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Bill Davis, the president of Universal Orlando Resort, is retiring Jan. 1 after 15 years in the job and will be replaced by Universal Studios Hollywood’s President Karen Irwin, the company said Wednesday. View the full article

Holiday decorations, treats, merchandise, events, and more are popping up throughout Disney World! Holiday decorations are up at the Polynesian! We’ve already made our way through quite a few of the new offerings (and we’ve even got a convenient printable to help you navigate some of the holiday treats). Today our culinary adventures led us to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for a returning treat that’s ADORABLE when it comes to looks. But, how does it taste? Over at Kona Island in the Polynesian you’ll find the returning Holiday “Elf” Dome Cake! This treat is made of vanilla cake with eggnog filling, white chocolate glaçage, and buttercream décor. We’ve had this creation in the past, though its looks have changed a bit this year. Elf Dome Cake The cake is still as cute as can be and features that red and green buttercream, but it’s missing the elf ears, nose, and more defined eyes. You can click here to see a comparison from previous years. Still, the treat is adorable, bright & colorful, fun & festive, and totally Instagrammable. Also, anyone else just feel the need to say “bye buddy, I hope you find your dad”? Nope, just us? Okay, cool…cool, cool, cool. So Cute! So, we’ve gone over the looks, but just how does it taste? Well, unfortunately this treat fell a bit flat for us. It was okay, but very simple. We wish it would have had more of an eggnog flavor to really hit us with those festive feels. Instead, the filling just tasted like cinnamon more than anything else. It was pretty plain and simple. This was a tiny bit of a disappointment only because when we had it back in 2019, the eggnog custard (now it’s eggnog filling) really tasted like eggnog. Cute But Simple For those looking for more complex and exciting flavors, this isn’t it. But, we think that its simple flavors could make it a bit hit for those looking for something that isn’t too complicated. We think it could especially be a big hit with kids. A Look Inside If you want to give it a try, you can grab it from Kona Island in the Polynesian for $6. It is also available at Capt. Cook’s. It will be at both spots from now through December 31st, so grab it while you can. Stay tuned for more holiday news and snack reviews! Click here to see photos & reviews of all of the 2021 holiday treats in Disney World! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What's New!! chapter for the 2021 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! ;-D Click HERE to order your 2021 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don't love it, you get your money back! Want Even MORE? The DFB Everything Bundle comes with ALL of our guides, including the Holiday Guide, for one low price! It includes: Pre-order of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2022 The 2021 Food & Wine Guide The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Holidays 2021 Pre-order for the 2022 Flower and Garden Festival Guide All three DFB Snack Guides Click HERE to order your DFB Everything Bundle! MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Check Out the FULL List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World This Year See the List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World’s Hotels Get All of the Latest Information about the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays See the Booths, Menus, and Food Photos for the Festival of the Holidays Check Out Our Photos & Reviews of the Holiday Treats in Disney World Watch Our Video About What We Wish We’d Known Before Going to Disney World During the Holidays Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What do you think of this cake? Tell us in the comments! The post REVIEW: Bye Disney’s Elf Dome Buddy, Hope You Find Your Dad first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s the holidays in Disney World, which means festive decorations, lots of new merchandise, and — of course — tons of delicious treats! Grand Floridian’s Christmas Tree is up! We’ve already checked out the holiday snacks at Magic Kingdom’s Very Merriest After Hours Event, tried several treats in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and even eaten our way around the world with delicious food from EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays. Now we’re heading to the hotels for a couple more snacks! We found two returning treats that we’ve LOVED in the past, but will they measure up this year? One of the BEST Disney World hotels to visit around the holidays is Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Grand Floridian is ready for the holidays! Even if you’re not staying here, you’ve got to stop by to check out the gorgeous decorations and the HUGE gingerbread house! The Grand Floridian Gingerbread House! While you’re here, you might as well pop into Gasparilla Island Grill to see the holiday treats they have available this year. Gasparilla Island Grill When we came by, the new treats weren’t in the display cases yet (there were still some fall treats available, in case you missed out on one of those!). Gasparilla Island Grill Display Case But you can still find the holiday treats on Mobile Order, and they are available! ©Disney There are a few different treats on the menu, but two in particular caught out eye. We’re here for the Happy Holiday’s Cake Pop and the S’more Cookie. The Happy Holiday’s Cake Pop was one of our favorite treats back in 2019, so we can’t wait to try it again. We’ve got the cake pop! This is a triple chocolate cake pop that’s covered in white chocolate and topped with red and green icing drizzles and a chocolate Mickey head. That’s a LOT of chocolate! It’s available for $7.99. It is LARGE Just so you know, this is not your average cake pop. It’s very large, so you can definitely share it between a few people (especially since it’s so rich as well). Although this treat is called the S’more Cookie, it’s really more of a normal cookie with toasted marshmallow on top (which we’re definitely not mad about). Here’s a look inside If you want to give one (or both!) of these treats a try, head to Gasparilla Island Grill at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. And keep following DFB for more tips as you plan your upcoming vacation! Click Here to See ALL the Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World Hotels This Year 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 holiday treat in Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post Giant Cake Pops and S’mores Cookies? Say No More Disney, We’re So There first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s the holiday season in Disney World, which means there is a TON of holiday food to check out! Holiday Macaron We’ve already had so many festive treats, like Orange Bird Churros, a Mini Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake, and a Red Velvet Whoopie Pie. But, there is even more to try! Come with us as we check out a new holiday cupcake at one of the Disney World hotels. This is the Holiday Moana Cupcake! You can find it at Kona Island or Capt. Cook’s inside Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Moana Cupcake This is a chocolate cupcake with morello cherry, buttercream icing, and chocolate Moana décor. Let’s dig in! The decorations are super fun! They’re covered in edible glitter and the icing has some crushed sugar cookies on top. The cookies look like the sand on a beach The cherries are REALLY tart in this cupcake! Even with the sweet icing, it didn’t cut through that tartness enough for us. Watch out for those cherries! When we cut into the cupcake, we were surprised by how many cherries were inside! There were about 6 cherries in the center of our cupcake. The tartness of the fruit really soaked into the cake, to the point where even the bottom of the wrapper was wet from the juices. A look inside If you like the flavor of tart cherries, then you’ll probably love this! But, if you aren’t a cherry person, this is not for you. It has a very strong cherry flavor. Cherries galore We do wish the cupcake would have had a little more icing on top to help with the overwhelming tartness. Our tree fell over If you want to try the Moana Holiday Cupcake out for yourself, you can get it for $6 at Kona Island or Capt. Cook’s from now through December 31st. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney holiday food news and reviews! Click here to see ALL of the holiday food we’ve tried so far in Disney World! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What's New!! chapter for the 2021 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! ;-D Click HERE to order your 2021 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don't love it, you get your money back! Want Even MORE? The DFB Everything Bundle comes with ALL of our guides, including the Holiday Guide, for one low price! It includes: Pre-order of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2022 The 2021 Food & Wine Guide The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Holidays 2021 Pre-order for the 2022 Flower and Garden Festival Guide All three DFB Snack Guides Click HERE to order your DFB Everything Bundle! MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Check Out the FULL List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World This Year See the List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World’s Hotels Get All of the Latest Information about the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays See the Booths, Menus, and Food Photos for the Festival of the Holidays Check Out Our Photos & Reviews of the Holiday Treats in Disney World Watch Our Video About What We Wish We’d Known Before Going to Disney World During the Holidays Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Does this cupcake look tasty to you? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: Uhh...We Just Ate a SOUR (?!) Cupcake in Disney World 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. Things with COVID-19 have changed over the past few months. COVID-19 Health and Safety Sign We’ve shared news about vaccine updates, mask rule changes, COVID-19 numbers in Florida, and more. Now, due to the latest information about the Omicron variant, things have changed and developed again. There are now travel restrictions in place in select locations and the World Health Organization has advised that select individuals not travel. So, what’s the current status of restrictions and other information related to Omicron? Here’s what you need to know. What is Omicron? Omicron is the name of a new COVID-19 variant. According to the World Health Organization (“WHO”), the variant was first reported to them from South Africa on November 24th, 2021. On November 26th, 2021, the WHO identified Omicron as a “variant of concern.” According to the WHO, Omicron “has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning.” Initial evidence seems to suggest that there is an “increased risk of reinfection” with Omicron. There are a number of studies underway with regards to this variant. Face Mask Sign The WHO has acknowledged that there are many uncertainties when it comes to Omicron, including how transmissible it is, how well vaccines protect against infection, and more. According to CBS News, Dr. Anthony Fauci (Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the U.S.) has indicated that “identified mutations of Omicron predict that the strain could likely be more transmissible and suggest it could evade monoclonal antibodies, convalescent plasma and possibly vaccines.” But, he has also noted that there is plenty that is still not known. According to the WHO, it is expected that this new variant will be “detected in an increasing number of countries as national authorities step up their surveillance and sequencing activities.” Has Omicron Been Found in the U.S.? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), as of November 26th, 2021 no cases of the Omicron variant have been identified in the United States. CBS News shares that Dr. Anthony Fauci (Chief Medical Adviser to President Joe Biden) indicated that he “‘would not be surprised’ if the variant has already made its way into the United States.” CBS News also shared that the President of the U.S. has said, “Sooner or later, we’re going to see cases of this new variant here in the United States…We’ll have to face this new threat, just as we faced those that have come before it.” COVID-19 Vaccines and Omicron Again, much is still not known about Omicron, including how it will interact with exiting COVID-19 vaccines. According to CBS News, the CEO of Moderna has said that existing COVID-19 vaccines will likely be less effective against the Omicron variant. Officials from Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer have all indicated that they have started trials of their COVID-19 vaccines against the new variant. But, the results will likely take weeks to arrive. COVID-19 Vaccine Sign The chief medical officer for Moderna said that it would take about 3 months for Moderna to make a vaccine that specifically targets Omicron. Pfizer indicated that it could produce an Omicron-specific vaccine in about 100 days, subject (of course) to approval from the appropriate regulatory bodies. But, CBS News points outs that “epidemiologists caution that it is too early to say how dangerous Omicron could be.” The CEO of another vaccine maker has said that “infections caused by the new variant likely will not cause severe illness for vaccinated people.” Travel Restrictions — United States If you’re planning to travel to the United States from an international location, these are the current travel restrictions you need to know about. Travel Bans According to the U.S. Department of State, the United States has restricted travel from the following countries as of November 29th, 2021 due to concerns about Omicron: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Airport Crowds The proclamation from the White House notes that noncitizens of the U.S. who were physically present within one of those countries during the 14-day period prior to their entry or attempted entry into the U.S. are restricted from entering the U.S. These restrictions don’t apply, however, to select individuals, specifically: U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and certain other travelers identified in the proclamation. Travel Advisories for these countries are at a Level 4 — Do Not Travel. COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Aside from the Omicron-specific travel ban, there are other COVID-19 travel restrictions you need to know about if you’re traveling to the U.S. from abroad. Per an order from the CDC (which took effect starting on November 8th, 2021), all non-immigrant, non-citizen air travelers to the United States are required to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their vaccination status BEFORE boarding a plane to the U.S. Only limited exceptions apply. ©CDC In addition to being fully vaccinated and showing proof of that, there are certain COVID-19 testing requirements. If you are fully vaccinated, you must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 3 days before travel. If you are not fully vaccinated and meet the criteria for an exception, you’ll need to show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 1 day before travel. ©CDC The CDC has specific rules about who is and who is not considered fully vaccinated. You can see more about that here. Proof of vaccination is not required for U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents before boarding a flight to the U.S., but they must meet certain COVID-19 testing requirements, depending on their vaccination status. ©CDC After You Arrive in the U.S. In terms of suggestions for after you travel, the CDC has certain testing and quarantine recommendations. If unvaccinated, the CDC recommends staying home and self-quarantining for 7 days after international travel upon arriving in the U.S. in addition to the COVID-19 testing recommendations. ©CDC Who Should NOT Travel In light of the Omicron variant, the WHO has issued a number of travel advisories. The WHO has specifically indicated that “Persons who are unwell, or who have not been fully vaccinated or do not have proof of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and are at increased risk of developing severe disease and dying, including people 60 years of age or older or those with comorbidities that present increased risk of severe COVID-19 (e.g. heart disease, cancer and diabetes) should be advised to postpone travel to areas with community transmission.” Airplane The CDC has also indicated (on its page for U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents, and Immigrants) that persons should not travel internationally until they are fully vaccinated. The CDC also recommends that “people follow prevention strategies such as wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high community transmission, washing your hands frequently, and physically distancing from others.” Note that Orange County, Florida (where much of Disney World is located), is currently in the “Low” transmission category. Changes Note that these travel restrictions are subject to change and, in fact, it appears change could be on the way. According to the New York Times, the CDC has indicated that it plans to tighten the COVID-19 testing requirements and international fliers bound for the U.S. due to Omicron. The CDC is reportedly considering requiring travelers to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours before their flight’s departure (instead of the 3-day requirement that applies to some, as outlined above). President Biden has said that he will announce plans on Thursday regarding “stepping up the fight against the pandemic.” It’s unclear if this will include the tighter testing requirements as a timeline wasn’t named for the CDC’s action. Health & Safety Sign The New York Times also shares that Natalie Quillian, the deputy coordinator for the COVID-19 response in the White House, has indicated that the administration is assessing all of the tests being used to make sure they’re effective in picking up the new Omicron variant, and they’ll remove any from the accepted list if they’re not effective. So, that’s something to keep in mind. According to Politico, there have been some indications suggesting that Omicron originated in Europe, “raising questions about whether the U.S. might again shut down flights from Europe.” That is something that has not been confirmed or officially discussed. It is only a question at this time. Travel Restrictions — Florida According to the Florida Department of Health, “Florida is one of the top travel destinations in the world and there are currently no travel restrictions in place.” Note that the regular U.S. travel restrictions discussed above would apply to any travel to Florida, but Florida does not currently have any additional travel restrictions in place. According to NPR, Florida governor Ron DeSantis has indicated that “the threat of a new worrisome COVID mutation won’t change his pledge to stand firm against lockdowns and vaccine mandates.” Florida Palm Trees The Florida Department of Health has, however, issued a public health advisory recommending the following: Residents and visitors are advised to wear face coverings if social distancing is not possible, both indoors and outdoors. Avoid closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. Travel Restrictions — Other Countries If you’re planning to leave the U.S. and travel internationally, you’ll also want to keep in mind that there are some recommendations or restrictions in place. By visiting the U.S. Department of State website, you can see all of the current travel advisories. There are various levels of travel advisories including Level 4 (Do Not Travel), Level 3 (Reconsider Travel), and more. You can check your destination and see what travel advisories are in place. ©US Department of State (As of Dec 1, 2021) Select other countries have travel restrictions in place. For example, according to the New York Times, Japan has “asked airlines to stop taking new bookings for all flights into the country for the rest of the year.” You can click here to see details on international travel policies and restrictions from CNN. That’s a current look at travel restrictions and more due to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. Keep in mind that these things can all change. Be sure to check back for more updates. Click here to see our original post about the U.S. travel restrictions due to Omicron. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post Full List of Current Travel Restrictions and Border Closures Due to the Omicron COVID-19 Variant first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

EPCOT is widely considered the best Disney World park for food. EPCOT Whether you’re dining at one of the table service restaurants, snacking your way around the World Showcase, or trying out the offerings at the festival food booths, you can find TONS of delicious snacks and treats here. One of the newest restaurants in this park is Space 220, and if you were hoping to dine 220 miles about the earth, you need to know about its recent change. Space 220 serves both lunch and dinner, or you can head to the Lounge to try some tasty bites and order off their lengthy drinks menu. Space 220 When the restaurant first opened, you needed reservations for lunch and dinner (which is still the case), but you did not need to reserve your spot at the Lounge. Space 220 Lounge Instead, guests could just walk up and wait for a spot at the Lounge without any advance reservation. Now, however, that’s starting to change. Space 220 Lounge The Space 220 Lounge on the Disney World website now has a spot for making reservations. So if you’re heading into EPCOT soon and want to eat at the Lounge, you can make reservations for lunch or dinner time at the Lounge. ©Disney We checked on the availability, and there were several options when we looked for a table of 2, even for dates that were very close (like tomorrow, December 2nd). ©Disney On certain days (and especially when we tried a party of 3 or more), there was no availability at all. So you’ll want to make those reservations SOON. ©Disney You can reserve your spot on the Disney World website, or use the My Disney Experience app. ©Disney The lounge may still allow walk-ups (at least for a few days from now as they transition into reservations), so if you can’t get a reservation for your trip we would still tell you to go up and ask a Cast Member about availability! Disney Cast Members are extra special! We will let you know if anything changes with this! Keep following DFB for more updates about Disney World dining! Click Here to See Our Full Review of the Space 220 Lounge Want MORE Details About EPCOT’s MASSIVE Transformation? Future World Will Transform Into Three New Neighborhoods — Learn More Here A Revitalized Club Cool Is Now Open in EPCOT The New Creations Shop is OPEN and Has Replaced Mouse Gear Go Inside Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure With Us Check Out All of the Tasty Details About EPCOT’s New Crêperie Get a Closer Look at the New Nighttime Lights Coming to Spaceship Earth See More About EPCOT’s Upcoming Nighttime Spectacular -- Harmonious Learn All About Space 220, Which Has Officially OPENED in EPCOT What’s Been CUT From the EPCOT Transformation? See More Here! Learn More About the New PLAY! Pavilion Coming to Epcot! See All the Details You Need to Know About the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Coaster Coming to World Discovery Learn More About Journey of Water -- Inspired by Moana, Coming to World Nature Click HERE for All the News and Details about EPCOT’s Transformation! Join the DFB Newsletter To get all the latest Epcot transformation news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Have you eaten at Space 220 yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments! The post NEWS: The Space 220 Lounge in EPCOT is Now Taking Reservations first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Character meet and greets recently returned to Walt Disney World! Mickey! When the parks reopened in 2020 after the shutdown, there were no character meet and greets, but now, they’re back! You can meet characters at places like Princess Fairytale Hall or Town Square Theater in Magic Kingdom. But, you cannot stand directly next to character still or give them a hug — you have to keep a little bit of distance. And today, we saw that a character meal was actually letting people take closer pictures with characters again! While at Tusker House today in Animal Kingdom, we noticed that you can take pictures near the characters again! Hi, Mickey! Before, the restaurant was very, very strict about you staying seated and only meeting the characters from a distance. There was even an overhead announcement about the rules — but now, it’s gone! Goofy posing for a pic Today, the character or the attendant was calling each table up one at a time to take pictures! Daisy taking pictures You can get up from your table and stand about 6 feet away (like you do at the other current meet and greets) and then the attendant can take your picture! Donald taking a pic The attendant actually offered to take our picture with our own phone. Previously, Cast Members were not able to use your device to take pictures. Mickey posing for his picture So, get ready to hop up and snap a pic with your favorite characters again! Donald in his safari gear We haven’t seen this happen at other character meals, but we’ll be on the lookout, so stay tuned to DFB for updates! Click here to see what other character dining is reopening soon in Disney World! Check out our video on the 10 lies Disney World needs you to believe! 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. Who is your favorite character to see at Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post NEWS: The Character Dining Photo Policy Has CHANGED in 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. Happy Holidays, DFB Friends! ©D23 Yes, we’ve been busy soaking in all the holiday vibes at Disney World, eating all the food we can get our hands on, and checking out the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays. But we’re also working on getting our holiday shopping done, and D23 is about to make it easy for a few lucky folks! D23, the official Disney fan club, is giving away some fun Disney merchandise to members with its Season of Magic Sweepstakes, including some items that would make great holiday gifts! And today, the giveaway starts with the LEGO Encanto Madrigal House Set! ©D23 This 587-piece set is dedicated to the magical house from the movie Encanto and also features Abuela and Mirabella mini-figures. And if you’d like to win it, all you have to do is log into D23 and enter here. Not a D23 Member? That’s ok. You can sign up for a FREE general account and still enter. And hey, even if you don’t win the Lego Madrigal House Set you can still buy it online! ©shopDisney It’s available now for $49.99. Click Here To Buy The LEGO Madrigal House Set Online Until the 23rd, D23 will give away a new item, so be sure to keep checking back! Good luck! Be sure to check back with us often, too, because we’ll let you know about other Disney giveaways and sweepstakes. DATE ANNOUNCED for the Release of Encanto on Disney+ — Check Them Out Here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Preorder Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Will you be entering to win this set today? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney Is Giving Away FREE Merchandise This Month -- Find Out How to WIN! 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. Disney’s 60th feature film, Encanto, was recently released in theaters. ©Disney Encanto is about a magical home in Colombia and the story of saving this special home when the magic runs into trouble. We’ve seen some new Encanto merchandise in Disney World, and now you can order a new Lego set online now! Now on shopDisney is this new Lego Set of The Madrigal House from Encanto! The Madrigal House is the name of the magical home in Encanto, and this 587 piece set set is for kids ages 6 and up. ©shopDisney The Madrigal House Lego Set comes with mini figures of Abuela and Mirabel from the film, along with a few other tiny figures including the characters of Antonio, Chispi, and butterflies. The house is three different levels, and builders can also play with “magical” accessories like a flipping bed, waving shutters, and a spinning weather vane. ©shopDisney Also included in this set are an accordion, gramophone, and umbrella accessories, and you get a sticker sheet for decorating the magical house. Builders can choose to use either the printed instructions or digital instructions via the Lego Building Instructions app, where kids can even zoom in and see the model of the set on screen! ©shopDisney This new set costs $49.99 on shopDisney and it would make a great holiday gift for Encanto fans! Get the Lego Encanto The Madrigal House set here! You can watch Encanto in theaters now and Disney recently announced that Encanto will be streaming on Disney+ soon. Keep reading DFB for more Disney merchandise and shopping news! Click here to find out when Encanto will be released on Disney+! 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. How many Disney Lego sets do you own? Tell us in the comments! The post The 'Encanto' Magical House is Now a Disney Lego Set! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Now that it’s officially December, we can finally say Christmas is almost here! The Chandelier Tree! With the holidays comes lots of festive decor around Disney World, like the Christmas Tree Stroll in Disney Springs, along with fun holiday treats all around Disney World. So if you find yourself in Disney Springs looking for something sweet for breakfast, you might want to check out these NEW seasonal treats! Now at Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew in Disney Springs, you can get holiday donuts available for a limited time. That’s right, HOLIDAY DONUTS. We’re excited, okay?! Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew There are 6 NEW holiday donuts available at Everglazed and you can get all 6 donuts for $28. We may or may not be drooling over this photo, and it looks like you can get donuts decorated with Christmas lights, holly, festive sprinkles, and even one that looks like a Christmas wreath. These new holiday donuts will be available through the end of the year, but depending on the day, not all flavors may be there. Everglazed opens daily at 9AM, so make sure you stop there for your holiday donuts as early as you can! And stay tuned to DFB for a review of a few of these donuts! Check out photos of the Christmas Tree Stroll in Disney Springs! 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! Have you ever tried Everglazed Donuts? Tell us in the comments! The post You Can Now Choose From 6 (!!) NEW Donuts in Disney Springs! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’ll be visiting Walt Disney World Resort during this most wonderful time of year, Disney PhotoPass photographers are ready to capture the holiday fun with fa-la-la-la lots of photos! View the full article

Minnie ears, board games, toys, pins, and more — there is a LOT of Disney merchandise out there. Lots to Pick From One big shopping spot that has a lot of those collectibles is the Emporium in Magic Kingdom. As the sort-of “flagship” store for Magic Kingdom, you’ll find a whole lot of items in the Emporium, and you can also sometimes find a whole lot of lines! If you’re hoping to get some fun Disney items from the Emporium WITHOUT having to wait in a long line, there’s something you need to know about. At different stores throughout the parks and resorts, Disney has tested Mobile Merchandise Checkout over the past several months. With this system, you can use the My Disney Experience app to scan the items you want to purchase in the store, complete your purchase through your phone, and then easily and quickly get the items you want without having to wait in a long checkout line! We’ve seen the system being tested in places like the Creations Shop, but today it came to another big Disney World store…the Emporium in Magic Kingdom! Mobile Checkout Has Arrived at the Emporium There were a variety of signs throughout the store indicating that the Mobile Merchandise Checkout system is now available there. Mobile Checkout Sign Here’s basically how the system works — you’ll either scan the QR code or simply open your My Disney Experience app and select “Shop in Store — Now Testing.” ©Disney Then, you’ll select the Emporium. ©Disney You can then grab a clear, plastic Disney bag (you’ll find these near some of the Mobile Checkout signs), and start shopping! Time to Get Shopping Once you decide what you’re going to buy, you’ll scan the items you want to purchase, finalize your purchase, and pay through the app. Then, you’ll get a QR code in the app for your purchase. (Pro tip: take an immediate screenshot of this QR code just in case you have issues getting it later.) Have Your QR Code Ready Then, you’ll take your phone with the QR code and your items to a designated Mobile Merchandise Checkout area. Designated Area From what we saw, there were about 5 stands in total throughout the store, though that could change. Another Checkout Area Once there, you’ll show the Cast Member your QR code, they’ll check the items, and then you can be on your way. Quick and easy! Another Stand If you feel comfortable using your phone to make these purchases, this could be a quick and easy way to get those Disney items and skip the long checkout lines! Look for the Signs! Of course, this system is just “in testing” so be sure to check if it’s available during your visit or if anything has changed. You Can Get Your Items Quickly! Stay tuned for more Disney news! Click here to see the weird merchandise we actually wish Disney would make! 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 tried the Mobile Merchandise Checkout system? Tell us in the comments! The post You Can Now SKIP the Long Checkout Lines at a Popular Disney World Store first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney wants you to have a wonderful time and come back again and again, but they’re also marketing geniuses…so there are always a few…subconscious suggestions…they’re hoping you believe. Disney World Crowds Even though they’re not really telling you the whole story in those glossy marketing spreads. Today, we’re gonna pull back the curtain so you can make decisions with all the facts! Check out our video below 10 Lies Disney World Needs You To Believe! Are you a DFB Video subscriber? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our channel and catch up on ALL of our latest episodes! Watch the video and let us know your favorite Disney World secret! The post DFB Video: 10 Lies Disney World Needs You To Believe first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Happy Holidays from Disney World! Christmas has arrived at Disney Springs! The holiday decorations are up, the holiday merchandise has arrived, and it’s time to eat ALL the holiday treats, including some brand new cookies from Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs. But now, one of those cookies is also available…AS A CAKE! That’s right, Gideon’s has officially announced its cake flavor of the month, and it’s the Kris Kringle Cake (which is a lot like the Kris Kringle Cookie we recently tried). This three-layer cake is made with vanilla cake with specks of coffee bean covered with marshmallow buttercream frosting infused with coconut and vanilla. And there’s salted caramel frosting between each layer. YUM! ©Gideon’s Bakehouse Cake slices of the Kris Kringle cake will be available as of today throughout the month of December. And while you’re there eating some delicious cake, you can also pick up a super unique Kris Kringle T-Shirt! ©Gideon’s Bakehouse These shirts are only available while supplies last, so grab one before they’re all gone! And as always, we’ll keep you updated on all things Disney World, so stay tuned for more! Click Here to Read Our Review of Gideon’s December Cookies 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! Is this cake something you would like to try? Let us know in the comments! The post Why We'll Be Rushing Back to Gideon's Bakehouse at Disney Springs Soon! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World recently launched a new Annual Pass system. New Passholder Logo This new system has fewer Annual Pass options, is more expensive than the previous system, and some perks have been removed and are instead available as add ons. But, Disney World also just stopped the sale of all of their Annual Passes except for one. So, it was a bit surprising to see Disney still advertising for people to become Passholders. Disney World is sending out advertisements for Annual Passes to Florida residents, even though they recently paused sales on all passes except the Pixie Dust Pass. What could be inside? We got this item in the mail recently, which is advertising new Annual Passes. Passes, plural? When we opened it, the inside said that “Now is the perfect time to become an Annual Passholder.” This is interesting, as only one of the four annual pass options is currently available to buy. Not sure if it’s the *perfect* time, Disney But, on the other side of the mailer, Disney does seem to just be advertising for the Pixie Dust Pass, which is the least expensive option and is only available to Florida residents. It also has the most blockout dates. Pixie Dust Pass Advertisement It makes sense that Disney World is promoting the only Annual Pass they have available right now. But, it was a little surprising to receive this in the mail when sales are currently so limited and there is only one option to choose from. Disney has also not said when the other annual passes will be available again, but we’ll keep you updated when they do, so stay tuned to DFB for more. Click here to see more about Disney World annual pass sales being pasued 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. Were you planning to buy a Disney World annual pass soon? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney World Sent Out Annual Pass Advertisements Despite Sales Being Put on Hold first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’re visiting Disney World this holiday season, you’re probably planning to take a lot of family photos. Christmas has arrived in Disney World! And during the holidays, a Disney World backdrop can be a perfect photo for your Christmas cards. So where are the best spots for holiday pictures? You might be surprised to learn that many of them aren’t in Disney Parks, so check it out! Magic Kingdom A classic spot for holiday photos would be the Christmas Tree on Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom. A downside is that there will likely be lots of people around, but this spot is just so perfect for Christmas cards. Magic Kingdom Christmas Tree If you’re hoping for less strangers in your photo, let’s move to Hollywood Studios. Hollywood Studios At Hollywood Studios, Echo Lake is a beautiful background for holiday photos. You get Gertie the Dinosaur, a Christmas tree, and ornaments, and it’s hard to see any people in the background! Hollywood Studios If you want a more unique holiday background, try the Peppermint Girls located not far from the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant! You can avoid most of the crowd in the shot and get really sweet photos with these cute, vintage holiday decorations. Peppermint Girls Don’t have a Disney Park ticket? Check out many Disney World Resort hotels for beautiful (and free!) backgrounds. Wilderness Lodge The Wilderness Lodge is one of the best Disney hotels for Christmas photos. Just take a look at their Christmas tree! One of the big benefit of hotels is that you will likely find less people around, which means less strangers in the backgrounds of your photos. Wilderness Lodge Christmas Another cozy spot in Wilderness Lodge is on this little bridge, which is decorated with garland along with Christmas trees and wreaths in the background. Holiday Decor The woodsy backgrounds in Wilderness Lodge make it look like you just took the perfect cozy family vacation up north. Grand Floridian The Grand Floridian Hotel & Spa Christmas tree is another show stopper. You can also stop by the life-size Gingerbread House for more photos or to get a special treat! Grand Floridian And you don’t have to take photos with the giant Christmas tree. Walk around each resort to find your favorite holiday spot! Saratoga Springs Located not too far from Disney Springs is Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, where you can find this cute background! You’ll find some fun portraits of Disney horse characters, like this one of Maximus from Tangled. Saratoga Springs Lobby Visiting Disney Springs? Take the water taxi right to Saratoga Springs for your family photos! Port Orleans — French Quarter Port Orleans — French Quarter is another gorgeous resort AND you’re probably not going to find it super crowded. Take your pick of spots around the resort for some beautiful holiday backgrounds! Port Orleans Planning a walk on Disney’s BoardWalk? There’s more photo ops there! BoardWalk Inn If you find yourself on the BoardWalk, you can get some outdoor photos with the Christmas tree outside the BoardWalk Inn! Bad weather? Just stop inside the BoardWalk Inn for even more holiday decor. Boardwalk Tree Don’t want to stop by the BoardWalk Inn? Walk around the BoardWalk to find even more holiday decorations and unique backgrounds. Coronado Springs Coronado Springs is a resort that’s often overlooked, and the Christmas tree right in front of the giant, picturesque window is a lovely spot for photos. And if you take a walk around the resort, you’ll find even more spots perfect for holiday photos. Coronado Springs Christmas Tree If you’re visiting Disney World hoping to get family holiday photos, don’t feel obligated to stick to the parks! Try out a Disney Resort or two for less crowds and just as beautiful backgrounds. And keep reading DFB for more Disney World holiday tips and tricks. 10 holiday gifts that Disney fans will actually love! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What's New!! chapter for the 2021 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! ;-D Click HERE to order your 2021 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don't love it, you get your money back! Want Even MORE? The DFB Everything Bundle comes with ALL of our guides, including the Holiday Guide, for one low price! It includes: Pre-order of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2022 The 2021 Food & Wine Guide The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Holidays 2021 Pre-order for the 2022 Flower and Garden Festival Guide All three DFB Snack Guides Click HERE to order your DFB Everything Bundle! MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Check Out the FULL List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World This Year See the List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World’s Hotels Get All of the Latest Information about the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays See the Booths, Menus, and Food Photos for the Festival of the Holidays Check Out Our Photos & Reviews of the Holiday Treats in Disney World Watch Our Video About What We Wish We’d Known Before Going to Disney World During the Holidays Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Are you visiting Disney World this holiday season? Tell us in the comments! The post 10 of the Best Disney World Backgrounds for Your Family Holiday Cards first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Besides fun rides, delicious food, and good memories, you might find something else at Disney World: celebrities! Cinderella Castle Today, we’ve got the scoop about another celebrity appearance in Disney World! Recently, Chris Evans took a trip to Disney World to celebrate the resort’s 50th Anniversary! If you went to the parks recently, maybe you spotted him during your trip. Speaking of celebrities showing up at Disney World, we recently spotted Kristin Chenoweth performing in front of Cinderella Castle for Disney’s Holiday Special! And just yesterday, we spotted the Hough’s as well. Kristin Chenoweth Performing for the Holiday Special! One way you can guarantee that you’ll see a celeb at Disney World is EPCOT’s Candlelight Processional, which is a nighttime show featuring a celebrity host as well as performances by a choir and orchestra. On the first night of the show Auli’i Cravalho, the voice of Moana, was the celebrity host! Auli’i Cravalho — Narrator for the Candlelight Processional We’re always keeping up with the latest Disney news, so stay tuned here for more! Click Here to Read About the First Night of the Candlelight Processional! Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Details and Info Click HERE for Your Guide to Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration See Everything That Has Been Announced For Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Check Out Everything Happening in Disney World on October 1st, 2021 Click Here to See The 50 Best Ways to Celebrate Disney World’s 50th Anniversary What Does Hotel Availability and Pricing Look Like for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary? Here Are the 5 News Bombs You May Have Missed Related to the 50th Anniversary Celebrations! Check Out 10 Things You Need to Bring If You’re Going to Disney World for the 50th Anniversary See How Each of Disney World’s Park Icons Will Transform During the 50th Anniversary Celebrations! Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe What do you think about this celebrity appearance? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTO: Chris Evans Visited Disney World Recently! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Imagine this — you’ve just arrived at Magic Kingdom and you’re walking down Main Street, U.S.A.. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel You see Cinderella Castle looming just ahead, and you walk towards it and then walk through it — what is the first thing you see? It’s the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, one of the most iconic structures in Fantasyland. And you might not know it, but this attraction has a long history, one that’s MUCH longer than the history of Disney World! Disneyland Carrousel According to Click Orlando, Walt Disney’s love of carrousels goes back to watching his own children on the merry-go-round at a nearby park in California. Sitting on a park bench watching the carrousel spin round and round, the idea for Disneyland was born. Carrousels have held a special place in the Disney parks ever since. The most iconic attraction in Fantasyland He went to great lengths to restore an old merry-go-round for Disneyland, one that featured hand-carved horses. According to Coasterpedia, Walt hired Arrow Development to help turn that old carrousel into a reality, but he insisted that each horse be a jumping steed because, well, that’s way more exciting. And this is how Disneyland’s King Arthur Carrousel was born. King Arthur Carrousel in Disneyland And that laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel in Disney World. But that story has a much older history! Here’s How To Use and Understand Disney World’s Annual Passholder Calendar The History of Prince Charming Regal Carrousel When it came to Disney World, Walt wanted bigger AND better, so when it came time to bring a carrousel to his newest theme park, he sent Imagineers on a hunt for exactly what he required. According to D23, that’s when they discovered a carrousel at Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey that was 60 feet in diameter and featured 72 maple hand-carved horses and four custom-built chariots created by German and Italian craftsmen. The Imagineers found it just in time, too — the carousel was slated for demolition! Prince Charming Regal Carrousel Although the carrousel had been at Olympic Park since 1928, it was later discovered that it actually dated all the way back to 1917 and was built by the Philadelphia Tobbagan Company. At that time, it was in Detroit at Belle Isle Park and known as the Liberty Carousel (and here’s a tip — be sure to keep an eye out for hints of Lady Liberty the next time you ride the Carrousel at Disney World!). Lady Liberty frames each panel Imagineers dismantled the carousel piece by piece and transported it to Florida. If you’ve ever moved across states before you know what an undertaking it is — imagine moving a whole CARROUSEL! And then they got to work. They put it back together, gave it an upgrade, and repainted it in vibrant colors. Disney also bought more hand-carved horses, so when the carrousel opened with the park, it had 90! If you count the horses now, though, you’ll only get up to 87 — after Disney discovered an original chariot from the carrousel, the company removed three horses to make room for it. Still, 87 horses on a carrousel is still A LOT. Each horse is hand-carved Disney brought in artists from the animated Cinderella film to repaint the vignettes on the panels above the horses — it went from depicting Old West scenes to scenes from Cinderella. And those poles? They’re SOLID brass (and yes, they have to be polished regularly). Also, there is REAL gold on the ride — some of the accents are made with 14-karat gold. It really is a ROYAL carrousel. For the 50th Anniversary, even more gilding was added to the ride. Scenes from Cinderella So here’s a fun fact — when the carrousel was originally installed, it was off-center from the castle. Well, that wouldn’t do, and Roy Disney, who was in charge of Disney World at the time (he took over after Walt, his brother, passed), ordered workers to move it over…8 inches! But as we mentioned, that’s why it’s now the first thing you see when you walk through Cinderella Castle — that was the plan all along! It’s so beautiful! When Disney World opened Magic Kingdom 50 years ago, the carrousel opened with the park as Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel. It got its current name, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, in 2010, along with a new backstory — the carrousel was put in place behind the castle once Cinderella and her prince took up residence in the Castle. With some extra time on his hands, the prince constructed a mechanical horse machine to practice his jousting by hooking golden rings on a lance. (Interestingly, retrieving gold rings from the outermost poles as you spin around a carrousel is a very old classic carrousel game! Disney World’s carrousel has no gold rings though!) Mechanical jousting machine? If you look closely at the carrousel, you’ll notice that each horse has its own number, which corresponds with a name. If you want to know a horse’s name, you can get it at City Hall. Every horse has a name! Here’s another fun fact — the carousel has over 2,000 popcorn lights, so it lights up the night behind Cinderella Castle, too! The carrousel at night Now there’s no guarantee that you’ll be riding on one of the original horses from the 1917 version of the carrousel during your next Disney World trip. Disney also has 11 fiberglass copies of each horse to use as replacements if a horse needs to be repaired or spiffed up. And that’s the history of a Magic Kingdom attraction that’s twice as old as the park! Next time you see this classic attraction just remember that, even though Disney World is celebrating 50 years this year, the carrousel is OVER 100 YEARS OLD! A Complete List of the Attractions that Close When it Rains in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Preorder Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to preorder your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Do you have a favorite horse on Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel? Let us know in the comments! The post The Ride at Disney World That’s TWICE As Old as the Park first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

I’m so excited to share that "Disney's Holiday Magic Quest" is returning for a second year with "ZOMBIES" stars Milo Manheim, Kylee Russell, Meg Donnelly and Trevor Tordjman competing in a high-stakes holiday adventure featuring new epic challenges. The quest will take place inside Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort after dark, as part of The World's Most Magical Celebration that honors the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World. View the full article

Today the focus is on guests creating memories on three championship layouts where touring professionals made their mark three decades ago. View the full article Jack Nicklaus concentrates on his putt which later dropped in for a birdie on #5 hole here during the 2nd round of the Walt Disney World Open golf tournament, Orlando, Fla., Dec. 4, 1971. (AP Photo/Mark Foley) (Mark Foley) The idea sounded terrific to Jack Nicklaus and his wife Barbara. Load up the children, spend the week at a fledgling theme park called Disney World while the Golden Bear would play in a golf tournament. Dad would compete against some of the best players in the world during the day, then all would join for endless park options at night. It was a plan the whole Nicklaus family easily got behind. Disney World had been open for only two months when the PGA Tour’s inaugural Walt Disney World Open Invitational came rolling into town on the resort’s newly designed Palm and Magnolia courses. Nicklaus, then 31, collected his first of three consecutive titles in the event, winning by three strokes over Deane Beman. That was Dec. 6, 1971. Fifty years ago. “I played well, I won the tournaments,” said Nicklaus, winner of 73 PGA Tour events and a record 18 major championships. “We had young kids at the time, and we took them into the Magic Kingdom every night. We did all the things that parents do with the kids. We enjoyed it. It was great fun.” Jack Nicklaus looks over a putt under the umbrella during a rainy third round at the Walt Disney World Open golf tournament in Orlando on Dec. 5, 1971. Nicklaus held on to the lead with an 11-under-par 205 total barely nosing out Bert Yancey who finished with a 206. Nicklaus had only one comment as he left #18 green: "Good gracious." (Mark Foley/AP) The tradition continued for another four decades as Disney hosted prestigious tournaments ranging from the PGA Tour’s annual stop — which switched to a two-man team format from 1974-81 and ended in 2012 – to LPGA events, senior majors, major championship qualifying events and college championships. Tiger Woods, then 20, shot a final-round 66 in 1996 to win the second of his record 82 PGA Tour titles by one shot over the late Payne Stewart, the 1983 champion. Three years later Woods won again in a dramatic 1-stroke victory over Ernie Els. Other legends of the game like Ben Crenshaw, Hal Sutton, Lanny Wadkins, Raymond Floyd, Mark O’Meara, David Duval, Davis Love III, Karrie Webb and Pat Bradley have all won on the same grounds. While Disney Golf is celebrating its first 50 years and looks back fondly on its rich tournament history, the resort is now content to look forward to the next half-century at its four heralded courses that are affectionately referred to as “The Happiest Place on Turf,” a play on Disneyland’s “The Happiest Place on Earth” moniker. Instead of catering to touring professionals a few times a year, attention now turns to solely providing guests with a memorable, first-class golf experience on one of the three championship layouts — the Palm, Magnolia and Lake Buena Vista courses — or the leisurely, nine-hole Oak Trail course which is a favorite of families, beginners and those who don’t have the time to devote to a full round. The collection of courses created a challenging environment for professionals over the years yet continues to deliver a player-friendly option for golfers of all ages and skill levels. Disney reports that it pulls in more than 200,000 rounds annually and is on pace for similar numbers this year. As is the case with most Central Florida golf history, there is an Arnold Palmer connection. It was Palmer who took the inaugural test ride on the Disney Monorail in 1971 and later that same day he was named a consultant for the PGA Tour event that Nicklaus, his biggest rival, ultimately won later that year. Eight years ago, Palmer was instrumental in renovating and reimagining the Palm course and his eponymous golf management company continues to operate Disney’s golf facilities just as it has for the past decade. Jack Nicklaus of Columbus, Ohio goes up on his toes as he urges his ball toward the cup with fans in the background showing equally intense expressions at Orlando Dec. 2, 1971. (Mark Foley/AP) “We have a commitment to being guest-centric — creating an all-encompassing experience that is uniquely Disney while providing the opportunity to play where champions were crowned,” said Bruce Gerlander, Disney Golf’s general manager. “We task ourselves with melding the flair of the resort with upholding the classic traditions of the game of golf that our founder, Mr. Arnold Palmer, stood proud and tall for every day of his life.” As is the Disney way, they have thought of everything. Guests have the option of renting golf clubs and golf shoes. Members of the Disney Vacation Club have access to a low-cost membership that includes four rounds of golf on the Oak Trail course, four twilight rounds on the championship courses, eight rounds of FootGolf (a hybrid sport between soccer and golf), complimentary range balls, companion passes to golf clinics and discount passes for member’s guests. It’s amusing now to look back on everything that Disney has accomplished in the golf space. When Walt Disney sketched his plans for Walt Disney World, he labeled a large area adjacent to the Magic Kingdom as “golf.” Disney himself was not a golfer, but he knew then that having a golf presence would be one of the keys to creating a complete family destination in the Sunshine State. “Disney has made great contributions to the game,” Nicklaus, now 81, said earlier this year. “They have golf everywhere that they’ve been.” Nicklaus is correct. Disney Golf has accomplished many things since he hoisted the trophy in that first golf tournament 50 years ago, but remains just as focused on making sure more memories are delivered to guests over the next 50 years.

Did you know that there are Military Discounts available for you at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney? Downtown Disney is the Disneyland Resort’s dining, shopping and entertainment area. There you’ll find great dining options, many merchandise stores (Disney and others), as well as entertainment venues. See our list for Florida’s Disney Springs also. Downtown Disney stretches from […] The post Downtown Disney Military Discounts At Disneyland Resort appeared first on Military Disney Tips Blog. View the full article

I love Disney’s Magical Express, Disney World’s complimentary bus service between the Orlando International Airport and Disney World Resorts. Note: Disney’s Magical Express will be ending! Reservations beginning on 1 January 2022 will no longer receive Magical Express service! A new paid third party option starts 1 January 2022. See: Mears Connect Disney’s Magical Express […] The post Disney’s Magical Express Military Disney Tips Review appeared first on Military Disney Tips Blog. View the full article

It’s the holiday season in Disney World, which means there are a lot of delicious holiday foods to try! Reindeer Mousse We’ve tried a ton of delicious food already, like a Christmas Cookie Shake, Reindeer Mousse, Frozen Hot Chocolate, and even Peppermint Bark Nachos! But, the fun isn’t over yet, because even MORE holiday sweets are now available in Disney World! Sprinkles Cupcakes in Disney Springs has released their flavors for December! Now, we already knew about some of these flavors (as they started in November), but there are some new flavors, too. First up, we have the Christmas Cookie Cupcake, which will be available from now through January 2nd, 2022. @sprinklescupcakes via Instagram Next, there is the Gingerbread Cupcake, that you can get from now until December 26th. @sprinklescupcakes via Instagram Then, we have the Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake, which is available now through December 26th as well. @sprinklescupcakes via Instagram Moving on, the Snow Cute Vanilla Cupcake is also available now until December 26th. @sprinklescupcakes via Instagram The Santa Baby Red Velvet Cupcake is at Sprinkles right now through December 26th as well. @sprinklescupcakes via Instagram And finally, the Kir Royale Cupcake will be available starting December 27th through January 2nd, 2022. @sprinklescupcakes via Instagram Those are all of the flavors you can expect on the menu at Sprinkles’ Disney Springs location in December! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney food news, reviews, and updates. Click here to see ALL of the holiday treats we’ve tried so far in Disney World Don't Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2021 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What's New!! chapter for the 2021 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! ;-D Click HERE to order your 2021 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don't love it, you get your money back! Want Even MORE? The DFB Everything Bundle comes with ALL of our guides, including the Holiday Guide, for one low price! It includes: Pre-order of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2022 The 2021 Food & Wine Guide The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Holidays 2021 Pre-order for the 2022 Flower and Garden Festival Guide All three DFB Snack Guides Click HERE to order your DFB Everything Bundle! MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Check Out the FULL List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World This Year See the List of Holiday Treats Coming to Disney World’s Hotels Get All of the Latest Information about the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays See the Booths, Menus, and Food Photos for the Festival of the Holidays Check Out Our Photos & Reviews of the Holiday Treats in Disney World Watch Our Video About What We Wish We’d Known Before Going to Disney World During the Holidays Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Which cupcake looks the most delicious to you? Let us know in the comments! The post Calling All Cupcake Lovers: Sprinkles at Disney Springs Just Revealed their December Flavors! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hello and welcome to another update from beautiful EPCOT! It’s time for EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays! We’re constantly making our way to the parks to see what’s new. Over the past few days, we’ve visited EPCOT a few times for the start of the International Festival of the Holidays and much more. Heading to EPCOT soon or just wishing you could be there? Join us for a virtual trip around the park to see what’s new! EPCOT Food Updates At the popcorn stand near the Journey Into Imagination with Figment ride, we noticed that they had the NEW Christmas tree popcorn bucket. Shinyyyy Lines were LONG to get this beauty though, so be prepared to do a bit of waiting! Click here to learn more about this popcorn bucket! EPCOT Merchandise Updates Creations Shop At the Creations Shop, we’ve spotted quite a few new things over the past few days. First, there are the NEW $100 gift cards with holiday pins. We had already spotted these in Disney Springs, but were happy to see them available in EPCOT too. Gift Cards They are $100 holiday gift cards that each come with a pin. Gift Card There are a variety of different designs. Gift Card They could make a great souvenir for you to use during your trip, or a nice gift for a Disney fan. Gift Card Plus they come with those great pins! Learn more about the gift cards here. We also spotted some new 50th Anniversary jewelry in the store, mainly from Crislu. Jewelry There was a new necklace… Necklace …earrings… More Jewelry …a bracelet… Bracelet …another necklace… Jewelry …and more earrings! Earrings If you’re a board game fan, you can now pick up some Disney Parks Yahtzee for $44.99! We spotted this at a Disney World Resort hotel recently, but it was good to see in the park as well. Yahtzee There were also quite a few new pins available, including a popcorn-themed pin set for $17.99… Popcorn Pins …an Overshadowing Villains Mystery pin for $17.99… Villains Set …and a Winnie the Pooh pin for $12.99. Pooh Pin If you’re looking for Dooney & Bourke bags, Creations Shop typically has a lot in stock. During a recent visit, we spotted the Santa Paws bags available here. Dooney & Bourke We also saw that some fun Star Wars hoop earrings have been restocked. Earrings Pin Traders Over at Pin Traders we found some new (or at least new-to-us) pins. Pins There was a Mickey and Minnie Mouse bow set… Pins …a pin that said “Work Hard Be Nice”… Pin …a Flubber pin… Flubber …a pin set with a TV, ears, a VHS, and more… Lots to Check Out! …a High School Musical pin… High School Musical …a Dory pin… Dory Pin …a Camp Rock pin… Camp Rock …and a Dia de los Muertos pin. Dia de los Muertos Pin We also found a new Mickey Candlelight Processional pin for $19.99. Candlelight Processional Pin Port of Entry At Port of Entry, we saw that they had some Encanto merchandise available for purchase. Encanto Items So, if you’re looking to celebrate this new film, you can pick up some of these new items. Click here to see when Encanto will be available on Disney+! Canada Over in the Canada pavilion we spotted some beer…SOCKS! These are designed to look like cans of beer but contain socks inside of them. Beer Socks! These may have been around for a while, but they were so funny to us, we just had to share them with you! Beer Socks You can get these for $14.99. EPCOT Construction Updates In terms of construction updates, we saw that part of the area near the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy coaster is open for guests to walk through and sit. Construction walls pushed back around Cosmic Rewind — Late November 2021 Looks like things are really progressing in this area. We can’t wait to see it once it’s all finished! Click here to see more about the Guardian of the Galaxy construction update! Near the Seas with Nemo and Friends and the Coral Reef Restaurant, we also spotted what appears to be some construction being done on the floor in the area. Construction We’ll keep an eye out for more updates on that. EPCOT Miscellaneous Updates If you’re planning to visit EPCOT soon, you’ll probably be happy to know that the International Festival of the Holidays has officially begun! Chirashi Sushi Tree There are all kinds of decorations, merchandise, entertainment, activities, and (of course) food and drinks available as part of the Festival. It’ll be available now through December 30th, so go check it out! Click here to see our list for the Best of the Fest! When we stopped by recently, we also visited Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie in the France pavilion and noticed that it had an EXTREMELY long line. If you’re planning to visit this spot for some delicious treats, be sure to get there early or be prepared for a little bit of a wait. Get Ready to Wait And that’s is for us from EPCOT! Be sure to check back with us for more news. Click here to see some of 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. When are you planning to visit EPCOT next? Tell us in the comments! The post What's New in EPCOT: Festival of the Holidays Begins and LOTS of Pins! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew has been bringing the heat this fall, with standout flavors like their Holiday Mystery Donut and the Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Mash-Up totally blowing us away! Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Mash-Up If you’re in Disney Springs this holiday season, be sure to stop by to try out yet another specialty donut that brings all of those cozy fall and holiday flavors in a single bite. Everglazed announced over on their Instagram account that their new donut, the Apple Crisp Cake Donut, is available now for purchase! © Everglazed According to Everglazed, this donut comes topped with a sweet glaze and dusted with cinnamon sugar. Doesn’t it look simply divine? Everglazed claims that this donut is great on its own, but we may pair ours with one of their cold brews like they suggest (in a perfect world, we would match it with their seasonal Pumpkin Cold Brew). Pumpkin Cold Brew Be sure to grab this seasonal donut ASAP if those flavors are up your alley! We’ll be on the lookout for more limited-time offerings from Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew as well as other locations around Disney World! Click here to read about another fall flavor from Everglazed we’re totally in love with! 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 Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew? Let us know what your favorite flavor is in the comments! The post More Limited-Time Fall Flavors Arrive at Everglazed in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article