Disney4me

You’ve already got work, school, kids, family life, groceries, meal prep, your dying plants that you need to somehow revive. Add onto that planning a Disney trip with its complications about Park Passes, Genie+, dining reservations made 60 days in advance, and it can be…a lot. Woody says “Don’t make these Disney World mistakes.” Truly, planning a Disney World vacation can be a daunting task. There are some things you might forget to do, or that you don’t know you need to do, or that you just DON’T do that could ruin your vacation. But don’t worry. Don’t stress out. As the song says, “you’ve got a friend in me!” Today we’re sharing our words of warning, along with lots of tips, to help you avoid those big mistakes that could ruin your trip! Here are a list of some of the top mistakes to avoid when you’re visiting Disney World (and our tips on how to address them). Not Establishing a Budget Yes, Disney World is expensive. But it can be even more expensive if you don’t decide on a budget upfront! Sure, you might have figured out what the trip itself might cost, but have you budgeted for food, souvenirs, impromptu rideshare splurges, and other expenses that might pop up DURING the trip? Gift cards can help you budget for your trip! Trust us — if you don’t have a budget set up (and if you don’t stick to it), you have a good chance of ending up in shock at the end of your trip after realizing how much money you spent. It might seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth the effort. Take the time to look at the menus of the restaurants you plan to eat at, check out the prices for the souvenirs you think you might want, and add on a bit extra for tips for those table service meals and miscellaneous expenses. Want help with that budget? Check out our posts below! See what Disney World tickets really cost Learn why Disney World will cost you thousands more in 2022 Is Disney World too expensive for average families? Find out Get an idea for how much it would cost a family of 4 to do Disney World in 2022 Check out 9 FREE things to do in Disney World in 2022 9 of the best budget-friendly lunches in Disney World 15 Cheap But Filling Disney World Snacks For When You’re Ballin’ On a Budget Not Making Advance Dining Reservations If you have restaurants you absolutely MUST dine at in Disney World, you’ll want to make sure that you make advance dining reservations (ADRs) as soon as you can! You can currently make reservations 60 days in advance of your check-in day, plus those staying at Disney World hotels can make reservations for their entire stay up to ten days. Want a reservation at Le Cellier? Make it as soon as you can! Our advice? Make your restaurant list, set your alarm, and make sure you’re up and ready to make those reservations! You can call (407) WDW-DINE, make the reservations online through Disney’s website, or use the My Disney Experience app. Not sure what restaurants to pick? We’ve got LOTS of reviews to help you decide. Our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2022 could also be a great place to start! Get the DFB Guide today! Our guide has over 700 pages of Disney Dining and Planning information, tips, and more. Plus, we’ve got a 5-step guide designed to help you set up your dining reservations so you can get those worries out of the way! Click here to see our TOP Disney World restaurant picks for 2022! Here’s an additional dining tip: don’t schedule TOO many ADRs — be sure to leave yourself some time to enjoy the parks (and Disney World’s great counter-service restaurants). If you can’t score the reservation of your dreams, keep checking back as there are often cancellations! And don’t forget to use things like Mobile Dine Walk-Up Waitlist to potentially get a spot at a restaurant that didn’t otherwise show availability. Here Are The Easiest Ways to Modify a Disney World Dining Reservation Not Making Park Pass Reservations (Or Not Making Them Early Enough) If you haven’t been to Disney World in a while, you might not know about Park Pass reservations, but these are crucial to know about now. Basically, you have to reserve your spot at specific parks in order to get in. You can’t just show up with a ticket and get in. You’ll need a valid ticket AND a Park Pass reservation to enter a Disney World theme park. If you want to see this view, be sure to make your Park Pass reservation! We suggest you plan out your days well in advance, and as soon as you can, make those Park Pass reservations so you can actually get into the parks you want to get into. Don’t wait too late to book your Park Pass reservations — they can and do fill up and the ones you want might be gone by the time you get around to doing it. ©Disney If the passes for the parks you want to visit aren’t available by the time you get to booking them, our advice is to book whatever is available. At least you’ll be able to get into some of the parks, rather than none. If you have a Park Hopper pass, you can then hop to another park (as long as there’s availability) or you can continuously check to see if there are cancellations or changes to the availability calendar. Click here to see why one Disney official says Park Pass reservations could be here to stay Not Checking Park Hours and Special Event Times Once you know you’re going to Disney World, be sure to check the official calendar on the Disney World website to see when parks are going to be open. Also, you’ll want to check for the dates of any potential special events. If, for example, you’ll be visiting during a time when a park will be hosting a special event and will be closing EARLY for regular guests, that’s something you’ll want to know about (you’ll generally see it marked on the calendar). Be sure to check park hours! ©Disney Park hours can be really critical, especially if you don’t have a Park Hopper pass. If you aren’t careful, you could accidentally plan to spend your one day in Magic Kingdom on a day when it will be closing hours earlier, or you could miss out on some longer hours it might have on another day. EPCOT Keep in mind, though, that park hours can and do change. Sometimes they might change ahead of your trip, or you might find that they’ll change in the middle of your vacation! Be sure to check those times each day to make sure you’re maximizing your time in the Most Magical Place on Earth! We share weekly Park Hours and Park Pass updates, so be sure to subscribe to the DFB newsletter for the most up to date info! Click here for the latest updates on Disney World’s theme park hours Underestimating How Much Walking You Will Do Believe us when we say you will walk MILES at Disney World without even realizing it. And that doesn’t even factor all of the time you’ll just spend STANDING in lines. Track your steps during your trip and we have a feeling you’ll be shocked at what the tracker tells you. If you’re not up to a lot of walking, that that into account and make sure to take breaks throughout the day to give your body some rest or plan to only spend half days in the parks and schedule your time out appropriately. It IS a lot. These shoes were made for walking? We also recommend planning your days at each park to minimize crossing back and forth a lot from one end of the park to another. You can get a lot more done (with a lot less walking) by focusing your ride priorities in one land or area and then moving on when you’re done there. Are You a Crocs Fan? You might also want to do a bit of walking before your trip. Even just a few walks around the block can help your legs get ready — just so you don’t go from 0 to hero in no time flat. (It’s not as easy as Hercules made it look!) Also, make sure you break in those shoes in advance. Do NOT start your trip by using a brand new pair of shoes — no one wants a blister during vacation! And carefully pick out the shoes you choose to wear. Wearing the “wrong” pair of shoes for your feet can set your trip up for disaster (and the need for a lot of Advil ). What shoes should you wear to Disney World? See what our readers have said! Not Considering Transportation Times If you’re trying to get to the park at a certain time or trying to be at a specific restaurant at a certain time, a good rule of thumb is to add at least an additional hour to when you need to leave wherever you’ll be before that to account for transportation. You may have to wait a while for a bus! Disney World transportation can undoubtedly be convenient, but it can also be very busy and take a long time! Especially if you’re traveling during a busy time, you may find yourself standing in long lines that could mean it’ll be a WHILE before you even get on that bus, boat, Skyliner, or Monorail. Monorail Time! Give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to be so you don’t run late and you don’t get too stressed. That may mean heading toward the front of the park about 90 minutes before your scheduled dining reservation at a resort or Disney Springs. Better to be there early and have extra time than feel like you’ve only got seconds before your reservation time arrives. And be sure to take this transportation time into account when leaving at the end of the day. If you know your family will start hitting its breaking point at 10PM, consider leaving the park earlier so you can be back in your cozy, air conditioned room before a full meltdown ensues! Click here for your guide to Disney World transportation! Wearing the Wrong Shoes and Clothing There’s a lot that factors into your Disney World outfit. You might want to look cute and feel stylish for all of those photos you’ll definitely put up on your Instagram. Or you might have that matching shirt thing going on, which can be a lot of fun! But, remember that you have to get practical about your clothing too! Unfortunately, Disney is not housed in a weather controlled dome. Before you leave home, check the weather forecast! Believe it or not, it can often get a bit chilly in Florida (especially in January), and you might need a light jacket or sweater. (Okay, so maybe it’s not THAT cold for all you Northern folks who casually deal with 4 degree weather, but the 40s can be cold for some people! ) Pack Those Sweaters! Likewise, it can get VERY hot in the summer. We’re talking some serious heat folks — it’s no joke! You don’t want to be running around in a sweatshirt during 90 degree weather, trust us. If it looks like the weather will be a mix of things, come prepared! Bring layers and pack them in your bag so you can change things out as you see fit. We write a weekly weather report each week, so keep your eye on our newsletter for weather details! Another important tip? ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS (we repeat ALWAYS) bring rain gear. Unless you visit during those especially cold days or sporadic days during the year when it doesn’t rain a drop in Central Florida, you’ve got a pretty high chance of hitting some rain at least once during your trip (even if the forecast doesn’t call for rain during your trip!). Don’t bring the rain gear and you’ll be stuck shelling out some serious cash for raincoats and umbrellas in the park. You’ll probably need a raincoat at least ONCE. And (as we mentioned above) think very carefully about the shoes you bring. You’ll want something comfortable, already broken into, and able of handling a lot of walking on pavement. Again we say, Disney World is NOT where you want to break in a new pair of shoes! And bring a spare pair of shoes if you can! Remember those rain showers we mentioned? It can be really nice to have a spare pair of super dry shoes to wear the next day, so you don’t have to walk around in soggy shoes for multiple days (also a good tip if you’re a fan of water rides like Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids)! Or consider packing waterproof shoes — things like Crocs or other shoes that can handle the water just fine. Aside from water concerns, changing your shoes can also just give your feet a bit of a change and help them not feel too worn out. Red Platform Sneakers Oh gosh, and the SOCKS! How can we forget about the socks?! Socks can ruin your trip if they’re too tight, too small (and lead to blisters), or get soggy from rain. Bring more socks than you think you’ll need, just in case! You’ll also want to take comfort into account. Hate itchy tags on your shirts? Cut them off? Don’t spend your Disney World trip uncomfortable and miserable because you’re wearing a scratchy shirt. Look for comfortable and breathable material (unless you’ll be coming during those colder times). There’s a Lot to Consider When Packing Need help packing? We’ve got you covered! Click here for the ultimate packing list for newborns in Disney World Check out our packing list from 2021 See 8 of the most obscure things people bring to Disney World 10 Disney World essentials you can get on Amazon 14 Disney hotel room essentials And click here to see 10 Target essentials you NEED in your Disney bag! Not Setting an Alarm to Get Lightning Lane Passes on Genie+ Disney Genie+ is an optional paid service that has essentially replaced FastPass+. Disney Genie+ allows you to bypass standby lines and enter the Lightning Lane (previously known as the FastPass+ line) at select attractions — thereby getting you on your favorite attractions without the long waits. Genie+ costs $15 per day, per ticket at Disney World. (Tax not included.) Essentially, with Genie+ you’ll get to see the next available return times for a bunch of different attractions. You’ll select the return time for the attraction that you want, and when that return time arrives you’ll get to skip the standby line and go through the Lightning Lane. Then, you’ll make your next selection and so on and so forth (though there are some special rules you’ll want to know about when it comes to Genie+ and making your next selection). Genie+ ©Disney While many rides are included in that $15 per day, per ticket price, some are NOT available through the standard Genie+ service. Instead, if you want to skip the lines at some of the really popular rides (like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance) you’ll have to pay to skip those lines individually through Individual Attraction Selection. Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane Regardless of whether you buy Genie+ in advance of your trip or the day of your park visit, you won’t be able to make your first Genie+ Lightning Lane selection until 7AM on the morning of your visit. Also, if you choose to use Individual Attraction Selection, Disney World hotel guests can make their pay-per-ride selections at 7AM, but other guests cannot do so until the park opens. If you miss that 7AM (or park opening) wake-up call, it could mean that some of the more popular attractions won’t have Lightning Lane availability until later in the afternoon or evening, or they might not have Lightning Lane availability at all (at least not unless more availability pops up). Some selections can sell out (at least initially), which means you might just be stuck using the standby line to get on that ride. Don’t underestimate the popularity of the Jungle Cruise If you’re gonna fork out an extra $15 per person, per day for Genie+ to have the chance to skip some of the lines of your favorite attractions, don’t let something as simple as accidentally sleeping in get in the way of getting you top picks of the Lightning Lane options! Be sure to set those alarms and get up in time to make your Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection picks as soon as you can so you get the best chance of skipping the lines at your must-do rides. Click here for our step-by-step guide to using Disney Genie! Not Linking Your Family and Friends on My Disney Experience You’re going to find yourself dealing with a big headache if you don’t have all members of your family or group linked together on the My Disney Experience App. This will especially come in handy when you’re trying to nab those Genie+ Lightning Lanes or Individual Attraction Selections. Make sure your whole family is linked in your My Disney Experience account! Well ahead of your trip, download the My Disney Experience app. Make sure you’ve set up your own account in it and linked your hotel reservations, Park Pass reservations, and ticket information. Then, make sure you’ve got all of your family and friends connected. If your family and friends have their own My Disney Experience profiles, you can link to them to set up your family and friends list. Make sure they have all of their information linked with their account! If you’ve got members of the group who don’t have their own profiles, either ask them to download the app and create their profiles, or you can create profiles for them and manage their plans. Again, just make sure all tickets, etc. are linked. ©Disney Getting everything linked and arranged will help you be able to make plans for the full group! Click here to learn more about My Disney Experience Not Drinking Enough Water It can get hot in Florida, and you will need to stay hydrated if you want to stay healthy in the parks. It’s SO important to drink plenty of water throughout the day. You can bring your own water bottles and fill them up at water refill stations or get free water from counter-service locations — whatever you do, just be sure to drink plenty H2O. Free Water! Passing out from dehydration is probably not on your ideal Disney vacation itinerary, so set alarms to drink that water or otherwise make sure it is a top priority! Here’s Everywhere You Can Find FREE Water in Disney World Planning For “YOUR” Dream Vacation and Not Including Your Group You probably have the ideal Disney World vacation in mind — we all do! But if you’re going to Disney World with family, friends, or another group, you’re going to want to work together to get the dream vacation that EVERYONE in your party wants, or at least a vacation that takes everyone’s wants into account. Everyone in your party deserves a dream vacation! That means including your family or travel pals in some of those key planning stages. Before you make that hotel reservation and book 50 dining reservations (an exaggeration, of course!) talk to your group. Is there a hotel they’ve got their heart set on staying in? Is there a restaurant they absolutely MUST eat in this trip? What rides do they want to get on? What rides will they absolutely NOT ride? Knowing each person’s priorities, likes, dislikes, and goals for their trip can help you plan a trip that’ll make everyone happy! It’s tempting to fully take over planning a trip for the whole group and just running the show. But if you’re just living your dream and everyone else is miserable, you’ll end up miserable too. Here’s The ULTIMATE Guide to Planning A Walt Disney World Vacation Sleeping In (Sometimes) We get it — for some people, part of the fun of vacation is getting to relax and sleep in. But you’re not going on a regular vacation, friend, you’re going to DISNEY WORLD — the land of churros, Mickey Mouse, and…no sleep! In all seriousness, you can sleep in and take your Disney World vacation as it comes if you’re not worried about getting on those top priority rides and you’re just there to walk around. If you’re truly “going with the flow,” then you can live that life — but know that it will generally come with longer waits, larger crowds, hotter temperatures, and (generally) missed opportunities to accomplish more during your stay. Crowds Here are some reasons why you might want to wake up early and sacrifice a few hours of that precious sleep: 1 — It could help you get those top-priority picks for Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection either at 7AM or park open, as applicable. 2 — It could help you take advantage of special benefits like Early Theme Park Entry (available for all Disney World hotel guests and select other hotel guests). Early Entry gets you into the parks 30 minutes early — giving you bonus time to get on those rides without the full crowds. (But note that night owls staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villas can take advantage of Extended Evening Hours as well.) Early Entry 3 — Getting to the parks right when (or even before) they open means that you will be some of the first guests in the parks and may get the chance to ride some of the most popular attractions before the lines get too long and the day gets too hot. There are a lot of good reasons why getting up early can be beneficial in the Most Magical Place on Earth. Early Entry And hey, if you really need that extra sleep, consider taking a midday break back at the hotel for a nap — believe us, we’ve done it. Then you’ll be rested up enough to tackle more time in the parks later! Whatever You Do, DON’T Listen to These Disney World Tips! Not Knowing How to Use the QR Codes You’re going to see QR codes EVERYWHERE at Disney World, and if you don’t already know how to use them, you’ll definitely want to learn! They will save you a lot of time — whether you’re just needing to see a restaurant menu quickly, or you want to quickly shop without having to go through the regular checkout lane, or you need to reserve a spot in a virtual line. What a time-saver! Yes, QR codes are your friends. Most restaurants have menus on their websites that you can find on your mobile device, but just scanning the QR code provided can save you some extra steps (or even some frustration!) so why not do yourself a favor and get familiar with your friend, the QR code. It’s generally as simple as pointing your smart phone’s camera at the QR code and tapping the link that pops up (at least on an iPhone). And, of course, feel free to ask any Cast Member for some help to master this new digital pal. Learn About Mobile Merchandise Checkout Here Not Becoming Familiar with My Disney Experience in Advance If you’re one of those folks who refuses to use your phone during a vacation, we apologize in advance. In many ways, your phone AND the My Disney Experience app are critical to enjoying your Disney World trip. You’ll generally end up using your phone and the app for a lot of things during your trip, including unlocking your hotel room door, ordering food through Mobile Order (which is, in many spots, essentially required), checking ride wait times, having your tickets handy, making dining reservations on the go, making Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection picks, using Mobile Merchandise Check-Out, joining a mobile dine waitlist, checking-in to your dining reservation, and SO. MUCH. MORE. Learn to use Disney’s digital features to optimize your vacation ©Disney Yes, there are usually other ways of doing some of those things, but they might end up taking MORE time than using the app. So, our advice? Download the app at home before your trip and start learning how to use it in advance. Set up your account, link Park Passes, hotel reservations, and park tickets, and play around with the app’s features so you can be familiar with it. And if you need any helpful tips about the My Disney Experience app, we’ve got some right here! Here’s Your Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your Disney MagicMobile Pass Pushing Too Hard To Do Everything The first thing you need to remember about Disney World is that there is really no way for you to do EVERYTHING in the parks and resorts in one trip. In fact, you may go on 100 trips to Disney World and still not do it all. There are specialty tours, tons of rides, shows and experiences to see, SO many restaurants, and gazillions of snacks available. No matter how hard you push yourself, you won’t see it ALL in one go. There is just SO MUCH to see and do, and Disney keeps adding more to the parks! So take a deep breath, accept that there will always be more to do and see, and relax. Pick out the main things that are on your must-do list for your trip and if you get in a few extra things, cool! If not, ALSO cool! Mickey says “Relax!” We’ve seen way too many families at the parks who have been going non-stop from park opening to close without stopping for a break. And while that might be okay for some, we’ve seen a good number of parents having a meltdown right alongside their kids. Disney is a LOT for anyone. Be sure to slow down, take time to enjoy the memories you’re creating, and don’t push yourself too hard. Remember, whatever you don’t get a chance to experience this trip is just another justification to book another magical vacation! If you’ve done all 25 of these things in Disney World, we’ll be seriously impressed! Waiting Too Long To Decide What To Eat Although Disney World does have a lot of options for eating on the go, the best way to avoid getting HANGRY is knowing what you want to eat and where you want to go. Even when using counter service, you’ll probably need to Mobile Order food (it’s essentially required in many places or heavily encouraged), and if you don’t plan ahead, you might find yourself waiting a long time to eat. If you wait until the second you’re hungry to place that Mobile Order, you may find that the next pick-up time isn’t for a WHILE. That means you’ll be stuck being hangry for a bit before your pick-up time arrives. And then you might have to wait in another decently sized line to actually get your hands on that food. Plan your mobile order early! Our advice? Think about those mealtimes earlier in the day. We know it might sound like a bit much, but place those Mobile Orders as soon as you can (even really early in the morning!) so you can select the pick-up time that works best for you and your food can be ready well before you reach peak level hangriness! Here’s The Harsh Reality Behind Mobile Ordering in Disney World Not Reviewing Menus First We’ve all got picky eaters in the family! Or maybe you or others in your party have allergies or other food sensitivities. That’s why it’s important to look over Disney World menus ahead of time so you know where you and your family can and can’t eat. You can access every Disney World restaurant’s menu on the official Disney World website and through the My Disney Experience app. Generally, you will find allergy-friendly menu options and picky eater-friendly selections at many restaurants in Disney World. But it’s good to look at things in advance so you can have a plan of attack for those who do have special dietary needs. Disney World menus are readily available online and through the My Disney Experience app! Know before you go — that’s a rule to live by when visiting Disney World! Click here for more information about eating with allergies and intolerances in Disney World We hope that this post has helped you learn about some of the biggest mistakes you can make in Disney World that could ruin your trip, and we hope our tips help you avoid making those errors! We’ll continue to give you all our best tips AND tricks to make the most of your Disney World vacation, so stay tuned. Click here for our top 50 all-time best Disney dining tips! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made at Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post 17 Mistakes That CAN RUIN Your Disney World Vacation first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It might be March Madness for basketball right now, but we’ve got a DIFFERENT kind of bracket that involves one of our favorite things: FOOD. The Flower and Garden Festival is here! We started with 64 of the most popular eats and drinks from the 2022 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival, and now we’re back with Round 2 and 32 food and drinks. The first round had some SERIOUS upsets, so will there be more controversy this round?? If you want to participate in Flower and Garden Festival Madness and vote for your favorite, follow us on Instagram and remember to check our stories every day! All right, we’re down to 32 Flower and Garden Festival food and drinks, so let’s get right into the results for Round 2! The Goof! First up, we’ve got House-made Cheesy Crab Wontons versus Rose Bubble Milk Tea. Both items are from Lotus House, and there’s a clear winner here. House-made Cheesy Crab Wontons vs Rose Bubble Milk Tea The House-made Cheesy Crab Wontons won with 74% of the votes! We did enjoy the Rose Bubble Milk Tea, but it stood no chance against the returning favorite Wontons. Read our review of the House-made Cheesy Crab Wontons here! Next up is the Potato Pancake with Carmelized Ham vs Toasted Pretzel Bread, and you can get both of these returning snacks from the Bauernmarkt booth. Potato Pancake with Carmelized Ham vs Toasted Pretzel Bread And the winner is…Toasted Pretzel Bread with 76% of the votes! Both of these dishes involve ham, but apparently, pretzel bread wins over potato pancakes. Read our review of the Toasted Pretzel Bread here! We’re moving on to the refreshing Steigl Brewery Raspberry Radler from Bauenmarkt versus the Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites from Sunshine Griddle. Does a fruity beer stand a chance against cinnamon rolls? Steigl Brewery Raspberry Radler vs Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites The answer is: no! The Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites won with a whopping 84% of the votes. How could they not? They even come with cream cheese frosting and candied bacon, and it’s fried cinnamon, folks. Check out our review of the Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites here! Let’s hop over to Jardin de Fiestas for the Poppy Flower Margarita versus the Arepas with Shrimp and Crushed Avocado Ají from La Isla Fresca. This is a tough one because they’re both new and they’re both delicious. Poppy Flower Margarita vs Arepas with Shrimp and Crushed Avocado Aji But the Poppy Flower Margarita reigns supreme with 68% of the votes! This margarita is super fresh, and we loved the additions of cucumber juice and hibiscus tea. Here’s our review of the Poppy Flower Margarita. We’ve got another dish from Jardin de Fiestas! Next up is the Taco Vampiro versus the Tupelo Honey and Sweet Corn Spoon from The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board. You might think this is a battle of sweet and savory but both dishes have some sweet elements, and this was a close call. Tupelo Honey and Sweet Corn Spoon vs Taco Vampiro By a tiny margin, the Tupelo Honey and Sweet Corn Spoon won with 51% of the vote! With such close results, you might want to try both of these dishes next time you visit EPCOT. Read our review of the Tupelo Honey and Sweet Corn Spoon here! Now it’s a fan-favorite slushie versus a brand new chicken dish, with the La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushie from Fleur de Lys versus Chicken Yakitori from Hanami. La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushie vs Chicken Yakitori When it comes down to this battle, our readers are all about the old versus the new. The returning favorite La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushie won with 67% of the vote! The Chicken Yakitori might have been “incredible,” but our readers can’t resist a frozen slushie. Click here to read our review of the La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushie. We’re sticking with Fleur de Lys with the Croissant au Fromage de Chevre Herbes versus Corned Beef Hash from Sunshine Griddle. Will a cheesy croissant or a savory breakfast dish reign supreme? Croissant au Fromage de Chevre Herbes vs Corned Beef Hash Our readers have spoken, and the Croissant au Fromage de Chevre Herbes wins with 69% of the vote! It comes with goat cheese in the middle, and it’s flavored with herbs and garlic, so yeah. Delicious. Here’s our review of the Croissant au Fromage de Chevre Herbes. We’re heading to the Flavor Full Kitchen Hosted by AdventHealth for the next two dishes, Grilled Street Corn on the Cob versus Strawberry Mousse with Chocolate-Crisp Pearls. Savory or sweet? What do you think will win? Grilled Street Corn on the Cob vs Strawberry Mousse with Chocolate-Crisp Pearls Savory claims the victory! The Grilled Street Corn on the Cob won with 69% of the votes! Depending on your tastes, you might prefer sweet over savory, but most of our readers seem to be Team Corn on the Cob. Check out our review of the Grilled Street Corn on the Cob here. It’s time to head back to Sunshine Griddle for some Avocado Toast versus Char-Grilled Bison Rib-Eye from EPCOT Farmers Feast. This is a pretty tough comparison, but one dish came out on top. Char-Grilled Bison Rib-Eye vs Avocado Toast As much as we love some Avocado Toast, the Char-Grilled Bison Rib-Eye won with 56% of the votes! Ironically, our favorite part of this dish was the creamy leek fondue you get on the side. Here’s our review of the Char-Grilled Bison Rib-Eye. The next two dishes can be found at the same booth, The Citrus Blossom, and they’re BOTH new this year! We’ve got the Crispy Mojo Marinated Pork Belly versus the Grapefruit Tart in another battle of savory and sweet. Crispy Mojo Marinated Pork Belly vs Grapefruit Tart Despite the beauty of the Grapefruit Tart, the Crispy Mojo Marinated Pork Belly won with 64% of the votes! It comes with avocado cream, corn salsa, salsa verde, and plantain chips. Here’s our review of the Crispy Mojo Marinated Pork Belly! Ice cream and funnel cake — how can we choose?? It’s time to put the Blueberry Lemonade Soft Serve from Refreshment Port and the Strawberry Cheesecake Funnel Cake from the Funnel Cake Stand head to head! It’s a battle of the sweets. Ice cream or fried dough? This one was CLOSE! Blueberry Lemonade Soft Serve vs Funnel Cake The Blueberry Lemonade Soft Serve barely edged out the Funnel Cake with 51% of the votes! Admittedly, it’s delicious — it’s creamy and sweet and not at all tart. It’s basically the perfect treat on a hot Florida day! Read our review of the Blueberry Lemonade Soft Serve here! Our next pair mashes up the Impossible Korean Short Rib from Flavor Full Kitchen versus the Strawberry Fields Refresher from Joffrey’s. It’s kind of an odd battle, with plant-based ribs and a strawberry drink. Who won? IMPOSSIBLE Korean Short Rib vs Strawberry Fields Refresher The Strawberry Fields Refresher moves forward with 59% of the votes! It’s a light and refreshing drink, so we get it. It’s all about finding ways to stay cool on a hot Florida day. Click here for our review of the Strawberry Fields Refresher. We’ve got another close race here! It’s time to put the Grilled Kebab with Harissa Chicken versus the Pomegranate Mimosa, with both items from Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina. Are you going with chicken or a mimosa? Grilled Kebab with Harissa Chicken vs Pomegranate Mimosa As it turns out, most of our readers chose the Pomegranate Mimosa to win with 53% of the votes! You pretty much have to like pomegranates to enjoy this mimosa, but if you do — it’s super tasty. Here’s our review of the Pomegranate Mimosa! And now it’s time to put Arancini versus Bomolini! (Say that 5 times fast.) You can find both of these dishes at Primavera Kitchen. Did you vote for fried risotto balls or Italian-style donuts? Arancini vs Bombolini Well, donuts it is! The Bombolini won with 65% of the votes. These donuts are filled with cream, and served with raspberry sauce and powdered sugar! Read our review of the Bombolini here! We’re getting into another savory and sweet battle here, with the Beef Tenderloin Tips from Northern Bloom Outdoor Kitchen versus the Dole Whip with Mango Liqueur from Pineapple Promenade. Really though, can a Dole Whip ever lose? Beef Tenderloin Tips vs DOLE Whip with Mango Liqueur Our readers said no, and the Dole Whip with Mango Liqueur won with 66% of the votes! Mango + Pineapple = Perfect. Here’s our review of the Dole Whip with Mango Liqueur. We’re at our last bracket here with Southern Seafood Boil and Boudin Bites from Magnolia Terrace, and it’s a close one. It’s down to whether you’re looking for shrimp, mussels, crawfish, potatoes, corn, and Andouille sausage, or pork- and rice-based sausage. Southern Seafood Boil vs Boudin Bites Our readers have spoken, and Boudin Bites won with 52% of the vote! Seafood is great and all, but sometimes you just want some sausage and rice. Check out our review of Boudin Bites here. That’s it for Round 2 of this year’s Flower & Garden Festival Madness! Visit our Instagram and check out our stories to vote on your favorite snacks, and check back for more results right here. Keep reading DFB for more of the latest news from Disney World. Click here to see ALL the eats and drinks available at the 2022 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival. Click HERE to See All the Updated Details for EPCOT's 2022 International Flower and Garden Festival! Ready to Plan for Your 2022 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival Trip? Order the DFB Guide to the 2022 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival e-Book today! This 200+ page guide to the Festival offers insider tips and advice as well as all of the details you need to know to plan your best Festival visit ever. Your purchase includes several bonus items as well -- including a full daily schedule of events at the Festival and a printable Outdoor Kitchens Booth Menu Checklist to carry with you as you Eat around the World! Order your 2022 edition today! Don't miss a moment of the fun! Use code SPRING at check-out to get $2 off the cover price! Join the DFB Newsletter to Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Did your favorite dish make it through Round 2? Tell us in the comments! The post Results Are IN for Round 2 of DFB’s EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Bracket! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Here at DFB, we’ve made it no secret that we LOOOOOVE cheese. So of course Disney’s newest snack is a match made in heaven for us! We <3 Plastic Cheese! You know we’ll go on and on forever about all the cheesy Disney foods, like the Cheese Soup at Le Cellier in EPCOT, the plastic cheese we’ll dip our corn dog nuggets in, or the cheese on charcuterie boards that always makes us so happy. But y’all, today, Disney just gave us a GIGANTIC cheese snack. You’ll have to excuse us for a moment — because when we saw this sign for a GIANT Mozzarella Stick at Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs at Downtown Disney… Y’ALL!!! …we had to take a moment. The word “giant” followed by a cheese name is enough to get us excited. YOU KNOW we had to order it. So this beautiful thing is a HUGE Mozzarella stick ON a stick, hand-dipped in cornmeal batter, fried, and coated in rice crispy puffs, served with a side of marinara sauce. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? It’s so BEAUTIFUL Between the perfectly-fried crunchy outside and the gooey and melty cheese on the inside, we’re pretty sure we found the Nirvana of cheese snacks. Even better? This is made to order, so it’s hot, crispy, and gooey when you get it. Look at that GOOEY cheese! On a side note, though, the amount of marinara you get for this massive snack is not quite enough. We could’ve used a little more. So you may want to request extra sauce if you’re going to try out this snack! We need more marinara sauce Just how gooey and cheesy is it? Well, we’re never one to NOT give you a good cheese pull, so check it out below: If you, too, want to eat a giant cheese stick on a stick, you can pick this baby up right now for $14. We’ll be sure to let you know about ALL the new snacks at Disneyland and Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB for more! See the Disney treat we think wins “Most Likely To Give You a Sugar Rush.” Want to Learn More About Disneyland? Check Out the Links Below! Check Out Important Details about the 2022 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Learn About Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland See the Latest Updates About Disneyland’s Face Mask Policy Check Out What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Check Out Our Disneyland Restaurants Guide Learn All About Disneyland Park See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure See More About Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Learn About the Disneyland Mobile App Get All the Details About Mobile Order in Disneyland Learn More About Disneyland’s Magic Key Program What’s Going to Be Different About Your Next Disneyland Trip? Click HERE to Check Out Lots of Other DFB Posts About Disneyland Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Do you like mozzarella sticks? What do you think of this snack? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: Disney’s GIANT Snack Is For Cheese Lovers (Us. It’s for Us.) first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Bob Iger may have retired from Disney, but that doesn’t mean he’s living a quiet life away from the world. Quite the contrary. Bob Iger ©Bloomberg Iger had shared that when the “dream finally ends” he’d be keeping busy and that’s certainly what he’s done. Though he has called rumors of his return as Disney’s CEO “ridiculous,” Iger has become involved in another business focusing on the metaverse. Recently, Iger also sat down for an interview and he shared a number of opinions regarding the media and the news. Iger recently appeared on “The Problem with Jon Stewart” and discussed a number of things related to the media. Given his long career with the media through ABC and Disney, it’s no surprise he’s got a number of opinions on the topic. In the interview, Stewart noted that the heads of various news divisions have been reluctant to speak on the record. Iger shared that this might be the case because news organizations are being “criticized in a way that they’ve never experienced” and that there’s a bit of a “bunker mentality” that has set in. ©Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images Stewart then asked about pressures the news organizations face — whether that is to deliver ratings or not appear to be leaning toward one political opinion or another. Iger shared that, in the past, his advice to ABC News had been to “not hear the noise as much” and just continue doing “the job that we’ve entrusted them to do, which is to tell the truth” and present the news in an accurate way. Stewart insisted that individuals in the media are concerned with minute-to-minute ratings that then impact the way they present things. Iger shared, however, that his view was that there are “stories that are not told because there’s a belief that people aren’t interested in them.” But, he said, “I don’t think there are stories that are told inaccurately, just to make them more interesting to people,” at least in terms of his experience with ABC News. Bob Iger ©New York Post Stewart then asked Iger why he feels like the view of the media has gone down so severely. Iger shared that technology enabled an “explosion of programming, which includes news and information.” That explosion then led to, at least in Iger’s opinion, “a dilution in quality.” Iger said, “The more volume, typically, as it grows, and grows, and grows, and explodes, results, in my opinion, a loss of quality.” Iger also shared that social media has impacted the news scene. According to Iger, when you “look at what is presented as news on social media…you can immediately conclude that a lot of what is presented, that people think is news, is not news as certainly we knew it when we were growing up and what we were taught news should be.” According to Iger, “what people believe is news is really opinion. And opinion is very different than that, opinion is a bias.” Bob Iger presenting a model of Shanghai Disneyland Stewart then shared his feeling that the very business model of the news and how they can reportedly turn top news into essentially tv shows focused on the “hype” surrounding one story “overwhelms whatever journalistic credibility exists.” Iger responded by noting that he could argue there are some stories that have not been covered enough because there’s a thought that audiences wouldn’t be interested or news organizations themselves are tired of covering them, but he said he didn’t know incidents of that. Stewart shared that when news organizations narrow their view of what they cover, people get a skewed version of reality. Iger, however, countered by saying that he feels like Stewart was giving too critical of an opinion of news overall. According to Iger, “That’s not to say that news organizations don’t hype big stories, ’cause many of them do, and sometimes over-hype, sometimes to a fault.” Bob Iger When asked about whether news could influence behavior, Iger said “Sure, it can. Absolutely. Which is why I think it’s so important for news to act responsibly.” Iger noted that just as the news has the power to do good, it also has the power to do bad. Iger shared that the news is in fact managed responsibly by some organizations, and not by others. Iger noted that people aren’t held accountable for inaccuracies, which is one problem, along with the issue of profiting from “inaccuracy” or opinion. According to Iger, if you look at the “pot…that is considered news today, well…it’s a problem.” Bob Chapek and Bob Iger at Cinderella Castle When discussing Fox news and its political leanings, Iger shared that the former chairman and CEO of Fox News (Roger Ailes) thought “there was a business in being biased” and that other organizations sort-of “pivoted in another direction as a countermeasure to what he was doing.” Iger said that this pivoting was a “huge mistake ’cause…that was at the expense of credibility, at the expense of being accurate, and…at the expense of being responsible.” When asked whether you could make a profitable news organization that is also able to cut through the noise in this media environment, Iger said it’s “almost impossible, really, today.” ©Disney In terms of what Iger would do in creating a profitable news organization that could “cut through the noise” Iger said you’d have to start from scratch to erase any perceptions that may have developed over time and populate it with people with tremendous credibility, responsibility, and accountability. Iger noted that it sounds “idealistic.” Stewart even went so far as to (somewhat jokingly) ask Iger if he would run a news organization of that kind. Iger said that this is not the first time he’s been asked to run an organization of this type and that people have presented him with this concept. Seems like everyone wants a piece of Iger these days! Iger shared that he hasn’t said “yes” to it because he said he’s not sure how practical or effective it would be. You can see more of the interview with Iger by watching the video below. Though it seems returning as Disney’s CEO and running a news organization might be out of Iger’s future (for now) it will be interesting to see what roles Iger takes in the future, whether that be in media, the metaverse, or beyond. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more updates and see where a life post-Disney takes Iger. Stay tuned for more Disney news. Click here to learn more about Iger’s Genies partnership Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post "What People Believe is News is Really Opinion" -- Former Disney CEO Bob Iger Comments on the Media first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

One of the most iconic snacks in Disneyland is the Churro. And we just found a NEW flavor that you’ve simply got to try. Classic Disneyland Churro The classic Disneyland churro is famous in its own right, but Disneyland is consistently pushing the envelope with this iconic snack with fun flavors like Sour Cherry, Bananas Foster, and Toffee! But we think we’ve found the KING of flavored churros at Disneyland, and its secret is this — MARSHMALLOW. We were in Tomorrowland at Disneyland and saw that the Churro Cart had a Yellow Marshmallow Churro. This is a Disneyland churro rolled in yellow marshmallow-flavored sugar. Even better? There was also a marshmallow dipping sauce! Obviously, we got both. Marshmallow + Churro! Let’s just say if you’re a marshmallow fan, you’ll want to try this churro. It’s got a nice, sweet flavor that we really enjoyed! However, if you don’t love sweet desserts, this one might be a little much for you. Marshmallow Churro heaven The churro was even better dipped in the marshmallow dipping sauce — it’s like being in marshmallow heaven. So if you do get the churro, we definitely recommend getting the dipping sauce, too! So good with the dipping sauce! The churro is $5.75, and the dipping sauce is an additional $1. Like we said, get both! You won’t regret it! We’ll keep trying all the new snacks at Disneyland AND Disney World, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more. See what we thought of Disneyland’s St. Patrick’s Day churro! Want to Learn More About Disneyland? Check Out the Links Below! Check Out Important Details about the 2022 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Learn About Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland See the Latest Updates About Disneyland’s Face Mask Policy Check Out What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Check Out Our Disneyland Restaurants Guide Learn All About Disneyland Park See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure See More About Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Learn About the Disneyland Mobile App Get All the Details About Mobile Order in Disneyland Learn More About Disneyland’s Magic Key Program What’s Going to Be Different About Your Next Disneyland Trip? Click HERE to Check Out Lots of Other DFB Posts About Disneyland Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe What’s your favorite churro flavor at Disneyland? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: How Much Sugar Is TOO Much Sugar? Disneyland's NEW Churro Is Asking. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There are some seriously ICONIC theme park eats found at Disneyland Resort! Sleeping Beauty Castle From pretzels to popcorn, and of course the classic churros — sometimes it doesn’t even feel like you’ve visited Disneyland unless you’ve had one of these eats. But there’s another classic theme park treat that Disney has put a springtime twist on, and we’re giving you our full review! The Strawberry Lemonade Funnel Cake is available now at the Stage Door Cafe in Disneyland! Strawberry Lemonade Funnel Cake It’s made from strawberry-lemonade funnel cake batter and topped with strawberry sauce, lemonade frosting, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream. Springtime wrapped up in a dessert! We really enjoyed this dessert! The tartness from the lemonade and sweetness from the strawberries made the perfect pairing and balanced each other out nicely. It really did taste like strawberry lemonade. Can funnel cakes be refreshing? The fruity flavors also made this a pretty refreshing dessert, and the funnel cake itself stayed nice and crispy on the outside, but perfectly fluffy on the inside. We love a good funnel cake. If you don’t like sour desserts or strawberries, you should probably skip this one! But, if you’re looking for a sweet and sour combo or just love strawberries, you should give it a try. You can get it for $8.99. Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more Disneyland food news and updates! Click here to see another NEW Disneyland treat! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What’s your favorite Disney snack? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: Well, Strawberry Lemonade Funnel Cake Was Not on Our Disney BINGO Card first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

You’re not alone if you’ve had some of the new songs from Disney’s Encanto playing on a non-stop loop in your head. Encanto Mural We find ourselves humming those catchy tunes all of the time — while we write, as we walk through the parks, while we’re folding laundry…. And we get those knowing looks from others in the grocery store as we mutter the lyrics, “Pressure like a drip, drip, drip that’ll never stop, whoa…” while we stroll through the aisles. And now, there’s a NEW reason to belt out your favorite Encanto songs! We all know what it’s like having these tunes cycle through our brains and echo in our homes as the kiddos have that playlist on repeat (or let’s be honest, we do too). And we know we’re not alone — the music from Encanto is incredibly popular! Encanto photo op at Disney Springs Disney has taken notice of this popularity and responded by releasing a singalong version of Encanto on Disney+! And the best news? It was released TODAY! So cancel your weekend plans, because clearly it’s time for an Encanto singalong movie night. ©Disney Now you can belt it out every word with confidence and not have to worry about messing up the lyrics, because every word to the songs will dance across the screen as magically as Abuela’s candle. You can learn more about the singalong from Disney’s official announcement here. According to Disney, Encanto has been restreamed 180 million times since its release on Disney+, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s soundtrack has topped the charts worldwide. The popularity has earned Encanto the first spot for a singalong release on Disney+, but Disney has said that other singalongs will follow, including Frozen and both versions of Beauty and the Beast (the animated and live-action ones)! Look for those singalongs coming to Disney+ soon. ‘Encanto’ signs in Disney World Encanto‘s soundtrack keeps raking in the musical accolades, and it isn’t just about “Bruno.” Encanto‘s “Surface Pressure” and “Dos Oruguitas” have also received high praise. So pop on your Disney+ this weekend and sing out loud and proud! And keep reading DFB for more Disney news. Learn more about the Encanto soundtrack straight from Lin-Manuel Miranda! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. How many times have YOU listened to the Encanto soundtrack? Be honest and tell us in the comments! The post Cancel Your Weekend Plans — There’s an ‘Encanto’ SINGALONG on Disney+! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World is coming under fire for hosting what activists called a racist depiction of Native American culture. View the full article

Ordering the Kitchen Sink Sundae at Beaches & Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort is almost a rite of passage. The Kitchen Sink Sundaes at Disney’s Beach Club Resort Why? Because the Kitchen Sink Sundae lives up to its name — it literally has EVERYTHING IN IT. But more importantly, when someone orders it, it comes with its own celebration — we’re talking about a siren and a loud announcement. However, when Beaches & Cream reopened after Disney World’s closure, ordering the Kitchen Sink Sundae only came with the sundae. Today something changed, so read on to find out more! We’re happy to report that the Kitchen Sink Sundae celebration and accompanying hoopla is BACK! Naturally, we made our way to Beaches & Cream to get some ice cream (to say the least!). Beaches & Cream Once we were seated, we received a QR code to access the menu, and we placed our order for the king of sundaes. Menu QR Code We were brought two bowls and two spoons, but you could easily share the Kitchen Sink Sundae with several people (the official Disney World menu says it serves up to four people!). TWO bowls! And FINALLY, now when you order the Kitchen Sink Sundae, your server no longer just brings it to your table. It’s an EVENT, y’all. Watch our video to see what it’s like, and YES, it contains an entire can of whipped cream. Considering the sundae has (*takes deep breath*) scoops of Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Cookies ‘n Cream, and Mint Chocolate Chip topped with Hot Fudge, Peanut Butter, Snickers pieces, Fresh-baked Brownie, and smothered in every additional topping on hand, ordering it IS a big deal and we love seeing Disney World bringing back part of the fun for guests who feel brave enough to tackle it. It’s so beautiful So if you’re wanting to have some fun at Disney World and feel like scarfing down a LOT of ice cream (you might want to bring family and friends along with you), you can get the Kitchen Sink Sundae for $35. Now THIS is a sundae We’ll keep covering everything returning to Disney World, so stay tuned for more news! You’ve NEVER seen beignets like this before in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Have you ever ordered the Kitchen Sink Sundae? Let us know in the comments! The post A GIANT Disney World Treat Just Got Even MORE Exciting first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

One of the most exciting milestones for our team of animal care experts, and personally one of my favorite moments, is introducing an animal to Kilimanjaro Safaris. Four-month-old Logan’s debut on the savanna this week was extra special, as it was the first time rhino siblings Ranger, Mylo and Logan were out together, and guests […]View the full article

Hey there DFB friends, we’re here with another update about what’s new in Disney’s Hollywood Studios! New park map! There are reasons to continue to expect a LONG line for one popular Hollywood Studios ride, and the park also celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a surprise photo op! Read all about it here. Hollywood Studios Food Updates Hollywood Brown Derby got some menu changes this week, with the addition of appetizers Roasted Tomato Cream Soup and Escargot Casino, and new entrees including Free-Range Chicken Coq au Vin, Seasonal Fish, Sustainable Salmon Coulibiac, Tomato Risotto, and Braised Short Rib. Brown Derby Menu Changes We’ll be visiting soon to check out these new menu items, so stay tuned for a review! Hollywood Studios Construction Updates Dok-Ondar is back behind his curtain again, even though he emerged earlier this week. We miss you, Dok! Dok-Ondar And on St. Patrick’s Day, there was a one-day-only holiday photo prop on Sunset Boulevard! We spotted a PhotoPass photographer with the prop. St. Patrick’s Day in Disney World It’s not a bad idea to watch out for special, limited-time photo props on holidays and special occasions in Disney World! Read more about the St. Patrick’s Day photo prop here! And Tower of Terror has had long wait times lately, and we found out from a Cast Member that two of the elevators are closed, which means the ride is operating at half of its usual capacity. Tower of Terror We’ve seen the wait times exceed 100 minutes, even up to 150 minutes! The Cast Member told us it could take months before the ride returns to operating at full capacity, so you might want to plan for a LONG line. Read more about Tower of Terror here! Hollywood Studios Merchandise Updates Legends of Hollywood At Legends of Hollywood, there was some new jewelry! We spotted these new Alex and Ani Gloves and Mickey Earrings for $40… Earring Set …an Alex and Ani Mickey Charm Bracelet for $60… Mickey Charm Bracelet …and this Alex and Ani Minnie Charm Bracelet for $60. Minnie Bracelet Some items from the new The Little Mermaid Vera Bradley Collection were found at Legends, including a few bag and pouch choices. Only some items are here! You can also find this collection (while supplies last) at the Vera Bradley store in Disney Springs and Uptown Jewelers in Magic Kingdom! Read more about The Little Mermaid Vera Bradly collection here! Tower Hotel Gifts We found these Tinker Bell Earrings for $40 at Tower Hotel Gifts. Tinker Bell Earrings We’ve got a few more stops to go! Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Store At the shop near Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, we found a new Blue Mickey Faces T-Shirt for $30. Mickey Faces T-Shirt Let’s run over to Celebrity 5 & 10! Celebrity 5 & 10 We spotted a new Spider-Man Hat for $24.99 at Celebrity 5 & 10. Spider-Man Hat One last stop to make! Adrian & Edith’s Head to Toe Shop Finally, we found a new America on Parade Shirt for $36.98. America on Parade T-Shirt And that’s all for today from Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Keep reading DFB for more Disney news! You’re not expecting this Hollywood Studios restaurant to deliver, but it does! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. The post What’s New in Hollywood Studios: A Popular Ride Has Issues and a SURPRISE Photo Op first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill has prompted a number of responses from Disney leadership, former Disney executives, Disney’s movie studios, Disney employees, and more. Pride Rainbow Magnet Disney has taken certain actions in response to the Bill. They have signed a Human Rights Campaign statement opposing similar legislative efforts around the U.S. and are set to meet with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis regarding the Bill at some point in the future. Now, another action appears to have been taken following Disney’s response to the Bill and criticisms of its response. Pixar’s Response to “Don’t Say Gay” Bill As we noted above, Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill has prompted a number of responses from Disney. The Bill’s formal name is the “Parental Rights in Education Bill.” ABC News notes that the “bill would limit what classrooms can teach about sexual orientation and gender identity.” The Hill also shares that the Bill would “restrict mention of LGBTQ+ topics in classrooms that are not ‘age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.’” Pride Pins Thus far, we’ve seen Bob Chapek make a number of comments about the Bill, including some more formal statements during the Shareholder meeting and a later apology. There have also been responses to the Bill and Disney’s actions made by the Human Rights Campaign, Florida’s Governor, California’s Governor, and Disney Employees. Disney’s responses (and initial lack thereof) have been criticized by a number of sources and individuals. A statement was released by some employees at Pixar regarding the Bill and Disney’s response. Deadline had shared that a letter signed by “The LGBTQIA+ employees of Pixar, and their allies” was circulated internally. Pixar Logo at the Lamplight Lounge The letter expressed that Chapek’s memo regarding the Florida Bill “rang hollow.” The letter also noted that the “Disney Parks did not officially host Pride until 2019, in Paris alone” and that “Disney has a history of shutting down fan-created Pride events in the parks, even removing same-sex couples for dancing together in the 1980’s.” The letter from the Pixar employees also made comments about Chapek’s statement indicating that the “best way for our company to bring about lasting change is through the inspiring content we produce.” Pixar Ball In the letter, the signatories note “We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were. Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar. Even if creating LGBTQIA+ content was the answer to fixing the discriminatory legislation in the world, we are being barred from creating it.” Click here to see more about the Pixar letter Changes to Pixar Movie According to Variety, on March 9th, the joint statement from LGBTQ employees and allies at Pixar (referenced above) was sent to leadership within the Walt Disney Company. For one future movie, it looks like the statement might have had an impact. Variety shares that a source close to the production of the upcoming Lightyear film from Pixar has indicated that the movie has a significant female character in it called Hawthorne, voiced by Uzo Aduba. In the movie, Hawthorne is in a “meaningful relationship with another woman.” ©Disney Variety shares that the “fact of that relationship was never in question at the studio,” but a kiss between the characters had been cut from the movie. Now, however, things have changed. Following Disney’s response to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and the statement from the LGBTQ employees and allies at Pixar, the kiss has been reinstated into the film. ©Pixar | Obtained via Variety Lightyear is essentially the movie that would have inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy within the Toy Story world. Director Angus MacLane shared, “my ‘Lightyear’ pitch was, ‘What was the movie that Andy saw that made him want a Buzz Lightyear toy?’ I wanted to see that movie. And now I’m lucky enough to get to make it.” ©Disney According to Variety, throughout Pixar’s 27-year history, there have been only a few “unambiguous LGBTQ characters of any kind.” In Onward, there is a one-eyed cop who mentions her girlfriend. In Toy Story 4, two moms are seen hugging their child when the child goes to school. In Finding Dory, Variety says that there is a “brief shot” that features “what appears to be a lesbian couple, though the movie’s filmmakers were coy about defining them that way at the time.” Pixar also released a short film in 2020 called Out, which is about a “gay man struggling with coming out to his parents.” This was released on Disney+ as part of the Sparkshorts program. ©Pixar According to Variety, however, “multiple former Pixar employees” have indicated that “creatives within the studio have tried for years to incorporate LGBTQ identity into its storytelling in ways big and small, only to have those efforts consistently thwarted.” Variety also shares that multiple sources told them that “efforts to include signifiers of LGBTQ identity in the set design of films located in specific American cities known for sizable LGBTQ populations…were shot down. One source said that a rainbow sticker placed in the window of a shop was removed because it was deemed too ‘distracting.'” ©Pixar Variety reports, however, that “none of the sources who spoke with Variety could cite first-hand knowledge of Disney executives directly cutting LGBTQ content from specific Pixar features.” Instead, it appears that things were cut by each movie’s own filmmaking team or Pixar studio leadership. The sources indicated to Variety that Pixar effectively “engaged in self-censorship…out of an abiding belief that LGBTQ content wouldn’t get past Disney review because Disney has needed the films to play in markets traditionally hostile to LGBTQ people: namely China, Russia, much of West Asia and in the American South.” Just the inclusion of the lesbian cop in Onward got the film banned in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, and the terminology was changed to “partner” in Russia. ©Disney | Obtained via Deadline Steven Hunter, the director of Pixar’s Out short film (who is no longer at Pixar) shared “We need Mr. Chapek to understand that we need to be speaking up. We can’t assume that these laws that they’re trying to put in place aren’t hurtful and bigoted and, frankly, evil. We are not going away. We’re not going back in the closet.” Pixar’s Lightyear is set to be released on June 17th, 2022. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more updates on this situation. Click here to see everything coming to Disney+ in April Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post NEWS: Same-Sex Kiss Put Back Into 'Lightyear' After Criticism of Disney's Response to "Don't Say Gay" Bill first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World is slowly but surely getting back to normal after the pandemic-related closures. Main Street Train Station More and more restaurants are opening back up, parades are BACK, and now it looks like a fan-favorite group of singers has returned to the streets for their Magic Kingdom performances! The Dapper Dans barbershop quartet has been hanging out up at the Main Street Train Station at the entrance of Magic Kingdom since the park reopened last year. They’re also sometimes seen performing from the Main Street Trolley Car. Lookin’ Dapper! But as of today, it looks like the Dapper Dans are back to entertaining guests on Main Street, U.S.A.! The Dapper Dans! We spotted them serenading guests with their smooth-as-butter voices and friendly smiles. They performed their full show, including the hilariously cheesy jokes we know and love! We’re SO excited to see them again! It’s exciting to see that the Dapper Dans are back interacting with guests just like in the old days. We caught the Dapper Dans’ 3:40PM show in Magic Kingdom, which was when they were out on the street. For some of the other shows, they were still up at the train station. Check with a Cast Member during your visit to see when they might be performing on Main Street while you’re there. So dapper! For more Disney World news and reopening updates, be sure to stay tuned to DFB! Click here to find out when Fantasmic! will return to Disney World. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What Disney World entertainment offering are you most looking forward to coming back? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS & VIDEO: Disney's Dapper Dans Are BACK on Main Street, U.S.A. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

EPCOT is undergoing a HUGE transformation that includes new rides, restaurants, neighborhoods, and more. Connections Café construction Late last year, Disney announced another NEW restaurant coming to the park as part of the transformation, and now we have even MORE details about what we can expect from the upcoming eatery! Connections Café is the new spot coming to EPCOT’s World Celebration. It will be located right next to Creations, the new main store in the park. Not too long ago, we learned that this quick service spot will be opening THIS SPRING, so we don’t even have to wait a long time to try it out! Connections Café and Eatery ©Disney And, we just found out that this location will also be the new home of Starbucks in the park! Imagineer Zach Riddley shared this new concept art of the restaurant and shared the update. He said the kitchen you can see in the rendering will actually be responsible for “making a variety of baked goods, which will be available at Connections Eatery.” He goes on to say that this Starbucks coming to Connections Café will be designed to fit the theme of its surroundings, and that more details will be shared later on. So, not only are we getting a new restaurant, but we’re also getting a new Starbucks location! This could mean that the current location over near the entrance to World Showcase might be leaving, but we’ll have to wait and see. Remember that the park’s previous Starbucks location used to be housed over in this area before construction began. R.I.P. Fountain View We’ll share more news about the project as soon as we find out more, so stay tuned to DFB for updates! Click here to learn more about Connections Café & Eatery! Want MORE Details About EPCOT’s MASSIVE Transformation? Future World Will Transform Into Three New Neighborhoods — Learn More Here A Revitalized Club Cool Is Now Open in EPCOT The New Creations Shop is OPEN and Has Replaced Mouse Gear Go Inside Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure With Us Check Out All of the Tasty Details About EPCOT’s New Crêperie Get a Closer Look at the New Nighttime Lights Coming to Spaceship Earth See More About EPCOT’s Upcoming Nighttime Spectacular -- Harmonious Learn All About Space 220, Which Has Officially OPENED in EPCOT What’s Been CUT From the EPCOT Transformation? See More Here! Learn More About the New PLAY! Pavilion Coming to Epcot! See All the Details You Need to Know About the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Coaster Coming to World Discovery Learn More About Journey of Water -- Inspired by Moana, Coming to World Nature Click HERE for All the News and Details about EPCOT’s Transformation! Join the DFB Newsletter To get all the latest Epcot transformation news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Are you excited that Starbucks will be getting a new location soon? Tell us in the comments! The post PHOTOS: The NEW EPCOT Restaurant Will Have a STARBUCKS Inside! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Spring is in the air which means there are a lot of pastel treats popping up around Disney World — and we’re not complaining. Bakery Case The bakery cases of Disney World are full of new springtime-y treats next to the classics and we love to see them. From cupcakes to caramel apples, your sweet tooth might be pulling you towards an Easter or flower-themed sweet. Ours certainly did and we’re trying out one of the most photogenic treats in the bakery case! We headed over to Big Top Treats to take a closer look at the special Easter and springtime items that occupy the bakery case! We spotted colorful cupcakes that called to us. Bakery Case Take a look at this Pastel Minnie Chocolate Cupcake! Those layers of icing are perfect for matching the floral colors of the season. Bakery Case Want something a little greener? This Spring Mickey Cupcake has green icing to look like grass and comes with a springtime charm. Some of the ones we saw were beehives and others were Easter eggs! Bakery Case Moooooving on, there are also some positively adorable apple-based treats. We honestly might even feel a little bad biting into that sweet bunny. Bakery Case But we just HAD to snag the Easter Minnie Caramel Apple to try today! Easter Minnie Caramel Apple This treat is a Granny Smith apple with a layer of caramel and colored white chocolate on the outside. Easter Minnie Caramel Apple Add marshmallow ears, a sugar dip, and some icing details and this treat is bringing the spring vibes. Easter Minnie Caramel Apple Seriously, how photogenic is that? But how does it taste? Pretty good! Treats like this are fairly classic. The apple was fresh and tart which helped to balance the sweetness from the caramel and the white chocolate. It’s hard to pass on a sticky layer of caramel. Easter Minnie Caramel Apple Apples like this tend to be a bit unwieldy to eat so make sure you grab a knife to slice it into pieces. It’s not easy to bite in with just your teeth! The sugar shell on the bottom of this one was a little weird texturally, but overall, this was a classic, pretty, and tasty treat. Easter Minnie Caramel Apple If you want to try the Easter Minnie Caramel Apple, keep an eye out for it in bakery cases around Disney World! We snagged ours for $10.99. And, follow along with DFB for more Disney snack reviews! Click here to see the VERY cool Easter displays at the hotels! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Would you try this caramel apple? Tell us in the comments! The post REVIEW: We SKIPPED a Disney Cupcake For an Apple. It Was Worth It. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney vs. DeSantis. For years, Florida Republicans and Disney were political cronies who did financial favors for each other. But now the wheels have come off over culture wars. View the full article

If you’re looking for live music and entertainment, Disney World’s got it. Magic Kingdom Oftentimes, you’ll walk through Magic Kingdom and hear the Dapper Dans singing, see the Main Street Philharmonic performing, or even catch a high school marching band making their way down Main Street, U.S.A. Recently, a high school band and dancers performed in Magic Kingdom, but their performance has been criticized and Disney has now issued a response. Earlier this week, the Port Neches-Grove High School marching band and dancers performed in Magic Kingdom. Port Neches-Grove High School is located in Port Neches, Texas. Tara Houska is Ojibwe from Couchiching First Nation and is an attorney. According to the TED website, Houska is a tribal attorney and she “advocates on behalf of tribal nations at the local and federal levels.” Recently, Houska spoke out against the performance from Port Neches-Grove High School and posted a clip of it on Twitter. You can see Houska’s tweet and a clip of the video of the performance from Port Neches-Grove below. In it, the dancers are heard saying “scalp ’em Indians, scalp ’em.” According to a Tweet from reporter Scott Gustin, Disney has issued a statement in response to the performance. The statement comes from Disney Spokesperson Jacquee Wahler. In it Wahler says “We regret this performance took place as it did not reflect the audition tape that was submitted. We have immediately put measures in place to ensure performances reflect the auditions.” Magic Kingdom We’ll continue to look for any more statements from Disney or other updates about this matter. Click here to see 5 big Disney news stories from this week Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post Disney Makes Statement Following Controversial Marching Band Performance first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’re obsessed with knowing about (and eventually trying) all of the latest and greatest snacks in Disney World, this has been QUITE the week for you! Easter Egg From the opening of the Local Green Orlando food truck, to a brand NEW DOLE Whip spot, and all kinds of St. Patrick’s Day treats — it’s been an exciting (and hectic!) time when it comes to Disney food news. And now it’s time for MORE new treats to arrive themed to bunny butts (if you know, you know) and spring! Today, we tried one of these limited time offerings and it was…well, not what we hoped. After checking out all of the awesome goodies being offered at the Grand Cottage… Look at all of those treats! …and admiring some EPIC chocolate Easter Eggs… Figment and Spaceship Earth …we made our way to Gasparilla Island Grill at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to see what springtime treats they had available. What Would You Pick? This spot is currently offering a number of springtime desserts including a bunny blondie pop… Blondie Pop …spring birds nest donut… Nest Donut …and peanut butter bunny cookie. Cute! For our trip today, we opted to try the Peanut Butter Bunny Cookie! This snack is made of a Peanut Butter Cookie Cup with buttercream, sugar bunny, and spring sprinkles. How Adorable! Here’s a full look at those ingredients. Ingredients Now, there’s no denying that this buddy is CUTE. Points for style and decoration must be given here. Your Instagram will likely be flooded with likes and comments of “where did you get this cutie?!” once you post it. All the Style Points! And the smell of peanut butter was really strong, so we were hopefully that this would be a peanut butter WIN (like some other treats we found in Disneyland recently that placed us directly into peanut butter heaven!). We’ve Got High Hopes! Unfortunately, this treat was…not exactly peanut butter heaven-worthy. It was LOADED with chopped peanuts, but wasn’t a “win” in our books. It was extremely…and when we say extremely, we mean EXTREMELY…dry. Sorry Disney, we hate to say it, but we prefer the bunny butts in this case (bunny butt treats, that is!). Not a “Win” For Us Having all of the peanuts loaded into the treat didn’t really help the situation. If there had been more of a creamy peanut butter filling instead of peanuts themselves, or maybe even just a heavy amount of regular butter, it could have added that moistness that the treat needed. Wasn’t Quite There for Us It also wasn’t very sweet (though that’s not always a bad thing). The only true sweetness came from the icing on top. So if you’re not a fan of really sweet treats, then maybe it’ll get some points in your book for that. But, unfortunately for us, there just wasn’t enough icing to make up for the dryness of the treat overall. What Do You Think? Love peanuts and think this snack sounds like a dream? Then you can give it a try for yourself by heading over to Gasparilla Island Grill while it’s available. It’s priced at $4.99. Just remember that it is a spring snack, so it won’t be here for long. A Peek Inside Truthfully, we’d probably prefer to pick up a peanut butter cookie pie from Main Street Confectionary, or a peanut butter cookie from Disneyland, over this creation. And, of course, there are some epic cookies over at Gideon’s Bakehouse, including a peanut butter crunch one for all you big peanut butter fans. Peanut Butter Cookie Pie! If you do end up trying the Peanut Butter Bunny Cookie, be sure to drop us a comment and let us know your thoughts! And stay tuned for more food news and reviews of all kinds of snacks around Disney World (and beyond!). You’ve NEVER seen beignets like this before in Disney World! Click here to find out more! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think of this snack? Tell us in the comments! The post Review: Can Confirm. Disney World's Latest Treat Is NOT Getting Into Peanut Butter Heaven first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Calling all fans of Lady and the Tramp: this one’s for you! Lady and the Tramp 50th Anniversary Statues in Magic Kingdom If you’re looking for a recipe for dinner on this lovely Bella Notte, look no further, because now you can dine just like Lady and the Tramp and make Tony’s Spaghetti and Meatballs from the comfort of your own home! And once you’ve had your fill of spaghetti and meatballs, you can see ALL our Disney recipes here! Disney shared on Twitter a recipe for Tony’s Spaghetti and Meatballs that will have you feeling like you’re at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant without having to leave your kitchen! ©Disney Ingredients For this recipe you will need the following: 1 pound of spaghetti For the meatballs: 1 pound of ground beef 1 egg 1/3 cup bread crumbs Onion powder Salt Pepper For the sauce: 1 can of crushed tomatoes 1/2 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tablespoon of oregano 1 tablespoon of olive oil ©Disney Instructions Preheat the oven to 400° for your meatballs. ©Disney 2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta until it is al dente. ©Disney 3. In a bowl, combine your beef, egg, and bread crumbs. Add the onion powder, salt, and pepper, then mix. ©Disney 4. Shape your meat into balls, then place them on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake them until they are brown. ©Disney 5. In a pot over medium heat, add your olive oil, and chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until soft. Then, pour in your crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. ©Disney 6. Take your drained pasta and mix with the sauce. Place your desired number of meatballs on top, and enjoy! ©Disney And, that’s it! Just follow these steps and you’ll be ready to push a meatball across the table with your nose in no time! Disney Recipe: Learn How to Make Colombian Cheese Fritters Inspired by ‘Encanto’ Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Will you be trying this recipe at home? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney RECIPE: Make Tony's Spaghetti and Meatballs at HOME first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There’s a LOT going on in Disney World — and we’re not talking about in the theme parks. Disney’s Contemporary Resort You might be SHOCKED at the number of food, construction, and merchandise updates we spot at the Walt Disney World Resort hotels. Don’t worry though, we’re taking you through EVERYTHING NEW we’ve spotted over the last few days! Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort Food Updates Over at All-Star Movies, there’s a stellar new breakfast offering, and it’s inspired by Encanto! We KNOW you were jealous of the Madrigal family when they got to snag a bite of Julieta’s arepas. A fun way to start your day! Well, now you can try out Chorizo Arepas at World Premiere Food Court! Click here for our FULL REVIEW of the Chorizo Arepas! Also at this spot, they celebrated the lucky holiday with a St. Patrick’s Day Mickey mousse treat. St. Patrick’s Day Mickey If this one is still around, you’ll find it for $5.99. Want to see more of this treat? Click here! Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Food Updates Nearby, Intermission Food Court at All-Star Music ALSO had the St. Patrick’s Day Mickey. Mickey hats ARE fun Construction Updates A few spots of construction were taking place at All-Star Music with some concrete replacement on the walkway near Calypso Pool and some pressure washing in this section as well. Power Washing Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Food Updates Headed over to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Landscape of Flavors had the Luck of the Green St. Patrick’s Day dessert for $5.79. Luck of the Green Warning, this DID die our tongue’s green. To see what we thought of this eat, click here! Construction Updates There were a few construction updates here as well with painting at the playground and the floors getting refinished in the main lobby. Playground Construction Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Resort Merchandise Updates Thimbles & Threads had a piece from the VERY high-demand Lily Pulitzer and Disney collab. Lilly Pulitzer for Disney Apparel in Disney Springs Looks like you can still find some pieces of this collection if you know where to look! Click here to see more of the Lily Pulitzer collection! Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Food Updates We’ve got ANOTHER green treat at Caribbean Beach Resort’s Centertown Market. Lots of green minty things this week! We tried out the Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake for $5.49. Want to see the review of this treat? Click here! Disney’s Contemporary Resort Food Updates And we hope you’re not tired of the St. Patrick’s Day treats yet! For $5.99, you can pick up the St. Patrick’s Day Vanilla Cupcake at Contemporary Resort if it’s stuck around after the holiday. St. Patrick’s Day Cupcake from Contempo Cafe Just head on over to Contempo Cafe to snag it. To see more of this treat, click here! A smaller but still exciting food update: Bayview Gifts has started selling packaged Butter Bars! Construction Updates There is still some construction going on around the front desk on the first-floor of Contemporary so we checked in on progress. Front Desk We also spotted that this resort has a Herstory photo backdrop set up for Women’s History Month. Similar backdrops were spotted at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and more. Herstory photo backdrop Merchandise Updates Bay View Gifts still had much of the Lily Pulitzer collection including leggings, dresses, shorts, and a v-neck. Lily Pulitzer collection And another POPULAR merchandise collection is available here too. Mickey Mouse The Main Attraction Space Mountain collection That’s right, it’s the Mickey Mouse: The Main Attraction Space Mountain collection! Want to see more of the Mickey Mouse: The Main Attraction series? Click here! Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground Food Updates During our stop at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, we had a meal at Crockett’s Tavern so keep an eye out for a REVIEW of the snacks and drinks we tried! Crockett’s Tavern Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa Food Updates Over at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, the Grand Cottage Easter treats stand was getting set up in the lobby. Grand Cottage Spoiler alert! It’s now open! To see more of the Grand Cottage, click here! Construction Updates This resort still has some construction walls around the outer building as well, near the main pool. Grand Floridian Construction Merchandise Updates The Basin location at Grand Floridian has lots of St. Patrick’s Day and Easter specials like we’ve spotted in Disney Springs! Basin Curiouser Clothiers, another shop in this hotel, only had the Lily Pulitzer leggings left and a Cast Member said there was a line for them at 6AM! Disney’s Old Key West Resort Food Updates There’s been a BIG change to the Gurgling Suitcase menu at Old Key West Resort. Are they as good as their predecessor? The classic Conch Fritters have been replaced with SHRIMP FRITTERS…and they were pretty delicious. Click here to see our review of the Shrimp Fritters! Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Food Updates You thought we were done with lucky green treats? Not quite. St. Patrick’s Day Cupcake Some locations at Polynesian Village Resort had their own version of a St. Patrick’s Cupcake for $5.99. Want to see more of this cupcake? Click here! Disney’s Pop Century Resort Construction Updates There’s a bit of construction going on in the walkways at Pop Century Resort. Pop Century Pathways Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort Construction Updates The Kids’ Splash Play Area has been closed for a while at Wilderness Lodge, but it’s reopened! Kids Play Area Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort Food Updates And our last stop is at Yacht and Beach Club Resort where the Beach Club Marketplace and The Market at Ale & Compass had a Bailey’s Chocolate Cupcake that they break out for fun holidays! Kids Play Area Construction Updates There’s still a bit of construction going on near the Stormalong Bay pool and some of the windows were getting some TLC on the Yacht Club side. Construction And that’s all of the latest updates from the Disney World hotels! As always, keep an eye on DFB so you don’t miss ANY Disney World news! To see more of the latest from the Disney World hotels, click here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Headed to Disney World soon? Tell us in the comments! The post What's New at Disney World Hotels: 'Encanto' Arepas, Lily Pulitzer Merch, and a SNACK REVAMP first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Many things have been returning to Disney World over the past several months, like restaurants, entertainment, character meet and greets, and more. The Festival of Fantasy Parade is BACK! Select events are also starting to come back, like Moonlight Magic. The first Moonlight Magic event returned to EPCOT last night for Disney Vacation Club Members, so come with us to check it out! Moonlight Magic is a special event where DVC Members can visit the Disney World parks after hours with complimentary admission. During this time, guests can expect to have shorter-than-usual wait times for select attractions, Disney character sightings, reimagined entertainment, and complimentary special treats. Check-in area The event at EPCOT last night was from 10PM to 1AM, but we showed up before the event to go into the park. Note that if you want to visit the park before the event starts, you DO have to have park admission and a reservation. If you wait until the event starts, you do not. Here’s a look at which entertainment and attractions were available during the event. Info sheet Along with this info sheet, we also were given 3 vouchers to use for food and drinks. The only food we could get without the coupons were the unlimited Mickey Premium Bars and Strawberry Bars. Everything else, like bottled water and soda, as well as Mickey Ice Cream Sandwiches, required us to use a voucher. Voucher Take a look at the locations where you can use these vouchers: Vouchers Before the event started, we could use our vouchers at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival booths if an item was market with the Disney Dining Plan symbol. These info sheets also showed what other dining locations would be open. Where to get snacks And, the info sheets mentioned a popcorn bucket that was exclusive to the event. This did cost one of our vouchers, and we had to wait in a VERY long line to get ours once the event began. We think this probably could’ve been avoided if they had just given out the popcorn buckets right when you checked in for the event! Special buckets You also had to wait in this long popcorn line to grab other items like the bottled drinks or ice cream sandwiches. Instead of walking by and just grabbing the complimentary items like you used to be able to do at these events, Cast Members were stapling each receipt to the vouchers once you used them, which took up a lot of extra time and contributed to the long lines. And, we only saw one cart giving out the unlimited Mickey Premium Bars and Strawberry Bars during the event. None of the snack carts you usually find in EPCOT were open except for the regular popcorn stands. Overall, it seemed like Cast Members couldn’t keep up with the way the event was set up, so hopefully that will be worked out for future events! EPCOT at night As for what was open, the World Showcase was closed from China to France, except for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure remaining open. The U.K. and Canada were open, but they only had characters available to see and Canada had some live music. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Mexico also had characters, and Frozen Ever After was open in Norway, along with Kringla Bakeri og Kafe. Sunshine Seasons was open over in The Land Pavilion, but the snack shelves were empty, so there were limited items available. We also found long lines over here. Mexico at night As for characters, we saw Honest John and Gideon from Pinocchio… They’re a little creepy! …Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas… The Oogie Boogie man! …the Evil Queen from Snow White… You DON’T want to get on her bad side! …and Pain and Panic from Hercules… They look stressed out We also spotted Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, Drizella, and the Queen of Hearts from a distance at the event. And, there was a Disney Vacation Club Welcome Home Moment that happened twice during the event — at 11PM and 12AM. The barges used for the Harmonious fireworks in the middle of the World Showcase Lagoon were lit up with the Disney Vacation Club logo and the water features were turned on. Interesting There is another Moonlight Magic happening at EPCOT on March 31st. Then, later this year, there will be events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 24th, June 16th, and July 14th, as well as at Animal Kingdom on July 26th and August 31st. Another look at this special entertainment DVC Members staying at a Disney hotel during these upcoming dates should get an email with a link to register for the events in the future. If you’re not staying at a Disney hotel and still want to attend, event registration will usually open up on a later date (after hotel guests have a chance to register) on the DVC website. These events tend to fill up fast, so it’s not something you should wait on if you want to go! Moonlight Magic popcorn bucket Registration for the events is required and there is limited availability. You must have a valid Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card and a photo ID to check-in. And remember, even though admission to these after-hours events is complimentary, if you want to visit a park before the event, you have to have a park ticket! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World news and updates. Click here to learn more about Moonlight Magic at Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Do you plan on going to a Moonlight Magic event in the future? Tell us in the comments! The post PHOTOS: An Exclusive After Hours Event is BACK in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. 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To ensure we are equipping our readers with all the information they need, we will continue to report on all travel, safety, and COVID-related news that could impact a Disney Parks visit. Mask requirements, distancing, testing — the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the entire world and continues to impact Disney’s theme parks in the U.S. and beyond. And the situation with the COVID-19 virus and its variants just keeps changing. COVID-19 Health and Safety Sign We previously shared all about the Delta variant, and the Omicron variant. We also noted that a subvariant of the Omicron variant, previously deemed “Stealth Omicron,” had been discovered in various spots throughout the world, including Florida. Just what it “Stealth Omicron” and what should you know about this before your next trip, to Disney World or elsewhere? Here’s what we know. What is “Stealth Omicron” Generally? According to the New York Times, researchers have been keeping an eye on the Omicron subvariant known as BA.2 or “Stealth Omicron” for some time now. As the Tampa Bay Times previously shared, this subvariant was initially discovered in Denmark and has since reached the U.S. WPTV West Palm Beach previously reported that “Stealth” Omicron had been found in Florida. It was reported in the state in February of 2022. There were 2 cases previously discovered there. Mask Sign According to WPTV, the subvariant was termed “Stealth” Omicron because it was harder to detect than the original Omicron variant. But things have since changed when it comes to detecting this subvariant. The New York Times notes that the “Stealth Omicron” nickname is “outdated.” Previously, Stealth Omicron was difficult to detect in P.C.R. tests because it was essentially “indistinguishable from Delta.” But the New York Times shares that “now that Delta has gone from dominant to rare, it’s easy to distinguish the two versions of Omicron on a P.C.R. test.” Click here to see our initial post about Stealth Omicron in Florida It Appears To Be More Transmissible While the BA.1 version of Omicron quickly spread around the world initially, the New York Times notes that BA.2 (Stealth Omicron) has started to be “found in a larger proportion of new infections” in 2022. In fact, recently Stealth Omicron has been spreading even faster than Omicron’s BA.1 version. WPTV also previously shared that this specific subvariant may be 1 1/2 times more contagious than the original Omicron COVID-19 variant. Why might that be the case? The New York Times says that scientists think it might have to do with Stealth Omicron’s “unique mutations.” It has a number of mutations that weren’t found in the BA.1 version. Face mask According to the New York Times, “It appears that these mutations speed up BA.2 by making it more transmissible, rather than better able to evade immunity.” Several studies/scientists, including some in Denmark, England, and Hong Kong, have found evidence that seems to support this. COVID-19 Signs In some countries, the rise of this Stealth Omicron variant has “roughly coincided” with a new surge of COVID-19 cases. This could be due to the fact that it is more transmissible, but the New York Times shares that it is hard to “disentangle the subvariant’s effects from other factors.” For example, some places have dropped many of their COVID-19 regulations (masks, distancing, etc.) “making it easier for any coronavirus to jump from one person to another.” Waning vaccine protection from those who got vaccinated early last year can also impact things. Click here to see the latest updates on Disney World’s mask policies What’s Happening in the U.S. and the World Right Now? In light of the rise of Stealth Omicron, what’s happening with COVID-19 case numbers in the United States right now? Case numbers in the United States continue to decline. According to a chart from Google, made through data from the New York Times, the latest 7-day average (as of March 17th, 2022) is 30,235. That’s much less than the 739,002 7-day average seen back on January 24th, 2022. ©Google But, even as case numbers get lower, Stealth Omicron now has started to account for more of the COVID-19 cases that are still occurring in the U.S., according to data from the CDC. As of around mid-March, the CDC has indicated that the Stealth Omicron subvariant accounted for about 23% of the cases in the U.S during a recent period. According to the LA Times, previously this subvariant had only made up 13.7% of U.S. cases, and just 7.1% the week before that. Newsweek shares that experts have indicated that the BA.2 subvariant could become the dominant variant of COVID-19 in the United States within weeks. ©CDC The New York Times shares that as states around the U.S. drop their mask requirements and other COVID-19 protection measures, Stealth Omicron “may be able to spread more easily from person to person.” But, will it drive a new spike of cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19? Maybe not, at least according to the New York Times. The New York Times notes that scientists have been comparing how well vaccines work against Stealth Omicron versus the BA.1 Omicron version. In one laboratory study in Boston, scientists saw that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine “did equally poorly against both BA.1 and BA.2…But after people got booster shots, their antibodies worked well at neutralizing both subvariants.” According to New York Times, “Researchers in Qatar found that booster shots were about 40 percent effective against infection with either BA.1 or BA.2 a month after injection. The boosters were about 90 percent effective against hospitalization.” ©WVNS It also appears that individuals who got infected with the BA.1 version of Omicron developed antibodies that provided “strong protection against infection with BA.2.” Experiments have also been going on when it comes to Stealth Omicron’s severity level. In Japan, some researchers infected hamsters with the 2 Omicron variants (BA.1 and BA.2). They found that BA.2 “causes more severe disease,” but it’s not clear if hamsters really serve as a good model for humans in this case. ©Orlando International Airport British researchers and researchers in Denmark, on the other hand, have found that Stealth Omicron “does not carry a higher risk of hospitalization than BA.1.” Yale Medicine also shares that “BA.2 does not appear to cause more severe illness than the original variant.” There are also some medications that work against Stealth Omicron, including Evusheld made by AstraZeneca, and the antiviral drugs Paxlovid, molnupiravir and remdesivir. But CBS News shares that early studies have shown Stealth Omicron could “significantly reduce the effectiveness” of a monoclonal antibody drug treatment. First Aid Center But, some are a bit more concerned about Stealth Omicron. According to NBC Chicago, Dr. Allison Arwady, the Director of the Chicago Department of Public Health said, “I’m going to be honest, I am concerned about what’s happening in Europe because I think there is not a full understanding of it.” NBC Chicago also noted that “In the last two weeks, COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths have both risen slightly in Britain.” Dr. Ghinai from the City of Chicago Public Health Department said “I think it’s very likely that what we’ve seen in Europe, where BA.2 is increasing in relative proportion, is going to happen here.” But still, Dr. Ghinai said “I don’t expect the same kind of surge that we saw in late 2021 as a result of BA.2.” What Could Be Next? While BA.2 might be the concern now, NBC Chicago shares that some experts have suggested that the next COVID-19 variant could arrive as soon as May of 2022. Dr. Ghinai said that officials are expecting more variants to emerge, but it’s not clear if they’ll be more severe than previous strains. ©Grace Cary via Getty Images CBS News shares that a rise in the prevalence of Stealth Omicron could mean more individuals will be “scrambling” to get courses of the medicines that can help, like Evusheld. According to CBS News, “While BA.2 appears to retain “near-full susceptibility” to Evusheld, the Food and Drug Administration recently warned that doses would need to be doubled to protect against BA.1.” Disney World Heading to Disney World soon and wondering what’s going on there and how the subvariant could impact things? Well, at the moment masks are still required in select locations in Disney World. Masks are currently optional for fully vaccinated guests in indoor locations, the Disney Skyliner, and the transportation from the Star Wars Hotel to Galaxy’s Edge. Guests who are not fully vaccinated, however, are expected to continue to wear masks in indoor locations, on the Disney Skyliner, and on that Star Wars Hotel transportation. When it comes to Disney buses and monorails, as well as Disney’s First Aid locations, masks are required for ALL guests, regardless of vaccination status. ©Disney Depending on how the situation with Stealth Omicron continues to develop, we could see changes made when it comes to Disney World’s mask rules or other COVID-19 policies. We have, however, continued to see more reopenings announced and crowds continuing to fill the parks, despite the existence of the Omicron variant in general. Distancing has essentially been done away with and many reopenings have been announced or taken place, though some things still haven’t returned to the parks. Be sure to check for any updates regarding health and safety rules ahead of your next trip. Click here to see what you need to know about the Omicron COVID-19 variant and Disney World Of course, this is a developing situation. We’ll keep an eye out for more news about this subvariant and let you know what we see. Be sure to check back with us for more updates. Click here for a full list of current travel restrictions and border closures due to the Omicron variant Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post What You Need to Know About the "Stealth" Omicron COVID-19 Variant Before Your Next Disney Trip first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is already celebrating Easter with a special treat spot called the Grand Cottage! The Grand Cottage After you shop for treats and grab your Hot Cross Buns or your jelly bean-filled Grand Egg, you might want to stop by another area in the Grand Floridian lobby. Why? Giant. Chocolate. Eggs. Need we say more? Now on display in the lobby of the Grand Floridian is a variety of elaborate chocolate eggs! The egg designs are inspired by Disney movies, characters, attractions, and more. Chocolate Eggs! Check out our video for a look at the eggs! Visit the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to check out these incredible Easter egg designs! Keep reading DFB for more Disney news! Get a look at the Grand Floridian’s pop-up Easter treat shop here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Are you heading to Grand Floridian to check out these eggs? Tell us in the comments! The post Chocolate Easter Egg Displays Are Officially BACK In Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s springtime in Disney World and there are so many ways to enjoy the season! Minnie is ready for the spring! EPCOT’s Flower and Garden Festival is going on, where you can eat all kinds of fun food and see the character topiaries, there are special treats still available from St. Patrick’s Day, and we’ve also found some new merchandise that is perfect for the spring. But today, a new seasonal spot opened up in Disney World that has special springtime sweet treats, so let’s go check it out! The Grand Cottage is OPEN at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa! Follow the bunny! This is a NEW special stand set up in the lobby of the hotel that sells springtime baked goods and treats. New snack spot! It’s open from 9:30AM to 5PM every day from now until April 18th (which is the day after Easter!). Look at all of those treats! Here’s a look at the menu! What should we try? There are a TON of exciting treats here — chocolate bunnies, Easter eggs, popcorn, and more! How fun! Let’s break it down, shall we? First, look at these amazing rainbow-colored Gourmet Marshmallows! Look at those bright colors! The flavors are watermelon, blood orange, blueberry, apple, and raspberry and the whole box is $7. Are these like Grand Flo’s version of Peeps? We also saw a Carrot Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, which looks delightful. You can get it for $9! Coffee Cake for 1 please! And, how can you not be in love with this Baby Chick Lemon Cupcake?! This one is $5.99. Cutie pie We also saw this fun Spring Garden Chocolate Dirt Cup with a little carrot made of frosting on top! This is $6. We’ve got a jar of dirt! Grab a Chocolate Chip Sandwich for $7.50… This totally counts as a lunch sandwich, right? …or a Mickey Whoopie Pie (with some 50th anniversary decorations) for $7.50 as well. Some 50th logos! This Confetti Cake Flavored Popcorn is $10… Cake popcorn?! …and the Chocolate Bunnies are $12! Chocolate bunny! You can also grab a Crispy Cereal Egg for $5… It’s one breakfast food imitating another …or some Raspberry Minnie Fudge for $5.50. Looking delicious, Minnie If you want to spring for The Grand Combo Box, which is $50, it includes an Easter Egg Cookie (that’s only available in the box), Popcorn, a Chocolate Bunny, and a Carrot Blondie Pop. A whole box of goodies! But the most exciting things here might be these GIANT Grand Eggs! They come in different colors for $18 a pop. Look at those things! You know we had to test out some treats, so take a look at what we got! This comes with some special European-Style Butter… Little bit o’ butter …and even though the bun didn’t need it, the butter for sure made it taste even better! Butter makes almost everything better This would be a great grab and go breakfast on your way into the parks in the morning. It was good on its own, too! We also got the Carrot Blondie Pop that we’ve seen before at the Grand Floridian! This is a blondie on a stick covered in white chocolate for $7. Carrot on a stick! This treat is decent, but it’s nothing special really. It’s on the sweeter side due to that white chocolate. This reminds us of Tigger a little bit? However, the actual blondie isn’t overly sweet on the inside. A peek inside This carrot is thinner than the one we tried last year. And, you need to like white chocolate to enjoy this, because it’s the most prominent flavor in the treat! Make sure you like white chocolate before eating this one! Those are all of the treats at The Grand Cottage! Maybe you’ll get lucky and there won’t be a line when you visit! Stop by before April 18th to grab some of these sweet treats before they’re gone. And, stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World news and updates. Click here to check out some other fun new sweet treats over at Hollywood Studios! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Will you be making a visit to the Grand Cottage soon? Let us know in the comments! The post The Unexpected Spot To Find Chocolate Eggs Filled With JELLY BEANS in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Happy Holi, everyone! Today, we celebrate Holi, the ancient Hindu festival also known as the “Festival of Colors” or the “Festival of Love.” Holi celebrates the arrival of the colorful spring season and is a time for all to come together. To learn more about this vibrant holiday, we asked three cast members to share […]View the full article