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We have Disney’s 50th Anniversary to thank for a LOT of new treats around Disney World. Some of them were super bizarre (seriously, who approved that octopus drink?!) and others were just plain adorable. Back in 2021, we tried a Royal 50th Churro that had a LOT of colorful toppings, but it was extremely sweet — maybe a little too sweet. After that, could we ever trust Disney’s specialty churros again? We could really go for a churro right about now! Today, we’re about to find out! We found a churro over by the Cinderella Castle Hub on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disney World that piqued our interest. Don’t let us down, Disney! It’s churro time! The new 50th Anniversary Main Street Churro is served at the refreshment cart next to the Cinderella Castle for $7.25. It looks pretty good, so let’s give it a try! The Main Street Churro is a Disney churro rolled in cinnamon sugar, dipped in chocolate, drizzled in caramel sauce, and topped with crushed pretzels. If you’re not into all those toppings, you can get a plain churro with chocolate dip for $6.25 as a close substitute. It’s beautiful We’re going to level with you: this was pretty much just a basic Disney cinnamon sugar churro with some extra toppings. The churro itself was warm and fresh with the perfect crunchy-yet-chewy texture. Don’t expect anything groundbreaking with the chocolate sauce; it tasted like Hershey’s syrup (or something close to it) both in consistency and flavor. On the other hand, the caramel sauce was thick and gooey — just like we like our caramel! Prepare for a little bit of a mess when you eat this! Unfortunately, the pretzels tasted slightly stale (this happens a lot when Disney uses pretzels in its treats), and all those toppings will make your churro soggy pretty quickly. We will say, though, this churro is not nearly as sweet as the old 50th Anniversary churro (yay!!). The saltiness from the pretzel helped balance out the sweet toppings. Of course, we wish the chocolate sauce was made with real chocolate instead of that chocolate syrup, but overall, we enjoyed this new churro! Nothing brightens our day like a churro! If you’re looking for a new treat next time you’re in Disney World, give the Main Street Churro a try! If you aren’t a fan of chocolate syrup, steer clear! We’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news (and snacks!) so stay tuned for more! Ranking ALL the 50th Anniversary Treats in the Magic Kingdom 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 give this churro a try? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: Is Disney World Trying to UP Its Churro Game? This Churro Says YES! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We spotted NEW 50th Anniversary eats in Disney World today, and they might make you reconsider skipping one Magic Kingdom quick service restaurant. Frontierland Entrance Normally Magic Kingdom isn’t our favorite park for food. In fact, it’s close to the bottom of the list since the other theme parks have more unique and interesting options. But one quick service spot just got a couple of fun, new options on its menu, so of course we had to try them! Let’s see if these new eats are worth the stomach space in Disney World. We’re visiting a restaurant with a rich and entertaining backstory as well as some of the only Mexican food you’ll find in Magic Kingdom. Do you already know which spot we’re talking about? Pecos Bill If you guessed Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café, you’d be correct! This restaurant is counter service, so you won’t need a reservation to eat here. It also has Mobile Order, which means you can order your food, select a return time, and then skip the line when you come to pick it up. Mobile Order Pick-Up Stations Pecos Bill isn’t exactly one of our top choices when it comes to eating in Disney World. The food here doesn’t usually blow us away (although we won’t ever say no to the queso!). But we’re re-thinking everything after trying the latest snacks. Let’s go in! Disney World’s 50th Anniversary is an ongoing celebration that lasts 18 months and began back in October 2021. For the occasion, Disney is releasing all kinds of new treats. Now there are TWO new eats at Pecos Bill, and they’re both celebrating an iconic Frontierland attraction: the Country Bear Jamboree! Country Bear Jamboree As an opening day attraction, Country Bear Jamboree deserves a little love during the celebrations. And now it’s getting the due attention with the new Sun Bonnet Trio Strawberry Salad and Teddie Berra’s Swingin’ Shortcake, which are both available now at the nearby Pecos Bill in Frontierland. We headed in to see how these offerings measure up to the rest of the 50th eats in this park. We see them! Let’s start with the healthy stuff. The Sun Bonnet Trio Strawberry Salad is a Mixed Green Salad with Strawberries, Tomato, Red Onion, and Edible Flowers. It’s available for $5.99. Teddie Berra’s Swingin’ Shortcake We’re about to make a bold statement here, so get ready. This was one of the best desserts we’ve had in a long time from a quick service restaurant! The whipped cream on top was nice and fluffy, there was real fruit in the sauces, and the flavors were very well balanced between tart and sweet. Very pretty! The peach sauce had actual peaches in it, and the raspberry sauce had pieces of raspberries. This made the sauces taste nice and fresh, and the different fruits really contributed to the balance of flavors. The sweetness came from the peaches, and the raspberries provided a great tart contrast. All the layers Even the strawberry pearls had a little flavor to them, and they kind of reminded us of a strawberry milkshake flavor. The extra crunch they provide with all the other soft textures is great as well. The crumble cake is very buttery and soft. A delicious dessert! If you’re a fan of fruity desserts and shortcake, we think you’ll love this treat! Like the salad, it’s a great, lighter option for a hot day in Disney World. Time to eat! If you don’t like berries, you probably won’t enjoy either the salad or the dessert. But for fruit fans, these are a couple of dreams come true! Head to Pecos Bill Tale Tale Inn and Café to give these new offerings a try. And keep following DFB for more reviews of all the food in Disney World! Click here to see a full review of Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café. 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 these new 50th eats in Disney World? Let us know in the comments. The post REVIEW: Did Two NEW Eats Turn a Quick Service Restaurant Into a Must-Visit Disney World Spot? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Oscar Isaac Visits Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser | Walt Disney World ResortView the full article

Today marks the official launch of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort, and to celebrate we have a special video to share from a galaxy far, far away. Actor Oscar Isaac, who plays Resistance hero Poe Dameron in the latest Star Wars film trilogy, recently visited the Halcyon starcruiser to tour the […]View the full article

Need a vacation? Don’t we all! Maybe a few days in the sun with a tropical drink in your hand and a wave from Captain Mickey is just what you need to feel refreshed and ready to take on the rest of 2022 (where did this beginning of the year go?!)! If this sounds like a dream to you, you might want to explore the possibility of setting sail with Disney Cruise Line! Disney Dream Disney already has some ships out and about, sailing the seas and taking guests to unique destinations in various parts of the world. And soon it’ll have another ship — the Disney Wish — available for guests to enjoy. If you’re ready to take the leap and book a Disney Cruise Line trip, or you’ve got one scheduled and are hoping to book some Port Adventures or other activities, there’s an important update you need to know about. Recently, Disney Cruise Line posted an update on their website about some things that will impact your ability to schedule a cruise or other activities soon. According to the warning that now appears on their site, from 4:30PM (EST) on March 7th, 2022 to the morning of March 9th, 2022, an update is going to be performed on the Disney Cruise Line reservation system. During that time, guests won’t be able to make or access any Disney Cruise Line reservations online or through the contact center. Online check-in, and cruise activity and port adventure bookings also won’t be available during that time. Let’s Set Sail! If you have a deposit or final payment due during that time, you’ll actually have until March 10th at 10PM EST to make that payment. The system should be back up and running March 9th, 2022, so you’ll then be able to do any other things necessary for your trip. ©Disney Cruise Line If you were planning on making any port adventure bookings during those days, you’ll want to try and make those reservations a bit earlier (if you can) or just be aware that you’ll have to wait until the system updates are done. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more Disney Cruise Line news and let you know what we find. Check back for all the latest updates! Until then, you’ll find us daydreaming about sitting near the pool on a Disney Cruise Line ship with an endless supply of soft serve ice cream! Click here to see why testing positive for COVID-19 no longer disqualifies you for a Disney Cruise What You Need to Know About Disney Cruise Line Learn All About Disney Cruise Line and Its Various Ships Check Out Lots of Details About Disney Cruise Line’s Newest Ship -- the Disney Wish (Including More About the Star Wars Bar and First Attraction at Sea Coming to the Wish) See the Latest on Disney Cruise Line’s Mask Policy Learn About Disney Cruise Line’s COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Policies Check Out 10 Things That’ll Be Different About Your Next Disney Cruise See More About the Virtual Queues and Other Changes Made on Disney Cruises Check Out How Much It’ll Cost to Sail on Disney’s Newest Cruise Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Have you ever been on a Disney Cruise? Tell us in the comments! The post Disney Cruise Line System Updates Could Impact Your Planning for a Limited Time first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We LOVE being able to review snacks throughout the Disney parks and share our reviews with our readers! Disney California Adventure Over at Disneyland Resort, the dining and snack possibilities seem nearly endless! There are so many great dining locations to choose from, and one of our favorite spots has a NEW item we’re reviewing — so let’s check it out! Royal Street Veranda in New Orleans Square offers hearty bread bowls out of a convenient walk-up window. But today, we’re talking about the FRITTERS. Royal Street Veranda More specifically, the Bacon Cheddar Jalapeño Fritters. We’re gonna go ahead and say that again: Bacon + Cheddar + Jalapeño = Love. We have seen similar fritters. But those had green onions instead of jalapeños. So we had to give these a try! Royal Street Veranda Fritters For $5.99, you get three decent-sized fritters served with a cheese sauce! Bacon cheddar jalapeño fritters These were nice and crunchy on the outside, but warm and soft on the inside! We could definitely taste the bacon and jalapeño, but neither flavor was particularly strong. Crispy goodness. The fritters were definitely better when dipped in the cheese sauce, as most things are. These certainly weren’t too spicy when we had them, but if you’re sensitive to spice you might want to skip this snack! Does this count as a Hidden Mickey? If you love all things bacon, we definitely recommend trying this snack, although if you’re looking for a bacon overload — this is NOT that. Overall, this made a delicious snack, but wasn’t overly filling! We would love for this to make its way to Disney World as well. I mean it’s bacon and cheese?! You know those are like two of our favorite things!! We are always looking for new snacks to try throughout the Disney parks, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more! Click Here to Check Out Which Popular Disneyland Ride Just Closed for Refurbishment! 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 Disneyland snack? Let us know in the comments! The post We Would Like to Request That This Cheese and BACON Treat Be Sent to Disney World Immediately first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The level of passion and teamwork our cast members dedicate to all animals is inspiring, even for those only temporarily in our care like rescued manatees which are an iconic species around Florida. This dedication was fully displayed recently when we collaborated with the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership in the release of a 680-pound manatee named Plantaina to a freshwater spring on the St. Johns River, about 50 miles northeast of Walt Disney World Resort. View the full article

We all know that Disney World can come with a high price tag. Souvenirs, Genie+, and Mickey Bars can certainly add up fast. Grand Floridian Of course, one of the biggest expenses on a Disney World trip can be the hotel! With so many hotels to choose from, it can be hard to decide where to stay and what might be the most affordable option. Disney is now offering you the chance to stay at one of its most luxurious hotels for FREE, and here’s how you can win! Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is hosting the Stay Grand Sweepstakes, and you could win a free stay at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Disney World! ©Disney Vacation Club From February 16th to April 13th, 2022, you can enter this sweepstakes for a chance to win a 6-day, 5-night stay at a 1-Bedroom Villa at the Grand Floridian for you and up to three guests, along with 6-day Disney World Park Hopper tickets, and roundtrip airfare. 1-Bedroom Villa ©Disney You can enter this sweepstakes even if you’re not a DVC member, but make sure to check out those official rules to make sure you can meet all of the requirements! Submit your entry by April 14th, 2022 so you don’t miss your chance to win this dream vacation, and check back with us for more Disney news! Here’s a first look at the NEW DVC rooms at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort! 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. Is Grand Floridian Resort your dream vacation spot? Let us know in the comments! The post Find Out How to WIN a FREE Trip to a Lavish Disney World Hotel first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There have been a LOT of changes made to how we see and interact with characters at Disney World over the past couple years, and the changes seem like they will be continuing. For the first time in forever, they’re back inside! Many meet and greets were put on pause for a while and they have only just returned over the past few months. More and more character dining has also been coming back slowly. However, you still cannot stand next to a character and take a picture with them or go up and hug them — things are remaining physically distant for now. One of the most popular character meals in Disney World is over at Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom, and there has been another change to how you meet the restaurant’s namesake princess! Before the pandemic began, Cinderella’s Royal Table featured various princesses that would come around to your table and meet you. Sleeping Beauty at Cinderella’s Royal Table This has evolved into only Cinderella now being at the restaurant. And, guests were not allowed to get up and take pictures with her or interact with her — they could only greet her from a distance as she briefly walked around the dining area. She was not in the restaurant during the whole meal, but rather just made a quick appearance. There she is! But now, Cinderella doesn’t walk around the dining room at all — instead, she is available to meet and take photos in the lobby of the restaurant. When we went to check out the change, a Cast Member brought us, along with a small group, to meet Cinderella after we checked in for our dining reservation. Meeting area We then stood in a short line and were allowed to say hi and take pictures of the princess. But, you are still not allowed to get close to the princess to take pictures, which is probably why she is up on a slightly raised platform. The whole experience was pretty rushed though — we only got a quick moment to take our pictures and see Cinderella before we were taken upstairs to the restaurant. Cindy! We asked several Cast Members if we were able to meet Cinderella after our meal and we were told the only chance to meet her is before, right when you walk in to the lobby of the restaurant (where we saw her earlier). Cinderella posing with guests So, if you want to take pictures with Cindy (in front of her, physically distanced), you can only do it before you’re taken upstairs for your meal. We did grab a pictures of just Cinderella posing on our way out, but it’s not the designated photo spot — it was more just us passing by and snapping a quick pic! On our way out We’ll be on the lookout if any more changes happen with character dining, so stay tuned to DFB for news and updates. Click here to check out our breakfast review for Cinderella’s Royal Table! 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 like this change at Cinderella’s Royal Table or do you wish she still walked around during your meal? Let us know in the comments. The post ALERT: Cinderella's Royal Table Sees Another BIG Character Meet and Greet Change in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It feels like we’ve been waiting FOREVER for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind to open in EPCOT — but we’re finally getting closer! In progress! Disney announced that the ride will be opening this summer (but they haven’t given an exact date, yet). We’ve been keeping an eye on construction, including the GIANT Nova Corps ship that’s gone up outside of the ride. Yesterday, we saw a closer look at the loading area of the ride, and today, we’ve got a new video from inside the attraction! Walt Disney Imagineering just released this video on Instagram featuring Liz Diaz, a Senior Ride Development Engineer. The clip shows her talking about her job as an engineer on the Cosmic Rewind project. We also get a look at the Starjumpers inside the ride, which is the name of the ride vehicles — take a look at the ride system being tested below! So cool! We also got a look at the omnicoaster vehicles spinning around, which is something super unique about this ride. The vehicles spin around to point you to what you’re supposed to be seeing while still acting as a roller coaster! ©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley) Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World news and updates! Click here to see MORE images from inside Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind! 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 excited for this new ride to open up? Let us know in the comments! The post VIDEO: Go INSIDE Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’re back with news from Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Tree of Life This week a specialty sundae has been taken off the menu, and one quick service restaurant has made some construction progress! Take a look at what’s new in Animal Kingdom right here. Animal Kingdom Food Updates Anandapur Ice Cream Truck The colorful Kite Tails Sundae has been removed from the Andandupar Ice Cream Truck menu. This specialty sundae came out at the same time as the Disney KiteTails daytime show debuted in Animal Kingdom. KiteTails Sundae The KiteTails Sundae has been replaced with Yeti Sundae, which we saw back in 2021. This sweet treat is made with chocolate soft-serve topped with vanilla soft-serve, blue cake crumbs, blue sugar, snowflake sprinkles, and a little chocolate yeti topper. So much blue! Yet Ice Cream Sundae The cake crumbles taste like vanilla cake, but this is otherwise a fairly basic ice cream sundae! If you like ice cream and Expedition Everest, it’s worth a try. Check out our review of the Yeti Sundae here! Joffrey’s Coffee Joffrey’s Coffee is celebrating Disney World’s 50th anniversary with personalizable coffee sleeves! These sleeves have a cute 50th anniversary design, and you can write in your Disney World plans right on the sleeve. This looks fun! You can find these available at select Joffrey’s Coffee locations around Disney World, including at Animal Kingdom! Read more about the Caffeinated Celebration here! Animal Kingdom Construction Updates Restaurantosaurus has been going through some construction lately, and this week the stairs have been uncovered, but they’re still blocked off to guests. Stairs are still covered The front deck is now open and there are some tables, but the whole area smells strongly of paint. Ramp is open Over at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, there’s a new seating area! Several colorful tables and chairs have been placed. Tables and chairs When we took the Harambe train from Rafiki’s Planet, we noticed some of the houses are being deconstructed. We asked a Cast Member about this, but they didn’t know if they were being torn down permanently or refurbished. We will continue to monitor the situation here. What’s happening here? This Pin Trading station was moved from the Expedition Everest gift shop exit door to right next to the ride itself, which is still closed for a lengthy refurbishment. Pins were moved And some of these Yeti Statues were freshly painted in a coat of bright red! Very colorful. Fresh paint! Let’s go shopping! Animal Kingdom Merchandise Updates Island Mercantile Island Mercantile had a new Disney World Fan for $12.99. WDW Fan There was also a restock of the Animal Kingdom Tree of Life Mug. Tree of Life Mug This new America on Parade Windbreaker, which we’ve seen in several locations around Disney World, is $69.99. America Parade Windbreaker And we also spotted this new Disneyland Vault Zip-Front Sweatshirt for $54.99. Vault Cardigan The back of it features Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto! So cute! And the Amethyst Minnie Ears were seen in most stores throughout Animal Kingdom, so if you’re looking for them — you may be in luck. Lots of ears! Let’s stop over at another store! Riverside Depot Riverside Depot had a new Just Chill Patch, featuring a rainbow design. Just chill, everyone There was also a new Cool Kid Baby Onesie for $19.99, with Mickey and “the cool kid just showed up” written on the front. Cool And we can’t forget these new socks! These Kitten Marie Socks feature one of our favorite Aristocats with pink and gray stripes… Marie! …and these Be Happy Collection Socks have a rainbow and Mickey print! Each pair of socks is $14.99. Home collection We also found a Winter Raspberry Scented Candle for $25… Winter raspberry …and a Cinderella Pumpkin Candle, which is pumpkin spice scented, for $35. Smells like pumpkin spice! There was a new Home Collection Table Runner for $50… Mickey table runner …and a Home Line Rectangle Plate for $20. Home plate It’s time to find another store! Zuri’s Sweets Shop At Zuri’s Sweets Shop, we found a new set of four 50th Anniversary Drinking Glasses for $35. Set of drinking glasses That’s it there, so what’s next? Discovery Trading And Discovery Trading had a new set of Stitch Earrings for $19.99… Stitch earrings! …and a new Stitch Necklace for $29.99! Stitch necklaces And that’s all the news from Animal Kingdom — for now, anyway! Things are always changing in Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB for more Disney updates! Read more about guests being evacuated from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! 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 been to Animal Kingdom recently? Tell us in the comments! The post What’s New at Animal Kingdom: The Yeti Sundae is Back! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Are there Mickey waffles in space? What do fireworks look like from a starcruiser? Do I really have to participate in all of the antics with the characters? Why is the blue shrimp BLUE?! You’ve got space questions, we’ve got answers! Star Wars Hotel Recently, we got the chance to hop aboard the Star Wars Hotel (Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser) as part of a special media preview event. We then revisited the hotel during its inaugural sailing on March 1st. So basically we’ve become space EXPERTS. Considering the high price tag that comes with the experience, we know you’ve probably got a lot questions that you want the answers to before you decide whether or not to take the leap and pay to stay in space. We’re sharing the answers to those questions right here! We know you all have a LOT of questions. If you see some that are missing from this list, drop us a comment and we can add it to our list. We’ll also be updating this page with more questions and answers, so be sure to check back for updates. Star Wars Hotel 101 Before we dive into the questions we do want to give a quick 101 on what the Star Wars Hotel is. While we call it a “hotel,” in reality Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is 2-night, fully immersive, cruise-like experience. During your stay, you’ll get the chance to train with lightsabers, defend the ship (or try to sabotage things as others defend the ship), interact with Star Wars characters, and basically “live out” your own unique Star Wars story. To learn more about our experience on the ship and get an overview of what it entails, check out our video below! The experience isn’t cheap. You can check out some of the sample pricing by clicking here. But the price does include your meals and most of the experiences on the ship, as well as a ticket to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and more. Alright, now onto the questions! Room Questions Before we jump into room-specific questions, we do want to point out that we have a FULL room tour post that goes through all kinds of features in the rooms aboard the Star Wars Hotel. Click here to see our room tour! 1 — How many plugs are there in the rooms? From what we saw, there are some plugs located near the alcove in the room with a mirror (just outside the bathroom)… There’s ANOTHER mirror! …and there are plugs on either side of the main bed (basically 2 on each side of the main bed). Plugs There are not any plugs up in the bunkbeds area though, so be warned if you’re planning on sleeping there! 2 — Are the beds comfortable? Well…the real question you should be asking yourself is WHO needs sleep when you could pull an all nighter in space?! We kid, we kid! Although we definitely had some looooong nights during our adventure. Overall, the regular (main/queen-sized) bed was very comfortable! The berths (bunk beds) on the other hand, aren’t exactly the most comfortable things in the world. Bunk Beds They are big enough to fit a full-sized adult (can confirm) but they’re basically just a vinyl-covered mattress. Think of it as a firm futon mattress covered with an orange blanket. There are NO sheets on these beds, so you’ll have to bring your own if you want that. The little rolled up blanket on the bunks is actually more of a sleeping bag. Some of our team found that sleeping bag item to be really comfortable, but the mattress itself wasn’t great. It’s basically camping in space when it comes to those bunks. But if that’s 100% your style, then you’ll love it! If not, bring some sheets to make things a bit more comfy for you! Food Questions Before we hop into food questions, we do want to share our links to our FULL reviews of all of the meals onboard: Click here to see what to get (or AVOID) at breakfast Click here to see EVERYTHING you can eat for lunch at the Star Wars Hotel Click here to see everything that is included when you leave the Star Wars Hotel for Hollywood Studios (including the food that is included!) Click here to see EVERYTHING on the menu for dinner on the first night Yes, dinner on the second night is DIFFERENT. Click here to see our full review of that So Neat! Is the Captain’s Table worth the extra cash? Welcome to our FULL review dedicated just to blue shrimp Wait. Do those space snacks look familiar or is it just us? Some of the best food is HIDING at the Sublight Lounge in the Star Wars Hotel! One of our favorite Disney World snacks made an appearance at the Star Wars Hotel Are there french fries at the Star Wars Hotel?! Time to Eat If you want to see our full taste notes on the food we tried and photos of all of the food, be sure to clink those links above! 1 — Can you bring your own alcohol to the Starcruiser and store it in the mini fridge? Yes! You can bring your own alcohol on the ship and store it in the mini fridge (though the mini fridge is fairly small — hence the term “mini,” so just keep that in mind). You will have to go through security with the alcohol, but you can bring it. You can also bring any other drinks you might want (like Pepsi) or other food and snacks. It’s a pretty tiny mini fridge! 2 — When is early dinner versus the late dinner time? Early dinner is from 5:30PM-7PM. Late dinner is from around 8PM-9:30PM (or potentially just a bit later). 3 — Are the chefs able to make special requests for picky eaters aboard the Starcruiser? For the most part, our understanding is yes. While there are no guarantees of what the chefs can and can’t do, when we spoke to the Cast Members, the overwhelming response we got is that the team attempts to solve all problems in a way that can make things work. Our understanding is that the chefs will do everything within their power to meet your needs. There were also some picky eater-friendly items on the menus (particularly the kids menu) including chicken, hamburger steamed buns, pizza, and a giant waffle fry. Kids’ Menu Items Adults should (for the most part) be able to order any of these items off of the kids menu, satisfying the picky eaters in the group. Keep in mind that Disney may not be able to accommodate all requests, but our understanding (and experience) was that adults could generally order off of the kids menu. CHEESEBURGER PODS?! IS THAT YOU?! If you have special dietary needs or allergies (beyond just being a picky eater) you will want to head to the Crown of Corellia Dining Room for a consultation once you’ve arrived. That can help the team prepare meals for you that will fit your specific needs. Click here to see more about special diets and the Star Wars Hotel 4 — Is there a plant-based option for dinner on night 2? For dinner on night 2, there are a number of meat-based items served, especially for the entrees option as well as the shrimp course. If you are a plant-based eater, do not be afraid! The bottom of the menu notes that plant-based menu selections are available upon request. A Look at the Dinner Menu If you ever have a question about what plant-based items are available, be sure to ask a Cast Member. 5 — Where can you eat when you dock at Batuu in Hollywood Studios? If you choose to get off at Batuu on Day 2 of your adventure on the Star Wars Hotel, you’ll be able to enjoy a quick service meal as part of your vacation visit. The quick service meal includes 1 entree and either 1 non-alcoholic drink or (if you’re 21+) 1 alcoholic beverage. For kiddos 3-9 the credit includes 1 combo meal from the kids menu. Our Docking Bay 7 Meal You can choose to stay “in story” and use that credit at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo. But technically, you can use that quick service credit at any quick service restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. See what is included when you head to Batuu here! 6 — What are the plant based options? There were plant-based options at various meals throughout the Starcruiser voyage. You can click the links above to see our FULL reviews of the meals to see what items were plant-based and our thoughts on them. We won’t go through them all here, but we will say that several plant-based options at the Sublight Lounge were quite good! We especially loved the Mustafar Tuber Chips! A Must-Try We also enjoyed the spiced flora during dinner on night 1 (which is also plant-based). And the base of the Marinated Seared Tofu with saffron rice, peas, sumac, aioli, and flaky flatbread at lunch was DELISH! The Mediterranean flavors were spot on. 7 — Why’s it blue? We have to assume this question is about the famous (or maybe infamous?) blue shrimp! In terms of why it’s blue from a conceptual idea, we expect that the team at Disney thought blue shrimp would look other worldly and so they wanted to make it unique in that way — and they’d be right on that point. It certainly does look like something that is NOT from this planet! Blue Felucian Shrimp Cocktail According to the story, the shrimp is from Felucia. According to StarWars.com, Felucia is “teeming with fungal life-forms and immense primitive plants.” It seems that a lot of the lifeforms on Felucia are “partially or completely translucent” and they “color the sunlight as the beams penetrate their skin.” Other lifeforms there are “opaque.” And then beneath the canopies of some plants there is a “color-drenched expanse.” So we have a feeling that the blue relates to the unique colors of this world. ©StarWars.com In terms of a practical reason as to why they are actually blue or how they are made to be blue, Disney makes the shrimp blue by soaking them in a butterfly pea powder solution! Read MORE about the Blue Shrimp here! 8 — Are there allergy friendly menu items? As we mentioned above, if you have allergies or specific dietary needs, what you’ll want to do is visit the Crown of Corellia Dining Room for a consultation once you’ve arrived at the Star Wars Hotel. During that consultation, you’ll meet with someone from the Star Wars Hotel staff that is trained in special diets. Crown of Corellia Dining Room They’ll be able to tell you what items will work within your specific allergy specifications. If you require pureed meals or need a medically restricted diet (like very low-protein diets), or prefer a kosher or halal meal, you will also need to send an email to Special.Diets@DisneyWorld.com between 7 and 14 days before your trip. Costume Questions There are special costume rules when it comes to the Star Wars hotel and some people do go FULL out when it comes to their outer space looks. There’s even a fashion show onboard for guests to participate in! Before we get into your costume questions, here’s a look at Disney’s costume policy for the Star Wars hotel. ©Disney Keep in mind that there are special rules when on Batuu vs. when on the ship. 1 — Are people wearing jeans and t-shirts or is everyone getting fully immersed in the costuming? We saw a mix. There were some guests with wigs, full costume pieces, and elaborate makeup. Other guests did a sort-of half-way look with Star Wars-inspired items, but not a full-on costume. Others were in jeans and a shirt. It truly depends. It’s called Fashion. You don’t have to dress up a certain way, so your outfit will entirely depend on your comfort level and desire. But if you do want to fully immerse yourself in the story, we have to admit that a costume and some funky space-looking accessories can help set the mood! Remember that you can also buy Star Wars-themed costumes and accessories while on the Halcyon. Click here to see all of the EXCLUSIVE merchandise items you can get at the Star Wars Hotel 2 — Can you bring homemade costumes? Or have to buy the super expensive ones? So long as the costumes you bring fall into the costume guidelines outlined above, you can definitely bring your own, homemade costumes. You can also mix and match regular clothes to make them look Star Wars-inspired, or just make up your own space look! Experience Questions Before we get into more experience-type questions, we do want to point you to some resources that could help. Click here to watch our DFB video ALL about the truth of the Star Wars Hotel What are the fireworks like on the Star Wars Hotel? Click here to see! Click here for the only COMPLETE guide to the Star Wars Hotel you’ll need Find out what lightsaber training is REALLY like at the Star Wars Hotel How can you tell if there’s an ACTUAL emergency at the Star Wars Hotel? 1 — Do they do anything special for birthday celebrations on the Starcruiser? From what we’ve seen, there is a special birthday song that they put on in the Sublight Lounge to celebrate a birthday, and you’ll likely find Crew Members clapping along! We’ll be keeping an eye out for any other birthday celebrations. 2 — What if I’m not happy with how my story is going and I want to change something? The big thing about the Star Wars hotel is that you get to participate in missions and basically live out your own Star Wars story. You can choose to help the Resistance, join the First Order, or even root for #1 (yourself) as a scoundrel. But what if you start your story in a certain way and then are not quite happy with how things are going and you want to make a change? Or you saw something cool online that you definitely want to see, but your story hasn’t led you there yet? Character Interactions According to some Cast Members we spoke to, you can try to go speak with a Guest Services Cast Member on the Halcyon and see what they can do (look for the Cast Members in the Atrium area with light blue jackets). Though they can’t make any guarantees, they may be able to help you switch some things around and hopefully get your story back on track to where you want it to be. 3 — What is tailored to kids? Most of the experiences here are family-friendly, but overall it feels more tailored to a slightly older audience (not old in terms of only for adults, but old in terms of older children through adults). Lightsaber training, for example, is limited to those ages 7 and up. That’s not to say that things here aren’t kid-friendly in general. But the crux of the story here is dependent on your own personal interactions with the characters and your use of your Datapad (through the Disney Parks Play App on your phone). Odds are pretty high that your 4-year-old wouldn’t really be able to read all of the stories coming in on the Datapad on their own, so that makes it difficult for them to really grasp the experience. Lightsaber Training Activities like the ones that take place during Bridge Training, Lightsaber Training, and even access to the Engineering Room (if you get that!) can be really fun for kids, as they combine levers or lights with movement, sounds, and sometimes special effects. The Bridge It’s all still kid-friendly, but we do want to note that your 4-year-old probably won’t get much out of holo sabacc and sharing secret codes with Resistance members to show that they are on the same team. Just keep in mind that your phone and the Datapad function are pretty critical to going on missions and enjoying that part of the experience (which is really what it’s all about). 4 — How frequent are the activities? There are a LOT of activities going on constantly aboard the Halcyon. You may find a sabacc lesson going on in one space, while another group is scheduled for bridge training, while another group is helping the First Order do some investigating, while characters are chatting with Gaya and friends — it can be a lot to take in! Your itinerary will be on your datapad Your itinerary will also get some additional items added as you complete missions. To see truly how frequent some activities are, take a look at our schedule that presented itself in our Datapad ahead of our paid trip. But keep in mind that schedules are subject to change. 5 — What are the more immersive elements like? There are characters walking around the ship at various times throughout your trip that you’ll have the chance to speak to. From the Cruise Director to Gaya to the Cast Members that are there to assist you, everyone is truly in character and in story. And you’re surrounded by the story everywhere you go. Sit down at the Sublight Lounge, and Ouannii might sit down next to you. Or you might find yourself surrounded by Stormtroopers who are keeping an eye on things. Enjoying some time at the Sublight Lounge Chat with one character and you might find a special mission loaded onto your Datapad. Tell the First Order Lieutenant that you’re committed to the First Order, and you might find entirely different items on your Datapad, prompting you to respond for next steps. The experience is incredibly immersive and if you throw yourself into the story, you’ll get to experience all kinds of unique things. 6 — How do elements of the ship connect to Batuu? The overall storyline connects to Batuu is that Batuu is the destination your ship is headed to for a specific excursion. There are other elements of the story and characters on the ship (we won’t give away any spoilers) that also connect to Batuu and the forces that are at battle on Batuu. Characters Once on Batuu, you’ll be able to participate in some special missions exclusive to guests on the Starcruiser. There are also elements in Batuu that will now connect to the story in Batuu. For example, head over to Oga’s Cantina and look for a post advertising a mechanic position on a now very familiar sounding starship. 7 — How infant friendly is the ship? The Star Wars Hotel is family friendly in that all family members are welcome to join and many kids will enjoy the activities onboard. However, as we mentioned above, it will be more enjoyable for guests who are slightly older kids to adults due to the nature of the adventure. If you’re planning on going on the Star Wars Hotel with an infant, note that there is no childcare available. Unlike what you’d see on Disney Cruise Line, there’s no spot to drop off children or infants to have them cared for by Disney staff. Bridge And there really aren’t infant-specific activities. In fact some activities, like the Lightsaber Training, cannot be done by infants. So while your infant can come, you’ll find the activities they can enjoy are more limited and you’ll have to take that into account for how you plan to spend your time on the ship. Other General Questions 1 — What do you have to pay EXTRA for? While many things are included in your Star Wars Hotel stay, some things do cost extra (like the Captain’s Table experience or a trip to Oga’s Cantina when on Batuu). Click here to see what’s included in your stay, and click here for a specific post on what you’ll have to pay EXTRA to do there. 2 — What is check in like are they in costume? At least during our experience, check-in took place outside the Halcyon (right at the entrance to the hotel). During check-in, we were provided with a special MagicBand for the experience (included in the cost) and Cast Members were able to take our luggage to then be delivered to our room. Cast Members can help with luggage, too! Cast Members are in costume but not as specific Star Wars characters with wigs and things of that nature. Instead, you’ll generally find them in blue outfits with Cast Member name tags. As part of check-in you’ll also get to watch a video about what the difference is between a “fake” (in-story) emergency and what would happen if there were a true emergency on the ship. Then, you’ll head to a transport vehicle to make your way onto the ship! 3 — Is it a one and done or something you would enjoy more than once? There are a lot of different ways your Star Wars story can go. You could help the Resistance while on the ship, go support the First Order, become a scoundrel, or do some other things. There are certain missions you can’t go on or areas you can’t access unless you unlock specific other things. And then there are missions on Batuu, drinks to try, food to eat, and all kinds of activities going on throughout the day (from sabacc tournaments to droid racing). In other words, it is (basically) impossible to do everything there is to do on the Star Wars Hotel in just one day. First Order Lieutenant You could come back time and time again to try different storylines, align yourself with different sides, speak with different characters, etc. and never have the exact same experience twice (though we expect several core story moments would remain the same). 4 — Is it worth the money? This is a question we got quite frequently. The truth is whether or not it is worth the money will depend on your families needs, wants, vacation desires, willingness to participate in the hotel antics, etc. While we can’t say whether or not it will be worth it for you, we can say that if you’re a fan of escape rooms, immersive theater, or things of that nature, you’re likely the perfect candidate for this experience. You can read a more detailed breakdown on our thoughts on the “is it worth it” question here. 5 — Are masks required? Under Disney World’s current rules, face masks are not required for the majority of the Star Wars Hotel for guests who are fully vaccinated. Inside the hotel (as it is an “indoor location”) masks are optional for guests who are fully vaccinated. Note, however, that Disney’s masks rules do note that they “expect Guests who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations.” Transport Masks are required for all guests (including those who are fully vaccinated) when on the transport shuttle from the Star Wars Hotel to Batuu for the Galaxy’s Edge excursion. That’s it for our questions for now. But we’ll be back with more questions and answers soon, so be sure to check back with us for updates! And check out our video below with answers to more of your questions. Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information Check Out Our COMPLETE GUIDE to the Star Wars Hotel We’re Breaking the MYTHS from Inside the Star Wars Hotel Rooms What to Get (or AVOID) at Breakfast on the Star Wars Hotel We Ate EVERYTHING for Lunch at the Star Wars Hotel See Our FULL Review of the Entire Dinner on Night 1 of the Star Wars Hotel Yes, Dinner on Night 2 at the Star Wars Hotel is Different. See Our Full Review Is the Captain’s Table Worth the Extra Cost? See How the Fireworks at the Star Wars Hotel Will (and Won’t) Surprise You Get Our Full Thoughts on the BLUE SHRIMP See What Snacks Look Like in Space Some of the Best Food in the Star Wars Hotel is Hiding! Get a Look at the Exclusive Star Wars Hotel Merchandise Learn About What’s Included When You Leave the Star Wars Hotel for Hollywood Studios Take a Look at the Pricing for the Star Wars Hotel Watch Our DFB Video About Our Experience at the Star Wars Hotel Click HERE to See More About Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe What other questions do you have about the Star Wars Hotel? Tell us in the comments! Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Recently, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ The post You’ve Got Weird Star Wars Hotel Disney World Questions and We Have Mega Specific Answers. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Did your favorite Marvel show disappear from Netflix recently? You’re not alone. But Disney has announced that several Marvel shows are coming to Disney+ soon, and they’re bringing some BIG updates to the streaming service with them! ©Disney Certain Marvel TV series were part of a contract that prevented any of them from appearing on a non-Netflix streaming service for at least 2 years after the shows’ cancelations (according to Variety). With the end of that contract, some of these series will be making the move over to Disney+. But how will the family-friendly streaming service handle the more violent or mature shows? We just found an answer. Disney announced that the former Netflix shows Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and The Defenders will arrive on Disney+ beginning March 16th, 2022. So far, these updates are only confirmed for the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand, although Disney said some of these shows will come to the streaming service in other markets later this year. ©Variety The shows were previously prohibited from appearing on non-Netflix streaming services due to a contract that mandated 2 years between the shows’ cancelations and their move to a different platform. All of these shows were canceled by the end of 2019 (for the introduction of Disney+ in the same year), which means they are now able to move to Disney+. Marvel’s Jessica Jones ©Marvel In addition to the Netflix series, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will come to Disney+ on March 16th as well. Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Cast ©Disney Some of these shows (such as Daredevil) have more violent and mature content than most of the shows and movies that appear on Disney+. To address this change, the streaming service is going to release a new update to parental controls in the U.S. ©Disney The update will allow subscribers to “select content ratings restrictions for each profile” on their account (Variety). That means you can decide which ratings are appropriate for each user on your account. ©Disney For younger kids, you could select “G” or “PG” (and below) content only. Subscribers will also be able to lock profiles with a PIN code to prevent other users from accessing higher-rated content on different profiles. ©Disney If you don’t change your settings, Disney+ will continue to limit the content on your profile to TV-14 ratings (meaning it won’t show titles like Daredevil that are rated TV-MA). You can make the changes to your account to allow those higher ratings at any point under profile settings. ©Disney These shows will join the existing Marvel content on Disney+ like WandaVision, Loki, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and more. Spider-Man: No Way Home will likely not stream on Disney+ anytime soon since it was produced by Sony. Agatha from WandaVision in Disneyland We’ll keep track of any more Disney+ updates you may need, so stay tuned with DFB! Click here to see everything coming to Disney+ in March. 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+ show? Let us know in the comments. The post NEW Parental Controls Coming to Disney+ With the Addition of Seven Marvel Series first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Today marks the official launch of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort, and to celebrate I thought we’d take a quick photo tour through the Halcyon starcruiser. Come along as we journey to a galaxy far, far away thanks to the amazing work of our Disney photographers.View the full article

Five cheap ways to prepare for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, the new Disney World experience View the full article

March 1 is #WorldComplimentDay, and as part of Global Recognition Week, it’s one we wouldn’t miss! Consider us your personal guides to join in on the action from anywhere around our world. Whether visiting a Disney Park or experience, reliving fond memories of past adventures, or working today with your fellow cast members, why not spread […]View the full article

We’re going to infinity and beyo…oh wait wrong space movie. Let’s try that again — for the first time EVER, guests visiting Disney World can travel to a galaxy far, far away for a 2-night immersive experience onboard the fanciest starcruiser there is! Galactic Starcruiser That’s right, we’re talking about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser! This first-of-its-kind hotel plops guests directly into the middle of a conflict between the First Order and the Resistance where they get to choose their allegiance in the 2-night part escape game, part murder mystery-style experience. But, if you’re not in the camp that LOVES Star Wars, will you find yourself regretting every single cent that you spent to stay there? Probably no, but maybe yes. Let’s explain. What the Star Wars hotel is and is not. First up, let’s do a quick overview of what exactly the Star Wars hotel is like. While the Galactic Starcruiser is known as a hotel, really the only thing that makes it a hotel is that there are beds and a big ‘ol building. But, that building is much more than just a Star Wars-themed concrete box, it’s actually a Starcruiser and the only views you’ll be getting out your window are those in space. Starcruiser Cabin Is it more like a cruise ship? Kind of! All guests arrive and depart in the same time block, stay at the hotel throughout the entire 2-night, 3-day experience (aside from a “planet” excursion), and have their meals and drinks included in the cost (among other things). But, the comparison to a cruise ship doesn’t go much further than that. And, of course, none of this comes without a hefty price tag. This experience can cost upwards of $5,000. Unlimited Snackssss So, it’s not a regular Disney Resort and it’s not a cruise ship — instead, Disney has described it as “part live immersive theater, part themed environment, part culinary extravaganza, part real-life role-playing game—and yet so much more.” The Halcyon Atrium The entire experience revolves around guests creating their very own Star Wars story by encountering and interacting with characters, completing missions, and buying into the greater storyline going on throughout the ship. But, will you be out of place if donning your Jedi best sounds like an absolute NIGHTMARE? And, what if you’ve literally know nothing about Star Wars? Or worse, what if you HATE Star Wars? Do you NEED to have seen all the Star Wars movies to participate? While you’re certainly going to be immersed in the Star Wars galaxy while you’re onboard, full knowledge of the movies, series, and comics is NOT necessary. In fact, one of our reporters who visited the Starcruiser for a media event admitted that she hadn’t seen all the movies and didn’t really care about any of the characters beforehand but still loved the experience. This is exactly what Disney was hoping would happen when they first started working on the hotel! Your Cruise Director (Left) and Captain (Right) We had the chance to speak with the Imagineers and representatives from Lucasfilm who worked on the hotel and they stressed that they made the Galactic Starcruiser experience both for people who love Star Wars AND for the people who love the people that love Star Wars. Sabacc Table So, how does Disney get even those who hate or just don’t really care about Star Wars involved in their own story within the franchise? Well, it all lies in the characters! Almost all of the people that you’ll meet onboard and the story are completely brand new to the Star Wars universe. This makes it so that everyone who visits is on a level playing field as far as the interactions go — while we DO know what happens to Rey and Chewie (because their stories exist in the movies) we DON’T know what happens to, say, Sammie the mechanic. By introducing a brand new story and characters, Disney has made it so that no one knows what’s going to happen next, making it even easier to immerse yourself into the experience. Meet Gaya, the onboard performer! What exactly DO you need to know about Star Wars before heading into the galaxy? Disney’s Imagineers and Lucasfilm reps boil it all down to a space battle between good and evil — that’s it. That being said, if you DO love Star Wars then this could be even better for you! The Galactic Starcruiser was built by people who LOVE the franchise themselves so there are a TON of easter eggs onboard to discover and you’ll literally come face to face with Chewbacca and Rey. But, the BIGGEST key to enjoying your stay is your willingness to participate in the interactive experience, NOT your knowledge of the movies. Overall All in all, you’re going to get out of the experience what you put into it at the Star Wars hotel. Even if you really HATE or just don’t really care at all about Star Wars but you love role-playing or other immersive games, you could still end up loving your stay at the Starcruiser. Of course, being a Star Wars fan can enhance your enjoyment (after all, you are LIVING out your very own Star Wars story and can full-on USE a lightsaber), but it’s not a requirement. And, on the flip side, even the biggest Star Wars fan could walk away hating their experience if they’re not fully bought into the immersive aspects. SK-62O So, if you’re trying to decide whether you’ll give into the Star Wars fan in your life even though you can’t stand Jar Jar Binks, don’t fear! You could walk away enjoying the experience even more than you think! And, we’re not done talking about the Galactic Starcruiser just yet! Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all of the latest coverage and answers to your biggest questions! Check out our COMPLETE guide with absolutely EVERYTHING you need to know about the Star Wars Hotel HERE! Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information Check Out Our COMPLETE GUIDE to the Star Wars Hotel We’re Breaking the MYTHS from Inside the Star Wars Hotel Rooms What to Get (or AVOID) at Breakfast on the Star Wars Hotel We Ate EVERYTHING for Lunch at the Star Wars Hotel See Our FULL Review of the Entire Dinner on Night 1 of the Star Wars Hotel Yes, Dinner on Night 2 at the Star Wars Hotel is Different. See Our Full Review Is the Captain’s Table Worth the Extra Cost? See How the Fireworks at the Star Wars Hotel Will (and Won’t) Surprise You Get Our Full Thoughts on the BLUE SHRIMP See What Snacks Look Like in Space Some of the Best Food in the Star Wars Hotel is Hiding! Get a Look at the Exclusive Star Wars Hotel Merchandise Learn About What’s Included When You Leave the Star Wars Hotel for Hollywood Studios Take a Look at the Pricing for the Star Wars Hotel Watch Our DFB Video About Our Experience at the Star Wars Hotel Click HERE to See More About Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Are you considering staying at Disney World’s Star Wars hotel but not sure if you’ll like it? Let us know your fears in the comments! Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Recently, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Today, we are here on our own accord, but some of the photos in the post above are from said media event. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink.You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ The post Is Disney's Star Wars Hotel JUST for Fans of the Series? The Answer May Surprise You. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Can a bakery count as an attraction? Around here, we frequent Gideon’s Bakehouse so often that we have our routine down to a science. We even rope drop this little shop in Disney Springs — it’s basically treated with as much importance as some of the most popular rides in Disney World! Gideon’s Bakehouse If you’ve ever tried a Gideon’s Bakehouse cookie, you might understand our obsession. Between the monthly cookie releases, hot cookie hour, and secret menu items, there’s always something new to try! Now that it’s March, it’s time for a new seasonal cookie at Gideon’s Bakehouse. Let’s find out about this month’s theme! Mourning Joe serves as this month’s Gideon’s Bakehouse mascot, and the returning-favorite Coffee Toffee Chocolate Chip cookies are inspired by this tragic character (the sea salt is said to be harvested from Mourning Joe’s tears). The (HUGE, by the way) cookie is filled and topped with freshly ground espresso beans and sea salt, and made with toffee and chocolate in a vanilla bean cookie. We’ve actually tried this cookie before (and LOVED it) so we’re excited to see it return! Coffee Toffee Cookie at Gideon’s Bakehouse This month, there is also a secret menu item! According to the Gideon’s Bakehouse Instagram account, “If you ask politely in Gideon’s at Disney Springs, we will present you with a super yummy Salted Caramel Nitro Cold Brew!” It’s only available at the Gideon’s Bakehouse in Disney Springs throughout the month of March. ©Gideon’s Bakehouse If you love those funny little Gideon’s characters, check out the new Mourning Joe shirt! You can visit the Gideon’s Bakehouse website to purchase the shirt, plus some other exclusive merchandise! ©Gideon’s Bakehouse Be sure to stay tuned for a full review of this month’s new Gideon’s Bakehouse offerings! In the meantime, we’ll be sharing all the latest Disney news, updates, and more. We Rope-Dropped a FOOD Location in Disney World?! Here’s WHY! 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 tried a Gideon’s Bakehouse cookie? Let us know in the comments! The post You'll Need INSIDER Info to Try a Secret Coffee in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’ve felt a void in your heart from the end of the 2022 EPCOT Festival of the Arts, do not fear. The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival will be starting TOMORROW! Time for the Flower and Garden Festival! Soon there will be lots of snacks to try, topiaries to take selfies with, and entertainment to enjoy. Preparations are already well underway for the Festival’s start and today we spotted a sign for a special activity that you won’t want to miss. But this year it’ll cost you a little bit MORE than before. Ready to go on a scavenger hunt in EPCOT?! We’ve seen a number of festival-themed scavenger hunts over the past several months. During the Food and Wine Festival, you’ll find Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak. During the Festival of the Holidays, you’ll have to search for Olaf as he hides throughout World Showcase. At the Festival of the Arts, Figment disguises himself to be part of many paintings throughout the park. And finally, at the Flower and Garden Festival, you’ll have to search for Spike the Bee in order to claim your special prize! It’s Spike! The activity is officially called Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration. As part of this scavenger hunt, guests purchase a map and then search for Spike the Bee throughout EPCOT. Guests will then match Spike and the plants he is next to and place the corresponding stickers in the appropriate places on the map. Once complete, guests can return the map to Disney Traders or World Traveler for a special prize! Last year, the prizes were some fun tumblers! Scavenger Hunt Sign The activity hasn’t officially begun yet as the Festival doesn’t start until tomorrow and the prizes have yet to be revealed for this year, but as we were walking through EPCOT today we DID see a sign advertising the scavenger hunt. As you’ll see on the sign, the scavenger hunt costs $9.99 (plus tax) this year. Last year, the activity cost $7.99 (plus tax), so that’s an increase of $2. Will the prize be worth it? Only time will tell! More Expensive This Year! We had seen this increased price listed on Disney’s Flower and Garden website already, but we wanted to make sure we pointed it out to you today so you could pay particularly close attention to it and adjust your budgets if necessary. That $9.99 price is the same as the cost for the Figment Brush with the Masters scavenger hunt that took place during the 2022 Festival of the Arts, so perhaps the increase isn’t surprising, but it’s still something to be aware of. A Closer Look at that Map We’ll continue to be on the lookout for more updates about the Flower and Garden Festival. Be sure to check back with us for all the latest news! 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 Will you be going to the Flower and Garden Festival this year? Tell us in the comments! The post Price INCREASE Impacts EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival Activity first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

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. The Disney parks are continually updating health and safety regulations in order to comply with the latest guidance from health officials. Sometimes those updates are small changes (like adjusting signage in the parks) and sometimes they’re much bigger, like the change that’s happening right now at an international Disney park. Face mask signage in Disney World Disneyland Paris is making big changes when it comes to the face mask policy in the parks. For a while now, all guests have been required to wear face masks (at least in certain areas), but that’s about to change. Beginning on March 2nd, 2022, guests will no longer be required to wear face masks in Disneyland Paris. The park’s website notes that masks “remain recommended for experiences such as [the] parade and nighttime spectacular ‘Disney Illuminations.'” ©Disney Guests ages 16 years old and above are still required to present a Vaccine Pass before they can enter Disneyland Paris. Guests ages 12 to 15 years old must present a Health Pass. ©Disney The Vaccine Pass is essentially a certificate proving that a person is fully vaccinated. The Health Pass verifies that someone is either fully vaccinated, has received a negative PCR or Antigen test within a certain time period, or has met certain requirements after testing positive for COVID-19. COVID-19 Health and Safety Sign These changes follow guidance from the French government, which announced that face masks will no longer be required at indoor locations beginning February 28th, 2022. Face masks are no longer required in Disneyland Paris This change comes just before Disneyland Paris will begin celebrating its 30th Anniversary. The park will have a few new shows, gorgeous art installations, over 60 new snacks and treats, and plenty of merchandise for the occasion. In addition, the second Avengers Campus will open at Walt Disney Studios Park in the summer of 2022. The celebrations officially begin on March 6th, 2022. Disneyland Paris 30th Anniversary ©Disney Keep following DFB for more of the latest news and updates from the Disney parks. The direct train between London and Disneyland Paris is returning soon! 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 Disneyland Paris soon? Let us know in the comments. The post Guests Are No Longer Required to Wear Face Masks in Disneyland Paris first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney’s Star Wars Hotel is officially open and we KNOW you’ve got questions. How’s that blue shrimp taste? Am I really stuck in space for 48 hours? Do I need to dress to the galactic nines on board? The Halcyon Atrium And what are you REALLY getting for that $6,000 price tag? Stick around because we’ve got answers. Check out our video below Answering EVERY SINGLE Question About Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser! Are you a DFB Video subscriber? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our channel and catch up on ALL of our latest episodes! Watch the video and let us know what questions you have about Disney’s Star Wars Hotel. The post DFB Video: Answering EVERY SINGLE Question About Disney's Galactic Starcruiser first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Throughout the year, Disney World celebrates a WIDE variety of holidays…and this week you just might find some special offerings in time for Mardi Gras! Loving this vibe If you’re heading to Disney Springs soon, we found a sweet treat that you can snag for ONE DAY ONLY. So throw on your beads and let’s get this party started! Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew is celebrating Mardi Gras with a special King Cake Cold Brew and Donut pairing. This new drink features cold brew coffee, sweet cream, brown sugar, cinnamon bun syrup, and caramel sauce. It’s topped off with whipped cream and sprinkles…because what’s better than that?! (Answer: NOTHING) This drink is paired up with an equally festive donut inspired by the iconic New Orleans King Cake. This giant masterpiece (do you SEE the size of that thing next to the coffee?!) is decked out in green, yellow, and blue sprinkles. If you’re somehow tired of beignets or want to try something new, check out this unique offering to celebrate Mardi Gras at Disney Springs. This treat is ONLY available today, so HURRY if you want to snag one! Keep following DFB for all the new treat updates! Click Here To Check Out More Of The Latest Updates From Disney Springs! 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 new treat in Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments! The post TODAY ONLY! Get a Mardi Gras King Cake Donut in Disney Springs first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney is charging $5,000+ for two nights at their new Star Wars hotel. Can the experience possibly be worth it? The Sublight Lounge We’ve visited Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser both as guests of the media event and as paying guests on the inaugural sailing. Now, we’re using all of our expertise and research to answer the question everyone has been asking: Is Disney World’s Star Wars Hotel worth it? Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a fully-immersive two-night experience similar to a cruise ship where you are launched into your own Star Wars story on a “space cruise.” You’ll have the chance to wield a lightsaber, go on missions with characters, interact with familiar Star Wars heroes, eat space food (Blue Shrimp, we’re looking at you.), and more. Characters Your experience on Galactic Starcruiser includes your food (meals, snacks, and most non-alcoholic beverages), park entry to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for one day, your cabin, and most onboard experiences. Like a cruise, the $5,000+ price tag includes many aspects of your experience. Even when you consider ALL of the included amenities, Galactic Starcruiser is still one of the highest-priced experiences in Disney World. So, why has Disney World made this hotel SO expensive? Bridge Training What you’re really paying for is the STORY. Disney has used all of the resources at their disposal (technology, money, the Star Wars IP, etc.) to craft an almost totally immersive experience. Speaking first hand, when you’re aboard the Halcyon, you’re about as close as you can get to being in Star Wars. $4,809 is the starting rate for two adult guests in a standard cabin ($1,209 per guest per night). We’ve done the math and the full value of included food and park tickets for two people traveling on Galactic Starcruiser is around $878 (You can read more about that here!), leaving the base value of your room and onboard experiences at a still-WHOPPING $3,931 for a two-person voyage. Starcruiser Cabin A comparable (but still bigger!) room at Disney World’s most expensive hotel, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, has a base rate of around $760 per night or $1,520 for two nights. Starcruiser costs significantly more than DOUBLE that. Click here to learn more about what you’re paying for on Galactic Starcruiser! The Star Wars hotel is not a hotel. And that pricing has led to contention amongst fans. There has been a LOT of controversy surrounding Galactic Starcruiser. When it was first announced, fans were excited about what was an ambitious and intriguing idea from Disney. Of course, that all changed when Disney announced base prices, ranging from $4,809 for two people per cabin to $5,999 for four guests per cabin. ©Disney With such a shockingly high price tag, many of the people who had been so excited about the project now saw it as unobtainable and as Disney continued to release marketing for the experience, audiences didn’t get the feeling of how immersive the experience truly would be. Cue a lot of hate and rising doubts about how such a hotel could ever be worth $5 grand for two nights. Now that we’ve been on board, both as guests of the media cruise and paying our own way, we can say that you are NOT dropping that kind of cash for two nights in a hotel. It’s not a hotel at all. It’s a game – a really, really big game. Galactic Starcruiser is like a cross between a two-day escape room, a choose-your-own-adventure book, and a murder-mystery dinner…but you’re doing them all at once with no answer key. Meet Gaya, the onboard performer! You’re meeting characters like Sammie the mechanic, Gaya the galactic superstar, and Captain Keevan – and they’re meeting you, learning your name and your allegiances. Those characters are then giving you missions around the ship and even in Batuu once you make it to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Day 2 of your voyage. And yes, you’re seeing those characters in person, but you’re also “communicating” with them via your Datapad (A.K.A. your phone) and completing missions like you would in the Play Disney Parks app in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – scanning cargo crates, tuning into First Order frequencies, and more. Deciding what characters you help or betray, what missions you complete or skip, and even where you’re hanging out onboard has a lasting effect on the way the story plays out for you. You can be sent on missions while down in Batuu, too! And these aren’t the character interactions you recognize. We’re talking Chewbacca or a Stormtrooper weighing in on your game of holo Sabacc or First Order Lieutenant Croy slyly chatting with you about his fandom for superstar Gaya. At one point, I found myself sitting in the atrium when Sammie the engineer slid into the seat next to me and told me he needed someone to distract Stormtroopers. Next thing I know, I’m single-handedly directing the First Order towards a made-up disturbance near the brig. And these kinds of interactions happen CONSTANTLY with different ones happening to the people around you. Not only does your Star Wars story help to immerse you, but seeing a living, breathing story unfold around you (that you might not be a part of) helps to create the illusion of a REAL Starcruiser embroiled in Resistance/First Order conflict. Sammie and Chewbacca And all of THAT is what has driven the price up on Starcruiser – because it certainly doesn’t always feel like a luxury experience. Want to see more of the datapad? Click here. You’re not paying for luxury on Galactic Starcruiser. Everything from the environment on the ship to the backstories of the crew, to the missions you’re sent on by characters, helps to trick your brain as much as possible into thinking the choices you’re making are significant to what might be a real story going on around you. Is there still some suspension of disbelief? Of course. We know we’re not really standing on the bridge of a galactic starcruiser in the world where Luke Skywalker once fought Darth Vadar, but the Star Wars hotel certainly makes you feel like you are. “PUNCH IT!” At the same time, the hotel has few amenities and the rooms are small with some disappointing fixtures (I slept on a bunk bed with a pseudo-sleeping bag instead of blankets; it felt a lot like camping for a $5,000 price tag.). You take out the story and the hotel on its own is FAR from a luxury experience. So, how can Disney justify such a high price when you can stay at a TRUE luxury hotel AND visit the theme parks for a fraction of the cost? You’re not paying for luxury, you’re paying for uniqueness. Galactic Starcruiser is an experience that is unlike any other. Sure, there are escape rooms and immersive theater – but none of them are both multi-day and supported by such significant technology and creative teams. When this is your only option to have an experience like this, Disney doesn’t have to worry about pricing against the competition. Bunk Beds Starcruiser also has a dedicated cast of professional actors. Typically, when Disney employs performers, they’re performing for thousands each day and your ticket cost helps to pay them. These performers are improvising much of their performance, performing for small audiences, and wrangling kids (and adults) while they’re at it. Some of the cost of the hotel is working to keep these excellent performers paid. On top of that, Starcruiser is small with only 100 cabins and suites. This helps keep the experience immersive and gives everyone a chance to get involved, but it also means that only a few hundred people can experience the hotel at a time. So, Disney is pricing for what could be a high-demand, low-supply situation. Disney may have justified such steep pricing as this is the only place in the world where you can have an experience of this caliber, and only a few hundred people can have that experience at a time. To see more of the Starcruiser rooms, click here. Who is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser really for? The Star Wars hotel is hands-down a NICHE experience. It’s not for everyone and we can safely say that the key to getting your money’s worth is buying into and participating in the story. Captain Keyvaan at the Captain’s Table In fact, even if you love Star Wars, if participating in a super-involved role-playing-based game sounds not fun to you, then your love of Star Wars might not make up for that. The core of the experience is getting involved in a story to an immersive level; it could work just the same without Star Wars. But that’s not to say that being a mega-Star Wars fan won’t improve the experience if you are open to the game. As long as you won’t be peeved by the introduction of new characters, some truly stunning moments have been woven in for Star Wars fans – from Easter Eggs to coming face to face with iconic characters. Ouannii In the words of Disney Imagineers, Starcruiser was made for “Star Wars fans and people that love Star Wars fans,” and that’s at least partially true. But with not much to do on the ship beyond engaging with characters and the story, those averse to doing so could consider it a waste of money – regardless of fandom level. Can kids enjoy it? And Galactic Starcruiser isn’t necessarily made for kids either. Kids were certainly in mind with the development; there are special activities for kids under 7, some fun kids’ menu offerings, and the characters will often prioritize interacting with kiddos during missions. At the same time, they can’t participate in everything. Lightsaber Training, which is arguably what I would’ve been MOST excited about as a 7-year-old, is only for ages 8 and up (Those younger participate in a tone-downed version of the experience.). Plus, the food is NOT picky eater friendly. Sure, you’ve got chicken nuggets and cheesy pasta, but even the pickier options aren’t going to look like what your kid is expecting. Then consider that many of the BIGGEST story moments happen late at night, with the finale occurring at 9:30PM. If your kiddo needs to be in bed before then, they and YOU could miss out on some of the most integral pieces of the experience. There they are! That said, we did see some little ones having an absolute blast during our trips and the characters even called out some of them as their most prized allies. It might not be directly geared towards little ones, but that doesn’t mean your kids are doomed to not have fun – it just might mean the HUGE splurge on this vacation makes more sense when they’re older. Can introverts enjoy it? The experience is also especially scary for introverts. With all this talk of putting yourself out into the story, you might think the immersion wasn’t made for shy folks. There are a few things that help with this. If you’re tagging along with a more extroverted friend or family member, you could let them do the interacting while you join in for the missions – without having to chat with strange alien characters. Your itinerary will be on your datapad You also don’t HAVE to talk to the characters to get missions and complete them! The missions are primarily dictated by your datapad. We had a reporter do most of her interacting completely through messages with characters and she still found herself in some secret missions interacting with cooler parts of the story. Plus, the datapad does help to take some of the mystique away from these characters. Despite not speaking with a character in person, I felt like I knew something about them from “communicating” with them via datapad. That way, when it came time to chat in person, they felt less like a stranger. Click here to see the Starcruiser itinerary! So with all this mind, we can ask ourselves the big question… . Is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser worth the $5,000 price tag? As you can imagine, this is a complicated question and one that will always be subjective. But, we can take a lot of the mystery out of the equation for you. There’s a lot to play into whether or not the experience is worth the money. Star Wars Hotel Atrium For Star Wars fans, gamers, and escape room fans who are willing to launch full throttle into the story, the experience delivers. If you’re one of these people and it sounds like a must-do, then it could be worth the money since you don’t have an option to do the same thing anywhere else. Others who experienced the trip had varying answers when asked “Is it worth it?” Some said, absolutely – again and again while others were stuck on the price tag despite loving the experience. And we spoke to a few people aboard who found it lackluster and felt the game was more like work than play. That very well could be you if you don’t think you’ll be able to buy into the story. There’s only so much to do otherwise and I don’t think you could play enough holo Sabacc and drink enough unlimited Blue Milk to find the experience worth the dough. The grand finale fireworks show! $5,000 to $6,000 is a LOT of money, but average families are easily spending $5,000 for a week in Disney World without this level of immersion – and that hasn’t been perceived as a luxury experience despite luxury pricing. The price for Starcruiser is pretty on-par with what we’d expect from Disney. Could it be cheaper? Yes, probably, but again…this is Disney. And, Galactic Starcruiser will change. Maybe every single person will have a different answer to the “Is it worth it?” question, but the perhaps bigger question is can Galactic Starcruiser stay as cool as it is now? Grab-and-Go We’ve visited Starcruiser on the media cruise and the inaugural sailing. There are a LOT of eyes on the project right now, so of course, Disney wants to make their best impression. Still, as time goes on, guest and public reactions could drive Disney to make changes. There could come a point where the average guest on the Halcyon isn’t as interested in playing along. What happens when Mickey shirts and the demand for pizza surpasses Twi’lek headdresses and the demand for Blue Shrimp? We’ve already seen the food in Galaxy’s Edge get toned down and renamed, sacrificing immersion but increasing broad appeal. Climate Simulator Changes that incorporate more guests or keep things fresh, can be a good thing, but will Disney make those changes or opt for others that make the Star Wars hotel seem more broadly appealing while losing the ingenuity that made it so unique in the first place? And will these changes make it even less worth it? Want to see our complete Starcruiser guide? Click here! With all this in mind, you can see why the “worth it” question is a tricky one. Remember, this is a niche experience and it is NOT right for everyone. For some, they’ll think it sounds cool but not for the price, others might never enjoy an experience like this no matter the cost, and still others might walk away thinking that the opportunity was once-in-a-lifetime and $5,000 was more than fair. Your Cruise Director (Left) and Captain (Right) Whatever the case, we hope we’ve helped to break down some of the drama surrounding the Starcruiser and that any space-cruise-related decisions are a little bit easier now. If you’d like to know more, we’ve covered a TON of the biggest questions here on Disney Food Blog, so stick around – and when it comes to deciding on a Star Wars hotel vacation, may the Force be with you. To learn more about Galactic Starcruiser, click here!  Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information Check Out Our COMPLETE GUIDE to the Star Wars Hotel We’re Breaking the MYTHS from Inside the Star Wars Hotel Rooms What to Get (or AVOID) at Breakfast on the Star Wars Hotel We Ate EVERYTHING for Lunch at the Star Wars Hotel See Our FULL Review of the Entire Dinner on Night 1 of the Star Wars Hotel Yes, Dinner on Night 2 at the Star Wars Hotel is Different. See Our Full Review Is the Captain’s Table Worth the Extra Cost? See How the Fireworks at the Star Wars Hotel Will (and Won’t) Surprise You Get Our Full Thoughts on the BLUE SHRIMP See What Snacks Look Like in Space Some of the Best Food in the Star Wars Hotel is Hiding! Get a Look at the Exclusive Star Wars Hotel Merchandise Learn About What’s Included When You Leave the Star Wars Hotel for Hollywood Studios Take a Look at the Pricing for the Star Wars Hotel Watch Our DFB Video About Our Experience at the Star Wars Hotel Click HERE to See More About Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe What is your take on Disney World’s Star Wars Hotel? Tell us in the comments! Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Recently, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Today, we are here on our own accord, but some of the photos in the post above are from said media event. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink.You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ The post Is the Star Wars Hotel Worth the ,000+ Price Tag in Disney World? We Found Out. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

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Disney World’s Star Wars hotel — the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser — has been criticized for its hefty price tag of almost $5,000 for a 2-person, 2-night vacation. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Well, we’ve been to the Star Wars hotel, and we experienced everything from the food to the character interactions to the lightsaber training. With Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser starting its inaugural sailing TODAY, you might be wondering what are guests ACTUALLY paying for when they drop the five grand+ for their stay — so, let’s talk about it! Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a 2-night immersive experience that acts more like a cruise than a hotel. During the trip, you’ll be immersed in your own Star Wars story that changes based on your decisions. Character Interactions $4,809 is the starting rate for 2 adult guests in a standard cabin ($1,209 per guest, per night). This price seems pretty steep for 2 nights in a hotel room, but similar to a cruise, the rate includes a lot more. So, let’s break it down. Launch Pod We’ll be looking at how much each aspect of the hotel would cost outside of the experience to see how fair the pricing is for the Star Wars hotel. We’ll be using base rates; Disney World rates for hotels and park tickets can vary based on season, including for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Click here to learn more about the pricing of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser! The Food Your food is included on Galactic Starcruiser — you get 2 buffet breakfasts, 2 buffet lunches, lounge eats, and 2 all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style dinners – plus snacks and non-alcoholic standard drinks. On Day 2, you can even choose between eating a quick-service meal (with a non-alcoholic OR alcoholic beverage included) at any quick-service location in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or choose to eat at the lunch buffet aboard the ship. Braised Bantha Beef All-you-care-to-enjoy casual buffet options around Disney World tend to cost around $30 per person for breakfast (like at Boma) and around $40 per person for lunch (like at Crystal Palace). Nicer, family-style, all-you-care to-enjoy dinners around Disney World tend to cost around $55 per person (like at ‘Ohana). Assuming a pair of guests takes part in all onboard meals, this value comes out to be around $500. Lunch buffet The suggested meal at Docking Bay 7 in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge of an entree and alcoholic beverage would cost a guest around $30. If both guests take part in this meal, the value comes out to be around $60. And yes, we DO recommend picking up this meal and having a second lunch at the lunch buffet on the ship. Might as well get all the food that you can! Food and drink to go from Docking Bay 7 Lounge eats are also included on the Starcruiser. Based on similar items on the Nomad Lounge menu, lounge eats tend to cost around $12. If each guest has one lounge bite each of the two days that the lounge is open, this comes out to a value of around $50. Lounge eats Snacks vary between around $4 and around $12 depending on the snack, with the average landing somewhere around $6. Sodas and juices tend to range from around $4 to around $6; we’ll take an average of $5 for these beverages. If each guest has 2 snacks and 2 drinks outside of meals each day, this value comes out to be around $50. Popcorn and snacks Combine all of these different food prices and you’ll find that the value of food included on the Starcruiser for 2 guests is around $660. Want to learn more about the Star Wars hotel food? Click here! Park Tickets The trip also includes your 1-day park tickets to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so you can go on your excursion to Batuu during Day 2 of the trip. At base, these 1-day tickets typically cost $109, before tax and fees. For 2 guests, that value comes to $218. Transport vehicle to Batuu But, remember that these tickets do change in price depending on the time of the year and the day of the week. For example, the price for a 1-day ticket on March 2nd, 2022 (which is when the first trip on the officially opened Starcruiser takes place) is $134 before tax and fees. So, this would come out to $268 for 2 people. Batuu But, for the sake of this example we’re still going to stick to that base rate of $218 — just know that park tickets can and do regularly cost more at Disney World. To see more about the excursion to Batuu, click here! Cabin and All Onboard Experiences So, pulling out the $878 food and park ticket value, your 2-person cabin and experiences still cost a whopping $3,931 for both nights or $983 per person per night. Cabin aboard the Starcruiser A comparable (but still bigger!) room at Disney World’s most expensive hotel, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, has a base rate of around $760 per night or $1,520 for two nights. Starcruiser costs significantly more than DOUBLE that amount. Grand Floridian Room If we take out the comparable price of a deluxe room, we find that you’re paying roughly $2,411 for 2 people (or $1,205 per person) to engage in the immersive experiences, activities, and entertainment onboard. Lightsaber training Remember, the Galactic Starcruiser experience is modeled after traditional cruises, not hotels, but it’s still HIGHLY priced in comparison to current Disney Cruises. For instance, a 2-night Baja cruise from San Diego from Disney Cruise Line would run 2 people around $1,460 — the Star Wars hotel costs more than 3-times that much. Click here to see the Galactic Starcruiser rooms! Even considering all of the inclusions, Galactic Starcruiser is VERY highly-priced for just 2 nights and definitely ranks as a more luxury experience at Disney World. Crown of Corellia Dining Room We’ll take an in-depth look at whether the experience is actually worth the price tag, so stay tuned for that post. And, keep an eye on DFB for ALL your Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser coverage! Want to see our ULTIMATE guide to Galactic Starcruiser? Click here! Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information Check Out Our COMPLETE GUIDE to the Star Wars Hotel We’re Breaking the MYTHS from Inside the Star Wars Hotel Rooms What to Get (or AVOID) at Breakfast on the Star Wars Hotel We Ate EVERYTHING for Lunch at the Star Wars Hotel See Our FULL Review of the Entire Dinner on Night 1 of the Star Wars Hotel Yes, Dinner on Night 2 at the Star Wars Hotel is Different. See Our Full Review Is the Captain’s Table Worth the Extra Cost? See How the Fireworks at the Star Wars Hotel Will (and Won’t) Surprise You Get Our Full Thoughts on the BLUE SHRIMP See What Snacks Look Like in Space Some of the Best Food in the Star Wars Hotel is Hiding! Get a Look at the Exclusive Star Wars Hotel Merchandise Learn About What’s Included When You Leave the Star Wars Hotel for Hollywood Studios Take a Look at the Pricing for the Star Wars Hotel Watch Our DFB Video About Our Experience at the Star Wars Hotel Click HERE to See More About Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe What do you think about Galactic Starcruiser’s pricing? Tell us in the comments! Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Recently, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Today, we are here on our own accord, but some of the photos in the post above are from said media event. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink.You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ The post What You're ACTUALLY Paying For At the Star Wars Hotel in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article