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We know, we know. You’ve had one big question on your mind for MONTHS now — what does lunch taste like…in SPACE?! Dining Room Well, we now have an answer! Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (a.k.a. the Star Wars Hotel) is just days away from its official opening in Disney World. We recently got the chance to explore this spot as part of a media preview, and during our time aboard the spaceship, we got to do a lot of eating. We’re sharing full reviews of breakfast, dinner, and more (so be on the lookout for those) but today, we’re exploring EVERYTHING the hotel has to offer for lunch! Star Wars Hotel Basics For those who might not be familiar with the experience as a whole, the Star Wars Hotel is not really a hotel. It’s a 2-night immersive, cruise-type experience that allows guests to live out their own unique Star Wars stories. Fair warning though, a trip on the starcruiser will cost ya some big bucks. Captain’s Table During the experience, guests can take an excursion to Batuu over at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, train with a lightsaber, learn how to operate the ship’s defenses, interact with Star Wars characters, and more. Just chillin’ with our space friend But, there’s one important thing everyone’s got to do in space…EAT! Most of the food offerings aboard the Star Wars hotel are included in the price of your admission (like they would be on a cruise). Lunch on the ship, for example, is fully included on both days of your trip. Ready to eat? An important thing to note about lunch is that for the first day, you’ll find all of the offerings on the ship (as there are no excursions on that day). On the second day of your trip, when the excursion to Batuu is planned, there will be lunch available on the ship, but there will ALSO be some included items if you’ll be down in Batuu around lunchtime. But, we’ve eaten in Batuu many times, so let’s get into how the lunch food is on the Galactic Starcruiser! Lunch on the Ship Atmosphere On Day 1, lunch was served from 1PM to 4PM, giving guests plenty of time to make their way over to the dining area to eat once they’ve boarded the ship. Lunch is served at the Crown of Corellia Dining Room, so that’s where you’ll want to head to grab a bite to eat — it’s located over on Deck 4. Dining Room Lunch is served buffet/cafeteria style, so you can grab exactly what you want! Buffet area During dinner, the Crown of Corellia has a more unique vibe, with entertainment offerings available during the meal and whatnot. But, during lunch, things are much more casual here. Dining room at dinner Throughout the space, you’ll find standard tables and booths available in a variety of configurations and sizes so you can find the right spot for you and your group. The chairs are a cushy blue fabric with gold accents. Table at Crown of Corellia Dining Room In terms of silverware, the tables are already set, so you don’t have to worry about picking any up when you go to grab your food. Booth in the dining room And, this is space, so the utensils look juuust a bit different! Space utensils Again, the lunch eats are served buffet/cafeteria style so when you’re ready to eat, you’ll head to the buffet stations to pick up your tray and start picking the things you want to grab! Day 1 Food & Drinks There are a lot of different options along the buffet line. Each option is essentially plated already on a little portion plate. So, all you’ll need to do is pick up as many of the small, individual serving plates as you want and put them on your tray. It’s sort-of like playing a game of Tetris — you gotta just stack up those smaller plates on your tray (and you’ve got to be strategic if you want to grab a tray full of food!). So many things! We already showed you the buffet line, but here’s a look at the drinks station! Drinks station In terms of drinks during lunch aboard the Starcruiser, you can find an endless supply of blue and green milk. The flavors are still very much the same as the ones in Galaxy’s Edge for these drinks, BUT be warned: the texture is VERY different. These blue and green milks had more of a milk consistency and less of that thicker, more icee/frosty like consistency that they have in Batuu. So that’s something you’ll want to be prepared for! We really enjoyed it. Blue and Green Milk There are refillable soft drinks available here, too! Soft drinks The silver cups are nearby for you to use. Silver drinking cups Looking for a specialty drink? These are available as well, but they cost extra! There are non-alcoholic drinks like the Muja Twist which is a mix of watermelon, a herbal garden blend, mint, and sparkling bubbles for $8. You can also pay extra for various alcoholic drinks during lunch. Here’s a look at the menu: Drink menu Remember the food and non-alcoholic drinks on the buffet line are all-you-care-to-enjoy, so you can go back up to the buffet line to get more of whatever you like or just to try more items. Let’s eat! Alright, now that we’ve taken a look at these items let’s get into how they taste! We’ll start with the salads. First, we tried the Green Leaf Salad, which has red quinoa, amethyst croutons, a parma-cheese round, and creamy chandrilan green vegetable dressing. Green Leaf Salad This was excellent! It’s just a regular salad, but it was very well made and the flavors all came together really well. Refreshing! The leaves were super fresh and the dressing honestly made the dish. It was savory and a bit tangy. A little salad to kick off our meal Next, we had the Chandrilan Salad, which has mushrooms, kale leaf, olives, squash fruit, and white berry vinegar. Chandrilan Salad This is basically just a big veggie blend! It was good, but it’s standard vegetables with couscous. There are a lot of mushrooms, and if you don’t like any of the other veggies in this, it’s probably not for you — because it just straight up tastes like veggies! Not bad, but nothing outstanding. Ya gotta like veggies! The next item we tried was the Fire Melted Cheese Takeaway with red fruit soup dipper. Fruit soup?! Yep, in space, they call tomatoes red fruit, which they technically are, so it makes sense! This is a bubble waffle grilled cheese with a side of tomato soup. oooo this looks interesting We loved this! It had a lot of cheese in the actual bubbles and tasted like your super buttery grilled cheese with the added benefit of the cheese and butter being able to get into all those nooks and crannies that the waffle has. Have you ever had a grilled cheese in a waffle? The soup was also good — it pretty much tastes like the tomato soup served all over Disney World. It was thick and we could taste the basil, which added a nice sweetness. Red Fruit Soup Dipping our grilled cheese in the soup was a great bite. But, you can’t really go wrong with grilled cheese and tomato soup! A fun twist on a classic After that, we tried Sorgan’s Stew, which has crawlfish tails, rice, and yellowseed stick. Notice how it’s crawlfish instead of crawfish — that must be the space version! Sorgan’s Stew We really liked the stew itself. The flavor was great and the rice really soaked up the broth which made it thick in a good way. There’s a creature in our stew The crawlfish itself was fine, if you like crawfish! It’s probably not the best you’ll ever have, but it did have good flavor that also infused the stew. It’s definitely colorful! Next up, we tried the Pork and Cheese Takeaway with black-spice spread. This is basically a ham and cheese sandwich that looks all fancy! This takeaway was good — the bread it was on is similar to the pão de queijo we usually find over at the Brazil booth during EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival. So, the bread itself was really cheesy and tasty! A little different than the ham and cheese sammies we’re used to! The bread also went well with everything in the sandwich. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The black spice spread is like a very strong mustard. We really liked it, but you will probably only like it if you enjoy strong, tangy mustards! And, a little goes a long way. That bread is stellar Time for some more veggies! The Roasted Flora with Tubers and Red Cabbage is another veggie dish, but we liked it a lot better than the Chandrilan Salad. It actually felt composed as a dish — a bit more cohesive! Roasted Flora It was very light, which is great when you’re in an all-you-can-eat situation. If you like veggies, you’ll like this, but you gotta like mushrooms too because that flavor is prominent! Overall, these were great, well-cooked veggies. Eat your veggies (if you like them) After that, we tried the Nori-crusted Redfish with Mushrooms and Red Cabbage. This was a flaky white fish that reminded us a lot of salmon in terms of flakiness. But, it is less fishy than salmon usually is! This actually could be salmon or steelhead trout The skin was crispy, too. It’s a light, buttery fish and makes a good protein for your meal if you don’t want something fried or heavy. The rice was also good and wasn’t over-the-top when it came to the cilantro flavor. Peek inside We tried a flatbread next — this is the Tikka Tip Yip Chicken with Paneer Cheese flatbread! This was really, really good, you guys. It had a lot of those classic Indian flavors and spices, with a strong masala flavor — very aromatic! This looks familiar You can definitely taste the cheese because there are big chunks of it on the flatbread. It was puffy, but not in the weird way that the pizzas down on Earth (cough cough, PizzeRizzo) are. They stayed crispy because there actually is a wood fired oven on the ship. Space pizza If you enjoy those flavors, you should like this one a lot — it was actually one of our favorite things at lunch! It worked so well because it had unique flavors but still felt familiar since it’s basically pizza. We love big chunks of cheese Now, for some more kid-friendly options! They have a Dipped Tip Yip chicken with noodle cheese at lunch which is pretty good! It’s basically just your standard, all white-meat chicken nuggets with cheesy noodles, so it’s hard to go wrong there. A kid-pleaser! The nuggets were crispy and the cheese on the noodles has the consistency of plastic cheese, but with more of a “real” cheese flavor. Great for picky eaters! There are also Sunflower Butter and Jelly pods! These were AWESOME. These are fun! They’re super portable and a great thing to grab on the go. If you like sunflower butter, this should be a hit for you! We also think kids should enjoy this one. Space’s version of a kid’s classic Just beware that some of them have different sunflower butter to jelly ratios, since they are being made by people (not by machines like uncrustables!). Can we stuff some of these in our bag? For dessert, there are a few options! First, we tried the Choco-whip with Hibiscus Meringue. This is made without wheat, dairy, animal meat, eggs, and honey, so you should be good if you don’t eat any of those things! Interesting This was a very rich chocolate that was thicker than a chocolate mousse usually is. It mostly tasted like rich chocolate with a hint of fruitiness and floral flavors from the hibiscus. No complaints here! It’s definitely great for pictures There is also a Blue Bantha Milk Fruit Whip. This is basically blue milk in a mousse form! This came from a Bantha? It’s like a fruity mousse, with mostly citrus flavors. We didn’t love this, just because Disney does a lot of mousses and it’s nothing special to us anymore, but some people will probably enjoy the novelty of this dessert! It’s fine Finally, we had the Daily Sweetbread. This was an amatheyst sweetbread that was ube flavored. So, sweetbread (as you can see) means cookie in space! Cookies! This is a crinkle cookie with a little crunch on the outside and a soft texture on the inside. If you love ube, you should love this This was delicious and it’s not overly sweet, either. It’s a great cookie for someone who wants to try something a little different! Day 2 Food & Drinks Now, for Day 2 lunch! This was served from 11AM to 4PM. There’s a different menu here for Day 2, so we tried everything, of course! Let’s start with the drinks. We got the Bloody Rancor, which is a specialty alcoholic drink off of the menu for $15. This one is different from the Bloody Rancor down at Oga’s Cantina! It has vodka, golden tomato juice, and carbonate-dipped bloody rancor cubes. A very orange take on a Bloody Mary Those bloody rancor cubes are frozen tomato puree! This Bloody Mary wasn’t too special, and we personally think it needed to be more spicy. The only cool thing about it is the frozen tomato cubes! Frozen tomato cubes isn’t a phrase we thought we’d write, but here we are We also got the Dagobah Vimlet, which had vodka, herbaceous orange liqueur, lime, and peppercorn for $15. This drink was super herbaceous to the point where it was almost swampy, but in a good way. If you like herbal cocktails, then you should like this drink. Dagobah Vimlet It was very strong on the peppercorn flavor, which was nice. Overall, it’s a very earthy drink that kind of smells like grass, but we did enjoy it! A little leaf floating around Now, for food! We started with the Chili-spiced Cucumber Garden Grow Greens. These are marinated cucumbers. There is a little heat in the marinade that tasted like chili oil to us, but it’s not overly spicy. The cucumbers are cut really thinly and a super crispy as well. Cucumbers But, we didn’t think the marinade on these was that great. We wanted more flavor, like a vinegary taste or just something that packed more of a punch. But, they weren’t bad, they just weren’t as good as they could be. We would recommend these if you want something light, though! Refreshing, but could use more flavor Next, we got the Red Fruit Burrata with balsamic pearls and red fruit jelly. There’s that red fruit again! Red Fruit Burrata So, this is basically a space caprese salad. It’s made with tomatoes, burrata, and basil. There is also balsamic but it’s IN the pearls! Balsamic pearls are something we never knew we needed It comes with purple bread as well which is like a soft dinner roll. We enjoyed this! It’s a fresh option and if you like these flavors you should like this. Is it the BEST caprese you’ll ever have? Probably not. But, does it look cool? Absolutely! Not all red fruit is red, apparently After that, we tried the Sweet Tuber with Spicy Batuu Curry. This is basically a sweet potato soup with a granola bar on top. Yeah, sounds weird, right? The “tuber” on top seemed almost like one of those Nature Valley Oat Bars. We don’t know how to feel The soup, however, was pretty good! It was a thicker sweet potato soup with good texture and a good balance of sweet and savory flavors. But, dipping the granola bar in the soup was a bit strange. It was too sweet of a combination, in our opinion, but we were torn on this one, as one of our reporters liked it and another did not. It is a decent portion size, though! A granola bar with soup?! Oh look — more food! Time for the Kaadu Rib Bites with a sweet-and-sticky glaze and spicy slaw. These were great! They taste exactly like how you would expect them to. They’re tiny sections of ribs with a classic short ribs glaze. The meat was tender, but it didn’t really fall off the bone. It was still juicy, though! Rib bites! The spicy slaw had a lot of Asian-inspired flavors and also included some sesame seeds, which added some great flavor and texture. We were big fans of this slaw and all of the flavors went really well together. Just a couple little ribs Next, we tasted the Tamarind-glazed Burra Fish with long fruit leaf, braised kale, chickpeas, and curry. This fish is heavier than the one we had at lunch during Day 1. It’s not as flaky and was a bit more tough. It was also a lot fishier! We did like the grains this dish came with and the kale underneath the fish was really tasty! The curry sauce had the traditional curry flavors but wasn’t spicy at all. If you like a more meaty fish, you would probably enjoy this! Burra Fish We tried a dish made without wheat, dairy, animal meat, eggs, and honey next. This was a Marinated Seared Tofu with saffron rice, peas, sumac, aioli, and flaky flatbread. Great for plant-based eaters! We LOVED the base on this dish! It had a lot of mediterranean flavors and the couscous mixed with the Kalamata olives was delicious. It also had cream sauce that reminded us of a tzatziki, but it wasn’t tzatziki. The pickled onions also went well with all of the flavors! Big fans of this flavor profile The tofu itself was cooked well — it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, but it didn’t have a ton of flavor. The bread was very thin and flakey. It was good, but nothing to write home about. Tofu needs a bit more love Next up is the Blue Foccacia and Sausage Takeaway with red fruit jam and ahi aioli. It’s a space hot dog! Well, kind of. It’s a sausage instead of a hotdog, but that is the general idea here. Okay…we’re intrigued The bread is on that same airy purple bread we got with the burrata. Definitely colorful! The sausage had a great snap and excellent flavor. It was very well spiced. The red fruit jam and ahi aioli are supposed to be the ketchup and mustard here. They went very well with the sausage and didn’t overwhelm the flavor! This would probably be a good dish for someone with a pickier palate. Kid-friendly! Then, we had the Bantha Vinegared Herb-sauce Coti-cheese flatbread. This was AMAZING. It’s topped with beef (Bantha means beef in space), red peppers, cheese, and that vinegared herb-sauce. Bantha Flatbread The biggest flavor definitely came from the sauce, which was so tasty. We LOVED The pizza also stayed crispy thanks to that wood-fired oven! Crispy pizzas are important to us Note that there is also the same Sunflower Butter and Jelly pod available during lunch on Day 2! Also available for Day 2 Lunch! Now, for dessert! We started with the Cream of Jogan. Jogan is a fruit in the Star Wars universe found throughout the galaxy. This dessert was fine. It was a really pretty color, and it’s definitely Instagrammable, but it was nothing too special. Cream of…what? It’s just a mousse with vague fruity flavors, like a lot of the other mousses Disney loves to make. It wasn’t bad — just lackluster. We did enjoy the chocolate rocks it came with though! Pretty, but kind of boring Then, we got the Salted Caramel-chocolate Cake. This is a classic dessert that you can definitely find outside of a galaxy far, far away. Looks more interesting than a classic dessert, though! The topping is icing-like and there isn’t much of a salted caramel flavor here. It was more heavy on the chocolate and was sweet, but not overly sweet or too rich. ’twas just okay Finally, for the Daily Sweetbread! Today, it was a chocolate chip cookie. Choco choco chip We liked having a classic chocolate chip cookie to snack on. It was soft, sweet, but not too sweet, a little salty, and overall delicious! We’re here for a good chocolate chip cookie It’s a classic chocolate chip cookie, what’s there to complain about?! Nosh or Not In all of our traditional reviews, you’d find a nosh or not section where we give our final thoughts on whether this restaurant is a place you might or might not want to visit. In this case, things are a bit unique on the Starcruiser as you don’t really have too many other options for dining if you don’t want what’s available on the lunch line. So, we’re still including a nosh or not section, but it’s more of a pros and cons list in relation to the lunch service. Just keep in mind that if you don’t want to eat what’s available on the lunch line, your only other true options are some snacks that are available (like trail mix), bringing your own food onto the Starcruiser, eating on Batuu on that second day when you have the excursion, or seeking out other snacks in places like the Sublight Lounge. You’ll likely enjoy lunch on the Galactic Starcruiser if: You love a buffet meal. Lunch is buffet, all you can eat, cafeteria style. If you love to try a whole bunch of different items and fill yourself up on those goodies, then this is something you’ll likely enjoy You want to try some fun food options with comfort items mixed in. There were some more fun food options on the buffet line when it comes to things like the cheesecake or the bubble grilled cheese, but things here weren’t tremendously unique or adventurous so it still has a bit of that comfort factor since there are dishes you recognize like salmon, grilled cheese, etc. You need to have EVERY experience possible on the Starcruiser (and want to get your money’s worth!). Remember, you paid for this food with the price of the hotel! Sure, you can grab something down in Batuu that you’ve also paid for, but that will just be a single meal and a drink. But at the buffet, you can get a ton of different foods to try out. Plus, this is the only time you’re going to be able to get food like this (unless you book a second trip), so you might as well try it! You might want to pack a lunch for the Starcruiser or seek other options if: You’ve got super picky eaters. Buffets are usually a great pick for picky eaters since there are a lot of things to choose from, but here the options aren’t all that big. So, if you’ve got a kiddo (or adult companion) that won’t eat anything but those more standard options or will be craving a simple PB&J, you may want to pack some items with you and stick them in the mini fridge of your room to pull out for lunchtime. You want to spend as much time as possible on Batuu. If you want to maximize your time during your outing to Batuu, you won’t want to cut any of it short by staying on the ship to eat lunch on day 2. Grab something down in Galaxy’s Edge instead! You would rather some non-space food. If you’re already tired of the food on the ship, then you may want to go down to Batuu (on day 2) and then make your way over to somewhere else to eat in Hollywood Studios. Maybe you’re craving a grilled cheese from Woody’s Lunch Box or want a charcuterie board over at BaseLine Tap House. You can do that during your time off of the ship! Overall Overall, lunch in space is a mix of some space-y themed items, really unique dishes, and flavors you know and love from Earth. In general, we think lunch in space is something that’ll please most palettes (except some really picky eaters) and leave you satisfied and ready to tackle more assignments aboard the Starcruiser. Who’s got time for lunch anyway when there are SO many things to see and do on the ship?! Sublight Lounge Our recommendation? If you’re really looking to experience everything Starcruiser has to offer, hit up lunch whenever it fits into your schedule, pick up those more unique/fun looking items (and the extra tasty ones), eat relatively quickly, and then get yourself back into the action! You’ve only got 2 days to really explore the ship (since you disembark on the 3rd day) so we don’t think spending TOO time sitting down for lunch is the best use of your time. On the other hand, if you’re feeling overstimulated by the Starcruiser experience and just need a break, take lunch as your opportunity to take a seat, relax, and get a breather from all the action. It can be a lot to take in all at once, so lunch could be a good time to reset and prepare for the rest of the day. And remember if you have special dietary needs or have food allergies, let the staff at the Starcruiser know so things can be prepared ahead of your trip. Click here to see more about special dietary needs and the Star Wars hotel. We’ll be bringing you FULL reviews and more details about the Star Wars Hotel soon so stay tuned for that. And, as always, may the Force be with you. Click here to see the Star Wars Hotel exclusive clothing that is available online! Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information See the Pricing Revealed for the Star Wars Hotel Check Out a FULL Schedule for a Trip Aboard the Galactic Starcruiser Take a Look at a Map of the Star Wars Hotel See Everything We Know About Dining at the Star Wars Hotel What Can You Actually Expect from the Food at the Star Wars Hotel? Learn About the Room Types at the Star Wars Hotel Star Wars Hotel Room Myths DEBUNKED Check Out a Complete Packing List for the Star Wars Hotel Learn About What It’s Like to Step Aboard the Star Wars Hotel How Real are the Lightsabers at the Star Wars Hotel? We Have Some Answers Star Wars Hotel Exclusive Clothing is Now Available Online See What Dates Have Sold Out for the Star Wars Hotel Watch a Video With Groundbreaking Details About 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 of the food at 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 FULL REVIEW: We're Eating EVERYTHING for Lunch at the Star Wars Hotel in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

THE MOMENT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR HAS ARRIVED. Whew! Sorry about the all-caps, but friends, this is serious business. You saw it. We saw it. We allllllll witnessed the reveal of one extremely unique item that is coming to the Star Wars Hotel. You know what we’re talking about. The colorful. The shocking. The intense. The…blue shrimp! Atrium Yes, that’s right folks. We recently got the chance to visit Disney World’s new Star Wars hotel, and we did all the things you would have expected. We had lightsaber training, dressed up in costumes, learned to play galactic card games, and ate all kinds of food. But nothing could prepare us for the very special experience that is…BLUE. SHRIMP. Oh yeah, you read that correctly. On the second night of our trip, we sat down for our meal in the Crown of Corellia Dining Room. Dinner on this night is a “Taste Around the Galaxy” meal, where you’ll try food inspired by all different planets in the Star Wars universe. Menu One of the items served during this meal was the Iced Blue Felucian Shrimp Cocktail. Ever since we saw the promotional photo of this shrimp, we have been SO curious to find out what it tastes like. Here’s that promo photo for reference. ©Disney When our server brought the dish to our table, it was actually smoking from dry ice in the lower part of the display stand. Oh, and did we mention that you can smell this shrimp from a mile away? It has a very strong fishy smell. And no, we aren’t exaggerating. Here it comes! During this meal, Crew Members tell you a little bit about the planetary fare you’re trying. The blue shrimp comes from the planet Felucia and is a favorite of one of the musical performers on board, Ouannii. Ouannii even came out to help introduce the course when it came time to eat! Ouannii Here’s what it looked like when it arrived at our table in all of its glory. The smoke covered some of the food for a while, but once it cleared a bit we saw that they are not kidding when they say it’s BLUE shrimp! Blue. Shrimp. There are some other elements on the plate, including Redball Jungle “Cocktail” Sauce, Pickled Mushrooms (that’s the yellow!), and “Ocean Weed.” Side elements But once you see those bright blue shrimp, it’s difficult to look away. Needless to say, we’re intrigued. Will it taste as weird as it looks (and smells)? Are you ready to dig in? We can confirm that the taste of this shrimp was as vivid as the appearance, but NOT in a good way. That strange smell was an indication of the flavor, and neither was pleasant. Instead of just a normal shrimp cocktail flavor, these had a strong fish flavor (which might have come partly because of the strong fish smell). The blue color comes from soaking the fish in a butterfly tea, and there’s just a slight hint of the floral flavor from that tea, which is a strange mix with normal shrimp. Not great. Our server recommended we try the shrimp with the other elements on the plate since some people thought that made them taste a lot better. Unfortunately, the combination tasted worse to us than the blue shrimp on its own. The pickled mushroom especially was a weird flavor to add to the shrimp, and all of the strange textures and flavors together were just not good. No thank you. If you don’t like normal shrimp cocktail, you will definitely want to avoid this dish. Still, though we didn’t love it, a couple of the servers said they love the combination when you get a bite with all of the different ingredients together — so you COULD end up a fan of the blue shellfish. Just because we didn’t like it doesn’t mean that you won’t!! Even though it was a generally unpleasant experience, we’re proud to say that we have tried the infamous blue shrimp. And if Disney was going for unusual and bizarre for the menus at the Star Wars hotel, they definitely hit the mark with this dish! It was fun to try the blue shrimp and it’s a part of our trip that we will never forget. I mean, where else can you eat BLUE SHRIMP?! Definitely bizarre We’ll continue sharing our food thoughts from our trip to space, so stay tuned to DFB for more Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser coverage. Click Here to Learn More About the Galactic Starcruiser Food! Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information See the Pricing Revealed for the Star Wars Hotel Check Out a FULL Schedule for a Trip Aboard the Galactic Starcruiser Take a Look at a Map of the Star Wars Hotel See Everything We Know About Dining at the Star Wars Hotel What Can You Actually Expect from the Food at the Star Wars Hotel? Learn About the Room Types at the Star Wars Hotel Star Wars Hotel Room Myths DEBUNKED Check Out a Complete Packing List for the Star Wars Hotel Learn About What It’s Like to Step Aboard the Star Wars Hotel How Real are the Lightsabers at the Star Wars Hotel? We Have Some Answers Star Wars Hotel Exclusive Clothing is Now Available Online See What Dates Have Sold Out for the Star Wars Hotel Watch a Video With Groundbreaking Details About 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 Would you eat blue shrimp? 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. 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 Asked For It. Our FULL Thoughts on BLUE Shrimp at the Star Wars Hotel in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hold up. Does Tinker Bell do her fireworks flight in OUTER SPACE?! Spoiler alert: NO. Space is full of a lot of things, including Jedi, bad guys that go by a variety of names, lightsabers, and blue shrimp. Another thing space has apparently is fireworks! No, really. Now, you won’t find Tinker Bell floating down and you won’t be singing along to a Disney princess tune, but there are fireworks…in space…in an indoor hotel with no true windows to the outside (with some exceptions). So how exactly can an indoor hotel have a fireworks show? Well, you’re about to find out! Star Wars Hotel Atrium Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (a.k.a. the Star Wars hotel) is Disney World’s newest hotel (opening soon) with a uniquely immersive 2-night experience, kind-of like a cruise ship. Before our trip, we were able to take a look at the hotel’s itinerary through the Play Disney Parks App, and we noticed a few experiences that included a “special pyrotechnic display.” So, what exactly does that mean? Come with us to see what fireworks look like in space! On the Star Wars hotel itinerary, we noticed that a “special pyrotechnic display” was scheduled to take place on the ship during both night 1 and night 2. The first night’s itinerary noted that the CSL Starshow at Bespin would be taking place at 9:45PM in the atrium on Deck 6. Day 1 Itinerary However, by the time we arrived at Galactic Starcruiser, our itinerary didn’t have the show noted anymore. Instead, we were set to attend the Cruise Director’s Evening Toast. So, no fireworks on night 1! We may see the show on future cruises and we may not. Remember, these experiences do tend to shift around. Atrium Don’t worry though, that wasn’t our only chance to find out what space pyrotechnics look like. We had A Halcyon Starcruiser Celebration to look forward to on night 2! Day 2 “pyrotechnic display” We ended up in the atrium on Deck 6 because a muster alarm turned into a giant nighttime spectacle after we experienced the big finale scene onboard the ship. Right after this epic interaction concluded, fireworks started going off! Just a note that we will be showing you a close look at these fireworks. So proceed with caution if you don’t want to see them before your stay. We could see them up in the tiny windows at the top of the atrium. Look up! But, the BEST view is from the bridge, so we scurried over to catch them! Space fireworks! The fireworks were set to the Main Title music from Star Wars! You know, the classic theme that most people associate with the universe by legendary composer John Williams? That’s the one! They’re movin’ all over the place! The music definitely amped up the production of the show and made it more exciting than it would be if they had used any other generic Star Wars music. There were all different kinds of “pyrotechnics,” from giant golden orbs… Whoa! …to bursts of color! Pretty! These aren’t your average fireworks, though. These pyrotechnics whizzed around… What planet do you think this is? …danced… Rings in space …and exploded in ways that normal fireworks can’t, so it was a unique experience! It wouldn’t be Disney without fireworks The show was mainly entertaining because of the exciting thing we had just experienced during the finale, so it was a nice way to cap off the end of that storyline and celebrate. Otherwise, we don’t think this show would’ve been all too special. The events that took place right before the fireworks are the reason they’re cool! Golden explosion So, does this spectacle outrank Harmonious or Enchantment? We’re not used to these kinds of fireworks! Well, this space show is kind of its own unique thing, so it wouldn’t even be fair to compare! Which fireworks show would you rather see? But, at least we didn’t have to save a spot on Main Street, U.S.A. for an hour in order to see these fireworks! Who knew space was so colorful? So, that’s what you’ll see during the fireworks show aboard the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser! They might not be the fireworks you necessarily expect to see in Disney World. But they were amazing in their own space fireworks type way! We’d love to hear your thoughts if you find yourself onboard! And stay tuned to DFB for more Galactic Starcruiser news! Click here to see our ultimate guide to the Star Wars hotel! Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information See the Pricing Revealed for the Star Wars Hotel Check Out a FULL Schedule for a Trip Aboard the Galactic Starcruiser Take a Look at a Map of the Star Wars Hotel See Everything We Know About Dining at the Star Wars Hotel What Can You Actually Expect from the Food at the Star Wars Hotel? Learn About the Room Types at the Star Wars Hotel Star Wars Hotel Room Myths DEBUNKED Check Out a Complete Packing List for the Star Wars Hotel Learn About What It’s Like to Step Aboard the Star Wars Hotel How Real are the Lightsabers at the Star Wars Hotel? We Have Some Answers Star Wars Hotel Exclusive Clothing is Now Available Online See What Dates Have Sold Out for the Star Wars Hotel Watch a Video With Groundbreaking Details About 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 Would you stay at 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 How the Fireworks Will (and Won't) Surprise You at the Star Wars Hotel in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you paid $4,000+ for a cruise-like experience, you’d want your room to be pretty cool right? Even if you plan to spend most of your day outside of the room and your $4,000+ is really going toward the experience as a whole, you still want your room to be a nice place for you to relax at the end and beginning of your day, right? Well, in all likelihood, you’ll be paying somewhere in the thousands for a stay at the Star Wars Hotel. So just what are those rooms like? Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Entrance We have a LOT to share from Disney World’s Galactic Starcruiser (or as we lovingly call it, the Star Wars Hotel). Now that we’ve had the chance to sleep in space, we’re going to bring you along on a full room tour and bust all the myths on what many thought the Star Wars hotel rooms would be so you can see what life is really like on the luxury starcruiser, the Halcyon. So let’s get you caught up first. We’re sure you’ve heard of Galactic Starcruiser and are familiar with the hotel-that-isn’t-a-hotel concept going on here. Disney has taken its storytelling to the EXTREME and created an interactive two-day cruise on a starship, complete with a view of the stars whizzing by from your cabin. While you’re admiring the view, though, there’s a whole Star Wars-inspired story happening all around you (and we will be covering that part of our stay, too). What an experience! For those who pay the hefty price to enjoy this experience, there are three options for hotel cabins — the Standard Cabin, the Galaxy Class Suite, and the Grand Captain Suite. Standard Cabin We stayed in a Standard Cabin during our voyage, and we’re excited to show you the full tour of our room! Welcome to our crib! When you first walk down the hallways to the rooms, you’ll find that the doors don’t look exactly like what you’ve come to expect from “normal” hotel room doors. Here, you’ll need to scan your MagicBand (also called a databand) at an entry point, then slide the door open to go inside. Databand It’s all to set the mood. It’s a very unique-looking door. When you first walk into the room, you start in a small hallway. To one side, you’ll have the door to the bathroom, and you’ll have some storage as well as your closet on the other side. You start out in a small hallway. Let’s start in the bathroom! It’s a split design, with the sink and shower in the main room and a door that closes off to the toilet for some extra privacy if necessary. First look at the bathroom The sink area is where you’ll find most of your fun little hotel room amenities for your stay. We had dispensers with lotion and hand soap, as well as a container that had single-use packets of makeup-remover wipes and face masks. (The kind that you get at the spa, not the kind that you wear because of sickness!) In fact, it’s a foaming bubble mask — how fancy! Look at these fun little packets! Under the sink, you have some storage shelving, where you’ll find extra towels. (There are towels hanging up around the bathroom.) This is also where you’ll find the hairdryer, which is packed in its own individual box. Storage underneath the sink area. The toilet room has a sliding door in case you’ve got multiple people using the bathroom at the same time. In here, it’s simply just the toilet, a toilet paper holder (with a special Chandrila Star Line logo on the toilet paper roll), and a towel rod with even more white bath towels. There’s also a long mirror on the wall in here, which is helpful if you’re using this room to get changed — most of the other mirrors in the room are from the waist up. The toilet room is pretty simple. As far as the shower goes, it’s pretty nice! The main showerhead is a waterfall type that’s attached to the ceiling, but there’s a detachable one on the wall if you need that as well. The door to the shower is frosted glass and slides open and closed. A glimpse into the shower. But what about the toiletries? Well, just like any other Disney hotel, you’ve got special dispensers with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. If you’re hooked on those Disney bath products, don’t worry — these are Disney’s H2O brand as well! (They just look a lot more space-y than usual!) Toiletries available in the shower The bathroom as a whole isn’t very big, and your main storage opportunity in here is under the sink. The split design should be helpful when traveling with multiple people though, and there are other storage areas and places to get ready around the cabin. Bathroom in the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser cabin Back out in the hallway across from the bathroom, there’s a little alcove with another lit-up mirror for getting ready. There’s also a shelf here with storage underneath. This area even has an outlet in case you’re plugging in electronics or using hair tools. There’s ANOTHER mirror! And on that counter, we found this complimentary bottle of water and two very Star Wars-looking metal tumblers. You can get this bottle refilled in the atrium throughout your stay if you run out. Space water! Next to the little alcove are the closets with the room’s main storage. In the first one, we’ve got three open shelves that could be used for clothes, bags, or other personal belongings. Shelf storage in the first cabinet. Below that are two more shelves. The first one has the room’s safe for storing your valuables… Each room comes with a safe. …and the shelf below that is made for your other valuables — your food! Here’s a small (and we mean SMALL!) mini-fridge. Or, as it’s known in the Star Wars universe, the Cooling Supply Unit. It’s a pretty tiny mini-fridge, so don’t pack too much food! The next cabinet over is home to a hanging rack for your clothes. Already in here, we found two Chandrila Star Line robes, an extra blanket, and an extra pillow. (These would likely be used by the person who sleeps on the room’s pull-down bed.) A glimpse into the second closet. Now we’ve arrived in the main section of the room! On the wall next to the wardrobe, there’s a control panel with a bunch of different electronic features that you may need. It has the telephone, the thermostat, and your room’s personal droid! The control panel has a bunch of helpful features. Yeah, that’s right — you get a droid friend named D3-O9! You can speak to them through the screen on the wall and they’ll be able to chat with you about the ship and events in the story. Note that the droid is not a personal assistant that’s there to help you with every little thing. It won’t be available at all times and is there to guide you through the story. Hey D3-O9 On that same wall is a TV (because the Chandrila Star Line wants to make sure that us earthlings have access to our favorite entertainment!) as well as the pull-down bed. The room even comes with a TV! The pull-down bed should fit most adults, although those who are taller (5’8″-5’10” or more) or larger may be more comfortable sleeping elsewhere. It folds easily back into the wall when not in use. The bed tucks away for easy storage. And speaking of places to sleep, we HAVE to talk about the berths, otherwise known as the bunk beds! These were perhaps one of the most talked-about features of the room, and we can confidently say that they fit a full-grown adult. (Obviously, we had to test them out when we first arrived.) Check out those bunks! Each one comes complete with bedding, a pillow, and an extra blanket. There’s a ladder attached to the foot of the bed for the person on the top bunk, and the top bunk has a small barrier to keep you from falling out in the middle of the night. (Wouldn’t that be a rude awakening?!) A look inside the bunks The rooms also come fitted with one queen bed in the middle for those who like to sprawl out a bit more. This one is dressed up like your regular hotel beds, except the comforter has the Chandrila Star Line logo in the middle. (We have a feeling we’ll be seeing that one EVERYWHERE.) No need to sleep in the bunks if you don’t want to. Each side of the large bed has a nightstand. There are outlets in there if you need to plug your phone in at night, and individual lights are available on each side in case your cabin mates are already out for the night. It’s not huge — just enough storage for a few small items. And if you’re worried about storage, there are a few more options hidden away around the room! There’s a luggage compartment underneath the queen bed that’s big enough to fit multiple suitcases at once. The storage area underneath the queen bed. Like any other hotel room, you’ve also got a table and chairs…although it’s definitely not the traditional setup that you’re used to. A small table pulls out from the wall, along with two orange stools underneath it. It’s not really made for extended sitting, but it’s a good place to enjoy a snack and take a break for a moment. The table and chairs tuck away into the wall. Above that small table is the highlight of the room, the space window! These are very similar to the windows inside Space 220 at EPCOT that allow you to look out into outer space and watch the galaxy unfold around you. Here, each room comes with its own 5-star (pun intended) view. There’s always something happening out there! If the action outside your window gets to be too much, there’s a button you can press that will “close” it for a little while. This could be very useful at night when you’re trying to sleep. The view is really great when the room is dark. And each room also comes with a small trash can and recycling bin. Can’t forget the basics! Gotta have a trash can! And in case of emergency, there’s an exit hatch next to the space window that allows you to get out of your room easily since the main entry door is controlled electronically. Even in space, safety is a priority. The exit hatch, in case you need it. All in all, we found our room to be incredibly immersive. It really adds to the experience of believing that you’re onboard the Halcyon in space. Galaxy Class Suite And during our voyage onboard the Halcyon, we were invited to tour the fancier (and more expensive!) Galaxy Class Suite as well. These one-bedroom suites come with a separate bedroom and integrated seating area, as well as a bathroom and kitchenette. They have an entire living room! These suites sleep up to four adults with a queen bed and two pull-down bunks — one in the bedroom and one in the seating area. Because there are two main rooms, each suite gets not one, but TWO space windows. What an awesome view! There’s a queen bed in the bedroom, along with a pull-down bunk. The bathroom in the suite is larger than the ones in the regular cabin. In here, you’ve got double sinks on the vanity, so there’s plenty of room for multiple people to use the bathroom counter at once. You’ve got a bigger bathroom. The shower is gigantic, with shower heads on both ends! It also comes stocked with Disney’s H2O bath products (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and more) just like the other room. The shower is HUGE. What else makes these suites unique? Well, each one comes with a kitchenette! There’s a bar area with stools and a countertop. Behind the counter, you’ve got a small sink, a storage area with some dishes, and a mini-fridge. This model is a little bit bigger than the one that was in our Standard Cabin. This mini-fridge has more space! One of the most fun features in the suite is the little crawl space between the two main rooms. If you slide open the doors next to the pull-down beds from both sides, you can crawl back and forth between the bedroom and the living area. How cool! There’s a tiny crawl door! And of course, there’s a control panel in the bedroom. Like the Standard Cabin, it has a phone, a thermostat, and access to call your room’s concierge droid. These rooms also have the control panel. The suite has several other standard amenities as well, like a hairdryer, an in-cabin safe, and two interactive TVs. Grand Captain Suite But those aren’t the only room types that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser has to offer! For those who want to go BIG, you can stay in the 8-person Grand Captain Suite. It has two queen beds, two bunk beds, and two pull-down beds spread across two bedrooms and a living area. ©Disney There are two bathrooms (one for each of the bedrooms), one with a double vanity and one with a single. There’s also a bar area, 3 windows with views out into space and “a few extra Star Wars surprises.” On top of that, you get the same basic amenities, which include: Mini refrigerator Hair dryer In-cabin safe Phone with voicemail messaging Interactive TV H2O Plus spa, bath, and shower products ©Disney We hope this gives you a good idea of what the rooms are like aboard the Galactic Starcruiser. Stay tuned, though, because we’ll be covering EVERYTHING about our two-day journey into space! Here’s Everything You Need To Know About The Galactic Starcruiser Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information See the Pricing Revealed for the Star Wars Hotel Check Out a FULL Schedule for a Trip Aboard the Galactic Starcruiser Take a Look at a Map of the Star Wars Hotel See Everything We Know About Dining at the Star Wars Hotel What Can You Actually Expect from the Food at the Star Wars Hotel? Learn About the Room Types at the Star Wars Hotel Star Wars Hotel Room Myths DEBUNKED Check Out a Complete Packing List for the Star Wars Hotel Learn About What It’s Like to Step Aboard the Star Wars Hotel How Real are the Lightsabers at the Star Wars Hotel? We Have Some Answers Star Wars Hotel Exclusive Clothing is Now Available Online See What Dates Have Sold Out for the Star Wars Hotel Watch a Video With Groundbreaking Details About 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 Will you be booking a stay in the Star Wars Hotel? Let us know 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. 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 PHOTOS: Thousand Dollar Bunk Beds?! Breaking the MYTHS From Inside the Star Wars Hotel Rooms in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Q&A; reveals details about new Disney World attraction View the full article

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Are you in the mood for some retail therapy? Toys for days! We love saving money, so we can’t help but constantly look for new Disney deals! If you’re ready to do some shopping, we’re here with 6 BIG deals on Amazon right now! Hey Cars fans, here’s an Amazon Exclusive item! This Disney Pixar Cars 3 Florida Speedway Mega Garage is on sale for $39.99, down from $54.99! This playset includes 5 play areas, 2 vehicles, and space to store more cars! ©Amazon It also comes with a working elevator, a paint shop, a TV area, a car wash, gas service, a concession stand, and more! ©Amazon You can save $15 on this playset right now, and Amazon is the only place you can get it! Get the Disney Pixar Cars 3 Florida Speedway Mega Garage here! You can save $15.99 on this Disney Women’s Mickey Watch, which is a gold-tone watch featuring Mickey Mouse, with his hands functioning as the minute and hour hands. ©Amazon This watch comes with a red faux leather band and a 38-mm metal case, and it’s water-resistant up to 30 meters. And right now, it’s on sale for $34, down from $49.99! Save on the Disney Women’s Mickey Watch here! Looking for luggage for your next Disney World trip? Save 20% on the American Tourister Disney Princess Luggage! This 18-inch carry-on is great for kids, and it’s on sale for $50.99 (from $64.99). ©Amazon This softside luggage comes with an adjustable pull handle, colorful zipper pulls, and a fun Disney Princess print. On the front of the luggage, you can see Aurora, Cinderella, Tiana, Jasmine, and Belle! Get the American Tourister Disney Princess Luggage on sale here! If you need more food storage items, why not get Disney-themed Pyrex? This Pyrex 8-Piece Disney Set comes with two round 4-cup and two rectangle 3-cup glass storage containers, along with colorful plastic lids and fun Disney graphics. ©Pyrex ©Amazon These containers are stain and odor-resistant, and you can get them on sale for $34.53, down from $39.99! Click here to get the Pyrex 8-Piece Disney Set on sale! If you need a something new for your next game night, the Funko Disney It’s a Small World Collector’s Edition Game would be fun to try, and you can save a whopping 45% on it right now! ©Amazon Now on sale for $16.60, down from $29.99, this Collector’s Edition game comes in a gold-colored tin, with a 3D game board centerpiece. The goal is to match picture cards to scenes from the iconic Disney ride! Funko Disney It’s a Small World Collector’s Edition Game And finally, check out the Disney Princess Ultimate Celebration Castle! This dollhouse is four feet tall, and it’s on sale for $104.99, down from $149.99. ©Amazon Dolls are sold separately, but you CAN fit 12 Disney Princess dolls inside! It comes with a fireworks light show, music, and furniture, including 29 accessories! Find the Disney Princess Ultimate Celebration Castle here! Are you taking advantage of any of these Disney deals? Keep reading DFB for more Disney shopping and merchandise news! Plan your next Disney World vacation today with these deals and discounts! 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 any of these Disney deals catch your eye? Tell us in the comments! The post 6 of the BEST Disney Amazon Deals Right Now! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hiking, camping and other types of outdoor adventures have surged in popularity, but heading outside carries risk. It's important to take the right steps to be prepared and get ready for anything that may happen. View the full article

Was that the sound of a curmudgeonly critic’s frozen heart thawing? I didn’t care for the hit Disney movie “Frozen” so admittedly I walked into the stage adaptation, which opened Thursday at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, with low expectations. View the full article

Skipping the standby lines for some of your favorite Disney World rides is about to CHANGE (for a limited time, that is). Lightning Lane sign at EPCOT’s Frozen Ever After Right now, Disney World guests can skip the lines at some of the most popular attractions in the parks either by using Disney Genie+ or Individual Attraction Selection — both of which are paid systems that replaced FastPass+. Certain rides are available through Genie+ while others are only available through Individual Attraction Selection. But just what rides will be on which list is about to change for a little bit! A quick recap: Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection are the PAID systems that recently replaced FastPass+. To skip the lines using Genie+, a guest pays $15 per person per day at Disney World. They can then make 1 selection to use the Lightning Lane (old FastPass+ lane) at a ride during a certain return time period. They can then continue to make 1 Lightning Lane selection at a time throughout the day. But select popular rides are NOT available through Genie+. To skip the standby line at those rides, guests need to pay to use the Lightning Lane for each ride individually. Prices can vary depending on the ride, park, and day. Lightning Lane Sign As we mentioned, some rides are available through Genie+ and others are available through Individual Attraction Selection. But some changes on these ride lists is coming soon. Disney has just announced that 3 rides which are normally available through Individual Attraction Selection will soon be available through the regular Genie+ service from tomorrow (February 25th) through August 7th. Frozen Ever After Lightning Lane Specifically, at EPCOT, Frozen Ever After will be available through the regular Genie+ service starting on February 25th through August 7th. ©Disney Over at Magic Kingdom, Space Mountain will also be available through the regular Genie+ on those dates. And at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will also be available through the regular Genie+ for that period of time. Lightning Lane That means that, from February 25th through August 7th, if you want to skip the standby lines for these rides, you won’t need to pay for them separately through Individual Attraction Selection. Instead, they’ll simply be included in the regular Genie+ service and you can select a return time for these rides through that. Lightning Lane We saw this done back in December as well for select rides, ahead of the big New Year’s Eve holidays. It seems Disney may be doing this again in anticipation of the Spring Break and summer crowds headed to the parks. Again, remember that this is just a limited-time change. We’ll keep an eye out for more updates! Click here to see the CHANGE Disney World made for Genie+ when it comes to 1-day tickets. All About Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selection READ THIS Before Using the New Genie Planning Tool in Disney World Check Out the FULL List of Rides Included With Genie+ in Disney World See What Rides You Can Pay EXTRA For in Disney World & How Much They’ll Cost Learn What Rides Are Included With Genie+ in Disneyland (Plus the Ones You’ll Pay EXTRA to Ride) You CAN’T Re-Ride Disney World Attractions With Genie+ You CAN’T Cancel Pay-Per-Ride Selections in Disney World Get the Answers to All of Your Burning Questions About Disney Genie See Why You’ll Want to Stay in a Disney World Hotel When it Comes to Disney’s Pay-Per-Ride System Here’s What Annual Passholders and Magic Key Holders Need to Know About Genie+ See 5 Ways Genie+ Might Surprise You Learn About How Disney Genie Can Be Your Personal Assistant in Disney World Click HERE to See More About Disney Genie Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe What do you think of these changes? Tell us in the comments! The post BREAKING: Genie+ CHANGES Announced for a Limited Number of Disney World Rides first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

So many new pairs of Minnie ears have been released in the parks this year! There are so many ears to choose from! We finally just spotted the 2022 sequin ears in the parks, and don’t forget the new Alice in Wonderland ears! We’re in Disney World every single day and it seems like new ears are always popping up. On a recent trip to EPCOT, we spotted a new pair of ears that are perfectly posh — let’s check them out! Where the anglophiles at?! We found a new pair of ears over in the UK Pavilion. UK Pavilion at EPCOT! We’re calling these the UK Pavilion Floral Minnie Ears! They feature a big bow adorned with a pattern reminiscent of the Union Jack and a CROWN! The UK Pavilion Floral Ears! Each ear is covered in bright pink, purple, and blue English roses. The headband is embroidered and reads, “Queen of the Kingdom.” We love the little details! You can get these ears over in the UK Pavilion at EPCOT for $29.99! We love finding the latest and greatest Disney merchandise to share with you — so be sure to check back here for more news! Click Here to See EVERY Pair of Minnie Ears Released Last Year! 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 wear this pair of Minnie ears? Let us know in the comments! The post ANOTHER New Pair of Minnie Ears?! We Can't Keep Up, Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, Disney World is definitely the place to be! We’ll take 40! One of our favorite spots to visit when we’ve got a hankering for dessert is Disney Springs. With so many great places to get something sweet, it can be hard to choose! There’s Vivoli il Gelato, the Ganachery, and of course — the super popular Gideon’s Bakehouse with their half-pound cookies! But today, we’re bringing you news about a limited-time treat at another Disney Springs dessert destination — let’s check it out! Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew is an underrated spot that dishes up more than just doughnuts. Grilled cheese on doughnut buns? Yes, please. Bacon Grilled Cheese Donut And for a limited time only, this sweet shop is serving a special treat in honor of National Strawberry Day, which takes place on February 27th, 2022. Pumpkin Topper from last fall The Berry Sweet Topper will be available from February 25th through 27th. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cold Brew (made with cold brew, strawberry puree, chocolate syrup, heavy cream, and topped with a strawberry sweet cream cold foam) meets a Powdered Strawberry Jelly Donut in this perfect pairing. Our mouths are watering just writing this! Be sure to hurry on over to Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew this weekend if you want to try this limited-time treat. And as always, be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney snack news! Check Out Our FULL Review of Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew! Have you ever been to Everglazed Donuts in Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments! The post Strawberry Cold Brew?! Find Out Where You Can Get It in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’ve ever mentioned to a friend or family that you’re planning a Disney World vacation, you’ve probably received some solicited (or unsolicited) advice. And, while your Aunt Susan has your best interest at heart, Disney World planning advice isn’t one-size-fits-all! We’re sharing our best tips today! It can be a lot to sort through all of the tips, especially considering how complicated planning a Disney World vacation has become over the past few years. So, do you really need to head to the park at the crack of dawn to have a chance at riding the most popular rides? And, do you have to park hop to get the most out of your trip? As seasoned park goers, we’re letting you in on 15 tricks that we’ve learned from visiting Disney World all the time — let’s get to it! Get In Line For Rides At the End of the Night Many first-time or new Disney World guests often try to tackle the most popular rides by getting to the park right at park opening (or rope drop). But, this isn’t your only (or even the best) option necessarily. You can actually join the queue for any open attraction right up until park closing time and that’s actually when you might find the shortest lines of the day! For example, if the park closes at 9PM, then the queue will close at 9:01PM. And, whether the wait time says 5 minutes or 105 minutes, as long as you’re in line before the park closes, you’ll be able to ride. Avoid those long waits and hop in line at the end of the day! This is one of our favorite tricks for getting to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Slinky Dog Dash without taking up too much park time during the day. And, at the end of the night, the wait times usually aren’t as long as what they’re posted on the signs! Check Out All the Disney World Rides You Can Typically Get on WITHOUT a Wait HERE! Choose Your Lines Wisely There are lines all over the place in Disney World — in the gift shops, at the park entrances, at security, and everywhere else and you can end up wasting valuable park time if you don’t choose your line wisely. So, when you find yourself walking up to a location with multiple queues side-by-side we recommend heading towards the outside lines. Line to get into Magic Kingdom Usually, people say to “go left,” but that’s not always the best option if the left line is the closest to you (like when you get off the monorail at Magic Kingdom’s entrance.) Instead, go for the lines that are further away, as most guests will walk to the middle of the queue that’s directly in front of them. Yes, it adds up to a few extra steps for you, but using this strategy, you may shave a few valuable minutes off your wait time, which can be especially helpful when entering the park! We’re Breaking Down the BEST and WORST Lines to Be Stuck in at Disney World HERE! How to Find the BEST Fireworks Spots Are all fireworks views created equally in Disney World? No, definitely not! So, how can you ensure that you’ll be able to see it all without risking your view being obstructed by a dad who hikes their kid up onto their shoulder at the last minute? Well, at Magic Kingdom, one of our favorite hacks is to stake out a spot on a curb so that when everyone stands up, you’ll have a couple inches of extra height above the guests in front of you. It also helps to stand next to a trash can so that you’ve got something to lean on while waiting and a little bit of extra personal space. You’ll also want to keep in mind that Magic Kingdom’s new fireworks show — Disney Enchantment — features projections all the way down Main Street, U.S.A., so the best view is actually further away from Cinderella Castle if you’re hoping to get the full experience. The best view is actually a bit further down Main Street, U.S.A. Over in EPCOT, Harmonious debuted recently with a new style of fireworks show that is unlike anything we’ve seen in the past. For this show, you’ll want to make sure you’re facing the giant barges in the middle of World Showcase Lagoon as directly as possible so that you can see the screens and water effects clearly. This is best done from the front of World Showcase or from the backside, close to the American Adventure pavilion (bonus points if you can find a bench to sit on or an elevated surface to stand on while you watch!). Click HERE to See The BEST Restaurants for Fireworks Views In Disney World! Last-Minute Dining Reservations Are Often Available Right now, Disney World dining reservations can be made 60 days in advance of the first day of your vacation, but it hasn’t gotten any easier to get a spot. So, if you can’t snag that coveted dining reservation at Be Our Guest Restaurant (or any other popular Table Service location), don’t fret…there’s still a chance you may find it in the future! We recommend that you continue checking for a reservation the week leading up to (or even the day of) your visit, as many guests cancel in the final days to avoid the 24-hour cancellation fee. Cinderella’s Royal Table If that doesn’t work, many restaurants now offer Mobile Dine Walk-Up Waitlist on the day of your visit so you have a chance at dining without a reservation at all. You can check the My Disney Experience app early in the day to see what’s available — don’t delay though, or the list might fill up! Check Out 3 HUGE Tips for Snagging Hard-to-Get Reservations in Disney World HERE! Bring Backup Shoes If you’re not a Disney World regular or you haven’t been in a while, you may be absolutely shocked by how many steps you walk during a day at the parks (which can make it the BEST time to challenge your friends to a step competition). But hitting 20,000+ steps every day for a week can make even the best shoes uncomfortable! Be smart about your shoe choices! We suggest packing more than one pair of shoes just in case you find that your trusty old sneakers suddenly aren’t so kind to your blistering feet in the parks. And, it may even help to bring backup shoes in your bag that you take to the parks! Even if your shoes are perfectly comfortable, there’s a chance they could get wet on a ride or in the rain, and a fresh pair would be nice. If you don’t have room for an extra pair in your bag, bring backup socks instead — you’ll be surprised how great a fresh pair of socks can feel midday. What Shoes Should You Wear in Disney World? Our Readers Share Their Thoughts Here! Know Where You Can Find Necessities While you certainly don’t intend on needing medicine while you’re in Disney World, the unexpected can (and often does) happen. So, when you visit the parks, take note of the First Aid and Baby Care Center locations on the park map. Here, you’ll be able to find many emergency items that you may need, including bandages, diapers, some over-the-counter medicines, and more. Look out for these locations in the parks! Plus, the Baby Care Centers are a great place to take your kiddos to if they need a place to relax away from the chaos of the parks. Inside you’ll find nursing rooms, changing tables, and even bathrooms with kiddie-sized toilets! Click HERE to Learn What To Do If You Get Sick In Disney World Check the Refurbishment Calendar Throughout the year, Disney will close attractions for routine maintenance and there are no guarantees that it won’t line up with your vacation dates. But, luckily Disney doesn’t leave park-goers in the dark and they announce the refurbishments often months in advance on the refurbishment calendar on Disney’s website. Here, you’ll find a list of which attractions will be unavailable during your trip due to maintenance or updates and you can even check your hotel’s website for any maintenance alerts that could impact your stay. Check online before your trip so that you aren’t surprised! It’s best to take a look at this list early — we don’t want any broken hearts when you arrive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and find that your favorite ride, Expedition Everest, is closed for three months! Check Out 7 Things You’re Probably Forgetting When You Plan a Disney World Trip Use Mobile Checkout to Avoid Lines Over the past year, Disney World gift shops have been introducing a new Mobile Checkout option. So, instead of waiting in a long line to purchase those coveted souvenirs, you can now use your phone to check out at select locations! Be on the lookout for these signs! To use Mobile Checkout, look for the signage around the store that you’re visiting (it’s mostly available in larger gift shops right now, and not all of them have it) to see if it’s being offered. Once you find them, scan the QR code and follow the onscreen directions to make your purchases! This lesser-utilized trick will save you both time and stress. See the FULL LIST of Stores Where You Can SKIP the Checkout Lines in the Disney Parks HERE! Hydration is Key This is a tip we share frequently with our readers here at DFB, but it’s SO important to remember when you’re in the parks. Florida is very hot and with all the walking you’ll be doing, it’s easy to get dehydrated, which can make for a very miserable day in the parks. Free Water Instead of trashing your hydration goals during your visit because a water bottle costs an arm and a leg, you can grab free cups of ice water from any Quick Service restaurant around Disney World, as well as from the snack stands that have drink machines. There are also some bottle refill stations in various locations, so we also recommend bringing a refillable water bottle to sip on throughout your day. See Everywhere You Can Find FREE Water in Disney World HERE! How to Find Your Car Afraid of spending an entire day walking around the park just to find that you forgot where you parked so you have to log even more steps in the parking lot? Well, this one is definitely a simple hack, but it’s very effective — take a photo of the row number where you parked! At the end of your row, it’ll show the name of the parking lot section as well as the row number, which will make finding your car all that much easier at the end of the day. Hollywood Studios Parking Lot If you accidentally skip this step in your rush to get inside the park, don’t worry! Locate a parking lot Cast Member and let them know what time you arrived that morning — they keep track of which rows were parked at what time, so if you have that information, they can at least direct you to a general area. Read THIS Before You Bring a Car to Disney World! Check for Discounts and Special Offers Who doesn’t want to save money on a Disney World trip?! There are tons of discounts and offers out there for Disney World trips throughout the year, you just need to know where you should look to find them! For starters, make sure to check the Special Offers page before booking through the Disney World website to see if there are any room, ticket, or package deals going on — this is where you can find things like 20% off hotel stays on select dates and discounted tickets for military members. ©Disney Plus, if you’re part of an affiliate group (such as an Annual Passholder or DVC member), check the website to see if discounts are available for merchandise, dining, or other paid activities like special ticketed events. And when you’re in the park, it never hurts to ask before making a purchase — you might be surprised with all the places that do offer discounts! Click HERE for a FULL LIST of Current Disney World Deals and Discounts! Check Menus Before Your Trip Since Disney World reopened after temporarily closing at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants have seen some MAJOR changes. For example, we’ve seen some spots with limited capacities, modified offerings, and the menus have even been through some substantial updates. Check those menus online before you go! If you’re a returning visitor, we recommend checking the menus of your favorite restaurants before your visit. They may have completely changed their offerings since your last trip, or the experience may be different altogether (like at modified character meals). So, you’ll want to be sure that you’ve done your dining research if you’re like us and view Disney food as an attraction in itself. The BIGGEST Takeaways From the HUNDREDS of Recent Restaurant Price Increases in Disney World Always, Always Bring Rain Gear Even if you think you don’t need it. Even if the weather app says it won’t rain. Even if it’s not hurricane season…always, always, ALWAYS pack rain gear! Florida may be known as the sunshine state, but it rains pretty frequently and storms often pop up seemingly out of nowhere (particularly during the summer months). Rainy Day in Magic Kingdom But, the rain isn’t the enemy of your Disney World trip — in fact, it can actually make for some of the best park days if you’ve prepared correctly. You definitely don’t want to be caught in a storm and be forced to “wait it out” and waste park time or purchase one of the expensive Disney ponchos. Instead, we suggest buying cheap ponchos from your local grocery store or packing your own rain jackets and umbrellas. That way you’ll be able to brave the storm and conquer the park while other guests head back to their hotel. Check Out The Most EXTREME Weather Ever Seen at Disney World! Pack Snacks for the Kiddos Even if you’re planning on enjoying some tasty treats while in the theme parks, you won’t regret packing some extra snacks in your park bag, especially if you’re traveling with kids. The options in the park may not be things that they enjoy and you really don’t want to find yourself 60 minutes into the 180-minute line for Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with a hangry kiddo. Bring extra snacks in case your little ones don’t like what’s offered! It may also be a good idea to carry food simply because days in Disney can be unpredictable. If a ride has technical difficulties, you get stuck in a line, or there’s a long wait for Mobile Order, it may throw your eating schedule out of whack. Getting “hangry” can put a real damper on your trip, so this helps avoid that problem! What’s In Our Bag?! DFB Reporters Share Their Secrets in Disney World Portable Phone Chargers Are a Necessity And finally, let’s talk about portable phone chargers! It’s become almost impossible to do Disney World without your phone, so you’ll be using it a LOT during your day. You’ll use it to check wait times, Mobile Order, and more through the My Disney Experience app (especially if you’re trying the new Disney Genie), plus you’ll likely be reaching for the camera, the weather app, social media, and much more during your trip. Fuel Rods are available at Disney World It’s much easier to charge your phone on the go than to stop and look for an outlet (they can be hard to find in the parks!) so we recommend bringing along a portable charger. If you want something more convenient, Disney sells FuelRods in the parks for $30 each and once your FuelRod runs out of battery, you can swap it for a fully-charged version at any of the kiosks for free. It can be a good deal if you’re doing a lot of charging or visiting frequently! Learn more about Disney World’s FuelRods HERE! So, there you have it — some of our best tips for visiting Disney World. And, if you’re planning a 2022 trip and want even more tips and tricks, you can watch our video with 45 (!!) NEW tips below! And, be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more news, advice, and all the updates you need from the Disney Parks! Click Here For a List of Disney World Tips You SHOULDN’T Follow! 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 World planning tip? Let us know in the comments! The post 15 Disney World Tricks Only the Insiders Know first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s festival time, baby! We hope you brought your appetite and a notepad, because the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival is returning SOON, and now we’ve got a look at what will be on the menus! This fun foodie event is known to celebrate the foods of California with tasty snacks, drinks, and special events. Not only that, but guests can enjoy the old version of Soarin’, Soarin’ Over California, during the festival! Disney’s California Adventure If you love the golden state of California and can’t wait to celebrate, we’ve got some exciting news! Disney just revealed ALL of the menus for this year’s Food and Wine Festival. Let’s take a look! The 2022 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival will run from March 4th to April 26th. Disney hasn’t hosted this event since before the pandemic, so it’s been a LONG time! We already knew that all twelve festival booths will be returning this year, but now we’ve got a look at the menus. California Craft Brews Booth Let’s take a look! Click here to see the FULL MENUS for the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival! New Eats & Drinks There are a TON of new eat and drinks at the festival this year, but we’ll just highlight a few that sound particularly interesting! First up, we have the Peanut Butter & Jelly Mac with brown sugar streusel and strawberry crackle over at Nuts About Cheese. ©Disney Also at this booth is a new Spicy Honey-Apricot Cocktail, which has Rye Whiskey, apricot, orange, lemon juice, spicy honey syrup, and bitters. ©Disney Over at California Craft Brews there will be a new IPA Sausage Dog on a soft pretzel roll with onion-pepper Jardinière, cheddar cheese sauce, and malt vinegar-jalapeño crunch! ©Disney And, at Peppers Cali-Ente there’s a new Chile Relleno Empanada with arbol pepper salsa and Oaxaca and Cotija cheeses. YUM! ©Disney There are also fun Red or Green Grapes Glow Cube Charms you can add to ANY drink at every booth at the festival! Returning Items There are also some returning items coming back to the festival! Over at Nuts About Cheese, the SNICKERS Caramel-Peanut Milk Chocolate Mickey Macaron is back! This is a Chocolate Mickey macaron filled with caramel ganache and SNICKERS pieces. It’s coming back! At Garlic Kissed, the Carbonara-Garlic Mac & Cheese with peppered bacon is back and we can’t wait to eat it again! Carbonara Mac and Cheese And, at Avocado Time, the very unconventional Frozen Guacamole is returning. This is avocado paleta with lime crema, pico de gallo, and chile-lime seasoning. ©Disney You can check out the FULL menus of ALL of the booths below! Click here to see the FULL MENUS for the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival! In addition to these festival-exclusive booths, there will also be special festival offerings at some other additional locations, like over at Terran Treats in Avengers Campus. They’ll have a new Raspberry Spiral Ration which is a yellow strawberry spiral churro with berry compote! ©Disney You can see all of the additional items coming to the festival here. Make sure to stay tuned; we’ll be at the festival soon to try out all these new foods and old favorites! Click here to see the FULL MENUS for the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival! 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 Which new snack are you looking forward to trying? Let us know in the comments! The post NEWS: MENUS Announced for the 2022 Food and Wine Festival in Disney California Adventure first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The sister ship to Carnival’s Mardi Gras is joining the cruise line’s Florida fleet this year, and while it will share a lot of the same features as the debut ship in the line’s innovative class, it will have its own identity. View the full article

It has been a BUSY week for Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Disney’s Hollywood Studios We’ve seen pretty heavy crowds and wait times have been through the roof. On top of that, a TON of new merchandise has dropped in the park in the past few days. If you haven’t had the chance to stop by this week, we’re sharing the full list of everything that’s new in Hollywood Studios! Hollywood Studios Food Updates Snack Carts Let’s start with a little snack update! For quite some time, we’ve had the holiday popcorn mix available at all the popcorn stands around Hollywood Studios. But this week, the Springtime Popcorn has finally returned! Springtime popcorn is here! It’s $7.99 per bag and is available at popcorn carts all around the park, as well as The Market. It’s made with birthday cake popcorn, pastel-colored candy gems, and white chocolate drizzle. Click Here to See Last Year’s Review of the Popcorn! Hollywood Studios Construction Update Toy Story Mania Gift Shop We’ve seen some slow construction progress this week on the gift shop at the exit of Toy Story Mania. The last time we were in the park, another wall was covered up. Still under construction! We’ll keep an eye on this area to see if anything changes. We’ve got some other exciting offerings coming to Toy Story Land soon, so it makes sense that they’re freshening up! Click Here to Learn More About Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Coming Soon! Hollywood Studios Merchandise Update Keystone Clothiers Okay, buckle up because we had QUITE a lot of new merchandise available at Hollywood Studios this week! Starting in Keystone Clothiers, we spotted a Black Widow t-shirt for $36.99. We’ve already seen it at Disneyland Resort, but it finally made its way to the east coast. Rep that Black Widow logo! If you were a big fan of Marvel’s What If…? that premiered on Disney+ last year, then you’ll be happy to know that you can now buy figurines of some of the show’s most popular characters! These figurines are $29.99 each and all include little models of The Watcher. These are all the options that are available. A new Captain Marvel tee from Her Universe is now available too. It’s $36.99 and features a pretty simple design made to mimic her superhero suit. Captain Marvel t-shirt Guardians of the Galaxy fans are going to love this new Groot plush, available for $22.99. He’s so cute and squishy! He’s so little! And speaking of plushes, who could resist this Spider-Man design?! It’s now in the shop for $22.99. (Although, his head is shaped a little bit like a triangle!) Triangle-head Spider-Man This was definitely a big week for Marvel merchandise! The Dark Room Across the street at The Dark Room, there were a couple new items to report as well. First up is this new 50th Anniversary mystery pin set. It features pins that look like the golden Disney Fab 50 statues around the parks, and you can collect them for $21.99 each. You could end up with one of several designs. Who’s excited for a new Pixar movie?! Well, Turning Red hits Disney+ on March 11th, and we can’t wait to check it out. If you’re ready to rep the movie a little early, you can buy this matching MagicBand for $39.99. There’s a new MagicBand for the movie. It’s a limited edition design, so it won’t be around forever — hurry and get to The Dark Room if you want to pick one up! Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge When we stopped by to visit a galaxy far, far away, we found some new items in the shops. Over at The Market, there were new figurines inside Toydarian Toymakers. The first is a tie fighter… Tie Fighter figurine …then there’s a model of the Millennium Falcon… Millennium Falcon figurine …and one made to look like an AT-AT! You can buy them now for $17.99 each. AT-AT figurine Over by Rise of the Resistance, make sure to check out the Resistance Supply merchandise stand — you never know what you’ll find! This week, we spotted a Rise of the Resistance magnet that we hadn’t seen before. Pick one up on your next trip for $12. A great souvenir once you complete your mission! And finally, at Droid Depot, there’s a new Battle Droid set for $74.99 that features some of the most famous droids from Star Wars movies. Who’s ready to battle? They’ve got all kinds of accessories in here that you can buy and add on to your droid after it’s built. You can really customize it to your liking! Tatooine Traders And speaking of Star Wars merchandise, we spotted a new Fennec Shand Funko POP for $14.99. If you watched The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+, then you know just how awesome Fennec is! Fennec Shand Funko POP This store is home to lots of items from hit Star Wars shows and movies, so make sure to stop by here if you’re looking for something specific. Legends of Hollywood If you’ve been waiting for the highly-anticipated Stoney Clover Disney line, then you’re in luck — it’s now at Legends of Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard! These items were incredibly popular when they arrived online, so if you’re interested in any of the 5 different bags, you’ll want to hurry. All the new Stoney Clover bags were in here! We also spotted a brand-new Orange Bird t-shirt in here this week! It says “100% Sunshine” with our little pal printed on the front and you can get it for $22.99. With the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival coming up soon, we think this would be the perfect outfit to wear! We love this! And on the Sunset Club Couture end of the store, there was an adorable Minnie Mouse onesie for your tiniest Disney fans! You can pick it up now for $34.99. An itty bitty onesie! Honestly, who can resist cute little Disney baby clothes?! Click Here to Learn More About the Stoney Clover Line! That’s everything new we spotted in Hollywood Studios this week! Stay tuned to DFB for the latest news and updates from around the parks each day! Click Here to See What’s New in 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. When is your next visit to Hollywood Studios? Tell us in the comments! The post What's New in Disney's Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Land Construction and Stoney Clover Bags first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

I hope you’re hungry because the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival is just around the corner. And let me tell you, this year the festival is back and filled with delicious eats and mesmerizing sips highlighting the lovely flavors of California. View the full article

SeaWorld Entertainment on Thursday reported record-setting revenue in fiscal year 2021 and the quarter ending the year. View the full article

Even in the most magical place on earth, things can go awry! Tomorrowland Attractions can malfunction, equipment can break, and the occasional pileup can happen, too! On a recent trip to the Magic Kingdom, we noticed that there was something going on over at a popular Tomorrowland attraction and decided to investigate. Let’s see what we could find! The Tomorrowland Speedway is a popular attraction for both adults and kids alike! You can drive your own race car while hearing the sounds (and smelling the smells) of a real race track. Tomorrowland Speedway We were strolling through the park today when we noticed one of the Tomorrowland Speedway cars was not moving, and cars were starting to pile up behind it! There’s trouble on the tracks! As we got closer, it looked like the guests in the stopped car were getting out after smoke was spotted coming out of their car — a Cast Member came over to speak with the guests as additional Cast Members began instructing the remaining guests to pull their cars up behind one another. Uh oh… Shortly after, guests were instructed to evacuate their ride vehicle and follow Cast Members to the exit. After all guests were evacuated safely, we checked the My Disney Experience app and sure enough — the Tomorrowland Speedway was listed as “temporarily closed.” ©Disney If you’re ever on a ride that malfunctions, be sure to wait for instruction from Cast Members as they are trained to keep you safe. For the latest Disney news and updates, be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more! Check Out These Infamous Disney World Ride Malfunctions 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 been evacuated from a ride at Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post Photos and Video: See Tomorrowland Speedway Be Evacuated in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

How to get on Disney World’s MOST POPULAR RIDE, how to get a seat at that super popular galactic bar, and what’s all this about a barbecue restaurant run by toys? Disney’s Hollywood Studios We’ve got the ultimate guide to Hollywood Studios for you today on DFB Guide! Check out our video below The 2022 Ultimate Guide to Hollywood Studios! 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 your favorite thing to do in Hollywood Studios. The post DFB Video: The 2022 Ultimate Guide to Hollywood Studios first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We have seen some absolute stunners when it comes to Disney World 50th Anniversary merchandise. Magic Kingdom Park 50th Anniversary merchandise From a glittery purple spirit jersey to a designer tote bag, to a pair of Minnie ears that cost $1,000 (!!!) — there is a plethora of extravagant souvenirs celebrating Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. But what about the not-so-extravagant souvenirs? That’s right, we’re talking about the humble, never fussy Disney mug. We recently spotted a popular 50th Anniversary mug in the parks once again and couldn’t wait to share! There’s nothing quite like waking up and drinking your morning coffee or tea out of a Disney mug! It’s an easy way to add a little magic to your day. Disney mugs! On a recent trip to the Magic Kingdom, we noticed a restock of a popular 50th Anniversary mug! We love these mugs! These have not been spotted in quite a while, and are currently sold out online as well! The mug features all the classic Disney park icons like Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth, and even Madame Leota! 50th Anniversary Celebration mug The mug is $14.99 and of course, our favorite cast of characters is also seen on this coffee cup. What better way to celebrate Disney’s milestone anniversary at home?! Heya, pals! You can find this mug over at the Emporium in Magic Kingdom — but hurry, because these mugs tend to sell out quickly! And as always, be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more updates about Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration! Click Here to See ALL of the 50th Anniversary Merch You Can Get Online! Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Details and Info See Photos & Reviews of All of Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Eats and Treats Check Out All of the 50th Anniversary Merchandise You Can Get Online Get a Look at Some of the 50th Anniversary Merchandise You Can Get in the Parks Click Here to See the 50 Best Ways to Celebrate Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Check Out Our 50 Pieces of Advice for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Click Here to See the Best Ways to Celebrate Disney World’s 50th Anniversary from Home See the New 50th Anniversary Nighttime Looks for All 4 of Disney World’s Park Icons Check Out Our 50th Anniversary Cupcake Crawl Click Here to See Our Rankings of the 50th Anniversary Treats in Magic Kingdom See Our Rankings of the 50th Anniversary Treats in EPCOT Check Out Our Rankings of the 50th Anniversary Treats in Hollywood Studios See Our Rankings of the 50th Anniversary Treats in Animal Kingdom Click HERE for Your Guide to Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe How do you like to bring Disney magic into your day? Let us know in the comments! The post HURRY! 50th Anniversary MUGS Are Back in Stock in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the parent company of NCL, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, announced Thursday its fourth quarter and annual earnings through Dec. 31 with another year of losses because of COVID-19. View the full article

One of the most popular add-ons to a Disney World vacation is PhotoPass. This one-time purchase of $169 via Memory Maker (prior to arrival, or $199 in the parks after you arrive) gives you access to all of the digital downloads of pictures taken of you and the family while in Disney World, whether it’s an on-ride photo or a picture taken by one of Disney’s PhotoPass Cast Members. Cinderella Castle There are some big changes coming with PhotoPass, however. Keep in mind that PhotoPass is NOT included with the new Genie+ service (instead, users get special augmented reality lenses to use while snapping pictures on your phone), nor does it come with Disney World’s new Annual Pass system — Annual Passholders who want PhotoPass on their next vacation, will have to purchase it separately for $99 per year, per pass. That begs the question, is it worth it to purchase PhotoPass, either ahead of your Disney World vacation or as an add-on to your Annual Pass? There are pros and cons to every additional purchase you make, so let’s take a look at them now! Why You SHOULD Purchase PhotoPass One of the first reasons why you may want to consider purchasing PhotoPass is that the photos are taken on a high quality camera by a trained professional. If you don’t want to lug your DSLR camera around with you, then you won’t have to — Cast Members are trained with professional cameras and know how to capture the perfect photo, making sure that the whole family is in the shot, that Cinderella Castle isn’t cropped, and that the lighting is just right. These Cast Members take thousands of pictures a day, so feel free to ask them about unique poses, and even magic shots! Pluto and a PhotoPass Photographer PhotoPass may be well worth the cost if you’re visiting Disney World to celebrate a special event. Whether it’s a family reunion, a honeymoon, or your first trip to Disney World, PhotoPass is a great way to make sure you have high-quality photos of the entire family in front of iconic park locations. Say cheese!! One of the biggest challenges when taking your own photos is that not everyone will be in every picture. There’s always that one relative who volunteers to take the photo, and next thing you know, Uncle Joe is missing from EVERY picture! By purchasing PhotoPass, everyone gets to be in all of the pictures, not to mention your photos don’t ALL have to be selfies to get the whole family included (you also don’t have to awkwardly ask a random stranger to take your picture without risking your phone getting dropped). PhotoPass in Disney’s Hollywood Studios If you are interested in getting photos with characters, you will want to note that character meet and greets and very limited and modified at the time. You can meet some characters in the parks but not in the same capacity you could before the closures. Read all about character meet and greets in Disney World right now here! Why You Should NOT Purchase PhotoPass First and foremost, PhotoPass is pricey! Depending on where you are staying on your Disney World vacation (whether it’s on or off property), the $169 fee for Memory Maker could easily go toward another night at the hotel, your airfare, or upgrading your tickets to Park Hoppers. EPCOT If you go to Disney World a lot, you likely already have most of the photos you’ll typically get using PhotoPass — and do you REALLY need that fifth picture of the family riding Frozen Ever After? Tower of Terror has a classic on-ride photo, but it can be hard to see everyone in your family! If you’re an Annual Passholder, PhotoPass will no longer come included on any pass level — it will cost you an additional $99 per year, per Passholder. Keep in mind that you can link your PhotoPass photos to all of your friends and family accounts, so if snapping those pictures is important to your family, you could purchase it once and make sure everyone’s accounts are linked. Taking Guest Photos Don’t forget about Disney World’s Capture Your Moment photoshoot services — for less than $99, you can reserve a PhotoPass photographer for a set amount of time in the parks for special moments like a proposal, baby announcement, graduation, anniversary, family reunion, first visit, birthday, and more. Photo sessions for up to 20 minutes cost $50, but you can also book back-to-back sessions for 40 minutes at $100. If you only need that ONE perfect photo on your vacation but you don’t want to commit to the full $169 price tag of Memory Maker, this could be a good way to save! ©Disney While we mentioned above that PhotoPass can get you some high-quality family pictures, PhotoPass photos aren’t always the BEST. You’re taking a slight risk relying on PhotoPass to capture what could wind up being your family Christmas card photo. Just like any photography experience, angles may not be the most flattering, someone’s eyes might be closed, or the whole family might just be a hot, sweaty mess after a day touring the park in the Floridian heat & humidity. Those fancy cameras will just mean that you have super crisp photographic memories of how hot y’all were! Photographers might not be around if it’s raining! Keep in mind, you’re taking a pricey gamble for something where you get a limited amount of photos, whereas you can take endless photos for free on your own camera or phone. Not to mention you may feel rushed if there’s a line for that particular PhotoPass spot, and the overall quality of the picture could suffer as a result! Lines can get long for picture spots like in front of Cinderella Castle! PhotoPass may also NOT be worth the cost if you’re looking for more unique family photos on your next vacation. PhotoPass Cast Members are usually stationed in more popular and “generic” locations, like the park entrances, in front of Cinderella Castle, and so on and so forth. Because of the price you paid for these photos, you may feel compelled to stand in line to “get your money’s worth” and capture all the photos you can, but think of what else you might be sacrificing in your Disney World experience as you wait in line for another photo. PhotoPass Line If you go to Disney World frequently and want something a little different, there are hidden gems all around the parks where you WON’T find those PhotoPass Cast Members. In those situations, you’ll likely be better off finding a stranger to snap a quick family photo instead. Click here to read about what won’t come included with Disney World’s new Annual Passes! We hope this information helps you decide whether or not PhotoPass is worth the purchase on your next Disney World vacation. In short, it really will depend on your wants, needs, and budget. It’s nice to have the option but for your personal vacation, it might not be worth shelling out the cash. We’re always looking for ways to make sure you maximize your upcoming Disney World vacation, so be sure to follow along for more of the latest news and updates as well as planning tips and tricks! 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 purchase PhotoPass on your next Disney World vacation? Let us know in the comments! The post Should You Buy PhotoPass in Disney World? Here Are Some PROS and CONS. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Last week, our #DisneyCreators experienced all the “wonder” aboard the Disney Wonder during a four-night cruise from New Orleans that made a stop in Cozumel, Mexico.View the full article

If you’ve been to (or considered going to) Disney World recently, then you likely know that a single-day visit to the theme parks typically costs more than $100 a person making a day inside “the most magical place on earth” roughly $400-$500+ for a family of four. Going to the parks certainly isn’t cheap! Of course, that price can fluctuate depending on the season and the add-ons that you purchase, but you’ll be budgeting a few hundred (or even upwards of thousands of) dollars just to set FOOT in a Disney World park. So, if you’re dropping the big bucks on a day in any of the four parks, are you really getting your money’s worth? We’re breaking down the price of a Disney World ticket to let you know what every minute of your day really costs! What’s the Price of a Park Ticket? Right now, a one-day, one-park ticket to any Disney World theme park is $134 on average. The actual ticket prices range from $109-$159, so the number we’ll be working with for the purposes of this article is right in the middle. EPCOT That ticket price will be higher than $134 during the holiday seasons and particularly busy times, while the price will be lower if you visit during the “off-season” when fewer guests are in the parks (think January, February, and September). Tickets will also be more expensive when you purchase add-ons like Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus. Park Hopper costs at least $33 extra per adult ticket and Park Hopper Plus starts at an additional $53. Christmas week is particularly expensive! If you want to save a little bit of money on tickets per day, then you can purchase them multiple days at a time for a cheaper rate, though we noticed that Disney sneakily added a few bucks to the cost of these multi-day tickets recently. The overall cost will still be less per day if you’re opting for a multi-day ticket, but you’ll pay a bit more for select dates in 2022 compared to 2021. ©Disney | Screenshot as of February 16th, 2022 Another way to land tickets on the lower price range? Check for affinity group discounts! These are often available for Florida residents and eligible military members. See the other way that Disney World has sneakily increased ticket prices in 2022 here How Much Does Each Minute Cost You in Disney World? So, what exactly are you getting for that hefty price? Well, let’s break it down! Disney World parks are most often open between 10-12 hours a day (Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT are typically on the higher end of that range, while Disney’s Animal Kingdom hangs out in the lower). Those hours can vary based on the time of year, but we’ll stick with an 11-hour average park day for our example. Taking the $134 average cost for a park ticket, means you’re paying about $12.18 per hour to be in a Disney World park! You can get quite a bit done in 10-12 hours. If you take that $12.18 down into minutes, you get about .20 cents per minute. That means that every 5 minutes in a Disney World park (on an 11-hour day with a $134 ticket), costs you roughly $1. Keep in mind that this price factors in the full day from park open to park close, so this is still the cost even if you’re not in the park — you’ve already paid that price ahead of time! DFB CHALLENGE: Can You Spend 20 Straight Hours in Disney Theme Parks? We Tested It Out! Putting That in Simpler Terms… Let’s do some real-world examples! What if you decide to sleep in? Well, if you arrive at the park an hour later than the opening time, it’ll cost you $12.18 per person. For a family of four, that’s $48.72, which could buy you 7 or 8 Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bars! Crowds can be pretty hefty at rope drop! Long meals will also cost you extra, as you’re stuck in a restaurant during that precious park time. So, for example, if you want to dine somewhere like Cinderella’s Royal Table or Be Our Guest Restaurant, your meal may take up to an hour and a half. These meals already cost $62 per adult and $37 per child (a total of at least $198 with 2 adults and 2 kids, not counting tax and tip) and if you take into account the cost of 90 minutes in the park, then you’re paying $18 per person in time, which is $72 total. Add that to the total for your meal and you get $270…not including tax and tip! Of course, dining at these in-park restaurants requires a park ticket, so you’ll have to come to peace with a portion of your daily ticket budget going to a sit-down meal (along with other things you can only accomplish in the parks). These restaurants are full experiences that take time. What about all the times that you need to go to the bathroom? Well, there’s even a price associated with that! Taking into account the price of being in the park per minute, a 5-minute bathroom break for four people costs $4. That price DOUBLES if you find a line or need some extra time and take 10 minutes — a pretty pricey potty break if you think about how many times you use the bathroom in a day! Bathroom breaks can add up! Speaking of lines, waiting for attractions can be pretty expensive too — an hour spent in the queue for Slinky Dog Dash or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is $48 (!!) for a family of four. When it’s a busy day, these popular rides can have super crazy four-hour lines, meaning that you’ll be using up about $192 in time to wait as a family — that’s the price of a park ticket and a half! Seven Dwarfs Mine Train If the idea of spending time waiting in line is particularly loathsome to you, then you could opt to pay extra for the new service, Disney Genie+. This replaced the free FastPass+ system in the parks and costs $15 per ticket, per day, to “skip the line” at popular attractions throughout the park. Keep in mind that not all attractions are included in Genie+, so you could end up paying even more to bypass the wait at rides considered Individual Attraction Selections. If the wait times are particularly long in the parks when you visit, paying the extra cost for these services could actually end up saving you money per minute by giving you more time to experience the park. Overall, it should save you time, but it’ll be an additional line item to add to the budget. Disney Genie+ But, what about once you get to the front of the line? Believe it or not, you’re technically paying to ride all the attractions too. So, taking a turn on “it’s a small world” is about 15 minutes, so that ride “costs” $3 worth of time per person whereas, The Barnstormer is only a minute in length (or shorter), so that’s less than .20 cents! Is Disney World Too Expensive For Average Families? Click HERE to Find Out! How Can You Avoid “Wasting” Your Money? It makes sense that you’d want to get the most for your money, so there are a few different strategies you can put into play. First, you’ll want to make a game plan before your trip. Know what’s on your to-do list and take a look at a park map before you arrive. The less time you spend hanging out and deciding what to do, the more you can get done (especially considering that you’ll lose $4 per person if you spend 20 minutes wandering around trying to decide). Know what your must-dos are before you arrive. Next, you’ll want to make sure that you arrive at the park on time — like we mentioned earlier, sleeping in will cost you! Get to the park before it opens to experience “rope drop,” where you can be among the first guests in line at the attractions. You’ll have the shortest wait times, so you won’t be wasting time in line. Who doesn’t want short wait times? Also, you may want to consider taking your breaks IN the park. Many guests (especially those with small children) choose to leave the parks midday to rest back at the hotel. If you’re gone from the park for three hours, a family of four is paying $144 for that time. Of course, if you’re exhausted we certainly don’t recommend denying your family a chance to rest (believe us, the break is worth it!), but instead of leaving try taking your break in-park. The American Adventure is a long show in an air-conditioned theater, the perfect choice for a midday break. What do we mean? Well, you can stop and enjoy a long show in a comfy theater where you can sit down, go on a relaxing attraction like Living with the Land in EPCOT or take a long lunch break at a Table Service restaurant. Making good use of your park time can even mean sitting and people-watching for a bit! Check Out Our Top SECRET Spots To Relax and Recharge in Disney World! Here’s the Truth… Don’t let this post scare you — no human can be 100% efficient with their time in the Disney Parks. You’ll have to stop and take bathroom breaks, sometimes lines will be long, and taking the time to eat meals is a necessity. Even though these things (like rides, shows, or Table Service restaurants) will cost you in time, they’re exclusive to Disney World, so the only way you’ll get to do them is by spending some of your valuable minutes! Cinderella’s Royal Table If you truly want to be efficient with your money, you simply need to prioritize what YOU want to do. You’re the one planning and paying for the trip, so don’t waste your time doing things you don’t care about (unless you have time at the end of the day). If you want to spend money on a sit-down meal, do it! It’s YOUR vacation and you are the one to please. Make your decisions based on your family’s wants and needs. The truth is — your money won’t be “wasted” if you have a good time and enjoy yourself in Disney World. In the end, it’s really about the experiences you had and the memories you made! Isn’t that why we all visit “the most magical place on earth?” It’s why we come to Disney World in the first place! Looking for even more ways to be sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck during your vacation? Watch our video below to find out what mistakes you should AVOID in Disney World! And, for more planning advice and tips for your trip, be sure to stay tuned to DFB where we cover all the parks news and information to keep you up to date! Click Here For the BEST Disney World Tips and Tricks of All Time! 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 way to spend your time at Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post What a Disney World Ticket REALLY Costs first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

“King for a Day” has the usual onstage convoluted shenanigans of comic opera — the mistaken identities and displaced lovers. There’s a lot of back story to Opera Orlando’s upcoming production, too. The work — by opera king Verdi — has never before been performed in Orlando. It's a first for the venue, too. View the full article