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Disney World hotels can be exciting and magical. But they are far from perfect. Grand Floridian Resort And this is true for ALL levels of resorts, too — Value, Moderate, AND Deluxe. While you think your Disney hotel might include it ALL — there are some surprising things that you just aren’t going to find at Disney World hotels that you may find elsewhere. So you might think — “Wait, Disney doesn’t live up to other hotel’s standards?” And the answer is a mixed bag. Disney hotels tend to offer remarkable customer service, fun theming, easy access to the parks, great dining options, pools, and more. But it can still be surprising to find that certain amenities are lacking in Disney World resort rooms: Clocks Most hotel rooms have a bedside clock that lets you set an alarm. But surprise! There aren’t any clocks in Disney World resort rooms! Disney got rid of the alarm clocks some time back, but when’s the last time you used an actual physical clock anyway? That’s why we have smartphones…right?! No clock! So if you’ve got a Disney World resort booked, make sure you have a way to set an alarm so you can get up early to nab those Rise of the Resistance boarding passes and get to the parks for rope drop! And don’t forget — you can get a wake-up call from Mickey Mouse himself by following the prompts on your room’s phone! Click Here For Our Top Tips To Grab A Rise of the Resistance Boarding Pass Bedside Lamps If you want to read before bedtime, don’t count on having a bedside lamp — some Disney hotel rooms just don’t have them. Lamp in Gran Destino Tower Guest Rooms If that’s a deal-breaker, be sure to ask specifically about that when you choose a resort. Granted, many of the rooms that don’t have lamps do have small lights above the bed that work just as well. Click Here To Learn More About The Polynesian’s Moana-Themed Rooms! Individual Amenities Remember all those little bottles of H20 soaps, body washes, shampoos, and conditioners that you used to get at Disney World resorts in your room? Well, some resorts have switched to big bottles of refillable toiletries. Refillable Toiletries These options have replaced the little bottles that you’d stock up on before heading home from your trip at most Disney World hotels. Learn More About Disney Switching Over To Refillable Toiletries Mini Bar As many of you know, hotel rooms often have some sort of mini bar situation. This offers expensive but quick options when for things like liquor, water, candy bars, etc. But guess what folks, you won’t find them in your Disney resort room. But many rooms do have mini fridges. And if you find that your room doesn’t have a mini fridge, call down and ask if they have one for you. They just might be able to bring one up for ya! Other rooms, like suites, offer larger fridge options. Mini Fridge But if you love the idea of just grabbing something to snack on or drink from the room mini bar, you’re going to be out of luck. Click Here To Learn About Reservations for the new Moana-themed Rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! Bottled Water Some hotels offer free bottles of water to guests, but Disney World resorts do not. If you need bottled water in your room, we recommend bringing your own bottled water (it will be cheaper buying it at a grocery store than at Disney World). Bottled Water In the parks, we also recommend taking advantage of free water — because what’s better than FREE? Here’s Where You Can Get FREE Water Right NOW in Magic Kingdom! Outlets Okay, we have a LOT of stuff that needs to be plugged in, and some Disney resort rooms are seriously lacking in the electrical outlet area. We often need WAY more than what’s available. At least many rooms have been upgraded to have USB ports now, too, so that helps! Riviera Outlets So if you need to plug a lot of stuff in, consider bringing a mini power strip, mobile chargers, ect. Here’s How To Charge Your Phone In Disney World (Now That FuelRods are Too Expensive)! Outside Patio or Deck If you’re thinking of sitting outside on a patio or deck just outside your Disney World resort room, you’ll need to know that not all rooms have a patio or deck. Copper Creek Villas Patio Looking for a full list of hotels with patios and decks? Here’s a great resource from Disney. Start Your Vacation Planning TODAY! Here Are the Latest Deals and Discounts Interior Doors Now, when it comes to interior doors, you will find that some Disney World hotels have them and others only have exterior doors that lead directly to the outside. Door at Gran Destino Tower If this is important to you, make sure you call and ask the hotel prior to booking to make sure you have the option! See What’s New at Disney World’s Resorts! Microwave One thing you’ll notice that’s missing from most Disney World hotel rooms is a microwave. However, almost all DVC villas have a microwave, so if you’re a Disney Vacation Club Member (or have rented DVC points), you’re good to nuke whatever food your heart desires. Microwave in Riviera Villa Otherwise, don’t expect to be able to reheat any leftovers in your hotel room. Click Here To Learn About EPCOT’s DVC Lounge So, you may find a few surprising things missing from your Disney World hotel room! Hopefully, this helps you prepare in advance for what you will want to pack/bring to be the most comfortable during your Disney World hotel stay. Click Here To Find Out Which Hotels Fall Into the ResortPark Pass Availability Group 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. Is there any amenity you miss at Disney World resorts? Let us know in the comments! The post Surprising Things You Won't Find in Disney World Hotel Rooms first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There have been a LOT of changes at Disney World recently! Tree of Life We’ve seen temperature checks get suspended, we’ve watched mask guidelines change, and we’ve even seen some updates to social distancing. AND some entertainment has returned to the parks! Now we normally use the My Disney Experience app to navigate around the parks, but we like to pick up park maps from time to time because they make great souvenirs! And we discovered a NEW map today for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The front features two people, both wearing masks. New Map! The previous map had ditched the icon and listing for the Festival of the Lion King show. But the revamped version of the show, The Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King is on the new map! Entertainment is back! That show is also listed inside under Africa. For dining, we see that Trek Snacks and Thirsty River Bar have been separated into individual listings under Asia (it previously said Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks). The Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King is listed The rest of the map is the same. Although relaxation stations are still included on the new map, most have been removed from the park now that guests can take their masks off outdoors when not in line. Close-up The “Plan Your Adventure” section is also the same as the previous map. Plan your adventure! As always, we are continuing to track everything happening at the Disney parks, so stay tuned for more updates! Only EXPERTS of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Know These 15 Things! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think of the new Disney’s Animal Kingdom park map? Let us know in the comments! The post See What Has Changed on the NEW Map for Disney's Animal Kingdom! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s hard to believe but the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival starts soon!!! And although we’re still waiting on Disney World to announce the menus for all the food booths, we have already received news about entertainment and activities that guests can expect this year! 2020 Taste of EPCOT Food and Wine Festival But if you’ve never been to an EPCOT Food and Wine Festival before, you might have some misconceptions about what to expect. And that’s why we’re here — to clear up any myths you might have heard about the festival! But first, our number one tip is to get your hands on our DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine Festival. It’s 250+ pages full of all our best insider tips and advice you’ll need in navigating the festival. And you can pre-order it right now to get a jump on your festival planning! DFB Guide Okay, so let’s get to those myths. Here are the top misconceptions Disney World guests seem to have about the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. And we’re going to bust them all! Click here to buy the 2021 DFB Food and Wine Guide! There Are No Options For Vegetarians If you are on a vegetarian diet and worried that you won’t have any food options, you’re going to be quite surprised when we tell you that there is a plethora of vegetarian food for you to try at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. And we’ve been seeing more plant-based options get added every year! Macaroni and Cheese with House-made Italian Sausage and Peppers (Plant-based) In fact, most booths have at least one vegetarian-based item! And considering there are OVER 30 BOOTHS, that’s a lot of food for you to try! And did we mention that we’ve included a Vegetarian Crawl in our DFB Guide? So you don’t even have to do the work of figuring out what you want to eat — we’ve already done it for you. Check Out EVERY Vegetarian Item at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival There Are No Gluten-Free Options Likewise, you’ll be surprised at how many gluten-free menu items you’ll find at the festival! And it’s easy for you to find them because the official EPCOT Food and Wine Passport will have them marked. But we’ve also done the research for you. Gluten-Free Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce We will continue to keep our menus updated, too, so that you’ll know what gluten-free items are available. Here’s Everything That’s Gluten-Free at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival There Are Too Many Choices And It’s Overwhelming As we said, there are over 30 food booths with a variety of food and drinks to choose from, and yes, it can be a little overwhelming. However, you can start planning at home with us because we will post all the food booth menus, along with our reviews of EVERYTHING. And if we don’t like something, we’ll let you know that, too! Roasted Lamb Chop And if you want something like a guided tour through festival eats, we’ve put together a series of crawls in the DFB Guide for just about everything, including a Carnivore Crawl, a Dessert Crawl, a Beer Crawl, a Seafood Crawl, and more. We’ll tell you where to go and what to eat if you don’t want to plan it all out! Learn About the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Cheese Crawl! There’s nothing for kids to do So many people seem to think that the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is just for adults, but they are SO wrong. Not only are there menu items that are clearly marked Kid-Approved, but kids can also participate in fun scavenger hunts (that end with real prizes!) and make candy sushi! Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt and Prizes Plus there are plenty of other things at EPCOT for kids to do, too, including going country-hopping to collect Kidcot postcards and stickers (and learn about another country in the process). Plus kids will still be able to hop on all their favorite EPCOT attractions. Learn More About The Remy Scavenger Hunt at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival It’s Too Expensive Yes, each festival menu item costs money and it can add up over time, especially if you want to eat all the things. But some simple tips can actually save you money at the festival. We will help you plan your budget for the festival, and we will let you know what food and drinks give you the most bang for the buck. WAFFLES! But the easiest tip is to bring someone along with you — then you can double the amount of items you can try for half the cash! This will also ensure that you don’t fill up so quickly that you won’t want to try everything on your list. It’s a win-win! Here Are Our Top Tips On How To Best Budget For The Festival There’s Nothing Else To Do But Eat And Drink Okay, so this myth could not be more wrong. There are cooking seminars, classes, demonstrations, scavenger hunts, live entertainment, etc. We could go on and on with the list of other things to do. PLUS you’ll be at EPCOT where you can travel around the world in a day and visit each country’s pavilion. Oh, and of course, there are rides. Mariachi Cobre And this year, it looks like the Eat to the Beat concerts might be returning — we’ve seen a few BIG name performers listing Eat to the Beat in their tour schedules. But EPCOT’s other festival performers will also be available, including Voices of Liberty and Mariachi Cobre. Here’s All The Entertainment Currently Confirmed For the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival You Need Multiple Days At EPCOT To Enjoy It Okay, so we often recommend spending several days at EPCOT if you want to partake in everything the festival has to offer. There is a LOT to eat, see, and do. But at the same time, you can hit all the highlights in a day, and we’ll help you plan your priorities. Cheers! We’ll help you plan your day at the festival Our DFB Guide will help you budget your time and figure out how to best tackle the festival if you only have a day. And you’ll still feel like you got the most out of the festival that you could! Here’s What Disney Won’t Tell You About The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival It’s Always Crowded If you know when to go to the festival, you won’t have to worry so much about crowds. We’ll be the first to tell you that weekends are the most crowded and when park pass reservations fill up quickly. Weekends and nights are when the locals and Annual Passholders tend to head to EPCOT. Avoid Lines By Planning Ahead The solution is easy, though — try to avoid the festival on weekends if you’re worried about crowds. Schedule your festival days for earlier in the day during the week. And by going in the morning, you should miss those folks who park hop over to EPCOT after 2PM. And here’s an extra tip — when you get to World Showcase, go right. Most guests go left to start their festival experience in Mexico. Here Are The BIG Changes We Could See in Disney World As Social Distancing Decreases It’s The Same Every Year This is also just simply not true. Not only does each year’s festival bring some new activities and entertainment, but the food booths also get new food (and sometimes even in the middle of festivals, we’ll see new menu additions!). Sure, there are always returning favorites, but there are always plenty of new things to try, too! Apple Fritter Donut Holes with Salted Maple Drizzle We’ll be sure to let you know which items are returning and which are new so that you can make sure you’re not eating the same things as maybe you did in previous years if you’ve been to the festival before. And we’ll also let you know what new items we liked (and didn’t like), so you’ll have our honest reviews to guide you. Here’s Where You Can Read All Our Food Booth Reviews So there you have it, everything you might have heard about the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival that is simply not true. We hope these tips will help you plan for the festival and make your trip to EPCOT a little easier. And remember, all of these tips — AND MORE — are included in our DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine Festival. This guide is currently available for pre-order, and you can save 20% off the cover price by using the code CHEFS at checkout. We’ll see you at the festival — enjoy! Click Here to Pre-Order the DFB Guide to the 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival Ready to Plan for Your 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Trip? Preorder the DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book today! This 250+-page guide to the Festival offers insider tips and advice as well as all of the details you need to know to plan your best Festival visit ever. Your purchase includes several bonus items as well -- including a full daily schedule of events at the Festival and a printable World Showcase Booth Menu Checklist to carry with you as you Eat around the World! Preorder your 2021 edition today! Don't miss a moment of the fun! Use code Chefs at check-out for a 20% off the cover price! 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Index 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth and Menu Index 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Special Events 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Low-Cost Seminars and Demonstrations 2021 Eat to the Beat Concert Schedule Epcot Food and Wine Festival Fans Facebook Page 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Wine and Dine Half Marathon Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic Food and Wine Festival 101 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Vegetarian Items Epcot Food and Wine Festival Gluten Free Items Will you be going to the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival this year? Let us know in the comments! The post 9 MYTHS About the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

During your trip to Disney World you’ll want to keep an eye out for a few things — changes in park hours, mobile order pick-up times, and ride wait times. How Long Are You Willing to Wait for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway? Each week, we take a look at the average wait times for each of Disney World’s attractions from the previous week and share all that info with you. This week, we’re presenting a new challenge — can you guess what rides had the lowest average wait times in each Disney World park? Take a second to make your guesses. Ready? Alright, let’s go! Magic Kingdom We start our wait times journey in Magic Kingdom. This week, Splash Mountain was at the top of our list (again) with an average wait time of 49 minutes. Following Splash Mountain was Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 45 minutes, Jungle Cruise at 39 minutes, Space Mountain at 35 minutes, and Pirates of the Caribbean at 31 minutes. Jungle Cruise In terms of rides in the 20s range, we had Peter Pan’s Flight with an average wait time of 25 minutes, Astro Orbiter at 25 minutes, Mickey’s PhilharMagic at 22 minutes, and “it’s a small world” at 20 minutes. Astro Orbiter In the teens, we had Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at 19 minutes, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 19 minutes, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at 17 minutes, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel at 16 minutes, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover at 14 minutes, Haunted Mansion at 14 minutes, and Country Bear Jamboree at 13 minutes. Haunted Mansion In the 10s and lower we had Tomorrowland Speedway at 11 minutes on average, Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid at 11 minutes, Mad Tea Party at 11 minutes, and Magic Carpets of Aladdin at 10 minutes. Little Mermaid With even shorter waits we had Dumbo the Flying Elephant at 9 minutes, Tom Sawyer Island at 8 minutes, Carousel of Progress at 8 minutes, Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini at 8 minutes, and the Liberty Square Riverboat at 1 minute. Anyone Up for a Ride on the Barnstormer? And that brings us to the attractions with the LOWEST average wait times in Magic Kingdom! Got your guesses ready? Alright the rides with the shortest wait times were…Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse at 0 minutes! So if you’re looking for something to experience with little/no wait, it sounds like these 2 are a pretty good bet! EPCOT Alright, next we head to EPCOT. Rides with longer wait times here included Test Track at 47 minutes, Soarin’ at 42 minutes, Mission: SPACE at 42 minutes, and Frozen Ever After at 39 minutes. Anyone Up for a Ride? All of the other rides in EPCOT had generally shorter wait times. We had Spaceship Earth at 14 minutes, The Seas with Nemo and Friends at 13 minutes, Journey into Imagination at 12 minutes, Living with the Land at 8 minutes, and Gran Fiesta Tour at 6 minutes. If you’re looking for a moving attraction with a low wait time, then Gran Fiesta Tour is where you’ll want to head. Our Friends Have Returned! But, in terms of overall attractions with the lowest wait times, the theater shows are where it’s at!! Reflections of China, Impressions de France, American Adventure, Awesome Planet, Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, and Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival ALL had an average wait of 0 minutes this past week. Air conditioning, a chance to rest your feet (in some of them), an entertaining show, and low wait times? It’s a win, win, win, win! Disney’s Hollywood Studios What ride do you think had the lowest wait time in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Let’s break down this past week’s averages and find out! On the top of the wait times list is (no surprise here) Slinky Dog Dash at 68 minutes. After that, we had Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run with an average wait of 43 minutes, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith at 36 minutes, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at 36 minutes, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at 35 minutes, and Toy Story Mania at 30 minutes. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run In the 20s and teens range we had Star Tours — The Adventures Continue at 26 minutes, Alien Swirling Saucers at 23 minutes, Muppet*Vision 3D at 18 minutes, and Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at 16 minutes. Let’s go ride with an alien! The leaves us with just 1 attraction left (Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance doesn’t count toward our calculations since it uses boarding groups). Can you guess what it is? The attraction with the lowest wait time in Hollywood Studios this past week was…Walt Disney Presents! Walking into the theater This attraction only had a 10 minute average wait time. Disney’s Animal Kingdom And finally, it’s time to visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom and take a look at its wait times. On the top of our list (and again this comes at no surprise) is Avatar Flight of Passage with an average wait time of 65 minutes. In the 30s and 20s range we had Kilimanjaro Safaris at 39 minutes, Na’vi River Journey at 36 minutes, and Kali River Rapids at 24 minutes. Elephants on Kilimanjaro Safaris All of Animal Kingdom’s remaining rides had average wait times under 20 minutes. Dinosaur had an average wait time of 19 minutes, Expedition Everest was at 17 minutes, It’s Tough to Be a Bug was at 15 minutes, and TriceraTop Spin was at 5 minutes. If you’re looking for the moving attraction with the lowest wait time, TriceraTop Spin would be it. TriceraTop Spin But there is one final attraction according to our wait times data that actually has the lowest wait time in Animal Kingdom. Wondering what it is? It’s the often overlooked (but absolutely fantastic) Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail with a 0 minute wait. The animal trails here often get overlooked or forgotten, but they are not to be missed!! Gorilla Falls And that’s our look at the wait times for this past week. How many of the low wait times did you guess right? How many of those are actually your favorite attractions in Disney World? Tell us in the comments — we’d love to hear from you! Ever wonder if it’s bad to skip certain rides in Disney World? Check out our video below to see our thoughts! And, as always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney info! Click here to see all of the rides, hotels, and shops that will be closed in Disney World next week! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. How did you do on this week’s wait times challenge? Tell us in the comments! The post What Rides Had the SHORTEST Wait Times in Disney World This Past Week? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disneyland Resort is continuing with its phased reopening, which means more restaurants are coming BACK! Storytellers has reopened! Recently, Blue Bayou reopened (with booze!), and we’re looking forward to the NEW eats at Avengers Campus, too. But today, we stopped by Storytellers Cafe for its grand reopening! First, we’ll want to note that character dining is not currently available here. But this spot is open for a three-course breakfast and dinner, so we popped in to give it a try! Atmosphere Storytellers Cafe is located at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, and it’s ALL about that classic Disney story. Like stepping into a fairy tale And the details here reflect that — this cafe is simply beautiful. And as we’ve seen in other Disneyland restaraunts, tables are spread out to allow for social distancing. Storytellers Cafe Like we mentioned, Storytellers Cafe offers a three-course meal. Menus are available via QR code currently to avoid more contact. QR code You’ll get a choice of an appetizer, entree, and dessert! For breakfast, your meal will cost ya $29 per adult (and $20 per kiddo!). Dinner is $39 for adults and $25 for little ones. Eats For our breakfast/dinner, we got a plate of fruit… Fruit …and opted for an Assortment of Mini Croissants, Mini Danishes, and Mini Muffins. Pastries We also dug into some Oatmeal with honey, brown sugar, sliced bananas, and strawberries… Oatmeal …as well as an American Breakfast plate that includes 2 eggs any style, breakfast potatoes, a choice of bacon or sausage, and choice of toast. Breakfast of champions! And of course, there were Mickey Waffles! Can’t have breakfast without Mickey waffles! We’ll be bringing you a FULL review of all of these dishes soon, so keep an eye out. And of course, we’ll keep you posted with plenty more Disneyland reopening news, too! Check Out Blue Bayou’s Reopening! 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 Do you plan on eating at Storytellers Cafe? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: First Look at a Reopened Storytellers Cafe at Disneyland Resort first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you collect Disney merchandise, you’re likely to see that those things begin to cost more over time. Price increases happen constantly. These just got a little more expensive However, we’re going to let you know when Disney things start to cost more, whether those things be food, souvenirs, or experiences. And we’ve got a new price increase to share with you today! To start with, we would like to thank Shannon from @brbgoingtodisney for the heads up for bringing this specific increase to our attention. So we decided to investigate it — we visited Mouse Gear at EPCOT, where we saw Wishables priced at $9.99, which is what they’ve typically been. Old Price However, we decided to pick up a few plushes and packs and scan them using the Mobile Merchandise Check-out feature on the My Disney Experience app. Screenshot From My Disney Experience We chose a Guardian of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout Blind Pack and the Kanga and Roo Wishable. And both scanned at $12.99 each. That’s a price increase of $3! These are now $12.99 At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we discovered that the price signs on the Wishables display were changed to the higher price. Winking Mickey here is now $12.99. Mickey’s gonna’ cost more now. But the plot thickens! Because we looked at the Wishables available on shopDisney, too! And the prices on the website were all over the place — some Wishables were $9.99, while others were $12.99. And the Winking Mickey Wishables Plush? There are currently two listings for him at both price points! What’s going on Disney? Um…Disney, what’s going on here? ©Disney Both the Guardians of the Galaxy Blind Pack AND the Kanga and Roo Wishables we scanned in-store at $12.99 are still listed as $9.99 on the website. We’ll likely see those prices change there, too — but if you’re wanting to grab those particular plushes, be sure to check shopDisney first! And if we spot any other price changes, we’ll be sure to let you know. Click Here To Read About The Three Biggest Disney World Price Increases This Year Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think of this price increase — are Wishables still worth it? Let us know in the comments! The post A Popular Disney Collectible Just Got a BIG Price Increase! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s time to catch up on all the construction updates going on around Walt Disney World! Let’s check in on some of those “home” improvements There are quite a few walls up around the parks and resorts right now as Disney continues to make progress on all the projects they have leading up to the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebrations. And, while we spent a lot of the week discovering new construction walls and skrim, one project DID wrap up! So, let’s check it all out! Magic Kingdom Main Street Confectionery The Main Street Confectionery closed back in March, and we knew that we were in for a pretty long refurbishment as Disney transforms the space. We’ve been keeping an eye on the sweet shop and noticed that construction walls popped up around the shop this week. Something we never like to see around our treats — construction walls So, at this point, the construction is 100% noticeable as you make your way into Magic Kingdom, though you can still catch a glimpse of some of those classic window displays if you stop by. Disney hasn’t shared when the construction will wrap up just yet, but we will continue to keep an eye out for updates! Learn More About the NEW Look Coming to This Iconic Sweet Shop HERE! Cool Ship Over in Tomorrowland, we’ve been keeping track of the refurbishment on the refreshment kiosk, Cool Ship. We’ve watched this spot transform with a fresh coat of paint and we had thought that maybe we’d be able to grab a snack from this spot soon after construction walls came down a few weeks ago. It’s starting to look even more recognizable! But, there was still more to be done — now the ship is back to being the property of the “Thirst Rangers” and has the logo painted on the exterior. Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Station Another project we’ve been following for a little while now is over at the Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Station in Storybook Circus. Disney has been adding a fresh coat of GOLD paint to the cars one by one and now it looks like the refurbishment is complete! Now ALL the cars have a golden touch! This week, the bushes that were surrounding the Clown Car were removed to reveal the new paint. And, that’s a wrap on this one folks! The whole “splash” part of this area has not reopened just yet, but we will keep an eye out for when the water is back in action. TRON: Lightcycle Run We also took a ride on PeopleMover to check out the progress on the newest roller coaster coming to Magic Kingdom — TRON: Lightcycle Run. And, it’s still looking about the same since our last update. Work is still underway! There are still a lot of construction vehicles in the area, cranes, and dirt, so there’s still some more work to be done. Disney also hasn’t shared an update on when they plan to open the attraction, so we’ll just have to keep on waiting! EPCOT Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind The other new roller coaster that we’re looking forward to riding in the parks is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT! This attraction was announced as part of the EPCOT Transformation and we’ve been watching as the former home of Universe of Energy transforms into the new Marvel attraction. The last time we checked in on construction progress here, we spotted crews covering the walls with blue wrappings, and it still looks about the same. This project is looking pretty…blue Now the blue wrappings cover the solar panels on the roof and the entire entrance area of the ride. We’re still on the lookout for other updates that will be added to the exterior including the Star Blaster that you can see in the concept art for the attraction. Guardians of the Galaxy attraction Concept Art ©Disney Morocco Pavilion EPCOT has also been home to a lot of construction projects over the past year, and we checked in on one of the more “minimal” refurbishments going on in the Morocco Pavilion. There are currently construction walls surrounding the bathrooms in the pavilion and while we couldn’t see any work going on behind the walls, we could hear the construction! We could hear something going on back there! And, we also noticed that some of the signage on the shops in the pavilion near World Showcase Lagoon had gotten a fresh coat of paint! Morocco Painting Disney Resorts Disney’s Contemporary Resort There are even more walls popping up around Disney World in the resorts! Refurbishment on the Main Tower Rooms in Disney’s Contemporary Resort began last month, and construction skrim covered half of the hallways and rooms on one side of the building making it look like this… . This is what was initially covered with skrim And, now the other side has been covered in skrim, blocking off all the rooms and hallways in the central area of the resort. Now the whole area is closed in! So, it’s maybe not the prettiest view anymore and it sure is a heck of a lot louder in here too! Learn More About ALL the Changes Coming to the Monorail Resorts HERE! Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Over at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney is continuing to make progress on the new monorail station. This week we got a close-up look at the structure and, though there might not be any walls just yet, it is exciting to see it coming along! Monorail construction Inside, it is a bit harder to get a look at the work being done, as construction walls block off what used to be the exit to the monorail station. No peeking! The resort is set to reopen with renovated guest rooms in late July, though the monorail station may not reopen at that time. For now, guests can get to the Magic Kingdom and back using bus transportation. Check Out What the Monorail Station Used to Look Like! Well, that’s it for another week of construction updates in Disney World! We’re always on the lookout for little bits of progress and big reveals, so stay tuned for more updates on all the construction that may impact your next Disney vacation! Check Out ALL the Rides and Hotels That Are CLOSED in May 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 Disney World hotel would you re-theme if you could? Let us know in the comments! The post Check Out the Progress on TWO New Rides Coming to Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s National Military Appreciation Month! Disney has a long history of supporting the military through the daily flag ceremony and Memorial Day celebrations. This month, Disney is highlighting its support of Cast Members who serve in the military part-time. Main Street, U.S.A., Flag Disney often gives special offers for those who were in the military. On top of that, Disney is also recognizing its Cast Members’ accomplishments and providing plenty of moral and career support for them while they are on duty. Roy and Walt Disney both served in the military during WWIand The Walt Disney Company continues their legacy by supporting their Cast Members who take military leave to serve. Army Force Reserve Major and Walt Disney World Cast Member Traci Arnold ©Disney Disney is recognizing the accomplishments of Traci Arnold and others like her. She actually finds similarity in Disney and the military in terms of their leadership values. In addition to recognition, Disney is also finding ways to support Cast Members who are on leave, even if they are overseas. ©Disney Sending supplies and care packages are great ways to lift the spirits of cast members who are deployed and remind them that they are still a big part of Disney! This isn’t the only way Disney supports cast members who are on leave. Disney keeps in touch with them and ensures they have access to differential pay and networking opportunities, allowing them to advance their civilian career even while deployed. EPCOT Disney is grateful to its Cast Members who are in the military, and it shows! The company will also be holding a veterans summit later this year to help other companies improve their support of military employees. All of these efforts are making a big difference in the lives of military Cast Members, who are receiving EXTRA appreciation and visibility this month! Click Here to See Disney’s 2021 Military Ticket Offer! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. How are you honoring military folks this month? Let us know in the comments! The post See How Disney Is Honoring Military Cast Members This Month! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We definitely have a soft spot for Minnie Ears! Minnie Ears! From villain-inspired to pretty floral designs, there are so many awesome Minnie Ears to choose from. If you’ve ever been disappointed that you can only rock one pair of Ears at a time (same!) we just found the perfect solution. This new Disney accessory lets guest rep their love of Minnie Ears in an unexpected way! We stopped inside Pin Traders on our visit to EPCOT today, and we spotted a handy new souvenir. Check out this Minnie MagicKeepers! Minnie MagicKeepers MagicKeepers are essentially an alternative option to MagicBands. The center icon of MagicKeepers includes the same technology, allowing guests to tap into the parks, open their hotel room door, and more. MagicKeepers The icon is connected to a clip at the top that reads “I’m here for the ears!” There’s a retractable string between the two pieces for easy tapping. Retractable String There’s also a hook on the back so guests have multiple options for how to clip on their MagicKeepers. MagicKeepers Hook If this sounds like your kinda park accessory, the MagicKeepers are available for $29.99. This was the only design we spotted, but we’ll be on the lookout for others to pop up as well! MagicBands Get a BIG Price INCREASE 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. How many MagicBands do you own? Let us know in the comments! The post Rep Your Love of Minnie Ears with a Useful New Disney World Souvenir! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Star Wars Day may be a few weeks past, but we just found an INCREDIBLE way to celebrate belatedly in Disney World! Galaxy’s Edge After debuting online for May 4th, the brand new Star Wars Ears are NOW available in the parks, and we gotta say, the Dark Side has never looked better! We’ve seen a LOT of unique (and…insteresting) Minnie Ears in the past, from Pizza Ears to, umm, Viking Ears? Wall of Ears!!! Some have been hit or miss, but this latest pair is quite literally out of this world! After seeing them online on May the 4th, the Darth Vader Minnie Ears are now in Disney World! Darth Vader Minnie Ears Designed for Disney by super fan and Star Wars star Ashley Eckstein, these ears combine Minnie’s eye for fashion with Dark Vader’s eye for intergalactic domination — it’s the best of both worlds! Darth Vader Minnie Ears The ears sport a red-and-black scheme, with Darth Vader patterns on the ears themselves giving us serious Death Star vibes. Death Star Chic In the middle is a Darth Vader bow! He’s never looked so chic! Vader looks beautiful! The headband has a bright red lining, while the backs of the ears say “Rule the Galaxy” in more red. Rule the Galaxy We found these ears at Mouse Gear in EPCOT, and they cost $34.99, so set yourself to hyperspeed and go snag a pair TODAY! PHOTOS: Disney World’s New Pink Minnie Ears are ICONIC Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. What do you think of the new Darth Vader Minnie Ears? Let us know in the comments! The post PHOTOS: The New 'Star Wars' Ears Have Arrived at Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

A Disney World vacation can be pricey enough as it is between your hotel, park tickets, food, and souvenirs. 4th of July Merch But, sometimes things can get even more expensive when prices increase for your favorite merchandise items, experiences, food, and more. So far, we’ve seen 3 pretty big price increases this year on popular items and experiences in Disney World. Now, we’re sharing all those details with you so you can adjust those budgets and prepare for your upcoming trips. 1. Face Masks Face masks are no longer required in outdoor areas in Disney World (with some exceptions). But, masks continue to be required in select locations in Disney World, namely upon entering and throughout all attractions, in all theaters, in indoor locations, and in other spots. ©Disney Earlier this year, we actually saw a BIG price increase come to some of Disney’s face masks. Disney’s face masks were previously priced at $6. That was later increased to $9.99. And now Disney’s newest masks are priced at $14.99 each! Here’s a side view! They do feature new packaging, a nose wire down the middle of the mask, and an updated design, and they are adjustable. But, are they worth that big price increase? We tried them out and have shared a FULL review so you can see our thoughts. Are Disney’s new masks worth the price increase? Check out our full review here. 2. MagicBands Earlier this year, free MagicBands stopped being provided to Disney World hotel guests, and Disney also recently announced that Annual Passholders will not receive free MagicBands with their renewals or new purchases starting later this year. This year, Disney also introduced the new MagicMobile service that essentially lets your phone do many of the same functions as your MagicBand, including scanning a digital park ticket to let you enter the parks. Hunchback of Notre Dame MagicBand But, all of those updates don’t mean that MagicBands are going away just yet. Guests can continue to use their old MagicBands in Disney World (even in conjunction with the MagicMobile service), or buy a new MagicBand. And new MagicBand designs have continued to be released by Disney. A Muppets MagicBand! And recently we noticed that MagicBands actually got a BIG price increase! Aside from special discounted options, MagicBands generally started priced at $14.99. But, those same MagicBands have now gone UP in price to $19.99 in stores and online! Other MagicBands are also more expensive now too. Themed MagicBands are priced at $29.99 and limited edition MagicBands are priced at $34.99. New Pricing For comparison, here’s a look at the old prices. MagicBand Old Prices While a $5 increase might not be significant if you’re just buying 1 special band, if you intend to buy some for your whole family or you want to buy more than one, that can start to add up. That’s something you’ll want to keep in mind as you’re planning your upcoming trips. Click here to see our full post about the MagicBand price increase. 3. Lightsaber Experience in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge If you’re a big Star Wars fan, you may have always dreamed of building your own lightsaber. Well, you can get the chance to do just that at Savi’s Workshop in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. This is a unique experience where you get to customize your own hilt and really soak in all the magic of the Star Wars universe. But, it ain’t cheap! Trying out hilt parts Previously, your customized lightsaber would cost you $199.99 plus tax. That, however, has now been increased to $219.99 plus tax. Elemental Nature- Savi’s Workshop While nothing has changed in terms of what is included in the price of your purchase, you’ll now have to pay a bit more for the experience. Would you shell out that cash to enjoy Savi’s Workshop and bring your own customized lightsaber home? That’s something you’ll have to decide before you visit this spot. Click here to see more about this lightsaber experience price increase! While those are 3 of the bigger price increases we’ve seen, we’ve also seen prices increase for various food items, including the ever-popular spring rolls from the cart in Magic Kingdom, and other things around the parks. Prices can fluctuate in Disney World, so that’s just something to keep in mind. While you may have set your budget on what you see the prices currently listed at, it’s a good idea to include some extra cash in your budget in case you encounter any of these price increases. They cost more now?!?!?! We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more price increases and other updates in Disney World and we’ll let you know what we find. In the meantime, if you’re planning a trip to Disney World, be sure to check out our video below of 50 things you’ve NEVER done in Disney World. It might just give you some vacation inspiration! And stay tuned to DFB for all the latest info! 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 price increases have you encountered during your trips to Disney World? Tell us in the comments. The post The Three Biggest Disney World Price Increases This Year first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Previously, Universal Orlando updated their mask policy to note that masks would no longer be required outdoors. But, masks continued to be required indoors and in certain other areas. Universal Orlando Recently, however, that policy was updated. Now, masks are no longer required anywhere in Universal Orlando Resort, indoors for vaccinated guests or outdoors. Today we made our way over to Universal’s theme parks to see this new policy in action and now we’re sharing all the details with you! As we mentioned above, Universal Orlando has recently updated its safety guidelines. According to these updated policies, “face coverings are no longer required for fully vaccinated guests, indoors or outdoors.” They will not be requiring proof of vaccination, but Universal notes that they do expect those who are not fully vaccinated to continue to wear face masks while indoors. All guests are also encouraged to keep a safe distance from one another. ©Universal Orlando This change in language about masks also seems to indicate a change regarding Universal’s distancing policies. Instead of requiring guests to maintain 3 feet of distance between them and other parties, Universal’s website merely notes that they “encourage all guests to keep a safe distance between travel parties.” There is now no mention of exact measurements. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man So, today we made our way over to Universal Orlando to see what the new policies look like when they’re actually implemented, and here’s what we saw. Masks Masks were already allowed to be removed in most outdoor locations, so the biggest change when it comes to masks is that now fully vaccinated guests may remove them when waiting in lines for attractions, when riding attractions, and while in indoor locations. During our trip today, we saw new signage outlining the new mask guidelines. Signs at Universal These signs also appear in front of attraction and other entrances. New mask policy signs We also noticed that a large percentage of guests seemed to be keeping their masks on while waiting in line. People are still masking up Distancing In terms of social distancing, we noticed that social distancing markers have been removed. The line for Revenge of The Mummy seemed less socially distanced than previously, although it does seem like some groups are still trying to maintain a three feet distance from other groups. The Mummy line And that’s what we saw today at Universal Orlando in terms of their new policy. Of course, all health and safety policies are subject to change in the future, so we’ll keep an eye out for any updates. Keep in mind that as of right now, Disney World’s mask policies are different than Universal’s. Masks continue to be required in Disney World in all indoor locations, upon entering and throughout all attractions, in all theaters (including theater entrances), and on all transportation (including in transportation entrances). ©Disney Masks are not required, however, in outdoor common areas or pool decks. We’ll keep an eye out for more mask-related updates from Disney and Universal and let you know what we find. Click here to see what you need to know about the mask and safety signage in Disney World right now. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post PHOTOS: Here's What the New Mask Policy Looks Like Now in Universal Studios Orlando first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disneyland reopened in late April, but not EVERY restaurant opened with the parks. Now, Blue Bayou Restaurant has REOPENED inside Disneyland’s New Orleans Square! Blue Bayou! If you’re a frequent diner at Blue Bayou: one, lucky you! Two, the reopened restaurant looks a little different. There are additional health and safety measures as well as a major menu update: ALCOHOL! This has NEVER been allowed here before, so we were pretty excited to see what having a drink on the bayou would be like. Let’s check it out! We stopped by Blue Bayou on its reopening date to check out how the experience has changed and, of course, to try some new drinks! Atmosphere Blue Bayou is a truly unique spot at Disneyland. This indoor table service restaurant sits on the bayou! But this bayou is SPECIAL. It’s the beginning scene of Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean! Yep, you can see boats from Pirates of the Caribbean floating down the attraction’s opening scene! Yep, that’s Pirates of the Caribbean! Like San Angel Inn at EPCOT’s Mexico Pavilion in Walt Disney World, this restaurant is indoors but looks like it’s outdoors during twilight, creating a romantic and enchanting atmosphere! Blue Bayou atmosphere For the best views in this restaurant, ask for a table along the water! Watching the boats go by is SO relaxing! The Disney World Pirates ride lives in Adventureland and follows pirates sacking the Spanish Main. The DisneyLAND version resides in New Orleans Square and has an equally southern theme. It’s based loosely on the real pirates that resided in New Orleans, like Jean Lafitte. What a Gorgeous View Aside from being significantly longer than the Disney World version, the ride features a sleepy float through a bayou where you pass what appears to be a bustling outdoor dinner party in the backyard of a southern plantation home — that would be Blue Bayou Restaurant. Of course, since Disneyland reopened in April, there have been some extra health and safety precautions. The tables at this restaurant feature tiny lamps so you can read the menu. But like other restaurants at the resort, the lamps are illuminating a QR code for the menu right now. Blue Bayou QR menu There is limited seating right now. A Cast Member told us they were only seating 11 tables, and our head count confirmed this number! Available tables at Blue Bayou Six tables are along the water, and five tables are in the row behind them. Most of the tables in the restaurant are pushed up toward the lobby. Those tables are marked as unavailable. Unavailable table A big thing to note here that should come as no surprise: IT’S DARK. Like, it’s REAL dark in here. So dark you’ll be squinting to see your food! The dim lighting is really quite transporting and adds to the theming, if that’s your thing. You can listen to the distant banjo strumming down the bayou and watch fireflies dance in the reeds on the water. If you’d prefer to see your food a bit more, request to be seated away from the water a bit. So, this restaurant certainly looks cool, but can the beverages and food match the experience of eating inside Pirates of the Caribbean?! Eats The BIG news of Blue Bayou’s reopening is that this sit-down restaurant will be serving alcohol for the first time! It’s still rare to find alcohol inside Disneyland Park. Unless you’re a Club 33 member, you could only find booze at Oga’s Cantina inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge until this addition. Blue Bayou is now selling wine… ©Disney …beer, including Abita, a popular New Orleans brew, and a Hurricane Cocktail as well as a selection of non-alcoholic beverages like a variety of Mint Juleps. ©Disney For Appetizers, you can select from soup (gumbo), a salad, or grilled asparagus. The Entrees aren’t too “in your face” Cajun or Creole here, like the setting would suggest. You’ll find a Jambalaya, but otherwise there’s a fish, chicken, surf and turf, and veggie, and sandwich option (yep, the beloved Monte Cristo is back, friends! We tried it at Cafe Orleans recently, but you can get a full-sized serving here!) ©Disney Kids’ Meals here are create-your-own style. Anyone else intrigued by the incredibly descriptive “Beef Specialty” option?! ©Disney For Dessert, you have a few simple options — an 8-Layer Cake or Crème Brûlée. You can also opt for a pricey dessert for two — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic — featuring a duo of Crème Brûlée with Madelines, two glasses of cider or sparkling wine, and a box of Macarons to go. ©Disney First up, we HAD to try a boozy drink! When in Rome…err..New Orleans we opted for the Hurricane Cocktail, which is $15. Hurricane Cocktail This beverage is a classic Hurricane and is made with Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rum, Myers’s Original Dark Rum, Orange Juice, Passion Fruit Purée, Grenadine, and Lime Juice. It’s garnished with a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry and Orange! You Can Get Alcohol Here Now We think this drink will be a real crowd pleaser! It’s not too sweet, which can always be a concern with Disney cocktails. Look at that garnish! Despite having two kinds of rum in it, the booze wasn’t overwhelming in this Hurricane. This might be good if you’re not looking for an in-your-face boozy punch like many hurricanes tend to be. The distinctive pink hue is mostly from grenadine, but we mostly tasted orange and passion fruit! We kicked our meal off with the Signature Gumbo which comes with Chicken, Andouille Sausage, Tomatoes, Okra, Jasmine Rice, and Green Onions (our green onions were more…chives here . Still tasted good!). Signature Gumbo This was an appetizer-sized portion, but if we could, we would TOTALLY eat a large bowl of this dish! It was hearty and a touch salty, though we honestly didn’t mind the extra salt. It may have just been our batch, but if you’re sensitive to saltiness, you may want the heads up. Close up! This jam-packed gumbo is $7, which we found to be a good value! This is an approachable gumbo for those that may shy away due to seafood or other more colorful ingredients. This is a straightforward and hearty gumbo. Look at that gumbo go! After that, we kept the good times rollin’ with Jambalaya! Jambalaya This entree comes with lots of New Orleans classics like Jumbo Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Chicken, Tasso Ham, Creole Rice, all in a Spiced Tomato Jus. Buckle in, fans of this classic Creole dish, cause “ya mama n’ dem’s” jambalaya this ain’t. But it’s still actually really tasty! Look at all those meats! First up, it’s not all cooked together (deep, calming breaths, New Orleanians!). Real jambalaya is very similar to paella in that the proteins are cooked down with veggies, liquid added, and the rice then added to cook and soak up all that flavor. This is seasoned rice topped with separately cooked meat with a thin sauce poured over top. It tasted pretty nice actually, but this is far from authentic jambalaya. There’s a LOT of meat in this dish, but the standout to us was actually the chicken. If you’re a seafood person, you’ll find that the shrimp is cooked perfectly. No rubbery shrimpies here! The sausage was a touch spicy, but it was mostly flavorful and the spice was not overwhelming. You get two substantial pieces of sausage with the dish. All in all, that’s a LOT of meat! Look at that SHRIMP! The rice didn’t have much spice to it overall, so if you’re heat-averse, you’d still likely enjoy this. At $36, this entree felt a little steep, but that’s something you’ll notice about Blue Bayou — it’s pricey! The entrees range from $29 to $52 (with the “cheapest” ithem being a hunk of cauliflower or a sandwich), so this falls right in the middle of that. See the chicken?! If you’re looking for an entree on the lower end, you can try that Monte Cristo Sandwich, which is $29. Monte Cristo Sandwich from Blue Bayou The Monte Cristo comes with Turkey, Ham, and Swiss and is deep-fried and served with Crème Anglaise, and Seasonal Preserves. Monte Cristo The online menu says this comes with Seasonal Fruit, but our Monte Cristo actually came with a Side Salad! Yep, that’s a salad! This Monte Cristo is cut into three wedges, which are all deep-fried whole, so you get a LOT of crispiness here. Unlike its other home at Cafe Orleans, this version comes with TWO dipping sauces — a “seasonal” preserve (blackberry for us) and Créme Anglaise (basically a thick sweet vanilla cream sauce). The sammie is dusted in powdered sugar too. This is a classic Disneyland favorite but, if you’re not familiar with the sandwich, you might be confused by the sweet-savory of it all. Trust the Monte Cristo. Dip, dip. Repeat. It’s all worth it. Crispy! The side salad isn’t much to write home about — it was lightly dressed Arugula and Onion salad and super small, so note that you’re really just paying for the sandwich. The interesting schmear of white under the salad caught our eye — it tasted like a mild cream cheese type spread. Hiding on top of it was actually fruit! It tasted like pieces of nectarine or peach to us. (So…technically…I guess there was seasonal fruit there. Kinda.) The best thing about this salad is that it was crisp and light, which is a good counterbalance to the heavy, deep-fried, meat-and-cheese-filled, dunked-in-dessert sandwich. That’s a LOT of sammie! Now, how does this compare to that OTHER famous Monte Cristo in Disneyland Park’s New Orleans Square over at Cafe Orleans? This one isn’t necessarily any better than that one, and Cafe Orleans’ sandwich is $8 cheaper at $21 and served with a side of fries now. So if that’s more what you’re specifically looking for, we suggest heading to Cafe Orleans. We’re celebrating the reopening of Blue Bayou, so of course we got a little dessert: the Sparkling Wine Celebration Finale! Sparkling Wine Celebration Finale! This dessert for two goes BIG with a Crème Brûlée Duo of Vanilla Bourbon and Café Au Lait with Chocolate-dipped Madeleines. And, as the name implies, it comes with TWO glasses of Le Grand Courtâge Grand Cuvée Blanc de Blancs Brut sparkling wine. Remember, you can also opt for the non-alcoholic cider version, if you like. Creme brulee <3 Now, that all comes with a big price tag at $65, but this dessert and wine combo also comes with a little sweet souvenir: a package of six macarons with NOLA-inspired flavors: Bananas Foster, Signature Hurricane, and Pecan Praline. Exclusive Blue Bayou Macarons That’s a LOT, so let’s start with the crème brûlée. The Café Au Lait crème brûlée has a MAJOR coffee flavor! If you like your java and you like it strong, this is a good option, but if you don’t like coffee, the flavor could be a bit off-putting. Café Au Lait Crème Brûlée We preferred the Vanilla Bourbon crème brûlée, it was super yummy and creamy and topped with macerated berries! Vanilla Bourbon Crème Brûlée The crème brûlées came with three little chocolate madeleines, which were … fine. There’s nothing really noteworthy about them. Madeleines The sparkling wine was also great and perfect for a date night situation, which is really what this whole dessert feels like! It’s pricey (and ended up being about half our bill!), so save this for those big occasions. But guys, look at the swaaaank looking glass it’s served in! Small touch, but it made it feel nice and upscale! Le Grand Courtâge Grand Cuvée Blanc de Blancs Brut Now, what about those to-go macarons? First off, look how pretty they are in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle! Macarons!! Much like the madelines, these were all…ya know…fine. The Bananas Foster was our personal favorite! It tasted like sweet caramel-y banana. The pecan praline was very sweet, much like a real praline. It tasted the least artificially flavored to us. That hurricane mac was very fruity — it tasted like an orange macaron shell with a passion fruit filling. It was very orange heavy! Bananas Foster, Signature Hurricane, and Pecan Praline Macarons And after eating as much as we did, it’s great to have these packaged up and ready for another time! Nosh or Not Go on down to Blue Bayou if… You’re a BIG Pirates of the Caribbean fan. Eating right next to the attraction is a cool, unique experience. You want a quiet break from the hustle and bustle of Disneyland. You’re celebrating something special or looking for a romantic meal in Disneyland. The Celebration Finale dessert is fit for anniversaries, birthdays, and other big days! Eat elsewhere in Disneyland if… You’re watching your wallet! Besides Club 33, this is the most expensive meal at Disneyland Park. You don’t like Cajun or Creole food. The menu here isn’t the most authentic, but it definitely has lots of nods to the cuisine. of menu items. You want to get in and get out. This is a table service restaurant, so you’ll be here for a while. Overall Blue Bayou is a unique experience at Disneyland and is a bucket list restaurant for a lot of Disney theme park fans. A lot of the allure of this restaurant — and let’s be honest, a lot of what you are paying for — is the atmosphere. You’re eating RIGHT NEXT TO Pirates of the Caribbean! The twilight, cricket noises, lanterns, and boats going down the water — it’s all so calming and enchanting. So, the vibes are phenomenal. But, the food is expensive and not life-changing levels of deliciousness or out-of-this-world creative. It’s good, don’t get us wrong, but there are tons of places to eat at Disneyland Park that have delicious food at a fraction of the cost of Blue Bayou. For a lot of folks, this is a one-and-done type restaurant, so if you haven’t been, it’s worth experiencing to say you ate there, but there’s not a lot that makes you want to come back again and again and again. The addition of alcohol was nice, but definitely not necessary. We’ve honestly gotten so used to having beer and wine in Magic Kingdom in Disney World the past 10 years so sipping a drink only at a sit-down restaurant in Disneyland didn’t feel TOO strange. All that said, we enjoyed our meal here. It’s dark and romantic, the food is pretty good, and you can’t beat the view. Review: We Tried the New Menu at Alfresco Tasting Terrace in Disneyland and We Still Can’t Get Over the Pizza Flavored Drink Check out more Disneyland Food Reviews Here!! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Have you ever eaten at Blue Bayou? Let us know your experience in the comments! The post REVIEW: Is This Classic Disneyland Restaurant Now BETTER With BOOZE? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

As more people get vaccinated against COVID-19, the health and safety guidelines regarding masks continue to change, both at Disney World and across the U.S. Disney Mask And as these guidelines change, we’ll be seeing more updates from other businesses as they begin to loosen those guidelines in their own establishments. Most recently, The Orlando Sentinel reported that AMC, Regal, and Cinemark movie theaters will no longer require masks for fully-vaccinated moviegoers. Masks, however, will be “strongly encouraged” for non-vaccinated customers, although they can remove their masks when eating and drinking inside the theater. AMC Theater in Disney Springs All three companies will still require employees at their theaters to wear face masks. These chains also have plans to continue to enforce other safety guidelines, like reduced capacity, social distancing, and enhanced sanitization. AMC Disney Springs State and local guidelines, though, could override these new policies, depending on where theaters are located. So those considering going to the theaters without masks should check local guidelines first. As always, we’ll continue to monitor these changes and keep you updated. What’s the Deal with Theme Parks and Face Masks?! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What do you think of this policy change? Let us know in the comments. The post NEWS: Masks No Longer Required For Vaccinated Moviegoers at AMC and Other Theaters first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hey, friends! We’re back with another DFB Video covering all the latest Disney news! A beautiful day in Disneyland! We have BIG Disneyland news this week — soon you won’t have to live in California to visit the West Coast Parks! Plus ride openings and closures, what’s going on with park capacity in Disney World, and our least favorite Dole Whip flavor is back for some redemption. Plus, there’s some MAJOR mask news. Check out all that and more in our latest DFB Video! By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to the channel and never miss a single episode! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/subscribe.png So check out the video and then let us know: Do you plan to visit Disneyland Resort when it reopens to out-of-state guests? The post DFB Video: Latest Disney News: No More Masks at an Orlando Theme Park, Disneyland Opens to Everyone, and MORE! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’re planning your first trip to Disney World, there are a lot of things you need to know! Get ready for some magic! You’ll want to learn as much about the parks as you can — from the restaurants to the rides and everything in-between. And as a first-time guest, there are a few ways that Disney tries to trick you. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the full list so that you know what to expect! Make Dining Reservations for Every Meal When you log in to your My Disney Experience account online or in the app, Disney lists dining reservations as an important part of the “My Plans” section. You eat 3 square meals at home, right (well, something like that, at least!)? So makes sense to book restaurants like you would your meals at home. But, you don’t have to make them to have a good time during your trip! ©Disney | They put dining reservations right there on the app! In fact, if you make sit-down dining reservations 3 meals a day for each day of your trip, you’ll spend most of your vacation either sitting in a restaurant eating or miserably full! You’d also be spending quite a bit of extra money on food that you may or may not eat, and did we mention dining at table service restaurants all day will eat up a lot of time. (Can’t overstate that point. Time is money in Disney World, so be smart how you spend it!) Crystal Palace in Disney’s Magic Kingdom If you’re trying to plan where to eat, there are plenty of great fast food meal options around the Walt Disney World parks and resorts that you can try. Sure they have your standard chicken nuggets and burgers at many, but there’s actually some really good quality food available too. We’re not saying forgo sit down meals — far from it — just be smart with how many you book! If your goal is to chow down on this trip, lots of table service meals may be perfect for you. If you’d rather ride some rides, stay conservative with your reservations. And if you change your mind and decide that you want some sit down dining, you can often score last-minute reservations. If you don’t find one online or in the app, you may be able to walk up to the restaurant and ask or join the Mobile Walk-Up Waitlist. Click Here to Learn More About the Walk-Up Waitlist! You Need to Do Everything That’s New and Exciting You’ve probably heard that it’s difficult to do EVERYTHING at Disney World, but it’s also pretty challenging to do all the NEW things in the parks. Lines can get pretty long for new rides, like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run! The newer rides and attractions tend to be the most popular and have the longest wait times. If you can’t ride Slinky Dog Dash or get a boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance, don’t feel guilty — your vacation won’t be ruined! You can still have an amazing vacation without doing the latest and greatest. Your vacation won’t be ruined if you miss one ride…we promise! Disney promotes their new rides and attractions heavily, and you’ll see ads all over the website and in the app. Even if other people say these things are a “must do,” don’t feel pressured to do anything that you’re not interested in. And don’t put all your “successful trip” eggs in the basket of experiencing the latest and greatest. It’s important to spend your trip doing what YOU like but also accepting you might miss out on a few things! Find what’s your family’s top priorities and knock those out first. Then the rest is a great bonus! 22,000 Fans Rank All the Rides in Hollywood Studios — Click Here to Check it Out! You Must Stay On Property to Get the Full Experience While we usually recommend staying on-property, it’s not necessary for you to have a good time! Staying offsite can help you save money that you’ll then be able to spend on other things like more snacks, an extra day of park tickets, fun experiences, or souvenirs. You could also try out one of Disney’s Value Resorts for a cheaper option! The other thing is that since the parks reopened, there aren’t quite as many perks for Disney Resort guests. There are no Extra Magic Hours (even though they’ll soon be replaced by Early Theme Park Entry), no free MagicBands, and no bonus FastPass+ to take advantage of an early booking window. Without these things, a Disney World Resort hotel may not be worth the upcharge if you’re on a tight budget. Not every vacation requires a stay at a super fancy hotel. As far as resort stays go, it all comes down to your personal preferences and budget. If you prefer to stay in the “Disney bubble” and be closer to all the magic, then a Disney resort may be right for you. If you don’t mind a further drive to save a few bucks, then consider staying off-property! Click Here to See Our List of Best Disney World Hotels for 2021! Things After Reopening Are Just As Perfect As They Were Before Ever since the parks reopened, Disney has been trying HARD to convey this sentiment to guests in their promotional materials and commercials. We agree that the “magic” is still in the parks, but it’s not quite the same kind of magic as it was before they closed. Things are definitely different in Disney World right now! Right now, you won’t find fireworks, parades, most entertainment options, character meet-and-greets, or regular character meals. Besides those things, several resorts, restaurants, and attractions still haven’t reopened. A few things are definitely missing from the traditional experience. Characters say hello from a distance right now! You can still have an amazing trip right now, but you need to know that it won’t be quite the same as it was before the pandemic. There are pros and cons to each kind of trip — you may like things better now or you may miss the way things used to be, but that’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself. Either way, you’re at Disney World, which is a reason to be happy! Click Here to See What I Wish I’d Known Before Going to Disney World in 2021 You Have to Book the Number of Nights Listed on the Discount When you take a look at Disney’s discounts and special offers on their website, they’re often worded very carefully, and they may trick you a little. Always look out for those discounts, but pay attention to the fine print! Disney promotes things with phrases like “book a 5-night, 6-day stay to get this discount” when in reality, you may not ACTUALLY have to meet those specific conditions. You’ll often find that the minimum number of nights is lower than what’s listed! You can save at any price point! You may be able to book a 3-night stay and get the same deal, so make sure to read the fine print. And when in doubt, put together a vacation on the Disney World website and just test it out to see if the deal applies! An even more foolproof way to tackle this? Use a travel agent! They’re completely free and it’s their job to find you the best deals possible so you don’t have to do the digging. We recommend our friends at Small World Vacations! Here Are NEW Ways to Save Money on Your 2021 Disney World Trip! Vacation Packages Are the Best Way to Book The other thing that Disney tries to tell you when you’re booking your vacation is that packages are the best way to book — they promote these things HARD. Don’t let Disney trick you into buying a package if you don’t need one! Sometimes you’ll find that you can save more if you book the tickets and resort stay separately. In this case, you may be able to get a room-only discount that comes out to a better deal than if you purchased it all together. Also, cancellation policies tend to be more lenient on room-only bookings. Either way, you’ll still get to enjoy the parks and resorts! Think about it this way…if Disney is heavily marketing a package, that probably means that they’re making a lot of money on it. That should be enough to make you look closer before booking it! The Ultimate Guide to Disney World Discounts — Click Here! The Dining Plan is the Best Value for Your Family As much as it disappoints us to say it, the Disney Dining Plan is rarely a money-saver for average guests. In fact, it could actually be a financial loss for your family. If you’re ordering expensive items, it may be worth the cost. What people find out often is that the dining plan is designed to make you pay for more food than you will probably eat (unless your family members are big eaters that like to get the pricier items on menus). We usually recommend sitting down and running the numbers on this one before booking. Price out the restaurants where you would dine, then see if you’ll spend enough to make the dining plan worth it. The dining plan may not be as convenient as you think! If you do the math and things work out, great! If not, it’s still your decision whether or not you’d like to buy it for convenience. Keep in mind, at this time, the Disney Dining Plan is NOT being offered and Disney has yet to indicate when it could return. Click Here for the List of Best Value Quick Service Restaurants for 2021 — No Dining Plan Needed! Park Hopper Tickets Are Necessary Park Hopper tickets can be great if you actually use them, but they’re not always the best option for every guest. Doing multiple parks in a day is pretty tiring. You may not need to visit multiple parks in one day if you have a long trip planned or you have a full list of activities you’d like to get done. Besides that, the Park Hopper lifestyle can be really exhausting — jumping around Disney World all day! Thunder Mountain And if you change your mind partway through your trip, you can add the Hopper to your ticket at the gate. It’s the same price at the gate as it is online! Keep in mind that if you wait until day 3 of your 5-day trip, you’ll STILL pay for the entire length of your trip — even the days you used up already. So if you want to add it do it early on! Here’s What Park Hopping is Like in Disney World Right Now! If you’re a first-time visitor to Walt Disney World, make sure to keep these things in mind before your trip so that you know what to do (and not to do!). And for all the best planning advice, stay tuned to DFB! 10 DFB Videos to Help You Plan Your 2021 Disney World Trip — Click 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. Have you ever fallen for any of the things on this list? Let us know in the comments! The post 8 Tricks Disney World Plays on First-Time Visitors first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney vacations are already pretty pricey between the park tickets, hotel reservations, meals, and souvenirs. And, every once in a while Disney slaps a price increase, tacking on more costs to your vacation. Cinderella Castle We’ve already seen quite a few in 2021 — and we’re not just talking ticket increases — so we’re pulling them all together here so you know what to expect on your next Disney World vacation! Spring Rolls We’re starting off with one of our favorite snacks here at DFB — Spring Rolls. We were SO happy when we found that the Spring Roll Cart was back in action earlier this year in Magic Kingdom, but these little bundles of delicious joy are packing a bit more of a punch…to your wallet. The Spring Rolls used to cost $7.50 for two but when they reopened Disney tacked on an extra $2 to the price so they now cost $9.50. Why do you have to do this to us Disney?! They cost more now?!?!?! So, you can still grab the tasty Cheeseburger Spring Rolls or Pepperoni Pizza Spring Rolls (or one of both if you’re like us), it will just cost you a little extra now. Click HERE to See What Our Readers Thing About The Price Increase! Savi’s Workshop The next price increase is out of this world…well, the store that you can find it in is, at least! Over in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can explore the planet of Batuu in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and not only can you pilot the Millennium Falcon, but you can also fashion yourself your very own lightsaber! Savi’s Workshop is a secret little tucked away store (so that the First Order can’t find you) where you get to build your own lightsaber from scratch. Savi’s Workshop But making such a beloved battle weapon comes at a cost — the experience first opened with a flat rate of $199.99 and, on April 19th that price shot up even more to $219.99. And, if you’re willing pay the extra cost, just keep in mind that a reservation is required for this experience. Check out Everything You Need To Know About Building a Lightsaber in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! Mickey Mouse Celebration Cakes If you’re celebrating a special day at a Disney World restaurant, you might consider purchasing an extra special dessert for your meal — the Mickey Mouse Celebration Cakes. These Mickey-shaped cakes come in both chocolate and white chocolate and are meant to help you celebrate milestones (like birthdays, anniversaries, and more) so they serve 4-6 people. ©Disney The cakes have been available for pre-order for $35 since they were originally introduced back in 2017, but they recently got a price increase to $39, so you’ll be paying a few extra bucks if you want this dessert for your celebrations. Not a terrible price increase, all things considered (that’s the same bump as spring rolls and this is a whole cake!), but worth noting when planning. Check Out the Crazy Cool Things You Can Get Delivered to Your Disney World Hotel Face Masks Since reopening after temporarily closing at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney World has required that all guests wear face masks when they are in public areas at their resorts and when in the parks. And, of course, Disney introduced their own line of face masks so you could deck out in your favorite Disney characters and match that coveted pair of Minnie Ears you have. Minnie Mouse knows the importance of a comfortable face-covering! When face masks were first introduced in the summer of 2020, you could get 4 masks for $20. Shortly after, Disney stopped selling the masks as a set of four in the parks and transitioned to selling individual masks — and the price has only gone up. What started out as roughly $6 masks shot up to $9.99 each. Now there’s a new mask in town and it costs $14.99 for just ONE mask. But, this one isn’t your average Disney mask — it has a nose wire, is a bit bigger, and has a seam down the center of the mask for a nicer fit. New Mickey Face Mask Disney is still selling the cheaper(ish) masks for $9.99 and we did a whole comparison for you so you can decide if the extra money is really worth the splurge. Click HERE for our FULL REVIEW of the New Face Masks! Reusable Bags Ah, now we’re onto the saga of the Reusable Bags in Disney World. If you’ve been in a Disney World gift shop, you’ve likely been asked “wanna buy a reusable bag?” when checking out. We’ve been keeping track of the price of these low-cost (and helpful) souvenirs for a little while now and to say that it has been a journey would be an understatement. When Disney World reopened last summer we were excited to see that the cost had actually be cut down to only $1 per bag no matter which size you bought — what a steal! But, Disney turned the tables on us in April and hiked up the price so now it costs $2 for size small, $2.50 for medium, and $3 for large. Reusable bag display at La Boutique And, this isn’t the first time that we’ve seen Disney’s reusable bags fluctuate in price. Back in 2018, the bags were priced at $1 for a small or medium bag and $2 for a large. Then, in 2019 they got the increase to $2 for size small, $2.50 for medium, and $3 for large. Then we saw the prices plummet to $1 for any size bag, and now we’re back here…at the high price point. We can’t say for sure when the prices fluctuate, but just know that they do and have quite often! My Own Bedsheets and 6 Other Surprising Things We Always Bring To Disney World Les Halles Alright, now we’re onto some MAJOR menu updates…but not the tasty ones. We’ve seen quite a few restaurants in Disney World receive a whole list of price increases and we’re starting off our tour at Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie located in the France Pavilion at EPCOT. Almost the ENTIRE menu got a price increase including drinks, desserts, soups and sandwiches, and Chefs specials so you can expect your lunch/dinner/snack break to cost a little more overall the next time you visit. Les Halles Boulangerie Food Options Two of the most noteworthy price increase include the Mimosa made with Champagne and Orange Juice (which increased from $7.95 to $8.95) and the Bisque de Homard (aka Lobster Bisque) which increased from $5.75 to $5.95. And, the real kicker on the Lobster Bisque is that it no longer comes in a bread bowl so you’re paying more and getting less. Click HERE for a FULL List of the Price Increases at Les Halles Territory Lounge Located in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Territory Lounge is a great place to go if you’re looking for some specialty cocktails and cozy seating. But, if you’re headed here for a glass of wine, you’ll be shelling out some extra cash. Five of the wine options featured in the lounge got a price increase back in January including: Evolution Lucky No. 9 White Blend went from $29 to $39 per bottle and $10 to $12 per glass L’Ecole 41 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley went from $39 to $59 per bottle and $10 to $15 per glass Argyle Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley went from $39 to $59 per bottle and $10 per to $15 per glass Boomtown Merlot, Washington State went from $39 to $49 per bottle and $10 to $12 per glass Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley went from $39 to $49 per bottle and $10 to $12 per glass Territory Lounge Take a close look there, folks, that’s up to $5 more per glass, and some of the bottles got an extra $20 tacked on. At that price, we have some pretty high expectations for the wine! Click HERE for a FULL List of All the Price Increases at Territory Lounge! La Cava del Tequila One of our favorite places to stop for an afternoon margarita in EPCOT got a little pricier too. La Cava del Tequila can be found tucked inside the Mexico Pavilion and it’s a pretty popular place to visit. It’s not uncommon to have to wait in a line that extends outside of the pavilion to get your hands on the selection of unique margaritas and over 200 tequilas. La Cava del Tequila But now two menu items will cost you a little bit more. Back in January the price of the Pina Loca (which is made with Ginger pineapple juice, Ilegal brand mezcal, Ancho Reyes chile liquor, and black ant salt rim) and the Blood Orange Margarita (made with Ambhar blanco tequila, orange liqueur, a sweet-tart mix of blood orange, a hint of rum and vanilla, and Tajín chile-lime powder rim) both increased from $15.50 to $16. Not a huge bump, but considering these drinks were pricey to begin with, they stand out when they increase even more! Check Out ALL the Price Increases at La Cava del Tequila HERE! Chefs de France EPCOT has certainly been home to quite a few costly increases and we’re sticking around for the next one. Chefs de France is located in the France Pavilion and serves up authentic French eats, including escargot for those who are willing to add some adventure to their meal. And, almost the ENTIRE menu got some extra bucks tacked on, including the kids’ menu. Chefs de France From salads to Boeuf Bourguignon to dessert, it all got a price increase. And, the most significant is the Menu Francais which increased from $49.50 to $54.90. Check Out a FULL List of the Price Increases at Chefs de France HERE! Cooling Hut & I.C. Expeditions Our last stop on our tour of price increases in Disney World is Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park. The park had been closed for almost a full year, but reopened back in March to welcome guests to the ski resort turned splash zone which meant that a lot of the prices were stuck back in March 2019. But, nothing can get past Disney, so we saw a price increase to quite a few classic Disney snacks at both the Cooling Hut and I.C. Expeditions including: Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich increased from $5.39 to $5.69 Mickey Ice Cream Bar increased from $5.39 to $5.69 Strawberry Fruit Bar increased from $4.99 to $5.19 Olaf Frozen Lemonade increased from $5.19 to $5.39 Cooling Hut And, I.C. Expeditions had one additional change on the Fanta Orange Float and Barq’s Root Beer Float, which increased from $4.99 to $5.49. I.C. Expeditions Now the price of the precious Mickey Premium Bar and other Disney ice cream snacks that you can find at many locations around the resort is the same across the board. Click HERE for ALL the Price Increases at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park! Disney may have dropped the price increase bomb on all these items, but there are still PLENTY of ways to save on your Disney World vacation. Check out our video below for all the tips!  By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our youtube channel and never miss a single episode!So check out the video and then let us know: Did any of your favorite Disney items get a price increase this year? 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. The post 10+ Things That Will Cost MORE on Your Next Disney World Vacation first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

During National Military Appreciation Month, we shine a spotlight on some of these courageous Disney Parks, Experiences and Products cast members.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DisneyParks/~4/4mDCIMnAEok View the full article

It’s time to celebrate Father’s Day and we have just the gifts for the Disney-loving dad figure in your life. From books and gadgets to in-person experiences and everything else in between, all gifts are available now at Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort, Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort, shopDisney.com, Disney stores and retailers globally!http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DisneyParks/~4/9DQLWVzUaKs View the full article

We gave you some tips for the perfect day at Disneyland Resort with your young family. But what if you’re cruising kid-free? We’ve got you covered there, too! There’s no better way to spend the day with your friends than by taking in the magic and thrills together at Disneyland Resort. So grab your crew and make it happen!http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DisneyParks/~4/GyZafWULkts View the full article

Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: Bringing Culture To The Kitchen | Disney Parks View the full article

Hello to all our DFB Friends! Toy Story Land We’ve been wandering around Disney’s Hollywood Studios, checking out all the snacks, merchandise, and more to see if anything new has turned up since we were last there. And we have a few updates for you! Hollywood Studios Food Updates The Market We found the PERFECT popcorn at The Market — the Sweet and Savory Popcorn. It’s Caramel Popcorn mixed with Cheese Popcorn and it’s the sweet and salty combo we’ve been waiting for. Sweet and Savory Popcorn And yes, it’s as delicious as it sounds. It’s available now for $7.50. Read Our Full Review of the Sweet and Savory Popcorn Hollywood Studios Merchandise Updates Black Spire Outfitters New shirt alert — and these are for Mandalorian fans. First, there’s a new Kid’s Mandalorian T-Shirt for $24.99. Kids Mando shirt And there’s a new Adult Mandalorian T-Shirt, too. This is the way This t-shirt is $36.99. PHOTOS: See What Disney World&#8217;s Star Wars Hotel Looks Like Now Creature Stall So maybe we’re a little obsessed with the new Lava Meerkat at the Creature Stall. But he talks AND is posable! Lava Meerkat Look at that little guy! You can take him home for $34,99. Check Out The New Character Plushes That Have Arrived at Star Wars: Galaxy&#8217;s Edge in Disney World The Dark Room The Loki series arrives soon on Disney+ and we’re seeing SO much merchandise at the parks. We found the Loki MagicBand at The Dark Room. One side has Loki (aka Tom Hiddleston) on it. God of Mischief The other side has The Variance Authority logo on it. The MagicBand is $39.99. The Variance Authority Who’s up for some new pins? Here’s a movie we don’t see a lot of merch for, but now there’s an Oliver & Company Pin Set. Oliver and Company We also found a Brother Bear Pin Set. Brother Bear! There are a few new Cars Pins, too, to celebrate the movie’s 15th Anniversary. One is an Annual Passholder exclusive pin! These pins are $19.99 each. Cars Pins The Silver Sparkle MagicBand is also back in stock. So sparkly These MagicBands are $24.99 each. See More Photos of the Sparkly MagicBands Keystone Clothiers For those kids who want to pretend to be Indiana Jones, they can now enter into the caves of their imaginations with a toy torch! Indiana Jones toy Torch How fun, right? Here Are Details About Indiana Jones 5! Resistance Supply We found a few new shirts at Resistance Supply, including this Adult Resist T-Shirt for $36.99. Resist. The back says “Be the spark. Light the fire.” Be the spark. There’s also a Kid’s Resist T-Shirt. Kid’s shirt This shirt is $29.99. PHOTOS: See What Disney World’s Star Wars Hotel Looks Like Now Hollywood Studios Attractions Updates Vacation Fun The stickers that were once on the seats of the theater here are now gone. All rows are also open. Vacation Fun seating Cast Members first told us to leave one seat between parties, but when we were there, it wasn’t that crowded so guests remained spaced out. See How Seating Has Changed For The Frozen Sing-A-Long Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy Every other row is still blocked off here, but the stickers on the benches saying not to sit in certain locations are gone. Seating at Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy This means that open rows can now seat more guests. See How Festival of the Lion King Has Changed Its Seating That’s all we’ve got this time, but we’ll be back soon with more updates, so stay tuned! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Have you been to Hollywood Studios recently? Let us know in the comments! The post What's New at Disney's Hollywood Studios: Loki Merchandise, An Iconic Popcorn Combo, and More first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

At the start of May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new instructions for the return to cruising. Carnival Cruise Line ©Carnival Since then we’ve seen some indications that cruises to Alaska may begin again this summer and have seen Disney Cruise Line cancel sailings through July. And now it looks like Carnival Cruise Line is one step closer to an eventual return to sailing. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given its approval for Carnival Cruise Line to begin running test sailings out of Port Canaveral, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Galveston, Texas. As Carnival’s own press release shares, the CDC specifically accepted their port agreements to allow for this start. Carnival notes, “Under the CDC guidelines, a cruise line must have agreements with its homeports that they are prepared to support the cruise operator with additional public health and operational resources prior to the implementation of simulated cruise and/or full guest operations.” ©Carnival The sailings that Carnival will be making out of these ports will be test sailings with volunteer passengers. Carnival will need to complete the test voyage with at least 10% passenger capacity and meet certain safety requirements. If Carnival can meet the requirements, then it will obtain a Conditional Sailing Certificate. These certificates are provided on a ship-by-ship basis though, so each will be specific to the ship being used for the test sailing. ©Carnival According to Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray, “This is a monumental step to getting the cruise industry up and running once again.” As the Orlando Sentinel notes, all ships that are looking to sail from the U.S. need to get approval from the CDC. If a cruise line agrees to sail with 98% of its crew vaccinated and 95% of passengers vaccinated, the CDC will allow that cruise line to skip the test cruise phase that Carnival is now attempting to complete. Disney Cruise Line Pirate Night The Orlando Sentinel shares that cruise lines like Carnival and Disney Cruise Line, whose passengers typically include a large number of families, are unlikely to meet those vaccination thresholds as COVID-19 vaccines have only been approved for those ages 12 and up at the moment. Other cruise lines, such as Celebrity Cruises, have already been given approval from the CDC to sail using the vaccine thresholds. But, the Orlando Sentinel notes that cruise lines trying to sail out of Florida under the vaccine threshold requirements could come in conflict with Florida’s executive order and law banning vaccine passports. Disney Cruise Line As of right now, Disney Cruise Line has not yet shared any updates regarding its approval to do test sailings or any vaccine requirements for future sailings out of the United States. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more updates about the situation with these cruise lines and let you know what we find. Stay tuned for all the latest news. Bookings have opened for Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Wish! Click here for more information. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post Test Cruises Out of Florida and Texas Given Approval By the CDC first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Maria and Enzo’s in Disney Springs, since its opening a few years ago, has been serving delicious Silician dishes alongside its sister restaurants Pizza Pointe and Enzo’s Hideaway! Maria and Enzo’s With special events like Carnevale last year, it’s no surprise that Maria and Enzo’s is back with another special event: they’ve partnered with Knob Creek to host Maria and Enzo’s Old Fashioned Evening! Maria and Enzo’s will be holding this exclusive ticketed event for adults 21 and over on June 23rd, 2021 at 7PM featuring Knob Creek whiskey! Poster for Maria and Enzo’s Old Fashioned Evening ©Patina Restaurant Group, Knob Creek The all-inclusive event has an entrance fee of $85 per person and features samples of Knob Creek’s rye whiskey and bourbon as well as two mixed drinks along with food pairings! The first drink is a Hazelnut Old Fashioned with Hideaway Knob Creek Bourbon, Frangelico, angostura bitters, and orange peel. The second drink is an Italian Old Fashioned with Knob Creek Maria’s Edition Rye, orange cello, sweet vermouth, and a splash of soda! There will also be three food pairings available for guests who attend the event including imported meat and cheese boards, mini arancini, and bourbon caramel truffles! Click here to grab tickets for Maria and Enzo’s Old Fashioned Evening! Knob Creek 15-Year Whiskey at the Polite Pig ©Polite Pig This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Knob Creek Whiskey at the Disney Parks either! Last year, the Polite Pig featured a bottle of Knob Creek 15-Year Whiskey. Tickets for Maria and Enzo’s Old Fashioned Evening are available now! These tickets are limited and will likely go fast, so be sure to grab yours ASAP! Remember, this event is adults only, so be sure to keep that in mind! We’re always keeping track of the latest news and events coming to the Disney Parks, so stay tuned on our website, YouTube Channel, and Newsletter for more! Click here to check our review of the Polite Pig’s 15-Year Bourbon! 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 Maria and Enzo’s Old Fashioned Evening? Let us know in the comments! The post Maria and Enzo's Is Hosting An Adults-Only Event in Disney World. Read All About It Here! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Throughout Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we’ve been celebrating the inspirational stories of our Asian American and Pacific Islander cast members at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Today, we’re sharing the experiences of two Disney chefs—Chef Conrado Pascual, known as “Chef Dhindo”, from Disneyland Resort and Chef Jessi Sudsa-nguan from Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DisneyParks/~4/DbsdqF02eo4 View the full article