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The Smiling Crocodile is a seasonal kiosk at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that served up crazy treats like the Pulled Pork Jelly Doughnut in the past! This is a good spot to get something a little different than the usual Animal Kingdom eats, but we’ve had some mixed feelings about some of their dishes (like those tamales that lit our mouths on fire!). Smiling Crocodile However, we’re excited to see that the Smiling Crocodile is back with a new menu! The restaurant reopened on July 11th, so of course, we had to go check it out! Taking a look at the menu, we noticed that some of our favorites, such as the Pulled Pork Jelly Doughnut (which you can now find at the Eight Spoon Cafe), are nowhere to be seen! The quick-service spot is currently offering Pulled Pork Street Tacos, Chicken Street Tacos, and Street Corn Tacos! Smiling Crocodile Menu Time to eat! So much to eat! We ordered the Island Sunrise featuring Jose Cuervo Tequila with Pineapple-Orange-Guava Juice and a hint of Watermelon… The Island Sunrise! …Chicken Street Tacos featuring Two Roasted Chicken Tacos tossed in a House-made Sauce with Lime Crema, Cotija Cheese, Cabbage, and Pickled Onion served with a side of Chips and Salsa… The Chicken Street Tacos! … and the Street Corn Tacos featuring Two Tacos with Black Beans, Roasted Corn, Poblano Peppers, and Red Onion topped with Pico de Gallo, Chili-Lime Mayonnaise, and Cotija Cheese served with a side of Chips and Salsa! The Street Corn Tacos! Both of the tacos came with delicious Chips and Salsa! Chips and salsa! And that was our trip to the Smiling Crocodile! We’ll have a full review of this newly reopened spot soon. We’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news! Stay tuned here for more! Click here to read more about 9 Disney Halloween Items You Can Already Get from Target! 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 the reopened Smiling Crocodile? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: Another Disney World Snack Spot Has Reopened (With Street Tacos!) first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The 2021 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival will be starting in just a few days! The Food & Wine Festival Will be Starting Soon! Recently, Disney shared the full menus for all of the food booths, including the new booths that will be joining the Festival this year. There are some fan-favorite returning items and a whole bunch of new treats to try this year. As we reviewed the menus though we noticed one type of guest (or one type of diet that guests may have we should say) that this Festival seems to be VERY friendly toward. Each year, things with the Food & Wine Festival generally change a bit. Sometimes that means a number of new booths. Other times that means lots of new items at returning booths. Sometimes you’ll see more plant-based items added. Or maybe you’ll notice more kid-friendly items become available. Some New Items You’ll be Able to Enjoy at the 2021 Food & Wine Festival! ©Disney This year we noticed something different. Do you have a diet that requires you to eat things that are gluten friendly? Or do you just prefer to eat gluten friendly items? Then you might be especially happy with this year’s Food & Wine Festival menus! Sweet and Spicy Bush Berry Shrimp with Pineapple, Peppers, Onions, and Snap Peas from the Australia Booth We’ve seen gluten free or gluten friendly items offered at the Food & Wine Festival in the past. But, the options have previously been much more limited. For example, at the 2020 Food & Wine Festival there were only about 7 items that were gluten friendly. This could have to do with the fact that the festival was modified due to COVID-19 though. Pao de Quiejo At the 2019 Food & Wine Festival there were a bit more gluten friendly options. Still, there were only about 13 items specifically identified as gluten friendly. Roasted Lamb Chop with Sweet Potato Puree But, this year there’s a LOT more. For the 2021 Festival, we’ve spotted over 25(!!!) items that Disney has identified as gluten friendly. In some instances, it’s just a single item at a booth. But, other times an entire booth or most of the items at a particular booth are actually gluten friendly. Again, we have seen gluten friendly items or booths with many gluten friendly items in previous festivals, but not really to this extent (at least not recently). Many Items at the New Brew-Wing Booth are Gluten Friendly! ©Disney Many of the gluten friendly items available this year are ones we’ve seen in the past like the Le Cellier Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon at the Canada Booth. But others are new. For example, several dishes from the NEW The Noodle Exchange booth are gluten friendly! ©Disney Disney has previously expressed that they are committed toward making the food they serve approachable, safe, and fun for everyone, and it looks like this year they’ve really taken that commitment up a notch! Click here to see the full list of items Disney has identified as gluten friendly! And keep in mind that these are the items Disney has identified as gluten friendly. Disney has not identified these as “gluten free.” Also note that you may also be able to make other items at the festival gluten friendly by asking for a specific component to be left off. Be sure to speak with the Cast Members at the booths about your specific needs. Gluten-Free Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce It is interesting to see how the Food & Wine Festival menus change and evolve over time. For example, 1 BIG item isn’t on any of the Festival menus this year (hint: it’s a fan-favorite treat you can still find in other parks). We’ll definitely keep an eye out for more interesting changes and we’ll let you know what we find. Stay tuned for more updates! Click here to see the FULL menus for the Food & Wine Festival! Ready to Plan for Your 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Trip? Order the DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book today! This 250+-page guide to the Festival offers insider tips and advice as well as all of the details you need to know to plan your best Festival visit ever. Your purchase includes several bonus items as well -- including a full daily schedule of events at the Festival and a printable World Showcase Booth Menu Checklist to carry with you as you Eat around the World! Order your 2021 edition today! Don't miss a moment of the fun! Use code Chefs at check-out for 20% off the cover price! 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Index 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth and Menu Index 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Special Events 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Low-Cost Seminars and Demonstrations 2021 Eat to the Beat Concert Schedule Epcot Food and Wine Festival Fans Facebook Page 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Wine and Dine Half Marathon Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic Food and Wine Festival 101 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Vegetarian Items Epcot Food and Wine Festival Gluten Free Items Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Do you eat a gluten free or gluten friendly diet? Will you be grabbing any of these items at the Festival? Tell us in the comments! The post Is This Year's EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Made for Gluten-Friendly Diets? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It may be hard to believe, but it has been a FULL year since the Disney World theme parks reopened following its four-month-long closure in 2020. It’s a unique anniversary many of us wouldn’t have predicted being faced with just a few years ago, but here we are! Cinderella Castle Since then, a lot has changed — health and safety policies have been updated drastically to face masks now being options for guests and Cast Members, and most social distancing measurements have also been lifted. For all of the things that HAVE returned to Disney World since the parks reopened, there are also a number of things that have STILL not come back. Just one short year ago, it was a WHOLE different ballgame in Disney World. The parks and resorts looked and felt different than anyone had ever experienced. We faced record low crowds as guests began to slowly return. Temperature checks and face masks were the norm. A year later, the parks are slowly returning to what we’ve known for nearly 49 years now as “normal.” Let’s take a look at what still HASN’T. Disney World Experiences There are a few big locations across Disney World that have yet to reopen following the theme parks. Perhaps the biggest omission from Disney World’s current offerings is Typhoon Lagoon, which remains closed as of this writing with no reopening plans announced. Typhoon Lagoon Blizzard Beach reopened in March of this year, so guests looking to fit in time at a water park can still do so on their next Disney World vacation. Another location that has yet to reopen is the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex The Sports Complex has reopened intermittently for various professional sporting events, like when the NBA played out its 2020 season at Disney World (yeah, remember when THAT was a big thing at Disney World?!). However, it remains closed to the public as of this writing. Another sports-related attraction that hasn’t reopened is the NBA Experience in Disney Springs. NBA Experience Hopefully we’ll be able to bring you updates on these three locations soon! Click here for a list of rides and hotels that will be closed when Disney World crosses its one year mark of reopening its theme parks. Disney World Resort Hotels While the vast majority of Disney World’s Resort hotels have reopened, there are a few remaining properties that have yet to welcome guests back. The good news is that by the end of 2021, all of the Disney World owned- and operated-hotels will have reopened! The bad news is that the remaining hotels will not reopen by mid-July when Disney World marks its one year anniversary of being reopened. Port Orleans Riverside Here are the remaining hotels that are STILL closed as of this writing: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (reopening on July 19th) DVC portion is open Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House (reopening on August 26th) DVC portion is open Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside (reopening on October 14th) Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter (reopening on October 28th) Disney’s All-Star Music Resort (reopening on September 16th) Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort (reopening on December 9th) All-Star Sports Entrance Disney World has also been very strict on its resort hopping guidelines since the hotels first reopened back in June of 2020. Basically, it’s not allowed without a confirmed Advance Dining Reservation for any hotel you wish to visit for which you are not an overnight guest. Click here to read more about the reopening of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort! Disney World Services and Other Offerings There are several key planning tools guests have relied on in years past when booking a trip to Disney World. Many of these are still suspended in some way or completely unavailable, like the Disney Dining Plan. Disney suspended the Dining Plan during the 2020 closures and have yet to bring it back. However, we did get recent news that the Dining Plan is due to return! Corn Dog Nuggets from Casey’s Corner Another fan-favorite planning tool that has yet to return one year after the parks reopened is FastPass+. Disneyland Paris just introduced a new paid FastPass program called Disney Premier Access, and many are wondering if a similar version of a paid option will arrive in Disney World. As of this writing, Disney has not shared any official news on the status of FastPass+ returning to Florida. The FastPass sign is actually missing from Splash Mountain The sale of new Annual Passes are also still on pause, one year after the parks reopened. Current Annual Passholders may continue to renew their passes, but if you’re in the market to join the AP family, you’ll still have to wait a bit longer unless you meet some incredibly specific criteria to get a pass at this time. Disney World Annual Pass In the parks, character meet and greets are still happening from a distance. Disney World has come up with a variety of new and clever ways for the characters to interact with guests, but as of this writing you still cannot run up to Mickey Mouse and give him a hug. The same goes for character dining experiences — characters will not approach individual tables for autographs or photos. Look at that skill! Speaking of dining, Tables in Wonderland is still suspended until further notice. New memberships are not being sold at this time, and we will keep an eye on any new updates. Tables in Wonderland Membership Card Most transportation options have returned to Disney World, but the Minnie Van service is still on pause. We spotted a vehicle driving around Disney World last summer, but we have not seen any official announcement on whether this service will return or not. Will Minnie Vans return soon? Finally, we’re still waiting to hear when Disney World is planning on the return of offering package deliveries to their resort hotels. This service was very popular with many hotel guests not wanting to lug their purchases around the theme parks all day. Finally, a big one for many guests, we’re awaiting the return of Disney’s long-running Halloween and Christmas parties. Last year, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party were canceled. Cinderella Castle Dream Lights during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party This year, a new after hour event has been announced for Magic Kingdom — BOO Bash — but it looks to be quite different from the Halloween parties of old. We’ll keep an eye on ALL of these updates from Disney World in the coming weeks and months and we will let you know when we hear of any new announcements regarding these guest offerings. Click here to read about the new paid FastPass program coming to Disneyland Paris. Disney World Dining Just like Disney World Resort hotels, guests visiting Disney World one year after the parks reopened will be able to dine at most restaurants and dining spots. There may be a select few restaurants, however, that you are still unable to eat at right now. We miss this Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with Mac & Cheese from Jiko! Here’s a select list of dining locations that will still be closed as of July 11th: Takumi-Tei – EPCOT Monsieur Paul – EPCOT Nine Dragons Restaurant – EPCOT Akershus Royal Banquet Hall – EPCOT Restaurant Marrakesh – EPCOT Tokyo Dining – EPCOT (Tokyo Dining did reopen briefly during the holiday season, but has since re-closed and has remain closed ever since). Tune-In Lounge – Disney’s Hollywood Studios The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge – Disney’s Hollywood Studios Jiko – The Cooking Place – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Boma – Flavors of Africa – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Flying Fish – Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Toledo – Disney’s Coronado Springs Resot Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and Tiki Terrace – Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort 1900 Park Fare – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Citricos – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (reopening July 15th) Victoria & Albert’s – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Yachtsman Steakhouse – Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Select Counter Service dining locations are also closed as of this writing, including Columbia Harbour House in Magic Kingdom (you can, however, order off of their menu at Tomorrowland Terrace!), Pizzafari in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Tangierine Cafe in EPCOT. Columbia Harbour House was being used as extended queue space for Peter Pan’s Flight! Of the many restaurants that are reopen, you may still encounter limited menus to order from and somewhat limited seating. And if you’re looking to enjoy a drink at one of Disney World’s bars, bar seating has not returned to most locations as of this writing. Click here for a FULL list of the dining locations around Disney World that are currently open and closed. Disney World Entertainment Finally, what is a trip to Disney World without some live entertainment? We finally saw the return of fireworks to Disney World with Happily Ever After and EPCOT Forever returning to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, respectively. However, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is still without any of its nighttime spectaculars, including Fantasmic. Mickey Fantasmic Sign We’ve also seen the return of Festival of the Lion King (in a modified format to comply with social distancing guidance), but we haven’t heard an announcement yet on the return of Finding Nemo the Musical in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Similarly, stage shows in Hollywood Studios remain largely closed including the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and more. Finding Nemo the Musical We’ve loved having all of the different character cavalcades in all four theme parks for the last year, but many guests are wondering when we’ll see the return of full-length parades, like the Festival of Fantasy Parade. Festival of Fantasy We also haven’t heard any announcements yet on the return of any castle stage shows in Magic Kingdom or performers throughout EPCOT’s World Showcase. The lovely street performers in the parks, like the Citizens of Hollywood in Hollywood Studios and the Citizens of Main Street in Magic Kingdom, have also not returned. Citizens of Hollywood Finally, EPCOT’s festivals are still seeing missing elements. Popular live music entertainment, like the Garden Rocks concert series for Flower and Garden Festival or the Eat to the Beat series for Food and Wine, is still on hold. Live seminars and events tied to the festivals are also not being offered at this time. Garden Rocks Don’t forget — we have NEW shows coming to Disney World on October 1st to kick off the 50th Anniversary Celebration, including Harmonious in EPCOT! Entertainment HAS been making its way back to Disney World over the past few months, so hopefully we’ll have some exciting updates to share soon! Fingers crossed we hear more news about the return of parades, more nighttime spectaculars, and more! Click here to take a look at the RETURN of fireworks in Magic Kingdom! When you step back and look and what HAS returned to Disney World over the past year, it’s a far cry from the limited restaurants, resorts, and offerings that were available last summer. The parks and resorts have come a long way in being able to bring more Cast Members back, reopen some of our favorite locations, and bring back some of our favorite things! As Disney World continues its phased reopening, we’ll be sure to bring you the most up-to-date coverage on what’s available throughout the parks and hotels! 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 remember most from Disney World’s historic reopening year? Let us know below. The post One Year Later, Here’s What STILL Hasn’t Returned to Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Okay, Loungefly fans — we’ve got a special mini backpack for those of you who love Cars! Cars Land We’ve been seeing a lot of new Cars merchandise at the parks and online in honor of the film’s 15th anniversary. We’ve seen Disney release a Cars collectible key, Cars Wishables, Cars 15th anniversary pins, and more! But the latest Cars must-have is all about Cars Land at Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort! Meet the Cars Land Loungefly Mini Backpack! It’s a black backpack with red trim, featuring the Cars Land logo all over it. Cars Land Backpack The inside fabric is red with a pattern of the land’s logo. Inside So if you do nothing but dream about riding Radiator Springs Racers and nomming on Chili Cone Queso in a bread cone from the Cozy Cone Motel, this is the backpack for you! You can find it now at Ramone’s House of Body Art at Disney California Adventure for $75. We’ll keep an eye out for more Cars merchandise, too! Here’s How You Can SAVE BIG If You Buy Disney’s New ‘Cars’ Wishables Online! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! 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’s your favorite thing about Cars Land? Let us know in the comments! The post One of Disney's Most Popular Lands FINALLY Has Its Own Loungefly! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Tokyo Disney Resort is taking increased health and safety measures to help control the spread of COVID-19. Tokyo Disneyland Following the curfew regulations implemented by the Japanese government, Tokyo Disney reduced its operating hours in January. Since the initial decision, extensions have been made to the reduced hours, previously through July 11th. And now, the dates for reduced hours have been further extended. Tokyo Disney Resort recently announced that the operating hours for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea will continue to be from 10AM to 7PM through August 22nd. Tokyo Disney Sea In addition, the sale of alcoholic beverages will continue to be suspended until August 22nd. Tokyo Disney Resort ©Disney We’ll continue to keep an eye out for any further updates to the operating procedures at Tokyo Disney Resort, so stay tuned for all the latest details. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post NEWS: Tokyo Disney Resort Extends Limited Park Hours and Alcohol Suspension first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you know anything about us, you know that The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is our JAM! This year Disney is bringing back more offerings than we saw at last year’s modified Taste of EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, and we seriously cannot wait! We cannot wait to see our favorite little chef! ©Disney There are many things to love about the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, but there are some things in particular that we are especially excited about. So, here is the BEST news that you can look forward to if you visit the festival this year! New Booths Galore! We typically see some booth additions every year, but this year we are getting EIGHT new booths that will bring some tasty new eats! The first and, in our opinion, most exciting booth this year is The Noodle Exchange. We have our eyes on the two pho dishes being served here! If you know anything about us, you know that we LOVE some noodles (shout out to ‘Ohana), and this is one we cannot wait to try out. 2021 Noodle Exchange Booth Disney is also introducing the Tangerine Café: Flavors of the Medina booth and the Rotunda Bistro. At the Tangerine Café booth, you will be able to pick up some new Mediterranean dishes including Falafel, and we’re excited about this unique option! Rotunda Bistro will be located in the American Pavilion, and will feature some new seafood dishes like a Chilled Smoked Shrimp Salad. Dishes at the Rotunda Bistro ©Disney The next two booths are The Swanky Saucy Swine, and Brew-Wing at the EPCOT Experience. The Swanky Saucy Swine booth is going to feature different dishes and iterations on how to enjoy pork! One of the dishes featured at this booth is the Crispy Pig Ear Salad, and we are intrigued to see what that is all about! Brew-Wing is exactly what it sounds like! It will feature chicken wings tossed in different sauces as well as a myriad of beers and hard ciders to enjoy. Some New Items You’ll Be Able to Enjoy at the Swanky Saucy Swine! ©Disney The last two new booths making their debut this year are Lobster Landing and Mac & Eats — both are located near Mission: SPACE and do not open until October 1st. Lobster Landing is going to feature three (you guessed it) lobster dishes with the Baked Lobster Dip making us salivate pretty hard. Mac and Eats is going to feature four Mac and Cheese dishes, and if you know us at all you know we are looking forward to this booth. Noodles and cheese — what more could you want? Look at all the cheese! ©Disney The Kenya booth is also new, however it is the renamed Africa booth from previous years. There are plenty of new booths coming to the festival, and we can’t wait for opening day on July 15th to try the new dishes! Get More Information on the 8 New Booths Coming to the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival The Return of The Cheese Crawl! Speaking of cheese, Emile’s Fromage Montage is returning this year and this is some exciting news for cheese-lovers! The menu items for the crawl have been released, and there are some fan-favorites making a return this year! It’s Cheese Crawl Time! ©Disney One of the fan favorites making a return that we are excited to try is the Griddled Cheese with Pistachios and Honey in Greece. This one was super popular when it was around before the pandemic and we hope it is just as good as we remember. Greek Griddled Cheese If you’re a big fan of cheese, then you’ll certainly want to take a look at Emile’s Fromage Montage when the festival begins! When you complete the cheese crawl, you win a bonus edible prize. A free prize for eating 5 cheesy snacks? Yes, please! Click here to learn more about the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Cheese Crawl Drinking Even MORE Around the World A term that some folks like to use when visiting EPCOT is “Drinking Around the World”. This is where you make your way around the World Showcase and enjoy an adult beverage from every pavilion you pass. Nothing like a cold brew on a hot day! For new festival-goers and long-time fans alike, the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival makes this even better! You will find a much larger selection of local and smaller micro-breweries as well as specialty cocktails to enjoy during this year’s festival. Take a look at all of the drinks you can grab during the festival HERE. Check out the FULL menus for this year’s EPCOT Food and Wine Festival! Allergy-Friendly Options Aplenty! Disney World has been very good about providing allergy-friendly menu items as well as making accommodations to dishes for guests with certain dietary restrictions. In the past, we have seen the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival be a place where fewer accommodations can be made, but this year it appears there is an abundance of allergy-friendly food items. Specifically, we have seen an increase in Gluten-Free menu items on all released menus for the festival. 2021 Mexico Booth In 2019, we saw 13 gluten-free items, and last year we only saw 7 gluten-free items. However, this year, there are OVER 25 gluten-free dishes at the festival! If you are a gluten-free eater, you’ll have plenty of dishes to choose from at this year’s festival! Here is a FULL List of the Gluten-Free Menu Items at the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Live Music is BACK! While the fan-favorite Eat to the Beat Concert Series seems to not be returning this year, we do have something coming in its place! The America Gardens Bandstand Concert Series has been announced alongside the list of performers for the festival. July 16 to 19: Epic! Live July 23 to 26: Champagne Orchestra July 30 to August 2: Element August 6 to 9: Sound Society August 13 to 16: The Hooligans August 20 to 23: The Vybe August 27 to 30: The M-80s September 3 to 6: Latin Ambition September 10 to 13: Audio Exchange September 17 to 20: The Hooligans September 24 to 27: Epic! Live Ready to Jam? While most people think of food when they think about the festival we are VERY excited about this live entertainment returning! We cannot wait for all the live entertainment! Not only are local bands making appearances on the stage, but some fan-favorite EPCOT entertainment will be performing during the festival! We’re looking at you Voices of Liberty, Mariachi El Cobre, and the Jammin’ Chefs! Get more details on the America Gardens Bandstand Concert Series The Return of Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak! With the opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure just around the corner, there is another exciting activity that is returning and it’s perfect for the WHOLE family! Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak is a scavenger hunt where you look for little statuettes of Remy located all over EPCOT. Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt and Prizes This is a fun and inexpensive way to keep those kiddos entertained while the parents CHOW DOWN! In the past, you have been able to purchase the map from Port of Entry, Mouse Gear, or World Traveler (located at International Gateway) for 7.99. ©Disney We’ve seen a variety of prizes for finishing this scavenger hunt, so we’re looking forward to checking out this year’s prizes! Click here for more details on Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak We are SO excited to see what else the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival has to offer, and we cannot wait to bring you updates on every single aspect of it! Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on The 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival! Check Out Our FREE DFB Printable for All the Food Booths at the 2021 Food and Wine Festival! Ready to Plan for Your 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Trip? Order the DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book today! This 250+-page guide to the Festival offers insider tips and advice as well as all of the details you need to know to plan your best Festival visit ever. Your purchase includes several bonus items as well -- including a full daily schedule of events at the Festival and a printable World Showcase Booth Menu Checklist to carry with you as you Eat around the World! Order your 2021 edition today! Don't miss a moment of the fun! Use code Chefs at check-out for 20% off the cover price! 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Index 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth and Menu Index 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Special Events 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Low-Cost Seminars and Demonstrations 2021 Eat to the Beat Concert Schedule Epcot Food and Wine Festival Fans Facebook Page 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Wine and Dine Half Marathon Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic Food and Wine Festival 101 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Vegetarian Items Epcot Food and Wine Festival Gluten Free Items What are you MOST excited about for the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival? Let us know in the comments below!The post The BEST NEWS About the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival This Year! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary is coming up! Cinderella Castle The official anniversary is October 1st, 2021, and the 18-month long celebration kicks off then! We’ll have new character costumes, park icon transformations, and more. But what if that celebration just isn’t enough? If you wanna do a little more to ring in the big 5-0, here’s 50 ways! 1. Get a celebration button Disney offers FREE celebration buttons for birthdays, anniversaries, first visits, and more. You can celebrate almost any special occasion with one of these! Plus, a Cast Member will customize it with whatever message you want. Celebration Buttons So why not grab one for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary and wear it for your day of celebrations? Just stop by any merchandise location to pick some up for your group! Read More About Celebration Buttons in Disney World! Ride opening-day attractions What better way to celebrate 50 years of the Magic Kingdom than honoring each of its Opening Day attractions? Whether you’re celebrating at home (by watching an attraction ride-through on YouTube) or navigating the park, pay homage to the Most Magical Place on Earth by experiencing each attraction! 2. Country Bear Jamboree Disney World’s Magic Kingdom opened in October 1971 with several attractions that are still around today! To celebrate this BIG birthday, you might as well throw it back and pretend like you’re in the ’70s (the 1970s, that is!). The audio-animatronic Country Bears Jamboree show may not be for everyone, but it’s a great break from the heat — and a chance to sing to some classic tunes. Country Bear Jamboree Keep an eye out for timeless bears like Big Al, Liver Lips, Trixie, and more. They’ll prompt you to sing along for a knee-slapping good time! Check Out the Country Bear Jamboree Wishables! 3. Dumbo the Flying Elephant There are not many attractions more classic than Dumbo the Flying Elephant. In fact, this ride is so iconic that its capacity was doubled when Disney built the Storybook Circus area in 2012. Dumbo the Flying Elephant In case you’re NOT familiar with this Disney rite of passage, guests board Dumbo himself and soar through the skies (in a circle). You’ll get some cool park views — you can even spot Cinderella Castle! Check Out This Dumbo-Inspired Merchandise Collection! 4. The Haunted Mansion That’s right: Disney’s most beloved ghosts and ghouls have been on the hunt for their 1,000th resident since 1971. This attraction is SO beloved that it’s inspired endless merchandise — which, by the way, tends to sell out pretty fast. Fun Fact: did you know that The Haunted Mansion lives in a different “land” in each park? That’s right! The Haunted Mansion is the only attraction located in four different lands in four different Disney Parks: New Orleans Square at Disneyland; Liberty Square at Walt Disney World; Fantasyland at Tokyo Disneyland; and Frontierland at Disneyland Paris. Haunted Mansion Next time you’re in Magic Kingdom, be sure to hop aboard a Doom Buggy and take a tour of the Mansion — it’ll be like time-traveling all the way back to 1971! Here’s More Haunted Mansion Merchandise! 5. “it’s a small world” We probably got the theme song stuck in your head JUST be saying its name. After all, that’s how classic “it’s a small world” is! “The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed” will take you on a trip around the world to visit dolls singing that very catchy tune. “it’s a small world” The original “it’s a small world” moved to Disneyland after being featured in the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. But it was so popular, a Disney World version was created when Magic Kingdom opened! Check Out the Recent “it’s a small world” Makeover! 6. Jungle Cruise This opening-day attraction is filled with dad jokes and puns about the jungle, animals, and the infamous “backside of water.” Your very own Skipper will navigate you through some of the world’s most famous rivers as you encounter audio-animatronic animals — and a few mishaps! Jungle Cruise Even though Disney recently announced that this ride will be reimagined, we’re confident it’ll remain a Magic Kingdom must-do! Here’s What We Know About The Jungle Cruise’s Reimagining! 7. Mad Tea Party Families have been taking a spin on the Mad Tea Party for decades. Fun fact: it was also an opening-day attraction in Disneyland! You Spin Me Right Round, Baby, Right Round While you may wanna steer clear of these teacups if you have a weak stomach (or if you just ate!), this dizzying ride can be heaps of fun for the whole family. Read About the Mad Tea Party Wishables Here! 8. Peter Pan’s Flight Peter Pan’s Flight echoes one of Walt Disney’s dreams for the Disney parks: that guests of all ages can stay young at heart. You can hop aboard a flying ship and travel to Neverland on this opening-day attraction! Peter Pan’s Flight This is a super popular Magic Kingdom ride — wait times often stretch pretty long! But even though the animatronics are a little more outdated than some of Disney’s newer models, this classic attraction holds a special place in our hearts. Take a Virtual Ride on Disneyland Paris’s Peter Pan’s Flight! 9. Enchanted Tiki Room Head over to a tropical hideaway at the Enchanted Tiki Room! The original show was titled the “Tropical Serenade” and was one of the first attractions to use audio-animatronic figures. It paved the way for amazing new technology. Enchanted Tiki Room The “Tropical Serenade” eventually evolved into the Enchanted Tiki Room as we know it — the current version opened in 2011 (after a relatively short-lived iteration most guests would rather forget — Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management!) So while this EXACT show hasn’t been open since 1971, it remains rich in Disney history. Can’t Make It to the Parks? Whip Up Your Own Tropical Hideaway! 10. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel Our last must-do Magic Kingdom opening-day attraction is Prince Charming Regal Carrousel! Originally named Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel on opening day, this ride is a classic for all ages. This ride is located in the heart of Fantasyland — hop on at night and you’ll see the whole area illuminated. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel The ride itself is REALLY old — it dates all the way back to 1917! And it holds a special place in park history because Walt Disney got the idea for Disneyland while watching his daughters on a carrousel. Here’s How Prince Charming Regal Carrousel Is Social Distancing! 11. Ride the Carousel of Progress While the Carousel of Progress is not an opening-day attraction at Magic Kingdom, it’s still one of Disney World’s oldest attractions. In fact, it debuted at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair with the original “it’s a small world”! Carousel of Progress Walt Disney himself worked on the Carousel of Progress, so that makes it pretty special in our books! Relax from the heat throughout the 20-minute show — and try to spot all the Hidden Mickeys! Check Out a Carousel of Progress-Inspired Snack! 12. See Mickey Mouse! What’s Walt Disney World without Mickey Mouse?! Next time you’re in the parks, keep an eye out for the Mouse himself and give him a big ol’ wave! Start Your Day with THIS Guy! ©Disney And while you can’t give him a hug right now, you can still spot him in cavalcades in all four parks. He also greets guests from Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A. train station at park open and close! And for Disney World’s 50th anniversary, he’ll be all decked out in a brand-new, custom-designed costume. Check Out Mickey’s 50th Anniversary Costume! 13. Visit the Partners Statue Speaking of Mickey Mouse — Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse’s partnership was legendary. You can pay tribute to this iconic pair by visiting the Partners Statue right in front of Cinderella Castle. Partners Statue The statue was sculpted by Disney animator and Imagineer Blaine Gibson and debuted in 1995. He designed Walt’s expression to represent him watching happy people enjoying Magic Kingdom! Here’s How to Get Your Own Partners Statue Figurine! 14. Visit “Walt Disney Presents” “Walt Disney Presents” in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is like visiting a mini Disney history museum! This walkthrough exhibit showcases Walt Disney’s life and the history of The Walt Disney Company. You’ll see how some classic movies were made and get a peek behind the scenes of the parks’ creation! There are storyboards, props, artwork, models, and SO much more. Walt Disney Presents Exhibit You can also catch a short film while you’re inside. The featured film alternates between a Walt Disney biopic and a sneak peek of an upcoming Disney movie! Read More About Walt Disney Presents! 15. Take a picture in front of Cinderella Castle Obviously, a great way to celebrate Disney World’s 50th anniversary is with a picture in front of its most classic landmark. Cinderella Castle was refurbished just last year to become the glistening pink icon we know today. Look at those sparkly details! And if you’ll be in Magic Kingdom on October 1st, 2021 or later, keep an eye out for Cinderella Castle’s special 50th anniversary transformation! Learn More About Cinderella Castle’s 50th Anniversary Transformation! 16. Get a picture with the Roy and Minnie Statue Many of us know about the Partners Statue that stands front and center in front of Cinderella Castle. But did you know that another Magic Kingdom statue honors two more very important figures? Roy and Minnie Statue The “Sharing the Magic” statue features Roy O. Disney holding hands with Minnie Mouse on a park bench. It’s a tribute to how Roy supported his brother Walt throughout the creation of The Walt Disney Company. Although Roy tended to stay out of the limelight, he was actually the one who opened Magic Kingdom after Walt’s death. Check Out Some More Little-Known Magic Kingdom Facts! 17. Look for Hidden Mickeys Disney World is FULL of Hidden Mickeys. They’re a nod back to the Mouse who started it all! If you look closely throughout the Disney parks, you’ll find familiar-looking Mickey shapes scattered around. HUGE Hidden Mickey! We’ve spotted these Hidden Mickeys at Disney resorts, on tires, and even in a fish pond! On your next trip to the parks, see just how many you can find. Check Out This Hidden Mickey in a Character Cavalcade! 18. Look for these Main Street, U.S.A. windows The names on the windows of the Main Street, U.S.A. buildings are a big nod to Disney World history. They’re the names of Disney Imagineers or other figures who played an important role in Disney World’s creation! Roy E. Disney and Family Windows Roy E. Disney, Walt Disney, and more have their own windows on this iconic street! Some windows even feature the names of fake corporations used to acquire the land for Disney’s “Florida Project” — which would later become Disney World. Next time you walk down Main Street, U.S.A., take a closer look at all these names! Here are More People Who Played a BIG Role in Walt Disney World’s Creation! 19. Eat a Mickey-inspired snack Here at DFB, we’re HUGE fans of Disney snacks. Disney World is filled with classic treats like a Mickey Pretzel or a Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar. Whether you have a sweet tooth or crave something more savory, you’ve gotta try something Mickey-inspired! Mickey Pretzel Time! After all, you might as well be thinkin’ about the Mouse who started it all while you nosh on a favorite treat! Check Out More Mickey-Shaped Snacks! 20. Look for Easter eggs for old attractions Through the years, several Disney attractions have been removed to make way for new ones. But Imagineers usually leave hidden touches of the old ride in the new attraction. These can be extra fun to try and spot! Portrait of Mr. Toad in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Next time you’re in Magic Kingdom, look for a portrait of Mr. Toad and Owl — it’s a nod to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh taking the place of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. And in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can find a “The Great Moving Ride” poster in the fair scene of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. That’s a tribute to The Great Movie Ride! Check Out These Disney Rides That Aren’t Around Anymore! 21. Send mail from Magic Kingdom! Did you know that you can send a letter (or postcard!) straight from Magic Kingdom? The mailboxes on Main Street, U.S.A. briefly disappeared last December, but they’re back now and we couldn’t be happier! Magic Kingdom Mailbox Next time you’re in the park, write a letter about your 50th anniversary adventures and drop it in! A Cast Member will collect it and make sure it’s mailed to your destination. Read More About the Magic Kingdom Mailboxes! 22. Buy a Mickey balloon Okay, these things are pricey. As in, 14 bucks apiece! But if you’re gonna splurge for one of these, why not make it a special occasion? Mickey Balloooooooons These come in tons of different colors, and some even light up in the dark! Have fun carrying it around the parks all day, but try not to abandon it because that would make us VERY sad. Check Out the Newest Mickey Balloon Color! 23. Visit all 4 parks in 1 day The ultimate challenge on any park day: try to visit all 4 parks in one day! You’ll need to head over to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. That’s sure to give you a taste of the full Disney experience! You can Park Hop to any park with capacity after 2PM You’ll have to make a Park Pass Reservation for your first park of the day and park-hop from there. It’s tricky — especially since park-hopping doesn’t start all 2PM nowadays — but you can do it! Learn More About Park-Hopping in Disney World! 24. Find the 50 classic Disney golden sculptures around all 4 Parks! On October 1st, 50 classic Disney pals will be getting special golden character sculptures around all 4 parks! Yes, you read that right, FIFTY characters! Some of the characters include Mickey and Minnie Mouse, who will be displayed near Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom. Can you find all 50? ©Disney Other characters we know are getting statues are Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, and Chip ‘n’ Dale! Disney also said there will be surprising ways we’ll be able to interact with the sculptures as part of the celebration. Creating a unique scavenger hunt to find all 50 seems like a great way to explore all of the parks for this special occasion. Check Out All the Tours Disney World Offers! 25. Admire the Park icon makeovers The Magic Kingdom isn’t the only park getting attention during this celebration. In fact, the icons at all four parks will ALL be transformed into “Beacons of Magic” at night! While you’re exploring all four parks to find the 50 golden statues, take the time to admire each of the park icon makeovers, especially at night, when their magic comes to life. Cinderella Castle concept art ©Disney Spaceship Earth will get a new lighting scheme that will be permanent beyond the anniversary celebration. This includes the installation of “points of light” all over the geodesic structure. Spaceship Earth concept art ©Disney The Tree of Life in Disney’s Animal Kingdom will host some animated fireflies and other nighttime lighting magic for the occasion. Tree of Life concept art ©Disney Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also get some 50th sparkle and shine. Tower of Terror concept art ©Disney These new EARidescent icons are just the splash of pixie dust and attention to detail that we expect from Disney for such a grand event. Take a Closer Look at these Icon Transformations! 26. Look for Imagineer tributes in the parks We love the creativity of Imagineers…they tend to leave hidden tributes scattered around the attractions they help create! If you know where to look, you can find some truly unique pieces of Disney history. Stop and smell the roses! Or…read the tombstones! On your way out of Flight of Passage, check for three red handprints with initials. One of those is legendary Imagineer Joe Rohde’s (the other two are Jon Landau and James Cameron!). And the tombstones in the queue for the Haunted Mansion reference other Disney Legends or Imagineers. Check Out More Disney World Secrets! 27. Visit the opening-day Walt Disney World resorts While three Disney World hotels opened in 1971, only two have been there since day one! Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort both opened with Magic Kingdom on October 1st, 1971. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground followed in November that year! Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort So technically, we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of a couple of Disney hotels this year, too! You might as well take the monorail from Magic Kingdom over for a mini celebration. Read About Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort’s Transformation! 28. Take a picture with the Walt Disney World Railroad The Walt Disney World Railroad is currently unavailable to clear the way for construction on TRON: Lightcycle Run in Magic Kingdom. But you can still snap a photo with it! A photo with the iconic floral Mickey at the front of the Railroad Station is a milestone memory for any Disney park visit. Main Street, U.S.A. Train Station If you’re looking for the train — head to the Fantasyland station for your photo-op. On your next trip to Magic Kingdom, feel free to head over and admire this classic attraction. It’s a great reminder of Walt Disney’s love for trains! Check Out the Progress on the TRON Construction! 29. Conquer the Magic Kingdom mountains Few Disney challenges are as iconic as conquering the Magic Kingdom mountains. Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mountain are all beloved Disney attractions, and we’re confident they live up to their hype. Splash Mountain Ride all three and proclaim yourself King/Queen of the Mountains just in time for the 50th anniversary! And for a bonus mountain, add in the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! Here’s What We Know About Splash Mountain’s Retheming 30. Go to a character meal Characters are a Disney park staple. They serve as the inspiration for many attractions — and you can even meet some of them for yourself! Character meals are a great way to wave and send air hugs while typical meet and greets remain unavailable. Chip at Garden Grill While not all character dining experiences are currently open, many are! You can book a reservation at Garden Grill, Topolino’s Terrace, Chef Mickey’s, and more. Another Character Breakfast Is Opening Soon! Get Details Here. 31. DisneyBound as your favorite character DisneyBounding is when someone dresses up in an outfit that coordinates with a Disney character. It’s not a full-on costume — just an inspired look. And you can celebrate Disney World’s 50th anniversary by DisneyBounding as a classic character (or even just one of your all-time favorites)! Marie (from AristoCats) DisneyBound! You don’t even need to go to the parks for this activity. Go for a more subtle style and head to the grocery store in your new outfit! Check Out This Amazing DisneyBound! 32. Talk to a Cast Member Cast Members often have fun stories to share about their experiences working at Disney. Sometimes you can even learn fun trivia from them! They’ve usually got LOTS of stored-up “secrets” about their work location. Barefoot Pool Bar Cast Member And while you’re chatting with your friendly, neighborhood Cast Member, be sure to admire their new EARidescent name tags, a special addition to celebrate the 50th! New Disney Name Tags so Cast Members have their own flash of EARidescent. ©Disney Next time you see a Cast Member, strike up a conversation with them! You never know what you could learn. Did You Know About These Cast Member Traditions? 33. Ride the monorail Disney World’s monorails are pretty iconic! They transport guests from the Magic Kingdom area resorts to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT — that’s the first section of Walt Disney World that was ever developed. Just note that the EPCOT monorail is not currently running due to limited park operations. EPCOT Monorail To look back on Walt Disney World’s beginnings, take a trip on the monorail around these OG spots. And don’t forget to please stand clear of the doors (por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas)! The Monorails Are Getting a Makeover! Check it Out Here. 34. Take some PhotoPass photos Disney’s PhotoPass service is a great way to capture memories of your Disney vacation! You can snap pictures at tons of photo-ready spots around the parks — and even get your on-ride photos, too. While you’re perfecting your pose, be sure to ask your PhotoPass Cast Member about magic shots and other locations where you can get new special options! Magic Kingdom PhotoPass Cinderella’s Carriage Knocking some of the 50th anniversary must-do’s off this list? Don’t forget to take a photo at those spots — or just pick a few of your favorites! Just keep in mind that these pictures are free to take but NOT free to keep. You’ll have to buy them individually or in a Memory Maker package (or be an Annual Passholder!) to get to keep them without that pesky watermark. Here’s How PhotoPass Has Changed Since the Parks’ Reopening! 35. Eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table Cinderella Castle is a Disney World landmark. So naturally, one of the best ways to celebrate the parks’ 50th birthday is by going INSIDE it! You can eat lunch or dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table — just keep in mind that character dining with the princesses is not currently available (though you might get a quick appearance by Cindy herself!). Cinderella’s Royal Table At some tables, you’ll get a window view of Fantasyland that offers a great opportunity to people-watch! If we can’t fulfill our dreams of staying in the Cinderella Castle Suite, at least this dining experience is a chance to step inside the castle somehow. Is Cinderella’s Royal Table Still Worth It? Here are Our Thoughts. 36. Watch a performance of the Dapper Dans The Dapper Dans quartet is famous for wandering around Magic Kingdom singing chipper tunes. They’re also known for their seasonal makeovers: they transform into the Cadaver Dans for Halloween and sing Christmas carols for the holiday season! Dapper Dans If you wanna hear some classic tunes, catch them hangin’ around Main Street, U.S.A.! They add incredible atmosphere to the small-town feeling of this iconic area. Listen to the Dapper Dans Perform from Home! 37. Walk down Main Street, U.S.A. Everyone visiting Magic Kingdom has to walk down Main Street, U.S.A. to really get into the park, but how many people actually slow down and appreciate everything going on here?! Spend some time walking down Main Street, U.S.A., taking it ALL in. We already mentioned the window tributes, Dapper Dans, and mailboxes. How many other details can you find?! Main Street, U.S.A. This section of Magic Kingdom is extra special because it has a real connection to Walt Disney. The street’s based off Marceline, Missouri, where Walt lived as a child! We love walking around and feeling like we stepped back in time. Read More About Walt Disney’s Attachment to Missouri! 38. Eat a Dole Whip Okay, the Mickey-shaped snacks are a BIG deal — we get it. But one of our favorite Disney treats is not so Mouse-shaped. After all, what’s a trip to Magic Kingdom without enjoying some Dole Whip? The tasty dessert first popped up in Magic Kingdom around 1986, after DOLE sponsored some attractions over in Disneyland. That’s right, this treat has some HISTORY behind it. We love you, coconut pineapple Dole Whip swirl, so so much. There are also TONS of flavors to choose from that have been added over the years: you can get mango, raspberry, strawberry, lemon, and more. You can even get it in a special snack like the (amazing) Kakamora Float! Disney sure knows the way to our hearts is through a Dole Whip. For those celebrating at home, you can make the classic Dole Whip from your very own kitchen! Here’s EVERYTHING You Ever Wanted to Know About Dole Whips 39. Ride some brand-new Disney attractions Celebrate how far Disney World has come by riding some newer attractions! Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Flight of Passage, and Slinky Dog Dash are all great examples of how technology has evolved to elevate the theme park experience. Slinky Dog Dash in Disney’s Hollywood Studios Just be prepared to wait in some longer lines or join virtual queues! These attractions are all pretty popular. Check Out the Tech That Could Continue to Improve Disney Rides! 40. Watch the new firework show in Magic Kingdom The World’s Most Magical Celebration will feature a BRAND-NEW nighttime spectacular in Magic Kingdom called Disney Enchantment, which will debut on October 1, 2021! ©Disney This new fireworks show will also feature memorable music, enhanced lighting, and immersive projection effects that will extend down Main Street, U.S.A.! Disney shares that “this evening extravaganza will take you on a journey filled with adventure, wonder and empowerment.” Check Out the OTHER Firework Show Debuting on October 1st! 41. Try the Animation Experience Ever wondered what it’s like to be a Disney animator? Try The Animation Experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! These FREE animation classes run throughout the day over at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. The Animation Experience You’ll get a taste of how animators hand-drew some of Disney’s most famous movies! This is a great way to try your hand at the creativity that inspired so many of our favorite attractions. Plus, you’ll get to take home your drawing as a souvenir! Learn More About The Animation Experience! 42. Explore EPCOT Walt Disney had big plans for this park as the “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.” While that’s not exactly how EPCOT turned out, it still has a rich history! After all, it is Disney World’s second park (and it gets to celebrate its big 40th anniversary NEXT October 1st!). There are a lot of things you may not know about EPCOT! Go for a stroll around EPCOT and think about what Walt envisioned — or just enjoy the pretty sights around World Showcase! And it doesn’t hurt to try some of our favorite snacks while you’re there. Check Out All the Changes Coming to EPCOT! 43. Visit the new food booths at EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival Indulge your taste buds with flavors from international booths all around the park at this year’s EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival. This year’s festival runs from July 15th through November 20th! Food and Wine Festival 2020 Though many food booths will open at the beginning of the festival, on July 15th, some booths have been reserved for a special opening on October 1st. This year will feature over 30 booths — including some DFB favorites (looking at you, Alps!) — others will be new to experience! Grab Your DFB Food & Wine Festival Guide to Prioritize Your Booth Visits! 44. Watch a parade Disney parades may be temporarily suspended, but there are still character cavalcades! Wave to some of the OG Disney characters — including Mickey and Minnie. It’s a great way to see all your favorite pals while typical meet and greets are suspended. Mickey!!! Currently, you can catch Mickey and friends, the princesses, Pixar characters, and more during these cavalcades! Check our list of current cavalcades to see who else you can spot. Here are ALL the Character Cavalcades in Disney World! 45. Buy a souvenir Okay, we’re not one to tell you to go spend your money on every Disney souvenir you see. After all, they can be expensive or just plain WEIRD. But the parks are bound to have some special merchandise for the anniversary, and if you want to remember this once-in-a-lifetime trip, it may be worth it. Customize your own set of ears for the 50th! While Disney hasn’t unveiled their merchandise offerings for the big celebration just yet, we’ll keep you posted when they do! Here’s the Most Cringe-Worthy Disney Souvenirs! 46. Go on an adventure with a new rodent in the parks Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is a new attraction coming to EPCOT’s France pavilion in World Showcase. This attraction is based on the Pixar film, Ratatouille, about a culinarily gifted rat, Remy, whose ambition to become a chef in Paris introduces him to some unexpected friends and a wild adventure. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Coming SOON! The ride, a replica of the original attraction from Disneyland Paris, will occupy a brand new section at the back of the France Pavilion, and it will open on October 1, 2021 — the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort! Be one of the first to experience the journey through Chef Gusteau’s kitchen with your new pal, Remy! Here’s What Our Readers Think About Remy’s Keep the celebration alive at home! Whether you’re not able to make it to Florida to celebrate the 50th in person, or if you just want to keep that magic alive throughout the year, the last few things you can do at home! 47. Watch The Imagineering Story on Disney+ The Imagineering Story premiered on Disney+ in fall 2019. It follows the history of the Disney parks from Disneyland’s humble beginnings all the way to the international scale they’re at today. The Imagineering Story ©Disney You’ll get a peek behind the scenes at the ups and downs of The Walt Disney Company’s journey. After all, what better way to celebrate Disney’s future than by taking a deep dive into its past?! Check Out The Imagineering Story! 48. Watch ride-through videos If you live far from Disney, take a virtual trip to the parks by watching videos of some Disney attractions! You can pretend you’re in the front row of some of your favorite rides — all without waiting in line. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad And don’t worry — we’ve got you covered here at DFB! You can take a virtual trip to the parks with us — or you can head to YouTube to find even more ride-throughs. There’s plenty to choose from! Ride Some Disney Attractions with Us! 49. Read some Disney history books So you’ve brushed up on all your Disney trivia, hunted for Hidden Mickeys, and combed the parks for secrets. What now? You can learn even MORE about Disney by — that’s right — reading books! Voyageur’s Lounge in Disney’s Riviera Resort provides library goals! | Photo Courtesy @carlyewisel There are tons of ’em that talk about Disney history, people who made the parks influential, recipes, and more. Check out our favorites here and start digging in! Start Reading with These 15 Disney Books! 50. Cook park-inspired recipes Bring a Disney World meal home by whipping up some park-inspired recipes! Whether you’re craving Totchos, Dole Whip, or Tonga Toast, we pretty sure we’ve got a recipe to help you out. Tonga Toast, can you make it just as good as Disney?? Or, if you wanna make some character-inspired recipes, we’ve got those, too. Try out these Mickey donuts! Here are WAY More Disney Recipes for Ya! So there you have it: 50 ways to celebrate Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary! We’ll be gearing up for October 1st by checking these off our must-do list. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news! Here’s What We Know About Disney World’s 50th Anniversary! 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. How are you celebrating Disney World’s 50th anniversary? Let us know in the comments! The post The 50 Best Ways to Celebrate Disney World’s 50th Anniversary first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

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Character cavalcades are one of our favorite new things that Disney World has added to the parks since reopening. Mickey AND Minnie AND Pluto!!! We love the surprise element of not knowing which characters we might see next and how they just randomly turn up. And they are just SO much fun! And we’ve even got a new one to look forward to for Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration that starts later this year! But these cavalcades aren’t ENTIRELY random. In fact, did you know that each cavalcade has a schedule for each day? Exact schedules aren’t available to guests, but there is now a way to find out general times when specific cavalcades will appear. How? On the My Disney Experience app — just click on the location button at the bottom and choose “Entertainment” under the dropdown and “Show List.” If you filter by “Magic Kingdom,” you get a list that looks like this. Cavalcades are listed under Entertainment now! ©Disney Clicking on a Cavalcade gives you a timeframe that the particular cavalcade can be seen. In this case, the Goofy Cavalcade can be seen from 10:25AM to 3:35PM. ©Disney Don’t want to go through all that and just need a list of the times for each cavalcade? We’ve got you covered: here are the current timelines for each cavalcade at Disney World. Magic Kingdom A Goofy Cavalcade from 10:25AM to 3:35PM Magic Kingdom Cavalcade from 2:05PM to 5:40PM Mickey & Friends Cavalcade from 10:40AM to 5:20PM A Royal Princess Processional from 11:45AM to 4:15PM Goofy Cavalcade When we checked, there were no showtimes available for Tinker Bell & The Lost Treasure. But check the app often because that could change! EPCOT There is only one cavalcade currently listed for EPCOT: the Princess Promenade. Princess Promenade in EPCOT But you can catch the princesses at EPCOT from 11:15AM to 4:15PM. Disney’s Hollywood Studios There are two cavalcades to be on the lookout for at Hollywood Studios. The first is the Pixar Pals Motorcade, which you can catch from 10:45AM to 5:15PM. Pixar Motorcade The other is the Mickey and Friends Motorcade, which happens from 3:45PM to 6:45PM. Disney’s Animal Kingdom You’ll be able to see quite a few cavalcades (aka flotillas) at Animal Kingdom on Discovery River. Here are the times: Discovery River Character Cruise from 9AM to 4:15PM Donald’s Dino Bash Flotilla from 9AM to 4PM Goofy & Pals Set Sail from 9:30AM to 3:30PM Mickey and Friends Flotilla from 10:15PM to 5PM. Donald Flotilla So there you have it — although you won’t know the EXACT times you can catch a cavalcade at Disney World, you now have a good idea of when to be on the lookout for your favorites. And we’ll keep you updated on ALL the entertainment at Disney World, so stay tuned! 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’s your favorite Disney World character cavalcade? Let us know in the comments! The post A Times Guide for Every Character Cavalcade in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We love Disney for so, so many reasons: the foods, the rides, the shows, the warm-and-fuzzy feelings it leaves us with after a day well spent. What we don’t love are the ride lines. Such. Long. Lines. (Three hours for Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train? Yeah, how ’bout no.) Ugh… Fortunately, not every ride is going to demand you stand in a line and waste your Disney day away. Consider hopping onto these rides if you’re tired of waiting in those never-ending Disney queues. Keep in mind, situations can change depending on crowds. But these attractions tend to have the lowest wait times in Disney World. Mad Tea Party We’re late! We’re late! For a very important date! Okay…not really. There’s really no need to rush over to the Mad Tea Party — unless spinning teacup attractions are a must-do for you. Lots of spinning. LOTS. The Mad Tea Party is located on the outskirts of the Fantasyland section of Magic Kingdom, uber close to the Tomorrowland Speedway. (Psst — the Speedway really WILL rack up a hefty wait time. Perhaps you can hit up Mad Tea Party first before jumping in a long line to race around the track?) Whew! Is the room still spinning, or is it just us…? On high-traffic days, Mad Tea Party could potentially get up to a 15-20 minute wait. If you ever notice the wait time get above 15, move on to a different attraction for now. You should be able to jump on later in the day — and maybe even get to jump on again! (That is, if your stomach can handle all the spinning…) Click here to see our favorite Alice in Wonderland-themed snack! Grand Fiesta Tour — Starring the Three Caballeros Deep in the heart of EPCOT’s Mexican pavilion lies a quiet little boat ride with our three feathered friends — Panchito, Jose Carioca, and Donald Duck. The boat ride has a similar feel to the Pirates of the Caribbean set up over in Disneyland. Much like how Disneyland’s Pirates takes you through the Blue Bayou restaurant, the Grand Fiesta Tour floats past the San Angel Inn restaurant. Unlike the Pirates in Disneyland, however, this ride is usually a walk-on. The Grand Finale! This relaxing boat ride is a sigh of relief for guests who’ve been traveling around the World Showcase all day. Just walk through the queue, step onto your boat, and let this charming attraction take you on a festive tour through Mexico. San Angel Inn Oh, and don’t forget to take in the smells of the restaurant as you float past. Mmmm… . What did we think of San Angel Inn? Click here to find out! Triceratops Spin Don’t want to wait in line for Dumbo the Flying Elephant? Perhaps you can persuade the kiddos in your party to ride a flying dino instead! Triceratops Spin is located in Dinoland U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom and has the same aerial carousel design as Dumbo over in the Magic Kingdom. And — bonus points for this one — there’s rarely ever a wait! Whee! Dinoland U.S.A.’s main attraction is the Dinosaur dark ride. So that’s usually where riders will be heading. More spinning… Triceratops Spin’s partner-in-crime, The Primeval Whirl, is no longer in operation — leaving it to be the soul survivor of the carnival stylings in this park. If you need to calm down after losing your money to one of the numerous carnival games scattered around Dinoland, then this might be the ride for you! There’s not much to it, but there’s also no line to it, either! Wait, what do we MEAN Primeval Whirl is gone? Read about its final days here! Prince Charming Regal Carrousel One of the most charming (pun intended) rides in the Magic Kingdom is Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel. The classic music, the intricate designs, the steady rise and fall of the horses…beautiful. All of it. Not to mention it’s directly behind Cinderella Castle, making it a picturesque spot all-around! Look how pretty! Though this carrousel is one of the staple rides of Fantasyland, we find ourselves walking straight on more often than not. So shiny! That being said, you may have a more difficult time walking on to this attraction during Dapper Days — then it becomes a hot-spot attraction! Let’s reminisce over our Dapper Days at Magic Kingdom! Click here! Journey Into Imagination With Figment Oh BOY — this ride has caused quite a commotion for Disney fans over the years! Imaaaaaagination! Whether you love this attraction or hate it, you can’t argue that — more often than not — this is a walk-on experience. One little spark! You can find this dark ride at Future World within the EPCOT park. Our favorite time to check it out is around The Festival of the Arts. After all — Figment is the mascot of the event! Want to learn more about the Festival of the Arts? Click here to read about our past experiences! Liberty Square Riverboat Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square Riverboat is located on the Rivers of America and leads guests around the river. There are a couple reasons you can walk onto this ride fairly quickly. All aboard! First off, the Riverboat carries over a TON of guests at one time. So BIG! Second off, it’s a pretty long ride to Tom Sawyer’s Island and back again — meaning it’s going to take a chunk of your park day to experience it. The boat departs every 25 minutes, but you don’t have to worry about waiting in line. Just jump in the queue when it’s ready to let guests board again and you should be good to go! What else is located in Liberty Square? Click here to find out! Living With The Land If you’re sprinting toward The Land pavilion in order to jump in line for Soarin’ over at EPCOT, don’t forget to hit up Living With The Land after your flight! Living With The Land is a boat ride that takes guests on a tour through Epcot’s greenhouse, all while educating riders on the importance of agriculture and environmentally-friendly technology. Love this Ride Living With The Land is a fifteen-minute attraction that carries a lot of guests at one time. It’s slow, quiet, and peaceful — an overall treat for those looking for an easy-going ride after rushing to Soarin’ with the masses. Such a relaxing time If this line has any kind of substantial wait, you KNOW you’re about to have a busy day in the park. Click here to read about the restaurant that uses produce directly from Living With the Land! Wildlife Express Train It’s shocking how many people don’t know about this one! The Wildlife Express Train is hidden in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom and carries riders over to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. There, guests will get to visit a petting zoo, explore the Conservation Station, and even sketch alongside Disney artists at the Animation Experience. Wildlife Express Train Service Because this train ride is so secluded and leads to another section of the park, it’s not usuallly busy. So much room! Plus, the train is running constantly — so even if you miss it by a second, it’ll be back around to get you before you know it! Click here to learn more about Rafiki’s Planet Watch! Under The Sea — Journey Of The Little Mermaid The constantly-moving ride system of Under The Sea — Journey Of The Little Mermaid really helps move this line along! When you hop into this queue in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland (yes, we’re in Fantasyland AGAIN), you’ll quickly wind your way through the line and be escorted to your shell-mobile in no time. Part of your world… It’s almost a shame that the line moves so fast. The queue is really neat and has an animatronic Scuttle that you can interact with. You can also find human trinkets in a virtual game set up along the queue path. (Guess it’s silly to complain about moving *too* quickly through a line, but still…) The seaweed is always greener here! Every now and then, we see this ride pick up a little bit of a wait according to our My Disney Experience app, but we usually find that to be an exaggerated time. Did you know there’s a National Mermaid Day? Click here to learn more! The Seas With Nemo And Friends Much like Under The Sea, The Seas With Nemo and Friends in EPCOT is a continually-moving dark ride that gets guests immediately on the ride. Honestly, the only reason we even find ourselves being in the queue for longer than five minutes is because we have to WALK it. That queue is GINORMOUS. Don’t forget to say hi to the seagulls! (Mine!) Nemo’s ride is cute and short, taking riders on an adventure to find Nemo…again. (Seriously, why can’t that little clownfish just stay PUT?) In the big blue world! After the ride, you can explore SeaBase Alpha — a section featuring sea creatures galore! Definitely worth the typically nonexistent wait, if you ask us! Starving after exploring the seas with Nemo? Click here to learn about the seafood restaurant near the attraction! Though their lines may be little, these ten rides are still fierce — and a ton of fun! We love that these rides not only cater to our love for Disney attractions but for our need to not spend the day waiting, waiting, waiting… (We’re looking at YOU, Test Track.) 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 ride do you think deserves to be on this list? Let us know in the comments below! The post Disney World Rides You Can Typically Get on WITHOUT a Wait first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We love when we get a surprise appearance by characters at Disney World, and we’ve had some fun ones so far this year! Princess Promenade in EPCOT Although Disney World is still not doing its traditional character meet and greets, there are locations where you can meet characters from a distance and interact with them. There are also a lot of fun character gimmicks like Donald Duck watering plants and Chip ‘n’ Dale having a picnic. At EPCOT, we often see Disney princesses during the Princesses Promenade. And we often see Anna and Elsa having distanced visits with guests in the Norway Pavilion. However, today, we noticed that one Disney princess has returned to her old meet and greet pavilion. It’s Princess Jasmine! Jasmine! And she was looking as lovely as ever as she greeted guests! Looking lovely, Jasmine! We ran into her at the Morocco Pavilion — she was on the stage just outside the pavilion. She’s back! Talking to guests We were so excited to see Jasmine back at the Morocco Pavilion, and we hope she makes many more appearances! We’ll let you know if we spot her, and any other Disney characters, throughout the parks! Check This Out — Surprise Character Visits Coming to Disney World Hotels Throughout 50th Celebrations! 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 seen Princess Jasmine recently at EPCOT? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: You Can Finally Meet This Popular Disney Princess in EPCOT Again! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It gets hot at Disney World — like surface of the sun hot! There are plenty of ways to cool down and beat the heat, from sweet treats to water parks like Blizzard Beach! Magic Kingdom If you find yourself looking for a spot for your kids to cool down in Magic Kingdom, you’re in luck! With restrictions surrounding social distancing and outdoor activities easing up, a lot of old Disney World activities are coming back. Today, we spotted that the Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Station in Magic Kingdom is back! This area is the perfect spot to take a break and relax somewhere nice and cool! Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Station Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Station is located in the Storybook Circus section of Magic Kingdom and features Casey Jr., the train from Dumbo! This area has plenty of water jets that make it the perfect way for kids (and parents!) to cool down and beat the heat! So refreshing! Although the main soak station is open, some of the snack stands are still closed. No snacks yet! This is just one of the many ways to escape the heat at Disney! If you’re trying to cool down in Magic Kingdom, there are tons of options! We’re always keeping track of the latest developments at Disney, so stay tuned here for more! FULL List of Eligible Hotels For Disney World’s Early Theme Park Entry Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! 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 return of the Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Station? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: Kids (and Parents) Can Cool Down at this Reopened Disney World Spot! 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. It may only be July, but we’re already gearing up for Halloween in Disney World! Magic Kingdom with a pumpkin Mickey We’re so excited to see the characters dressed in their Halloween costumes, visit the parks with all their spooky decorations, and eat as many pumpkin-flavored treats as possible! To get ready for the season, we’ve found a few of the best Disney Halloween things you can get right now at Target! Apparently, we’re not the only ones who can’t wait for Fall to celebrate the spooky season! Target has a lot of options for costumes, books, and decorations, all Disney Halloween-themed! Let’s take a peek at the costumes we found first. First up, we found the Elsa Costume for Adults! ©Target Why should the kids have all the fun when it comes to dressing up? Now you can join them! Elsa’s dress comes in sizes small to XXL and includes the dress with wintery designs and a sheer cape attached! It costs $42.99. Click Here to Buy the Elsa Dress for Adults! If your kids also need a costume for Halloween, Target has a lot of options! We loved the Kids’ Mulan Costume! ©Target This costume comes with a jumpsuit and red dress wrap, along with a pleather belt! The sword and boots are not included. It comes in sizes 3T to 4T and 4 to 6x, and it costs $27.49! Click Here to Buy the Kids’ Mulan Costume! One Disney Halloween necessity is a tiara, of course! Target has a whole bunch of tiaras for lots of the Disney princesses, but we thought this Rapunzel Tiara was gorgeous! ©Target The tiara has gold details and a little golden sun, just like the one that reminded Rapunzel of her family in Tangled! It has a metal headband with combs attached to the end for a more secure fit. It costs $14.95! Click Here to Buy the Kids’ Rapunzel Tiara! And we didn’t forget about the Star Wars fans! Target has some more subtle costumes, like this Kids’ Darth Vader t-shirt! ©Target The t-shirt is made of 100% cotton and comes in kids’ sizes small to XL. If your most devoted Star Wars fan doesn’t want to get all-out dressed up for Halloween, this is a great option for a costume that’s super low-maintenance! Click Here to Buy the Kids’ Darth Vader T-Shirt! The family isn’t the only ones getting dressed up, though! We found a Halloween-ready Pluto Plush! ©Target Pluto’s all dressed up in a skeleton costume, complete with his jack-o-lantern trick or treat bucket! There’s even some candy inside his bucket!! He’d make a great decoration or gift for Halloween! The Halloween Pluto Plush costs $19.99! Click Here to Buy the Pluto Plush! Don’t worry, we found more Disney Halloween decor for your home! If you’re looking for the perfect outdoor decoration, try the 4-foot tall Airblown Mickey Ghost! ©Target The inflatable Mickey ghost can hang from your porch or trees, and it comes with an LED light so that it glows in the dark too! You can buy Ghost Mickey now for $35.99! Click Here to Buy the Inflatable Mickey Ghost! What better way to get you and your kids in the spooky mood than with some Disney Halloween stories? We found a few books that are perfect for the season! First, there’s the Disney Mickey Mouse: Dracula book! ©Target In the book, Mickey and his friends encounter the terrifying Count Dracula! The book includes more than 40 stickers as well! You can get the paperback book at Target for $4.99! Click Here to Buy the Mickey Mouse Dracula Book! We can’t talk about Disney Halloween without mentioning a beloved Halloween character: Jack Skellington! We found a Nightmare Before Christmas book so you can read Jack’s story! ©Target You could read the book in your best spooky voice, or you can play the CD that comes with it and let the narrator read it for you, complete with sound effects! The book x CD combo costs $5.59! Click Here to Buy the Nightmare Before Christmas Book and CD! Finally, if one story isn’t enough for all your Disney Halloween cravings, we found the 5-Minute Halloween Stories Book! ©Target This book comes with 12 5-minute stories, complete with colorful pictures! You can get it now for $7.27! Click Here to Buy the 5-Minute Halloween Stories! We hope that helps you get started on your Disney Halloween preparations! Keep following DFB, and we’ll let you know where you can find even more fun Halloween things! Click Here to See Disney Halloween Merchandise Pre-Orders, Available Now! 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 heading to Disney for Halloween? Let us know in the comments! The post 9 Disney Halloween Items You Can Already Get from Target! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Change is something that has become synonymous with Disney World over the years and more particularly since the pandemic. The changes with FastPasses+, parades, and extra magic hours had some people wondering if a trip to Disney World during this time was worth it. The castle is so pretty in the morning! Earlier this year Disney announced that “Early Theme Park Entry” would be replacing Extra Magic Hours at Disney World on October 1st. If you are unfamiliar with Extra Magic Hours, they were first implemented to allow guests staying at a Disney Hotel to either gain early access or stay later in the theme parks. “Early Theme Park Entry” allows guests to enter any of the parks 30 minutes early to get a head start on their day in the parks. Since the announcement of Early Theme Park Entry we have all been wondering which Disney Hotels this new benefit would be given at. Well, today, Disney released the ENTIRE LIST of participating hotels. This list includes everything from Disney Resort Hotels all the way to the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels and more! The list starts out with the Disney World Value Hotels and Campsites. Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Disney’s Pop Century Resort The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Click Here to Check Out Reopening Information for the All-Star Music and Sports Resort Hotels! Next up on the list are the Disney World Moderate Resort Hotels, and can we just mention that we are SO EXCITED for the reopening of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort in October and the potential return of Mickey Beignets!!! Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter Click Here to Check Out the Reservation Info for Port Orleans Resort! Coming in next are the Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotels. Also, another side note here. ‘Ohana just reopened at Disney’s Polynesian Resort YESTERDAY and the return of the noodles left us more than satisfied! Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Disney’s Beach Club Resort Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Disney’s Contemporary Resort Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Disney’s Yacht Club Resort ©Disney Click Here to Check Out Our Review of the Reopening of ‘Ohana! Next in line is the Deluxe Villas at Disney World. Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village Disney’s Beach Club Villas Disney’s BoardWalk Villas Disney’s Old Key West Resort Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows Disney’s Riviera Resort Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa ©Disney Click Here to Check out All the Updates Coming to Disney’s Contemporary Resort! And last but certainly not least is the portion of the list that includes the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels as well as other local hotels in the area! Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Waldorf Astoria Orlando B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Holiday Inn Orlando Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Four Seasons Resort Orlando © DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area We’ve already seen a list of who is eligible for Extended Evening Hours, but now we know who is eligible for Early Theme Park Entry, too! A big thing to note here is that Swan and Dolphin Hotel is NOT included in this list. While 30 minutes may not seem like a huge chunk of time, trust us it can TOTALLY pay off. Being able to get into the park pre-crowds will allow you to knock out a couple of fan-favorite rides and take the rest of your day to enjoy the scenery or maybe just hop on over to ‘Ohana to get some noodles! Click Here to Check Out Some More Controversial Changes 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. What Disney World Resort will you be staying in for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary? Let us know in the comments below!The post FULL List of Eligible Hotels for Disney World's Early Theme Park Entry first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Drinking around the world in EPCOT is how many guests spend their day at the park. We’re off to a great start! Mexico is known for its fun margaritas, Japan its delicious sake, and the U.K. has all those crazy combinations of beer and liquor you can try! And while those drinks are all great, wine is a HUGE part of many of the countries around the World Showcase, and it can sometimes be overlooked. Even though EPCOT does have the Food and Wine Festival each Fall, we sometimes think people don’t know about ALL the places in the park where you can find great wine! Besides festival booths and restaurants, there are some really cool wine cellars where you can grab your glass of vino! Come with us as we tell you all the secrets of the wine! Germany Weinkeller Germany’s Weinkeller is first up on our wine adventure if you go around the world starting in Mexico. Let’s go get some wine! In the land of giant pretzels, brats, and beers, you’ll find this small cellar with over 250 German wines and beers! So many choices! Inside this cozy little cellar, you can buy full bottles of wine, beer, and other spirits! Take a look at the wine menu: Dessert wine anyone? And the beer and liqueur menu! Wine is great, but we do love that Schofferhofer! One of our favorite spirits is the Mozart Chocolate Cream Liqueur! Take a bottle home for dessert! In the Fall, they sell a PUMPKIN SPICE Mozart Chocolate Cream Liqueur by the shot AND bottle and we absolutely LOVE IT! Pumpkin Spice Chocolate shot! At Weinkeller you can also get to go drinks, so you can walk around the showcase with your favorite German wine! Look at all that wine! One of Germany’s most famous wines is Riesling, as you can see, it’s listed first on this sign explaining German wines. So many varieties! You can also get these Asbach Uralt chocolates that are filled with brandy for only $2.45! You can have your drinks and dessert at the same time, cause you have to be efficient when drinking around the world! Should we get 1? or 5? This is a great first stop on your journey to find the best wine in EPCOT! Wine display Click here to read more about Weinkeller Italy Enoteca Castello Enoteca Castello is a small wine cellar in the Italy pavilion where you can buy some amazing bottles of Italian wine! Trying to find some wine! Cast Members told us that the Rosa Regale is one of the most popular wines they sell. Reds, whites, and everything in between! While you know you can buy wine here, many don’t know that you can also take a glass of wine *to go* from here! Grab a glass of vino to go! Here’s a look at the menu! Some great options! Italy is famous for its wine, so if you’re looking for a nice bottle to go with your favorite pizza or pasta, this is the place to grab it! Small but mighty! One of our favorite things to get here used to be the individual chocolates they sold, but they sadly aren’t back yet. Come on EPCOT, we miss having chocolate with our wine! Click here to read more about Enoteca Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar Mexico has the ever-so-popular tequila cave La Cava del Tequila, but the wine cave in Italy doesn’t seem to be as well known! Tutto Gusto is connected to Tutto Italia Ristorante, but also has its own outdoor entrance! If you go too fast, you might miss it! Inside is an intimate wine cave with a gorgeous bar! Stunning! Many people don’t know that you can actually take a drink to go from here, even though it’s more of a sit-down situation. However, unlike most places to sit and eat in EPCOT, you DON’T need a reservation because they don’t take them! Have a glass and some cheese! And you can usually get pretty lucky to snag a seat in here, as a lot of people don’t know about it! Entrance from Tutto Italia Tutto Gusto has some great charcuterie and cheese to go with your wine, but they also serve the full menu of Tutto Italia here! So if you can’t get a reservation at the restaurant, the wine cave is your next best bet! Here’s a look at their alcoholic offerings: So many wines! And some more! If you’re not feeling wine, get a cocktail! The cellar also has wine flights you can get while you’re there for $17. Three great options! But one of our favorite drinks is the Espresso Martini! We know it’s not wine, but it’s just so good we have to tell you about it!! This will wake you up! Tutto Gusto has its own espresso machine and will let you take your martini to go! Thanks, Tutto Gusto! Next time you’re in the Italy Pavilion, stop into one of these cellars to avoid the long lines outside! Click here to read more about Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar! France Les Vins de France Over to the other wine capital of Europe, France also has an awesome wine spot! Les Vins de France is the place to be if you want some lovely French wine. So artsy As with some of the other places we’ve mentioned, you can buy full bottles of wine here, as well as take your drinks to go! So if the line is too long to grab a drink at other spots in France, definitely check this place out! Step on up to the bar! Les Vins usually offers some kind of champagne flight, so make sure to ask to see what they have! After all, champagne is a signature French drink. Here’s a look at their options: Grab some bubbly! And their wine list: More wine’s just fine with us! Cast Members even say individual glasses of champagne are some of their most popular items, as well as their bottles of rosé! Can we take a barrel please? This spot wraps up our last wine cellar location for you! Unfortunately, our favorite wine activity in EPCOT, the Wine Walk, still hasn’t returned, but you can make your own little wine crawl with these spots! There are some amazing eats in these countries as well, especially at the festival booths, so make sure you don’t overlook these pavilions! Stay tuned to DFB to hear about other hidden gems in EPCOT! Click here to learn more about EPCOT’s hidden secrets! 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 any of these EPCOT wine cellars? Let us know in the comments! The post A Cave and Flights of Champagne?! These Are the IT Places to Drink Wine in EPCOT 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 mugs are a fun and functional way to celebrate all things Disney, whether it be your favorite character or Disney keys! Many people are avid Disney mug collectors, while others just like to have few pieces of Disney magic around the house! Mugs, mugs, and MORE mugs! Whether you’re a mug aficionado or just need a new way to enjoy your coffee, we just spotted four new mugs for you! Over at the Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom, you can find all sorts of great merch including fun mugs like this one! With “If You Love Me Let Me Sleep” (so true!) on one side… Seriously, let me sleep! …and a snoozy rendition of Lady on the other side, this mug is an adorable way to tell everyone not to bother you in the morning! So if you’re not a morning person, this mug can be the pick-me-up that gets your day started. You can grab this one for $14.99! So cute! The next mug is perfect for anyone who’s working for the weekend! This mug, which says “I Need A FastPass To Friday,” is something we can all get behind! We’ve seen this quote on a tumbler before, but you can grab this mug for $14.99! Yes please! Next up is one for the Donald Duck lovers! If you relate to Donald Duck, you’ll love this mug that features a classic rendition of Donald Duck and says “Best Personality!” You can find this at the Emporium for $14.99. He definitely has LOTS of personality! Finally, we’ve got a mug that’s perfect for any princess! With Cinderella Castle and the words “Hello Gorgeous” on it, this mug got the royal treatment with plenty of gold accents. You can grab this magical mug for $14.99. So stylish! These are just a few of the MANY Disney mugs at the parks and on shopDisney! We’re always keeping up with the latest merch, so stay tuned for more! Click here to read more about Dooney and Bourke’s new NYC-themed 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. What do you think of these new mugs? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: Disney Mug Collectors, You've Been Warned... first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

From Cookies and Cream Cold Brew to limited-edition treats that sell out within hours, Gideon’s Bakehouse constantly has something for us to get in line for! Just look at those chips! If you have not heard of or tried Gideon’s Bakehouse before, boy are you in for a treat. They have nearly half-pound cookies and MASSIVE double-iced cake slices. Something that has become a fan-favorite at Gideon’s is their buttercream frosting dips and today on Instagram Gideon’s dropped some pretty fantastic news. You MAY be able to find some Marshmallow Buttercream Dip at BOTH locations in Disney Springs and at East End Market in Orlando, but only if you ask nicely! You better ask nicely! ©Gideons In the past we have seen these type of limited treats be offered by Gideon’s and some only available by using a secret phrase! Cookie dip just makes everything better! We don’t know how long this limited treat will be available at Gideon’s but if it is anything like the others, make sure you go and grab one NOW if it is calling your name. Pro-tip, if you want to try this new limited treat but don’t want to wait in the massive virtual line at Disney Springs, we have found the crowds at their other location in the East End Market tend to be much smaller. Same Gideon’s, Less Crowds If you are a big fan of Gideon’s, like we are, be sure to follow their social media pages and stay tuned here to DFB for more updates on ALL THE SNACKS! Gideon’s is Infusing Some Florida Flavor into Their Limited Edition Cookie this Month! Check it out Here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! 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 your favorite cookie at Gideon’s Bakehouse? Let us know in the comments below!The post ALERT! You Can Get Cups of Marshmallow Frosting Dip at Disney Springs! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We know that Thanksgiving Week may seem forever away, but 2021 has been plowing by quickly! Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge And, now that Halloween time starts in August with the BOO Bash followed by Disney World’s 50th anniversary, we’re already in the holiday preparation mode. So, if you plan on heading to Disney World in November, you’re going to want to see the prices and availability for Thanksgiving Week this year! As we researched Thanksgiving Week in Disney World, we set our search dates from November 21st through November 28th as Thanksgiving Day falls on Thursday, November 25th this year. Value Resorts In a surprising twist, only ONE of the five Value Resorts were available for booking during Thanksgiving Break! This is a bit of a shocker, considering that Christmas has more availability (even if the prices are pretty steep). The Value Resort that’s open for Thanksgiving week was Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort! Disney’s All-Star Music Resort is set to open on September 16th, 2021, but there weren’t any reservations open for All-Star Music when we checked! ©Disney We had a little more luck when it came to the Moderate Resorts! Moderate Resorts During the same timeframe, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter were all available as part of the Moderate tier! The starting price for the holidays at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort was $355, Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside was $314, and Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter was also $314! ©Disney The other Moderate Resorts — The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort — were not available at Thanksgiving. ©Disney Similar to the Value Resorts, it’s possible that more availability could be added during Thanksgiving Week! Deluxe Resorts The Deluxe tier only had one hotel available during Thanksgiving week! Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa had rooms starting at $576 a night. ©Disney Besides that, no other Deluxe Resorts were available for Thanksgiving week! Some popular ones like Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort… ©Disney …Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort don’t have rooms listed at this time. ©Disney Disney World could see more availability open up as it nears closer to the holidays and additional resorts welcome guests back again. But, you still may want to look into booking your Thanksgiving Break stays soon, because it’s clearly going to be a busy time of the year! As we near the holiday season, you can stay tuned with DFB for a look at all the Disney news you need to know! The BIG problem with Disney World’s Moderate Resorts 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. When’s your next trip to Disney World planned? Let us know in the comments below! The post Disney World Hotel Prices for the Week of Thanksgiving first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Lamplight Lounge in Disney’s California Adventure has had some big changes lately! From reopening after a year of being closed to offering a new Boardwalk Dining option, there’s so much going on at this spot! Lamplight Lounge Recently, Disney announced that Lamplight Lounge will now be offering a new brunch experience! So, of course, we had to go check it out and give you a first look! The menu is posted outside, but you can also scan a QR code to pull it up on your phone. Menu via QR code We were greeted inside by the restaurant’s logo and namesake — the lamp and ball from the Pixar logo! Logo Paper menus are available, too. There are plenty of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink options available. Drinks The food menu is divided up into “Bites and Bigger Bites” and “Budding Artists” (the Kids’ Menu). Food and drinks We chose a drink named after a Toy Story quote. It’s called the Falling With Style. It’s Minute Maid Premium Lemonade with Mango Purée. Falling With Style Look at the presentation on the appropriately named Indulgent French Toast. That’s House-Made Almond Brittle sticking out of it. It’s also made of Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Challah Bread, Irish Cream Whip, Maple Syrup, and Macerated Berries. Say what? Isn’t it pretty? We also ordered the Crab and Potato Cake Benedict. As you can tell, a lot of thought is put into the presentation of each item. This dish is made with Sautéed Spinach, Soft-poached Eggs, and Chipotle Hollandaise with Fresh Fruit. Benedict We also got the Brunch Burger for reasons! Nothing wrong with a burger for breakfast. PLUS it has an egg on it, which makes it PERFECT breakfast food. The burger is topped with American Cheese, One Egg-up, Roasted Green Chile, Lettuce, and Paprika Aioli. It’s also served with Fresh Fruit! Burger for breakfast! We’re eager to get you guys a full review on Lamplight Lounge’s new brunch, so keep an eye out for that soon! We’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, big or small! Stay tuned here for more! Click here to read more about Salt and Straw’s new summertime flavors! Check out more Disneyland Food Reviews Here!! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What do you think of Lamplight Lounge’s new Brunch? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: First Look At the NEW Brunch at Disney California Adventure's Lamplight Lounge first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney pretzels are classic snacks! When you think of Disney park snacks, a Mickey pretzel will probably come to mind along with popcorn, Mickey ice cream bars, and Dole Whip! The Mickey Pretzel! Recently, a returning pretzel popped up at Disneyland, and it’s got a spicy twist (pun intended)! You can find the latest Disney snack at the Frontierland Pretzel Cart in Disneyland! Frontierland Pretzel Cart A quick scan of the menu and you’ll spot it: A Jalapeño Cheese-Filled Pretzel for $6.00! We previously spotted a similar jalapeño snack and a cream cheese pretzel in Disney World so we’re excited to see a cheesy jalapeño pretzel in Disneyland too! Menu! This pretzel features a nice crisp outside… Jalapeño Pretzel …and a soft inside filled with CHEESE! The creamy center, soft pretzel, and crisp exterior made this a delicious snack, and it’s perfect for when you’re on the go! We didn’t taste much spice from the jalapeño, so we wish it had more of a kick, but overall it’s a good snack for pretzel and cheese lovers. Inside! We also spotted a cream cheese-filled pretzel over at the Fantasyland Pretzel Cart, so keep your eye out for these filled pretzels throughout Disneyland and Disney California Adventure! Fantasyland Pretzel Cart This was a great treat that’s here just in time for summer! We’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney snacks. Stay tuned for more Disney news! Click here to read more about the Reimagined Jungle Cruise Ride in Disneyland! 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 the return of the Jalapeño and Cream Cheese Pretzel! Let us know in the comments! The post There's a Spicy CHEESE-Filled Pretzel in Disneyland! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Here at DFB, we understand that some of our readers are on special diets and can’t always eat the things we eat at Disney World. Orange and Raspberry Dole Whip Swirl! But we want to help you in choosing some of the best food that you CAN eat, so we’re putting together some lists to help you choose. This list is all about gluten-free snacks, and we’ve asked our team to come up with the best that Disney World has to offer. These have been tested BY US, so we can guarantee that they’re both gluten-free AND tasty. Enjoy! First, we would like to mention that almost every restaurant at Disney World has a gluten-free menu, but you can also ask servers and counter staff about your options when it comes to gluten-free food. Disney World is very accommodating when it comes to people’s diets! We’ve found everything from gluten-free fries to gluten-free chicken nuggets just by asking, so don’t be afraid to tell Cast Members about your special diets. Dole Whip Okay, so you KNEW this would be at the top of our list of gluten-free snacks, right? It’s pretty much at the top of our list for ALL snacks! But Dole Whip with all its pineapple goodness is 100% gluten-free. And the other Dole Whip flavors are gluten-free, too! So you can also have all the flavors like Watermelon Dole Whip! Dole Whip Goodness Even better, though? It’s also dairy-free BONUS! Here Are 10 Dole Whip Flavor Combos You Need to Try in Disney World Mickey Bars Speaking of cool treats, Mickey Bars are also gluten-free! They are vanilla ice cream shaped like Mickey dipped in chocolate. On a stick! And they’re such a classic snack that always makes us feel good! It’s a Mickey Bar The best part about Mickey Bars is that you can find them in your local grocery store, too! So you can have this treat even when you’re NOT at Disney World! Here Are All The Grocery Stores Currently Carrying Mickey Bars Kaki-Gori Although most assume that Kaki-Gori, which can be found at EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion, is just plain old shaved ice, it is SO much more. Although Kaki-Gori technically is shaved ice, it’s drowned in a sweet syrup. And you have the option to add creamy sweet milk on top. Plus it’s gluten-free! Rainbow Kaki Gori You’ll find flavors like strawberry, melon, cherry, and tangerine and you can find it at Kabuki Cafe. Read More About Kaki-Gori Krispie Treats If Rice Krispies drowned in melted marshmallows is your thing, you’ll be happy to know that Disney World’s Krispie Treats are free of gluten. And they come in a variety of shapes (Mickey!!!), colors, flavors, and more! Holidays usually bring out seasonal treats, too! Rice Krispie Treat! Many also come on a stick, which makes them less messy to eat, and a handy treat to walk around with while you’re visiting Disney World! We do suggest checking the labels on these just to make sure there are no ingredients in the krispie with gluten, just to be safe! You can also ask a Cast Member to see the allergy binder. Read More About Krispie Treats Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, Slushes, and Floats Great news! Almost every cold and creamy treat at Disney World is gluten-free (as long as you don’t include a cone). So treat yo self to some ice cream from Hollywood Scoops at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or grab a gelato or sorbet from Vivoli il Gelato at Disney Springs. Grab a patriotic slush at Fife and Drum Tavern in American Adventure in EPCOT. Hot Fudge Sundae This even includes floats, like the Boozy Root Beer Float at The Polite Pig in Disney Springs. Do note: Ice cream is only Gluten-Free if it doesn’t have any cookie bites or cookie dough in it. So, Cookies and Cream Ice Cream or Cookie Dough Ice Cream will likely not be gluten-free. Read Our Full Review of the Boozy Root Beer Float Popcorn As soon as you enter Main Street, U.S.A., what do you smell? POPCORN! And popcorn carts all over Disney World are full of that classic gluten-free treat. The OG regular popcorn is Gluten-Free, but you will want to make sure to check the flavored popcorns to make sure they are GF as well. Sweet and Savory Popcorn What’s more iconic than finding a bench near Cinderella Castle, sitting down, and taking a break to munch on some buttery and salty goodness? Read More About the Sweet and Savory Popcorn Macarons Did you know there’s a gluten-free cookie at Disney World? It’s called a macaron (not to be confused with a macaROON), and you can get it at Les Halles Boulangerie and Patisserie? But how is it gluten-free? It’s made with almond flour! These little cookie sandwiches also have yummy gluten-free fillings, so feel free to chow down! Macarons Oh, and you can also get them with ice cream at L’Artisan des Glaces — even better! Read More About One of Our Favorite Ice Cream Macarons! Gluten-Free Zebra Domes Guess what? You can get one of the most popular snacks at Animal Kingdom Lodge in a gluten-free version? The Zebra Domes are constantly on our “best of” snacks list, and they have their very own gluten-free version. So everyone can enjoy them! Zebra domes are little balls of happiness These were generally available at BOMA, but as the restaurant is temporarily closed, you can pick them up at some of the shops at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Read About Where You Can Find Zebra Domes at Disney World Gluten-Free Churros If you’ve ever wanted a churro, but couldn’t try it because they’re made with gluten, you need to head over to Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. They have gluten-free churros and our team has taste-tested them and they are comparable to the regular churros! Churros We’re so happy that everyone gets to have their churro fix at Disney World from time to time! Read Our Most Recent Review of Nomad Lounge Gluten-Free Beignets Although Disney’s Port Orleans Resort is still temporarily closed, one of our favorite snacks there is the Mickey Beignet. And what’s unfortunate is that this is also where you can get Gluten-Free Mickey Beignets. Port Orleans will be reopening SOON, so hopefully, those Gluten-Free beignets will be back on the menu. Mickey-Shaped Beignet at Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter There are even a variety of flavors, including Chocolate, Cinnamon Sugar, and Raspberry. Yum. Learn More About the Mickey Beignets at Disney World Cotton Candy Since cotton candy is basically pure sugar, it’s naturally gluten-free. And you can find a lot of fun colors and flavors throughout the parks (we especially like the Candy Corn Cotton Candy that we see around Halloween time). Cotton Candy And you can even be like us and hack something like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’s Blue Milk with Cotton Candy to create a better drink! Learn More About Our Blue Milk Hack Plant-Based Totchos Okay, so you KNOW we love our Totchos, but the chili used to make them isn’t always gluten-free. EXCEPT you can actually order Plant-based Totchos that have a gluten-free “chili,” and there you have one of the best Disney World snacks that you can eat on a gluten-free diet! Plant-Based Totchos You can even whip up your own version of Totchos at home and make them gluten-free, too! Read More About Totchos Gluten-Free Fish and Chips Okay, so technically Fish and Chips is more of a meal than a snack, but did you know you can find Gluten-Free Fish and Chips at Disney World? It’s available at Cookes of Dublin and Raglan Road at Disney Springs! Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Fish and Chips This Fish and Chips is also dairy-free! Cool, right? Learn More About the Gluten-Free Fish and Chips We hope that this list has been helpful, but if you find any additional great gluten-free snacks at Disney World, let us know! And we’ll keep you updated on what we find! 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 are your favorite gluten-free snacks at Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post 13 of the Best Disney World Snacks for Gluten-Free Eaters first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Let’s face it — getting a boarding group for Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios can be difficult! How much extra would you pay to see this without a boarding group? And although we’ve given you our best tips and tricks, there’s still no guarantee that you’ll be able to snag a boarding group to ride the attraction. But there is ONE way to get a ride on Rise of the Resistance without a boarding group. We talked to a Cast Member today who confirmed that the ride will soon be included as part of Disney World’s VIP Tours. We’re ready to go on a mission for Rey! There’s just one catch — VIP Tours can cost anywhere from $425 to $750 per hour, depending on the time of year. But the tour does include skip-the-line access on most of Disney World’s rides in multiple parks. And as of tomorrow, June 11th, Rise of the Resistance will be one of those rides you can skip the line — and boarding group — for! Even these guys can’t keep you off the ride with a VIP tour So if you’ve tried over and over again to grab a boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance and have never succeeded, you do have another — albeit expensive — option. However, the Cast Member we spoke with told us that you’re only allowed ONE ride on the attraction with the tour, so if you want to do it again, you’ll have to go back to trying your luck with the boarding pass system. Stay tuned because we’ll keep you updated on all things Disney World! Click Here For The 5 Most Expensive Things in Disney World You Should Still Buy 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 on a Disney World VIP Tour? Tell us about it in the comments! The post How Much Would You Pay To Ride Disney World's Rise of the Resistance WITHOUT A Boarding Group? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s a very special day because one of DFB’s favorite restaurants is back! That’s right, ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort has reopened! ‘Ohana at the Polynesian Resort This restaurant has a very special spot in our hearts and we often review it very favorably! From the great atmosphere to the delicious bread pudding, this spot has it all! As if stopping by ‘Ohana for breakfast wasn’t enough, we also decided to grab some dinner! Come explore the newly reopened fan-favorite with us! Atmosphere Currently, there’s some construction going on at the Polynesian Resort as the resort continues its significant overhaul. We headed inside the Polynesian and made our way over to ‘Ohana! Welcome to ‘Ohana! For dinner reservations, you can use Mobile Dine Check-In on the MyDisneyExperience App, which allows you to check-in to you reservation from your phone! ©Disney Once you’ve checked in using the app, you’ll get a text message confirming your check-in and another message when your table is ready. We’re on our way! You can head over to the restaurant entrance and you’ll be escorted to your table! Time to check-in! Inside, you’ll find lots of Polynesian theming and a relaxing atmosphere that will immediately transport you to Hawaii! Tons of theming! There’s one big dining room at ‘Ohana filled with lots of cool tiki statues, oars, and other Polynesian-themed decor! Be sure to take a look around the restaurant while you’re there — this is some of our favorite theming in Disney World. One big dining room means this place is hustling and bustling! In the center of the dining room is a small kitchen where you can see the chefs hard at work! They’re grilling it up! For this meal, our table was by the window with an excellent view of the Polynesian Resort! The table setting was your standard plate and a cloth napkin. The only seating option at this spot are chairs and tables, no booths! Our wonderful seats for the evening Not only is this spot beautiful on the inside, but you also have so many awesome views from ‘Ohana, including a great view of the Magic Kingdom, the fireworks, and the rest of the resort. What a view! We saw a Cast Member perform some songs on the Ukulele, however activities like the Coconut Races are not currently available. Now, it’s time to EAT! Eats We sat down, scanned the QR code menu, and checked out ‘Ohana’s family-style menu! The first thing that stands out is the flat fee! Right now, ‘Ohana is $55 per adult and $33 per child, with alcoholic and specialty drinks costing extra. The meal is all-you-care-to-enjoy, so you’ll probably want to come with an empty stomach! This spot serves Polynesian and East Asian-inspired cuisine that has become a big hit! Many of our favorite menu items are still here, but there have been a few changes which we will point out throughout this review. ©Disney If you have specific dietary requests, ‘Ohana has a few different menus. For plant-based diets, there is a plant-based menu. Plant-Based ‘Ohana Menu There is also an allergy-friendly menu. Allergy-Friendly ‘Ohana Menu There are also plenty of great drink options including smoothies themed after Moana, Lilo, and Stitch! Check out our ‘Ohana breakfast review to see the Stitch smoothie! ©Disney For those who want a cocktail without the alcohol, try a mocktail like the Sparkling No-Jito with Lime Juice, Pure Cane Sugar, and Mint topped with Soda Water or the Keiki Lemonade with Minute Maid Premium Lemonade, Pineapple, Passion Fruit, and Citrus! ©Disney However, if you’re looking for something with more kick, you can try one of ‘Ohana’s numerous cocktails including the Polynesian Mai Tai with Plantation Original Dark Rum, Bacardí Superior Rum, Bols Orange Curaçao, Lime Juice, Orgeat (Almond), and Pure Cane Sugar and the Lapu Lapu with Plantation Original Dark Rum and Tropical Fruit Juices served in a fresh Pineapple and topped with Gosling’s 151 Rum. ©Disney There are a LOT of cocktails to choose from — you really can’t go wrong here! ©Disney If cocktails aren’t your style, perhaps some beer? There are quite a few beers on this menu, including an assortment of Kona Brewing Co. and Maui Brewing Co. Hawaiian beers! ©Disney There’s also wine… ©Disney …and more wine. ©Disney Now that you know what ‘Ohana has to offer, let’s get into the food! To start off, we got two drinks: a classic Iced Tea… Iced Tea! …and a Hawaiian Mule, which costs $13! This drink features Pau Maui Handmade Vodka, Lychee-Citrus Reduction, and Fever-Tree Ginger Beer. This drink is the perfect balance between a refreshing tropical drink and a more bitter cocktail! If you want that refreshing, fruity flavor without overwhelming sweetness, this is the one for you. The ginger and lime really come through on this drink, so beware! If you’re normally a fan of mules, you’ll love this one. The Hawaiian Mule! LOVE the cup! For our bread service, we got Ohana Coconut-Papaya Scones and Cheddar-Bacon Biscuits with Honey Butter! These are no Homecomin’ biscuits, but they’re pretty delicious! The Coconut-Papaya Scones were sweet and moist (more like a biscuit than a scone) and the coconut flavor was really strong! If you love coconut, you’ll love this one. This option replaced ‘Ohana’s signature Pineapple Bread. So crisp and yet so fluffy! The Cheddar-Bacon Biscuits were great with the honey butter, a great sweet-salty combo. We wish the jalapeño flavor was stronger, but the cheddar and bacon flavors were full, smokey, and a great savory variation on the typical dinner roll! Butter makes it better! Next, we tried the Mixed Greens Salad! The sweet almond brittle on top, the acidic vinaigrette, and the fresh veggies made this an exciting bite. There was a hint of sweetness from the vinaigrette that went perfectly with the brittle and the sweetness of the carrots and baby tomatoes. The red onions added a strong flavor that really cut through everything else and made the salad even fresher. The flavor balance was great and this was a very refreshing salad overall! Although we miss ‘Ohana’s old salad, we’re pretty happy with this one. This isn’t your ordinary salad! Now, let’s talk about the Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings. OMG! These were absolutely delicious! The skin was crisp, the wings had just the right amount of sauce, the meat was moist — these were just the perfect wings. The honey-coriander glaze wasn’t overly sweet and had a nice spice to them without being too spicy. These wings were a winner as usual! These were seriously delicious! Yet another winner from this trip were the Pork Dumplings Tossed In Garlic-Chili Sauce! Just like the wings, these dumplings were crisp on the outside and nice and tender on the inside. The flavor wasn’t too intense, just the right amount of heat. Our only complaint here is that we wanted more sauce, but this was a winner in our books. Yum!!! We’ve made it to the main event, the ‘Ohana Skillet with Woodfire-grilled Teriyaki Beef, Island Shrimp Casserole with Herbed Breadcrumbs, Roasted Eight-way Chicken with Polynesian-inspired Chimichurri Sauce, Kielbasa Sausage, ‘Ohana Noodles, and Roasted Broccolini! First on the list are the iconic ‘Ohana Noodles! These are pure perfection! Some of the best noodles in Disney! Savory with just a little bit of sweetness, these noodles have an amazing balance of flavor and the cabbage added a nice little crunch! If you love noodles, especially chow mein, you’ll love these. Even though we had a little scare when we didn’t see them on menu originally, we’re glad these iconic noods are here. They look even better up close! The Broccolini, Roasted Eight-Way Chicken, and Kielbasa Sausage on the other hand were just…okay. The broccolini was typical, cooked well with a little bit of salt and pepper, but nothing particularly special. The roasted chicken was moist and had a nice mild flavor that hardly compares to wings we had right before! The new kielbasa was mild in terms of spice and well cooked, but we wish it had a bit more kick to it. However, it was still some good sausage. These three get the job done, but they’re nothing to sneeze at! The chicken certainly made us miss the good ‘ol days when your server would bring around the meat on skewers. If that’s what you’re expecting or what you liked most about ‘Ohana, you might be a little disappointed. The ‘Ohana Noodles with the Chicken, Kielbasa, and Broccolini! Next up was the Island Shrimp Casserole. This one was a surprise for us, it was much better than we expected! It was like mac and cheese but, instead of pasta, it had shrimp! A shrimp…casserole??? The crunchy breadcrumbs, creamy cheese, and big pieces of shrimp made this one a fun bite with lots of different textures! This was sooo good! However, we would’ve loved some grilled shrimp in here instead. It’s even better than we thought it would be! After the shrimp, we tried out the Woodfire-grilled Teriyaki Beef! This one was great as always! It used to be served on a skewer, but it actually thrives in the new skillet format! The teriyaki sauce was sweet and balanced the smokey flavor of the beef. This is the quintessential teriyaki beef, so if you typically love those flavors, or love barbecue, you’ll enjoy this one! Teriyaki beef is always good! Last (but by no means at all least) the glorious return of ‘Ohana Bread Pudding with Homemade Caramel Sauce!!! If you’re a fan of DFB, you already know how we feel about this one! This is, in our book, the perfect Disney dessert! The pineapple bread pudding is the perfect amount of fruity and the vanilla ice cream is rich and delicious! The moment we’ve all been waiting for… BREAD PUDDING!!! And did we mention that caramel sauce??? It takes a perfect dish from delicious to divine! Although there aren’t any bananas in this new sauce, the ‘Ohana bread pudding remains the ultimate dessert. The sauce really brings it all together. Perfection. And just like that, the meal was over! Nosh or Not Stop by ‘Ohana for Dinner if you… Love to try lots of different things in one meal. Rather than ordering one entree and eating one thing like at other table service restaurants, you’ll get to try all sorts of eats at ‘Ohana! Are looking for great “All-You-Care-To-Eat” dining. If you really enjoy this dining style, ‘Ohana is a great all-you-care-to-eat spot! Want a long relaxing meal! This is not an “in-and-out” type of meal, it’s a bit more drawn out! You might want to skip ‘Ohana for dinner if you… Don’t think you’ll get your money’s worth! You do have to eat quite a bit to make this a steal, so if you’re more of a snacker, this might not be the meal for you. Are on a budget! The price point of this spot is a bit steeper than many other spots in the area, and you might want to visit a quick service restaurant instead. If you’re staying at the Polynesian, you can check out places like Kona Cafe, and Captain Cook’s which are more budget friendly. Are a die-hard fan of the classic ‘Ohana experience. This meal is certainly different than we are used to, especially with the disappearance of the meat skewers. For the time-being, these are not available, so if that is a major reason you visit ‘Ohana, you might want to skip. Overall Although we miss some of the old parts of ‘Ohana (looking at you, broom races!), we are very very happy to have ‘Ohana back! The atmosphere feels like home, even though there have been some changes to the overall experience. If you’re a fan of classic ‘Ohana, we are warning you that is IS different! However, we would still recommend giving this new experience a shot — the food was still great, the atmosphere and views can’t be beat, and it’s still one of Disney World’s most beloved restaurants. The service was attentive, helpful, and super nice! While the meal is pricey, you do get a LOT of food for what you pay. As with other all-you-care-to-eat meals, it’s only worth it if you are able to eat a lot of the meal. The price is pretty similar to other restaurants like it including Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace. Although we miss the skewers, we were very pleasantly surprised by the Teriyaki Beef. Also, even though the bananas are now missing from the Caramel Sauce for the Bread Pudding, we thoroughly enjoyed the dessert. So even though ‘Ohana is a bit different nowadays, we still highly recommend making a stop here if it makes sense for you and your party! Click here to read our ‘Ohana Breakfast Review! 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 the return of ‘Ohana? Let us know in the comments! The post FULL REVIEW: How Does 'Ohana Dinner at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Compare to Before? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney is preparing to kick off the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebrations in just a few short months, so we’ve been seeing quite a bit of construction progress around the parks and resorts in preparation! It’s time to explore all the construction going on! Last week we updated you on 10 projects going on and this week we’ve got even more as construction is close to wrapping up on a fan-favorite attraction, continues on others, and more! So, let’s take a look at it all! Magic Kingdom Jungle Cruise There’s a new gift shop open up along the river on Jungle Cruise! The head salesman, Trader Sam, had been removed from the ride a few months ago to make way for his new lost-and-found-turned-gift-shop and now it’s open for business! Trader Sam’s Gift Shop The new shack is filled with eclectic “souvenirs” including things like socks, instruments, remnants of boats, hats, and more. Lots of stuff here And, it looks like Trader Sam is taking a page out of Disney PhotoPass’s book and setting up a photo-op for guests on their way out! Photo anyone? For now, Trader Sam has not yet made a reappearance at his gift shop, but there are still some construction tarps in the area that suggest the scene may not be entirely completed just yet. Of course, this joins many other changes to characters and scenes along the attraction as Disney works to complete the Jungle Cruise updates by the end of the summer. TRON: Lightcycle Run We’ve been watching as Disney makes quite a bit of progress on the exterior of the new roller coaster coming to Tomorrowland, TRON: Lightcycle Run, and this week the construction site was looking a bit different — the GIANT crane that has been there for most of the year is now gone! TRON construction We had seen it coming down last week after more blue netting was added to one of the canopies outside and now it is MIA from the area. Of course, Disney still hasn’t shared an update on when the attraction will open, but it’s been exciting to see so much movement on the exterior portion of the ride. Splash Mountain Last week we noticed that a HUGE barricade had been added near the bridge to Splash Mountain’s queue and, while we’re still not sure exactly what it is for, we did notice some new updates to the bathrooms at the exit of the attraction. They still look rustic, but that’s a fresh coat of paint that it has on there! Look at that fresh coat of paint! And, you’ll even notice some more colors popping just around the corner! Looking good! Disney is planning to refurbish the ride and re-theme it with characters (and a plot) from Princess and the Frog, but it looks like we’re still going to have to wait to see when the construction will begin. Disney Resorts ESPN Club Over at the Disney resorts, we stopped by Disney’s recently reopened BoardWalk Inn Resort and spotted a Cast Member painting over the area on the building that used to be home to the menu board for ESPN Club. Repainting… This restaurant has remained closed since the parks reopened last year and Disney has not shared an update on when (or if) the dining location will reopen. Of course, we’ll be keeping an eye out for information! Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort The last time we checked in on the construction progress over at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, the new roof had been added to the main entrance and work was continuing on the new monorail station. But, this week we took a look at the new entrance area and it looks like there’s still a bit to be done! The entrance is coming along! Both the monorail station and main entrance are set to remain closed when the resort reopens on July 19th and we could still see construction equipment, crews, and lots of dirt in the area. Click HERE for More Details About the Reopening of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! And, that’s a wrap on another week of construction progress around Disney World! We’re always keeping an eye out for the latest updates in the parks and resorts, so be sure to check back here at DFB for the latest! Click HERE to See 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. When are YOU going to Disney World next? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: See the Progress on TRON, Jungle Cruise, and the Polynesian in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. 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