingly, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB! How to Bring Gideon’s Bakehouse Cookies From Disney World Through TSA Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What new flights are you hoping will come to the airport soon? Tell us in the comments! View the full article

We’ve got massive news out of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which sounds like something we say basically once a week, but that’s because it’s TRUE! Check it out! There are multiple construction projects happening in the park right now (well, there are dozens all over Disney World as a whole), and so that means that every week, it feels like at least one of them takes a big step forward. In this case, it’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, which opens its doors in just a few short weeks. Something new is on the iconic guitar, and it’s got us VERY excited! When we stopped by the other day, we noticed that, not only is the guitar looking beautifully shiny and rainbow colored, but there’s now a sign on it that SAYS “Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets!” Check out the sign! This is just another step towards reopening, which is currently set for May 26th, with previews scheduled for Annual Passholders ahead of time. Disney has given us a sneak peek of what’s happening inside the ride, and we know what new songs we’ll be able to jam out to on the attraction, but we’re really looking forward to stepping inside soon to experience it all. Check out that new poster too! In case you’re sitting here going, “Have I been under a rock? What in the world is happening?” We’ll recap for you! Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will take guests on a VIP tour of G-Force Records, now owned by Scooter’s uncle, J.P. The Muppets have been rocking out in the studio, but they’ve lost track of time, and it’ll be a race to get to the music festival they’re headlining on time. That’s where the adventure comes in! ©Disney We know we’ll get to see The Electric Mayhem, as well as Kermit, Miss Piggy, Scooter, Gonzo, and tons more of our favorite Muppet friends, as well as some special celebrity guests. It’s bound to be a rockin’ time, that’s for sure! More Recent Hollywood Studios News! Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets Is One Step Closer To Opening!Virtual Queue Is Returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2 Weeks7 Reservations You Can Still Grab For Mother’s Day in Disney WorldHow to Guarantee a Perfect Day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Under Five MinutesFINALLY. This Is the Week We’ve All Been Waiting for in Disney World! We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disney World news, so stay tuned to DFB! The New Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Is One Step Closer to Opening Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you looking forward to this new ride? Tell us in the comments! View the full article

We love seeing special events happen in the Disney parks, especially when they get so many people involved! ©Bats Day One of our ultimate favorites is Dapper Days, which takes place in both Disney World and Disneyland throughout the year. However, if you’re not into dressing up fancy but prefer more of a darker style, then Bats Day is 100% for you. It just happened in Disneyland recently, but if you missed it, don’t worry — the 2027 date has just been announced! In 2027, Bats Day will take place on May 2nd, with pre-events happening in the park on May 1st. This will be the 28th year of the event, which started as just two goth groups getting together back in 1999. The 2026 event just took place on May 3rd, and was a big hit! @batsday on Instagram What exactly is Bats Day, you ask? Well, it celebrates all things Disney AND goth, and encourages attendees to dress up in their best/favorite black or goth attire (that still meets the park’s outfit guidelines!). You’ll find events throughout the day, such as a Baby Goths meetup, and while the event isn’t officially affiliated with Disney, the park is well aware of the events and assists in it running smoothly each year. ©Bats Day At this time, there isn’t a similar event that takes place in Disney World, but who knows what’s on the horizon! We’ll be sure to keep you updated on anything we hear so you stay informed. More Recent Disneyland Resort News! Disneyland’s Bat Day Dates Announced for 2027NEWS: Timeline Revealed for Changes to Opening Day Disney RideGUYS. You Won’t Believe Who We Just Met in Disneyland!4 Exclusive Disney Snacks Are Returning For A Limited TimeWhy Muppets Fans Are Marking Their Calendars for May 21st Need some help planning your next Disney vacation? Check out our friends at Small World Vacations! They’ve got dozens of years in the business and are incredible about making sure you have the best vacation possible at the lowest price you can. Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney World and Disneyland news! NEW LOOK at Disneyland’s Upcoming Iron Man Ride Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Have you ever gone to Bats Day, or another themed event in a Disney park? Tell us in the comments! View the full article

There are certain Disney World questions that sound boring until you’re actually standing in your resort room surrounded by damp pool towels, empty popcorn buckets, rogue mystery pin set wrappers, and one mysterious sock that no one in your family is claiming. ©Disney Suddenly, housekeeping is not a boring topic. It is the backbone of civilization. It is the difference between “magical Disney vacation” and “lightly themed laundry cave.” And if you haven’t stayed at a Disney World hotel in a while, you may have questions. Do rooms get cleaned daily? Is it every other day? What happens at Disney Vacation Club resorts? Can you ask for extra towels? Should you tip? What happens if there’s a dog in the room? What if that dog is a service animal? Modified housekeeping We’re breaking it all down, because yes, there are details. Lots of details. And because Disney hotel housekeeping, lovingly nicknamed “Mousekeeping” by many fans, is one of those things you do not think about until you very suddenly need three extra washcloths, trash pickup, and someone to help you recover from the churro crumbs your toddler has lovingly embedded into the carpet. First, What Hotels Are We Talking About? For this guide, we’re talking about Disney-owned Walt Disney World Resort hotels. That includes Disney Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts, Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villas, Disney Vacation Club properties, and The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa Nearby hotels like the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, Four Seasons, and Disney Springs-area hotels can have their own housekeeping policies. Some are wonderful. Some are weird. Some require reading the fine print with the intensity of someone trying to decode a haunted treasure map. But they are not the focus here. Three Things You Should ALWAYS Do As Soon As You Get to Your Disney World Hotel The Big Picture As of 2026, Disney’s official housekeeping schedule depends on where you stay and how you booked the room. Ft. Wilderness Rooms at Disney Value Resorts and Disney Moderate Resorts receive housekeeping service every other day. Rooms at Disney Deluxe Resorts receive daily housekeeping service. Rooms at most Disney Deluxe Villas receive daily housekeeping if booked as a regular cash stay through Disney, unless you are using Disney Vacation Club Member Points or a Member Cash Discount. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort receive housekeeping every other day unless booked with DVC Member Points or a Member Cash Discount. That’s the basic map. Now let’s open the drawer, find the weird extra remote, and get into the nitty-gritty. A Definitive Ranking of EVERY Disney World Hotel Value Resorts: Every Other Day If you’re staying at a Disney Value Resort, think All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, Pop Century, or Art of Animation, you should expect housekeeping every other day. That means you should not assume someone will come into your room daily to make beds, refresh towels, empty all trash, and reset the room back to “just checked in and haven’t yet destroyed the place with sunscreen and granola bars” condition. ©Disney For longer stays, every other day service may be perfectly fine. For shorter stays, especially one- or two-night trips, it can feel like housekeeping barely enters the chat. Our advice? If you are staying at a Value Resort and you know your family turns a room into a snack tornado by 9:07 PM, plan ahead. Ask for extra towels early. Bring a laundry bag. Use trash cans like they owe you money. And don’t be afraid to call Housekeeping if you need supplies. 7 Hotel Room Essentials for Disney World in 2026 Moderate Resorts: Also Every Other Day Disney Moderate Resorts also receive housekeeping every other day. That includes hotels like Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter. This is one of those places where the word “Moderate” feels accurate. You’re getting more amenities than the Values, usually a bit more breathing room, maybe a prettier resort vibe, maybe a lounge that whispers, “come spend $17 on a cocktail.” But when it comes to housekeeping frequency, you’re still on the every-other-day schedule. Towel Mickey If you’re a rope-drop-to-fireworks family and you barely see your room except to sleep and locate clean socks, this may not matter much. If you take midday breaks, have small kids, use the pool daily, or require a high towel-to-human ratio, you may feel it more. And let’s be clear: pool towels do not count as a personality. Please don’t hoard 19 of them in your room like a resort raccoon. The 5 Best Disney World Hotels for Introverts Deluxe Resorts: Daily Housekeeping Here’s where the Deluxe Resort price tag at least tries to hand you a mint and look useful. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Disney Deluxe Resorts receive daily housekeeping service. That includes resorts like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, and Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Daily housekeeping can be a real perk, especially if you are paying Deluxe prices and would like the room to recover from your vacation choices while you are out making more of them. Room at Animal Kingdom Lodge This is particularly helpful for longer stays, split stays, families with kids, and anyone who believes a made bed makes a hotel room feel instantly less chaotic. It also helps if you’re the kind of person who likes returning from the parks to a reset room, fresh towels, and the gentle illusion that you are not personally responsible for the trail of receipts, ears, ponchos, and portable chargers strewn across the desk. There’s One Hotel Perk You Can ONLY Get at DELUXE Resorts — Is It Worth It? Deluxe Villas: It Depends How You Booked Disney Deluxe Villas are where the housekeeping chart starts wearing a fake mustache. If you book a Disney Deluxe Villa as a regular cash reservation through Disney, you generally receive daily housekeeping, just like a Deluxe Resort hotel room. Rooms at Disney Deluxe Villas receive daily housekeeping unless you are using Disney Vacation Club Member Points or a Member Cash Discount. Disney’s Beach Club But if you’re staying on DVC points, whether your own points, rented points, or a Member Cash Discount, housekeeping works differently. This is one of the biggest areas where guests get tripped up, because two people can be staying in the same resort, even the same room type, and have different housekeeping schedules based on booking method. Cash reservation through Disney? Daily housekeeping in most Deluxe Villas. Yacht Club DVC points or Member Cash Discount? Welcome to the DVC housekeeping schedule. Please take a number and prepare to discuss trash and towels like it’s a constitutional matter. The DVC Housekeeping Schedule For Disney Vacation Club Members staying at a DVC Resort using Member Points or a Member Cash Discount, Disney says you receive trash and towel service on the fourth day of your visit. For longer stays, you receive housekeeping service on the fourth day and trash and towel service on the eighth day. Disney’s Riviera Resort Translated into normal-person language: DVC housekeeping is not daily by default when you’re staying on points. This is part of the DVC model. You are getting villa-style accommodations, often with kitchenettes or kitchens, and some larger villas include washers and dryers. But the housekeeping schedule is leaner than what you’d get as a regular cash guest at a Deluxe hotel. Trash and towel service is not the same as a full cleaning. You should expect the basics, think towels and trash, not a sparkling reset of the entire room worthy of a before-and-after HGTV reveal. Kitchen at Copper Creek This matters a lot for families staying in villas. Yes, having a kitchen is fabulous. Yes, a washer and dryer can save your sanity. But also, if you cook breakfast every morning and your child treats the pull-down bed like a cracker excavation site, you may notice that housekeeping is not swooping in daily to erase the evidence. The ONE Rule You Can’t Forget About Annual Passholder and DVC Discounts The Fort Wilderness Cabins Have Their Own Little Plot Twist The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort are now part of Disney Vacation Club, but Disney’s housekeeping page gives them a specific note: The Cabins receive housekeeping service every other day unless you are using Disney Vacation Club Member Points or a Member Cash Discount. Room inside The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort So if you book the cabins as a regular cash guest, expect housekeeping every other day. If you book through DVC points or a Member Cash Discount, you’re in DVC housekeeping territory. This is very Disney World in 2026: a cabin, a golf cart, a DVC wrinkle, and probably at least one child asking if they can go to the pool while everyone else is still trying to find coffee. FULL TOUR: We Got an Exclusive Look at the NEW Fort Wilderness Cabins in Disney World! What Does Disney Housekeeping Actually Do? Full housekeeping cleanings include the things you would expect: replacing towels and amenities, cleaning bathrooms, making beds, emptying trash and recycling, tidying the room, and vacuuming. That does not mean every single inch of your room is getting deep-cleaned daily or every other day. This is hotel housekeeping, not a fairy godmother with a commercial-grade steamer and a grudge against dust. Port Orleans — Riverside You can generally expect things like: Fresh towels replace used towels. Bathroom cleaning. Trash and recycling emptied. Beds made. Amenities replenished. Light tidying. Vacuuming as needed. Mary Poppins Room What should you not assume? That housekeeping will organize your family’s 47 souvenir bags, wash your personal dishes, fold your laundry, or identify which MagicBand belongs to which child. They are housekeepers, not forensic vacation archaeologists. Also, if something specific needs attention, ask. Spilled coffee on the sheets? Call. Need more shampoo? Call. Baby had a diaper incident that belongs in a villain origin story? Definitely call. 5 Things You Need To Know About Housekeeping at Disney World Hotels When Does Housekeeping Come? There is no one universal time when housekeeping arrives. Housekeeping time depends on several factors, but typically occurs from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Guests who need service at another time can call Housekeeping from the room phone. This means housekeeping may show up while you are at the parks, while you are at the pool, while you are napping, or precisely when one member of your travel party has decided to shower after everyone else insisted “we’re leaving in five minutes.” Bathroom at the DVC Villas at the Grand Floridian If timing matters, call Housekeeping. Requests are requests, not royal decrees, but Cast Members can often note preferences or help you figure out what is realistic. Pro tip: if you’re doing a midday break and absolutely do not want anyone knocking during nap time, use the Room Occupied sign. Just remember that sign is not a magical legal shield. More on that in a minute. Can You Ask for Extra Towels, Coffee, or Toiletries? Yes. If you need additional housekeeping amenities or have a specific request, Disney says you can visit the Front Desk or contact Housekeeping using your in-room phone. This is the part where we gently remind everyone: ask before you are in a towel crisis. ©Disney If you have four people showering after a pool break and you know the towel math is going to get grim, call early. If you drink in-room coffee like you are personally powering Space Mountain, request more coffee supplies. If you need extra toilet paper, do not wait until the situation becomes cinematic. Mickey Towels at French Quarter While there is no option to pay for extra bed-refreshing service, guests can request fresh towels, more coffee, or trash removal on non-housekeeping days by calling Housekeeping or stopping by the Front Desk. In other words, you may not be able to buy a full extra room refresh at every resort level, but you can absolutely ask for the basics. Disney would rather bring you towels than have you attempt to dry off with a Spirit Jersey. Can You Decline Housekeeping? Yes. You can decline housekeeping at any time during their stay by speaking with a Cast Member in person or by placing the Room Occupied sign on the door. However, the opt-out feature is no longer available during online check-in. The Little Mermaid Rooms in Caribbean Beach Resort This is helpful for guests who prefer privacy, have sleeping kids, work remotely from the room, are traveling with nervous pets, or simply do not want anyone entering the room during the stay. However, declining housekeeping does not mean Disney will never enter your room. This is important, so let’s put a little highlighter on it. The Room Occupied Sign Is Not a Force Field Disney reserves the right to enter any room at a Disney Resort hotel for maintenance, safety, security, or other purposes, even if the Room Occupied sign is displayed. Hotel staff will give reasonable notice before entry by knocking and announcing their intent to enter. Room occupied sign This is part of Disney’s safety and security policy, and it’s not unique to housekeeping. You may hear these referred to as room checks or wellness checks. The big thing to know is that declining housekeeping does not guarantee zero entry. Bathroom So if your room looks like a suitcase exploded during a popcorn festival, live your truth. But maybe don’t leave anything sensitive, fragile, or embarrassing sitting out where a Cast Member entering for safety or maintenance reasons could encounter it. This is not the time to create a Haunted Mansion scene with your laundry. What About Trash If You Decline Housekeeping? Even if you decline housekeeping, trash may still be collected. For safety reasons, trash continues to be collected when housekeeping is declined, and guests who need supplies like coffee, towels, or toiletries can call Housekeeping or visit the Front Desk. Living area And honestly? Daily trash removal matters at Disney World. Florida heat, plus leftovers, plus wet paper cups is not a fragrance journey anyone requested. If you have a lot of trash, especially food trash, bag it neatly. Don’t make the room smell like a mobile order graveyard. Is Tipping Mousekeeping Customary? Tipping housekeeping at Disney World is not required, but it is customary for many guests, especially in U.S. hotel culture. There is no official mandatory Mousekeeping tip. You are not going to be tackled by the Tipping Police outside the lobby if you forget cash. But housekeeping is physically demanding work, and many Disney guests choose to tip as a way to thank the Cast Members who keep their rooms clean. © Disney The amount is up to the guest, but note that $5 per day is an average estimate. If you are going to tip, we recommend leaving cash in an envelope clearly marked for housekeeping and tipping daily, since the person cleaning your room may change during the stay. How Much Should You Tip? Here’s our practical Disney World guideline: For a standard room with light use, $3 to $5 per housekeeping visit is a solid starting point. For a family, consider $1 to $2 per person per housekeeping visit. For suites, villas, messy rooms, special requests, or “we spilled chocolate milk on the bed at 11 PM” situations, tip more if you can. If your room gets daily housekeeping at a Deluxe Resort, tipping daily makes sense. If your room gets every-other-day housekeeping, tip on service days. If you decline housekeeping for the whole stay, but the room will need a serious checkout clean, consider leaving a checkout tip. Polynesian Island Tower Villa Cash is best. Leave it somewhere visible with a note that clearly says “Thank you, Housekeeping” or “For Mousekeeping.” Do not leave random cash on a nightstand and expect everyone to magically understand your intentions. That is how awkward sitcom misunderstandings are born. Also, Cast Members generally cannot accept random gifts or food as gratuity, so stick with cash and kind words. The Ultimate Guide to Tipping at Disney World What If You Have a Dog in Your Room? Disney World does allow dogs at a small number of designated dog-friendly resorts. The four Disney Resort hotels with designated dog-friendly accommodations are Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, and The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort also accommodate dogs. Dogs are the only pets allowed, with a maximum of two dogs per guest room. Dogs are expected to be well-behaved, leashed in public areas, and properly vaccinated. ©Fox News There is also a nightly pet fee. The charge is $50 per night plus tax at Art of Animation, Port Orleans Riverside, and The Cabins at Fort Wilderness. At Yacht Club, the charge is $75 per night plus tax. Now, the big housekeeping detail: housekeeping service is only available when dogs are not present in the guest room. Disney’s pet policy says guests should call Housekeeping from the in-room phone to schedule a cleaning time. If a cleaning time is not scheduled, a Housekeeping Cast Member will contact the guest to schedule one. The policy also says dogs should not be left unattended in the room for more than seven hours. Pluto This is not Disney being dramatic. This is safety and common sense. Even a friendly dog can react differently when a stranger enters “their” temporary hotel kingdom. Housekeeping Cast Members should not have to play “Will This Dog Love Me or Defend the Ottoman?” as part of their day. If you bring a dog, you need to coordinate housekeeping. That may mean taking the dog for a walk, bringing the dog with you while the room is serviced, or scheduling around your resort break. ©Disney Disney’s pet policy also says guests receive a Room Occupied door hanger as part of Pluto’s Welcome Kit and should display it to alert Cast Members that dogs are present. Use it. This is not the time for subtlety. Can You Bring Your Dog to Disney World? Where Can Dogs Go at the Resort? Dogs staying in dog-friendly rooms are not granted an all-access VIP lanyard. Other than service animals, dogs are not permitted in theme parks, water parks, or common areas such as restaurants, pools, and recreational spaces. ©Disney Dogs can use designated relief areas at dog-friendly resorts. They should be leashed or in a carrier outside the room, and guests are responsible for care, behavior, and waste cleanup. So no, your dog cannot join you at the pool bar for a vacation margarita. Honestly, your dog probably has better judgment than most of us and would order water anyway. What If Someone Has Pet Allergies? Disney says there are no dog-free areas at the four dog-friendly resort hotels: Art of Animation, Port Orleans Riverside, Yacht Club, and The Cabins at Fort Wilderness. Guests who prefer to stay at a hotel that is not dog-friendly should choose another Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Scar Disney also says all other Walt Disney World Resort hotels remain canine-free to accommodate guests with allergies or other needs, and that Disney has a thorough cleaning process and will work to accommodate individual needs. Service Animal Area Important caveat: service animals are different. Service animals are not pets, and different rules apply. What If You Have a Service Animal? Disney defines a service animal as a dog or miniature horse individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. Service animals must be under the control of the owner at all times and should remain on a leash or in a harness. Cast Members are not able to take control of service animals. Disney also distinguishes service animals from emotional support animals, comfort animals, and pets. Only trained service animals are permitted inside Walt Disney World theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and pets are only permitted at designated pet-friendly Walt Disney World Resort hotels. Beauty and the Beast in Pup Form Service animals must be housebroken and behave appropriately. Service animals should not bark, growl, jump on, or lunge at other guests or Cast Members, and corrective action must be taken if the service animal is not behaving appropriately. When it comes to housekeeping, service animals are not treated the same as pets. Disney’s pet policy specifically notes that the listed pet rules do not apply to service animals. Pluto riding Dumbo That said, practical coordination is still your friend. Because Cast Members cannot take control of service animals, it’s smart to speak with the Front Desk or Housekeeping if your service animal will be in the room during service or if you need cleaning at a particular time. The goal is not to create barriers. The goal is to make sure everyone, guest, animal, and Cast Member, can move through the day safely and respectfully. A Definitive Ranking of EVERY Disney World Hotel! Housekeeping Etiquette That Helps Everyone You do not need to deep-clean your own room before housekeeping arrives. That would be like washing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, which half of us do, and half of us consider a personality flaw. Dish wash time But there are a few things you can do to make housekeeping smoother. Put trash in trash cans or gathered bags. Keep valuables secured. Move personal items off the bed if you want the bed made. Hang or pile used towels clearly. Do not leave wet towels on furniture. Call for biohazard-level messes instead of hoping someone discovers them. Use the Room Occupied sign when needed. Tip clearly, preferably daily or on service days, if tipping is in your budget. Living room! And please, please do not make housekeeping navigate a minefield of open suitcases, charging cords, and mystery snacks. Cast Members are talented, but they are not Indiana Jones. 6 Things Disney World Restaurant Cast Members Want To Tell You But Won’t Because They’re Too Nice The Final Room Check Housekeeping at Disney World is not one-size-fits-all anymore. It depends on your resort category, your booking type, your length of stay, and whether you are traveling with a dog or service animal. Duck towel! For most guests, the simplest rule is this: Deluxe Resorts get daily housekeeping, Value and Moderate Resorts get every-other-day housekeeping, and DVC points stays follow a separate schedule. If you need something, ask early. If you do not want service, use the Room Occupied sign, but remember Disney can still enter for safety, security, or maintenance reasons. If you bring a dog, coordinate cleaning carefully. And if you can tip Mousekeeping, especially on service days, it is a kind gesture for Cast Members doing very real work behind the curtain. Donald Duck art in a refurbished Beach Club room Because at the end of a long Disney day, after the sunscreen, snacks, fireworks crowds, bus lines, stroller parking, Lightning Lane refreshes, and one emotional debate over whether a bubble wand is “worth it,” there is something deeply glorious about returning to a clean room. Beach Club A made bed. Fresh towels. Empty trash. That is not just housekeeping. That is the unglamorous little miracle that keeps your resort room from becoming a snack-strewn crime scene. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disney Resort news, tips, and insights, so stay tuned to DFB! This Just Restored My Faith In Humanity Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Do you have any housekeeping tips? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

Josh Groban sings like a dream on his new album… but can he handle the teacups?🎶 CINEMATIC Out Now!View the full article

DOLE Whip has been a staple in Disney Parks since 1986, a full decade after Dole Packaged Foods became the sponsor of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland. The treat spread to Disney Parks all over the world, and well, as they say, the rest is history. New DOLE Whip Flight! Now, DOLE Whip has expanded well beyond the standard pineapple soft serve treat we all know and love. Now, you can get DOLE Whip sundaes and DOLE Whip floats, as well as a variety of DOLE Whip flavors that go WELL beyond pineapple. One of our fave spots to grab DOLE Whip in Disney World is Swirls on the Water in Disney Springs because every so often, they offer a brand new DOLE Whip Flight (aka a sampler) with some new flavors. Well, a new DOLE Whip Flight just dropped, and we’re trying it out! The new DOLE Whip Flight includes a Pineapple-Vanilla Swirl DOLE Whip, a Strawberry-Banana Sundae, and a Watermelon-Lime Swirl for $8.99. Three Dole Whips for just $9? Yes, please! This is such a great way to sample DOLE Whip flavors if you can’t make up your mind which one you want to try. But we will warn you, it was a hot day, and these DOLE Whip samples turned to mush pretty fast! The new flight! The Pineapple-Vanilla Swirl is your standard Pineapple-Vanilla Swirl DOLE Whip, that combo of DOLE Whip Pineapple and Vanilla Soft Serve that is somehow just so gratifying. It’s nothing unique, but it’s nice to have a classic DOLE Whip treat on the flight. It’s also served with a pineapple slice. Pineapple-Vanilla Swirl The Strawberry-Banana Swirl, though, is a little more interesting. It’s DOLE Whip Strawberry swirled with Banana Soft Serve, topped with Strawberry Sauce, Whipped Topping, and Roasted Peanuts. And, y’all, if you love a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, that’s EXACTLY what this tastes like. The strawberry DOLE Whip almost tastes like strawberry yogurt. The banana tasted very artificial, like banana-flavored candy, but it doesn’t really take away from the flavors. The only thing is this one is MESSY. Strawberry-Banana Swirl The Watermelon-Lime Swirl is DOLE Whip Watermelon combined with DOLE Whip Lime with White Sprinkles. Now, we love both of these flavors individually, and combined, well, they taste like a Watermelon Blow Pop Lollipop. No, really! This one is on the sour side, and we LOVED IT with the watermelon flavor standing out the most. The sprinkles don’t really add anything but crunch. Watermelon-Lime Swirl So if you’ve been looking to try some new DOLE Whip treats, head on over to Disney Springs because these are available now separately, or as part of the flight. In the meantime, we’ll keep a lookout for more new food in Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB for more. LITERALLY EVERYTHING You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About DOLE Whip at Disney Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What’s your favorite DOLE Whip flavor outside of pineapple? Share with us in the comments! View the full article