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Another month has come and gone in Disney World, which means it’s time for another roundup of the best and worst things we tried in the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs! With the kickoff of EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays and the arrival of seasonal holiday treats in Disney World, there was no shortage of new menu items to try! Festival of the Holidays Let’s dive right in to find out what our top and bottom picks were for this month! The BEST Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl – Festival of the Holidays, Bavaria Holiday Kitchen This month’s roundup of the best and worst things we had will feature several items from EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays, which officially began on November 26th and runs through December 30th. Bavaria Holiday Kitchen is one of the booths we look forward to trying every season, and they truly delivered in 2021 with their Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl. Cheeeeese Seriously, you can win us over with a stellar bowl of melted cheese pretty easily, but we don’t want to diminish just how amazing this item is!! You can try it out for yourself for $8.25. Click here to read our full review of Bavaria Holiday Kitchen! Coquito Soft-Serve Waffle Cone – Festival of the Holidays, Refreshment Port Refreshment Port showed UP this holiday season with some stellar new and returning menu items at the Festival of the Holidays. Their Coquito Soft-Serve Waffle Cone handily earned a spot on our Best of the Fest list, and it’s only $5.25! The ingredients here are simple enough — Coquito-flavored soft-serve with a strong cinnamon flavor topped with a tasty waffle cone! Coquito Soft-Serve Waffle Cone If you’re looking for a simple yet oh-so-sweet frozen snack that tastes just like the holidays, head on over to Refreshment Port (and pick up an order of Turkey Poutine while you’re at it and wash it all down with their Pumpkin Spice Ginger Cocktail — seriously, they delivered at the Festival this year!). Click here to read our full review of Refreshment Port from this year’s Festival of the Holidays! Mini Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake – Festival of the Holidays, Funnel Cake kiosk Our third item from this year’s Festival of the Holidays that we wanted to make sure we included in our lineup of the best things we had this month is the Mini Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake, which you can find at the Funnel Cake kiosk in the American Adventure Pavilion for $9.50. Mini Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake This season’s edition of funnel cake is made with a pumpkin funnel cake topped with ice cream, whipped cream, and graham cracker crumbles. EPCOT’s funnel cakes are consistently among the items we look forward to trying the most each and every festival, and this one did not disappoint! Click here to read our full review of the Mini Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake Reindeer Mousse – Rosie’s All-American Cafe November brought a lot of festive holiday treats to Disney World, and across the parks and resorts, there is no shortage of seasonal goodies to try. One of our favorites (and one of the cutest) so far is the Reindeer Mousse from Rosie’s All-American Cafe in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. So cute!! This adorable dessert costs $5.49 and is a spiced caramel cheesecake over peanut butter mousse on top of a salty pretzel shortbread cookie. The flavor and texture combinations were a winner in our book, plus it just instantly puts you in the holiday spirit! Click here to read our full review of the Reindeer Mousse Holiday Mystery Donut – Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew Every once in a while, we’ll try a donut over at Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew in Disney Springs that reminds us that this sweets spot is not to be skipped on a Disney World vacation! We were curious to see what their Holiday Mystery Donut would be this year, and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that it was an apple strudel-inspired with an apple-flavored donut covered with caramel sauce, coffee cake cinnamon pieces, and a vanilla frosting drizzle. Holiday Mystery Donut For $6.50 this is a great way to split a holiday offering with a friend — there’s even a surprise apple pie filling inside the donut! This flavor won’t be around for long, so be sure to check it out before it disappears! Click here to read our full review of the Holiday Mystery Donut from Everglazed Cherry Jubilee Bubble Waffle – AristoCrêpes We’re staying in Disney Springs for our next item on our “best” list for the month of November! AristoCrêpes serves delicious bubble waffle treats that come in a variety of awesome flavors, but for the holidays this year, we were truly wowed by their Cherry Jubilee Bubble Waffle! It looks pretty amazing. You know how you can look at some snacks and you just KNOW that it’s going to be tasty before you even take a bite? That was sort of our experience with this Bubble Waffle — for $8.99, it’s a solid snack to try this holiday season if you love cherry! Click here to read our full review of the Cherry Jubilee Bubble Waffle Honorable Mention: Gingerbread Caramel Cookie Sandwich – Karamell-Küche We wanted to include another item on our “best” list! This is a returning item that we’ve loved over the years, but we were so thrilled to see its return over at Karamell-Küche in EPCOT, we just HAD to include it. We’re talking about the Gingerbread Caramel Cookie Sandwich, of course! *drool* In an endless sea of Disney World cookies, you’re bound to hit a few road bumps along the way with some disappointing treats (we’ll actually get to one example shortly!). That is NOT the case here — the Gingerbread Caramel Cookie Sandwich is a lovely blend of two soft gingerbread cookies held together with buttercream icing and Werther’s caramel inside for $5.99. Run (safely), don’t walk to Karamell-Küche on your next trip to see what we’re talking about. Click here to read more about the return of the Gingerbread Caramel Cookie Sandwich! The WORST Dinde Forestière, Patates Douces Rôties – Festival of the Holidays, Le Marché de Noël Now it’s time to mention the items we tried this month that were less than what we had hoped. That sentiment is especially true when it comes to our first item which can be found at Le Marché de Noël in the France Pavilion at EPCOT. Dinde Forestière, Patates Douces Rôties The France booth almost always tops our list as our favorite festival booth, so we had some pretty high expectations going into the Festival of the Holidays this season. Unfortunately, their Dinde Forestière, Patates Douces Rôties fell flat. The dish is made with turkey with bacon, mushrooms, and onions in a mustard cream sauce served with roasted sweet potatoes. Overall, we wanted to love this dish, but we found it to be cold and it just didn’t blow us away. If you’re curious to see how you would enjoy this dish, it costs $7.25. Who knows, maybe you’ll get a better batch. Click here to read our full review of Le Marché de Noël Snickers-Doodle Cookie – Festival of the Holidays, Yukon Holiday Kitchen Remember a few seconds ago when we mentioned that some Disney World cookies miss the mark? We were thinking about the Snickers-Doodle Cookie from Yukon Holiday Kitchen at EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays. On paper, it sounds like this would knock our socks off — a Snickers cookie? Yes, please! And for only $2.50? Even better! Snickers-Doodle Cookie Unfortunately, this cookie was a big let down. We expected off-the-charts flavor, but we were left with a plain (and not very flavorful) sugar cookie with a Snickers crumbles on top. It’s one of the five cookies you’ll need to grab on EPCOT’s Cookie Stroll in order to earn your special prize, so consider splitting this one with a friend so you aren’t left to work through it on your own. Click here to read our full review of Yukon Holiday Kitchen Holiday Parfait – Amorette’s Patisserie One of the spots in Disney Springs that is known for delivering on both presentation and flavor is Amorette’s Patisserie. Their uniquely designed desserts and pastries are often Instagram-worthy as much as they are tasty. While there were some holiday treats that we loved, we couldn’t say the same about their Holiday Parfait. Holiday Parfait There’s a lot going on with this one! It’s made with bourbon white chocolate mousse, cranberry cherry panna cotta, maple chocolate ganache, and chocolate chiffon cake, and is garnished with candied pralines and meringue trees. Some of the flavors in this dish work, but when mixed together, there was just too much going on for us to truly enjoy it. If you’re curious, it won’t be around for very long! Give it a try for $9. Click here to read our full review of the Holiday Parfait Red Velvet Whoopie Pie – Backlot Express and Trolley Cafe There are some snacks where it truly breaks our foodie hearts to have included on the “worst” list of the month, but that’s basically how we feel with the Red Velvet Whoopie Pie that you can find this holiday season at both Backlot Express and Trolley Cafe in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Coulda been better! We’ve loved this treat in the past, in part due to the moist and flavorful red velvet cake that sandwiches the the sweet cream cheese frosting in the middle. This year, however, we found the red velvet to be dry, crumbly, and flavorless — leaving us with just the flavor of sweet cream cheese frosting (which, if you love sweet cream cheese frosting, might be a good thing!). It’s available this holiday season for $5.49. Click here to read our full review of the Red Velvet Whoopie Pie Cirque du Shake – Vivoli il Gelato The last item on our list is the Cirque du Shake, a new limited-time offering at Vivoli il Gelato in Disney Springs. With the opening of Cirque du Soleil’s new show Drawn to Life, we loved seeing a specialty menu item appear that guests can enjoy before or after the show! Cirque du Shake But for a whopping $18, this item will burn a hole in your wallet pretty quick, leaving you with a huge pile of ingredients that doesn’t really add up to the value of the price tag. It’s made with strawberry gelato, cookies and cream gelato, a waffle cone that is half dipped in white chocolate and has gold shimmer dust, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. Oh, and it comes with sprinkles, a strawberry, two lollipops, a pinwheel, and an umbrella on top! Click here to read our full review of the Cirque du Shake Be sure to follow along for more monthly picks of the best and worst things we’ve tried around Disney World! There’s no shortage of new treats to eat and drink around the parks and resorts, and with the holiday season in full force, we’ll be having even more seasonal offerings in the weeks to come! 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. Have you visited Disney World recently? Let us know in the comments what your favorite snack was when you visited! The post The BEST (and WORST) Things We Ate at Disney World in November first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

D23 is Disney’s official fan club! It was established to connect Disney fans to the “magic” through special events, exclusive merchandise, and private online content with an insider look at every aspect of Disney, from the parks, animation, television, and film to Walt Disney Archives. Destination D23 D23 is currently hosting its Season of Magic Sweepstakes, with a new prize awarded every day for 23 days in December. On December 1, D23 gave away the Lego Encanto Madrigal House Set. Yesterday’s giveaway was a collection of H2O+ Disney Bath Products, and now, we have a look at today’s prize! Today’s prize (December 3) is a pack of exclusive Pixar art graphic tees! Designed by Robert Graham, winners will receive 3 graphic tees made from 100% cotton that feature exclusive concept art and storyboards from Cars, Toy Story 4, and the 1986 short film Luxo, Jr. ©D23 Robert Graham is known for his high-end clothing collections and one-of-a-kind fashion creations. His designer pieces have signature looks like contrasting thread selections, fine embroidery, and sophisticated details. So these won’t be your ordinary graphic tees! ©D23 And if you’d like to win it, all you have to do is log into D23 and enter here. Not a D23 Member? Why wait? You can sign up for a FREE general account and still enter. D23 is giving away a new item every day until December 23 (see what they did there?), so be sure to log in daily for your entry! Be sure to check back with us often, too, because we’ll let you know about other Disney giveaways and sweepstakes. The PERFECT Last-Minute Disney Christmas Gift for Literally Anyone 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 entering to win this set today? Let us know in the comments! The post Pixar Fans: This Giveaway Was Made For You! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’ve got the most heated competition of the holiday season going on right now — and, no, it’s not The Great British Baking Show. We think our Best Eats at the 2021 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays Bracket is even more exciting! 2021 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays EPCOT Festival of the Holidays brought us a TON of tasty eats this year so it’s REALLY hard for us to pick a favorite (although we did pick out some Bests of the Fest!). Well, that’s where you come in! We asked our readers on Instagram to weigh in! The bracket has gone through Round 1 AND Round 2 over on Instagram and we’re taking a look at what snacks have kept their position as a potential best so far. Round 1 In Round 1, the Gingerbread Cookie from Holiday Hearth Desserts was only able to score 45% of the vote against the Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie from the same booth with 55% of the vote. Round 1 The Chocolate Crinkle Cookie from American Holiday Table faced down with the Linzer Cookie from Bavaria Holiday Kitchen, stealing away 68% of the vote in the end. Round 1 The Coconut-Pineapple Cake with DOLE Whip from Refreshment Outpost reigned supreme over the Coquito Soft-serve Waffle Cone from Refreshment Port with 58% of the vote. Round 1 In another cookie smackdown, the Black and White Cookie from L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen only got 46% of the vote against the 54% of the vote received by the SNICKERS-Doodle Cookie from Yukon Holiday Kitchen. Round 1 Sufganiyot from L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen could only pull 34% of the vote away from Tuscany Holiday Kitchen’s Bomboloni alla Cioccolato-Nocciola. Round 1 How can we make this donut decision??? It was close but 56% of the vote went to the Peppermint Donut and 44% went to the Holiday Donut. Both of these treats are from Donut Box! Round 1 Pumpkin-lovers, prepare to feel torn. The Mini Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake from Funnel Cake Stand got 59% of the vote over the 41% that the Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake from American Holiday Table. Round 1 Another sweet match-up saw the Bûche de Noël Chocolat Blanc, Framboise from Le Marche De Noel Holiday Kitchen gain 67% of the vote over the Almond-spiced Cake from Tangierine Cafe: Flavors of the Medina. Round 1 And our final matchup of Round 1? The Slow Roasted Turkey from American Holiday Table got a 63% win over the Pork Schnitzel from Bavaria Holiday Kitchen! Round 1 But how did these winning eats stand up in Round 2? Round 2 Ding-ding, let’s see those results! In Round 2, the Crinkle Cut Cookie went up against the Spaceship Earth Salted Caramel Cookie. In the end, the chocolatey flavors took 65% of the vote! Round 2 Some new contenders entered the bracket as well! The Cinnamon-glazed Nuts from Chestnuts & Good Cheer got 61% against the Caroler’s Cold Brew from Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea. Round 2 Do we have any noodle fans? The New Year Soba at Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen was only able to muster 25% of the vote from the Ravioli at Tuscany Holiday Kitchen. Round 2 In this round, our Round 1 winner the Slow Roasted Turkey faced off with the Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl from Bavaria Holiday Kitchen. It was pretty close, but that melty cheese got 63% of the vote. Round 2 Another matchup of new entries! The Tamal de Barbacoa from Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen BARELY won against the Seared Scallops from Yukon Holiday Kitchen with 52% of the vote. Round 2 Round 1 winners the Peppermint Donut and the Bombolini faced off with the Bombolini pulling a 55% win. Round 2 And our CLOSEST matchup yet, Round 1 winners the Maple Bûche de Noël mustered a valiant 49% against the winning Mini Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake. Round 2 And what happens when a cookie goes up against Dole Whip? The cookie wins! The SNICKERS-Doodle Cookie got a 60% lead over the Coconut-Pineapple Cake with Dole Whip! Round 2 The bracket is CERTAINLY heating up! Wanting to see if a sweet treat or savory eat will reign supreme? Got a snack you’re cheering for? Head over to our Instagram and keep an eye on our stories to cast your votes, and we’ll be back with a Round 3 update soon! Want to see ALL of the reviews from EPCOT Festival of the Holidays? Click here! 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! What snack do you think should win? Tell us in the comments! The post HOLIDAY SMACKDOWN: Introducing Our EPCOT Festival of the Holidays Snack Bracket! 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. All year long Disney has been releasing exclusive plushes from iconic characters from classic films. And now the 2021 Treasures of the Vault Plush Collection is finishing strong! ©D23 Each month this year, Disney has been releasing a new collectible plush celebrating classic Disney characters. So far, we’ve seen a Winnie the Pooh plush, Donald Duck plush, and some other plushes released. But, this momentous year in Disney history is concluding with a rare plush! This month, the NEW Limited Edition collectible plush being released is honoring a Magic Kingdom opening day attraction and classic (well, THE classic) character — Mickey Mouse! ©D23 But this isn’t your ordinary Mickey Mouse push. This exclusive D23 release depicts Mickey as Maestro Mickey from the Magic Kingdom opening day attraction, The Mickey Mouse Revue. ©D23 This attraction once stood in the place of Mickey’s Philharmagic, which also features a maestro Mickey Mouse. But in this opening day musical attraction, an audio-animatronic maestro Mickey Mouse led an orchestra and cast of over 70 other Disney characters (in a very Country Bear Jamboree style performance) as they played songs from classic Disney films. This attraction was a Fantasyland staple until 1980. In 1983 it was moved to serve as an opening day attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. ©D23 Now, D23 Treasures of the Vault Plush Collection is honoring the mouse that started it all and Magic Kingdom’s 50th anniversary with this unique iteration of Maestro Mickey Mouse from the Mickey Mouse Revue. ©D23 This Mickey Mouse plush stands 16 inches tall and is made of soft fabrics with embroidered eyes. ©D23 He also comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. And his window box provides a perfect way to preserve and display this collectible. ©D23 These limited edition plushes will be released soon on Amazon, but D23 members will have early access to them! If you’re a D23 member, you can visit the D23 website on Friday, December 3rd at 9AM PST to get a link to purchase these plushes from Amazon. Note that you must be signed in as a D23 member to access the link that will then let you make the purchase. Limited quantities of the plush will be available on Amazon.com. ©D23 We keep you posted on all of the latest and exclusive releases, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all updates! The Perfect Last-Minute Disney Christmas Gift for Literally Anyone! 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 adding this new plush to your collection? Tell us in the comments! The post OG Disney World Fans Will Want to Snag This Limited Edition Mickey Mouse Plush! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’ve seen some pretty unique Disney merchandise this year! Loungefly Mickey Popcorn Backpack! From popcorn bags that actually SMELL like popcorn to socks with a pocket in thems, there’s definitely something for every Disney fan. One collection that spawned a lot of unique items were the Stitch Crashes Disney collections! We saw Spaghetti Stitch, Pink and Blue Stitch, and even Banana Stitch. And now, we know when the next Stitch Crashes Disney collections will be released! The next Stitch Crashes Disney collections will not be released until 2022! Series 10, 11, and 12 are all “coming soon” early next year. ©Disney The next and final three collections will be themed to Pocahontas, Peter Pan, and Mulan. We’ve actually already gotten a look at the Pocahontas collection… ©shopDisneyUK …and the Peter Pan collection, as both have been released in the U.K. ©shopDisneyUK We’ll let you know when official dates are announced for the collections, so stay tuned to DFB for updates! Click here to see more of the Stitch Crashes Peter Pan Collection! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Do you have any of the Stitch Crashes Disney collections? Let us know in the comments! The post We’ll Have to WAIT Until Next Year for the Final Stitch Crashes Disney Collections first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’re heading into Disney World this December, you can take in all the festive cheer with holiday decorations, new souvenirs, and special events. Magic Kingdom Holiday Decorations Although there are a lot of new additions to see, there are also a few attractions and hotels that will NOT be open for at least part of December. You’ll want to be aware of these closures before your trip so that they don’t catch you off guard! In this post, we’re going to take a look at what’s going to be closed in December in Disney World. Starting out with the rides and attractions, almost every Disney World park has one attraction that’s unavailable during some or all of December. Magic Kingdom The Walt Disney World Railroad is still closed in the Magic Kingdom. Fantasyland Train Station The train usually runs around the park with stops on Main Street, U.S.A., in Fantasyland, and another in Frontierland. Walt Disney World Railroad But some construction going on in Tomorrowland on the upcoming TRON: Lightcycle Run roller coaster has interrupted the train tracks, which means the train can’t run right now. Tron Construction — Late November 2021 The Railroad will probably return when construction over in Tomorrowland finishes up, which could be sometime next year (although Disney hasn’t given an official opening timeline for TRON as of now). Fantasyland Station Right now, Disney’s calendar of refurbishments has the railroad staying closed through January 2022 at least. Click Here to See an Update on the Walt Disney World Railroad Refurbishment EPCOT In EPCOT, the Souk-al-Magreb gift shop in the Morocco pavilion of World Showcase is still closed. Although this shop came off the refurbishments schedule for a while, we didn’t see it reopen in the park. Still closed! The gift shop is now back on Disney’s refurbishments schedule, and it looks like the shop will be closed at least until February of next year. That’s as far as the schedule goes right now, so its closure could be longer. Click Here to See What’s New in EPCOT Right Now Disney’s Animal Kingdom In Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Kali River Rapids is still closed for its refurbishment. Although it’ll be closed for a little while in December, this ride is actually scheduled to reopen earlier than it was originally going to. Construction walls at Kali River Rapids Kali River Rapids is set to open on January 3rd, 2022. Kali River Rapids Soon you’ll be able to enjoy Kali River Rapids again. We’ll keep you updated about its reopening as soon as we see it back in the parks. Click Here to See the Five BEST (and Five WORST) Rides in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Disney World Hotels Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort still has not opened. All-Star Sports Entrance It was scheduled to open in December of this year, but Disney announced that its reopening will be delayed indefinitely due to more construction inside. All-Star Sports Disney’s Port-Orleans Riverside Resort reopened last month, but the Boatwright’s Dining Hall did not open with it. Boatwright’s at Port Orleans Riverside We learned recently, however, that Boatwright’s will reopen on December 14th, so you’ll be able to enjoy the delicious Southern cooking again soon. Inside Boatwrights This restaurant will have several changes to the menu, so be sure to check those out before you visit. Click Here to Learn About the Changes at Boatwright’s Dining Hall Grand Floridian Refurb with DVC villas Over at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, the Big Pine Key building has started its transformation into Disney Vacation Club villas. The rooms will become 200 resort studios, which are scheduled to open in the summer of 2022. 1-Bedroom Villa ©Disney That’s it for our update on everything that’s scheduled to be closed in Disney World in December. Make sure to keep following DFB as you plan your Disney vacation because we’ll let you know about all the updates and changes along the way. Click Here to See the BEST Disney World Rides, According to Our Readers 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! Which Disney World attraction is your favorite? Let us know in the comments. The post Three Attractions Will Be CLOSED in Disney World This December first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Though Disney World can be a magical place, sometimes things don’t quite go to plan. Magic Kingdom We’ve seen rides shut down for technical issues, evacuated, or even closed due to smoke! Today, as we were walking through Magic Kingdom, we noticed that a popular ride was closed and being evacuated. Early this morning, we saw that Splash Mountain was temporarily closed. Splash Mountain is Down When we walked past it, we noticed that several of the boats were stopped and water was not running in certain areas. No Water Running There We also saw that the ride was listed as “temporarily closed” on the My Disney Experience app. ©Disney As we stood near the area, we could see guests getting up and being evacuated from the attraction. Guests Getting Evacuated You can see them as they step off the boats and walk through the evacuation route. More Evacuations Taking Place Check out the video below of Cast Members assisting in the evacuation process. It’s not clear what caused this issue, but it certainly isn’t the only time Splash Mountain has been down recently. Just last week, the ride went down and a Cast Member indicated it could be down all day (though it did later reopen). Guests were also evacuated from the ride in late September, and the ride was closed ALL day at one point in August. Guests Walking Off the Ride Evacuations and ride closures can happen, so it’s important to keep that in mind for future trips and be prepared. If a ride is closed, be sure to check back on the My Disney Experience app to see if it opens later in the day. If you’re on a ride when it stops and must be evacuated, be sure to listen to the Cast Members and follow their directions. Evacuation in Progress For more information on dealing with emergencies and evacuations in Disney World, check out our video below. And stay tuned for more Disney news! Click here to see what happens when you’re evacuated from Rise of the Resistance. 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. Have you ever been evacuated from a ride in Disney World? Tell us in the comments. The post PHOTOS & VIDEO: Guests EVACUATED off of Splash Mountain Today in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (a.k.a. the Star Wars hotel) is set to open in March of 2022 and we can’t wait! ©Disney | Obtained via IGN We’ve heard so many exciting things about this experience, including details about the food, a look at the merchandise, a peek inside the starcruiser, information about the lightsaber training experience, and MORE. A stay at the Star Wars Hotel isn’t cheap though. What if you could manage to stay there for FREE? Well, you might be able to if you enter in a very special sweepstakes! Right now, Disney Movie Insiders is offering a Galactic Voyage Sweepstakes! If you enter and win the grand prize, you’ll get a whole BUNCH of things, including: A 2-night stay aboard the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (a.k.a. the Star Wars hotel); this includes 1 standard cabin for up to 4 people (which means you AND 3 other guests will be able to enjoy this prize) Round trip coach airfare and ground transportation for 4 A 1-night stay in a Disney World hotel before your voyage at the Star Wars hotel starts 4 one-day park hopper theme park tickets a $200 Disney Gift Card The approximate retail value of the entire prize is just over $10,000! ©Disney To enter, you’ll either need to sign in or sign up for Disney Movie Insiders. You can register to become a Disney Movie Insiders member for FREE. You can enter the sweepstakes once for free. If you want additional entries, those will cost you 5 Disney Movie Insider points each. The sweepstakes is only open to Disney Movie Insiders that are residents of the 50 states in the United States and DC. ©Disney You must be 18 and older to enter. Other rules and regulations may apply — you can read the official rules on the Disney Movie Insiders website. You can only enter in the sweepstakes through December 31st, 2021, so be sure to get in those entries! Click here to enter the sweepstakes! Remember that the Star Wars hotel is not really a hotel — it’s more like an all-inclusive, cruise-type experience. While on board, you’ll get to participate in a whole bunch of activities, interact with unique characters, and “live out” your Star Wars story. The experience lasts 2-days and 2-nights. Sublight Lounge ©Disney If you’re looking to book a stay at the Star Wars hotel, many days have started to sell out. You can reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations to get started booking your out-of-this-world adventure! We’ll on the lookout for more information about the Star Wars hotel. We’ll be sure to let you know what we find. Click here to learn more about the Star Wars hotel! Star Wars Hotel -- Galactic Starcruiser News and Information See the Sample Pricing Revealed for the Star Wars Hotel Check Out a Sample Itinerary for the Star Wars Hotel Experience See Everything We Know About Dining at the Star Wars Hotel Learn About the Room Types at the Star Wars Hotel Watch a Video With Groundbreaking Details About the Star Wars Hotel Check Out a Complete Packing List for the Star Wars Hotel See 7 Important Details You May Have Missed About the Star Wars Hotel Check Out Some Important Announcements About the Star Wars Hotel See Why Galactic Starcruiser Isn’t Really a Hotel Click HERE to See More About Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Are you interested in staying at the Star Wars hotel? Tell us in the comments! The post Want to Win a FREE Stay at Disney World's Star Wars Hotel? Here's How You Can! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There are a ton of delicious places to eat at Disney World, but there are also great restaurants off-property! Portillo’s The Disney World area in particular has seen a host of popular new chain restaurants pop up recently, like Portillo’s, White Castle, and there is also another Chicken Guy! in progress! And, we just learned of another new restaurant that will open soon near Disney World! Torchy’s Tacos will open two new locations in Orlando, according to Orlando Business Journal. One will be in the Vineland Pointe development, which is just northeast of Walt Disney World, and the other will be in Altamonte Springs, north of Orlando. ©Torchy’s Tacos The Vineland Pointe location is expected to open in late 2022, and the Altamonte Springs location should open next summer. According to Orlando Business Journal, these will be the first Florida locations for the Austin, Texas-based taco chain. ©Torchy’s Tacos Torchy’s Tacos has a variety of tacos, including breakfast tacos, as well as things like burritos and salads. There is also a full bar! It started out as a food trailer in Austin in 2006 and now has over 96 locations in 10 states, according to Orlando Business Journal. ©Torchy’s Tacos We’re looking forward to trying out the new spot! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World news and updates. Click here to see a sneak peek of another new restaurant near 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. Have you ever had Torchy’s Tacos? Let us know in the comments! The post Listen Up! You'll Want to LEAVE Disney World for This New Taco Shop. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Earlier this year, Scarlett Johansson sued Disney over her Black Widow contract following its unconventional joint release in theatres and on Disney+. ©Disney/Marvel Though the back and forth between Johansson and Disney was volatile for a time, the two parties ultimately reached a settlement and Disney opted to change talent contracts going forward. Now, Scarlett Johansson is speaking out about the lawsuit. The Associated Press spoke with Johansson on the red carpet for the American Cinematheque tribute in her honor. When asked about the lawsuit, Johansson said, “I think it’s important in general to know your own worth and stand up for yourself, and I think, you know, in this industry.” Black Widow ©Marvel She continued on to mention some worries and hopes about the industry, “I’ve been working for such a long time. It’s been almost 30 years and so I’ve seen … there’s so much that has shifted over those 30 years.” Johansson also expanded to say she used to be worried about getting blacklisted, but “thankfully that’s changing in the zeitgeist.” Black Widow Film Johansson also spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the suit. “It’s an evolving time where there’s this huge sea change happening,” she said, “and as my daughter [Rose] told me the other day, you can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs. It was a very surreal time because, of course, the film had come out and was hugely successful and that was a big celebration. I had a baby and that was obviously a life-changing, amazing, celebratory thing.” Black Widow comes out tomorrow! She continued to say, “In a way, that sort of buoyed me through the very uncertain, stressful time. I feel mostly very fortunate that nobody will have to go through what I went through and that it’s made, I think, a positive impact in the industry and hopefully for artists and creatives’ lives and livelihood.” ©Disney/Marvel Johansson is still set to work with Disney on the upcoming Tower of Terror movie. As always, keep an eye on DFB for the latest Disney news. Click here to learn more about the Tower of Terror movie! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Got questions about this situation? Ask them in the comments! The post "Know Your Worth." Scarlett Johansson Comments on Disney Lawsuit first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’re at Disney World almost every day, and so we’ve learned a few things about how to get the best views on rides, what the best seats are, and how to get on popular rides without waiting in lines that are impossibly long! Don’t let them know you’re with the Resistance! So what other ride hacks at Disney World do YOU need to know? 1. Rider Switch OK, so this isn’t so much a “hack” BUT many people don’t know it’s even offered!! If you’re a parent with younger kids that don’t meet all the different height requirements, listen up! Rider Switch is a way for a family with two caretakers to switch out riding so someone can stay with the person who can’t (or doesn’t want to) ride. All you have to do is request a Rider Switch with the Cast Member at the entrance of the ride. It works like this: One caretaker can ride (either solo or with the rest of their party) while the other person waits with the person(s) not riding and then you can switch and the other caretaker and up to three guests can ride right after without having to wait in line again. Riding Barnstormer This is a great way to double up your rides. After the first group rides that ride, the second group can ride with a short wait by entering the Lighting Lane. If you have some guests with you looking to snag a second shorter wait on that ride, they’re welcome to go with but only until you reach that three additional guest maximum. 2. Get The Best View on Soarin’ If you’re not familiar with Soarin’, the screen is curved to help create the illusion of flying over the world without using 3D technology. If you end up on the sides of the ride, your view might look a little warped (OK, a LOT warped!). So here’s how to prevent that: when you’re in line, request Concourse B for the best Soarin’ views. That puts you in the middle of the attraction for the best view. Soarin’ takes you around the world! We also often recommend requesting the first row so you don’t have other guests’ feet in your face. This isn’t guaranteed that the Cast Members can accommodate, but they’ll often try. 3. How To Get A Wilder Ride When it comes to most thrill rides at Disney World — and we’re talking Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Slinky Dog Dash — sitting in the back gives you a more thrilling ride experience. (If you remember much of your high school Physics class, you might remember why!) HOWEVER, if you’re with a kiddo (hey, or adult!) who isn’t used to roller coasters yet, you’ll want to request a seat in the front for a more gentle ride. Get a WILDER ride! And if you’re looking for the best — and most thrilling seats — on rides, be sure to check out our guides on Best and Worst Seats on rides in Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT. 4. Best Time To Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris We bet you’re wondering — what’s the best time to go on a safari in Animal Kingdom? You wanna see the most bang for your back, animal-wise, right? Well, the answer is — that depends! However, when it’s cooler — in mornings and evenings — you’re probably going to see more animals out and about. They’re out often in the morning and around dusk. Hello, Mr. Rhino However, different animals prefer different times of the day, so you might see certain animals in the morning and completely different animals during the evenings. And some animals LOVE the rain, so this is a great ride for a rainy park day. 5. Using Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ Disney Genie is “designed to help you make the most out of your visit, whether you’re a first-time guest or a seasoned pro.” The service, which can be found under the My Disney Experience app, allows guests to create customized itineraries based on rides they want to ride, shows they want to see, and dining plans. Once guests have told Genie what they want to do, they’ll be given options with the service on how best to use their time at the parks. Oh, and did we mention that you can also use Genie as a Virtual Assistant? ©Disney And if your plans change — Genie will update its recommendations and offer tips and updates for your whole group. The itinerary also pairs with a personalized tip board that displays information about current and future attraction wait times, showtimes, details about virtual queues, dining availability, Mobile Order, and more. So just this information alone can help you plan which rides you want to hit and when you’ll find the best time to do so. ©Disney The planning part of Genie is free, but if you really want to hack rides, you’ll want to sign up for Genie+, which costs $15 per day per ticket. With Genie+, you can skip the line at 46 attractions throughout Disney World and access the Lightning Lane, meaning you’ll spend less time waiting in line and more time riding attractions! Yep, it’s paid FastPass, basically (if you’re familiar with the old system). Skip the line by using the Lightning Lane And if you want to ride some of the more popular attractions (like Rise of the Resistance and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train), you can use the Individual Attraction Selection of Genie, which means you’ll pay a certain amount per ride per person. The pricing does depend on demand. ©Disney So again, not necessarily a hack BUT if you want a shot at those Lighting Lanes, this is how you do it. Gotta pay to play nowadays. We could go into a million ways you can use Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selection to have a shorter wait on rides at Disney World, but instead, we recommend you read our full Genie guide here! Here’s Our EASY and SHORT guide to Genie 6. Disability Access So this isn’t a ride hack again, per se, but something you’ll want to know about if you have someone requiring additional assistance in your group. Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS) is available to guests who have disabilities. Those guests will need to go to Guest Relations to obtain a DAS pass on their MagicBand (or a physical pass if they don’t have a MagicBand). Guests can also pre-apply for DAS before they arrive by going online. Alternative Access Entrance This pass is valid for the length of their stay. This lets them go to an attraction and receive a return time. Once that time comes up, those guests will be directed through an alternative entrance for boarding (often the Lightning Lane). Note, though, that guests with a DAS pass will still have to join a boarding group to ride Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Here’s How Disability Access Services Work NOW in Disney World 7. Single Rider Lines If you’re visiting Disney World solo or have a group who doesn’t care if everyone rides together on a ride, you need to know about the Single Rider Line, which is offered at Test Track, Expedition Everest, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. And the waits for these lines are a lot shorter than normal standby lines, and about the same time or even shorter as Lightning Lane lines. Single Rider Shirt — not as cool as the Single Rider Line, we promise. Rides even have displays that will let you know how long the Single Rider Line is. And if you are with a party, you can still wait in line with them — you don’t separate from them until you get on the actual ride. Keep in mind though if your whole crew hops in the single rider line you likely WILL get separated. We see guests all the time hop in line because it’s shorter and get upset when Cast Members refuse to seat their whole party together. This line is to fill holes on rides. However, you can still end up in the same ride vehicle with them, just don’t count on it! See The Horrifying Disney Souvenir We Can’t Unsee 8. When Should You Ride To Avoid Lines? If you can avoid lines, you’ll be able to ride more rides, and isn’t that the whole point? So here’s our top tip, even though it seems kinda obvious — you’ll get to ride a LOT more rides during the very first and the very last hours at the parks than during the middle of the day when everyone and their families are getting in lines. Now, we aren’t telling you that rope drop is a must, but if you want to get on a bunch of rides with the smallest wait times, you might want to consider it. What Rope Drop at Hollywood Studios looked like pre-closure There are also shorter lines during shows, parades, and fireworks (when all of those are offered) if you don’t mind missing out to hop on a ride with a super short wait time. Although Disney has suspended the Extra Magic Hours program, the Early Theme Park Entry is here, which allows Disney World hotel guests into any park 30 minutes before everyone else — and that, too, would be a good time to get in as many rides as you can. Also keep in mind that those choosing to stay at a Deluxe Resort (AKA: $$$$) get a nice perk of select extended evening hours in the park just for them. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Line Keep in mind parks with earlier close times, like Animal Kingdom, can see a lot of guests in the morning that then park hop to another park at 2PM. This means that you’re often less likely to stand in long lines at Animal Kingdom after 2PM until close. You could — quite literally — possibly walk onto Flight of Passage later in the day. 9. Ticketed Events Disney often offers After Hours events, which are events that require an additional ticket to attend. These events are generally limited, meaning that lines for rides are often significantly shorter at them. This includes Disney After Hours Boo Bash AND Mickey’s Very Merriest After Hours. Ride Pirates of the Caribbean with a SHORT wait! The downside is that these events can get very pricey, especially if you’re traveling with a large group. The tickets for these events are often $100 or more PER PERSON. But if you’re on a short trip or just hate waiting in lines, it might be worth it for you and your group to attend. Check out our first look at the Very Merriest After Hours event! 10. Rides That Are Better At Night Some rides are just more fun at night. Think outdoor roller coasters, like Slinky Dog Dash, which gives you great views of Toy Story Land all lit up at night (translation: RAINBOWS!). Big Thunder Mountain Railroad seems more exciting at night because you can’t see where you’re going. WAY more fun at night! Astro Orbiter during fireworks will also blow your mind if you can time it just right. Just set your rocket to the highest setting and watch the night light up with color! 11. Getting In Line at Park Close Here’s a tip — if you jump in line for a ride JUST before park close, you WILL get to ride it. And at the end of the night, wait times are often showing a bit higher than they really are — so not only will you get to ride, but you’ll possibly also wait in a shorter line to do so. At night, it’s probably not this long… So say you get in line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train one minute before park close…you’re all good to ride! 12. Get To the Park BEFORE It Opens We mentioned getting to the parks in time for rope drop, but if you can manage it, get to the park about 45 minutes before official opening time and you may get to go in AND ride some things before official opening time. Good morning from Magic Kingdom! This isn’t a given — often guests will be permitted in just a small portion of the park (think like Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom) but lands will be roped off until open. It’s worth a shot though and, if you’re there early, you’ll be one of the first in line for any ride you chose once things DO open up! Bright and early However, you can get into the park even before that if you’re staying at a Disney World resort hotel. Early Theme Park Entry (which we discussed above!) is available to all Disney World resort guests that lets you get into any park and start riding attractions 30 minutes before the park’s official opening time. Early Entry entrance at Hollywood Studios And again, guests staying at Disney World deluxe resorts, as well as the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, also get select Extended Evening hours at the parks, which means a chance to ride attractions with shorter lines after the parks officially close to the public. Here Are All The Hotels That Offer Extended Evening Hours 13. What To Do When Things Break Down Some rides are a lot of fun when they break down because they give you a chance to really take in some of the great details — and Hidden Mickeys — that Disney’s Imagineers have put into them. Also, if you’re on a ride that breaks down, you’ll likely be given a pass to get in a Lightning Lane for another attraction in the park. Splash Mountain breaks down often. Note that this Lightning Lane access often excludes the more popular rides, so don’t expect to get on Flight of Passage if Tough to Be a Bug in Animal Kingdom breaks down. (The exception here is if the ride you were evacuated from IS one of those big rides — you’ll be able to come back and ride that ride later in the day when it’s operational.) 14. What To Do When Your Favorite Ride is Down for Refurb You can often avoid this problem altogether by doing a little research — Disney World keeps a list on its calendar of ride refurbishment schedules so you’ll know if a ride will be down during your trip. But if your favorite ride is closed and you didn’t know, look for similar attractions elsewhere in the park. If the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is down, you can always ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad instead. Pirates of the Caribbean closed? Try it’s a small world! Bye, PeopleMover! Hope to see you soon! Keep in mind that January gets a little chilly in Florida in the winters — water rides are often scheduled to be down during that time. This includes Splash Mountain, Kali River Rapids, and the water parks. Again, check that refurb calendar for the latest! 15. Dumbo vs. Triceratops Spin vs. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin Did you even go to Disney World if you don’t have an iconic spin around on Dumbo? This ride is a classic but that can also mean longer-than-you’d-like-to-wait standby lines! If you’ve got a kid who insists on riding Dumbo, you don’t necessarily HAVE to stand in line for Dumbo. All three of these rides are the same! Your smaller kiddos probably won’t know the difference, so hop on the one with the shortest wait time. Dumbo Both Triceratops Spin in Animal Kingdom and Magic Carpets of Aladdin in Magic Kingdom typically have little to no wait! This also works if Dumbo is down for refurbishment: both Triceratops Spin and The Magic Carpets of Aladdin will be suitable replacements for your child. 16. How To Introduce Kids To Coasters If you have a kid who’s ready to get their feet wet with thrill rides, we recommend taking them on the following rides in the following order: Barnstormer in Magic Kingdom, Slinky Dog Dash in Hollywood Studios, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom, Splash Mountain in Magic Kingdom, and then Space Mountain Magic Kingdom. Space Mountain Save biggies like Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest, and Tower of Terror for once they’ve mastered the others! So when you start with Barnstormer and your kid likes it, have them watch Slinky Dog Dash and ride that, and so on. (We recommend trying out Barnstormer during the DAY. It’s very tight around this coaster with trees and props and can be frightening to not know where they’re going in the dark for some kids.) Always check in with how they feel about each ride and don’t push them to ride something they don’t feel ready for yet. 17. Tips For Motion Sickness or Fear of Heights If you’re worried about motion sickness, there are a few rides at Disney World you will probably want to avoid. First, the 3D and simulator rides like Star Tours, Flight of Passage, and Mission Space, are probably rides you’ll want to skip (the green side of Mission Space is a lot less intense than the orange side, although if you have issues with tight spaces or claustrophobia — you might want to skip altogether). Mission Space You’ll also want to consider avoiding jerky rides — like Dinosaur — and spinning rides — like the Mad Tea Party. You can choose not to spin your teacup, but you’ll still have the general swirling motion of the ride, so if you think that might still make you feel queasy, it’s probably best to not get on it. Lots of spinning. LOTS. If you have a fear of heights, be cautious about rides like Flight of Passage and Soarin’, which don’t place you too high up really but sure simulate flying from heights. You’ll also want to avoid Tower of Terror, as well as most coasters, if heights are not your thing. 18. What To Do With Your Bags MOST guests opt to carry some form of a bag with them to Disney World, but here’s the question — where do you put it? At Universal Studios, for example, each ride has a locker for bags, but this isn’t the case at Disney World. But most rides do have somewhere you can keep your things stored away during the ride. Keep your backpack secure! But if you have a big backpack or bag that doesn’t fit in those bag holders, you do have some options. At Soarin’, you can just leave your bag on the ground — there’s a little taped off area on the floor for oversized bags. A Cast Member will help you out. Soarin’ Seating On roller coasters, you can just loop a backstrap around your knee and put it down by your feet — we’ve never had issues with bags flying off. But don’t forget to check that zippered compartments are secure and there’s nothing that could easily fly OUT of your bag. If you loaded up in the gift shops and find yourself with giant Disney bags full of goodies that don’t fit in your seat compartment, let a Cast Member know. They might be able to hold it for you near the exit or let you take turns while another person in your party waits with your stuff. If you’re doing several thrill rides in a row, consider a Locker Rental — you’ll find those near the entrance of the parks, as well as near water rides like Kali River Rapids. These DO cost money, so keep that in mind. The Disney theme parks all have rental lockers. And as always, make sure any loose items like hats, sunglasses, Minnie ears, etc. are in zippered compartments of your bag on those faster rides and a plastic bag on those water rides if you don’t want them to get wet. (Don’t forget to take them when you leave too!) 19. How To Get A High Score on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin This is a really fun attraction at Magic Kingdom, and you want to score high — even if it’s just for bragging rights! So be sure to use that joystick to pivot your vehicle so that you can see all of the targets. In the first room is a giant robot — aim for the targets inside the arms to get 100,000 points. Now, THAT’S what we’re talking about. Get your points to infinity and beyond! On Zurg’s ship, there’s a target on the bottom you’ll want to hit for 25,000 points. When you’re going through the Star Tunnel, try to hit the body of the spaceship for another 100,000 points. Of course, there are a ton of other ways to max out your score, but we hope that gets you started to beating your current high score. 20. Easter Eggs and High Scores On Toy Story Mania Likewise, there are Easter Eggs on Toy Story Mania in Hollywood Studios that can maximize your score and maybe even get you on the leaderboard at the end of the ride (goals!!!). In the first scene with the barn, watch for mice running up the side of the barn and shoot at them. If you hit them all, you’ll get a fun surprise. Toy Story Mania entrance Also, knock the fox off the hen house — this will give you some new high score targets to hit. If you can ring all the little green men at the same time (and you can totally work with your ride partner to do this), the scene will change into a robot with an open mouth that lets you shoot as many rings as possible for 1,000 and 2,000 points each. Oh, yeah! Ready to Play! So yeah, these are only a few tips on how to get a high score on Toy Story Mania, but these are sure to help you out! So we hope you enjoyed these fun ride hacks and tips and hope they help you have the most magical time possible at Disney World. And as always, we’ll continue to share all our favorite Disney World tips and tricks! Here’s Everything You Want and Need for Toy Story Land! 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. Do you have any favorite ride hacks to share? Let us know in the comments! The post Do You Know These 20 Rad Disney World Ride Tips? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

You might not know that there is some amazing food in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Animal Kingdom It’s true! Most people think of EPCOT when they think of great Disney food (and we don’t necessarily disagree), but Animal Kingdom definitely has some can’t-miss dishes and snacks. Some of these tasty snacks aren’t available year-round, though. Yesterday, we got a snack that’s actually really tricky to catch in this park! Caravan Road is a kiosk located right outside the entrance to the Asia section of Animal Kingdom if you’re coming from the Africa section. It’s just across the Discovery River from the Tree of Life. Caravan Road Unfortunately, this stand is usually closed. On Disney World’s website, it’s even listed as “temporarily unavailable.” ©Disney But when we stopped by yesterday, it was open for business! It’s open! On the menu were different flavors of shaved ice, including watermelon, mango passion fruit, piña colada, and a tropical mix. You could get any of these options with Snow Leopard Vodka added as well. Menu We weren’t gonna miss this opportunity to get a snack from this rarely open spot, so we grabbed the Mango Passion Fruit Shaved Ice, which is available for $4.99. You bet we got one! We thought this treat was delicious! It was very refreshing (perfect for a hot day in this park), and the flavors were more sophisticated than your average blue raspberry or cherry shaved ice. The most prominent flavor was mango, and we couldn’t really taste much of the passion fruit. So if you’re buying this as a huge passion fruit fan, you might be disappointed there. So delicious! The refreshing flavors made us feel like we were having a “grown up” snow cone, which we loved. Mango Passion Fruit Shaved Ice Although the flavor was more fresh and sophisticated, it definitely still came from a syrup. We really enjoyed it, but we can tell that it’s not actually mango nectar. Not real fruit juice, but still delicious So if you’re looking for a sweet, cold, refreshing treat, stop by Caravan Road to see if they’re open during your trip! But don’t get your hopes up too high — when we visited this stand again less than an hour later, it was closed again. Um…what happened? What happened? We asked some nearby Cast Members, and they told us that the hours vary depending on the day. Allegedly, the stand’s normal hours are about 11AM to 3PM, although that’s not always the case. It’s like nothing ever happened here So you’ll just have to take a chance during your trip and see if it’s available! If it is, we highly recommend that Mango Passion Fruit Shaved Ice. Keep following DFB for more updates on all the best food in Disney World! Click Here to See What Else is 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. Have you had a snack from Caravan Road in Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Let us know in the comments! The post You Have to Time It *Just Right* to Get This Disney World Treat first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Gatorland offers half-price tickets in December for visitors who are age 60 and older. View the full article

Disney is known for a lot of things — incredible films, amazing theme parks and attractions, relaxing cruise adventures, and more. Magic Kingdom Disney has faced its fair set of challenges along the way. Sometimes those challenges have come in the form of legal roadblocks or situations that otherwise would have put the company in a tough spot. That’s where the real ingenuity and creativeness of the team at Disney really shines. Sometimes it’s been as simple as using loopholes or unique legal strategies, but other times Disney has LITERALLY changed the law. Today, we’re taking a look at some of those times where Disney didn’t just sit back and follow the ordinary legal requirements but instead made the law work for THEM. 1 — Reedy Creek We’ll start with what is one of the key aspects of Disney World that makes it work the way it does — the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID). Our friends over at AllEars have a fantastic article on the subject written by Disney historian Jim Korkis that we’ve used for reference. You’ve probably seen signs around Disney World that say “RCID” on them, or seen things that say “Reedy Creek” and maybe never thought about it before. But RCID is critical to how Disney World is able to function in the way it wants. Reedy Creek Fire Department ©Reedy Creek In May of 1967, Florida’s then-governor signed a bill into law that established the RCID. He also signed acts to form 2 incorporated cities within the RCID — Bay Lake and Reedy Creek (Reedy Creek was later renamed to the City of Lake Buena Vista). You may not think of there being legit CITIES within Disney World property, but there are! RCID is a “multi-purpose district that provides essential public services, regulates building codes, land use and environmental protections, and tries to provide direction for the efficient operation of Walt Disney World property.” Essentially, an improvement district, like RCID, functions as a political subdivision. There’s a Board of Directors (made of property owners) that govern that district. The district is then allowed to have pretty wide authority when it comes to governing its specific area — that includes decision-making power about “imposing taxes, adopting ordinances, contracting for professional services, handling pest control and more.” Those infamous purple — not standard green you’ll see in the rest of the U.S. — road signs in Disney World? Thank Reedy Creek. Driving Around Disney As the Reedy Creek website explains, the RCID is responsible for overseeing land use in the district, as well as providing essential services, regulating certain building codes, and operating all public roadways. All that might sound well and good, but what’s so important about it? Well, the RCID has complete jurisdiction over the property owned by Disney in Florida, so it basically functions like its own separate county. That gives Disney more control when it comes to making decisions on things within the district. According to historian Jim Korkis, “If it wanted to, the district could build its own airport or nuclear power plant.” Hollywood Studios RCID gets its income from the taxes and fees imposed within the district. The Board of supervisors conducts business for the district. These supervisors all have to be landowners. But, Disney owns the land in the district, right? Right. So, to work around this tiny problem, Disney actually sells blocks of undeveloped land to the supervisors. The supervisors then have to sell their land back to the company when their terms are complete. Ingenious! Because votes from the landowners (who vote the supervisors into power) are proportional to the land owned, and Disney owns the land, basically Disney governs its own property. Disney Roads Votes are strictly proportional to the acreage owned, so the company basically governs its own property. Basically, if the RCID wasn’t established, Disney would have to turn to county government leaders and regulators to get approval on all kinds of different internal projects. With the RCID, a whole bunch of achievements have been made that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Here’s just a small list of things Disney has done in Florida that it wouldn’t have been able to do without the RCID: The establishment of the “Epcot Building Codes,” which “are based on a philosophy that encourages new methods in design, construction and materials.” These building codes “led to a wide range of imaginative projects and ideas, such as the construction of a fiberglass castle and an 18-story geosphere, while assuring a high degree of public safety.” The creation of Cinderella castle out of fiberglass — “Fiberglass was formerly considered too combustible for structural use. A sophisticated system of sprinklers, computer-controlled smoke detectors, and flame retardants made possible the 189-foot-tall Cinderella Castle that used more fiberglass than any other single structure up to its construction in 1971.” Disney World’s unique trash system — “The first installation in the United States of the Swedish-built Automated Vacuum Assisted Collection (AVAC) was for the Magic Kingdom. This unique method of waste collection allows refuse to be deposited at 17 collection points around the park. Every 15 minutes it is drawn through 24-inch pneumatic tubes, at speeds up to 60 miles an hour to a central compactor station at the back of Splash Mountain and then trucked out to waste management.” And that’s just a SMALL list. Disney World Trash Can The existence of the RCID has let Disney take steps it wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise, and it continues to give Disney a large amount of control over its functioning today. 2 — Mickey Mouse’s Copyright If there’s one character that is truly at the heart of the Disney Company it’s Mickey Mouse — the mouse that started it all. But, even Mickey Mouse is subject to certain legal constraints like all other creative works, right? While that is true, Disney has done quite a bit of work in this area to protect their beloved mouse. Mickey Mouse One of the biggest legal areas Mickey Mouse has been involved in is copyright. Copyright law provides individuals (or companies) with exclusive rights over creative works, including fictional characters that are original and fixed in a tangible medium. While that copyright lasts, the owner has the exclusive ability to use and distribute their work. When the copyright expires, the work falls into the public domain, meaning anyone and everyone can use that work however they want to. Steamboat Willie ©Disney Mickey Mouse, like similar original fictional characters fixed in a tangible medium, is subject to copyright law. But, over the years, Disney has worked to extend their exclusive time with the Mouse. When Mickey was first created, the copyright law allowed a maximum of 56 years of protection. When Mickey got close to becoming part of the public domain, Disney started lobbying to make some changes. That lobbying paid off. Ultimately, the Copyright Act of 1976 was signed by Congress which extended the copyright protection for already-published corporate copyrights to 75 years. That gave Mickey some more years of protection, but ultimately he was set to fall into the public domain in 2003. Hey There Mickey! As 2003 came nearer, Disney picked up its lobbying efforts once again. And, once again, Disney’s lobbying worked. The law that resulted was the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, but many refer to it by a more unique name — “Mickey Mouse Protection Act.” The Mickey Mouse Protection Act extended copyright protection from 75 years to 95 years. Do you have a protection act named after you like Mickey?? Yeah, that’s the power of Disney. Under the current law, Mickey Mouse has just a few more years (until 2024) before he falls into the public domain. But, things aren’t quite as simple as they might look. 2024 will pull a few of the early Mickey films and the original Mickey design into the public domain under copyright law, but Mickey’s design has changed over the years. And trademark law likely complicates things. Mickey Mouse! Still, the situation with Mickey’s copyright is clear example of when Disney hasn’t simply sat back and let the law be what it will be. Twice in the past, Disney has actively worked to CHANGE the law — and it worked! It’ll certainly be interesting to see what happens as 2024 approaches. Click here to see what happens when Disney doesn’t own Mickey Mouse anymore! 3 — Yellow Life Boats Ever taken a look at or sailed on one of Disney Cruise Line‘s massive ships? They’re pretty spectacular for a lot of reasons, including the special rotational dining pattern, the amazing entertainment, and more. But, Disney Cruise Line’s ships are actually very unique for one reason you might not have noticed. If you look at the outside design of a Disney Cruise Line ship, the overall color scheme is meant to remind you of Mickey Mouse (of course). There’s the dark bottom, the yellow for the shoes, and that signature red for Mickey’s shorts. Disney Cruise Line One of the most important parts about that design is the bright yellow that represent’s Mickey’s iconic shoes. But, the use of that yellow color ALMOST wasn’t possible. On many other cruise lines, you’ll see bright orange lifeboats. But, well, orange wouldn’t fit into the Mickey aesthetic. See the Orange Boats? ©Carnival As the Disney Cruise Line website notes, Disney was actually the first cruise line to have yellow lifeboats instead of the regulation orange ones. Disney actually had to get special permission from the U.S. Coast Guard to use this special color to keep in theme with the ship. Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream Like the situation with the Mickey Mouse copyright, this is one of those times where Disney didn’t just sit back and let things go — they actively fought to get those yellow lifeboats, and we can’t blame them for it — they look pretty great! Click here to learn more about Disney Cruise Line! 4 — Appraised Property Values The land Disney World sits on in Orlando is surely worth a LOT. Considering the fact that at the end of the day Disney is a company that (for many reasons) is looking to make money and increase its stock value, you’d think that property appraisals showing high and increasing values would be something Disney Would be happy about. But, with increasing property values come increasing property taxes. Back in 2020, we shared how Disney sued Property Appraiser Rick Singh over a property tax issue, saying that the 2019 property tax appraisals for Disney World’s property were actually TOO high! Magic Kingdom According to Disney’s lawsuit, Singh listed the value for EPCOT at $539 million, Magic Kingdom at $504, Animal Kingdom at $435 million, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at $394 million. Disney didn’t say what it thought its resort’s value was but called Singh’s numbers “excessive.” This isn’t the first time. This has been happening every single spring since 2016, and Disney previously had dozens of cases pending. Mexico Pavilion With those dozens of cases pending, you might have wondered if Disney’s efforts were all in vain. But, it turns out they weren’t. Their legal efforts actually worked. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Disney Company has settled their legal dispute with the Orange County Property Appraiser’s Office and will actually get MILLIONS in refunds from state and local taxing authorities. Tree of Life At the time the Sentinel’s article was published in July, the exact amount hadn’t been calculated. But, the Orange County Tax Collector had estimated that Disney would get back about $1.3 million for the 2015 tax year, and likely similar amounts for tax years between 2016 and 2020. In 2015, Disney paid about $23 million in property taxes in Florida levied on the 14 properties. But, it looks like it’ll now get some of that money back. If you’ve ever tried to fight your local home appraisal amount when it comes out each year to pay a smaller amount of tax, this probably sounds mega familiar. Same thing but on a massive theme park scale! EPCOT When it comes to challenging property appraisal values, Disney’s not alone. Universal Orlando and SeaWorld also sued the Orange County Property Appraiser back in 2016, alleging that the assessments of their properties for 2015 were too high. So, while this isn’t a battle that only Disney has faced, it is one where (again) it has succeeded. 5 — Disney’s Secret Land Purchases Perhaps the most famous of Disney’s legal strategies is the one used when the company was purchasing land in Florida to create Walt Disney World. In this instance, Disney didn’t fight for a change in the law (like with the property appraiser or lifeboats). Instead, it used the legal system to its advantage and made creative legal choices to keep its plans quiet. ©D23 Our friends at AllEars have 2 fantastic articles all about Walt Disney’s sneaky tactics to purchasing land in Florida, which we’ve referenced in making this article and will reference below. When Walt was looking at creating Disney World, he knew he wanted to acquire a large amount of land so he could have the freedom to create what he wanted and not be too close to neighboring businesses (unlike the situation in Disneyland). But, if the Disney name was attached to the purchases, he knew the land would suddenly spike and he’d have to pay top dollar. ©D23 So, to avoid that, Disney went about buying the land in a more creative way. The company set up various “dummy” corporations with rather pun-filled names like M.T. Lott Real Estate (some of which you might see mentioned on the windows on Main Street, U.S.A.). Each of these “dummy” corporations then purchased land separately. By the time 1965 rolled around, Disney had secretly bought more than 27,000 acres of land for as cheap as he possibly could. But, not everyone was fooled by Disney’s strategy. When reports of the land being acquired got out, whispers and rumors began to spread and Disney’s name was often mentioned. Land Purchased by Disney in 1964 and 1965 is Shaded in Darker Green ©D23 Eventually, The Orlando Sentinel released an article where one specific reporter, Emily Bavar, noted that she believed Disney was behind the purchases. That ultimately foiled Disney’s plans and those last few land purchases became just a bit more expensive. Walt purchased the first acre of land for about $80 and the last cost a cool $80,000! Once the secret was out, Disney made an announcement and started openly explaining his ideas for Disney World. But, thanks to the company’s creative use of the law, they were able to acquire much of the land that would ultimately become the Most Magical Place on Earth for fairly cheap! More Legal Battles Of course, this doesn’t even come close to going over all of Disney’s legal battles and it certainly doesn’t cover the creative uses of the law that are sure to come. Disney is constantly working to further its interests or protect its property (as many companies do), and that’s something that likely won’t end. Recently, Forbes shared an article about Disney’s battle with several Marvel creators about the copyright rights to some of the popular Marvel characters. With the broad range of intellectual property that now falls under the Disney name — Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and more — we have a feeling the legal challenges will continue. And as Disney continues to develop new technologies and push the envelope with new developments, it may continue to use creative legal strategies to make its plans work. Fantasyland Only time will tell what interesting legal things we’ll be writing about 50 years from now. Click here to see 8 surprises you won’t expect to see in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post 6 Times Disney Fought the Law -- and WON. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Gemini Springs Park in Volusia County provides 210 acres of public space with double springs and a range of recreational activities. View the full article

There’s a new restaurant in town located not too far from Disney World property! While there have been several new restaurants opening up at Disney World like Space 220, Steakhouse 71, and La Crêperie de Paris, we’re also curious to hear about the neighboring resort areas offering new dining options for visitors. ©Hyatt Regency If your next trip to Disney World includes a stay at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, you’ll want to check out this new dining spot. Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen officially opens this week, and we got to take a sneak peek this afternoon! Let’s check it out! The restaurant is run by celebrity chef Richard Blais, who was the first winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars and recently announced co-star of the new Gordon Ramsay/FOX cooking competition, Next Level Chef. We were able to take a look at the restaurant, including its bar, seating area, and patio! Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen The bar was mixing up cocktails from their menu. Cocktails Clearly, we had to check some out for ourselves! Check out the cute little Flamingo decor! And yes, there are flamingos everywhere! Adorable! Here’s a look at the seating area. Chef Blais mentioned that they wanted to go for a vintage Florida vibe throughout the restaurant, whether that was through the decorations or the glassware guests were drinking from. You can really tell every detail was thought through! Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen The restaurant is located in the former location of Hemingway’s. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll find several Hemingway books used as decor as a little nod to the spot’s former tenant! A nod to the former tenant, Hemingway’s! Guests were also able to sample items from the menu, which was inspired by Florida-based ingredients like stone crab, citrus, and Mahi Mahi. Yum! Dishes available from their Sunday Brunch menu to take a look at included Tuna Tostone… Tuna Tostone …as well as their Shrimp Toast! Shrimp Toast For dinner, guests can dine one Steak… Steak …along with a side of Collared Greens. Collared Greens Chef Blais himself was there to greet guests! Chef Richard Blais Overall, this is a beautiful spot in the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, filled with nice touches and delicious-looking menus for both Brunch and Dinner. Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen Check it out for yourself the next time you’re at the Hyatt Regency, and be sure to follow along for the latest updates and openings both on and off Disney World property! Click here to read about when parking trams will finally return to Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! 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. Have you ever stayed at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress? Let us know in the comments! Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Hyatt to attend their media preview of Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ The post PHOTOS & VIDEOS: Get a Sneak Peek Inside Celebrity Chef Richard Blais’ New Restaurant Near Disney World! 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. Whether it’s the movie, The Festival of the Lion King, the lovable kite-tails kites, or even the long-gone Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, we can’t get enough of The Lion King! The Lion King at Animal Kingdom! It’s a Disney classic with lovable characters, memorable songs, and heartfelt moments, so of course, we freak out whenever there’s new Lion King merch! These new Lion King plushes are sure to make even Scar crack a little smile! As of RIGHT NOW, you can get ADORABLE Lion King Wishables on shopDisney! We can barely handle how cute they are! Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki all got the sparkle-eyed Wishables treatment, and they look absolutely adorable! ©Disney Pumbaa is seriously making us teary-eyed just looking at him. Maybe it’s his big eyes, his cute snout, or his little hooves, but we need like 50, immediately. This is not a drill. ©Disney Here’s a closer look at Nala who looks extra cute and cuddly as a Wishable! ©Disney These Wishables come in a blind bag, so you don’t know which one you’ll get! ©Disney They’re $14.99 on shopDisney right now. Click here to take your chance on the Blind Bag Lion King Wishables! If you don’t wanna go the blind bag route, you can buy Simba on his own! Simba ©shopDisney He’s available for $14.99 as well. Click here to snag the Simba Wishable online! We love seeing new Wishables and we can’t wait to see what comes next. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news! Click here to check out how you can WIN FREE DISNEY MERCH 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 gonna get the Lion King Wishables? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney's New Lion King Wishables Are Now Available Online! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We just LOVE the holiday season at Disney World, don’t you? Happy Holidays! One of the great things about the holiday season is seeing all of the different traditions that people have. Some people do secret Santa, some people run holiday 5k’s, but over here, we try every single holiday treat, snack, and drink you can find at the Disney Parks and rate them! Fun, right? Today we tried a new festively boozy drink at Disney Springs, and we’re gonna give you our rundown on it! Every month, the Coca-Cola Rooftop Beverage Bar has a featured drink of the month, and of course, they were gonna jump in on all the holiday Disney hype we’ve been seeing around Disney World! Drink of the Month for December! This holiday concoction is the NEW Coca-Cola Eggnog, and has Coca-Cola, eggnog, Hennessy, and cinnamon! Fun Holiday Coca-Cola Cocktail! This drink was a nice twist on an ordinary spiked eggnog, and if you’re not a huge fan of Hennessy, the eggnog and Coke combination masks it well! Coca-Cola Eggnog! If you’re not huge into carbonation, you might want to skip this one, as it sometimes threw off the flavors of the drink. There were also moments where the combination of flavors didn’t mix the best, but overall, the drink was great! Definitely try this if you’re a holiday cocktail connoisseur, soda fan, or you need a kick of Henny in your Disney Springs day! Sunshine and cinnamon on the Coca-Cola Eggnog! This drink was $15 and is available at the Coca-Cola Store Orlando Rooftop beverage Bar! We love trying all of the new holiday treats and drinks around the Disney parks, and were excited to check this one off our to-drink list today! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news! Click here to see ALL our Disney World holiday treat reviews! 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 gonna try the Coca-cola Eggnog at Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: A Coca-Cola Spiked Eggnog in Disney World? Yes, Please! 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. As the rate of vaccination changes nationwide and COVID variants continue to be discovered, we’re still keeping an eye on the latest levels of community transmission and how it may impact your future travel plans. DAK is short for Disney’s Animal Kingdom If you have an upcoming trip to Disney World planned, you may want to hear about the latest updates from the CDC. According to the CDC, Orange County in the state of Florida now falls into the “Substantial” category when it comes to overall COVID transmission. The CDC ranks levels of community transmission into four categories: High, Substantial, Moderate, and Low (in order of most severe to least severe). © Center for Disease Control Currently, Orange County is reporting a positivity rate of 4.03%, which is an increase of 1.19% over the last seven days. As you can see from the map below, surrounding counties are also currently in the “Substantial” category. According to the CDC, this level means that all individuals should wear face coverings in public, indoor spaces. Disney World’s current face mask guidance is in line with this advisory, with face masks required indoors for all guests ages two and up, regardless of vaccination status. Orange County highlighted above © Center for Disease Control We’ll continue to keep a close watch on Orange County, Florida in the coming days and weeks, and we will let you know if we hear of any additional updates. Click here to read about recent travel advisories for individuals above the age of 60. 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 currently planning a trip for Disney World in 2022? Let us know in the comments! The post NEWS: Orange County, Florida Now Falls Into “Substantial” COVID Category first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Parking lot trams will operate at Walt Disney World’s four theme parks again, the company said Thursday. They've been still during pandemic times. View the full article Walt Disney World visitors walk between their vehicles and transportation to the Magic Kingdom in the parking lot at the Ticket & Transportation Center on Wednesday. Trams have not operated at WDW parks since the pandemic shutdown began in March 2020, but the company says they will return to all four parks in coming months. (Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel) Parking lot trams will again operate at Walt Disney World’s four theme parks, the company confirmed Thursday. That system of transportation has been missing in action at WDW since the pandemic shutdown began in March 2020. The trams did not return when the parks reopened four months later. Since then, park guests driving their own vehicles to the parks — including people paying for premium parking — have been walking and weaving their way through cars to the parks’ entrances. It has been particularly unusual at Magic Kingdom, where visitors park in the 12,000-slot lot, then weave their way on foot to an underpass for Seven Seas Drive, emerge on the other side and wind back toward Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for bag check at the Ticket & Transportation Center. In pre-pandemic times, that stretch usually would be accomplished via a tram ride. The trip from there, then and now, includes travel by monorail or paddleboat to get to the Magic Kingdom entrance. Magic Kingdom will be the first to have the trams back in action, according to a post by the Disney Parks account on Twitter. That will happen later this month, the post said. The trams will return to service at Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom “throughout 2022,” the post said. In a separate email, Disney said specific timing would be shared at a later date. Universal Orlando visitors walk from the resort’s parking garages, which connect to Universal CityWalk then to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. SeaWorld Orlando used trams, but in recent years they had only been seen when attendance had surged, forcing folks to park on the other side of Sea Harbor Drive. Dewayne Bevil Orlando Sentinel

The Disney Parks are THE place to be, especially during the holiday season! Christmas Tree at Disney Springs! There are festivals, events, merchandise, snacks, you name it, to go along with the most wonderful time of the year! And while we don’t even want to start thinking about saying goodbye to the holidays at Disney World, this party is getting us more excited than ever to welcome the new year! This year, the iconic Edison at Disney Springs is throwing a New Years’ party that has us pumped to ring in 2022! © The Edison The Edison is hosting another iconic night out to celebrate the end of 2021, and this party is stacked with entertainment, food, and drinks! The night will feature live entertainment including The Pearls burlesque trio, The Sound Society Radio Show, stilt walkers, aerialists, a DJ, and more! The Edison at Disney Springs The food options will range from buffalo chicken sliders to chocolate cake, and the night will end with a celebratory champagne toast at midnight! The Edison Stairway The party starts at 8PM on December 31st, tickets are available on The Edison’s website, and you’re gonna want to act fast! General admission tickets are $25, and if you’re looking for an extra lavish way to welcome 2022, there is a $150 reserved seating option! If you’ve always dreamed of going to an Edison party but never have, this might be the night for you! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news! Click here to see everything happening around Disney World for New Year’s Eve! 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 going to The Edison’s New Year’s Eve party? Let us know in the comments! The post The Edison Is Hosting a New Year's Eve Party in Disney Springs -- Get ALL the Details HERE! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Buffets, character dining, character meet-and-greets (with some distance), and more things have returned to “normal” in several Disney World spots. Trams are still not running But, one BIG thing Disney fans have been missing are those parking lot trams. Since the parks reopened, the trams have not been back, meaning guests have had to make the (sometimes rather long) walk to and from their cars to the front of the park. But, soon that will all be changing! We’ve been on the lookout for any news about the parking trams in Disney World, and have seen some updates in the past potentially suggesting their return. But, today we’ve got a huge update. Tram Disney shared a post on Twitter today indicating that parking trams will be coming back to Magic Kingdom later this month, and will be returning to other Disney World theme parks throughout 2022. Hooray!! Exact dates for the return of the trams have not yet been shared, but we’ll be on the lookout for more updates. Parking Tram Parking lot trams are also set to return to Disneyland in 2022. Parking lot trams aren’t the only things returning to Disney World in the near future. We’ve also seen that Story Book Dining will be reopening soon at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge… Storybook Dining at Artist Point …and Boatwright’s Dining Hall will be reopening at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside. Boatwright’s Dining Hall Several things will also be coming back to or newly arriving at the Most Magical Place on Earth in 2022 including: Fantasmic! Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire (an updated stage show in Magic Kingdom) A new cavalcade in Magic Kingdom A reimagined Finding Nemo show in Animal Kingdom It’s coming back! In 2022, Disney World will also get the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride, the opening of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (a.k.a. the Star Wars hotel), and more! Guardians of the Galaxy Construction We can’t wait to see what 2022 will have in store. Click here to see everything coming to Disney World in 2022! We’ll keep an eye out for more updates on the Disney World parking tram situation and we’ll let you know what we find. Stay tuned for all the latest Disney news. 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 excited for parking lot trams to return to Disney World? Tell us in the comments! The post BREAKING: We Have a BIG Update on Parking Lot Trams in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’re heading to the Magic Kingdom today for some updates! We’ve definitely been to the parks more than a few times. If you’re visiting this park soon, you’ll find some delicious holiday snacks, gorgeous decorations, and even a bunch of new merchandise options. Here are a few more updates that you’ll want to know about before you visit! Let’s start with the most important updates of all — what’s new with the FOOD in Magic Kingdom? Magic Kingdom Food Updates If you’re mobile ordering lunch at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café in the Magic Kingdom, you might notice an unusual item on the menu. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe Mobile Order Pick-Up The 50th Anniversary Minnie Premium Sipper is available to buy through Mobile Order at this location! ©Disney This has been available for a while now (since earlier in November), but we stopped by recently and saw that there were still lots of Minnie Mouse sippers in stock. Lots of these guys in stock So if you missed your chance to buy this sipper at the snack carts earlier this year, you can still head in to purchase one here! They’re $15.99 each. Click Here to Learn How to Mobile Order This Popular 50th Anniversary Souvenir Magic Kingdom Merchandise Updates We found a lot of new merchandise in the Magic Kingdom, but first we wanted to give you an update on the supply shortages that we’ve been seeing in the parks recently. Supply Shortage Update There is a global shortage of certain items, and it’s started to affect the merchandise availability in Disney World. Beverly Sunset Boutique in Hollywood Studios One gift shop in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is still closed because there just isn’t enough merchandise to stock it. In the Magic Kingdom, we’re noticing a shortage as well, especially over at Big Top Souvenirs (a gift shop in the Storybook Circus section of Magic Kingdom). Big Top Souvenirs This shop is home to Big Top Treats (a great place to buy all the Disney confections you need) and it used to also have a wide selection of souvenirs. Not a lot of merchandise in here However, over the last few months, there’s been a lot of empty space instead of merchandise stands. You can still get a few souvenirs here, and there are also pre-packaged snacks available for purchase. But a Cast Member told us that there will probably not be a lot of merchandise for sale here for the foreseeable future. Only a few options There are still a lot of items available over at the Emporium, which is the Magic Kingdom’s main gift shop. Click Here to See How the Supply Shortage Might Impact the Food in Disney World Emporium Inside the Emporium, we saw the new Starbucks mug, which has designs from the Magic Kingdom that celebrate Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. 50th Anniversary Magic Kingdom Starbucks Mug We’ve seen this mug over in the Main Street Bakery (the Starbucks location in this park), but now it’s available at the Emporium too. It’s covered in designs of Magic Kingdom attractions, like Space Mountain, Dumbo, and the Haunted Mansion. 50th Anniversary Mug We also noticed a BIG change in this gift shop: you can use mobile checkout at the Emporium now. Mobile Checkout Sign This change has already come to some other stores around Disney World, but now it’s available here as well. Mobile Checkout Sign There are signs all over the Emporium that remind guests about this option, and you can also find instructions for how to use it on those signs. Find one of these desks after you check out! You can shop around and then check out on the My Disney Experience app when you’re finished. After you check out, you’ll be given a QR code on your phone. Follow the signs to the desks at certain exits, where you’ll show a Cast Member this QR code, and then you’re good to go! Click Here to Get Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Use the Mobile Checkout Feature Memento Mori At the Memento Mori gift shop (located near the Haunted Mansion), we saw a restocked Haunted Mansion mirror that has a decal of hitchhiking ghosts on the front. Haunted Mansion mirror So now you really can bring those hitchhiking ghosts home with you! Now you can bring these guys home! You can get this mirror for $250. And don’t forget that you can pay to have souvenirs shipped to your house directly from Disney World so that you don’t have to worry about them breaking in your luggage on the way home. Just ask a Cast Member at the register! Click Here to See the Ultimate List of Disney Stocking Stuffers for Haunted Mansion Fans Frontier Trading Over at Frontier Trading, we saw some new Beauty and the Beast pins for sale, which celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary. Beauty and the Beast Pins These pins have various scenes from the movie, including Gaston “reading” a book, Belle and the Beast dancing, and more. Check Out Some Beauty and the Beast Collectibles That Would Make Great Stocking Stuffers Other Magic Kingdom Updates We spotted not one but TWO celebrities in the Magic Kingdom recently. Julianne and Derek Hough (who you might know from Dancing With the Stars) were filming near the Cinderella Castle. Derek and Julianne Hough The pair are hosting Disney’s Christmas special, which will air on ABC on Christmas Day and be available on Hulu the day after that. Lots of equipment here! In addition, the Dapper Dans were out at the Main Street train station, performing Christmas carols and other holiday songs for guests. It’s the holiday Dapper Dans! Make sure to stop and listen on your way out of the park! Caroling away That’s it for our update from the Magic Kingdom this week. Keep following DFB for more of the latest Disney news! Click Here to See What’s New at Disney’s Animal Kingdom 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! What’s your favorite land in the Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments. The post What’s New in the Magic Kingdom: Celebrity Sightings and Merchandise Updates first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Spending a ton of time planning your Disney World vacation and then having something go wrong that’s out of your control is not super fun. Rain, rain, go away! The weather can impact your trip, rides can shut down with no explanation, or a place you’ve been wanting to eat at is randomly closed. And, unfortunately, we saw a closed spot in EPCOT today that caught us off guard! Les Vins des Chefs de France is closed today in EPCOT’s France pavilion. What’s going on? The whole booth was blocked off with large hedges. No drinks from here today, sorry! When we asked Cast Members what was going on, they said they were not really sure, but that the spot would continue to be blocked off for the immediate future. Sorry to the Slush fans So, if you were really looking forward to one of those Grand Marnier Orange or Grey Goose Citron Slushes, you’ll have to make do with a different beverage for now! Supersized Grand Marnier Slush and Standard Grey Goose Citron Slush You can find the Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini at Le Marche De Noel Holiday Kitchen in France for Festival of the Holidays if you want a frozen drink. Or, the holiday kitchen also has some wines available. Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini If you were looking forward to a glass of champagne or different wines, head on in to Les Vins de France in the France pavilion to see a nice selection. There are a lot of choices in here! We’ll be keeping an eye out for the booth to reopen and let you know if we find out more, so stay tune to DFB for updates! Click here to see which spot in the France pavilion now takes reservations! 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. Which pavilion is your favorite to eat at in EPCOT? Let us know in the comments! The post A Popular Drink Spot is CLOSED Today in EPCOT first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article