Disney4me

So many of our favorite snack spots, restaurants, and hotels are reopening at Disney World! Welcome to the Polynesian! And we’re especially excited about the reopening of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in just a few days! In the meantime, we’ve been enjoying the newly-reopened ‘Ohana there. But today, we noticed a snack spot at the resort had also reopened! While we were visiting Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, we saw that Kona Island has officially reopened. Open for business! Now, this isn’t to be confused with Kona Cafe next door. Kona Island is a snack spot where you can pick up some specialty coffee drinks and pastries in the morning… Menu …as well as sushi and other goodies for lunch and dinner. Ready to take your order! But also, this is where you get some delicious CANDIED BACON! Of course we had to try them all, including the Dark Chocolate Chili-Bacon, which was our second favorite of the flavors. The bacon is already seasoned well, but this adds a bit of spicy with the sweet chocolate! Dark chocolate Chili Bacon The Dark Chocolate Bacon is for those who love some plain, chocolate-covered bacon. It wasn’t our favorite, but it’s the simplest option of the bacon choices. Dark Chocolate Bacon The Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan Bacon had an interesting texture! The nuts made it super crunchy, and although it wasn’t our favorite, we enjoyed it. Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan Bacon Last but not least is the seasonal Pineapple and Coconut Chocolate-Covered Bacon. This was our favorite bacon flavor! It was a fun mix with the dried pineapple and toasted coconut. Overall the bacon was pretty peppery on its own — it was seasoned very well and surprisingly, it was not too salty. Each pair of bacon is $4, but there were some pre-packaged boxes with one of each flavor! Pineapple and Coconut Chocolate-Covered Bacon We saw lots of other yummy-looking treats in the case today, too, including some Chocolate-Covered Strawberries… Chocolate covered strawberries …some Toasted Coconut Strawberries… Toasted Coconut …some M&M’s Strawberries… M&M’s …and more! They’ve got cupcakes and other selections as well. So if you find yourself over at the Polynesian in need of a sweet snack, you know where to go (and again, GET THE BACON). And we’ll keep you updated on all reopenings at 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! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 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 to Kona Island? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: Kona Island Has Reopened at Disney World (With Chocolate-Covered BACON)! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Summer is officially here, the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival has begun, fireworks are back, and more changes are on the way soon for Disney World. EPCOT As you might expect, summer vacation and special events like the start of a festival can draw in more crowds. What did the average wait times in Disney World look like this past week? Today we’re taking a look and sharing all the details with you. Magic Kingdom In Magic Kingdom, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was at the top of the leaderboard this past week with an average wait time of 73 minutes. Following that we had Splash Mountain at 65 minutes, Space Mountain at 55 minutes, Jungle Cruise at 50 minutes, Peter Pan’s Flight at 48 minutes, Haunted Mansion at 39 minutes, and Astro Orbiter at 39 minutes. Peter Pan’s Flight Looking for rides with slightly shorter wait times? In the 30s range (aside from Haunted Mansion and Astro Orbiter mentioned above) we had Pirates of the Caribbean at 38 minutes, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 37 minutes, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at 33 minutes, Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at 31 minutes, and “it’s a small world” at 30 minutes. Ready to Help Buzz? Rides with even shorter average wait times included Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid at 26 minutes, Dumbo the Flying Elephant at 21 minutes, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover at 20 minutes, Tomorrowland Speedway at 20 minutes, Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini at 20 minutes, and Magic Carpets of Aladdin at 17 minutes. Magic Carpets of Aladdin Finally, rides with average wait times at or under 15 minutes included Mad Tea Party at 15 minutes, Mickey’s PhilharMagic at 15 minutes, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel at 13 minutes, both Country Bear Jamboree and Liberty Square Riverboat at 8 minutes, Carousel of Progress at 5 minutes, Tom Sawyer Island at 4 minutes… Let’s go in the tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki room! …and both Enchanted Tiki Room and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse with 0 minute waits. EPCOT At EPCOT the ride with the longest wait time was (really no surprise here) Test Track with an average wait time of 67 minutes. Following that was Frozen Ever After at 48 minutes, Gran Fiesta Tour at 23 minutes, Soarin’ at 23 minutes, Mission: SPACE at 21 minutes, and Spaceship Earth at 19 minutes. Test Track Rides with shorter wait times included Journey into Imagination at 12 minutes, Living with the Land at 12 minutes, The Seas with Nemo and Friends at 12 minutes, and EPCOT’s various shows (Reflections of China, American Adventure, Awesome Planet, Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival, and Impressions de France) all with 0 minute waits. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Next, it’s time to head over to Disney’s Animal Kingdom where one ride had an average wait time of over 100 minutes this past week! This past week, Avatar Flight of Passage had an average wait time of 123 minutes! After that, the average wait times were significantly less. There was Na’vi River Journey at 53 minutes, Kilimanjaro Safaris at 47 minutes, Kali River Rapids at 44 minutes, Expedition Everest at 34 minutes, and DINOSAUR at 31 minutes. Elephants on Kilimanjaro Safaris If you’re looking for a ride with a wait time of 15 minutes or less, this past week we saw It’s Tough to Be a Bug with an average wait of 15 minutes, TriceraTop Spin at 11 minutes, and the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail with a 0 minute wait. Disney’s Hollywood Studios Finally, we’ll end our trip around Disney World at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The ride with the longest wait time here this past week was Slinky Dog Dash (no surprise there) with an average wait of 89 minutes. The rides that followed were Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run with an average wait of 66 minutes, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith at 64 minutes, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at 60 minutes, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at 52 minutes, and Toy Story Mania at 50 minutes. Anyone Up for a Ride? Rides with shorter waits included Alien Swirling Saucers at 34 minutes, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue at 22 minutes, Muppet*Vision 3D at 12 minutes, Walt Disney Presents at 11 minutes, and Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at 10 minutes. Keep in mind that Rise of the Resistance isn’t factored into the wait times since it uses boarding groups. And that’s a full look at the average wait times this week. Overall, Animal Kingdom had the ride with the longest average wait time with Flight of Passage at 123 minutes. When we averaged the wait times for all the rides at each of the parks, Animal Kingdom had the highest overall average, but Hollywood Studios wasn’t far behind. Keep in mind these are only averages so your wait time could be more or less than what we’ve mentioned. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more updates on Disney World’s wait times and let you know what we find. Click here to see some of the latest Disney news from this past week! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What is the longest you’re willing to wait for a Disney World ride? Tell us in the comments! The post Can You Guess Which Disney World Park Had the LONGEST Wait Times This Week?! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

October 1st might just be one of the biggest days in Disney World’s history! Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is opening soon! Not only is it the day that Disney World begins its 50th anniversary celebration, but it’s also the day that EPCOT’s Harmonious nighttime show debuts. AND it’s also when EPCOT’s Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opens at the France Pavilion, and we can’t wait! In honor of the upcoming attraction’s grand opening, Disney World is celebrating with a brand new MagicBand! The Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure MagicBand has arrived! It’s here! One side features the ride’s logo, along with cooking utensils, some vegetables, baked goods, cheese, and Remy! Remy! The other side features The Eiffel Tower (made of cheese, because why not?), along with other foods and cooking utensils! We see you, Git! This MagicBand is a limited release, so if you want it, better head on over to Fantasia Market at Disney’s Contemporary Resort to pick it up for $34.99. And if we spot any other Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure merchandise, we’ll let you know! Check Out The THREE EXCLUSIVE New Disney World MagicBands That Are Available for Pre-Order Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think of this new MagicBand? Are you excited about Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure? Let us know in the comments! The post An Upcoming EPCOT Ride Now Has Its Own MagicBand! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Citricos has officially reopened at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort! Citricos Citricos closed last year to undergo refurbishments, including updates to give it a Mary Poppins Returns theme! The menu was also updated with several new dishes ahead of its reopening. We stopped by to check out the new menu and decor — we constantly enjoy meals at Citricos, so the new menu is something we were looking forward to! We adored the ambience in the past, so let’s see how the re-theme impacted our experience. Atmosphere First of all, we think the newly updated Citricos is gorgeous! The makeover gave the restaurant a lighter, more playful feel that goes well with its Mary Poppins Returns theme. And there are so many little touches that point to Mary Poppins throughout the dining room, bar area, and wine room. When we first arrived, we checked in at the desk outside the entrance. Time to check in! We were led through these gorgeous gates inside the restaurant. Entrance to Citricos The restaurant has a main dining room, a walk-up bar area, a smaller dining room, and a private wine room. Citricos In the main dining room, we got to see the updates to the tables and chairs, as well as the delicate lighting fixtures. A peek Inside the Reopened Citricos Here’s a closer look at the bar… Citricos Bar Area …and the new seating there! The floral pattern on the chairs is a common theme in the dining area. Bar Seating The dining room has standard tables and chairs as well as booth options. Citricos Dining Room One Mary Poppins Returns detail is the leaves in the gate that separate the rooms. This is a subtle reference to the scene in the movie when the winds blow the leaves on the street as Mary Poppins is blown in! Citricos Leaves Wall The robins and butterflies on the light fixtures also point to Mary Poppins Returns. Citricos Robin Lamp All the light fixtures are delicate and pretty, with floral patterns that match the chairs. Cherry blossom chandeliers point to Mary Poppins Returns as well! Citricos Lighting The private Sommelier Room isn’t open yet. Our server thinks it will be open this September, though! Inside, guests get an elevated food and wine experience that features boutique wines paired with several dishes by Chef Andres Mendoza. The menu and prices haven’t been released just yet. The Sommelier Room! The chandeliers in the wine room look like upside-down umbrellas — a very classy representation of a classic Mary Poppins symbol! Umbrella Lighting Also in the wine room, you can see Mary Poppins’ carpet bag and her parrot-topped umbrella! Mary Poppins Details We thought the dining room was so beautiful! Citricos Dining Room Here’s a look at the smaller lounge area for drinks. Floral Chairs in Dining Room The chairs throughout the restaurant were all so beautiful with a mix of velvet fabric and floral patterns. Table in Dining Room Our server told us these chairs had CHAIR-y blossoms fabric! Get it? Chair-y Blossom Chairs The restaurant has an open kitchen, so you can see the chefs as they create your food! Open Kitchen At our table, we had pretty colored glass water cups and a cloth napkin with utensils. Table Setting The rooms are gorgeous, but we know what you’re really looking for — let’s look at the food! Eats As we said before, Citricos got a menu revamp ahead of its reopening. The restaurant is known for its flavors of Provence, Tuscany, and the Spanish Riviera, and even though the menu is different, Disney stuck with that same idea. The menus were QR codes like we’ve seen at nearly every restaurant in Disney World… The QR code Menu …but you can also ask for a paper menu if you’d prefer that. Here’s the cocktails menu… Drinks Menu …the extensive champagne and wines menu… Champagne and Wines Menu …and the appetizers, entrees, and enhancements. Entrees Menu Upon request, you can also get an allergy-friendly menu. The Allergy-friendly Menu We started out with the bread service, which was Ciabatta bread and Rye with olives. Bread Service The Rye bread with olives had a crispy crust and soft inside. Rye Bread And the Ciabatta was good as well! Bread The bread came with a citrus salted butter. Butter The bread was really good, but it wasn’t super exciting or overwhelmingly special. Breads We ordered a few drinks as well — how could you not with so many options on the menu? We had water in those beautiful colored glass cups… Water …and also ordered an Amaro Grapefruit Spritz and 212 Manhattan. Drinks The Amaro Grapefruit Spritz is made with Amaro Nonino, Antica Vermouth, Tanqueray Gin, House Grapefruit, Florida Honey, and House seltzer. It was really refreshing! The Vermouth was very strong, so you’ll need to like it if you order this drink! We loved the bubbles in this drink, and it reminded us of a Negroni! It cost $16. The 212 Manhattan The 212 Manhattan was also $16 and is made with Angels Envy Bourbon, Bertrand Banyul’s, and Chocolate Bitters. You can certainly taste the chocolate bitters in this drink! It had a fabulous flavor and really strong bourbon taste. The Amaro Grapefruit Spritz Finally, we had the non-alcoholic Old Fashioned Orange Soda Float, which is made with Handcrafted orange syrup, House-made seltzer and Vanilla Bean Ice cream. It tasted just like a creamsicle! You can tell the juice is really fresh, and it had fun bubbles as well! Our server recommended letting the ice cream melt so that you can swirl it together and get a creamier taste. This drink is $9. The Old Fashioned Orange Soda Float! We ordered a couple of appetizers as well. We tried the Smoked Duck Breast and the Strawberry Salad. Appetizers The Strawberry Salad was amazing! It’s made with Chamomile Infused Goat Cheese, Frisée Lettuce, Bacon Vinaigrette and Spiced Sunflower Seeds. The produce was crisp and fresh, and we really loved the whipped goat cheese. The Strawberry Salad! We didn’t get a lot of spice from nuts, but they added a nice crunch to the textures. The salad cost $16. Strawberry Salad We were also seriously impressed by the Smoked Duck Breast, which had Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta, Celeriac Purée, and Duck Confit. The Smoked Duck Breast! Wow! It was so smoky and delicious! The meat was tender and delicious. We loved the creamy pasta as well. The Duck appetizer was $18. Duck Breast Next we moved on to the entrees. We tried the Domestic Golden Tilefish, the Guava Barbecued Short Ribs, and the Truffle Macaroni and Cheese, which was an enhancement (aka add-on). Entrees The Guava Barbecued Short Ribs came with Aged Cheddar Creamy Grits, Roasted Poblano, Curtido Slaw, and Brussels Sprouts. The Short Ribs! These ribs were so tender! They just fell off the bone. We loved the sweet sauce on top! Shortribs cut The slaw added an unexpected crunch that went well with the creamy grits. Short ribs Slaw We were obsessed with these grits! And the Brussel sprouts were perfectly crispy on the outside. All in all, this dish was a winner! This plate costs $50. Short Ribs with Grits Next we tried the Domestic Golden Tilefish, which came with Jupiter Rice Chorizo “Risotto”, Key West Pink Shrimp, and Confit Tomatoes. The Tilefish! We think even people who don’t love fish would fall for this dish! The fish was flaky and cooked perfectly. It wasn’t quite as mild as Mahi fish, but it didn’t have a super “fishy” taste. Tilefish We loved the Chorizo Risotto. It had a smoky, spicy flavor that tasted great with the barbecued shrimp! There were plenty of shrimp on this dish. It cost $46.Last but certainly not least was the Truffle Macaroni and Cheese. The Mac and Cheese! This was unlike any mac and cheese we’ve ever had! It’s made with House-made Gnocchetti, Summer Black Truffles, Sottocenere al Tartufo and Tarragon. So really, it’s like a Gnocci and cheese! There were a lot of mushrooms and a very strong truffle flavor. The truffle they used was infused into sheep’s cheese for this dish. If you’re expecting a classic macaroni and cheese, this is really not it! It might not be for everyone, but we enjoyed the strong, unique flavors. This was an optional add-on for $21. Mac and Cheese And finally, onto the desserts! We tried the Orange Blossom Flan and the Blackberry Tartelette. Desserts The Orange Blossom Flan is made with Blood Orange Gelée, Orange-scented Shortbread, and Orange Blossom Honey-drizzled Fruit. The Orange Blossom Flan! It had a very strong orange flavor that’s pretty in-your-face but also very refreshing. We loved the mix of textures with the crunchy shortbread and very creamy flan. Orange Blossom Flan It’s not something we’d really crave, but it was light and tasty, and we think it was the perfect ending note to the meal. The flan was $13. Since we’re a sucker for desserts, we had to try one more! We went with the Blackberry Tartelette. Blackberry Tartelette This dessert is made with Lemon Bavarian and Blackberry Mousse enrobed in Glacage with Candied Violet. We preferred the Lemon Bavarian to the Blackberry Mousse, mainly because the Bavarian was a bit creamier. We also loved the whipped meringue on top! Blackberry Tartelette Again, it was a light and tasty dessert that we enjoyed, but probably won’t dream about. Blackberry Tartelette The Blackberry Tartelette was $12. Nosh or Not You’ll want to dine at Citricos if: You’re an avid foodie who enjoys unique and surprising flavors. We were impressed with the unique flavors on this menu! You’re an adult who wants a classy meal as a celebration or date night. There is a dress code at this restaurant, so it’s a place to get dressed up! You enjoy signature dining experiences with pretty decor and luxurious meals. You might want to skip Citricos if: You’re dining with a lot of kids You or someone in your party is a picky eater (or just wants to have familiar flavors). There aren’t very many “plain” items on the menu. You’re trying to stay on a strict budget — this place wasn’t cheap! Be ready to drop around $50 just for one entree. Overall We really had a wonderful experience at Citricos, but it didn’t make our very top list of restaurants. The inside was amazing (and worth seeing once!), and the food was really pretty and exciting. It seems to have a very specific audience in mind, catering to adults and especially foodies wanting to try something different! It’s also very expensive! It’s a signature dining location, so we were expecting that, but the two entrees together were $96 already, plus drinks and desserts…it adds up for sure. If the experience isn’t worth it to you, you may want to pick another spot. The service was great — our server was very helpful and gave us great suggestions! We prefer the food over at the Enchanted Rose Lounge, and the food comes from the same kitchen — give it a try if Citricos doesn’t seem like a good fit for your party. Keep following DFB for more reviews of the new and updated restaurants around Disney World! Click Here to Read More About the Exclusive Wine Experience Coming to Citricos! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 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 planning to go to Citricos? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: Is the Gorgeous New Citricos Worth the Huge Price Tag in Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney has had several after hours events in the past, including Disney After Hours in Magic Kingdom, Disney After Hours in Animal Kingdom, and Disney Villains After Hours. Queen of Hearts Photo-Op! These events happen after the parks close and usually include complimentary snacks and drinks and shorter lines for the rides! Some events offered more, like special entertainment and ride overlays at the Villains After Hours! This year, two after hours events have replaced normal holiday parties in Disney World. Are these After Hours events here to stay? Or will we see the holiday parties back later? The After Hours Boo Bash and Disney Very Merriest After Hours event are replacing Disney World’s usual Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year. Both replacements are after hours events, meaning they take place in the parks once normal park hours are over. Boo Bash ©Disney Guests with tickets to Boo Bash (but not Magic Kingdom park tickets for that day) can still enter the park a little earlier than the official start time. They’ll be allowed inside starting at 7PM, which was the start time for the party at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary. Guests could go inside Magic Kingdom for Not-So-Scary starting at 4PM. This 7PM start rather than the 4PM start makes it a much later night for guests with younger kids. Some people have said this will make it more difficult for them to attend the event! A reader mentioned this: “The 9pm [official] start time is just a no go for a lot of parents trying to keep some semblance of a sleep schedule.” Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party We asked our readers if they thought the after hours events were here to stay! On our Instagram poll, more than half (55%) of the respondents said they think the after hours holiday parties are NOT here to stay — they’re hoping the old parties are coming back! Are After Hours Events Here to Stay? In addition, the Boo Bash event is significantly more expensive than Mickey’s Not-So-Scary, even though the after hours event is only three hours long compared to Not-So-Scary’s five hour party. Our readers mentioned that the time difference wasn’t as big of a problem as the lack of extra entertainment options: “If that [the After Hours events] had everything a party had to offer even if it was less time I wouldn’t mind paying the price and keeping them around. But with there being less than an actual party I really hope the after hours events don’t stay.” Parade at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party And although most after hours events do offer guests complimentary snacks and beverages, some of these events don’t have the same added entertainment or shows that the previous holiday parties had! For example, the Disney’s After Hours Animal Kingdom didn’t have any additional entertainment, just free snacks and shorter wait times on the rides! One reader said they hope the old parties will be back because the short lines for attractions aren’t enough of a draw: “I don’t go to those things to not have lines at rides. I go for the experiences, food, fun, parades, etc.” After Hours at Animal Kingdom Despite some apparent drawbacks of the after-hours events when compared to the normal Disney holiday parties, the after hours events are still proving to be popular options for guests! A reader mentioned that even just having a holiday party is better than nothing: “My thought process is any event is better than no event especially for those of us that don’t get to do this every year.” Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party A lot of guests seem to agree, as Boo Bash dates have sold out a number of times on various days while the event is running in Disney’s Magic Kingdom. (Disney has also re-stocked tickets for several dates!) Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! So are after hours holiday parties here to stay? Time will only tell! Based on the popularity of Boo Bash, it seems like Disney guests are still interested in attending, even with all the changes! Ticket prices and dates for the Disney Very Merriest After Hours Event aren’t available yet, but keep following Disney Food Blog and we’ll let you know as soon as we can! Click Here to Learn More About Disney Very Merriest After Hours Event! 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. Preorder 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 Preorder 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! MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Check Out ALL the Holiday Treats in Disney World Last Year (With Reviews!) Look Back at the 2020 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays BEST of the FEST! How Much Will a Disney world Hotel Room Cost You to Visit During the 2021 Holidays? Do you prefer the After Hours events or the original holiday parties? Let us know in the comments! The post Do YOU Think the NEW Christmas and Halloween Parties Are Here to Stay in Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World is going to be AMAZING this year. Cinderella Castle’s 50th anniversary makeover Why? Because as of October 1st, Disney World is celebrating its 50th anniversary with special fireworks, new character costumes, new attractions, and more! And that celebration will last until 2023! So, how can you be there? Well, if you’re a D23 Member, you can enter to win a trip for two to Disney World for the 50th anniversary opening celebration! One lucky member and a guest will get to be one of the first to see Disney World in all its 50th anniversary glory! ©D23 All you have to do is sign into your D23 account and visit this page to enter. But hurry! Because the sweepstakes ends on August 2nd! Magic Kingdom A winner will be chosen at random to receive round-trip coach air transportation to Orlando, round-trip transportation to/from the airport, room accommodations for five nights at a Disney World resort, a welcome basket, two 6-day Park Hopper tickets, a Disney gift card worth $500, and Memory Maker! ©Disney As long as you are a D23 Member, you can enter this sweepstakes! So if you’re feeling lucky, go enter now — and good luck! Click Here For Disney World Park Hours For October 1st Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 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 going to Disney World this year? Let us know in the comments! The post Do You Qualify to Win a FREE Disney World 50th Anniversary Trip? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s time to check in on all the construction going on around Walt Disney World again! It’s time to check out all the construction progress! Last week we checked in on the construction progress over at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and now we’ve got more updates on the major attractions, shows, and more coming to the parks soon! So, let’s get to it! Magic Kingdom TRON: Lightcycle Run Over the past few weeks, we’ve been watching as Disney installs blue netting on the exterior of the new ride TRON: Lightcycle Run in Tomorrowland. And, we spotted more work being done recently! The large construction crane may be gone, but there is still plenty of equipment lifting workers up to the canopy to continue working on the netting. Work is underway! Plus, it’s starting to extend over to the next canopy as well! There’s a lot of track here! While there does appear to be a lot of progress happening on the attraction, Disney still hasn’t shared an update on when the ride will officially open in the park, but we’re keeping an eye out! Read more about TRON: Lightcycle Run here!! Disney’s Animal Kingdom Disney KiteTails Last month, Disney announced that there would be a NEW daytime show coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom called Disney KiteTails! The show is set to debut for the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebrations on October 1st and we’re starting to see the beginnings of construction in the Discovery River Amphitheater. Disney KiteTails Construction Once open, guests will be able to enjoy a show filled with GIANT three-dimensional kites in the shape of Disney characters like Simba, Zazu, Baloo, and King Louie over the water. Plus, performers will be flying their own windcatchers and kites at the front of the theater. Animal Kingdom’s New Daytime Show ©Disney Of course, we’ll be keeping track of the rest of the construction in the area and bring you a look at the new show once it debuts! Read more about this new show here!! EPCOT Future World Over at EPCOT, the 2021 Food & Wine Festival may have kicked off, but there is still plenty of construction going on around the park! Most recently we noticed that the water beds in Future World West had been drained and the fountains were turned off. Waterbeds drained We’ve seen Disney drain fountains and water beds from time to time for routine maintenance and they’re normally back to flowing pretty soon after. Spaceship Earth And, more work is underway to prepare for the 50th Anniversary celebrations! Beginning October 1st, all four park icons will transform into “beacons of light” and Spaceship Earth’s makeover is already well underway. Now you can find more of the lights that will illuminate the icon on the bottom. Lights added to Spaceship Earth Here’s a quick refresher on what it will look like at night — the lights will add purple, blue, and green colors which will match the lighting in the rest of the new entrance area. ©Disney We’ve previously seen the lights installed towards the top of Spaceship Earth, so there are only a few more sections to go before it will be ready to glow in October. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind We also spotted more construction on the new attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind! It had been a long time since we had seen progress on the exterior of the building, but over the past few weeks, Disney has been adding new roofing. And, now there’s even more! Guardians of the Galaxy Construction The installation hasn’t been going fast by any means (we’ve been seeing roofing slowly added for the past three weeks), but we’re starting to see how this building will transform into what’s depicted in the concept art! Guardians of the Galaxy attraction Concept Art ©Disney Disney hasn’t shared an update on when they expect the ride to open, so it could still be a little while before we get to travel through the Marvel universe. Read all about Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind here! Monorail Station And, in case you haven’t been keeping up with us, the EPCOT Monorail line is set to reopen on July 18th (!!) and it looks like the EPCOT station got a bit of a sprucing up just in time! Now you can find a brand new sign hanging over the entrance that provides information on where you’ll be able to travel. EPCOT Monorail Sign Just keep in mind that the EPCOT Monorail only provides direct transportation to the Transportation and Ticket Center and you’ll need to hop on another monorail to get to Magic Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom Resorts. Read about the reopening of the EPCOT Monorail line here! Disney Resorts Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Our last update takes us over to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort where one of the cars in the Pixar Cars-themed area is currently undercover (literally!). Sherif is MIA right now The Sheriff character has been covered by a tarp and there are a few construction gates blocking off the area to keep guests away. So, it looks like you’ll have to miss out on that photo op if you’re staying here for now. And, that’s it for this week’s construction updates in Disney World! Be sure to catch us back here next week with more things you’ll want to know for your next trip! Click HERE for ALL the Rides and Hotels That Are CLOSED in July 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! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What construction project are you most looking forward to wrapping up in Disney World soon? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: 7 BIG Disney World Construction Updates (Including Work on the NEW Daytime Show) 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 has really embraced the Halfway to the Holidays thing, hasn’t it? It’s time to stock up on toys! And although it’s just July, we already have SO much news about what to expect when the holidays roll around, including a new holiday party at Disney World, holiday projections at the parks, special holiday entertainment, and more! So why not start your Christmas shopping a little early, too? Here’s a good reason to get your Christmas list going RIGHT now — shopDisney is having a 25% off sale on select Disney toys! So if you’ve got a little one to please this holiday season (or ANY season), now is the time to grab this deal. If there’s a Baby Yoda fan in your house, you can now grab The Child Real Moves Plush on sale! ©Disney This toy comes with a remote control that moves its ears, head, arms, and more! And you can get it now for $52.49 (normally $69.99). Click Here To Buy The Child Real Moves Plush OoOoOoOoOoOh! Any Toy Story fan would love to get their hands on the Toy Story Alien Interactive Talking Action Figure. He says seven phrases, lights up, and can interact with other Toy Story interactive toys! How cool! ©Disney And you can get him now for $18.74 (regular price $24.99). Click Here To Buy The Toy Story Alien Interactive Talking Action Figure One of our favorite scenes in Ralph Breaks The Internet is the one with all the Disney princesses! Now you can get a WHOLE figure set of the princesses as seen in that movie. The Ralph Breaks the Internet Mega Figure Set has all the princesses in their comfy outfits. ©Disney This set is now $29.99 (previously $39.99). Click Here To Buy The Ralph Breaks the Internet Mega Figure Set Darth Vader fans will LOOOOOVE this Darth Vader Gallery Diorama, which features a Vader sculpture holding his infamous removable red lightsaber designed to catch the light, so it looks like it’s glowing! ©Disney This figure is normally $49.99, but you can get it now for $37.49. Click Here To Buy The Darth Vader Gallery Diorama There are plenty of other toys on sale, too, so be sure to head on over to shopDisney to check it out! And we’ll let you know if we spot any other sales on Disney stuff! Heads Up — Disney’s Newest Items Online Are Going to Sell Out FAST! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Will you be taking advantage of this sale? Let us know in the comments! The post Here's How to Save BIG on Disney's Most Popular Toys! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

In case you didn’t hear, Disney’s Polynesian Resort is going through some HUGE changes this year! The entire front of the resort is being overhauled, rooms are being rethemed to Moana, it seems like everything is changing! Inside Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort With so many big changes coming to the Polynesian and the reopening date just around the corner, it isn’t surprising that one of the bigger projects at the resort still needs a little bit more time before it’s ready! When Disney announced that the Poly would be reopening, they shared that the Polynesian Monorail station will NOT be finished in time for the resort’s reopening! The new monorail, which was built from the ground up, still has a ways to go before it’s ready to reopen! Sadly, this also means that the new grand entrance won’t be ready for reopening either! Construction at the Polynesian Resort However, other transport options like buses, walking paths, etc. would still be available! If you’re looking to ride the Monorail while you’re at the Polynesian, head over to the Transportation and Ticket Center or the Grand Floridian Resort Monorail Stations, both are within walking distance! ©Disney While we wait, we do have concept art of what the new entrance will look like when everything is complete! We’re excited to see the resort when everything is up and running! Concept Art for the New Polynesian Entrance ©Disney The Polynesian Resort is set to open on July 19th with most of its refurbishments done! The new Polynesian rooms will be themed after Moana and you’ll find plenty of references to the movie throughout the resort! These new rooms are available to book now! The new Moana themed rooms ©Disney Although the Monorail station might be closed for a little while longer, we’re glad that ‘Ohana is back at the Polynesian! The resort’s breakfast and dinner spot has tons of delicious food! Welcome to ‘Ohana! So for now, we’ll enjoy some ‘Ohana noodles and await the arrival of the resort’s new Monorail station! Delicious ‘Ohana Noodles! We did recently get an update on the EPCOT monorail reopening, which could hint at when the Poly monorail could be complete! We’re always keeping up with the latest Disney news! Stick around here for more! Click here to read more about those delicious ‘Ohana noodles! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think about the Monorail station still being under refurbishment? Let us know in the comments! The post This BIG Thing Will Still Be Missing When the Polynesian Village Resort Reopens in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Salt and Straw in Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District has been serving creative ice cream flavors that are as delicious as they are cool! The fun ice cream shop has locations across the country and is set to open a location in Disney World next year! Salt & Straw in Downtown Disney With Ice Cream Day just around the corner on July 18th, Salt and Straw is gearing to celebrate with a special event at their storefronts across the country. The first 50 people to stop by any Salt and Straw location on the 18th will receive a free poster! If you miss out on the poster, you can grab an Ice Cream Believer pin. Proceeds for this pin go to Ice Cream for Change, an organization focused on a variety of charitable causes! Stop by your local Salt and Straw on July 18th to get some ice cream and grab a free poster or buy a pin for a good cause! Can’t make it to Salt and Straw for Ice Cream Day? There’s still a lot of exciting things happening this summer at Salt and Straw, like brand new summer flavors! The new Wild Foraged Berry Slab Pie flavor! We’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney updates! Stay tuned here for more. Click here to read more about the most well-dressed caramel apple we’ve ever seen! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think of Salt and Straw’s Ice Cream Day festivities? Let us know in the comments! The post A Shop at Disneyland Resort Is Giving Away FREE Souvenirs For National Ice Cream Day! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney has given us a TON of Disney World holiday news recently! Christmas Tree Disney has confirmed that a new Christmas event Disney Most Merriest After Hours will replace Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. They have also confirmed that holiday projection shows, EPCOT Festival of the Holidays, holiday characters including Santa Claus, the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll, AND the Disney World Resort gingerbread displays will return. So questions are still lingering about the 2021 holiday season in Disney World?! Keep in mind, Disney has yet to confirm whether any of these holiday attractions will be returning in 2021, so some of these events may happen, and some may not. You know we will be sure to inform you of any updates! Candlelight Processional EPCOT’s Candlelight Processional is a performance that traditionally includes a celebrity narrator, a 50-piece orchestra, and a choir made up of both Cast Members and visitors. In 2020, the Candlelight Processional was canceled. For 2021, Disney has not yet officially announced whether the Candlelight Processional will be canceled again. EPCOT’s Candlelight Processional During the past holiday seasons, the Candlelight performances occurred three times each evening at the America Gardens Theater in the American Adventure Pavilion. Dining package options were also offered. For now, we just have to wait for Disney to release an update on the status of this holiday event. Click here to read more about the Candlelight Processional! Cinderella Castle Holiday Dream Lights Disney has not yet announced whether the Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle will return for 2021. The Dream Lights were a gorgeous snowy light display on Cinderella Castle “lit” nightly by characters from Frozen. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party In 2020, the Dream Lights did not return and were replaced by holiday projections onto the castle. Since Disney HAS announced that holiday projections are returning for 2021 and there’s a ton of 50th Anniversary decor on the castle, we have to wonder whether the Dream Lights will be canceled again. Still, there is no confirmation yet. Read more about the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights here! Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! The Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! holiday show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is filled with fireworks, lasers, projections, and even scenes from Disney movies! Disney has not yet confirmed the return of this show, but Disney’s website has given us a hint of its possible return for 2021. Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! was canceled for 2020, and while Disney’s website still lists it as “temporarily unavailable,” it also mentions a return for the show in 2021. ©Disney The return of Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! is not yet confirmed by Disney, but the website does give us some hope! We’ll be keeping a close watch for an official update about this holiday show. Read more about Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! for 2021 here! Disney Very Merriest After Hours While Disney did announce the replacement of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party with the new Disney Very Merriest After Hours event, we still have some questions about previous Very Merry Party attractions that have not yet been confirmed or canceled. Cinderella Castle holiday projections Disney’s announcement for the Very Merriest After Hours event did not mention any castle shows, parades, or cavalcades, and past shows such as the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade or Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration Show were not included in the announcement. It’s possible that Disney has plans for a new holiday parade, cavalcade, or show, or that they will not be included at all in this year’s holiday party. Learn more about the NEW Disney Very Merriest After Hours here! Holiday Puppets In 2019, we saw these new holiday puppets appear in Discovery Island in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The puppets were led by Cast Members and SO cute! Musicians were also near the puppets so that guests could enjoy some tunes while petting the “animals.” Holiday Puppets! These puppets were not around in 2020, and Disney has not mentioned whether these holiday puppets will return to Animal Kingdom in 2021. We really hope they return someday because they were so adorable! Read more about the holiday Animal Kingdom puppets here! Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party In Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Tony’s Town Square Restaurant hosted a special event called Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party. For an extra $99 on top of the event ticket, guests could enjoy three hours of hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks included in the price, as well as reserved viewing for Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party When we attended Tony’s party, we were impressed by the event even though it was a splurge. Disney has not confirmed whether this event will be returning for 2021. Click here to read our full review of Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party! That’s everything we still don’t know about for the 2021 holiday season at Disney World. We are keeping a close eye on Disney as we wait for more updates and announcements, and DFB has got you when it comes to all your Disney World news! Read the 4 BIGGEST Disney World holiday news bombs 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. Preorder 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 Preorder 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! MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Check Out ALL the Holiday Treats in Disney World Last Year (With Reviews!) Look Back at the 2020 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays BEST of the FEST! How Much Will a Disney world Hotel Room Cost You to Visit During the 2021 Holidays? Do you think any of these attractions will be canceled? Let us know in the comments! The post 6 Questions That Still Need to Be Answered About the 2021 Disney World Holiday Season first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Trail’s End Restaurant is officially open again at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort! Trail’s End Restaurant Many restaurants at the Disney World resorts have reopened recently, including ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort and Citricos (with a new Mary Poppins Returns theme) at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. We stopped by Trail’s End Restaurant this morning for breakfast, and here’s what it looks like now! Atmosphere Located at Fort Wilderness, Trail’s End is a pioneer-themed spot that feels like a real frontier meeting hall! The theming is spot-on! With wagon wheels, old American flags, and more memorabilia, you’ll be transported to the pioneer days! So much great decor! We stopped by the check-in desk and were led to our seats! The Check-in Desk at Trail’s End We sat down and saw there was a QR code for the menu! Our table setting! Remember: plan plenty of travel time to get here. We drove to Fort Wilderness, and you have to park at the front entrance, then wait to take a bus to the Settlement Trading Post, and then walk down to Pioneer Hall. Eats After we sat down, we scanned a QR code and took a look at the menu! You might already know that Trail’s End has a new family-style menu, which they announced last month. Just like the old buffet, you’ll pay a flat fee to dine here, costing $19.99 per adult and $11.99 per child. This updated menu includes a Pastry Basket, Berry-Granola-Yogurt Parfait, and a Breakfast Skillet for the table! The Breakfast Skillet has Smoked Brisket and Eggs, Mickey Waffles, Bacon and Sausage, and Cheesy Potato Casserole. There were a lot more options when Trail’s End breakfast was a full buffet, like the Pulled Pork Benedict and Breakfast Pizza, just to name a couple of missing items. Trail’s End Restaurant reopening breakfast menu © Disney Trail’s End also has plant-based offerings and mocktails… ©Disney …beer, wine, and cocktails… ©Disney …and allergy-friendly options! ©Disney Today, we got the Pioneer Mimosa with Passion Orange Guava Juice and Paul Cheneau Lady of Spain Cuvée (alcoholic drinks do cost extra, so this put us back $13)… The Pioneer Mimosa …the Pastry Basket with Mini Muffins, Whole Grain and Butter Croissants and Sticky Buns with Strawberry-Honey Butter… The pastry basket! …the Breakfast Skillet with Smoked Brisket and Eggs, Mickey Waffles, Bacon and Sausage and Cheesy Potato Casserole served with Table Syrup… The Breakfast Skillet! That’s all we’ve got for you for now! We’ll have a full review out soon, so keep an eye out for that! Keep following DFB for more updates on restaurants around Disney World! Click Here to See the Updated Breakfast and Dinner Menus for Trail’s End! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Are you going to Trail’s End for breakfast sometime soon? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: First Look at Trail's End Restaurant Breakfast in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

This weekend we are celebrating 66 years of magic at the Disneyland Resort, and 66 years since the opening day of Disneyland park. This year may feel a bit more poignant than previous years as you join our cast members in continued rejoicing for the legendary comeback of the Disneyland Resort! Both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks, all three hotels and Downtown Disney District are thrilled to have you back!http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DisneyParks/~4/vd_4auUmEaAView the full article

Love the Disney parks? Love screaming your way through Space Mountain or The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror? Curious to know some of the SECRETS and stories behind your favorite rides? Then there’s one show you’ll want to binge in just a few days… Welcome back to The Twilight Zone! …Behind the Attraction! This brand new show will be streaming on Disney+ in just a few short days. While you may have heard of it and how it’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look at some of your favorite rides, the show isn’t exactly what you might expect. When you think about a show that reveals all kinds of Disney ride secrets, you might be thinking it’s something serious — like an hour-long documentary that takes you through every detail of Space Mountain with a very weighty and professor-like tone. The Imagineering Story may even come to mind, which was an incredible show that shared all kinds of amazing stories from Imagineers and more about the story of the Disney company and its parks. But this ain’t your typical documentary show folks! Behind the Attraction takes a unique tone when it comes to Disney and its theme parks. Instead of taking things SUPER seriously, the show actually injects a lot of humor into its stories and encourages you to chuckle along! Check out the trailer below and you’ll get a sense of what we mean! We first got a glimpse of this trailer during a Disney press conference we were lucky enough to attend all about this show, and when we first saw it the humor is truly what stood out! And that humorous tone totally makes sense. Brian Volk-Weiss, one of the show’s executive producers, shared that the first half of his career was spent mainly in comedy. He said he’s always had an issue with documentaries that take happy subjects and treat them like they’re the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Volk-Weiss noted that this is a show about attractions, so why wouldn’t it be fun?! ©Disney When asked to describe the show in one sentence Volk-Weiss noted that it is a show focused first and foremost on entertaining its audience. But, hopefully, fans will have learned something by the end of each episode as well! Volk-Weiss even addressed how this is different than The Imagineering Story by noting that Behind the Attraction really tries to get into the fun of these attractions and looks at some more things focused on pop culture. Get the point? What can you expect to see and learn about in this show? Well, Volk-Weiss put it perfectly when he said that Disney attractions are basically like icebergs. Fans get to see the tip of the iceberg when they ride the attractions, but if they knew ALL of the giant infrastructures that makes them work they’d be truly amazed. Behind the Attraction is aimed at taking guests a few feet underwater to see more of that iceberg, and have fun along the way. For example, at one point during the conference, Volk-Weiss was asked about the most interesting piece of information he learned when working on the show. He responded by saying he once thought he had a master’s degree in Disney, but working on the show made him realize he’s closer to 5-6th grade education! Volk-Weiss shared how one Imagineer told him how they’ve moved cables and plumbing through part of the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage attraction for attractions that won’t be built for 15-20 years. It’s fascinating to see how Disney thinks incredibly far in advance. Submarine Voyage Jeanette Lomboy (Vice President/Site Portfolio Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering) shared that some of the stories shared in Behind the Attraction are ones that guests never get to hear and that the Imagineers were asked questions about things they typically don’t get asked about. Dave Durham (Executive, Creative Ride Engineering at Walt Disney Imagineering) said that this show was really a chance for the Imagineers to tell their stories and not bite their tongues! Fans will get to hear more about the history, successes, challenges, and more behind some of their favorite rides in a unique and new way. Cinderella Castle As the trailer shows, Dwayne Johnson is actually one of the executive producers on the show. When discussing his role in the show, Volk-Weiss noted that to say Johnson was awesome and joy would be an understatement! Vanessa Hunt (Senior Design Asset Specialist at Walt Disney Imagineering) shared that Johnson actually visited Imagineering’s art collection when working on Jungle Cruise to learn more about the creation of the ride and was so excited to be there! ©Disney So, what should you expect when it comes to Behind the Attraction? Well, it is a 10 part series and 5 of the episodes will start streaming on July 21st on Disney+. Volk-Weiss shared that some of the episodes will start with a close-up look at a tiny detail and then expand on the context and story of the ride or feature from there. He said that it’s sort of like a connect-the-dots game. And fans will get to keep connecting those dots when they visit the parks and see some of the things discussed in the show in action! If you’re wondering what each of these episodes will focus on, here’s a peek at the list of the episodes, their titles, and a description provided by Disney about what will be discussed in each: Jungle Cruise: Join a skipper for the story behind Jungle Cruise, and try to spot the backside of water! When Walt decided to create the original immersive attraction, he tasked Imagineers with building a river in the Southern California desert AND the mechanical animals to populate it. Lead designer Harper Goff and horticulturist Bill Evans scrambled to get it all built-in time for Disneyland® Park’s grand opening in 1955. Guests have been cruising its waters ever since. Dwayne Johnson also appears in this episode where he discusses his childhood memories of the attraction and his favorite joke from the skippers. New rhino scene Haunted Mansion: Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion — enter if you dare! When Walt Disney developed the attraction, he didn’t specify if it should be funny or scary. Ultimately, it became a perfect blend of both. Haunted Mansion proved so popular that it inspired several later iterations, including the chilling Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris and the weird and wonderful Mystic Manor at Hong Kong Disneyland. Star Tours: Lightspeed to Endor! A long time ago…Disney created Star Tours, a thrilling simulator attraction that takes guests to a galaxy far, far away. It inspired Imagineers to build a whole new land — Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. There, guests can use the Force to explore the remote outpost of Batuu and the cutting-edge attractions Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The Stretching Room is Back in Action! Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Discover the ups (and downs!) of creating this gravity-defying attraction set in the eerie world of Rod Serling’s renowned “Twilight Zone” television series. Then hold on tight as Imagineers reimagine the Disney California Adventure version as Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! Learn what it took to build the attraction — and what it takes to ride it! The Castles: Castles are at the heart of Disney Parks around the world. The original at Disneyland® Resort in California quickly became a symbol of The Walt Disney Company on par with Mickey Mouse. Hear the unique story behind each one and learn how Imagineers designed and built them. Ah, What a Beautiful View Disneyland Hotel: Disneyland® Resort with no hotel — what?! It almost happened. Check in to see how Walt got it built. Envisioned as an extension of the Park, funding for the hotel proved hard to come by, so Walt struck a deal with producer Jack Wrather. Jack would own the hotel, but Walt’s name would be on it. Together, they made it into an immersive experience, setting the stage for all Disney hotels to come. After Jack’s death, The Walt Disney Company bought the Disneyland® Hotel. Today, Disney operates dozens of hotels worldwide. Space Mountain: You’re about to hear the story of Space Mountain in T-minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…launch! Walt’s vision of an attraction that simulates space travel was a design challenge Imagineer John Hench tackled head on, creating a signature structure now in Disney Parks around the world. Imagineers continued the tradition by creating another thrilling indoor attraction, the landmark TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disney Resort. Inside Space Mountain “it’s a small world”: It all began at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair! If a chance encounter between an Academy Award®-winning actress and Walt Disney hadn’t taken place, this beloved attraction might never have been created. With its signature, unforgettable song, its flume boat ride design, and Audio-Animatronics® figures, it was a huge success. Versions were designed and built-in Disney Parks around the planet, proving that it really is a small world, after all! Trains, Trams, and Monorails: All aboard! Everything moves at Disney Parks, especially the guests — by land, water, and air! Walt loved locomotion of all kinds — trains, trams, monorails, and boats. They’re all fun, but Walt also believed the monorail could help cities end traffic. The vast transportation network at Walt Disney World Resort is a testament to that. Every Disney Park built since has continued this tradition, creating transportation systems to whisk guests efficiently to their destinations. Let’s Hop on the Monorail Hall of Presidents: This unprecedented presidential attraction in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom brings our commanders in chief to life. Walt created the world’s first human Audio-Animatronics® figure based on his childhood hero, Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe helped launch this revolutionary technology that populates Disney Parks today. Who knows what the future holds for this mesmerizing Disney technology? So, whether you’re looking to learn ALL the secrets about your favorite rides or just looking for a bit of a laugh with a side of knowledge, it sounds like this show will have a little something for everyone! You can catch it on Disney+ on July 21st. Be sure to check back with us for all the latest Disney news. Click here to see everything coming to Disney+ in July! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! 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 Disney World to attend their media preview/press conference about Behind the Attraction. 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 Will you be tuning in to watch Behind the Attraction? If you do watch the show, be sure to come back to this post and tell us the most interesting thing you learned from watching the show! The post Disney+'s Upcoming 'Behind the Attraction' Show Isn't What You'd Expect first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Many restaurants around Orlando have benefitted from a program that allowed for expanded outdoor dining space during the pandemic. Outdoor Seating To help restaurants adjust to health and safety guidelines, Orlando previously enacted the Temporary Use Permit Parklet Program, which allows for parking spaces to be used to conduct business in a socially distanced manner. This program has helped restaurants expand their outdoor seating options, providing more tables outside their establishments. Click Orlando has reported that the city of Orlando is now considering whether to roll back the outdoor dining extension. Outdoor Dining Maxine Earheart, the owner of the local restaurant Maxine’s on Shine, recently met with the city planning department to discuss the possibility of extending the outdoor dining program. Earheart said the city assured her that they’d help guide the pathway forward to make the converted dining structures permanent. Restaurants Near Disney World Hope to Extend Expanded Outdoor Dining Options Earhart said, “It’s my understanding the city is concerned about safety. As they should be, and so by asking us to meet with them and get permits, they are able to decide what can stay and what has to go.” She also said that the city officials she’s spoken with have shown support for the outdoor dining extension. Outdoor seating The Orlando City Commission is set to meet on Monday at 2PM. We’ll keep an eye out for further news on the dining options near Disney World, so stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for all the latest updates. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What is your favorite restaurant in the Orlando area? Share with us in the comments! The post NEWS: Restaurants Near Disney World Hope to Extend Additional Outdoor Dining Options first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hey, friends! We’re back with another DFB Video covering all the latest Disney news! Monorail at Disney World A new Magic Kingdom holiday party, Festival of the Holidays dates, and maybe some more returning fireworks? Disney dropped a ton of news that’s gonna be crucial to your planning if you’re going to Disney World at the end of 2021. We’ve also got some ride closures and some new street tacos to talk about, so let’s get started! By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to the channel and never miss a single episode! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/subscribe.png So check out the video and then let us know: Which Disney news from this week are you the most excited about? The post DFB Video: Latest Disney News: NEW Magic Kingdom Christmas Party, EPCOT Monorail Returns, & MORE Parks News first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Don’t waste your money in Disney World! Spaceship Earth It’s no secret that a trip to Disney World can be expensive. That’s why we’re constantly on the lookout for deals and discounts to help you save your Disney dollars. But even if you think you’re doing everything “right,” there are still some small mistakes that can cost you BIG in Disney World! Let’s take a look at some common missteps that can balloon your Disney World budget! Not Checking for a Discount That’s right, you might make your first expensive mistake before your vacation even starts! Disney won’t automatically apply discounts for guests booking hotel rooms, theme park tickets, or vacation packages, even if there is one available. Art of Animation Disney often offers discounts on hotel rooms and/or park tickets, especially for guests traveling outside of “peak season.” Don’t leave those savings on the table! Be sure to check the special offers page of the Disney World website to see whether any discounts can be applied to your trip. We keep an updated list of ALL the current offers from Disney right here! Tower of Terror In fact, sometimes there will be multiple offers that could apply to your stay. Since you can only select one, you may need to compare a few deals to see which one will save you the most. Be aware though, some discounts may only apply to certain rooms, specific resorts, or certain travel dates. Some discounts are limited to a select number of rooms at a given hotel as well. Wilderness Lodge Resort So, you’ve booked your next Disney vacation and now you’ve discovered a new deal that saves your family money — WHAT DO YOU DO? Not to worry! Just call Disney directly at (407) 939-4357, when you’re connected with a reservations agent Cast Member you’ll need to provide information verifying your existing reservation. Then, specifically, inform the Cast Member of the discount you’ve discovered and request it be applied to your existing reservation. The Cast Member will verify that your reservation meets the promotional requirements, including specific date ranges, resort category, room categories, any affiliate specifications (Military, Annual Passholder, Florida Resident, etc), and review those with you. Barcelona Lounge in the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Be aware, sometimes discounts require slight modifications to existing reservations or you may have to update your room preferences as sometimes discounts are not available for rooms with preferred views. But if you’re willing to shift your plans a bit, you could save a healthy chunk of change! Would you give up this view to save 25% on your trip? Sometimes, when booking a vacation, Cast Members won’t always disclose if there are any discounts available. IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK. If you’re on the phone, booking a resort stay, specifically ask the Cast Member assisting you if there are any discounts or promotions for the dates of your trip that can be applied. Disney’s Beach Club Resort Feeling overwhelmed by the planning process? You could also opt to work with a travel agent to help you navigate the potentially confusing world of Disney discounts. If you’re looking for a travel agent, we highly recommend Small World Vacations. Their agents can help you plan your trip free of charge! Whatever You Do, DON’T Listen to These Disney World Tips! Missing a Dining Reservation If you’re planning to book any Advance Dining Reservations, this tip’s for you! For most Disney World table service restaurants, guests have until 24-hours before their reservation to cancel free of charge. Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom For most restaurants around Disney World, guests are free and clear to cancel their reservations up to the 24-hour window. There are a few experiences, like Cinderella’s Royal Table, that do require payment in advance. Advance payment is required at this signature dining location, however, if you cancel at least 24 hours in advance you will receive a full refund. You can cancel your reservation online or by calling (407) 939-3463. It may take from 3 to 5 business days or even longer to process your refund. Please note, however, that if you book a Signature Celebration Package when available, you would be required to cancel 48 hours before your reservation. Chefs de France And yes, you should take that cancellation policy seriously! Guests that no-show for their dining reservations will be charged a fee of $10 per guest. Those charges can add up quickly, especially if you’re traveling with a large party, so be sure to plan around your dining reservations. Spice Road Table Terrace Seating If you run into an unexpected circumstance that causes you to miss your reservation (for example, getting stuck on an attraction that breaks down), speak to a Cast Member to see if they’re able to help! If you are running late, the Cast Members at the restaurant will try to work with you and, in our experience, usually honor reservations within a 10-15 minute window. However, these tables are on a schedule and there’s no guarantee that a Cast Member can squeeze you in if you arrive late. Try to plan accordingly and give yourself extra time if you’re using Disney Transportation. Plan to arrive at your restaurant at least 15-30 minutes EARLY if you have a specific table request (i.e. fireworks view, outside, etc) or be prepared to wait to fill your request. Absolute Lies About Disney World Restaurants Opting for Unnecessary Add-Ons There are plenty of ways to “upgrade” your Disney World vacation with options like park hopper tickets, preferred rooms, and more. It can be tempting to splurge on pricy options when trying to plan your dream Disney World vacation. But keep in mind that more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better for your traveling party. Before you commit to an add-on, consider whether it will actually add value for you and your family. Pirate Room at Caribbean Beach Resort With the recent announcement of the reopening of the Club Level hotel rooms, that temptation is stronger than ever. The Club lounges offer concierge services, complimentary food and beverages throughout the day, and a special exclusive lounge for club guests to enjoy. However, if you and your family will be in the parks for most of your trip, it might not be worth the splurge on amenities that you won’t have time to enjoy. Staying in a Club Level room can add on several hundred dollars each night of your stay, so do your research to see if this option is right for your trip. Gran Destino Deluxe Suite – Club Access If you’re traveling with small children who can only handle a few hours in the park each day, park hopper tickets might not make sense for you. Be sure to consider how you actually plan to spend your time in Disney World and spend your money accordingly! Will you get the most out of the Park Hopper option? Those After Hours events are fun and offer some exclusive entertainment, but they’re not for every family and not for every budget. The current price for the Halloween-themed Boo Bash After Hours Event ranges from $129-$199 per ticket (for adult or child!) and we anticipate that the new Disney Very Merriest After Hours will follow suit. That can add up for any family and only you can decide if one evening of fun is worth that price tag, or if those funds could be applied to another vacation expense. Boo Bash ©Disney Nothing can market the dollar out of our pockets quite like our kiddos all dolled up as their favorite hero or heroine. Princess makeovers traditionally available through Disney’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can set budgets back anywhere up to $450 and your young one can come out styled as a heroic knight, a pop star, or a fairytale princess. Before you book, make sure you review the different price points and consider some cost-saving alternatives (like bringing your own princess dress instead of purchasing one there) or you can look into booking a spot at the Harmony Barber Shop to save a few dollars but still receive a special stylistic experience. The stylists at Harmony Barber Shop can provide a haircut, (or even a beard or mustache trim, if dad wants in on the action!) for around $20. For an eye-catching Disney-do, a colorful not-so-hidden Mickey can be applied to your hair with gel and glitter (that’s pixie dust!) for an additional charge. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Both Harmony Barber Shop and all three Bibbid Bobbidi Boutiques are still closed since they both provide an experience that brings guests and Cast Members into close, prolonged contact with one another, so Disney is more than likely erring on the side of caution when it comes to reopening these options. This gives you that a bit more time to research the options to see how and if this special experience fits into your vacation budget. 9 Absolute Lies About Disney World Hotels Ordering Too Much Food Portion sizes for a lot of the meals around Disney World can be surprisingly large. With that in mind, most families probably don’t need to plan three table service meals a day. Harvest Feast at Garden Grill As we previously mentioned, dining reservations need to be canceled at least 24-hours in advance to avoid fees. So, if you don’t realize that you over-committed until right before your reservation, you may find yourself eating an unwanted meal, or paying a price to cancel. You can always choose to split a meal with others in your party. This can save your waistline and your wallet! We encourage you to reflect on what your family needs. Remember that time is money and each table service meal can take about an hour and a half (or more!) out of your park day. You’ll want to make sure you plan out how much time you want in the parks and how much time you want to budget for sit down for a meal, so you’re not spending your park-time waiting for your check to arrive! Le Cellier Meal Another money-saving tip is that adults can order off of the kids menus at quick service restaurants. The kids menu usually offers reasonable portions for a light meal at a lower price. If you don’t want to be relegated to chicken nuggets or mac and cheese, you can also split an adult entree with someone in your party. Traditionally, Disney portions are on the larger side, and splitting one can save you money and not over-burden your belly! Kids Meal from Capt. Cook’s If you have a big meal planned, or you’re just not feeling super hungry, you can order smaller (and less expensive!) items from the kids’ menu for your other meals that day to save money and avoid wasting food. If you visit during an EPCOT festival, you can usually make a meal out of two or three of the small plate options at the food booths. Throughout the year, some hefty snacks could be substituted for a meal, like the funnel cakes, Mickey-shaped pretzels, caramel apples, and some of the mac and cheese side dishes around the parks and resorts! Psst: You Should Totally Order Off of the Kids Menu at This Disney World Restaurant. Forgetting to Pack Essentials You can find basic essentials like pain medication, bandages, sunscreen, ponchos, and more at locations around Disney World. But, they’ll cost you way more than buying them at home. Disney Ponchos Are Expensive! Double-check your packing list before you leave to make sure you have all of the “essentials” with you. Toiletries Again, there are ways to get these items in Disney World in case of an emergency, so you don’t need to pack literally the entire medicine cabinet. But if it falls into the category of something you’ll definitely or probably need during your trip, bring it with you to avoid paying a serious mark-up. Each park has a First-Aid Center equipped with medical staff to help you with a bandaid, single-servings of over-the-counter medication (think antacid or Tylenol), and much more, should you need help. First aid centers are located in each park If you need something more than just a single-serving basic medical solution, most resorts and parks sell common over-the-counter medications for pain relief, upset stomach, and cold and flu. For a wider variety for larger quantities, you can take a rideshare service to a nearby pharmacy or have the medicine brought directly to you. Disney shops have some medical provisions – but they’ll cost you! If you find yourself in Orlando and realize that you forgot to pack your pills, you didn’t pack enough, you lose them, or anything else, AdventHealth’s Experience Center may be able to help. You can give them a call 7 days a week and see what arrangements can be made to get your needed prescriptions delivered straight to your pharmacy of choice or straight to your Disney World hotel. Another option is Turner Drugs, a local pharmacy near Disney World that specializes in delivering prescriptions to travelers. They will deliver any prescriptions to your resort for a fee (it cost us around $9, but it might be worth it to not have to disrupt your vacation too much). Just note they won’t file prescriptions with your insurance — you’ll have to once home — meaning it’ll cost a good deal more up front if you fill a prescription with them. ©Disney Again, we encourage you to think ahead and bring some everyday essentials (pain relief, antacids, allergy medicine, bandaids, any prescriptions, contact solution, etc) with you from home to save yourself some money, time, and stress! But if you find yourself needing something that’s not in your stash, you do have options. The Ultimate Packing List Of Tried and True Gear For Disney World Tested by the PROS! Buying Bottled Water Speaking of mark-ups, bottled water is super expensive in Disney World. And since it’s often hot and humid in Disney World, the cost of water can really add up if you’re constantly buying new bottles to stay hydrated. Bottled drinks But don’t worry, there are a few cost-effective solutions to stay hydrated on your trip. Your first option is to bring a refillable water bottle with you to the parks. Reigning Cats and Dogs Collection In addition to regular water fountains, several water bottle refill stations around Disney World make it even easier to replenish your bottle. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Water Bottle Refill Station If you forget your water bottle in the room, there’s another way to snag free water. Guests can get free cups of ice water at any quick service location in Disney World. Free Water Cup We know from experience that you may end up needing to buy bottled water once or twice when you’re in a pinch during your vacation. But opting for these free water solutions whenever possible can help shave some serious spending over the course of your trip! We also recommending ordering ice water with meals instead of tea or soda, this will shave that extra cost off of your final dinner bill, keep you hydrated, and will add up over time! How to Conquer This FREE Game in Magic Kingdom Wasting Your Disney Dining Plan Credits Currently, Disney dining plans are still not being offered in Disney World. But this can be a MAJOR money-waster, so we have to make sure you’re prepared in case dining plans have returned by the time you take your next trip! Disney recently announced plans to bring back this popular amenity, we’re still waiting for them to announce exactly WHEN this option will return, but we’re excited to hear that it will be back! ©Disney The Disney Dining Plan has options for any budget and any dining taste. Plans are pre-purchased and added onto a Disney Vacation Package (i.e. you must be staying on a Vacation Package at a Disney owned-and-operated hotel, and have purchased at least one ticket per person), so that all you have to do when you get to Disney World is head to a restaurant on the list, eat, and scan your card or MagicBand. Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming in Disney Springs The points for the meal will be deducted from your pre-paid card, and you don’t pay while you’re at the restaurant. (Note: Gratuity is not included on table-service meals.) Full Spread at Ohana’s Many guests love the convenience that the dining plan offers. But it’s important to make sure you’re using your credits wisely, or else the dining plan may end up costing more than the value of the food you order. In 2018, Disney updated the Dining Plan to include alcoholic beverages for the over-21s to utilize on their plan. This provided some great value as a $15 cocktail or glass of wine included with dinner provides a much larger value than a $4 soda or lemonade. However, if you’re not a big drinker, or prefer water to hydrate, this is another way the Disney Dining Plan may not pack quite the bang for your buck for you. Bar Riva Cocktails If you’re considering a dining plan that includes table service meals, you’ll get the most value out of it if you order the most expensive items on the menu at these locations. Since you’ll cash in one or two “credits” (depending on the restaurant) regardless of what you order, you’re more likely to cover the cost of the dining plan if you order items like steak or lobster when available. Perfect lobster On the other hand, if you tend to opt for less expensive meals like chicken or veggie-based dishes, it can be hard to recoup the price you pay for the dining plan. Chicken Masala Curry There can also be a huge price disparity in the snack credit options. Using a snack credit to get an inexpensive item like a side of cheese sauce is an easy way to lose money on the dining plan. Also, be sure not to use snack credits on bottles of water — remember you can get ice water for FREE at counter service locations. We’ve done the research and compiled a list of the best values for snack credits on the DDP to take the guesswork out of it for you! Is Plastic Cheese worth a snack credit? Instead, try to use your snack credits on items that fall in the $8-$10 range to get the most value out of your dining plan. Many of the items at EPCOT festival food booths often count as snack credits, and these tend to be great options for those looking to get the most bang for their buck. Let’s eat some donuts! Another important part of not wasting your dining plan credits means making sure you have no credits left behind. There are no refunds, rebates, or rainchecks for those unused credits, so don’t leave them on the table! Skipper Canteen Spread While you don’t want to leave ANY kind of credit behind, the snack credits tend to be the biggest offender in our experience. Again, the EPCOT festival booths are a snack credit goldmine, and skipping lunch and/or dinner to snack around the festival can help you cash in on those credits. Flower and Garden Festival Lots of prepackaged treats around the parks also count as snack credits, so if you really get down to the wire and need to spend your credits before you leave, you can stock up on some goodies to take home. Anything is better than leaving those credits unspent! Rice Krispie Treat! The Disney dining plan can be a good option for guests that enjoy the convenience of prepaying for their meals. But if you’re not careful to spend (ALL) your credits wisely, you could end up losing some serious money on the dining plan! Ranking Disney World Restaurants By Their Condiments A Disney World vacation can be an expensive experience even for the most meticulous planners. And if you’re not careful, these little mistakes quickly add up to cost you even MORE money. Avoid these pitfalls on your vacation so you can stretch those Disney dollars further! 20 Disney World Secrets Even Locals Don’t Know Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What little Disney World mistakes have cost you money in the past? Let us know in the comments! The post 7 Little Disney World Mistakes That Will Cost You BIG Money first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The latest Stitch Crashes Disney collection is heading to Disney World SOON! ©Disney Each month this year, Disney has been releasing a new Stitch-themed merchandise collection inspired by a classic Disney movie. The latest design based on Aladdin previously dropped online, and now it’s about to head to Disney World! That’s right, mark your calendars Sitch fans! Disney just announced that the Aladdin-themed Stitch Crashes Disney plush and MagicBand will soon be headed to World of Disney in Disney Springs! World of Disney The plush and MagicBand will be available at World of Disney on July 19th while supplies last. We’ve seen limited-edition collections like this sell out SUPER quick in the past, so be sure to act fast if this collection is on your must-have list! ©Disney Disney didn’t release details on when the trading pin from the collection will be available, but we’ll keep an eye out for any more updates so stay tuned for all the latest info! FIRST LOOK at the Sleeping Beauty Stitch Crashes Disney Collection! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 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 Stitch Crashes Disney collection is your favorite? Let us know in the comments! The post The Aladdin Stitch Crashes Disney Collection Will Drop in Disney World SOON! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Have you ever heard someone in your family talk about what you could’ve been named before you were born? Sometimes it feels silly, sometimes it feels off. But more than likely the people who named you went through a handful of different options before deciding on the one they liked best. Good ol’ Mick! Creators have to do the same before their characters are *born*, too! It’s bizarre to think about Mickey not always being called “Mickey,” but Mickey — and a bunch of other Disney characters — had the potential of being called something COMPLETELY different. Here, we’ll show you a few! Mortimer Didn’t know there was a Mortimer Mouse? You’re probably not alone! He’s not featured prominently much anymore. Here’s the thing with this mouse — the Mortimer featured in the Disney cartoons is just plain mean. He’s a big bully toward Mickey, often playing the villain opposite our favorite mouse. Look — Mortimer even tries STEALING Minnie away from him! (Step AWAY from our OTP, you scummy mouse.) ©D23 After watching Mortimer try to make Mickey’s life miserable, even saying the name Mortimer tastes bad. BLEH. And yet, our good pal Mickey was almost NAMED Mortimer. Say it isn’t so!! ©D23 Thank goodness for Lillian Disney! When Walt Disney’s wife, Lillian, saw what her husband was about to name what would later become the biggest cartoon icon of all time, she was like, “Uh, heck no, techno!” (If those were her exact words, that’d be epic. But that’s probably not the case, so don’t come at us.) Partners forever <3 Lillian told Walt the name Mortimer sounded too stuck-up to be attached to a character we were supposed to be rooting for. Go, Lillian, go! Watch Mickey Mouse scuba dive in Disney World HERE! Professor Marvel Now HERE’s a throwback for you! Before we give you the answer, can YOU guess whose name this used to belong to?We’ll give you a hint… Figment Okay, so this hint may be a *bit* misleading. We’re not talking about Figment — we’re talking about Figment’s very best friend. Why, Nigel, why???? NO, NOT NIGEL CHANNING, EITHER. YIKES. We’re talking about the OG man himself — Dreamfinder! ©Disney | Let’s be honest, the original was the best! Back in 1983, the Journey Into Imagination ride over in EPCOT’s Future World was WAY different than the one we know and kinda-sorta like today. The original ride featured Dreamfinder — a kind-hearted soul who led riders through a fantastical dark ride adventure. ©Disney But before he was called Dreamfinder, he was originally called Professor Marvel. (And Figment was originally supposed to be GREEN, not purple!) There’s a green Figment! Disney Parks explained that Professor Marvel and his green friend were going to appear in an expanded portion of Disneyland Resort, but the concept was rejected and the two characters remained in limbo until finding their home in Future World. The characters were renamed (and recolored) to fit Journey Into Imagination. *Sigh.* We miss you, Dreamfinder… . Do you agree with these controversial Disney World changes? Click HERE! Rover Before Pluto was the Pluto we know and love today, he was…Rover. (Quite original for a dog, no?) And he actually stayed Rover for a bit. Hi Pluto! Er…Rover? According to D23, Pluto first started appearing in the Mickey Mouse cartoons back in 1930 when Pluto and Mickey were actually on opposing sides. (Say whaaaat??) Mickey and Pluto! Yup. These two besties weren’t always as close as they are today. The first time Mickey and Pluto meet each other is in a black-and-white film called Chain Gang. In this cartoon, Peg-Leg Pete arrests Mickey. When Mickey attempts to escape, he’s chased down by a group of bloodhound guards. And *who* does one on those bloodhounds happen to look like? Hey There, Pluto! That’s right. Pluto. Er, actually, not Pluto yet. At this point he wasn’t even called Rover — he was just another dog, doing his guard-dog duties. It wasn’t until another cartoon released later that year that “Rover” would come back on screen as…Minnie’s dog! Oh, snap! Yeah, yeah. You know that’s not how the story ends. Mickey and Rover partner up in 1931 and Mickey promptly renames him “Pluto.” The rest is history. Need a pick-me-up? Click HERE to watch Disney World character interactions that’ll definitely make you smile! Lunar Larry “To infinity and BEYOND!” When Disney released some early sketches of the Toy Story characters, we felt bad for laughing. And yet… ©Time …*Snorts* Buzz Lightyear was so short and squatty and adorable! Of course, Buzz’s character design changed during the movie’s development — much like his name did. Not so little now! The name Lunar Larry was actually featured on early designs of Buzz’s spacesuit. But Lunar Larry wasn’t the ONLY other name Buzz could’ve been called. Hey, Buzz! According to The Walt Disney Company, Tempus of Morph was also a potential name for Buzz Lightyear. (Lunar Larry doesn’t sound *quite* so ridiculous now, does it?) Would you wear THESE over-the-top Toy Story ears? Click HERE to see what we’re talking about! Dippy Dawg We can’t read this one without cracking up. There’s the Goof! Goofy was never supposed to become part of the Fab Five, but when he made his debut appearance as an audience member in the 1932 cartoon, Mickey’s Revue, he set himself apart from the rest of the crowd with his over the top “HYUCK!” Oh, Goofy… Walt Disney — as well as the rest of the animation crew — knew they’d hit a comedic goldmine with wacky character and brought him back on ASAP. Goofy! Originally, they called this slightly-clueless character Dippy Dawg — but when he began starring in his own shows, the creators changed Dippy’s name to Goofy. (Which we love WAY more, even though Dippy Dawg makes us giggle.) GOOFY! ©Disney Goofy transformed from a character solely created for comic relief to a character who developed quite a backstory. He appeared in How To cartoons, the Goof Troop TV show, and eventually starred in his own movie — The Goofy Movie — in 1995 with his angsty teenage son, Max. (and POWERLINE. YESSSSS!) There’s Max! Oh, and just to set the record straight for everyone questioning… Best dog around! (Oh, and so is Pluto…) …Goofy is a DOG. Not a COW. The court is adjourned. (Don’t get us started on why Pluto is on all fours and Mickey’s pet, while Goofy is granted clothes, can talk, and lead a normal life!) Click HERE to see how Goofy in Disneyland Paris was having NONE of it today! Homer, Rags, Bozo Okay, let’s play the guessing game again. Who do YOU think originally had these three names? We’ll give you a hint for each name. (Three names, three hints.) Hint One: We’re talking about another dog. (Seriously, what’s with all these dogs and their name changes?) Nope! Not Slinky… Clue Two: The movie was released in 1955. (So prob not this guy below!) ©Disney — Definitely not Dug! UP was released in 2009! Final Clue: You rarely see the faces of the humans in this film. (Gotta keep that dog perspective, after all.) You catch on yet? It’s… Ding ding ding! …the “goodest boi” around, Tramp! (Okay, actually he’s a “scoundrel,” but we’d still totally adopt him.) ©Disney According to D23 Website, Lady and the Tramp was inspired by a short story called “Happy Dan, The Whistling Dog.” So, if you really think about it, Tramp actually had *four* potential names! Click HERE to find out why we’re a little “salty” with Tony’s Town Square Restaurant! We don’t know about you, but this was fun to learn about! It’s neat finding out tidbits of Disney history that you can “amaze” your friends and family with at your next get-together. What’s the Disney World trivia question that 58% of you got WRONG? Click HERE to find out! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Do you know any other potential Disney character names? Share them in the comments below! The post I'm Sorry, And You Are? 6 Popular Disney Characters and the Names They ALMOST Had! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

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