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Heading to Disney World through Orlando International Airport this summer? We’ve got an important update on what to expect. Orlando International Airport Orlando International Airport has announced a number of upcoming changes lately including food delivery options, restaurant additions, and a new Disney store. And while these changes probably won’t debut in time for summer travelers, we do have an update on what you can expect when it comes to a major aspect of your airport experience — crowds. It’s looking like it will be a very busy summer at Orlando International Airport. According to Orlando Business Journal, domestic summer travel to Central Florida appears to be on track to reach levels higher than pre-pandemic. Airplane Based on data that compares flight and seat capacity, domestic flights to Orlando International Airport are expected to reach 37,996 in the third quarter of 2021. This is an increase of 1.57% from the fourth quarter of 2019, which saw 37,406 flights. Orlando Airport And seat capacity is expected to increase by an even higher percentage. Domestic airplane passenger seat capacity in the third quarter of 2021 is expected to reach 6.599 million, an increase of 3.93% from the fourth quarter of 2019, which saw 6.349 million seats. Airplane Seats While these projections relate specifically to domestic flights, international flights are an unknown variable at the moment. Since international travel is still limited by governments around the world due to the pandemic, international flights were not included in the data. Orlando International Airport Spring Break Crowds As we head into the busy summer season in Central Florida, we’ll continue to be on the lookout for more updates on what you can expect while traveling for your vacation. Where Will the Airport Train’s Disney Springs Station Be Located? Here’s What We Know Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Do you have a summer trip to Disney World planned this year? Let us know in the comments! The post What to Expect if You're Traveling to Disney World Through Orlando Airport This Summer first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

When planning your Disney World vacation, Moderate Resorts can be a great option that won’t break the bank but offer up some larger rooms and more amenities than a Value Resort. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Currently, there are five different moderate resort options (though not all are reopened at this time), including Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside, and The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. And, while there are a lot of things that make these resorts worth checking out, you might stumble upon some BIG problems that you don’t expect. So, instead of wishing you knew these things before you booked your stay, we’re breaking them down for ya! They Are GIANT First up, we need to talk about the literal elephant in the room — these hotels are HUGE. Each moderate resort is made up of separate buildings that are scattered throughout the resort area. Some are around a big lake and there’s even one in the woods, so, though it may look like you’re not staying with thousands of your new best friends, you totally are. There is A LOT of walking to do at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Normally value resorts are associated with large crowds and they do technically have more rooms than Disney’s moderate resorts, but that doesn’t mean you’re escaping the crowds. Moderate Resorts do still have a HUGE capacity ability and lots of rooms — they’re just a bit more spread out (more on that later). And, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is actually home to a conference center, so you’re not only staying with all the Disney vacationers, but it also attracts a lot of business travelers. Coronado Springs So, you’re not necessarily “beating the crowds” by paying the higher price for a moderate resort. Click HERE to see why some people HATE these Disney World hotels! Amenities Are a LONG Walk Away Speaking of how big these resorts are and how much land they span, you might find yourself in a room that is a LONG walk from resort amenities like the pool, dining options, and the front desk. And, if you’ve ever checked into your hotel just to walk all the way to your room and find that your MagicBand won’t work to get you into your room you’ll know how not-fun that walk back can be at a moderate resort. In many cases, you could be looking at a 15+ minute walk. The main building at both Port Orleans Resorts are a good walk from the rooms Over at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, one of the coolest room options are the pirate-themed rooms. These come decked out with pirate ship beds, a compass carpet, a skull and crossbones bathroom curtain, and more (AKA a DREAM for little pirates), but what Disney won’t tell you is that these are actually located in some of the furthest buildings from Old Port Royale (the main building with the big pirate-themed pool those same lil’ pirates will likely be begging to swim in!). And, if you’re wondering just how far we’re talking — it can easily take you 15 minutes to walk between the two. Pirate rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort The long walk from your room to the main building with amenities is especially problematic when it’s super hot outside or when it’s a rainy, or worse, hurricane season in Florida. Both ways you’re stuck getting wet (either from sweat or rain) or going without food. Remember, this is alllll exposed walking, friends. No covered walkways or indoor hallways here. You’re sure to experience ALL the types of weather on your way to amenities Now, you can try to avoid this big issue with Disney’s moderate resorts by calling ahead and requesting a room that is closer to the main building. It won’t guarantee that you’ll be placed in a closer room, but it’s worth a shot! Here’s why some people say they’ll NEVER stay at these Disney World hotels again! Internal Bus Loop By now you might be thinking “we get it, moderate resorts are huge,” but there’s yet another problem with the sheer amount of land that these resorts span. Instead of one centralized bus stop, moderate resorts are home to MANY bus stops around the resort area. And, while it does help to eliminate some steps to the main building, you can spend a lot of your precious Disney time circling the resort instead of enjoying the parks. Bus Stop at Disney’s Fort Wilderness The order that the buses pick up and drop off in the loop can vary based on the time of day or how busy it is in Disney World and each resort differs on how many bus stops there are. Here’s a quick overview of the stops for each Moderate Resort: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort: 8 Internal Bus Stops Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort: 4 Internal Bus Stops Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort: 3 Internal Bus Stops Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside: 4 Internal Bus Stops Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter: 1 stop but it shares buses with its sister resort, Riverside There are LOTS of stops at Disney’s Moderate Resorts What can be particularly nasty here with loads of bus stops (we find this especially true at Caribbean Beach) is if your stop is at the beginning or end of the line. At the early stops? You get on the bus no problem but you’re waiting probably half an hour on the bus traveling around the resort before you ever even head to the parks. At the end of the line? You’re crossing your fingers that bus isn’t full by the time it finally gets to you and then also waiting while you drive allllll around the resort to get OFF at the end of the day! Because it can take you longer than you’d expect to get to and from the parks, we suggest adding about 30-minutes to an hour to your travel time just to be sure you get to all your Fastpasses, dining reservations, and plans on time! The Skyliner Problem The new hotness in terms of Disney World transportation is the Disney Skyliner. Only ONE Moderate resort has access to this though — Caribbean Beach Resort. All other moderates rely on bus transportation to all the parks. Caribbean Beach is actually the hub of the Skyliner, giving you great access to all routes in one spot. Sounds awesome, right? Well, kinda. Remember that “you’re gonna be walking a LOT” tip we mentioned? Rings true here big time. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Get a room near the Skyliner hub, you’re golden. A quick walk and you’ll be zipping to the parks in no time. But the vast majority of rooms are a SCHLEP from the Skyliner. In fact, some of the buildings are SO far away, you’d be better off walking to the nearby Riviera Resort and hopping on the Skyliner THERE! Click HERE for the ULTIMATE GUIDE To Disney World Transportation After Reopening! Some Are Missing Elevators While long walks and bus waits are an inconvenience that most people can handle, one pitfall of select moderate resorts is that some of the buildings do not have elevators. For example, at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside, the 2-story buildings in the Alligator Bayou area don’t have elevators. BUT, the neighboring 3-story “Mansions” do. Port Orleans Riverside And, at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, there aren’t elevators in ANY of the buildings. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort But, this doesn’t necessarily rule these resorts out when deciding where you’ll stay during your Disney World trip, you’ll just want to be sure you contact Disney ahead of time to request a ground floor room or a building with an elevator if you need it. Check Out the WORST Disney World Hotel FAILS and How to Get Around Them! Limited Dining Options Now, because these resorts are somewhere in between value resorts and deluxe resorts, you’ll find that the dining options are a bit limited. Generally, you can expect moderate resorts have a Table Service restaurant, a Quick Service restaurant, and a poolside bar that offers a limited menu. That being said, we’re going to start off with the anomaly of the group — The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. The cabins are actually the only part of the resort that is considered “moderate” and the campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness are considered in the “value” resort category. So, as you might expect, the dining options here are a bit of a mix. The Chuck Wagon at Fort Wilderness Meal-wise there is no food court, but you can grab breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the takeout restaurant called P & J’s Southern Takeout. There is also one Table Service restaurant that opens for dinner and brunch on the weekends called Trail’s End Restaurant. Otherwise, it’s mostly snacking that you can do at this resort — The Chuck Wagon is an RV-style snack kiosk and Meadow Snack Bar is a great place for drinks and a snack poolside. Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Though, there is one extra standout dining experience at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort — Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. This comedic dinner show serves up southern-style dishes and is definitely worth checking out! (Note this experience remains closed at this time!) Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Over at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, you’ve got three solid options for dining. Centertown Market is a food court-style Quick Service location, there’s a poolside bar (Banana Cabana) and a neighboring walk-up smaller quicker service/bar type combo counter (Spyglass Grill), and the resort’s Table Service option is Sebastian’s Bistro (which is a gem). Banana Cabana and Sebastian’s Bistro at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort At Disney’s Port Orlean’s Resort — French Quarter, you’ve also got three solid options including Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory which is a Quick Service restaurant, Scat Cat’s Club which has a cafe and a lounge, and Mardi Grogs Pool Bar which is another spot to grab drinks. So, there’s no Table Service restaurant here. Scat Cat’s Lounge And, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside also has some limited options including Boatwright’s Dining Hall (which only opens for dinner), Riverside Mill Food Court, and two bars — River Roost Lounge and Muddy Rivers Pool Bar. The River Roost Now, the major exception to this moderate resort pitfall is Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Because this hotel has a conference center and attracts more business-minded guests there are A LOT of dining locations — 10 to be exact! Learn More about the Disney Dining Plan HERE! So, though Disney World’s moderate resorts may have some pitfalls, they still can be a really great option for families vacationing in the parks! And, if you’re thinking about planning a vacation to Disney this year, you can check out the BEST hotels below!  By the way, are you a DFB Video subscriber? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our channel and catch up on ALL of our latest episodes! Check out our latest video and then comment below: What Disney World Resort hotel are you planning to stay at in 2021? Check Out 6 Disney World Hotel UPDATES to Know For 2021 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. Are the Moderate resorts a favorite of yours? Let us know in the comments! The post The BIG Problem With Disney World’s Moderate Resorts first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Even a seasoned Disney World veteran can get surprised sometimes! Magic Kingdom Disney World is a constantly changing place with big news pouring in left and right and little changes to take note of too. Plus, your day might be made a little more magical by a surprising event! Here are eight surprises you WON’T expect to see in Disney World! 1. Big Crowds at Slow Times First up, we’ve got a not-so-nice surprise with big crowds at slower times of the year. Disney World can get pretty busy even on the slowest of days (those exist?! ), so many of us schedule our vacations around times that the parks might be a little more empty. So, how come the supposedly “slow” times of the year can come with big crowds? ©Disney You might know to plan your trip as far away from holidays, spring break season, and the summertime as possible, but Disney World has some holidays and events that fly under the radar. It can be a BIG surprise to find a major event going on when you’re expecting low crowds. Hall of fame baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. and Disney Sports Vice President Faron Kelley pose with Mickey Mouse at the Magic Kingdom Park as Ripken Baseball and Walt Disney World Resort jointly announced Tuesday the Ripken Experience is coming to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in 2020. ©Disney Keep an eye out for running events like the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in the otherwise slow time of January and February. You might expect low crowds in the first week of November, but schools in New Jersey take a few days off for fall break at that time (Jersey Week!). And, of course, you’ll want to check schedules for sports and cheer competitions. Worried you’ll miss something? Check out our post of need-to-know dates! 2. Custodial Water Art Now for a more DELIGHTFUL surprise! Sometimes when you’re in the parks, you might spot some surprise characters. And no, we’re not talking about Character Cavalcades or surprise character experiences. We’re actually talking about a fun surprise from Cast Members! Cast Member Water ART! Custodial Cast Members work SO hard to keep the parks looking spic and span, and they still have time to put a smile on guests’ faces! We’ve spotted character water art from many a Cast Member. Minnie Art Then, of course, there’s Edline in Animal Kingdom who does gorgeous flower art of Mickey Mouse regularly! How beautiful! Edeline just over here making magic for everyone! These little surprises might not seem like a big deal but they can be an absolute joy to see. Please do remember if you DO happen to catch one of these magical acts in progress, watch your step! We’ve caught many guests not looking where they’re walking and trample right over a work of art in progress!! Want to see more of Edeline? Click here! 3. Clap Box We’ve got another fun surprise too! Have you ever seen a square of tape on the ground in one of the parks? At the time, you probably walked right by without giving it a second thought. Or maybe you thought, “Hmm…that’s odd.” BUT, if you ever spot a tape square, you might want to make a quick detour INSIDE IT. Magic Kingdom You might be in the presence of a clap box! This is a fun pop-up surprise where Cast Members watch for guests to walk through and applaud when a guest enters the clap box. This is a really unique one to spot and SO fun if you do! Most guests just keep walking but Cast Members are watching to see if you pause in the box! And yep, they’ll clap as long as you stand there. So fun! 4. Character Encounters Even now, you can expect to see characters in Disney World. After all, the Character Cavalcades run most days in all four parks and there are several regular appearances from characters like Mickey, Jack Sparrow, and Stitch. Hey there, Captain! But sometimes, new character appearances pop up and give us a surprise! For instance, we were happily shocked the first time we saw Pooh with his butterfly net or Donald watering flowers. Pooh Bear Plus, the characters even “caravan around the world” to visit the Disney World Resort hotels, so you might see them pop up at your resort! Want to see more of butterfly net Pooh? Click here! 5. Real Life Celebrities We’ve been pretty surprised recently when we’ve spotted REAL LIFE celebrities in addition to our famous Disney pals we see all the time! Last month we spotted JoJo Siwa enjoying a Disney day AND John Stamos filming in Magic Kingdom. It’s John Stamos! In the past, we’ve also seen famous folks at the Candlelight Processional (a little bit less of a surprise!). Basically, celebrities work in Disney World sometimes and they visit just like us, too! To learn more about why John Stamos was in Magic Kingdom, click here! 6. Getting Into the Parks Before Open This can be a happy surprise or an unhappy surprise depending on how you plan your morning. In many cases, Disney has been letting guests into the theme parks well before opening — sometimes 30 minutes prior or more! Hollywood Studios Rope Droppers in ACTION!!! If you’ve planned to rope drop and get there early enough, this can mean valuable extra time in the park! If you arrive right at rope drop though, you might have the unpleasant surprise of seeing lines already full by the time you arrive. Maybe this is one surprise you should expect! Click here to learn more about theme park opening hours! 7. Unannounced Construction Another less-pleasant surprise might be unannounced construction! Sure, Disney does give us a heads up about larger construction projects like the refurbishment at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, but you might not get a warning for everything. It’s looking like a stage now! If a project isn’t large enough to disrupt the guest experience, Disney might not announce it at all. Instead, you’ll be caught off guard when you spot construction in the Morocco Pavilion or on the castle stage. These might not have a major effect on your vacation, but they could come as a surprise — especially if that little construction is at a location near and dear to your heart. Want to learn more about the Polynesian Village Resort’s refurbishment? Click here! 8. Wonky Hours The final surprise is another one that you don’t want to catch you off guard. Some Disney World offerings might have wonky hours. Make sure you check hour listings for restaurants you want to stop by; at this time, many of them are closing earlier than you might expect. This is especially true in Hollywood Studios where some fast food spots close hours before the park does! The EPCOT Skyliner Station Plus, transportation hours have been VERY wonky. Transportation may open earlier or later than the posted times, and even Cast Members might not have accurate information. Make sure you’re ready to be flexible with your plans in case transportation doesn’t work the way you expect. To learn more about post-closure transportation, click here! Hopefully, this info helps you to be a little less surprised by the negative surprises and MORE delighted by the positive ones. As always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney information! Click here to see more changes from Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Have you seen any of these surprises in Disney World? Tell us in the comments! The post 8 Surprises You WON'T Expect to See in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The hype for the Loki series on Disney+ is real, y’all. And that first episode is a DOOZY. Loki Billboard With its premiere, we’ve seen a ton of new merchandise, snacks, and even a Loki cereal (yes, that was a thing that happened)! But we’re even more excited to see Loki at Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus! Disney previously announced that Loki would be putting in an appearance at Avengers Campus in his Time Variance Authority prisoner outfit, and guess what? WE SAW HIM TODAY. Loki! How could we resist saying hello and showing our support for the god of mischief? New Outfit Even though only one episode of Loki has been released, we can’t wait for more! It’s pretty cool that you can see another version of this character in the parks. Variant Loki We’re so happy to see him represented at Avengers Campus, and we can’t wait to see what other trouble he gets into on his show! Stay tuned because we’ll keep you updated on all things Loki. Check Out This New Loki Dress! Disneyland Reopening Details and Info Click HERE for the All Latest Updates Disneyland Reopening April 30th California Residents Will Be the ONLY People Allowed to Visit Reopened Disneyland Initially Avengers Campus Set to Open June 4th Click Here to See All the Rides That Will Reopen Initially in Disneyland Click Here to See All the Restaurants That Will Reopen Initially in Disneyland Disneyland Ticket Price Info and Blockout Dates Released Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel Reopening Date Announced! Everything You NEED To Know About Wearing Masks at a Disney Park Join the DFB Newsletter To get all the latest Disney Park Closure News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Are you watching Loki on Disney+? Let us know what you think in the comments! The post PHOTOS: We Saw Loki At Disney's Avengers Campus In His NEW Outfit! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s only June, but it’s been a VERY busy year for Disney as the parks begin to reopen and slowly begin to return to normal operations. Hong Kong Disneyland ©Disney Disney World will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary, Disneyland just reopened (and Avengers Campus has made its grand debut), Disneyland Paris reopens soon (and will debut a brand new Marvel-themed hotel), and Hong Kong Disneyland just got a massive update to its castle. Hong Kong Disneyland previously announced that it would debut a new show! The show, “Follow Your Dreams,” will take place in front of the Castle of Magical Dreams and features Mickey Mouse and his friends as they “take guests through a magical musical journey with a message that encourages everyone to follow their dreams.” And now we know when the show will open: June 30th! ©Disney Michael Moriarty, Hong Kong Disneyland Managing Director, even released a video with a sneak peek of the show’s theme song “Follow Your Dreams.” We can tell this show is going to be fantastic! The show will feature larger-than-life special effects including a water fountain ON the Hong Kong Disneyland stage, as well as electronic dance music with K-Pop-inspired choreography. It’s going to leave guests feeling inspired to follow their own dreams! We’ll continue to keep you updated on other news for Disney Parks around the world, so stay tuned! Here’s The Story Behind Disney’s Newest Castle! 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 Hong Kong Disneyland? Let us know in the comments! The post Hong Kong Disneyland Announces Opening Date Of New Show! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’ve all been there and experienced the LONG wait times on hold with Disney. And, when we mean long, we’re talking about twelve total hours of waiting around for Disney to connect us to a Cast Member to buy BOO Bash tickets. (It was a bit of a mess.) Welcome to Magic Kingdom But, sometimes, it’s not the waiting you have to worry about. It can actually be what situation you’re in when you’re finally connected to someone! So, we reached out to our DFB team to find out the most awkward and hilarious situations they’ve been in while waiting on hold with Disney! If you’re going to be on a wait for a while, you might as well get comfortable and occupy yourself. And, we’ve been in the situation where we’re intently watching a movie or TV show when our call goes through. And, once someone starts talking, we begin SCRAMBLING to find the remote to turn down the volume. Watching an action movie? Explosions. Thriller? Dramatic monologues. Disney? LOTS of singing. No matter what you’re watching, it’s probably going to be a somewhat embarrassing mad dash for that remote. Loki Billboard Or, inside of the Disney music playing in the background, you might be the one singing along to the songs Disney plays on loop. And, we’re not ashamed to admit that we’ve been caught belting “Hakuna Matata” or “Let It Go” every once in a while! But, we do feel pretty bad for the poor Cast Members who have had to listen! Welcome back, Simba! As you get settled for a possible few hours of waiting, you’re probably going to need some snacks and drinks. Still, if you’ve got yourself stocked on goodies, there’s a fair chance that you’ll get caught mid-chew or mid-sip when Cast Members pick up. And, it’s just our luck to end up taking a drink or bite at the EXACT moment someone answers! Not gonna lie, this is a ton of food. Of course, the odds are that you’ll need to use the restroom during your hours-long phone call. But, we are pretty TERRIFIED to go to the bathroom in case they answer. And, we just KNOW they’ll answer the second you sit down. So, what are your options? You either have to attempt holding it until they pick up (which sounds like more of a risk to yourself, if we’re honest). Or, you have to go and attempt to stop yourself if they answer. But, if you’re really sly, you might have to make the excuse that you’re washing dishes or just talk 10 times louder than you need to be to cover the noise. Tangled Bathroom Some of the best stories our team members told us, though, were about their pets. One of us had the experience where her cat was coughing up a hairball. And, in the midst of her cleaning it up, that’s the moment that Disney decided to connect her to buy tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. We’re sure the cat noises were probably scarier than the actual Halloween party! Who’s ready for Halloween? And, another one of our team members was caught in that super uncomfortable moment when she was taking her dog outside to potty. Since her dog needs a little more positive reinforcement, Cast Members definitely heard her telling her dog “come on, you can do it!” and “find a good spot!” That’s the kind of positive reinforcement we definitely need just waiting around on hold with Disney! Companion Restrooms Of course, there are plenty of more circumstances when wild stuff happens during Disney phone calls. And, we want to hear YOUR stories! So, let us know a few of your funny, strange, or embarrassing moments that have happened on hold in the comments below. And, you can stay tuned with DFB for the latest Disney entertainment and news! Everywhere you can find FREE water in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What are your funniest experiences when you’ve been on hold with Disney? Let us know in the comments below! The post What We ACTUALLY Do When We’re On Hold With Disney first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It may be hurricane season in Florida, but it’s also BEACH season! Like, even more than it usually is the rest of the year! Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort pool Apparently we’re not the only ones ready for a little fun in the sun, because Disney World just made a splash with a brand new beach collection! Whether we’re staying at Disney’s Beach Club Resort or feeling tropical at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney World nails a good beach vibe. Disney’s Beach Club Resort Now with their NEW beach merch collection, we’re fully ready to suit up and hit the sand! And by “sand,” we mean the pool. Animal Kingdom Lodge pool chairs Seen at Legends of Hollywood in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the new collection is all about sunny style for a hot summer day, like this tank top that shows Mickey and Minnie embracing their “Beach Vibes”! Grab one today for $29.99! Beach Vibes! We’re loving these easy-breezy beach shorts, too! Bright red and covered with tropical flowers and Minnie Mouse, you can purchase a pair for $34.99! These look comfy For perfect sunset style, when you’re ready to warm up a bit, throw on this beachy long-sleeve! It shows Minnie Mouse living her best vacation life in “Paradise,” and it costs $39.99! For those cool summer nights Mickey Mouse gets his own “paradise” shirt too! With this warm yellow T-shirt that shows the Disney star strumming a guitar on the beach! Grab one for $29.99! Another Day in Paradise Feeling beachy yet? Head on over to Legends of Hollywood to stock up! FIRST LOOK at the Reopened Cape May Cafe in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What’s your go-to beach style? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney World's Newest Collection Has Us Ready For a Day at the Beach! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Ears, snacks, distancing changes — it seems like every day brings something new to Disney World, and its resorts are no exception! Such a Gorgeous Lobby at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge This past week, our reporters roamed around some of Disney World’s hotels to see what’s new. From spicy drinks to new merchandise, we’re sharing all of the must-know details with you right here!! Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Animal Kingdom Lodge Food Updates In terms of food at Animal Kingdom Lodge, there’s actually been a big breakfast update! Over at The Mara, you’ll now find the fan-favorite French Toast Bread Pudding is available again! French Toast Bread Pudding We also found that a Bacon and Gruyere Quiche is available. This one is priced at $9.29. Quiche! If you don’t spot these items on the regular menu, be sure to check Mobile Order, that’s how we were able to find and order them. Click here to see more about the return of the French Toast Bread Pudding! Animal Kingdom Lodge Merchandise Updates In terms of merchandise, we spotted the NEW mint ears in Animal Kingdom Lodge at Johari Treasures. Peep that bow! We also spotted some new pins here priced at $9.99 each. These pins feature Winnie the Pooh… We Love Naps Too! …Thumper… Cute! …and more fun with Pooh and Christopher Robin. Another Fun Pin You can check them out in Johari Treasures if you want to add them to your collection! Animal Kingdom Lodge Other Updates In terms of other updates, we noticed that some distancing changes have been made in the pool area in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Lots more chairs! The pool chairs seemed closer together and we felt like there were more chairs generally available. Click here to see what’s changed in terms of distancing at this pool. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Polynesian Food Updates If you’re looking for a new, refreshing drink to try in Disney World, you might want to check out the Melon Colada from Barefoot Pool Bar at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! Refreshing! This drink is made with Piña colada mix, watermelon syrup, Midori melon liqueur, and a sugared rim. Click here to see our full review and thoughts on whether you might like this drink! Over at Capt. Cook’s we noticed a few changes. The drinks station here is now self-serve once again. Self-Serve Certain cooler items were also self-serve. Want Some Snacks? We’ve seen a number of places change their drinks stations back to being self-serve (as opposed to having Cast Members serve guests their drinks). Just be sure to check your hotel or quick service location to see what process they’re using when you visit. Click here to see where else we’ve spotted this change. Polynesian Merchandise Updates If you’re looking for some of those popular in-park items, be sure to check over at BouTiki. We spotted quite a few items there that we had seen recently in the parks. Always Good to Look in the Hotel Gift Shops! In Moana Mercantile, we spotted some Aulani items including a Moana doll ($15.00)… Hey Moana! …a yellow shirt for adults ($30)… It’s the Kakamora! …a grey shirt for boys ($30)… There’s More of Them! …a blue shirt for women ($35)… Free as the Ocean! …and a Moana shirt for girls ($30). Aulani Shirt! If you can’t get to Hawaii yourself to snatch these up, just head to the Poly and see what’s available! Polynesian Construction Updates There’s quite a bit of construction going on at the Polynesian. The monorail platform was previously demolished, but now there’s been quite a bit of progress in terms of building up the new monorail platform. A Peek at the Construction The new roof portion for the porte cochere is also coming along nicely. Disney has noted that the porte cochere will feature a “high-pitched, open-truss roof covered in a thatch style with pops of color.” And we can really see that starting to come along. Check it Out! The guest rooms at the Polynesian are also getting a new Moana-inspired theme. Recently, we spotted the new furniture for these refurbished rooms being transported around the hotel. VERY exciting to see this! The refurbished guest rooms are set to open at the Polynesian later this summer. Click here to see more about the Moana furniture! Disney’s Old Key West Old Key West Merchandise Updates At the Conch Flats General Store in Disney’s Old Key West Resort we found a number of new merchandise items including a new Corkcicle ($39.99)… Do You Like Corkcicles? …and the new Mint Minnie ears. New Ears Pro tip: sometimes it can be really helpful to look for these newest merchandise lines in the stores inside Disney’s hotels. They can sometimes have more of these hard-to-get items available as compared to the big stores in the theme parks as guests don’t necessarily think to check there hotel gift shop for these popular items! We also spotted a trivia question up for guests to answer. Anyone Know the Answer? If you know the answer be sure to tell us in the comments! Disney’s Riviera Resort Riviera Food Updates Looking for some new drinks? There are actually 3 NEW seasonal drinks you can sample over at Bar Riva in Disney’s Riviera Resort. Seasonal Drinks Recently, we grabbed one ourselves to give it a try — we went with the Speziato Riva! Speziato Riva While this drink looks pretty, don’t be fooled by its colorful appearance. This drink is SUUUUUUPER spicy!!! Are you brave enough to get this drink? Click here to see more about what this drink has in it and our full review of it! Riviera Merchandise Updates In terms of merchandise, we spotted a new shirt ($34.99)… Would You Get This Shirt? …and a new coaster set ($21.99). Coasters Both of these feature the Riviera Resort logo on them. Coasters You can check these out the next time you stop by the hotel! Disney’s Pop Century Resort Pop Century Food Updates At Pop Century, we noticed that Petals Pool Bar has their self-serve drink station up and running again. You Can Get Your Own Drinks Here So, you can once again serve yourself a drink here by the pool. And that’s all for us from Disney World’s resorts. Be sure to check back with us for more updates! Click here to see when Sebastian’s Bistro will reopen in Disney World with a NEW menu! 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 hotel is your favorite to stay at? Tell us in the comments! The post What's New at Disney World's Hotels: A Fan-Favorite Breakfast Item Returns, a SPICY Drink, and More! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Thanks to the release of the new movie Cruella, one of Disney’s most wicked villains is getting some new time in the spotlight. Cruella Makeup Collection We’ve seen a ton of new merchandise representing the movie, including nuiMOs outfits, a Danielle Nicole bag collection, a fashion collection, and even a collectible key. Yes, we’re seeing spots everywhere! And now Cruella has her own MagicBand! The Cruella MagicBand is white with red spots and red and black icons, like Cruella’s lipstick. Red, white, and black One side features Cruella in red… Graffiti …while the other side has a stylized portrait of Cruella. There she is. Even the back of the MagicBand box is super fashionable, just like the wicked villain herself. Hello, Cruell World. This MagicBand is a limited edition, and only 1,500 are available. So if you’re wanting to grab one, we found this one at the Emporium for $39.99 at Magic Kingdom. Limited Edition We also later spotted it at the Tomorrowland Light and Power Co. — we suggest you head to Disney World fast to get your hands on it! And if we see it anywhere else, we’ll let you know. Here’s How You Can Tour a Famous Location Used in Disney’s ‘Cruella!’ 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 Cruella? What did you think? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: Disney's Most Fashionable Villain Now Has Her Own MagicBand 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. We’re a little obsessed with Disney food — as if it being in our name wasn’t telling enough. And we love our Dole Whips, Mickey Bars, churros, and Mickey pretzels. Cats and Dogs Notebooks But we also really love our pets, and Disney knows this, which is why you can get TONS of Disney pet-related merchandise at Disney Parks and online. But what if you could share your love of Disney snacks with your pet? If you have no idea where we’re going with this — here’s the thing. You can now get Disney treats for your cat and dog. No really! And we are HERE FOR IT. We found these pet treats on BoxLunch, and they’re even themed. What’s this? You can get a 2-Pack of Mickey Mouse and The Nightmare Before Christmas Dog Dental Treats RIGHT NOW. ©BoxLunch So if you’ve got a pup who loves Jack Skellington (or Zero!), you’ll have to nab this pack for $24.90. 2-Pack of Mickey Mouse and The Nightmare Before Christmas Dog Dental Treats Or maybe you’ve got a kitty who’s working on their ROAR! They’re sure to master it with The Lion King 3-Pack Tartar Control Cat Treats! ©BoxLunch This 3-pack is available for $18.90. Click Here To Buy The Lion King 3-Pack Tartar Control Cat Treats Perhaps your pupster is a big fan of Woody and Buzz of Toy Story! You should treat Fido to a 2-pack of Toy Story 4 and Mickey Mouse Dog Dental Treats. ©BoxLunch These treats are $24.90 for a 2-pack. Click Here To Buy The 2-pack of Toy Story 4 and Mickey Mouse Dog Dental Treats Or maybe you just want to celebrate that special relationship between man…err…mouse and dog! You can also pick up a 2-Pack of Mickey Mouse (and Pluto) Dental Treats. ©BoxLunch This 2-pack is $24.90. Click Here To Buy The 2-Pack of Mickey Mouse Dog Dental Treats And if you’re worried about nutrition, these treats are all-natural, soy-free, and gluten-free! Grab them now while they’re available and then you can enjoy Disney snacks with your pet! We’ll let you know if we spot any other fun Disney pet items! Check Out Some of Disney’s Cat and Dog Merch! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Will your pets be getting Disney treats? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney Treats For Pets Exist -- You're Welcome! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

When it comes to planning your Disney World trip, we try to make sure you have the best information possible for you and your family. You must be this tall to ride. And that includes details about what you might need to know about if you have kids, too. For example, what attractions can your kids get on while you’re visiting the most magical place on Earth? So we’ve put together a guide to give you an idea of what the height requirements are for some of Disney World’s most thrilling rides. Magic Kingdom We’ll start with the shortest height requirements to the tallest. Over in Storybook Circus is Barnstormer, probably one of the most kid-friendly roller coasters at Disney World. To ride this, guests must be 35 inches (89 centimeters or taller). In Fantasyland, guests must be 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train The OTHER mine train, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad requires guests to be at least 40 inches (102 centimeters) tall. The same goes for Splash Mountain, too. Splash Mountain The other mountain, though, Space Mountain, requires guests to be at least 44 inches (113) centimeters tall — this is the tallest height requirement in Magic Kingdom. See What It Looks Like When Space Mountain Is Evacuated EPCOT The good news is that one of EPCOT’s most popular rides, Frozen Ever After, doesn’t have a height limit — any child can get on this attraction. But Test Track has a height requirement of 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller, so keep that in mind if your child wants to ride it. Test Track And for those who want to go Soarin’ Around The World, please note that the height requirement is 40 inches (102 centimeters or taller). Check Out This Soarin’ Tumbler We Found Last Year! Disney’s Hollywood Studios There are a LOT of popular thrill rides at Hollywood Studios, and they all have height requirements. Slinky Dog Dash has the lowest requirement at 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller. But kids wanting to ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror must be at least 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller. Are you tall enough to check in to this hotel? Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, though, has one of the tallest requirements at Disney World — guests must be at least 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller to hop on this fast and thrilling ride! Check Out Some Cool Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Merchandise! Disney’s Animal Kingdom DINOSAUR can be a little terrifying for kids, but we love going after that dino. However, guests who want to go dinosaur hunting must be at least 40 inches (102 centimeters) tall. Avatar Flight of Passage has a height requirement of 44 inches (112 centimeters) or taller. Lab Portion of Flight of Passage Line Finally, Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain forbids anyone under 44 inches (113 centimeters) to stay at the foot of the mountain. We Found The Expedition Everest Yeti on a Spirit Jersey — Check It Out Here! Please remember that these height requirements are in place to keep your child safe. If your child doesn’t meet the height requirements, please do not complain to Cast Members about it, and whatever you do, don’t try to cheat the system. They’ll get there eventually, and hey, it’s yet another excuse to keep planning trips to Disney World, right? 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 thrill rides are your kids’ favorites? Let us know in the comments! The post How Tall Do You Have to Be to Ride Disney World’s Most Popular Roller Coasters? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There are SO many different Disney-owned hotels and off-property hotels near Walt Disney World, it can be difficult to know just where to stay for your upcoming trip. The Grand Floridian is GRAND. One of the biggest factors in picking a hotel can be its cost. Today we’re taking a look at just how much it costs to stay at Disney World-owned and operated hotels, and what the costs would look like if you opted instead to stay at other hotels on property or other hotels nearby. For our little pricing experiment we took a look at what things would cost for a proposed vacation this year in late August. Specifically, we planned a little weekend getaway where we would check in on August 27th and check out on August 30th. We priced this trip for 2 adults staying in 1 room. One of our FAVORITE resort lobbies…Jambo House! We’ve got to put this little disclaimer before we dive in. Hotel prices can vary GREATLY depending on a number of factors including when you choose to visit, how many rooms you want to reserve, etc. This is just meant to be one example of what different rooms could cost, but you’ll want to price it out to see how those costs differ for your trip. Alright, let’s dive in! Disney World Owned and Operated Hotels First, we’ll look at Disney World owned and operated hotels. For the dates we searched, here’s a look at the estimated costs: Lower Cost The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort — $109.33 per night, which can be brought down to $98.40 per night if you take advantage of their special summer savings offer (this is for a full hook-up campsite) Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort — $169.67 per night, which is brought down to $152.70 per night (preferred room) with their summer savings offer All-Star Movies Resort Pool Mid-Level Cost The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort — $405.67 per night, discounted to $324.53 with the summer savings offer (wilderness cabin has 1 queen bed, 1 bunk bed, and 1 double size-sleeper sofa) Disney’s Art of Animation Resort — $468.00 per night, which is brought down to $374.40 with Disney’s summer savings offer (Lion King or Cars Family suites are included at this price) Art of Animation High Cost Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge — $701.00 per night, down to $525.75 with the summer deal (1-bedroom villa with 1 king bed and 1 queen size sleeper sofa) Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort — $840.00 per night, down to $756.00 with Disney’s summer deal (1 bedroom villa with 1 king bed, 1 queen size sleeper sofa, and 1 twin size sleeper chair) These “high cost” resorts are from just looking at the main Disney hotel page. If you click into the individual resorts and actually search for suites or other special rooms, you could likely find more expensive offerings. Bay Lake Tower Overall, that brings us a range of $98.40 to $756.00 for Disney’s rooms (taking into account that summer savings). Click here to learn more about the special deal that could help you save BIG on Disney hotel rooms this summer. Disney Springs Area Resorts Next, we’ll take a look at the Disney Springs area resorts. These are all hotels located right next to Disney Springs. They are technically “on” Disney World property, but are not owned or operated by Disney. B Resort and Spa: $95 per night for their “Chic Rooms” located in the Lanai section of the hotel, up to $139 per night for the Posh Suite (with the special savings code currently available — promo code: hpaspec) (if you search without this savings code you’ll find more rooms at a variety of more expensive prices) Double Tree Suites by Hilton Orlando: $100 a night if you “quick book” a 1 bedroom suite with 2 queens and a sofa bed, up to to $237 if you “quick book” a 2 bedroom suite with 1 king/2 queens and a sofa bed (again, this is using the Disney Springs spa rate, you can remove that special rate to see more rooms and prices) ©DoubleTree Hilton Lake Buena Vista: as low as $97 per night for a guest room with 1 king bed, up to $477 per night for a one bedroom suite with 2 queen beds and a parlor This is just a look at some of the Disney Springs area hotels. There are a few others that fall in this category as well and you can search for their special offers and prices. Click here to see special rates being offered at Disney Springs area hotels for first responders and educators. Other Hotels That Are On Property or Surrounded by Disney World Resort Now, we’ll turn to more Disney World hotels that are not owned and operated by Disney World but are either on property or are essentially surrounded by Walt Disney World Resort. For example, there’s the Four Seasons Orlando, which is located within the Walt Disney World Resort. For the same dates discussed above, a four seasons room with 2 queen beds would cost around $677.67 per night. ©Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Or you could go BIG with the grand suite for $6,219 per night. Talk about pricey!! There are also some hotels in the Bonnet Creek area, which is essentially surrounded by Walt Disney World Resort. Here are some prices: Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek: starting at $209 per night (1 king bed) and going up to $640 per night (executive suite 1 king Disney view) Wyndham Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek: starting at $159.20 (with a save 20% sale rate) per night for a deluxe 1 king room Hilton Bonnet Creek Lazy River You could also opt for a stay at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, or the new Swan Reserve (when it opens later this year), with walking access to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort Here’s a look at the cost for the Swan on the nights we’re looking at as part of this experiment: $245 per night (traditional guest room 1 king bed, prepay, non-refundable, non-changeable, non-member) up to $382 per night (standard fees, 1 king bed, balcony, alcove guest room, flexible non-member rate). Flamingo Crossings Flamingo Crossings Town Center is a shopping, dining, and hotel area that is under development and located just a few minutes away from Disney World. You can see the Residence Inn at Flamingo Town Center in the upper right area and Animal Kingdom near the bottom/center of the map. ©GoogleMaps Here’s a peek at the prices for some of the Flamingo Crossings hotels: Springhill Suites: $98 per night (pre-pay non-refundable non-member price for a suite with 1 king bed and a sofa bed) to $125 per night (standard, flexible rate, non-member, suite with 2 queen beds and a sofa bed) ©SpringHill Suites Orlando | Disney Fairfield Inn and Suites: $149 per night (pre-pay, non-refundable, non-member rate for a 1 king room) to around $205 per night (standard, flexible rate, non-member, larger guest room with 2 queens and a corner room) Other Hotels And finally, we’ll take a look at some pricing for other hotels near Walt Disney World. First, the Gaylord Palms can be a popular spot with some of its unique amenities and fun features. The prices here range from $206.33 per night for a King Room (Florida View) to around $339 per night for the Emerald Bay Room with 2 queen beds (Main Atrium view). ©Gaylord We also looked at a number of hotel booking sites to see some other options. On Expedia, there are a number of options at a variety of costs. We limited our search to only 4 and 5 star selections. The cheapest option was priced at $96 per night for a stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton at the entrance to Universal Orlando. ©Expedia From there, prices went up all the way to $947 per night for a stay at a villa in Reunion Encore. On Booking.com there were also some choices. We limited our search to 4 and 5 star hotels. The cheapest option was a stay at Delta Hotels by Marriott Orlando Lake Buena Vista for $272 for 3 nights. All-Star Movies On Hotels.com, the cheapest option (out of the 4 and 5 star hotels) was again the Delta Hotels by Marriott Orlando Lake Buena Vista at $82 per night. On Trivago (again only 4 and 5 star hotels), you could stay at the Best Western Orlando Gateway Hotel for $67 per night. And, of course, there were more options in that $60-80 range, and others higher in price. The Hollywood Tower Hotel Is Not Available for Booking Basically, there are a LOT of options when it comes to hotels around Disney World. Staying at some non-Disney-owned and operated hotels can save you some money, but some of those non-Disney hotels can also get VERY pricey. It all depends on where you choose to stay, what type of room you pick, when you visit, and other factors. How About a Stay at Pop Century? Not sure where to start when picking your hotel? All these options feel a bit overwhelming? You can make your planning a lot simpler if you work with our friends over at Small World Vacations. They’ve got loads of experience planning vacations to Disney World and can help you navigate through the planning and booking process, providing you with helpful insights and all kinds of savings. Plus, their services are TOTALLY FREE!!! You’ll find all of their contact information below so you can reach out to one of their representatives and get started booking your trip, Let Small World Vacations Help You Plan Your Trip! We hope this article has been helpful in giving you an idea of just what some hotels can cost around Disney World. We’ll be on the lookout for more discounts and deals that you could use for future hotel stays and let you know what we find. Click here to see our page full of information about Disney World discounts and deals! Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money, when you book your Disney trip or cruise. Their agents compare current offers to find the best deal for you -- they've literally saved their guests millions of dollars since 1996. Plus, their services are 100% FREE FOR YOU! (They're DFB's recommended travel agency, and you can see why here!) So book that trip now, then sit back and enjoy planning your Disney World Trip with a DFB-approved expert! Click here for a no obligation price quote today, and let them know DFB sent you http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/customemailexample.jpg Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What hotel do you like to stay at when visiting Disney World? Tell us in the comments. The post How Do Disney World Hotel Prices Compare to Off-Property Resorts? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Changes keep coming to Disney World! It seems like just yesterday rides were adding more plexiglass, but now some attractions are loading all rows, masks needn’t be worn outdoors, and more restaurants are reopening! New signage Another noticeable change? Physical distancing markers are starting to disappear, as we saw today at TWO classic Magic Kingdom line queues! Amidst the never-ending changes coming from Disney, the latest news bomb is that starting SOON, face masks will be optional in most Disney World locations. New Face Mask Policy Part of that news was that Disney World would also be relaxing social distancing guidelines, so it’s really no wonder that more BIG changes are making the parks feel more like “normal,” like with the removal of physical distancing markers. The markers are gone! We’ve already seen some major physical distancing changes at shows and throughout the parks, and while adventuring through Adventureland today at Magic Kingdom, we noticed the floor markers have entirely disappeared from both Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean. We’ve noticed markers disappear in extended queues before, but now we’re starting to see this in the actual queue. Physical distancing markets are gone from Pirates It feels like just yesterday attractions like this were installing MORE plexiglass, but what a difference a few months can make! Marker-free floor Now, while plexiglass is still up in the queue, floor markers are gone from Pirates. All clear! Ditto in the Jungle Cruise queue! No more floor markers at Jungle Cruise You can still see the remnants of where the floor markers were. Jungle Cruise Seemingly overnight, ride queues are looking like they’re back to normal again! Jungle Cruise lookin’ like old times We also noticed this at Splash Mountain, and a Cast Member confirmed that the markers there were removed last night. The Cast Member also mentioned that they are removing the markers from each ride at its own pace, so we’ll continue to keep checking on this. We’ll keep you posted on physical distancing markers (or lack thereof), so stay tuned! Disney World’s Mask Policy For Theaters Has Changed — Here’s What It Looks Like 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. How do you feel about the removal of physical distancing markers in Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: Disney World Ride Queues Are Starting to Look Normal Again first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hello from Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus! Shawarma Palace We’ve been busy saying hello to some of our favorite superheroes, but we’ve also spent A LOT of time checking out all the Marvel-inspired eats and drinks! And today, we were back at the Shawarma Palace (you can read our full lunch/dinner review here) for breakfast where they’re serving up an Impossible Breakfast Sha-Warm-Up. Breakfast This is a Plant-based Breakfast Sausage & Egg Omelet Wrap with Dairy-Free American Cheese and Crispy Potato Bites served with Spiced Maple Syrup. Just having a breakfast in Avengers Campus! We’ll just tell you now that our favorite parts of this wrap were the potato bites, along with the spicy syrup. However, the plant-based sausage was pretty good, too! Breakfast at Shawarma Palace However, we weren’t big fans of the plant-based egg and cheese, although guests who are used to egg and cheese alternatives would probably enjoy it! It’s a very solid option for Disneyland guests who are plant-based! Spicy maple syrup on the side Most of the options in the land require a Mobile Order, which has had a few issues with the crowds coming to Avengers Campus. If you aren’t having luck Mobile Ordering somewhere else, consider waiting in line for one of these! Potato bits! This wrap, which is $12.49, is a quick and easy option for breakfast at Avengers Campus. And, again, if you’re wanting more plant-based options in the park, this is another one to add to your list! Check Out Our Review of Lunch/Dinner at Shawarma Palace! Disneyland Reopening Details and Info Click HERE for the All Latest Updates Disneyland Reopening April 30th California Residents Will Be the ONLY People Allowed to Visit Reopened Disneyland Initially Avengers Campus Set to Open June 4th Click Here to See All the Rides That Will Reopen Initially in Disneyland Click Here to See All the Restaurants That Will Reopen Initially in Disneyland Disneyland Ticket Price Info and Blockout Dates Released Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel Reopening Date Announced! Everything You NEED To Know About Wearing Masks at a Disney Park Join the DFB Newsletter To get all the latest Disney Park Closure News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Have you tried plant-based options at Disney Parks? Let us know in the comments! The post REVIEW: Should You Eat Breakfast At Shawarma Palace in Disney's Avengers Campus? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’ve visited Magic Kingdom recently, you’ve probably noticed some construction taking place in Tomorrowland. Construction on TRON That’s TRON Lightcycle Run, a high-speed rollercoaster that Disney calls a “thrilling race through the digital frontier.” Originally, the ride was supposed to open in time for Disney World’s 50th anniversary on October 1st, 2021, but the project has reportedly been delayed. However, construction is still goin’ on! So you may be wondering exactly HOW much progress has been made…and how much is left to go. What Is TRON Lightcycle Run? If TRON Lightcycle Run sounds familiar to you, it may be because this ride has been open in Shanghai Disneyland since 2016! The Magic Kingdom version is expected to be very similar. Guests will board 2-wheeled Lightcycles (which look sorta like motorcycles) and zoom up to 59 miles per hour. And while that IS speedy, it won’t quite top Test Track for the fastest ride in Disney World. TRON Concept Art ©Disney This coaster is indoors, and lighting is expected to play a HUGE part in the experience. You’ll see panels that shift based on light, so your ride will look different in the daytime vs. at night! TRON in Shanghai Disneyland That all sounds SUPER cool, right?! But when do we actually get to ride it? Well, let’s take a peek at the construction progress so far. Read MORE about TRON Lightcycle Run here! Construction Progress Construction on TRON Lightcycle Run kicked off in 2018, and we’ve been following it closely ever since. We watched as paneling was added to the show building… TRON Construction in December 2020 …while the outdoor canopy was installed… TRON Construction in December 2020 …and further developed! TRON Construction in May 2021 But by looking at these pictures, it doesn’t seem that the project is close to completion. Aerial photos of the construction site indicate that, while the show building looks pretty intact (at least from what we can see), the canopy and outdoor portion still appear to have a long way to go. © @bioreconstruct | Attractions Magazine These aerial pictures were taken in April 2021, but even though construction has been moving along since then, we’re still not seeing significant progress (at least from an outside-looking-in perspective). © @bioreconstruct | Attractions Magazine Here’s a peek at the area earlier this month. TRON Construction in June 2021 As you can see, it certainly doesn’t seem like TRON will reach its original goal of an October 1st opening. When Will TRON Open? Although Disney has yet to officially confirm it, it doesn’t appear that TRON will open at all in 2021. While we’re getting opening timelines and updates for other projects like Space 220 and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Disney has been pretty silent as far as TRON is concerned. We certainly haven’t gotten the same peek behind-the-scenes as we have with other projects like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind! TRON Lightcycle Run Vehicle It’s safe to guess TRON may open in 2022, but there is no official timeline for the project. And while construction has made LOTS of progress since 2018, there’s still a long way to go. It seems like there’s a lot left to go! We’re definitely excited to ride TRON when it DOES open! We’re constantly keeping an eye out for new updates, and we’ll continue to watch the construction progress closely. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news! Learn More About TRON Lightcycle Run! 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 excited to ride TRON Lightcycle Run? Let us know in the comments! The post How Much Progress Has Disney World Really Made on TRON Lightcycle Run? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We can never get enough Magical Moments! These extra special experiences are Disney World’s bread and butter, and it’s always incredible to witness fairy tales come to life! Cinderella’s Castle It’s rare, though, that we get a glimpse behind the curtain, which is why we were practically giddy when we stumbled upon a Cinderella-worthy carriage outside of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort in Disney World! From the Skyliner to the gorgeous new walkway connecting Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom, there are a LOT of magical options when it comes to transportation in Disney World! Skyliner But let’s face it: it doesn’t get more magical than a horse-drawn carriage ride! It’s a special treat that makes guests feel like Disney royalty! You love to see it. Cinderella Carriage That’s why we were extra excited to see a horse-drawn carriage parked outside the Grand Floridian today! Carriage outside Grand Floridian The whimsical, pumpkin-shaped carriage was sitting on the road in front of the resort, with six horses just chilling, and four Cast Members looking incredibly dapper in their regal wigs! So magical! We can only assume they’re getting ready for an imminent Magical Moment, because this carriage is typically used in Disney weddings! Even though we wish we could ride around Disney World in one of these, we’ll cherish this inadvertent little meet-and-greet! The BEST Thing That Ever Happened to Me in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What’s the most magical moment you’ve seen in Disney World lately? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: You Don't See THIS in Disney World Every Day! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

For our birthdays, we treat ourselves to birthday cake churros. For Queen Elizabeth’s birthday, she gets presents from Winnie the Pooh! Relatable! Mickey Birthday Cheesecake In honor of Her Majesty’s recent 95th birthday, Disney surprised the Queen with a special animated visit from residents of the Hundred Acre Wood, and we’re here for it! To celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s momentous birthday, Disney paid homage to royalty by releasing an extra special surprise from Winnie the Pooh on its @disneyuk Instagram! That Tiny Shirt Is the Cutest According to Yahoo, Winnie the Pooh and the Royal Adventure is a brand new 45-second animated feature that stars Pooh and friends like Christopher Robin, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore on an adventure through the woods to Windsor Castle! Apparently they were neighbors with royalty this whole time?! ©Disney Upon arrival, they surprise the Queen with a LARGE pot of honey from Pooh’s personal stash, so you KNOW that’s a big deal! ©Disney Even cuter? The honey pot comes with a hand-written note, a purple bow, and 95 balloons! ©Disney For Queen Elizabeth, a longtime fan of English author/Pooh creator A.A. Milne, we can only imagine how special this surprise was! Winnie the Pooh is Getting a Musical Stage Adaptation! “It’s always an honour to draw Winnie the Pooh, and even more so when in the company of Her Majesty the Queen,” said Kim Raymond, a Winnie the Pool illustrator. “Disney wanted to create a touching story befitting of the world’s most loved bear, who for over 95 years, has touched the hearts of millions.” Winnie the Pooh You can watch the full animation below! Suffice to say this is the sweetest way to celebrate a birthday, Disney-style! Your Day Isn’t Complete Until You See This Disney-inspired Birthday Cake Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Which Disney character would you love a surprise animation from? Let us know in the comments! The post VIDEO: Disney Released a Special Winnie the Pooh Animation for Queen Elizabeth's Birthday! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Ever dreamed of getting married in Disney World? Maybe you’ve always wanted to say “I Do” right in front of the Castle or near the waterfall in the Canada pavilion? Well, if you can dream it AND you’ve got the $$$, you can probably do it! Wedding Cake Topper But seriously, when planning any wedding, staying within your budget can be one of the most difficult things to do, especially if you’re hoping to share your special day with a LOT of friends and family. So, how much does a Disney wedding actually cost? We’re breaking it all down for you here! The cost of a Disney wedding all depends on what features you want, where you’re hoping to get married, how many guests you want to have there, and some other factors. Let’s take a quick peek at what weddings cost in Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and more! Ever After Wedding Bangle with Ear Hat Charms at Pandora at Disney Springs Before we get into this post though, we did want to mention that all of this is based off of the information provided on the Disney weddings website. If you’re serious about planning a Disney wedding, you’ll want to reach out to the team at Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings so they can provide you with more detailed quotes for whatever dream wedding you’re planning! Alright, let’s begin! Walt Disney World Weddings For Walt Disney World, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings has a unique pricing structure. Essentially, the team at Disney Weddings will set an event minimum expenditure limit that you must meet. That minimum is determined by the ceremony venue you want to use, as well as the day of the week and the time of day that you want to get married. Generally, lower minimums tend to apply to weekdays, while higher minimums tend to apply to holidays and weekends. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings What costs can count toward that minimum expenditure amount? Well, your Ceremony Venue Fee and certain Disney Weddings Service elements can be used toward your event minimum. The wedding services that count towards your event minimum are food and beverage, floral, decor, photography, entertainment, and transportation. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings There are a range of event minimums for different venues. There are some venues, for example, in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort that have event minimums between $5,000 and $15,000. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Other places have event minimums between $7,000 to $17,000. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings If you want to get married at places like Destino Plaza or some others, you’ll be looking at minimums in the range of $8,000 to $20,000. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Thinking of getting married at the Tower of Terror or in front of the Tree of Life? Expect to spend quite a bit more! Those venues generally have event minimums in the range of $15,000 to $25,000. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Want to get married at the Magic Kingdom Train Station or in the Magic Kingdom East Plaza? Then you’re looking at event minimums between $20,000 and $50,000! ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings The Disney Wedding Pavilion has an event minimum of $10,000 to $35,000. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings The website notes, however, that there might be additional venues available within certain minimum price ranges. You can look on the Disney Weddings site to see a full list of all the available venues for your wedding or reception. For example, you could host your reception in the American Adventure Rotunda… ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings …or even get married in Pandora! ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Again, a number of costs can go toward your event minimum. So, let’s say, for example, you wanted to get married in the Magic Kingdom East Plaza. The event minimum would range between $20,000 and $50,000 depending on the time of day you want to get married, the day you want to get married, and some other factors. The ceremony venue fee ($25,000) counts toward your minimum. And the cost of food, floral, decor, and more can also count toward the minimum. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings When it comes to food, there are per person minimums you have to meet depending on the event time. The minimums currently are $140 per person for brunch, $165 per person for lunch, and $190 per person for dinner. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to estimate additional amounts due for the sales tax and labor/gratuity service charge. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Also, note that different venues can fit different numbers of guests. So something like the courtyard at the China pavilion in EPCOT can fit up to 58 guests (in addition to the couple getting married), while something like the Magic Kingdom Train Station can only fit 20 to 48 guests (in addition to the couple). ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Also, you’ll want to keep in mind that some places can only host ceremonies, while others specify that they can host ceremonies and receptions, or only receptions. And, because it’s Disney, you can add on some special extras like having Mickey and Minnie (or other characters) stop by your wedding… ©D23 …or arranging it so that you can arrive at your ceremony in Cinderella’s Coach. ©Disney Fairy Tale Weddings You can also get some themed decor for your ceremony or reception space, book special portrait sessions, have a PRIVATE FIREWORKS DISPLAY(!!!!!!), book entertainers to mingle with your guests (including a tacky tourist?!), and much more! But, don’t forget, everything you add on will cost ya. Disney doesn’t list prices online for many of those special extras, so you’ll have to work with one of their specialists to get all the details. Click here to see all 21 NEW Disney Princess-inspired wedding dresses! Disneyland Resort At Disneyland Resort, things are a little different. The pricing for wedding events in California is based off of a combination of the ceremony fee and the reception and beverage minimum. Some reception locations have overall food and beverage minimums, so that’s something you’ll also want to look out for. ©Disney For the food and beverage service, you must meet a per person minimum that is based on the event time. For brunch, you’ll have to spent $145 per person, lunch is set at $165 per person, and for dinner you’ll need to meet a $190 per person minimum. ©Disney You can also pay for some other wedding services, like floral, decor, and entertainment to add more magic to your wedding. Just like in Disney World, different locations have different ceremony fees. Places like the Adventure Lawn Gazebo (at the Disneyland Hotel) have a ceremony fee between $2,600 and $6,000, while spots like the Brisa Courtyard (at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa) have a ceremony fee of $3,000 to $8,000. ©Disney If you’re hoping to get married in the Rose Court Garden (in the Disneyland Hotel) that’ll set you back anywhere between $4,000 and $10,000. ©Disney There are some other venues where you can get married in the Disneyland Resort listed on the full venues listing page, including in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, in the area in front of “it’s a small world,” or even in the Disney Animation Building. ©Disney Just like in Disney World, each venue notes how many people can fit there and whether it can be the location of your ceremony, reception, or potentially both. When it comes to other wedding services, like floral, decor, and entertainment, there are a variety of options available. At a Disneyland wedding you can arrive at the ceremony in a crystal coach, have Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, or Daisy Duck stop by, or choose from some other options. ©Disney In general, the wedding options listed online do appear to be more limited than what’s listed for Disney World. But, we expect there’s quite a bit of customization and magical extras the team can create for you, so it’s important to work with a Disney weddings consultant to see what exciting things you can add on. Also, all of these extra things will all be an additional cost, so just keep that in mind! Aulani What if you want a more tropical touch to your wedding or vow renewal? Well, then you might want to plan a special event in Hawaii at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. ©Disney There, you’ll find 2 different packages you can choose from. There’s the Lōkahi Package which includes a tailor-made ceremony and full reception experience. Or, you can choose the Pilialoha Package which is made for a more intimate ceremony. That ceremony, however, only includes up to 18 guests in addition to the couple. The packages include certain things depending on which one you pick. ©Disney If you just want to host a reception there, you can also arrange for a reception-only package as long as you meet the food/beverage minimums. The food and beverage minimum cost for lunch is $125 per person and the cost is $175 per person for dinner for any reception held at Aulani. ©Disney There are different locations that may fall into the Lōkahi package versus the Pilialoha package. From what the website lists, there are 6 spots available for the Lōkahi package and the pricing starts at $10,600+. At some places, the venue fee is included. For others, there is an additional venue fee specified. ©Disney There are 3 spots that can be used for the Pilialoha package and these start at $5,400+. Note that the Kula Was spot has a venue fee of $750 in addition to the package price. ©Disney There are some required minimums when it comes to planning your wedding in Aulani that you should know about. Specifically, for the Lōkahi packages, the resort requires a 10-room minimum be booked by the couple getting married and their guests (in any combination). These 10 rooms can be used in 1 night or in any pattern that works for you. Also, each Lōkahi package event MUST be coupled with a reception. For the Pilialoha package, the resort requires a 4- night minimum be booked by the couple getting married and their guests in any combination during their stay. ©Disney You also have the option of adding on Disney’s floral, photography, or entertainment services for your wedding. In terms of entertainment, you can once again have Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie stop by your reception. But, Aulani also offers some more unique characters like Duffy the Disney Bear and Shellie May! Aulani ©Disney Parks Blog You can also get Hawaiian entertainers like lei greeters, hula dancers, and even fire-knife dancers to be a part of your celebrations! Note that essentially all of these extra services will require additional fees (except that some services may be included depending on what package you select — for example, wedding photography is included in the Lōkahi package). Disney Cruise Line And finally we get to Disney Cruise Line! If you’ve always wanted to get married on the ship or maybe on Castaway Cay, you can make that happen. Cruise ceremony packages are designed for small groups though. The base pricing includes up to 16 guests plus the couple getting married. Each additional guest age 3 and older will cost you $20.00 per person. ©Disney In terms of venues, there are a few different spots to pick from. Packages starting at $3,500 include locations like Deck 10 Aft, Meridian Patio, or the Outlook. ©Disney If you want to get married in the Atrium, Castaway Cay, or the Wedding Pointe, those packages start at $4,500. ©Disney After your ceremony, you’ll be able to enjoy some cake and champagne in a small celebration. Some basic items are included, but you can add premium items or additional snacks for an additional cost. ©Disney Other than the champagne and cake, there’s really nothing listed on the Disney website in terms of true reception offerings. Disney notes that you can enjoy dinner at Palo with those ages 18 and up (which is an additional cost) or enjoy their typical rotational dining. If you want to plan something extra special, you’ll want to talk to a Fairy Tale Weddings consultant to see what you can arrange! ©Disney In terms of entertainment, a solo pianist is included in the cost of your package who will play during the ceremony. ©Disney Other entertainment may depend on the ship’s approval and availability. Private character appearances by Mickey or Minnie at the cake and champagne celebration can be arranged on some ships. And that’s a peek at what a wedding in a Disney park or resort costs. Of course, most (if not all) of these are just beginning or “starting at” costs. Things could (and likely will) get WAY more expensive depending on just how many people you’ve got on the guest list, when you want to get married, what extras you want to add on, and more. But, this at least gives you an overview of some of the costs and what options are out there! ©Disney If you’re ready to live out your Disney wedding dreams, then you can get started planning. Or you can just dream about all the possibilities! Click here to see 5 Disney items you need on your Amazon wedding registry! 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. Did you get married at a Disney park or resort, or would you like to? Tell us in the comments! The post How Much Does a Disney Wedding Cost? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disneyland has outdone itself with Avengers Campus — it’s literally like stepping into the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Dora Milaje Guests even get to be part of the story by helping Spider-Man sling webs with the new WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure ride! And we love drinking all the “experiments” at the Pym Tasting Lab and eating all the fun food at Pym Tasting Kitchen. But perhaps the most fun we’ve had is the entertainment — there are some SUPER heroic shows happening throughout the day that keep blowing our minds! And now we know when to catch these shows. Disneyland has officially posted hours for every show that happens at Avengers Campus. Doctor Strange If you want to check out the flying Spider-Man animatronic and show, you can check out The Amazing Spider-Man! at 10:00 AM, 10:35 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:35 AM, 12:15 PM, 2:15 PM, 2:50 PM, 3:15 PM, and 4:05 PM. Spider-Man The Avengers Assemble! show that takes place at Avengers Headquarters will take place at 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:20 PM, 3:00 PM, and 4:15 PM. Black Widow For fans of Dr. Strange, you can watch Dr. Strange: Mysteries of the Mystic Arts at 2:20 PM, 3:40 PM, 4:45 PM, 6:45 PM, 7:45 PM, and 8:45 PM. Dr. Strange The Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Dance Off! will have shows at 12:45 PM, 2:15 PM, 3:10 PM, 5:05 PM, 6:05 PM, and 7:05 PM in front of Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! Avengers Campus Become a warrior with some of your favorite Black Panther characters at Warriors of Wakanda: The Disciplines of the Dora Milaje! You can spot them at 9:30 AM, 10:25 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:35 PM, and 3:25 PM. Dora Milaje All of these times are listed on the Disneyland website and app! ©Disney Whew — that’s a lot of Marvel entertainment, and now you know when to watch it! If you want to catch any of these shows, be sure to plan ahead of time so you catch them. And stay tuned because we’ll keep covering all things Avengers Campus! Does $60 Really Make a Difference on WEB Slingers at Disney’s Avengers Campus? Click Here To Find Out! Disneyland Reopening Details and Info Click HERE for the All Latest Updates Disneyland Reopening April 30th California Residents Will Be the ONLY People Allowed to Visit Reopened Disneyland Initially Avengers Campus Set to Open June 4th Click Here to See All the Rides That Will Reopen Initially in Disneyland Click Here to See All the Restaurants That Will Reopen Initially in Disneyland Disneyland Ticket Price Info and Blockout Dates Released Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel Reopening Date Announced! Everything You NEED To Know About Wearing Masks at a Disney Park Join the DFB Newsletter To get all the latest Disney Park Closure News Delivered Right to Your Inbox Click here to Subscribe Have you seen any of the entertainment at Avengers Campus yet? We’d love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments! The post Here's When You Can See EVERY Show at Disney's Avengers Campus first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Around here, we like to live every day like it’s National Peanut Butter Cookie Day! But if we’re being technical, then we have to admit that the actual National Peanut Butter Cookie Day is in fact today! PB Chocolate Swirl Cookie When it comes time to properly celebrate this finger-licking holiday, there’s really no better place than a Disney World bakeshop that puts peanut butter in just about EVERYTHING, including a special one-day-only cookie sandwich! Gideon’s Bakehouse is a veritable peanut butter PALACE. The Disney Springs bakeshop has everything from Peanut Butter Cold Brew and Peanut Butter Espresso Cookies to whopping slices of Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake! Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Slice And if all that wasn’t enough, you can even buy cups of peanut butter frosting! It’s basically a cookie condiment. Peanut Butter Buttercream Dip Well now Gideon’s Bakehouse has REALLY outdone itself for National Peanut Butter Cookie Day, by DOUBLING up its peanut butter cookies and stacking them with peanut butter frosting! Gideon’s Bakehouse Introducing the Gideon’s Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwich! Isn’t she a beauty?! @GideonsBakehouse on Instagram ©Gideon’s Bakehouse It’s TWO Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies sandwiched with peanut butter buttercream, which altogether clocks in at nearly 1 pound of peanut butter goodness! We can’t think of a better way to celebrate National Peanut Butter Cookie Day! Gideon’s Bakehouse If you want to try one of these cookie sammies, you better hurry because they’re available TODAY ONLY at Disney Springs and at Gideon’s East End Market location! DFB’s Disney World Cookie Crawl 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 peanut butter treat at Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post The Most EPIC Peanut Butter Snack in Disney World is Here for ONE. DAY. ONLY. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There have been a lot of construction projects going on around Walt Disney World as they prepare for the 50th Anniversary celebrations that kick off in just FOUR months! Main Street, U.S.A. We’ve been keeping an eye on everything from ride refurbishments in the parks to new nighttime shows and more! And, now we’ve got an update on all the progress that we spotted this week! Let’s check it out! Magic Kingdom Jungle Cruise For the past few months, we’ve been watching as ride elements have been removed from Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom as it undergoes a major refurbishment. But, this week we found that a lot had actually been ADDED! Now, we had already noticed that the five new characters had been added to the iconic pole scene on the ride last week, but now those animatronics are moving! So, now you can watch as Felix Pechman XIII (the skipper!), Dr. Leonard Moss (a Canadian botanist), Rosa Soto Dominguez (an artist from Mexico), Dr. Kon Chunosuke (an entomologist from Japan), and Siobhan “Puffin” Murphy (who obviously loves puffins!) try to climb up the pole to escape that hungry rhino. We’re sure they’ll get the point in the end! Plus, we also noticed that there’s a new shack on the river called “Boats & Baits and Bites” where the Pygmy Camp used to be located. We had noticed that props had been removed from the area a little while ago, and now we know that it was making way for a new snack shack on the island! Check out the menu! And, for reference, here’s what that scene used to look like. Before… Disney has shared that they expect all the Jungle Cruise updates to be completed by the end of this summer, so we’ll continue to keep an eye out for new additions! Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Over in Frontierland, the fan-favorite roller coaster Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed this week for a short refurbishment. We had noticed this one on the Disney refurbishment calendar earlier, so there weren’t any surprises here when we walked up to see that the mine was closed. Though, we’re not sure that it’s really for a mountain goat infestation… . There was no riding Big Thunder Mountain this week! And, when we say short refurbishment, we mean it — the ride is only closed through June 12th. EPCOT Harmonious We’ve also been keeping track of the progress on some EPCOT projects including the new nighttime show, Harmonious. The five giant barges have lived in World Showcase Lagoon since early spring and we’ve watched as testing has taken place, and elements have been added. And, this week we spotted a new light being installed on the center barge! More Harmonious construction! Disney has not shared any information on when this show will debut in the park, but we have seen some fireworks testing taking place in the evenings from EPCOT area resorts. Future World At the front of EPCOT, Disney is also hard at work to bring the EPCOT Transformation to life. We’ve been able to get a peek at the construction going on in Future World from behind walls, and this week we noticed that there was some work being done near Spaceship Earth. There’s some mystery construction going on there! Here’s another look at the construction. Here’s another angle Could Disney be working on the new Moana-inspired attraction, Journey of Water? We’re not exactly sure, but we will be sure to keep an eye out for updates! Click HERE to Learn More About the New Moana-Inspired Attraction! Disney Resorts Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort And, over at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, we spotted even more progress on the new roof structure that will be added to the entrance area of the hotel. Polynesian Construction Here’s a peek at what it will look like when it’s done. ©Disney And, we also spotted crews hauling in all the new furniture that is going into the re-themed Moana rooms! So we got a good look at the dressers… The furniture has arrived! …which have a unique detail on the drawers… Can we get these in our homes, please? …TV stands… More furniture rolling in! …and more! They were rolling it all in during the day, so any guest could get a look at the new sand-inspired details. VERY exciting to see this! We’ve gotten a glimpse at the new furniture in some of the preview pictures released by Disney, so you can see what the finished product will be below! And, keep in mind that once the resort reopens this summer to all guests, every single guest room will feature the new look. ©Disney It sure was fun to see some progress on the big Disney projects going on around the parks and resorts! Of course, we’ll continue to keep an eye out for more, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest news and updates! Check Out Everything That Will Be Closed in Disney World This Month! 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 project are you most looking forward to being completed? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: See the Progress on Disney World's Jungle Cruise, Moana-Themed Rooms, and MORE! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

On July 9th, Black Widow will be released in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access. Black Widow Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming premiere of Black Widow. Marvel fans will also have the option to enjoy the movie from the comfort of their own home by streaming it on Disney+ with Premier Access the same day it’s released in theaters. In order to unlock Premier Access for Black Widow, subscribers will need to pay an additional $29.99. This is the same extra fee we saw for other Disney+ Premier Access releases like Raya and the Last Dragon and Cruella. ©Disney Purchasing Premier Access for Black Widow will allow subscribers to rewatch the movie as many times as they’d like before it’s released to all Disney+ subscribers at a later date. ©Disney | Marvel Studios According to information listed on the Disney+ website, Black Widow will be available to all Disney+ subscribers on October 6th, 2021. Black Widow in Avengers Campus We’ll continue to be on the lookout for more Disney entertainment news, so stay tuned to for all of the latest updates! VIDEO: Loki Gets a NEW Look at Disney’s Avengers Campus 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. Do you plan to watch Black Widow in theaters or on Disney+? Let us know in the comments! The post Here's When 'Black Widow' Will Be Available for Free on Disney+ 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. In case you missed the memo, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark turns 40 today! And in honor of that, Disney has released some brand new Indy merchandise on shopDisney! ©Disney So while we’re not so patiently waiting for Indiana Jones 5, we can at least buy some stuff to celebrate one of the best adventure film franchises of all time. Well, we can’t buy EVERYTHING — because one of these special items sold out in minutes flat! In Raiders of the Lost Ark, there’s a scene where Indy is trying to get his hands on a golden idol that requires him to counter its weight with a sandbag and triggers the infamous scene where a boulder chases him. And Disney put a replica of that Fertility Idol Figure online for pre-order. ©Disney And although the site allows you to pre-order the figure for $130, you’ll get a message that it’s currently out of stock. Maybe this idol really is cursed! ©Disney However, there are a few other NEW items on shopDisney that Indiana Jones fans can still get their hands on (and you don’t even need to balance a counterweight on a pedestal to get them). Disney released several new t-shirts, including this Raiders of the Lost Ark T-Shirt featuring a portrait of our favorite adventurer and explorer. ©Disney This t-shirt is $24.99. Click Here To Buy The Raiders of the Lost Ark T-Shirt If you’re a fan of the other films, there’s also a Temple of Doom Sweatshirt available. ©Disney This shirt is $44.99. Click Here To Buy The Temple of Doom Sweatshirt There are also a few shirts marking the 40th anniversary of the film franchise! There’s this white Raiders of the Lost Ark 40th Anniversary T-Shirt. The front features a 40th anniversary graphic on the front… ©Disney …and a cool stylized movie poster on the back. ©Disney This shirt is available for $29.99. Click Here To Buy The Raiders of the Lost Ark 40th Anniversary T-Shirt Finally, there’s a Customizable Raiders of the Lost Ark 40th Anniversary T-Shirt that lets you choose the shirt’s style and color! ©Disney This shirt is $24.99. Click Here To Buy The Customizable Raiders of the Lost Ark 40th Anniversary T-Shirt So although you might not have gotten your hands on that coveted idol, there is still plenty of other fun merchandise you can get to celebrate Indy’s 40th anniversary! And we’ll let you know if we spot any other cool Indy gear! Check Out This Cool Indy Hat We Found 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. Did you manage to snag the idol pre-order this morning? Let us know in the comments! The post Did You Get Your Hands On This Sold Out Disney Souvenir Today? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Alright, friends, we’re here today with another visit from a SUPER underrated (IMO) restaurant in Disney World. So, hop on that monorail and cruise on over for lunch with us! Grand Floridian Cafe We’re headed to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to visit a table-service option with some serious charm — Grand Floridian Cafe! This relaxing spot may not be as flashy as some of the other restaurants at this hotel like 1900 Park Fare and Citricos, but it does have yummy and moderately-priced (!!!) eats! Grand Floridian Cafe serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. It’s not the most well-known spot so it’s typically possible to grab an Advance Dining Reservation on shorter notice. Grand Floridian Cafe We typically appreciate this restaurant for its peaceful vibes and convenient location (even if you’re not staying at Grand Floridian). Let’s see if our recent experience was more of the same! Atmosphere Head into that gorgeous lobby of the Grand Floridian and you’ll want to head straight back and to your left on the ground floor. Grand Floridian Lobby We always love a good stroll through the Grand Floridian. Grand Floridian Resort & Spa In fact, one of the big perks of this spot is its location. Because it’s at the Grand Floridian, it’s only a quick monorail ride (or walk!) away from Magic Kingdom. Grand Floridian Cafe As we’ve mentioned, the atmosphere at this table-service spot is calming, partially thanks to the lovely, light-handed Victorian theme in the restaurant. This spot perfectly encapsulates the vibes of this hotel with its creamy whites, florals, and warm lighting. Grand Floridian Cafe There are multiple dining areas with a big dining room… Grand Floridian Cafe …and some outside tables. Outdoor seating at the Grand Floridian Cafe Plus, Grand Floridian Cafe is currently using overflow seating from 1900 Park Fare while that spot remains closed. Outdoor Seating at the Grand Floridian Cafe One especially fun detail is that this space sometimes houses culinary art creations, like the current Ratatouille Chocolate Sculpture on display. Chocolate Sculpture You’ll find that the seating is a mix of tables and chairs and booths. The Grand Floridian Cafe is so pretty And at your table, you’ll be greeted with a cloth napkin and utensils. Table Setting But enough about the atmosphere, let’s eat! Eats As is the case at most table-service restaurants in Disney World right now, your menu is available via QR Code on the table. The menu varies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our visit this time presented us with the lunch menu! Grand Floridian Cafe Menu You’ll notice that throughout the appetizers and entrees, there are several brunch-style options. That’s why we consider this spot a pretty killer brunch stop! That Lobster ‘Thermidor’ Burger is a fan-favorite. That glorious chicken and waffle is on the menu still (you’re welcome! We hacked this guy long before it was on the menu!). Grand Floridian Cafe Menu Kids have a nice variety as well with some brunch options (We see you, Mickey Waffles!) and the more lunch-geared Grilled Chicken Breast. Grand Floridian Cafe Menu There is no shortage of drink options at Grand Floridian Cafe. This portion of the menu is just dedicated to Non-Alcoholic Mocktails and Twinings of London Teas. Yep, a TEA menu. This makes more sense when you realize the location is a few steps away from the Garden View Tea Room! Grand Floridian Cafe Menu There are more standard Non-Alcoholic Specialties too plus coffee and smoothie options. And, a fairly extensive beer list is here too with over a dozen options. Grand Floridian Cafe Menu But the beer list is NOTHING compared to the wine list. Whether you’re into Sparkling Wines, White Wine… Grand Floridian Cafe Menu …Rosé Wines, Red Wines, or Sweet Wines; Grand Flo Cafe has you covered. Grand Floridian Cafe Menu And FINALLY, we’re getting to the equally extensive cocktail menu with Anytime Cocktails (AKA brunchy type drinks) and Signature Cocktails. Grand Floridian Cafe Menu Plus a LONG menu of Specialty Cocktails. Grand Floridian Cafe Menu We opted to swing for a simple Iced Tea this time. Unsurprisingly, it was a pretty standard unsweet tea and we enjoyed it. Iced Tea For our appetizer, we went with the Heirloom Apple Salad for $12. This app is made with Organic Baby Lettuce, Heirloom Apples, Sharp Cheddar, Pecan Brittle, and Crispy Prosciutto with a Honey-Apple Vinaigrette. Heirloom Apple Salad This was a very tasty salad! It was light and that housemade dressing was the perfect accompaniment. The candied nuts had a great crunch and the crispy prosciutto added a good salty contrast to the sweetness from the apples. Heirloom Apple Salad We might call this the perfect starter! Now, it’s probably not enough to hold up as a meal, but our server let us know that you can add a protein like grilled chicken or shrimp. We thought one potential improvement could’ve been a stronger cheese like goat or gorgonzola. Regardless, this was a bright, fresh start to our meal we enjoyed. If you like a nice salad before your meal, you will likely enjoy this! Heirloom Apple Salad As for our entree, we went with the Buttermilk-fried Chicken and Waffle for $24. We know we know…you’re shocked. This item is a LONG term DFB favorite and is made with Hand-breaded Chicken Breast and Malted Waffle with Sriracha-Honey Drizzle. Buttermilk-fried Chicken and Waffle We love EVERYTHING about this dish. It’s a HUGE amount of perfectly-breaded chicken (breaded in CORNFLAKES, no less). We love that it’s a boneless piece to help with easier eating. Buttermilk-fried Chicken and Waffle The Mickey Waffle is delicious and golden (obviously). We recommend asking for a little extra Sriracha-Honey Drizzle! It’s not too spicy but has a little bit of heat to it. Drizzle (or douse. You do you!) and you won’t be disappointed. Buttermilk-fried Chicken and Waffle Don’t worry, you get syrup and butter too. Buttermilk-fried Chicken and Waffle You’re looking at a HUGE portion. Most people would probably love this dish. It’s got an awesome contrast of sweet and savory flavors. Pluys that breading is flavorful and SO crispy! We have no complaints! Buttermilk-fried Chicken and Waffle So now that we’re VERY full on our Grand Floridian brunch, we have some final thoughts! Nosh or Not You SHOULD eat at Grand Floridian Cafe if… You want to take a break from Magic Kingdom for lunch. Grand Floridian Cafe is right on the monorail line so it’s easy to get to and from the park! You’re a brunch fanatic. The breakfast and lunch menus at Grand Floridian Cafe have amazing brunch options and, of course, you can snag a mimosa or bloody mary. You’re staying on the monorail loop. If you’re in any of the three hotels on the monorail loop, you can have a delicious and moderately-priced meal VERY close to your resort. You should SKIP Grand Floridian Cafe if… You’re looking for more basic flavors. If you’ve got a hankerin’ for chicken tenders and a regular ol’ burger, you might want to head elsewhere. This is approachable food but often with a twist to elevate it a bit. Gasparilla Island Grill is a great quick-service location at Grand Floridian! You’re on a tight budget. Grand Floridian Cafe is the most moderately-priced table-service option at Grand Floridian but it’s still not cheap compared to fast food options around. You can find less expensive options that still serve up quality food. You’re on a tight schedule. Table-service meals tend to take a little longer and if you’re taking the monorail over, you need to factor in travel time. If you’ve got limited time in Disney World, the trip over might not be worth it. Overall Grand Floridian Cafe is absolutely awesome! The atmosphere is charming and relaxing, the food is consistently good, and we tend to have great service. Plus, it’s hard to beat for a convenient location! After all our years talking this joint up, it still somehow manages to fly under the radar for most guests! The good part of that is it’s often so easy to snag a last-minute table. Our server was fabulous as well. She was happy to provide recommendations from the menu and let us know our customization options for the dishes. She even brought us a to-go tea! Again, Grand Floridian Cafe might not be for you if you’re budgeting time or money; but if you want delicious flavors (especially brunch ones!), we have to say that Grand Floridian Cafe can be a great respite from the hectic meal options of Magic Kingdom. All in all, this restaurant remains a GREAT and underrated spot! As always, stay tuned to DFB for ALL the latest news and reviews from Disney World. Click here for MORE reviews of Grand Floridian Cafe! 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 Grand Floridian Cafe? Tell us in the comments! The post REVIEW: Should You Leave Magic Kingdom for Brunch at Grand Floridian Cafe? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Last year, the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness, aka Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, at Magic Kingdom celebrated its 40th anniversary. Yee-haw! But the ride went down for a short refurbishment earlier this year to get it all spiffed up for Disney World’s big 50th anniversary celebration. And although Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was scheduled for refurbishment THROUGH today, it’s up and running instead — a day earlier than anticipated! According to the official Disney World website, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be running today during Magic Kingdom’s regular operating hours: 8AM to 9PM. ©Disney There is also a wait time listed in the My Disney Experience app! Screenshot from My Disney Experience So if you’re headed over to the Magic Kingdom, you can jump on the train and pay a visit to the goat. And stay tuned because we’ll keep you updated on all refurbishments 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. Are you a Big Thunder Mountain Railroad fan? Tell us why in the comments! The post The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness Has Reopened A Day EARLY at Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article