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The holiday season is in full swing around Disney World! The Nightmare Before Christmas Tree at Disney Springs! There are plenty of great things to look forward to in Disney World this time of year. Whether you’re into seasonal snacks, holiday entertainment, gorgeous decor, or fun new merchandise, there’s SO MUCH to see and do! But if you are taking a trip to Disney World during the holidays, don’t forget to plan for some big crowds. It looks like lots of guests are heading to Disney Springs today for some last-minute holiday shopping! World of Disney We stopped by World of Disney this morning to check out the merch selection they had in store, and we spotted a HUGE crowd waiting to get in before the store even opened! Guests were lined up waiting to enter the store, and we noticed some people struggling to find the end of the queue… Line Outside World of Disney …which was understandable, because the line wrapped all the way around the side of the building at its longest point! LONG Line Waiting to Get Into World of Disney! Today is projected to be the busiest travel day of the year in Orlando so make sure to leave yourself plenty of extra time to navigate around Disney World if you’re visiting in the coming days! How to Avoid Holiday Crowd Burnout in Disney World Don't Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What's New!! chapter for the 2021 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! ;-D Click HERE to order your 2021 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don't love it, you get your money back! Want Even MORE? The DFB Everything Bundle comes with ALL of our guides, including the Holiday Guide, for one low price! It includes: Pre-order of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2022 The 2021 Food & Wine Guide The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Holidays 2021 Pre-order for the 2022 Flower and Garden Festival Guide All three DFB Snack Guides Click HERE to order your DFB Everything Bundle! MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Check Out the FULL List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World This Year See the List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World’s Hotels Get All of the Latest Information about the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays See the Booths, Menus, and Food Photos for the Festival of the Holidays Check Out Our Photos & Reviews of the Holiday Treats in Disney World Watch Our Video About What We Wish We’d Known Before Going to Disney World During the Holidays Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Are you visiting Disney World over the holidays? Let us know in the comments! The post Have Holiday Crowds Arrived in Disney World? These Photos Say YES! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The Disney Cruise Line is getting a new cruise ship soon: the Disney Wish. Disney Wish © Disney We’ve already heard a lot about this ship, including some unique dining experiences, themed lounges, and the first Disney attraction at sea. Now, we’re going to take you through the WHOLE SHIP with a complete tour of the Disney Wish. Let’s take a look at everything that’s going to be on board! The Disney Wish will set sail on its maiden voyage on June 9th, 2022. It’s going to have 3- and 4-night cruises to the Bahamas, including stops at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. The ship features Disney’s first-ever attraction at sea, a water ride called the AquaMouse. There are tons of themed areas, lounges, and restaurants to see, so we’d better get started with the tour! Deck 1 You probably won’t visit Deck 1 on your cruise, since the only things here are the Tender Lobbies and the Health Center. Tender Lobbies are where guests go to board smaller boats if the cruise ship can’t dock in a certain area. ©Disney Cruise Line The Health Center is an important spot to know about if you do need it, and you can visit during clinical hours for any non-emergencies. If there is a medical emergency, dial 7-3000 on any ship phone to contact the 24-hour doctor and nurse on call. Deck 2 On Deck 2, you’ll find the Walt Disney Theatre (which extends up through Deck 4)… ©Disney Cruise Line …a few staterooms, Disney’s Oceaneer Club, and the “it’s a small world” nursery. ©Disney Cruise Line The Walt Disney Theatre has a Fantasia-inspired design that’s meant to make you feel like you’re in an enchanted forest. It’s a huge 1,274-seat theater that spans three decks, complete with orchestra and balcony seating as well. The theater will be equipped with the most advanced technology, including the most detailed projection mapping capabilities (like the Cinderella Castle projections!) and a Dolby Atmos 3D sound system. These new advancements are the most innovated in the cruise industry right now and promise to provide an immersive theatrical experience. Disney’s Aladdin — A Musical Spectacular is going to play here, along with two NEW productions, a new adaptation of the animated classic, “Disney The Little Mermaid” and charming all-new with Captain Minnie and her friends in “Disney Seas the Adventure“! ©Disney Disney’s Oceaneer Club offers activities for kids ages 3 through 12. Here, they can make their own super suit at the Marvel Super Hero Academy… ©Disney …design their own roller coaster in the Imagineering Lab… ©Disney …or hang out with princesses at Fairytale Hall. ©Disney If you have kids ages 6 months to 3 years old, you’ll find childcare services at the “it’s a small world” Nursery. it’s a small world nursery on the Disney Wonder ©Disney Cruise Line We’ll do an in-depth look at the staterooms when we get to Decks 6 through 11, which is where the bulk of the rooms are. Deck 3 Deck 3 is home to the Grand Hall, the Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, and the 1923 restaurant. ©Disney Cruise Line The Grand Hall is the first room that guests will see when they board the Disney Wish. You’ll enter through this area, which is an atrium that’s designed to look like a fairytale castle (complete with a golden statue of Cinderella). The Disney Wish Grand Hall ©Disney The Grand Hall will also transform into a theater… ©Disney …and characters will appear on the balcony periodically to greet guests! ©Disney Star Wars fans will want to visit the Hyperspace Lounge, which is open to guests of all ages during the day but becomes an adults-only spot in the evenings. There will be drinks inspired by Star Wars, as well as some cool technology to check out in this area. The “windows” behind the bar will show guests that galaxy far, far away and show views of some of the popular Star Wars locations. ©Disney Also on this deck is 1923, a restaurant inspired by Disney’s film history. This restaurant is meant to make guests feel like they’re dining in old Hollywood. Each dining area has over 1,000 drawings, props, and other animation tools to give guests an insight into the development of Disney animation from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Frozen 2. ©Disney The menu will focus on the culinary culture of California and foods inspired by the meals of Hollywood. Dishes will be a special twist on Asian, European, and Latin American cuisines and will feature local ingredients like fresh produce and wild honey. And no California-inspired menu would be complete without a listing of Napa Valley wines. Deck 4 Heading up to Deck 4, you’ll find the Wonderland Cinema, the Never Land Cinema, the Luna event space, and the Worlds of Marvel restaurant. ©Disney Cruise Line Both cinemas are inspired by Disney classics (Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan), and guests can head in to watch Disney movies, both old and new. Disney has said that guests will be able to see movie premieres here on the same day that they show on land. ©Disney | Pixar The Luna area is an event space where families can hang out during the day, and it becomes an adults-only entertainment spot in the evenings. It’s decorated with the Pixar short La Luna as the theme. When you’re there, watch out for different characters and a nod to the short film. The Luna space extends up to Deck 5 as well. Worlds of Marvel is one of the cornerstone experiences aboard the Disney Wish. It’s the first-ever Marvel-themed dining experience at sea where guests are immersed in an action-packed Avengers mission throughout their meal and they get to play an active role! © Disney The menu will span the Marvel Cinematic Universe with dishes inspired by our favorite Avenger home countries like African Wakanda, Eastern European Sokovia, and the Avengers’ headquarters in New York City. © Disney While dining, guests will partner up with Marvel’s Antman and Wasp to see the newest advancement of Pym Tech, the Quantum Core. And when the party gets crashed by an unexpected villain, guests will get to provide backup in this adventure to make sure this new tech doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. © Disney This experience provides unique and familiar foods along with a Marvel-quality adventure. An experience you’ll want to be sure to check out! Deck 5 Besides a continuation of Luna, Deck 5 has a Disney Vacation Club spot, the Edge club for teens, Arendelle: a Frozen Dining Adventure… ©Disney Cruise Line …the Senses Spa, and the Senses Fitness Center. ©Disney Cruise Line In the Senses Spa, guests can find the fleet’s first ice lounge, which is used in thermal therapies. There are also other favorite elements like heated ergonomic loungers, sensory spa showers, and sauna, steam, and dry chambers. The Fitness Center will have exercise equipment so guests can work out with fantastic sea views. Senses Spa Edge is a spot for kids ages 11 to 14 to participate in counselor-led activities. And Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure allows guests to dine at Anna and Kristoff’s royal engagement party! Here, guests will dine on Nordic-inspired food, like seafood, rustic game dishes, and family-friendly dishes with “tasty nods” to the Frozen story. ©Disney Cruise The restaurant is set with tables around a central stage, where you might see Elsa or Olaf performing for the party’s guests. There are other theatrical elements as well, like lights in the ceiling that “conjure Elsa’s icy magic” and panoramic windows that project the Aurora Borealis onto real-time ocean views. ©Disney At this spot, guests can see Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and for the first time, our favorite Nordic vendor, Oaken! The dining experience will allow guests to participate in fun table crafts and singalongs. Decks 6–10 Deck 6 is the start of the staterooms, which take up all of Decks 6 through 10, with some staterooms on Decks 11 through 14 as well. ©Disney Cruise Line If you need the laundry room during your stay, you’ll find it right in the middle on Deck 8. ©Disney Cruise Line The Disney Wish has 1,254 staterooms onboard, and 90% of them have an ocean view. Most of them also feature a spacious veranda attached to the room. There are 451 connecting doors that adjoin rooms in case you want to cruise with a larger family or group. ©Disney Most of the staterooms have a split bathroom, meaning there’s one room with a sink and toilet and another with a second sink and a shower. All the staterooms will have bathtubs. ©Disney Pull-down beds reveal hidden artwork of the Fairy Godmother. ©Disney In each room, there’s a 43-inch TV, USB and USB-C ports, a large vanity, mini drawer refrigerator, full-length mirror, mini-safe, hairdryer, privacy divider, queen and pull-out sofa beds, deluxe toiletries, plush robes, and lavish bed linens and duvets. ©Disney There are three different theme options for the rooms: Fairytales and Castle, Forest and Animals, and Enchanted by the Sea. ©Disney For a little more space, there are 76 total concierge staterooms and suites. These rooms have extended living areas, and they can accommodate up to five guests. ©Disney They have large living areas, king beds, luxurious finishes, and premium amenities, and most are themed after Tangled, although there are a few that have The Little Mermaid as the inspiration. ©Disney One-bedroom suites have a separate living room, walk-in closets, two 43-inch TVs, and two bathrooms. One of the bathrooms is a master bathroom with a rain shower, bathtub, and double vanity. Guests staying in a concierge room or suite can access an exclusive lounge and private sun deck. On the deck, there are two whirlpools, a wading pool, a bar, a lounge area, and more. The bar will offer drinks and some light bites. ©Disney There are four royal suites onboard, which are very lavish rooms. They accommodate up to six guests, with a large living area, open dining salon, sizeable pantry, and private hot tub on the oversized verandah. ©Disney There are two master bedrooms, each with its own bathroom featuring a double vanity and either a rain shower or bathtub. The living room will have a double sleeper sofa in the living room near a third bathroom with a shower. So *fancy* ©Disney Two of the suites have second floors, which guests access via a gorgeous spiral staircase. All four suites are themed after Sleeping Beauty — two focusing on Princess Aurora and two for Briar Rose. ©Disney But if that’s not enough luxury for ya, check out the Wish Tower Suite, which has a Moana theme. This room is actually located inside one of the ship’s funnels. The Wish Tower Suite ©Disney The Wish Tower Suite will be a 1,966 square-foot penthouse with 2 main bedrooms, a children’s room, a library that converts into a bedroom, and 4.5 bathrooms. It has a two-story window wall with incredible ocean views. Here’s a Look at the Main Room ©Disney The main bedrooms on the upper level have king beds, walk-in closets, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Bathrooms each have double vanities, soaking tubs, and rain showers. A Look at One of the Main Bathrooms! ©Disney The room has custom Moana-themed art throughout, and guests staying here have a personal concierge team. Full Tour: NEW Moana Rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Deck 11 On Deck 11, you’ll find more staterooms as well as a pool deck. ©Disney Cruise Line Disney has announced that there will be 10 pools and water play areas onboard the Wish. ©Disney Cruise Line Rather than a couple of big pools, there are a lot of smaller pools that are a little more spread out. ©Disney And all around this area, there is also deck space with lounge chairs for some relaxation in the sun. Deck 12 The pools continue onto Deck 12, where you’ll also find FunnelVision — a large screen that will play Disney movies, live TV, and more. Back inside, there are a couple more restaurants, including Enchanté, Palo Steakhouse, and the Rose Lounge. ©Disney Cruise Line Vibe and Hero Zone are in this area as well. On the other side of the deck, you’ll find the Toy Story Splash Zone, Wheezie’s Freezies, and Slide-a-saurus Rex — a water slide. ©Disney Cruise Line Starting with the restaurants, Enchanté, Palo Steakhouse, and the Rose Lounge are all adult-only restaurants with a Beauty and the Beast theme. Enchanté is inspired by Lumière; it will feature a gourmet menu of international dishes by three Michelin-starred Chef Arnaud Lallement. ©Disney Palo Steakhouse is inspired by Cogsworth and will serve “the world’s best steaks,” including American cuts, Australian wagyu, Japanese Kobe, and Miyazaki beef. There will also be Italian dishes on the menu. ©Disney Over in the Rose Lounge, adults can snack on small plates and sip cocktails while they wait for dining reservations or just need some luxury quiet time. ©Disney While their parents are dining in the Beauty and the Beast-inspired restaurants, older kids can hang out at Vibe. This club is for kids ages 14 to 17, and it has movies, games, and activities for the kids. ©Disney Hero Zone (which continues up to Deck 13 as well) is a place for the whole family. This space is for fun physical activities, like family obstacle courses and free-play sports hubs. There’s also room for game show-style competitions, and guests can choose to participate or watch and cheer on the participants. And finally, the Toy Story Splash Zone is where you’ll find Slide-a-saurus Rex (a water slide for kids), a wading pool, and a smoothie bar called Wheezy’s Freezies. ©Disney This space is designed for families to play together, and it’s a great spot for little ones. Deck 13 Along with more staterooms, Deck 13 has the private concierge deck (for guests staying at concierge staterooms and suites), the Quiet Cove, and the Cove Cafe. ©Disney Cruise Line It’s also where the AquaMouse begins, but we’ll get into that more on Deck 14. ©Disney Cruise Line The Quiet Cove is a lounge and pool area that’s just for the adults. While you’re taking a break from the kids, you can also visit the Moana-themed Cove Cafe, which has specialty drinks and snacks. ©Disney There’s an open-air bar in this area serving drinks as well. Deck 14 Deck 14 has a few staterooms, more pools, and deck space… ©Disney Cruise Line …and the AquaMouse. The AquaMouse continues up to Deck 15, and it’s the only thing on that deck that Disney has revealed so far. ©Disney Cruise Line The AquaMouse is Disney’s first-ever attraction at sea. It’s a water ride that takes guests through a story told with Mickey Mouse cartoons. The story plays out on oversized portholes as guests join Mickey and Minnie on an underwater excursion. ©Disney There will be immersive scenes, special effects, music, and lighting. ©Disney Disney describes it this way: “At the height of the show, guests will blast out of the tunnel and embark on a wild water ride around the upper decks. First, they’ll zip into the forward funnel through an enclosed tube surrounded by dazzling lighting effects, followed by a quick dash through a dark tunnel that opens up to reveal breathtaking views of the ocean.” ©Disney Then, you’ll “jet up and down a series of speed blasters as they are propelled toward the grand finale: a soaring loop over the edge of the ship, with clear views down to the deep blue sea.” ©Disney The ride will actually have TWO different storylines, so you can go on it multiple times to see different versions! ©Disney And that concludes our tour of Disney’s newest cruise ship, the Wish. It looks like it’ll be a super fun and very luxurious ship, with plenty of entertainment, dining, and activities to keep everyone busy during the trip! © Disney Keep following DFB for more updates on the Disney Cruise Line. Click Here to Find a Dozen Reasons You’ll Want to Sail on the Disney Wish What You Need to Know About Disney Cruise Line Learn All About Disney Cruise Line and Its Various Ships Check Out Lots of Details About Disney Cruise Line’s Newest Ship -- the Disney Wish (Including More About the Star Wars Bar and First Attraction at Sea Coming to the Wish) See the Latest on Disney Cruise Line’s Mask Policy Learn About Disney Cruise Line’s COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Policies Check Out 10 Things That’ll Be Different About Your Next Disney Cruise See More About the Virtual Queues and Other Changes Made on Disney Cruises Check Out How Much It’ll Cost to Sail on Disney’s Newest Cruise Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Are you planning to sail on the Disney Wish? Let us know in the comments! The post Take a Virtual Tour of the NEW Disney 'Wish' Cruise Ship first appeared on the disney food blog. 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The House of Blues in Disney Springs is a spot known for amazing live entertainment and delicious Southern favorites! The House of Blues is a classic spot at Disney Springs! Usually this restaurant offers some fun New Year’s Eve events each year, so we’ve been waiting for info on this year’s event! If New Year’s Eve fireworks, Irish dancing, or electrifying acrobatics aren’t your style, then this spot might have the event for you! Starting at 10PM on December 31st, you can head over to the House of Blues for a special New Year’s Eve party hosted by DJ Rincon, who will be playing today’s Top 40 hits and keeping the party going until it’s 2022! Inside the House of Blues If you head over to House of Blues early, you can even more free live entertainment, including Layla Brisbois from 12PM to 4PM and The Syndicate from 5PM to 9PM. Get More Info About the Event Here! This event is FREE and there are VIP packages available for the party as well. Packages will include reserved seating, champagne, and other perks! ©House of Blues If you’re heading over to Disney Springs for the party, be sure to get there before 11:30PM — that’s when all the nearby parking garages stop accepting new cars! The House of Blues water tower is one of many standout features at Disney Springs If this event doesn’t float your boat, Disney Springs has some more adventurous options as well. At The Edison, you can experience burlesque dancers, aerialists, and more exhilarating performances to ring in the New Year! ©The Edison Over at Raglan Road, you can experience two New Year celebrations in one night and see live music with the restaurant’s iconic Irish dancers! Raglan Road Dance Troupe ©Disney If you’ve been looking for a New Year’s Eve party in Disney World, this might just be the place for you! We’re always keeping up with the latest Disney news, so stay tuned here for more! NEWS: New Year’s Eve Fireworks Announced for Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think about this event? Let us know in the comments! The post Attend a New Year's Eve Party For FREE in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hey, friends! We’re back with another DFB Video covering all the latest Disney news! Cinderella Castle The holidays are almost upon us, but we’ve still got plenty of Disney news to cover before we unwrap our presents. Dates for the 2022 Flower and Garden Festival have been announced, Disney Genie is changing already, and there was a fire in Magic Kingdom. Get ready because all the Disney news of the week is coming up right now! By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to the channel and never miss a single episode! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/subscribe.png So check out the video and then let us know: Which EPCOT festival is your must-visit? The post DFB Video: Latest Disney News: Fire in Magic Kingdom, Disney Genie Changes, & Guests Get More Time in the Parks first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Capt. Cook’s is a Counter Service restaurant located in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort that features both classic American food and Polynesian-inspired dishes! During breakfast time, this spot is one of the places to find the beloved Disney treat — Tonga Toast! Capt. Cook’s Outdoor Entrance Capt. Cook’s is also home to delicious cupcakes and satisfying but accessible meals! We’ve had great experiences here with some of the more tropical-inspired foods and, well, more lackluster experiences with the more basic foods. So let’s head back to this formerly 24-hour fast food hot spot and see what’s cookin’. Atmosphere Capt. Cook’s is located on the first floor of the Polynesian’s Grand Ceremonial House, right down the hall from the ever-popular Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. The Polynesian’s Grand Ceremonial House is also where you’ll find the lobby as well as many of the resort’s other dining options like Kona Cafe & ‘Ohana. Capt. Cook’s indoor entrance After you enter the restaurant either through the indoor or outdoor entrance (facing the iconic Lava Pool), you can head over to the register and order your food! The Register Area Inside, you’ll find a number of tables with chairs and booths, all with warm wooden tones, golden lightning, and just radiating with that island Polynesian aesthetic. Indoor seating Be sure to check out the posters highlighting different Polynesian islands that surround the room (most of the names correspond with the names of the resort’s longhouses!). Polynesian Island Posters After you order, you can stop by the condiment and drink station to grab fountain refreshments, hot drinks, plastic utensils, napkins, and condiments. Inside Capt. Cook’s If you’re looking for something really quick, there’s a range of grab-and-go snacks, drinks, and bakery items in the cooler you can get right away! Pre-made snacks & drinks There’s also plenty of outdoor seating here, making it a good place to sit back and enjoy your meal outside. Outdoor seating At this location, you can also take advantage of Mobile Order, using the Disney World App (AKA My Disney Experience) to place your order ahead of time. At Capt. Cook’s tables, you can scan a QR code to access Mobile Order as well. Mobile ordering sign Menu At Capt. Cook’s currently, you can find holiday dishes like the Elf Dome, along with souvenirs like the 50th Celebration Resorts Refillable Mug, and Polynesian Favorites like the Pan Asian Noodles (you know how much we love our Poly noods!)… ©Disney …there are American Entrées, Salads and Soup, and Plant-Based options… ©Disney …there are also a few Kids’ Menu options including Chicken and Pineapple Skewers. Most of the kids’ options are standard fare… ©Disney …plus there are your standard Sides, along with more unique options like Poly Chips, and Bakery options… ©Disney …grab-and-go snacks… ©Disney …there are also lots of grab-and-go Beverages… ©Disney …as well as Specialty Coffee offerings… ©Disney …Beer options… ©Disney …and Wine options… ©Disney This menu will likely ensure that you can find something for everyone in your party! The Eats After we finished ordering, we got a buzzer! And when it lit up and started vibrating, we went to pick up our food! Our buzzer! The pick-up location is right near the order window, so easy to spot and claim your meal! Order Pick Up spot When we picked up our food, it came in this bag, making it easy to take the meal on the go. Our food! This go round we wanted to retry some of the heavy hitters on the menu with more of a Polynesian twist to them. We got quite a few items so we had a nice healthy spread — let’s dive in! Our spread! First up is the Pulled Pork Nachos. Sound simple enough, right? WRONG! We’ve loved these beauts for YEARS. They feature Poly Chips (homemade potato chips and fried wontons. Basically the best chip combo ever.) Topped with Cheese, Spicy Mayonnaise, Pico de Gallo, and Pineapple Salsa and cost $9.49! These are a loooooongtime Poly favorite for many — us included! They’re SO good. (Did we mention we like these nachos enough yet? No? OK, well we lurve these nachos!) Pulled Pork Nachos The chips are crisp and salty, and the pork is a bit salty, too, so if you don’t grab a perfectly balanced bite, you might find yourself in the midst of a slightly over-salted experience. However, when you balance it just right with the creaminess of the cheese, the crisp chips, the salty, smoked pork, and the sweet, acidic pineapple salsa, and the creamy spice from the mayo, you may find yourself wondering how this heavenly nacho concoction isn’t on EVERY menu. Capt Cooks Pulled Pork Nachos Though these are “nachos” in the way that they are chips and toppings with cheese, they aren’t spicy (aside from that spicy mayo but, again, it’s quite mild and you typically only get a light taste in each bite, so don’t let it deter you). So anyone can enjoy these! If you head to Capt. Cook’s and are looking for one food unique to this spot you will likely LOVE, we’d place a vote for this. A closer look! Next are the Thai Coconut Meatballs, which are House-made All-Beef Chili-Garlic Meatballs cooked in a Coconut Cream served over White Rice, available for $9.49. We’ve loved these meatballs in the past and would go so far as to say these were a must-do for us, but this go-round, they were a bit on the underwhelming side. The Thai Coconut Meatballs! Though the presentation may be very meh, don’t count this meal out. This is a hearty little plate. Though there were only three meatballs, they were a good size, dense, and packed with flavor! These were where our problems stemmed from — they were actually TOO dense. Who doesn’t love a tender meatball? These were more like meat golfballs! The flavor was there, but we suspect this batch wasn’t the best of the bunch. That said, in the past, our meatballs here have been great, so we still say give em a go. The rice was uneventful. It was filling, and a bit gummy, but helped balance out the density of the meatball and the spicy kick from the sauce. Some tasty meatballs! The sauce definitely delivered on the Thai-spiced flavors including a mild heat but it lacked the pop of coconut flavor we’ve noticed on past visits. There was, thankfully, plenty of sauce. Sometimes the sauce to rice ratio is a bit off with this. So, again, not our best plate of Thai Meatballs we’ve ever had but not bad either. We still love these guys so give em a whirl if you’re looking for an entree that’s a bit unique. The Meatballs! There’s also the Aloha Pork Sandwich, which has Pulled Pork with Cheddar, Asian Slaw, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes on a Brioche Bun served with French Fries for $10.99! The sandwich is on the sweeter side and there was a good balance between sauce and meat; however, the bun couldn’t hold the amount of meat in the sandwich! (There are worse things, we suppose!) Just plan ahead and grab some extras napkins! The fries, although they were tasty, were pretty much your typical Disney fries. The Aloha Pork Sandwich The only major issue with this sandwich, like we said, was the bread! This sandwich packed in a lot of juicy components when you factor in the meat, sauce, slaw, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and that’s a lot of flavor for this little brioche bun to contain! Brioche is notoriously soft, so a sturdier bread with more structural integrity would have done this sandwich justice. Since it didn’t hold up too well over time, the sandwich slowly got messier and messier. If you’re a slower eater, be prepared with plenty of napkins. Regardless, this was a yummy sandwich. The sandwich! Finally, we grabbed the Pan-Asian Noodles with Mixed Vegetables for $8.49! This one came in big portions with crunchy veggies and a heavy salty flavor. If you’re big on the salty/savory flavor of soy sauce, this is the dish for you. The Pan Asian Noodles We do enjoy the variety of veggies in this dish — cabbage, broccoli, peppers, water chestnuts, and all sorts of delicious vegetables — that we might be able to convince ourselves that this is a healthy option, if not for all of the noodles and soy sauce! It may not be the healthiest dish at Disney World, but it still boasts some amazing flavor, and gives guests a break from the standard hamburgers and sandwiches for a more unique meal option. A noodle party! These noodles are quite similar to our beloved ‘Ohana noods found upstairs at either ‘Ohana or Tambu Lounge, but with more veggies and “stuff” to go with the noodles. We had quite the Polynesian feast and it’s hard to pick a favorite with so many unique options! Capt Cook’s Full Spread But we had a great experience and definitely were not hungry when we left! Nosh or Not Set sail for Capt. Cook’s if… You’re looking for a place with something for everyone! The menu here covers a range of palates and dietary needs, meaning that anyone can find something you like more likely than not. You’re looking for something that’s a little adventurous but not too much. The options here are usually an interesting take on familiar dishes, making it a good first step to trying more adventurous food options at Disney World. You’re looking for a quick bite! With both Counter Service and grab-and-go options, there are plenty of ways to get a fast meal at Capt. Cook’s. Chart a different course if… You’re looking for something super out of the ordinary! Although this isn’t your typical food, it’s far from the most unique or outside-the-box offerings at Disney World. If you’re not staying at the resort, it’s likely not destination-worthy, unless Tonga Toast is a must-do Disney World breakfast for you! You’re looking for a fine dining experience. We’d recommend checking out options from places like Le Cellier, Citricos, or Tiffins. This is fast food. It’s good fast food, but still fast food. You’re looking for something on the quiet side. With the hustle and bustle going on outside (being located so close to the pool area) this is a busy spot. Overall With a friendly staff, quick service, decent pricing, and lots of crowd-pleasing and accessible dishes, this spot has been around for a long time for a reason! Our meal was good, nothing particularly mind-blowing, but still good. We appreciate the unique menu items here we can’t find at any ol’ fast food joint. They embrace the Polynesian vibes juuuust enough. If you’re staying at the Polynesian Resort or nearby and you want a quick meal that’s tasty and sure to make the whole family happy, this is a great spot for you! However, if you want to see the best that the Polynesian Resort has to offer, we’d recommend checking out a place like ‘Ohana, which features a Polynesian-inspired table service meal that’s sure to please. This spot remains a solid dining spot for guests of the resort looking for a quick bite for breakfast, dinner, or during a day at the pool. That said, we’ve been known to take a trip over here on visits we’re not at the Poly for Nachos or those meatballs in the past. If you’re looking for something similar to this that’s near your hotel, check your resort’s Counter Service or Quick Service option — it’s sure to offer some unique items you might enjoy. Some similar restaurants include Contempo Café at the Contemporary Resort and The Artist’s Palette at Saratoga Springs. BUT, if you’re looking for casual, approachable food with an island flair, Capt. Cook’s is the place to find it. REVIEW: You Can Now Eat Red Velvet Cake in WAFFLE FORM in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think about Capt. Cook’s offerings? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: If You Want Us to Be Friends, Eat the Tropical Nachos in Disney World. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

An all-new episode of “Disney Insider” is now streaming on Disney+, giving fans a special look at Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT and a fun segment on Mickey Mouse Funhouse which was filmed at Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland Park!View the full article

2021 was a really big year for Walt Disney World Resort! It has been a huge year for Disney World! With reopening offerings, health and safety policies, and new attractions and restaurants, there have been some major changes to the theme parks and resorts in the past 12 months. But how will those changes impact your 2022 vacation? We’ve got the answers! Disney Genie Back in October, Disney World introduced the brand new Disney Genie system in the theme parks. The system comes in two parts: the free Genie planning tool and the Genie+ add-on, which is a paid replacement for FastPass+ that costs $15 per ticket, per day. If you buy Genie+, you’ll be able to use the Lightning Lanes for many of the attractions in the park, skipping the standby queue. (You’ll have to pay extra to use the Lightning Lane for more popular rides.) Disney Genie is here! So how does this affect your trip in 2021? Well, it completely changes the way that waiting in line works. Now you’ll have to choose whether you prefer to save money and wait in standby lines or spend extra and navigate the somewhat complicated waters of Disney Genie+. With Genie+ you can only schedule one selection at a time (except in the case of the 120-minute rule) and you won’t be able to make your selections before your trip like you could with FastPasses. That means a lot more waking up at 7AM! Learn MORE about Genie+ here! Magical Express Disney’s Magical Express is a free airport shuttle that has been a really great benefit for guests staying at the Disney World resorts in the past. Unfortunately, the perk is disappearing at the end of 2021, and guests will have to figure out a new way to get to property when they arrive at MCO. Disney’s Magical Express is leaving! There are a few options to choose from, like the Mears Connect service or rideshare, but they’ll all cost you money. It’s not only something you’ll have to add to your budget but something that you’ll have to plan extra for before you arrive. Just make sure to keep that in mind! Learn all about Mears Connect here! Fireworks News In 2021, there were quite a few big changes to nighttime entertainment in Disney World! First of all, fireworks shows returned in July, with Happily Ever After and EPCOT Forever coming back to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. However, it was short-lived because both of those shows were retired in September to be replaced by new options. Disney Enchantment has arrived in Magic Kingdom! Both Disney Enchantment at Magic Kingdom and Harmonious at EPCOT premiered shortly after their predecessors ended. Travelers visiting in 2022 will definitely want to fit these shows into their schedules – they’re more technologically advanced than anything Disney World has done before! Learn more about the entertainment returning to Disney World in 2022 here! New Annual Pass System Earlier this year, Annual Pass sales resumed at Disney World after being paused since March 2020, and guests were elated. However, Disney has completely changed up the pass tiers, renaming them and increasing prices significantly. New Annual Passholder cards in Disney World! If you’re not a frequent visitor but you usually buy an annual pass because it’s a good deal, you may need to reevaluate your calculations this year. With the higher cost and perks like Memory Maker and water park visits only available as add-ons, you may find that it’s simply cheaper and more beneficial to buy theme park tickets instead. Also, as of right now, most Annual Pass sales have been paused once again. So we will wait for its full-fledged return. Learn more about the pause of Annual Passes here. New Restaurants Opening Toward the end of 2021, we had not one, not two, but THREE brand-new restaurants open up in Disney World. Some of which we’d been waiting on for a very long time! Space 220 offers some spectacular views! Space 220 has FINALLY made its way to EPCOT, and La Crêperie de Paris and Steakhouse 71 opened up for the 50th Anniversary. With all these new options to choose from, you may have to change your list of tried-and-true dining reservations. There’s so much good food out there these days! Read our full Space 220 dinner review here! Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser News One BIG announcement that will affect 2022 Disney World guests is the opening of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, aka the Star Wars hotel. It has been highly anticipated and it’s set to welcome the first public guests in March. (Although you’ll have to pay a pretty hefty price to visit!) ©Disney Many people were waiting specifically for this resort, but have been faced with some tough decisions due to the price tag and the nature of the experience. It’s not your typical hotel – more like a cruise ship combined with a live-action role-playing element. We’re definitely interested to test it out for ourselves when it opens, but until then, you’ll be faced with the decision of whether or not you want to pay extra to stay here. Read MORE about the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser here! Health and Safety Changes Throughout this year, there have been a wide variety of health and safety changes and updates. At the beginning of the year, masks were still required everywhere in the parks, temperature checks were at all the entrances, and social distancing was prevalent in queues and on rides. Health and safety policies have changed multiple times this year. Since then, things have changed quite a bit. Currently, masks are only required indoors, while the other measures have mostly disappeared. Read all about COVID-19 and its current impact on Disney World here. New Rides in Disney World On October 1st, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opened to the public in EPCOT, and it has been incredibly popular since, using the same boarding pass system that Rise of the Resistance used for so long. But that’s not the only ride that’s coming to “plus up” EPCOT! Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opened up for the 50th Anniversary. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind officially opens up in the Summer of 2022 and will add a much-needed thrill ride to the park, probably attracting thousands of guests. So now, the question is – do you wait to visit until after the ride opens? If you’re a Marvel or an EPCOT fan, it might be worth the wait! We went inside Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Read all about it here! Entertainment Returning Entertainment options have been slowly returning since the parks reopened, and next year, we’re getting even more fan favorites back. The Festival of Fantasy Parade, Fantasmic!, and a reimagined version of Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire will all be back, and we can’t wait to watch them again! The Festival of Fantasy is returning soon! These are definitely a big draw for families who can’t do all the thrill rides or those guests who really love classic Disney entertainment. When they do come back, you’ll may want to budget extra time into your day to enjoy them! New Technology And finally, let’s talk about all the new technology coming in 2022! The new MagicBand+ comes to Disney World next year, as well as the Hey, Disney virtual assistant in the resort hotel rooms. On top of that, MagicMobile was introduced this past year, so it’ll be much harder to come to the parks and not use your phone. New MagicBand+ coming in 2022 All this new tech means that you’ll probably have to do some bonus research ahead of your trip and learn about the new systems. You’ll want to know how to get the most out of them and what the perks and disadvantages are. Just like Disney Genie – there will be a learning curve, but we will be here to help you along the way. Hey, Disney! is coming to your hotel room! Those are the top 10 news stories from this year that will impact your 2022 Disney World trip! There are a lot of changes coming to the theme parks in the next few months, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest news and updates. Click Here to See Everything Coming to Disney World in 2022! 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! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Are you going to Disney World in 2022? Tell us in the comments! The post How the 10 Biggest Disney World Changes of the Year Will Impact Your Next Trip first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World is still in the process of reopening certain attractions, hotels, and restaurants. Although Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has been open for a while now, one restaurant remained closed — until now, that is! Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Story Book Dining at Artist Point is a character meal that’s offered at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Here you can meet Snow White, some of the Seven Dwarfs, and maybe even the Evil Queen! We headed into this restaurant today to see what has changed with the food, atmosphere, and character meet and greets since its reopening. Story Book Dining at Artist Point replaced the original Artist Point restaurant back in 2018, adding a new Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs theme to this previously signature restaurant. The new prix-fixe character dining opened on December 16th, 2018, so its reopening is happening almost exactly on the restaurant’s 3rd anniversary! Entrance to Artist Point In the past, we thought this experience was a very fun way to meet some popular Disney characters (including the rarely seen Evil Queen and Dwarfs!), take in the storytelling atmosphere, and get some delicious food along the way. Although several changes were made to the menu here, a lot of our favorites are still available. Gorgeous theming! You will need advanced dining reservations to eat here, so make sure to get your spot booked ASAP. Remember that you can book your dining reservations 60 days before your visit. So let’s take a look at what’s different about this spot now that it has reopened at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Atmosphere The dining room at Story Book Dining is set to look like the Enchanted Forest from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. There are craftsman touches all around, with muted colors and craftsman-style furniture that match the Wilderness Lodge resort perfectly. Dining Area Attached to the beams around the dining room are big trees, with their branches stretching across the ceiling. There are lights on these branches, and as the restaurant lighting dims (which happens throughout the meal), it really does start to look like you’re in an enchanted forest. So pretty! Seating available at this restaurant is just standard tables and chairs, with different size options for smaller or larger parties. Tables The tables are set with plates, silverware, and an enchanted tree dish stand to hold shareable plates! Our table The tree stand is such a beautiful detail and a fun way to display the appetizers and desserts. We love this tree stand And don’t forget, this is also a character dining experience! Characters Before its closure, Story Book Dining was home to Snow White, Grumpy, Dopey, and the Evil Queen. Snow White and the dwarfs would move around the dining room, visiting tables to meet guests, take pictures, and sign autographs. The Evil Queen stayed up by her backdrop, which looked like her castle complete with the Magic Mirror. Hi, Snow White! Like other character dining experiences in Disney World, the characters are returning to this restaurant in a modified way. During our visit, we still saw Snow White, Grumpy and Dopey, and the Evil Queen, although none of the characters were coming right up to the tables to meet guests. Snow White Instead, the characters were all walking around the room (including the Evil Queen, who used to stay in one spot the whole time) and greeting guests from a distance. Occasionally, the Silly Song would play and Snow White and the dwarfs would dance around the dining room. The Evil Queen, however, did not take part in the dancing. Apparently she had no time for that nonsense. Dopey Cast members and servers encouraged guests to stay seated, so it looks like you won’t be able to approach the characters to take closer photos just yet (unlike what we’re seeing over at Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom). A fun detail we noticed is that when the characters are announced, the trees change color based on the characters! When the Evil Queen came out, the trees turned red. (SPOOKY) Evil Queen Since you can’t ask for autographs from the characters, guests are given a card with a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs design on one side… Autograph Card …and the characters’ autographs on the other. Autographs All right, now it’s time to eat! Eats We have really enjoyed the food here in the past, especially the prime rib and vegetarian gnocchi entrées, which have both returned to the menu now. On Disney’s website, the food is described as American, and the menu includes familiar options like chicken, beef stroganoff, and fish. Since it opened in 2018, this restaurant has had a prix fixe menu. It costs $60 for each adult (ages 10+) and $39 for each child (which is a little more expensive than the old prices for this restaurant — before, it was $55 for adults and $33 for children). Menu For that price, you’ll get a few shared appetizers, one entrée each of your choice, and a few shared desserts, along with a non-alcoholic drink. We received a QR code for our menu. QR Code for the Menu The appetizers include Wild Mushroom Bisque, the Wicked Shrimp Cocktail, and Hunter’s Pie. ©Disney You have seven options for entrées, including “Cottage” Beef Stroganoff, A Stroll Through Nature (that vegetarian Gnocchi dish we loved before), Brother’s Grimm Herb Chicken, Sorceress Spell of “Tricken” Chicken (new plant-based option), Royal Prime Rib Roast, Magic Mirror’s Slow-braised Pork Shank, and Bashful’s Butter-poached Sustainable Fish. ©Disney Dessert includes four different sweet treats. The table will get to try Miner’s Treasures, “Poison” Apple, a Fairy Tale Gooseberry Tart, and The Hunter’s Gift to the Queen. ©Disney And there are several options for cocktails as well, which you can purchase separately from the meal. We saw a few changes to the prices and ingredients for some of these cocktails, but the menu is essentially the same as before the closure. You can choose from the cocktails menu or take a look at the non-alcoholic specialty drinks (which are also priced in addition to the cost of the meal). ©Disney The kids’ menu has an appetizer, three options for entrées (including Grilled Chicken, Prime Rib Roast, or Grilled Fish of the Day), and a few options for sides. ©Disney Kids can choose one entrée and two sides for their meal. Drinks For drinks we had the Smoking Mirror Cocktail, made with Johnnie Walker Black, Wildberry, lime, and rosemary smoke for $14. The server poured it for us at the table so we could really see that smoky effect. Sometimes we find character meal drinks overly sweet but this drink was great! Don’t get us wrong, it was sweet, but it also had a strong fruit flavor and you really taste the smoke! The presentation on this was lovely, with the upside-down, smoke-filled glass presented on a cut of a tree trunk. Smoking Mirror Cocktail In the Clouds is made with Powerade Mountain Berry Blast, blueberry, and cotton candy for $4. This drink basically tasted like extra sweet Powerade. It was cute and fun and would probably be a hit with kids! In the Clouds You get to pour your Powderade over the “cloud” of cotton candy and watch it dissolve! Now let’s move on to the appetizers! Appetizers There are three different appetizers, and everyone at the table can have a taste of each. Two of the items — the pie and the shrimp — here are the “same” as they were prior to this dining experience closing, but with very different presentations. Appetizers The Wild Mushroom Bisque is a tasty soup with crispy mushrooms inside. On our last visit we were served a winter Squash soup. It was really good buy guys — the mushroom soup is better. We’re obsessed with this soup. It’s super rich and creamy and there’s a little fried mushroom on top and an olive oil drizzle. You have to like mushrooms to enjoy it but if you do, boy oh boy, you’re in for a treat! It’s so luxurious and smoky that we could have eaten JUST the soup and been happy. Wild Mushroom Soup It’s served in adorable little cauldrons, with just a couple of bites in each dish. Like, it’s quite small. Our mushroom soup-loving hearts wanted this to be the size of a bucket. It was that good. Cute! The Wicked Shrimp Cocktail is made with a bloody Mary vinaigrette, a seaweed salad, and a spiced house-made seasoning. Previously, the shrimp (of the same name) had more of an Asian influence, with Miso, soy, and Thai chili. We enjoyed this updated shrimp! The bloody Mary vinaigrette added a little tang that we enjoyed. If you don’t like tomatoes or a tiny bit of heat you might want to ask for the dressing on the side. Your shrimp will arrive “pre-dipped” on a bed of greens otherwise! Wild Shrimp Cocktail In the Hunter’s Pie, you’ll find turkey, chicken, black truffle, cranberry preserve, and crispy sauerkraut. This was also delicious! It had a nice meaty flavor that wasn’t too heavy, along with a flaky crust and a slight hint of truffle. It was kind of like a meat pie. Presentation was slightly different from the pies that were served originally, though the flavors are comparable. Previously, the sweet accent was a cup of stone fruit preserves you could choose to add to your liking. Here, the cranberry is incorporated for you. We really enjoyed this last time and are happy to report it’s just as yummy now. Hunter’s Pie It’s time for the main event. Entrées For our entrées, first up we chose A Stroll Through Nature, which is a vegetarian dish that we’ve loved here in the past. A Stroll Through Nature This dish has gnocchi, asparagus, leeks, arugula, sage, and Parmesan. This is one of those vegetarian entrees that is SO flavorful even the biggest meat-eater would happily enjoy it. WE are big fans of meat and still were happy to pick this for our entree right away! The veggies were fresh and cooked just right — not too mushy or overdone. The cream sauce was cheesy and delicious! So good! We also got the “Cottage” Beef Stroganoff, made with tender beef, preserved vegetables, Spatzle, mushrooms, and aged cow’s milk cheese. We liked that the stroganoff came with chewy little Spatzle instead of egg noodles (Snow White is a German story after all!), and the meat was very tender. The cheese had a sharp flavor and the vegetables were cooked perfectly. “Cottage” Beef Stroganoff The meat was so tender it was like it was straight from a pot roast! This was a slam dunk. This is definitely a hearty, filling meal with all that meat and carbs! The flavors and textures here were wonderful. Yum The Royal Prime Rib Roast is made with horseradish-mashed potato, a Yorkshire pudding, carrot, and jus, and it’s probably the most bang for your buck in terms of entrees. It’s a really good prime rib, but if you’re a vegetarian the Stroll Through Nature dish is a really good alternative. This is a classic Sunday roast done really well. The meat was tender and flavorful, while the zippy mashed potatoes were a fun way to get the traditional horseradish for your prime rib! Royal Prime Rib Roast And we also enjoyed Bashful’s Butter-poached Sustainable Fish, which is made with farro, fava beans, English peas, and gremolata. It’s very flavorful and probably one of the best non-meat meal dishes you can get! Bashful’s Butter-Poached Sustainable Fish The farro was cooked beautifully — soft but with a bit of a chew — and the fava beans and peas added a brightness. The gremolata on top the fish brought a ton of flavor to the party too. This is a tough menu with all the stellar entree choices, but if you remotely enjoy fish, we suspect you’ll really enjoy this. It was filling, comforting, but still light. Should we get some dessert? Dessert The Miner’s Treasures dessert has changed a little bit from what this dessert used to be. Desserts In the past, this had sponge cake, chocolate gems, and berry panna cotta layered like a trifle in a small cup. Now, you’ll find cookies ‘n’ cream panna cotta topped with chocolate gems and an edible chocolate Dopey hat! It was our favorite of the desserts. It was nice and creamy but also light and fluffy. The cookies and cream flavor was strong and the crunch from the chocolate was just delicious. Miner’s Treasures The “Poison” Apple dessert is a dark chocolate-apple mousse with a sour apple center. You’ll get a few of these desserts to share around the table. Big change here from before the closure is the mousse is dark chocolate — previously it was white chocolate. The result? The apple didn’t have much apple flavor, and it actually tasted more like a really rich chocolate mousse. The white chocolate version let the apple flavor take more of a front seat. Still, this was pretty and enjoyable. Poison Apple Dessert The Fairy Tale Gooseberry Tart is meringue and gooseberry inside a tart shell. This one was also on the menu before closing, but this got a bit of an upgrade! Previously, it was more like a little bowl of gooseberry filling with a big blob of meringue on top. Now, you get a flakey tart shell, making it more of a real pie! This was VERY, very tart (fresh gooseberries taste a lot like very sour grapes!) and we liked the flaky crust, but if you’re not a fan of tart flavors steer clear. Gooseberry Tart But the coolest dessert is definitely the Hunter’s Gift to the Queen, which has four small treats that are presented to you in a smoke-filled wooden box, just like the one you’ll see in the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This was done prior to the closure too, only the box wasn’t quite as authentic looking and inside was a handful of caramel corn and ganache hearts. This presentation paired with the artistic chocolates feels more like a final touch we expect at swanky joints like Victoria and Albert’s! Love this! Hunter’s Gift to the Queen These little chocolates include cookies and cream (white), raspberry (pink), chocolate truffle (blue), and caramel (gold). All the chocolates were very good and a really nice touch! All four treats Although the Hunter’s Gift dessert had an amazing presentation, our favorite treat here was the cookies and cream panna cotta! OK, so thoroughly stuffed, we can now tell ya if this experience is still worth your $$! Nosh or Not Go to visit Snow White and her friends in this Enchanted Forest if: You’re looking for a character dining experience with a Disney princess in a beautifully themed setting. You’re staying at Wilderness Lodge already or are willing to take a short boat from the Magic Kingdom for an entertaining and tasty sit-down meal. You want some incredible and unique food to go with a character dining experience — even before the closures, this was a really unique offering! Look for a different spot to eat (magical forest or otherwise) if: You or the kids you’re traveling with are hoping to go up and meet the characters. Head to Tusker House instead, where you can get closer to Mickey and the gang! You’re looking for some unique eats and adventurous dishes to try. Although the food here is very good, nothing was super out of the ordinary. It’s still steak, fish, etc with familiar and approachable flavors that pair well. Some of our favorite spots for adventurous eaters are Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Skipper Canteen in the Magic Kingdom. You’re not staying near Wilderness Lodge and don’t want to take the time to travel there. This resort is pretty far from most theme parks (except Magic Kingdom, where a boat ride will get you there pretty quickly). If it’s too far out of your way or you’re already short on time, it might not be worth the time to travel and have a full sit-down prix fixe meal. Overall Story Book Dining is still a hit for us. For the price, even slightly higher than before, we enjoy being presented with a variety of appetizers and desserts PLUS the entrees we tried were — again — all quite delicious and well-prepared. The food fits the setting — there’s a heavy emphasis on the forest and nature. Fresh, seasonal vegetables, mushrooms, gooseberries (!) — all are fitting of the magical woodland setting. Speaking of the setting, Artist Point is still lovely. The warm, inviting Craftsman aesthetic paired with the trees and lighting do a great job transporting you. You’re in a nice restaurant but also on an adventure! The Cast Members were all very attentive here as well. And as for the characters, we had great interactions (at a distance) with all of them. We especially got a kick from the Evil Queen trolling around menacingly! Knowing she was on the prowl while we ate kept a smile on our faces. And, of course, seeing Snow White, Grumpy, and Dopey was as delightful as ever. These characters are rare to spot in Disney World, so the opportunity to interact with them while you eat is great! This is a lovely, unique experience. The price is just below what you’d pay for a similar Prix Fixe experience at Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom. It’s actually only a couple bucks MORE expensive than what you’d pay for many all-you-care-to-eat family-style experiences, like Garden Grill in EPCOT. For the price, especially compared to other prix fixe meals, it feels like more of a production, which is a nice thing. It’s not all-you-can-eat, but it is nicely plated foods thoughtfully prepared with a touch of whimsy to them. We especially loved the unique touch with the chocolate box at the end of our meal. If you’re looking for a character dining experience and have any interest in the Snow White characters, we can’t recommend this meal enough. The food is great, the characters are unique, and it’s an entertaining experience for all ages — kids and adults alike. Go for a fancy date night or for a dinner or vacation with your whole family! It will certainly be a memorable meal. Keep following DFB for more reviews of all the best restaurants and snacks in Disney World. Click Here to See a Review of Another Disney World Restaurant that Reopened Recently Disney Park Reopening Details and Info Click HERE for the All Latest Updates Click HERE To See FULL LISTS of the Rides, Attractions, Shopping, Entertainment, and Restaurants Opening in Disney World! TUTORIAL: How To Use Disney World's NEW Park Pass Reservation System ALL Disney World Reopening Procedures Disney World Hotel and Ticket Booking Information We’re Visiting ALL the Reopened Disney World Hotels and Have All the Need-to-Know Details We’re LIVE in Disney World's Magic Kingdom For the FIRST Time Since the Closures We’re LIVE in Disney’s Animal Kingdom For the FIRST Time Since the Closures We Got a FIRST LOOK at Disney World’s New Character Cavalcades and Entertainment! Everything You NEED To Know About Wearing Masks in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter To get all the latest Disney Park Closure News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Have you been to Story Book Dining in Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: Story Book Dining Has Returned to Disney World. How Has It CHANGED? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We do our best to keep you updated with all the news from the Disney World parks. Cinderella Castle Earlier in the week, we found a TON of new merchandise in Magic Kingdom that arrived just in time for Christmas. Now, we’ve got a few more Magic Kingdom updates, including more info about the bee situation in this park. We’ll jump right into the updates. Magic Kingdom Food Updates Joffrey’s Coffee Many Joffrey’s Coffee locations around Disney World have been having problems with some unwelcome visitors. No, they’re not Disney park guests. The visitors here are bees! The Bee behind EPCOT’s latest scandal There have been a LOT of these little guys. They love to hang out around Joffrey’s since there are all kinds of sugary syrups available there. Unfortunately, the Cast Members and guests aren’t so excited about their visits. Bee-Ware In an attempt to keep the bees away, some Joffrey’s locations have put away the big syrup pumps and are instead handing out mini syrup bottles to guests when they order drinks that have those flavors. Guests can then add in the flavored syrup themselves, which means there aren’t a bunch of open syrup pumps at the stand to attract bees. Mini syrup bottles Not all of the Joffrey’s carts are doing this, though. Some areas appear to not be quite as bee-heavy, so whether you get a mini syrup bottle or just have the syrup pumped into your drink depends on which stand you visit. At the Joffrey’s stand in Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland, they were using the large pumps and did not have any mini syrups available. Big syrup pumps are back But don’t be surprised if you order your coffee and it comes with a little syrup bottle in select Disney World locations. Joffrey’s Main Street Confectionery Do y’all remember those weird M&M’S you can buy at the Main Street Confectionery that look kind of like brains with Mickey ears? Brain M&Ms Well, it turns out that you can still buy those, and you can even get them personalized now! You can personalize them! If you buy one, you can take it over to Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe (located in the Liberty Square section of the park) to have it personalized with your name. Click Here to See the One Snack You MUST Get in Every Magic Kingdom Land Magic Kingdom Merchandise Updates Emporium At the Emporium (Magic Kingdom’s main gift shop on Main Street, U.S.A.), we saw a big restock of 50th Anniversary merchandise. 50th Anniversary Merchandise in Magic Kingdom If you’ve been hoping to grab some 50th Anniversary souvenirs, now’s your chance! We saw some 50th snow globes available here, which haven’t been in stock recently. 50th Snow Globes Star Traders And speaking of 50th Anniversary merchandise, the whole Luxe Logo collection was available over at Star Traders in Tomorrowland. 50th Luxe Logo Collection We saw the new black velvet tracksuit… Tracksuit …and the black leather Minnie ears there. The tracksuit is $149.99 for the top and $129.99 for the bottoms. But you can get the ears for $39.99, which is the MUCH more affordable than some of the other 50th Anniversary ears we’ve seen! Minnie ears Frontier Trading Over at Frontier Trading, we found a new Spider-Man magnet, which came just in time for the new Spider-Man movie. Spider-Man Magnet You can buy the magnet for $14.99. Click Here to See All the 50th Anniversary Merchandise You Can Get Online Right Now Magic Kingdom Construction Updates Fire in Magic Kingdom You probably heard about the small fire inside Magic Kingdom earlier this week, right? Emergency vehicles in Magic Kingdom Cinderella’s Royal Table was evacuated, and Cast Members directed guests away from the scene. The fire was reportedly put out safely with a fire extinguisher. The next day, Cinderella’s Royal Table was back open, and the castle and surrounding area were looking as beautiful as ever. Cinderella Castle Remember that emergencies like this can happen in Disney World. If you’re visiting during a situation like that, stay with your group and follow the instructions from the Cast Members. Main Street Philharmonic Marching Band During our Magic Kingdom visit, we noticed that the Main Street Philharmonic Marching Band was performing on the Castle stage again. Main Street Marching Band This band can sometimes be seen marching on Main Street, U.S.A., or in the hub area. We’ve also seen them up on the stage as well. So if you start to hear some tunes playing while you’re in the area, make sure to pause and give them a listen. Main Street Philharmonic Band That’s it for now from Magic Kingdom! Keep following DFB for more updates from Disney World! Click Here to See What’s New at Disney’s Animal 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! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Are you visiting Magic Kingdom soon? Let us know in the comments. The post What’s New in Magic Kingdom: PRICEY 50th Anniversary Items and Personalized Brain M&Ms first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’ve headed to Disney World’s work-in-progress park a bunch this week! Spaceship Earth EPCOT still has a lot of construction up but there’s still fun to be found in this beloved park! Now, we’re bringing you an update on everything NEW in food, construction, and merchandise! EPCOT Food Updates Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Joffrey’s kiosks around EPCOT have been dealing with a bee situation for a few weeks now. For a while, you couldn’t have syrup in your drink at some locations. Now, all locations are giving out mini bottles of syrup instead of pumps. Joffrey’s You can also buy the bottles for $2.99 each! Click here to see more about the bees situation! EPCOT Construction Updates World Nature We noticed that one of the waterbeds near The Seas Pavilion was drained. This is likely due to the nearby construction! Construction EPCOT Merchandise Updates Creations Shop As for merchandise, Creations Shop had a new Holiday Pin for $9.99… Holiday Pin …and this Cozy Hoodie for $49.99. Cozy Hoodie Plus, this spot FINALLY has the official prizes for Olaf’s Holiday Tradition scavenger hunt, a part of the International Festival of the Holidays. The real prizes are here! The prizes hadn’t come in so there were a few substitutes, but now you can snag these plates when you complete your hunt. Click here to learn more about these prizes! House of Good Fortune Over in the China Pavilion, we spotted Panda Nunchucks for $12.95. Now those could make a unique gift! Panda Nunchucks Holiday Market The Holiday Market in The American Adventure Pavilion had a few small gifts for sale during our visits. Holiday Market Did someone say stocking stuffers? Holiday Market Mitsukoshi Department Store The store in the Japan Pavilion had a cute new Backpack… Backpack …and a SHOCKINGLY pricy Bear Bag for $72.95. Bear Bag The Tea Caddy Looking to buy a gift for a tea lover? The UK Pavilion has you covered with this $29.99 Tea Gift Set. Tea Gift Set And that’s everything new we’ve spotted in EPCOT lately. Keep an eye on DFB for all the updates from Disney World — big and small! Click here to see more of the latest from EPCOT! 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! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Headed to EPCOT soon? Tell us in the comments! The post What's New in EPCOT: Panda Nunchuks and a SHOCKINGLY Expensive Bag first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Whenever we’re missing the Disney parks, one of the best ways to cure the Disney blues is by doing some online shopping! Disney Merchandise Some of the best merchandise from the theme parks and resorts is online, as well as a bunch of unique items that help fuel our obsession for all things “magical.” And if you’re trying to cure some “Disney blues” this week, then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the full list of new items online! Minnie Ears Let’s kick things off with a classic Disney souvenir, the Minnie ears! This week, a few new pairs landed online, starting with something special for Lunar New Year. These ears have a sparkly gold bow and pretty flower appliques, and you can get them for $29.99. ©Disney We also added another pair of 50th Anniversary ears to the online collection. New ears! These (unlike some of the others) are fairly affordable, priced at $39.99 each. Hopefully, Disney is done with releasing ears that are hundreds of dollars each…at least for now! Click Here to Buy the 50th Anniversary Ears! 2022 Merchandise Since we’re just a few weeks away from a new year, it’s time to start shopping the 2022 merchandise! First up, shopDisney got a line of 2022 items from Disneyland. ©Disney A few days later, a 2022 Collectible Key landed online as well. ©shopDisney It features some iconic Disney details, with everything from Mickey Mouse to the castle to Tinker Bell and more. You can order it now for $12.99! Shop the 2022 Merchandise Here! Collectibles Calling all Walt Disney World Railroad fans — if you’re missing a ride around the Magic Kingdom on the classic train, then we’ve got some accessories for you! First up, there’s a stylish new crossbody bag with the railroad logo on the outside and a stunning clock detail on the inside. It’s online for $44.99, and there’s also a Disneyland version. ©Disney Want an outfit to match your new golden bag? Disney released a Walt Disney World Railroad DRESS! It even has POCKETS. ©Disney And finally, in terms of collectibles, you need to see Disney’s new addition to the Ultimate Princess Collection. It’s a rather over-the-top Ariel doll! ©Disney But if you’re interested in buying this collectible, you’ll have to pay a LOT more than dolls usually cost. It has a price tag of $129.99. Click Here to Shop the Ariel Doll! Disney Bags And finally, let’s talk Disney bags. A bunch of new ones arrived online this week, and we mean a BUNCH. You can choose from a whole group of wallets, backpacks, and purses. There are multiple designs to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Beauty and the Beast! ©Disney And fans of the god of mischief will want to add everything from the new Loki collection to your cart! Let’s hope that green and gold match most of your wardrobe. Shop the New Loki Bags Online Here! That’s everything new on the list for this week! We’ll keep you updated with all the latest Disney merchandise as it gets released, so stay tuned to DFB! Click Here to See All the Holiday Items Online! 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! Preorder 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 preorder 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 buy anything on this list? Tell us in the comments! The post 2 Pairs of Ears and 2022 Merch -- See All the Disney Merch That Dropped Online This Week! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Supply chain issues have been making an impact everywhere, including in Disney World. Spaceship Earth Recently we reported on the supply chain issues affecting chicken tenders. In the past we also shared about how some ketchup issues impacted the parks. Now another meat product is facing rising prices. Check out what you might have to pay more for soon. Click Orlando has reported that beef prices are on the rise, reaching a record high 21% price increase over the last year. Filet Mignon According to Click Orlando, this issue has arisen even though ranchers have been making less than usual for their cattle. Experts reportedly say this issue with lower cattle prices is due a situation where there is more cattle to process than space to process them. CNBC notes that “Many of the factors that led to beef’s dramatic price increase can be traced back to 2020, when Covid shut down production plants and hobbled the nation’s meat production capabilities.” This “left farmers with nowhere to send their beef.” Since there was also some uncertainty about the future, farmers scaled back their production. Labor shortages have also impacted the situation. Now, the reduced production has intersected with higher demand for beef from consumers and restaurants, forcing prices to be increased. Royal Prime Rib Roast According to Arun Sundaram, an analyst at a Wall Street research firm, “You have this huge imbalance of supply and demand which is causing the prices to skyrocket…The demand side got even stronger as the months progressed in 2021, whereas the supply side of things got worse.” This is expected to change soon, however. Click Orlando has reported that more meat processing facilities have opened in Montana, and there are plans to open more. Click Orlando shares that the next couple of years look like big years for cattle producers, and “that’s one of the reasons that beef is in high demand.” Steakhouse 71 plate According to CNBC, Sundaram has indicated that prices may have reached their peak. Sundaram indicated, “Wholesale prices are slowly starting to moderate…Maybe we could see higher prices continuing for the next month, maybe two months, but it looks like we’re close to the peak.” We’ll be keeping an eye on Disney World menus to see if the rising beef prices impact restaurants. We have seen price increases at various Disney World spots in the past. We’ve also seen various supply chain issues impact a number of things in the parks (as we noted above), even shutting down certain stores and areas within stores. Keep reading DFB for more updates. See how a supply chain issue could impact your Disney World shopping. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Have you seen higher beef prices in places near you? Tell us in the comments. The post RECORD HIGH Prices Reached on a Popular Food Item first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular Returns | Disney's Hollywood StudiosView the full article

The holidays are in full swing in Disney Springs, and that means lots of delicious holiday snacks. Christmastime in Disney Springs We’ve already tried the Peppermint Bark Nachos, a Red Velvet Waffle, a Coca-Cola Spiked Eggnog, and more. Today we’re adding another holiday treat to the list, and this time it’s for churro lovers and people who enjoy long, confusing backstories. Sunshine Churros in Disney Springs serves regular and gourmet churros, with lots of unique flavors like Fruity Pebbles or Rose Gold. Today we visited to try their returning holiday churro offering — the Peppermint Churro, and let us take you on a journey of discovery. Churro discovery, that is. Sunshine Churros The Peppermint Churro costs $6.95 and we’ve seen it for the last few years. In 2020 it came with peppermint-flavored powdered sugar, white chocolate drizzle, and crushed peppermint candy. Now, let’s bring you to the present. This is the display photo for the item this year. Peppermint Churro Display The 2021 churro appears to very different when compared to 2020’s version! this year it’s a regular churro coated in powdered sugar and ground up peppermint candies, along with a drizzle of what tasted like vanilla icing. Notice that our churro did NOT look like the display photo. The display photo looked more like the Peppermint Churro we tried last year. Peppermint Churro! The Peppermint Churro is served warm, and it’s crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The icing tastes (to us, at least) like royal icing, and the peppermint candies add a nice crunch but a very subtle peppermint flavor. YUM We thought it was delicious, but the churro is so warm that the icing melts into it pretty quickly. Also, we wanted more peppermint flavor, though it could be good for people who don’t like TOO much of that peppermint flavor. So good If you want to compare it to the 2020 Peppermint Churro, you’ll notice how in 2020 the the peppermint candies were a LOT bigger, and the drizzle was white chocolate. Peppermint Churro from 2020 We did a little more digging and discovered that the 2019 version of the Peppermint Churro looks a LOT like this year’s! Did Disney World just forget about the 2020 version? Did they feel like the 2019 version was simply better or more popular? A mystery, indeed. Sunshine Churros White Christmas Peppermint Churro | 2019 All three versions do have one thing in common — they’re MESSY. You can check out a video of the 2021 Peppermint Churro here! If you enjoy subtle peppermint, give the 2021 Peppermint Churro a try! Just keep in mind that you WILL end up with powdered sugar alllll over your clothes. Stop by Sunshine Churros in Disney Springs to check it out! Keep reading DFB for more Disney World food reviews! Could this simple holiday treat be one of our top Disney World picks? 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! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Would you try this churro? Tell us in the comments! The post Expectation vs. Reality: Disney World Churro Edition first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Are you ready for that edge-of-your-seat suspenseful feeling you’ve come to love at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Well, get your hats and sense of adventure ready, because the SPECTACULAR return of Indiana Jones to Walt Disney World Resort is just days away!View the full article

Although Disneyland Resort is the Happiest Place on Earth, sometimes things happen. Pooh Corner at Disneyland We’ve seen issues with the launch of Disney Genie+ and there was flooding that caused “it’s a small world” holiday to open later than originally scheduled. Today, we saw an issue arise at one of our favorite snack spots! When we popped into Pooh Corner in Disneyland today to check out the selection of treats, we noticed something odd — the cases were stacked with things that WERE not the usual sweet confections we’re used to seeing there. This is along the lines of what we expected: One of each, please! But, alas! Gone were the cake pops, cookies, candy apples, and other sweet treats. To quote Jack Skellington… What’s this? Instead, there was just…cheddar popcorn? Now we have nothing against a good cheesy popcorn, but the popcorn is not typically the only item available here, nor is it typically the only item in the display cases. So what’s going on? Where are our sweet treats?! Popcorn? Well, we asked a Cast Member and were told that they were experiencing a water issue at this spot. At the moment, the treats you can generally find here have been temporarily relocated to Candy Palace. We were also told that they hope to have everything back at Pooh Corner by 1PM PST today. Of course, that is just the hope that the Cast Member told us, but things could change. So if you’re looking for one of your favorite Pooh Corner treats today, check to see if things have been fixed at Pooh Corner. If not, you can head to Candy Palace on Main Street, U.S.A. to grab some snacks! Candy Palace We’ll let you know if we spot any other issues like this at Disneyland AND Disney World, so stay tuned! Disneyland Reviews and Information Click HERE to Check Out Lots of DFB Posts About Disneyland See the Latest Updates About Disneyland’s Mask Policy Check Out Our Disneyland Restaurants Guide See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure Park Check Out Details from the Historic Reopening of Disneyland Resort See What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Learn About the Disneyland Mobile App Get All the Details About Mobile Order in Disneyland See More About Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure What’s Going to Be Different About Your Next Disneyland Trip? Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Have you ever seen an issue like this at a Disney park before? Let us know in the comments! The post The Snack Problem We Did NOT Expect to Find in Disneyland Today first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney has several different programs aimed at environmental sustainability, including massive solar panels in Disney World, the elimination of single-use plastic straws, and biodiesel fuel made from recycled cooking oil that is used on some attractions. ©Disney If you’ve ever been to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you might have noticed the company advocating for several different environmental causes there. Some of the attractions work towards raising awareness (such as the Feathered Friends in Flight show), and you can donate to certain conservation funds while you’re in the park. Now, there’s a NEW energy-saving project coming to Anaheim that could impact your Disneyland trip. The Sage Energy Consulting company has announced that they’re working with the Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN) to “reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, save on their electric costs, and intelligently charge their new electric buses.” ©Sage Energy Consulting These buses, which have stops at Disneyland, are charged rather than filled with gasoline. Some of the charging stations for the electric buses are solar-powered, which means the ATN will also save money on electricity and reduce their carbon footprint even more. In case the solar power is not enough at some times, these stations also have “microgrid battery backup systems,” which means that the buses will still be reliably available. ©Disney One of the difficulties with solar energy is that it’s not always super reliable (since it depends on the outside environment). Sage Energy Consulting is helping ATN develop a system that is both sustainable and reliable so that guests can use zero-emission public transportation. ©California Transit Association The ATN is hoping to have a 100% electric fleet of buses by 2025, which means that you could be riding a solar-powered electric bus on your next trip to Disneyland! Sleeping Beauty Castle Keep following DFB for more updates on the latest Disney news. Click Here to See Some of Disney’s Ambitious Environmental Goals 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! Preorder 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 preorder 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 kinds of environmental projects are you interested in? Let us know in the comments! The post How Your Ride to Disneyland Will Be DIFFERENT in the Future first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Ho Ho Ho! Disneyland Paris has a surprise in store for you this holiday season! Thanks to Christmas YoursElf, pose in the middle of the most beautiful Christmas decorations at Disneyland Paris and transform yourself (and your loved ones) into Christmas elves to send the most Disney-like virtual greeting card! View the full article

Disneyland Paris has a lot going on next year! ©Disney || Avengers Campus is being built! The park will be celebrating its 30th anniversary, and they’re going big! We’ve already gotten a look at some of the merchandise and food, as well as concept art of the celebration. And, there’s another exciting event happening at Disneyland Paris as well next year! Pride is returning to Disneyland Paris in 2022! On June 11th, the Disneyland Paris Pride special evening event will happen at Walt Disney Studios Park. The celebration will take place from 8PM to 2AM and will be “prouder and more colorful than ever before” according to Disney, as the celebration will also take place during the resort’s 30th anniversary festivities! ©Disney There will be a vibrant and friendly party atmosphere with magic created especially for the occasion like an exclusive parade, live performances by famous artists, rides open late into the night, appearances by popular Disney characters, and more! ©Disneyland Paris || Walt Disney Studios Park The Disneyland Paris Pride event hasn’t happened at the resort since the first ever celebration in 2019. It was supposed to take place in 2020 and 2021, but was canceled both times due to the global pandemic. ©Disney Tickets for Disneyland Paris Pride will go on sale early next year, so stay tuned to DFB for updates! Click here to see the new travel restrictions from the U.K. to France Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Have you ever been to Disneyland Paris? Let us know in the comments! The post Disneyland Paris Pride is Returning in 2022! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Welcome to another weekly recap of the BIGGEST Disney news! Disney News Incoming! From big updates about the 2022 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival to information about things returning to Disney World, we’ve got some exciting news to share this week. Let’s check out what you need to know! 1 — EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival News It may only be December in 2021, but Disney is already looking to the future! This week, we got some exciting news about a festival that will be returning to EPCOT once again in 2022 — the Flower & Garden Festival! Recently Disney announced that the Flower & Garden Festival will take place from March 2nd through July 4th, 2022! EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Disney also shared that a number of things will be returning to the festival this year, including the Garden Rocks concert series, activities for the whole family, lots of food booths, and more! Click here to see the 7 things that will be coming back to the 2022 Flower & Garden Festival! 2 — Limited-Time Genie+ and Early Entry Changes You Need to Know About If you’re heading to Disney World soon, we’ve got some BIG updates on two important things — Disney Genie+ and Early Theme Park Entry. First, Disney recently announced some important limited-time changes when it comes to Disney Genie+ and Pay-Per-Ride selections. From December 19th, 2021 through January 3rd, 2022, select rides will no longer be available as Individual Attraction Selections (pay-per-ride), but will instead be INCLUDED in Genie+! ©Disney It will apply to 4 specific rides (1 in each park). To learn more about these Genie+ change and see what rides have been impacted, CLICK HERE! In terms of Early Theme Park Entry, there will be changes taking place during the holiday season as well. Right now, all Disney World hotel guests (and guests at select other hotels) can enter any Disney theme park 30 minutes early on any day (note that they must still have a valid ticket and Park Pass for that park). But from December 19th, 2021 through January 3rd, 2022, Early Theme Park Entry will be bumped up to 60 minutes before park opening time! Resort Guest? Right this way! This can be a big perk especially as holiday crowds arrive in the parks. Click here to see more about this important Early Theme Park Entry change! 3 — More Reopenings in Disney World This week we saw 3 things reopen in Disney World and we got news about more things that will be back at the resort soon. First up, over at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside, Boatwright’s Dining Hall reopened! From Mardi Gras Fritters to Boudin Balls, we sampled some of the dishes at this reopened spot and we’ve got ALL the details for you. Click here to see our FULL review of Boatwrights. Deep fried cheese? Sign us up. At Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, another restaurant reopened — Story Book Character Dining at Artist Point! During the meal, guests get the chance to say “hello” to various characters from a distance, including Snow White, Dopey and Grumpy, and the Evil Queen as they dine in an enchanted-forest themed space and munch on tasty treats. We’ll be sharing a full review of our experience at Story Book Character Dining soon, but in the meantime, you can check out some photos and VIDEOS of our experience here! Snow White This week, Kali River Rapids also reopened in Disney’s Animal Kingdom after being closed for several weeks for refurbishment. So if you’re looking for some water ride fun during your next trip to Disney World, you can stop by this spot. These people are going to get wet While those 2 restaurants and 1 ride have already reopened, we’ve got more reopenings in the future to look forward to. Recently, Disney announced that 5 special tours will be coming BACK to Disney World in 2022. Wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom From the Keys to the Kingdom Tour in Magic Kingdom to Wild Africa Trek in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there will be plenty of fun to be had in the parks next year! Click here to see what tours are returning in 2022! 4 — Fire Reported in Magic Kingdom One of the biggest news stories from this week took place later in the day on December 14th. In the late afternoon/early evening on that date, a fire was reported near Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom. Emergency vehicles were sent into the park, guests were evacuated from select areas, and other guests were held outside of the park as the situation was handled. Emergency vehicles in Magic Kingdom Disney then reportedly issued a statement indicating that there had been a small fire in Magic Kingdom and that it was quickly extinguished. Image from DFB reader @ptolley_ on Twitter If you want to know what happened after the fire was reported and how guests were handled/evacuated from within and outside of the park, click here. Image from DFB reader Sara W. Disney’s fire department has since commented on the potential cause of the fire in Magic Kingdom. You can click here to learn more. Crowds on the hub in Magic Kingdom On the topic of Disney’s emergency personnel, a story was shared later this week where Disney’s firefighter union made comments indicating that they feel they are short staffed. You can click here to read more about their comments. Click here to learn more about the fire that took place in Magic Kingdom. 5 — runDisney News If you’re a big runDisney fan, then it’s time to take out those calendars and start booking your next Disney trip! While we already had some 2022 dates for select runDisney races, Disney has now announced dates for more races in 2022 and select races that will be returning to Disney World in 2023. runDisney We don’t have registration dates yet for these races, but we’ll be on the lookout for more updates! Click here to learn more about runDisney races. 6 — Orlando COVID-19 Updates To ensure we are equipping you, our readers, with all the information they need, we’ve continued to report on all travel, safety, and COVID-related news that could impact a Disney Parks visit. This week, we got some COVID-19 updates related to Orlando specifically. First, Disney World’s Orange County has been listed as a COVID-19 “hotspot.” Click here to read more about what that means. COVID-19 Health and Safety Sign We also learned this week that the Omicron COVID-19 variant is present in the wastewater in Orange County, Florida. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Omicron variant is now the predominant strain of COVID-19 in Orange County based on those wastewater samples. Click here to see more health and safety updates for your trips to Disney World or Disneyland. That’s our recap of the big Disney news from this week. But wait…there’s more! Other news was also shared this week. Check out those stories by clicking the links below! See EVERYTHING coming to Disney+ in January Ride testing has started on the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride coming to EPCOT The official prizes for Olaf’s Scavenger Hunt in EPCOT have arrived McDonald’s is giving away FREE food for a limited time during the holidays What’s going on with reservations for the Star Wars hotel? We’re taking a look here Photo: Shared by Jeff Vahle via Instagram (@jeffvahle) The NEW detective Jessica Rabbit animatronic has debuted in Disneyland We saw surge pricing in action for Disney Genie+ in Disneyland An indoor face mask requirement has now become effective in California Disneyland Magic Key holders: get ready to be celebrated for a whole MONTH next year! Select California residents can save big on Disneyland tickets in 2022 You could have a PRIVATE party in Mickey’s House in 2022 in Disneyland The new Jessica Rabbit Animatronic! A $5 million lawsuit has been filed against Disney regarding Disneyland’s Magic Key passes and park reservations The date has been announced for the 2022 Walt Disney Company shareholder meeting Disney made a souvenir that is worth $2 MILLION 2022 merchandise has made its way online! See when the new terminal should open at Orlando International Airport Disneyland Stay tuned for more Disney news! Click here to see what’s new in Animal 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! Preorder 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 preorder 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 are you planning to visit a Disney park next? Tell us in the comments! The post Fire Reported in Magic Kingdom, Flower & Garden Festival Dates, Genie+ Changes, and More BIG Disney News first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Are you spending Christmas week in Disney World!? Magic Kingdom We hope you’re in for a wonderful time! You probably know you’re not in for a white Christmas in central Florida, but what is the weather going to have in store for you? Let’s take a look at the FULL forecast for the holiday week! Weather Forecast We’ve had downright SUMMERY temperatures for the past few weeks with highs in the 80s! Whew! Will the trend continue as we celebrate the most wonderful time of the year? Hollywood Studios According to The Weather Channel, you probably won’t need a cozy fireplace if you’re spending next week in Disney World but it will be cooler. Here’s a day-by-day breakdown! December 20th Monday, December 20th will bring us similar temperatures to the ones we saw last week with a liiiiittle step down to a 79 degree high. It looks like this week might be stepping us back into cooler temperatures — and into more rain. ©The Weather Channel That low is sitting right around 67 degrees. And yes, we’re likely to see some thunderstorms this Christmas week! Make sure you’re prepared for any sudden showers with a rain layer. December 21st The next day, December 21st will bring us another rainy day. Those temperatures are gonna drop a bit more too, making that night downright chilly. Get ready for 75 degrees in the day and 56 degrees at night. ©The Weather Channel A rainy beginning of the week also means HIGH humidity. Keep in mind that the moisture in the air and the showers might make you even chillier than you would be otherwise! December 22nd On Wednesday, December 22nd, the high keeps dropping… ©The Weather Channel …and ao does the low! But we’re also done with higher rain chances for the week! As of right now, it looks like we’ll have a dry Christmas in Orlando. Fingers crossed! December 23rd For Thursday, December 23rd, that high jumps back up a bit to 72 degrees. This time of year is nice because we get a LOT of sun without the extreme UV levels of the summer. ©The Weather Channel Still, that doesn’t mean you’re safe from a burn! Wear sunscreen and reapply often to make sure you stay comfy and SAFE for your whole vacation! December 24th The week continues with similar temperatures to the day before on December 24th. Notice how large the change is between the day and night temperatures. That’s almost 20 degrees! ©The Weather Channel You’ll want to bring an extra layer with you. You might be hot in the low-70s and shivering in the mid-50s! We recommend a jacket, scarf, or warm hat. December 25th Saturday, December 25th brings us another day of those pleasantly warm temperatures with a cooler evening to follow. ©The Weather Channel Here, we’re looking at a 74-degree high and a 56-degree low. Wow! That sounds like a beautiful Christmas day! December 26th And we’ll wrap up our week on December 26th with those temperatures sitting at a comfy and similar 77-degree high and a cooler 58-degree low. ©The Weather Channel Keep in mind that even when the rain chance is low, that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to stay dry. Florida is notorious for sudden showers and spikes in rain chances. Keep checking the forecast! Overview of the Week Here is a full overview of the week according to The Weather Channel. The temperatures are on the cooler side this week. We’re mostly looking at high-60s to high-70s highs and low-50s to high-60s lows. ©The Weather Channel Other websites like Click Orlando News 6… ©Click Orlando News 6 …and WESH 2 News have similar forecasts throughout the week. ©WESH 2 News Once again, keep in mind that Florida weather is typically very changeable. So, keep checking back to make sure you don’t get caught unawares. Click here for tips to survive Disney World weather! How Should You Plan? If you are headed to Disney World next week, we’ve got a few tips on how to plan for the weather! Stay warm! You could be coming from a much cooler part of the world, but that doesn’t mean that a dip in Florida temps won’t leave you a little chilly! We want to make sure you’re ready for that 20-degree drop when you’re staking out your spot for fireworks. Silly old bear Wear your short sleeves during the day and toss a hat, scarf, or jacket in your bag for the evening. When those temperatures drop, you’ll be glad to have an extra layer! When in doubt, check out the Disney World merch stores for a warm (if pricy!) selection. Click here for more tips for packing your park bag! Stay dry! Rain is coming this week and that can certainly make you feel cooler AND a little less comfortable as you explore the theme parks. Stay dry with a rain layer! Rainbow Rain Jacket Bring a poncho or rain jacket to throw on in case of showers (or water rides ). Pro tip! If you tote along an insulated rain jacket it can double as your dry layer AND your warm layer! Have a great trip and stay comfy in those temperatures! Oh, and happy holidays! Want to see the latest news in Magic Kingdom? Click here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Are you headed to Disney World next week? Tell us in the comments! The post What the Weather Will Be Like During Christmas Week in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The big week is finally here if you celebrate the Christmas holiday! Often, the week of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are among the busiest times of the year in Disney World, and while there is plenty to do around the parks and resorts, there are also plenty of new friends checking everything out with you! It’s such a beautiful time of year! If you’re among those visiting Disney World next week over the Christmas holiday, you’re probably wondering just how crowded it will be! We can look to Disney World’s park hours and Park Pass Reservation availability to plan our days in the parks as well as look for clues as to how busy it may be! Disney World Park Hours the Week of December 19th Magic Kingdom will be open from 8AM-8PM Sunday and Tuesday, and from 9AM-11PM Monday as well as Wednesday through Friday, and from 9AM-10PM on Saturday. The park will remain open for an additional two hours for guests at Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts on Wednesday. Disney Very Merriest After Hours will take place on Sunday and Tuesday from 9PM-1AM. Magic Kingdom park hours the week of December 19th © Disney EPCOT will be open daily next week from 10AM-10PM. The park will remain open for an additional two hours for guests staying at Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts on Monday. The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays continues next week from 10AM-10PM each day. EPCOT park hours the week of December 19th © Disney Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open daily next week from 8:30AM-9PM Sunday through Friday, and from 9AM-9PM on Saturday. Hollywood Studios park hours the week of December 19th © Disney Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open from 8AM-8PM daily next week. Animal Kingdom park hours the week of December 19th © Disney Since the weeks around Christmas are among the busiest all year, it may be to your advantage to extend your time in the parks as much as possible. If you’re staying on Disney World property, you’re eligible for Early Theme Park Entry. Normally this grants you access to any of the four theme parks thirty minutes prior to the posted opening time every day, but during the week of December 19th (through January 3rd), Early Theme Park Entry will begin SIXTY minutes prior to park opening! Click here to check out our Best of the Fest picks for EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays! Current Disney Park Pass Reservation Availability the Week of December 19th Select Resort Hotels Guests staying at Select Resort Hotels can book a Park Pass Reservation at EPCOT on December 19th, 20th, 22nd, and 23rd. Select Resort Hotel Park Pass Reservation availability for December 19th as of December 17th © Disney On December 21st, 24th and 25th, guests staying at Select Resort Hotels can currently book Park Pass Reservations at EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Select Resort Hotel Park Pass Reservation availability for December 21st as of December 17th © Disney Theme Park Tickets Guests with Theme Park Tickets can book a Park Pass Reservation at EPCOT on December 19th, 20th, 22nd, and 23rd. Theme Park Tickets Park Pass Reservation availability for December 19th as of December 17th © Disney On December 21st, 24th and 25th, guests with Theme Park Tickets can currently book Park Pass Reservations at EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Theme Park Tickets Park Pass Reservation availability for December 21st as of December 17th © Disney Annual Passholders As of this writing, Annual Passholders have a wide selection of Park Pass Reservations available! At this time, the only date with limited Park Pass Reservation availability is December 24th. All other dates are currently wide open next week on dates the pass is not blocked out. Annual Passholder Park Pass Reservation availability the week of December 19th as of December 16th at all parks © Disney On December 24th, Magic Kingdom is fully booked for Annual Passholders, but the other three parks are available. Annual Passholder Park Pass Reservation availability the week of December 19th as of December 16th at Magic Kingdom © Disney Don’t forget that if you have the Park Hopper option on your ticket, you can Park Hop to another park at 2PM as long as you have scanned into your first park of the day for which you have a valid Park Pass Reservation. Be sure to follow along for more of the latest park hours and Park Pass Reservation availability ahead of your next Disney World vacation! 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! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Are you visiting Disney World next week? Let us know in the comments! The post See HOW BUSY Disney World Will Be the Week of Christmas! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

To ensure we are equipping our readers with all the information they need, we will continue to report on all travel, safety, and COVID-related news that could impact a Disney Parks visit. Over the past two years, Disney Parks all over the world have continued to make changes to adapt to the ongoing global health crisis. ©Disney And health and safety guidelines continue to change — we saw the mask policy change several times at Disney World this year, we’ve seen Hong Kong Disneyland close temporarily just recently due to COVID-19 cases, and we’ve seen Tokyo Disneyland recently extend its restricted hours and alcohol ban. And now, there are some new travel restrictions in place in France that could affect visits to Disneyland Paris. The French government has announced that as of December 18th, 2021, travelers coming from the U.K. will need to meet new criteria to enter the country. And that new criteria is that the trip must be deemed as essential, meaning that leisure travel to Disneyland Paris is currently available to U.K. guests. ©Disneyland Paris In July, the French government passed a health and safety requirement for gatherings of more than 50 people that required all guests to have a “sanitary pass.” This pass serves as proof that a person has had a recent negative COVID-19 test, has received a COVID-19 vaccine, or has recently recovered from the virus. This “safety pass” was soon implemented as a requirement at Disneyland Paris, along with a requirement that all guests ages six and over wear a mask at all times in the parks, except when taking photos and while eating and drinking while stationary. ©Disney However, as of December 18th, even those U.K. guests with a sanitary pass are unable to visit Disneyland Paris unless they have proof that their trip there is deemed as essential travel. For those U.K. guests who have already booked trips, Disneyland Paris has adjusted its booking and cancellation policy, giving those guests several options: Guests with hotel and ticket packages can postpone their date of arrival at the same price they originally booked, as long as no components of the trip change (excluding transportation arrangements that can be rebooked) for arrivals until March 30th, 2022 (excluding the period from December 16th-January 8th). However, this is subject to hotel availability on the newly-booked dates. OR guests can cancel their stay and receive a full refund. Note that those who wish to rebook a hotel and ticket package or a hotel room only for an arrival date from March 31st, 2022, will be “able to do so at the prevailing price and conditions.” ©Disney Non-dated tickets owned by guests will remain valid up to and including March 31st, 2022. However, dated tickets can be canceled for a full refund up to three days prior to the day of arrival — this can be done by visiting your Disneyland account. Also, those guests who are within a 3-day window of traveling from the U.K. can cancel dated tickets and receive full refunds. Guests are encouraged to contact refund.ticket@disneylandparis.com to cancel tickets. Disneyland Paris Although tickets for the New Year’s Eve Party or a Secure Your Seat Ticket for The Lion King Show are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged, guests with these tickets who cannot travel from the U.K. may request to cancel those tickets for a full refund by contacting the above email address. And U.K. guests who booked their tickets through a third party should contact that party directly. We’ll continue to monitor the situation at Disneyland Paris, as well as at Disney Parks around the world, and make sure you have the latest information. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post Traveling To Disneyland Paris From The UK? New Restrictions Could Impact Your Trip first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Extra Magic Hours are no longer in place in Disney World. But if you want extra time in the parks, you can still get that thanks to 2 perks that were introduced as part of the 50th Anniversary celebration. Cinderella Castle Currently the Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours perks allow select hotel guests to spend some extra time in the parks. We’ve already experienced both of these offerings, but one BIG thing with the Early Theme Park Entry perk is about to change! At the moment all Disney World hotel guests and guests at select other hotels can get extra time in the parks in the morning thanks to Early Theme Park Entry. Right now Early Theme Park Entry allows all Disney World hotel guests (and guests at other select hotels) to enter any park of their choosing 30 minutes early on any day, but soon things will be changing! Resort Guest? Right this way! Today Disney announced that from December 19th, 2021 through January 3rd, 2022, Early Theme Park Entry will be bumped up to 60 minutes before park opening time! That means that Disney hotel guests will actually get to enter any theme park of their choosing on ANY day 60 minutes early (instead of just 30 minutes early) throughout that time period. Keep in mind that theme park admission, a Park Pass reservation for the park you want to visit, and your resort ID will be required. ©Disney This could be a HUGE benefit considering the holiday crowds that likely will be present throughout Disney World during this time. Having 60 extra minutes in the park early in the morning with a limited group of guests could give you the chance to get in more rides and fun. Hollywood Studios Entrance Just keep in mind that not all attractions, shops, and restaurants are available during the Early Theme Park Entry time. Only select rides, shops, and restaurants are available during that time, so that’s something to be aware of. Click here to see the FULL list of rides available during Early Theme Park Entry! Also note that this change is limited for now and will only be in effect until January 3rd, 2022. That is, of course, subject to change. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more updates and share those with you. Stay tuned for more Disney news! Click here to see what hotels qualify for Early Theme Park Entry! 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! Preorder 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 preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Will you be staying at a Disney World hotel during this time and taking advantage of this benefit? Tell us in the comments! The post 🚨 BREAKING: Hotel Guests to Get MORE TIME in the Disney World Parks for a Limited Time 🚨 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World recently launched their Genie planning program through the My Disney Experience app. ©Disney It can help you plan out your day in Disney World for free! Also launched was the new system that has replaced FastPass — Genie+. This is a paid system that allows you access to the Lightning Lanes (old FastPass lanes) of 46 attractions. There are also high demand rides not included with Genie+ that you can pay individually to use the Lightning Lanes and skip the standby lines. We’ve been used to how this system works since it launched in October, but things are about to CHANGE! From December 19th, 2021 through January 3rd, 2022 there are going to be some changes in Disney World! First, Early Theme Park Entry will now be 60 minutes instead of 30, meaning Disney hotel guests can get into the parks an HOUR before they officially open! Early Entry Sign Next, some rides will no longer be available as Individual Attraction Selections (pay-per-ride), but will instead be INCLUDED in Genie+! Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom, Frozen Ever After in EPCOT, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Hollywood Studios, and Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom will ALL now be included with Genie+! ©Disney WOW! So 4 rides that you would have had to pay to use the Lightning Lane for individually will now be included with the rides that you can access with that $15 per day, per person you pay for Genie+. We’ll be on the lookout for any more changes and keep you updated, so stay tuned to DFB for more! Click here to learn more about Disney Genie! 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 Have you tried out Disney Genie yet? Let us know in the comments! The post Limited Time CHANGES Announced for Genie+ and Pay-Per-Ride Selections in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article