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Hey, there! We’re back with another DFB Video today, and we’re talking about how hidden Disney holidays can affect your trip! How might a Park Anniversary play into your vacation? Clearly, we’re already kicking off the holiday season in Disney World… Christmas trees, garlands, and wreaths can suddenly been seen in various corners throughout the Resort. (Magic Kingdom is already decorated!) But what about hidden Disney holidays? I mean, sure, you’ve heard of Halloween, but have you heard of Dapper Days? How about the four theme park anniversaries? And what takes place the day after the Super Bowl? We’re talking about the Hidden Calendar of Disney World, and how these events may affect your Disney World vacation! And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our DFB YouTube Channel! 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! So check out the video and then let us know: Have you ever visited Disney World and been surprised by a hidden holiday? Related posts: DFB Video: Things Most People Don’t Know About Walt Disney World DFB Video: 11 Things Disney World Pros Do, And You Should, Too DFB Video: How to Survive Disney World Weather (and Hurricane Season) View the full article

Oh boy! It’s time to celebrate the True Original himself, Mickey Mouse! As part of the festivities to commemorate 90 years of Mickey, we’re inviting you to #ShareYourEars for the third year of this fantastically fun campaign benefiting Make-A-Wish! From now until November 17, 2018, take a photo showing off your “Mickey Mouse ears” – or any creative “ears” – and upload it to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. For every public post with the hashtag #ShareYourEars, Disney will donate US $5 to Make-A-Wish, up to US $2 million to grant even more wishes. Robin Roberts kicked off this year’s campaign during the “Mickey’s 90th Spectacular” last night on ABC, where the stars turned out to celebrate Mickey with song and dance, and even took their own #ShareYourEars photos! Disney fans already know how special a wish can be, and now you can help wish kids make magical memories. Get creative! Show us your unique “ear” style. And go global! This year, we’re excited to bring you #ShareYourEars opportunities around the world. Throughout the campaign, guests at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Paris can strike a pose in front of uniquely themed “ear walls” created exclusively for #ShareYourEars by Walt Disney Imagineering. At Hong Kong Disneyland Resort find photo frames along Main Street USA! Sailing away? You can also #ShareYourEars on Disney Cruise Line, with special photo ops that you can only find on Disney cruise ships! You can also stop by your local Disney store* through November 17 to decorate your own pair of paper Mickey Mouse ears. Show them off in the #ShareYourEars frame and post your pictures! Find your local Disney store here. “It is a tremendous honor to support children whose wish is to come to Disney. Wish granting exemplifies the magic our 160,000 cast members and Imagineers create for guests all over the world every day,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products. “With this third #Share Your Ears campaign, we’ll get to make a difference in the lives of even more children and families.” Since 1980, Disney has helped Make-A-Wish grant more than 130,000 wishes. This extraordinary relationship has helped wish kids around the world replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope. Currently, more than 10,000 Disney wishes are granted every year and we are so excited to help this number continue to grow! So grab your favorite ears or surprise us with a new creation, and #ShareYourEars to celebrate Mickey’s birthday. We can’t wait to see what ears you’ll share to make wishes come true! #ShareYourEars is part of the Disney Team of Heroes philanthropic initiative, which launched in March 2018 with a $100 million commitment to transform the children’s hospital experience and provide comfort and inspiration for kids and families. Learn more at ShareYourEars.org. *Disney stores in U.S. and Canada only; excluding outlets. View the full article

If you’ve been keeping tabs on ALL the Holiday-themed goodies coming to Disneyland Resort for the season, then you know there is all sorts of merry snacking on the way! And with all the specialty snacks coming to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure PLUS all of the eats and drinks for the Festival of Holidays, how can you possibly keep track of everything you’d like to try? Disney California Adventure Christmas Tree We’ll show you how… with DFB’s Exclusive Holidays at Disneyland Resort Printable Snack Checklists! That’s right! Since so many DFB readers found our Printable Snack Checklist for Halloween Time in Disneyland to be helpful, we’ve got three here for you for the Holidays at Disneyland Resort! Roasted Turkey Slider Coming Back to Festival of Holidays We’ve prepared three DFB Printable Disneyland Holiday Snack Checklists to help you track all your snacks! Be sure to print out your lists by clicking the images below to make sure you don’t miss any of your top picks! Happy Holidays… and Happy SNACKING!! Holiday Snack Checklist for Disneyland Park Holiday Snack Checklist for Disney California Adventure Holiday Snack Checklist for Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure Which item do you want to cross off your list first? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: MENUS for the 2018 Disneyland Resort Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure! Menus Updated with Prices for Disneyland Resort Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure FULL LIST of the Season’s Treats for the 2018 Holidays at Disneyland Resort! View the full article

If you are fan of ESPN, then ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort will be the place to be today. ESPN Radio’s signature morning program – Golic and Wingo – will be broadcasting live from the sports complex from 6 to 10 a.m. Fans who come out to the sports complex will get to experience a live, national sports talk radio broadcast hosted by ESPN radio personalities Mike Golic, Trey Wingo and Mike Golic, Jr., during the fourth stop of their annual Fall Football Tour. There is no admission charge to attend the event at the sports complex. The broadcasters will break down the biggest sports stories currently dominating headlines in professional and college football and offer their expert opinions on which Major League Baseball teams will emerge as championship contenders as the “hunt for October” begins Oct. 2. For more information about upcoming events taking place at the sports complex, please visit www.espnwwos.com. View the full article

Epcot’s World Showcase at Walt Disney World is home to so many interesting restaurants serving high-quality food from around the (actual) world that it can be hard to decide which to choose. Learn About: Nine Dragons Restaurant Epcot Restaurants Disney World Restaurants And frankly, Nine Dragons in the China Pavilion has been one that we’ve decided to skip much of the time. The setting is lovely and worth exploring, but in the past, the food has been lackluster, no better than most of the Americanized Chinese restaurants found in strip malls around the country. But we give second chances (and third and fourth and fifth) here at the DFB, so I made a reservation and hoped for something to love in this table service spot. And while I won’t say Nine Dragons has clawed its way up too far in the rankings of table service restaurants at Epcot, I will say that my most recent visit was the best I’ve had here. While I encourage you to take that with a grain of salt, I also want to acknowledge that plenty of you do enjoy eating here, and I will always cling to optimism that even the least palatable of Walt Disney World dining locations will be in a constant state of flux, striving for better. But let’s start with what we already love about Nine Dragons: its magical decor and warm atmosphere. Welcome to Nine Dragons! Atmosphere Nine Dragons is located at the front of the China Pavilion, on your left as you enter the beautifully landscaped and colorful area. Whether you’ve realized it or not, you’ve likely walked past Nine Dragons on your way to explore the House of Good Fortune store or made your way to Reflections of China. The China Pavilion The exterior of Nine Dragons maintains the overall design of the pavilion with its curvaceous roofline, exquisite wood work, and bright colors. Nine Dragons Restaurant The interior is equally beautiful, with rich wood tones, lights fashioned in the style of paper lanterns, and an ornate ceiling. Seating and Decor The details in the dining room are stunning. Take some time to admire them up close if you can. Woodwork Glass Dragon Glass etching in entrance Most seating is at tables with minimalistic design. If you can get a table with a view, go for it! We love watching the World go by during our meals. Seating and View From Restaurant There are some booths, large circular ones that seat six (or more, maybe, if you’ve got little ones in tow). Booth Seating with Round Table Place settings are simple, with paper placemats, a square white plate, and utensils. Nothing fancy or unique here, but it’s functional. Place setting Place Setting The mood in Nine Dragons isn’t particularly transportive — not in the way that spots like Restaurant Marrakesh and Le Cellier are — but it’s comfortable and provides many nods to Chinese craft traditions. Yet we all know that decor does not a terrific restaurant make. Let’s eat! Eats Nine Dragons features dragons throughout the restaurant, including in this message included on the menu. And while we think the “sacred pearl of wisdom and immortality” is all well and good, we’d also chase the sacred pearl of good eats. A Nine Dragons Message The Drink Menu at Nine Dragons features some Chinese specialties as well as plenty of wine and a few beers. Drinks at Nine Dragons I went with the Jade Beauty, as I did on my visit in 2012, and this time the drink was more balanced between the lemon, lime, and melon. It was sweet and enjoyable. Jade Beauty The menu at Nine Dragons hasn’t changed a tremendous amount over the years, which is great news if you are a fan of the dishes here. You can always find a version of a dumpling and favorites like spring rolls and bao buns on the apps menu, along with popular entrees like Kung Pao Chicken and Fried Rice. There’s also a Nine Dragons Family Dinner which might be economical if you’re planning on enjoying three courses anyway. Nine Dragons Dinner Menu There are also Chef Selections, which can vary from day to day (except they usually don’t). Chef’s Selection As you can see, I tried a whole bunch of stuff. If you dine here with a large group, getting a selection of items and sharing can be a ton of fun. Nine Dragons Spread First up: Sichuan Chicken Dumplings. These were awesome — flavorful and slightly spicy with a good texture on the wrappers. Garnishes were fresh red onion, carrot, scallions, cilantro, and daikon radish. These were a great foil to the savory dumplings. Sichuan Dumplings My second appetizer was the worst item of the day: Pork Belly Bao. Yeah, that combination of words should be a homerun, but this pork belly was not prepared well. While the flavor was there, the melt-in-your-mouth texture of a good pork belly preparation was missing. Such a bummer because it had potential! Pork Belly Bao Buns The Spinach Noodles are on the menu as a side dish, but they’re certainly filling enough to be a meal. The spinach flavor is not pronounced (although the color is!), and the real flavor comes from the garlic dressing. I actually loved this — it was understated enough in flavor for pickier kiddos to enjoy (no, your child who will ONLY eat noodles will butter won’t like it, but maybe your kid who isn’t sure about Chinese food, but willing to try, will enjoy it) and offered a good side to some of the more flavorful dishes. Spinach Noodles For main dishes, I went with Typhoon Shelter Shrimp, which features fried shrimp, shallots, garlic, jalapenos, and a side of sweet chili aioli. Typhoon Shelter Shrimp This dish is flavor explosion, with tonnnnns of flaky garlic. The best thing about this dish is that it’s not saucy (thanks to that side of aioli), so the various components keep their various textures. And while this isn’t going to win any awards for innovation, the “fried thing with spicy aioli” that I love so much is coming through here with flying colors. So, if that’s your thing, you’ll enjoy this dish. The sweet chili aioli was great. Typhoon Shelter Shrimp The Chef’s Selection was Spicy Honey Crispy Chicken, and this was a great dish. Inventive? No. But tasty and satisfying, owing to that big serving of fried, glossy chicken. Also, on the spicy heat meter it was about a 5 out of 10, so not a problem if you’re not a huge spicy heat fan. Spicy Honey Crispy Chicken Real talk, desserts at Nine Dragons aren’t making it a destination any time soon, and unfortunately, the one I chose on this visit was among the worst I’ve had. Dessert Menu Banana Cheesecake Eggrolls are a clever food mash-up on paper. But the reality on this visit was gray, mushy banana in a crispy wrapper. Gray. Mushy. Banana. I didn’t see where the cheesecake came in at all. It was downright unappetizing. Banana Cheesecake Eggrolls I’ve had these before and found them to be not so bad, but on this visit, they were a hard pass. Sorry, Dragons. This one should be torched. Banana Cheesecake Eggrolls If I had stopped at the entrees, this visit would have been a (surprising) win! I’m not saying I’ll be swapping out my Via Napoli or Spice Road Table ADRs for Nine Dragons, but I enjoyed myself, and I even look forward to going back again! SEE? CHANGE CAN HAPPEN! Nosh or Not? Get your dumpling on at Nine Dragons if: You love Chinese food, whether it’s authentic or Americanized authentic. You want to try something a little off your beaten path, and this is the least intimidating option in World Showcase. All the best ADRs are already taken and you need a table service restaurant in Epcot. Ride your dragon to another spot if: You’re not looking to eat food you can get at a decent Chinese place closer to home (and cheaper!). A table service restaurant doesn’t fit with your Epcot schedule. You want to try something a little more unusual. Overall This visit to Nine Dragons was the best I’ve had, but that’s not to say that it’s suddenly become a stellar, drop-everything-and-get-there kind of place. Still, it was delicious (save for the Pork Belly Bao and that dessert!), satisfying, and appropriate for all kinds of diners, from the adventurous to the somewhat picky. The service was polite and efficient, and one of the highlights of the experience. So if you’ve got an open meal time and want to give it a try, stop in or make an ADR. It just might surprise you! Want to get lost in some fun Disney menus and food reviews? Check out our Disney World Restaurant Guide! Have you enjoyed a meal at Nine Dragons? Let us know what you thought! Share your experience in the comments. Related posts: 21 Myths About Walt Disney World Food DEBUNKED Recommended Disney World Dining Plan One Credit Restaurant Values Review: Unique Eats at Epcot’s Spice Road Table in Walt Disney World! View the full article

Today is National Donut Day, and the best place at Walt Disney World Resort to indulge in this sweet holiday is Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. That’s right – Typhoon Lagoon has some of the best donuts around the vacation kingdom, and you can find them at the Joffrey’s stand just across from Singapore Sal’s merchandise shop. These hot and fresh, made-to-order mini-donuts are incredible! They come dusted with cinnamon-sugar, but the delicious dipping sauces really put them over the top. You can choose from raspberry, chocolate or white-chocolate varieties. The mini-donuts come in orders of six or 12 – after you try one, you’ll definitely want a baker’s dozen. So, while you’re splashing around Typhoon Lagoon, take a break from experiencing signature attractions such as Crush ‘n’ Gusher and Miss Adventure Falls to chow down on some delicious desserts. The mini-donuts are only available at Disney’s Water Parks, so be sure to drop into Typhoon Lagoon, catch a wave and savor these sweet treats. Happy National Donut Day! View the full article

We’re kicking off the week with a Disney Doodle by artist Ashley Taylor, who today, imagines what the Country Bears would do first if they could visit Walt Disney World Resort for the holidays. According to Ashley, this sleuth of bears would seek out some country hospitality at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. “The Wilderness Lodge is absolutely beautiful during the holidays,” Ashley said. “I can imagine the Country Bears having a fun time helping with the holiday decor!” View the full article

Join Disney Parks Moms Panelist, Korliss, as she previews holiday happenings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Disney Springs. From spectacular holiday shows, amazing shopping and behind the scenes tours — the holidays are truly magical at Walt Disney World Resort! For more information about celebrating the holiday season at Disney Parks, or for questions about planning your next Disney vacation, visit DisneyParksMomsPanel.com for a personalized answer from one of our knowledgeable panelists. View the full article

Just when we thought Disney’s Animal Kingdom might be going straight from Halloween to Christmas, they surprised us with a new cupcake perfect for the time in between the spooky season and the holiday season. Thanksgiving Cupcake Introducing the new Thanksgiving Cupcake! What flavor is it, where can you get one, and can you use a snack credit? Let’s find out! Thanksgiving Cupcake The Thanksgiving Cupcake is made of yellow cake filled with cinnamon mousse. It’s topped with a chocolate and buttercream turkey. Thanksgiving Cupcake Yellow cake and cinnamon? Yes, please! Also, look at those perfect fall colors! Thanksgiving Cupcake Find this festive Thanksgiving Cupcake at quick service locations throughout Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The price is $5.99, and yes, you can use a Disney Dining Plan snack credit! Thanksgiving Cupcake 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 World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What’s New!! chapter for the 2018 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World’s busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And of course we’ll tell you where to eat! ;-D Order your 2018 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don’t love it, you get your money back! Have you tried the new Thanksgiving Cupcake at Animal Kingdom? Please leave a comment and let us know what you thought! Related posts: What’s New at Animal Kingdom (Satu’li Menu Updates!) and the All-Star Resorts?? One Year In, These Are The Best Snacks in Disney World’s Pandora, The World of Avatar! Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Menu UPDATES! What’s New To Eat?! View the full article

Walt Disney Co. again is launching a “Share Your Ears” campaign that will benefit Make-A-Wish, the organization that tries to bring happiness to children with illnesses. Disney will donate $5 to Make-A-Wish for every public photo of Mickey Mouse ears posted onto Facebook, Instagram and Twitter... View the full article

The very first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party of the season kicks off on November 8, 2018 in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. And one of the of things we look forward to the most at this extra-ticket event are the Party-exclusive treats available for guests to purchase! Holiday Decorations in Magic Kingdom While the full list of treats has not yet been released for this year’s Party, we do know that two of the treats will be themed to Vanellope von Schweetz from Ralph Breaks the Internet. According to wdwnews.com, a Sugar Rush Jumbo Red Velvet Cupcake and a Vanellope Éclair with rainbow cereal topping are on their way to Magic Kingdom for Party guests! Snow on Main Street, USA during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! We can’t wait to check out this year’s full list of treats — especially when we’re at the Party this coming Thursday! In the meantime, if you’d like to check out Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party — including all the specialty treats — from last year, check out our DFB YouTube Video!  Are you attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year? Please let us know with a comment! Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What’s New!! chapter for the 2018 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World’s busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And of course we’ll tell you where to eat! ;-D Order your 2018 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don’t love it, you get your money back! Related posts: 2018 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party AND Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets ON SALE Fireworks Dessert Parties and Dining Information for Mickey’s Halloween and Christmas Parties See the Exclusive Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Card for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! View the full article

Classic Afternoon Tea at Steakhouse 55 in Disneyland Hotel becomes a seasonal affair at certain times throughout the year, and one of those times is during the Holidays at Disneyland Resort! Disney California Adventure Christmas Tree A Very Merry Holiday Tea Party will take place on select dates from November 16th through December 31st. Before we talk about the menu, you should know that seasonal teas are really well-themed. Check out the Pixar Fest Afternoon Tea, which took place over the summer, as an example! Hot and Iced Teas Guests can look forward to treats like a Monte Cristo donut with lingonberry jam, and tea sandwiches likes cucumber hummus, smoked salmon pumpernickel, and a classic British curry chicken sandwich. Festive sweets will include chocolate “coal” scones, desserts shaped like holiday wreaths, and snowmen and Mickey in Christmas hats! Steakhouse 55 Seasonal teas will feature an apple pie green tea, an herbal sugar plum rooibos, and a nutcracker black tea with hints of hazelnut and vanilla. Specialty cocktails will include a pear martini cocktail and a peppermint champagne spritz. See our full review of the seasonal Pixar Fest Afternoon Tea here! Afternoon tea takes place at Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM. Guests can choose from the Classic Tea Party or Premium Tea Party (which includes sparkling wine, salad, and a farewell truffle), and a Kids Tea Party is also available. Reservations can be made via Disneyland.com, the Disneyland App, or by calling the 714-781-DINE. No matter when your next trip to Disneyland takes place, you can check out our Disneyland Must-Eats in our DFB YouTube Video! Have you ever attended Afternoon Tea at the Disneyland Hotel? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: Dining in Disneyland: Afternoon Tea at Disneyland Hotel’s Steakhouse 55 News: Afternoon Tea Packages Coming to Steakhouse 55 in the Disneyland Hotel News: Special Menus for New Year’s Eve in Disneyland View the full article

Next time you visit the Purple Wall at Walt Disney World‘s Magic Kingdom, be sure to say hello to its new neighbor: the #ShareYourEars Wall! Share Your Ears Wall at Magic Kingdom As part of Mickey Mouse’s 90th Birthday celebration, you can snap a fun picture in front of this adorable new Tomorrowland wall and support the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Read on to find out how! Share Your Ears Wall at Magic Kingdom From November 4 – 17, 2018, just post a picture of yourself with your “Mickey Mouse Ears or any creative ears” on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter and be sure to use the hashtag #ShareYourEars. For every public post, Disney will donate $5 to Make-A-Wish — up to $2 million. If you post your picture at the wall — it’s even more fun for you, but Disney will donate no matter where you post from! Share Your Ears Wall at Magic Kingdom The DFB Team spotted a #ShareYourEars Wall in Disney’s Hollywood Studios this morning, too! This one is located behind the Chinese Theater building, near the entrance to Toy Story Land. We may see more #ShareYourEars Walls pop up at Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs today. Share Your Ears Wall at Hollywood Studios Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Your turn: Which #ShareYourEars Wall at Walt Disney World is your favorite? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: News: New Dining Discounts for Disney World Annual Passholders for 45th Anniversary Year What’s New Around Walt Disney World — January 23, 2017 Disney World Mac and Cheese Gallery View the full article

We just showed you the cute-as-a-button Snowman Ornament Drink Holder in Animal Kingdom… and today we’re BACK at Animal Kingdom to show you two more holiday souvenirs! One is a Disney parks tradition, and one is brand new this year. Let’s start with the new Gingerbread Mickey Straws! Gingerbread Mickey Straw This souvenir straw ($4.00) is swirled to resemble a peppermint stick, and a smiling Gingerbread Mickey is clipped right on! Gingerbread Mickey Straw And the Holiday Popcorn Buckets have made their debut in Animal Kingdom, too! While Minnie and Pluto set the scene with a snowman, a snowball fight is also taking place. 2018 Holiday Refillable Popcorn Bucket Mickey, Chip and Dale are at the ready… 2018 Holiday Refillable Popcorn Bucket … and look who takes the first snowball right in the face?! 2018 Holiday Refillable Popcorn Bucket There’s even a hint of iridescence to the wintery blue lid. 2018 Holiday Refillable Popcorn Bucket And, hey, while we’re here, let’s just take another look at the cutie Snowman Ornament Drink Holder ($8.00)! Snowman Ornament Drink Holder Snowman Ornament Drink Holder Snowman Ornament Drink Holder We found these items at Mahindi (the Harambe Popcorn Cart) and Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks. Now, so far we have spotted these in Animal Kingdom only. (When we were at the Magic Kingdom this morning for breakfast at The Plaza, they weren’t there yet). And, yep, the Pluto Popcorn Bucket is here, too. Holiday Souvenirs at Mahindi But it’s only a matter of time before the Popcorn Buckets, at the very least, will be available as the Refillable Popcorn Bucket in all the Disney World parks. (The price is $10.00, which you can refill for $2.00 a pop for your length of stay.) So, it’s time to decide what you’d like Santa to fill your stocking with from Disney World this year! Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What’s New!! chapter for the 2018 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World’s busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And of course we’ll tell you where to eat! ;-D Order your 2018 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don’t love it, you get your money back! Which holiday souvenir would you like the most so far? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: News: Updates to Refillable Popcorn Bucket Program in Disney World What’s New Around Walt Disney World: September 20, 2016 What’s New Around Walt Disney World: March 15, 2016 View the full article

We’ve spotted holiday merchandise all over the parks and Disney Springs in the last couple of weeks. Now, our stop in Epcot yielded even more holiday goodies! We spotted this jolliness in Mouse Gear, the America Pavilion store, and a Food and Wine Festival merchandise booth between the Japan and Morocco pavilions that has been converted to a holiday merchandise booth. Happy Holidays Hat — with Lights! Our holiday merchandise crawl (if you can have food crawls why not merchandise crawls!) started out in Mouse Gear in Future World where we found this Santa Hat that lights up to add to the festive feeling! In addition to lighting up, this hat also has Mickey Ears! Happy Holidays Hat — with Lights and Mickey Ears! The Santa hat isn’t the only thing that lights up this year. This wooden sign is super trendy — here it is all lit up… Merry and Bright Sign …and here it is when it isn’t illuminated! We’re going to need more wall and mantle space for all of this merriment. Merry and Bright Sign When we say there is a lot of holiday merchandise out there — there is a lot! Choose from aprons, oven mitts, nut crackers, jingle bell necklaces (they light up too!), to sweet treats, and cutting boards! Holiday Merchandise in Mouse Gear Holiday Merchandise in Mouse Gear We have to add that Merry and Bright cutting board to our kitchen this season. In case you need help falling off that sticking-to-my-nutritious diet plan, you’ve got all sorts of sweet treats to choose from like gingerbread popcorn, hot chocolate, peppermint marshmallows, peppermint bark, krispie treats…this list could go on and on. Holiday Merchandise in Mouse Gear We also spotted the new holiday pajamas and lounge wear here that we also saw in World of Disney in Disney Springs. Holiday Pajamas and Lounge Wear in Mouse Gear Holiday Pajamas and Lounge Wear in Mouse Gear In World Showcase, between the Japan and Morocco Pavilion a Food and Wine Festival merchandise booth has been converted to a holiday merchandise booth and carries merchandise from some of the country pavilions. World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth We spotted ornaments from Norway, Germany, France, and other pavilions. World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth — Norway Ornament World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth — Norway Ornament World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth — Italy Ornament How cute is this Paris ornament with the Mickey Ears and a cute looking Mickey and Minnie in Paris? World Showcase Holiday France Ornament It is fitting to find an “it’s a small world” ornament in the World Showcase! World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth — “it’s a small world” Ornament We are also into this Rapunzel ornament; we can just see her painting this while she sits in her tower! World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth — Rapunzel Ornament The Christmas Pickle ornament from Germany is here as well! World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth — Ornament Selection World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth — Ornament Selection If you’re looking for snow while in Central Florida here’s a snowflake that will survive the Florida climate! World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth Lastly, we have seen this in other locations, but really like this castle ornament as a memento of your trip to Disney! World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Booth — Castle Ornament Over in the America Pavilion there’s a selection of Disney Traditions items by Jim Shore featuring favorite and classic characters getting ready for Christmas. This does not look like a safe arrangement! The always cute Dopey is in charge of the lights Pooh and his friends are in the holiday spirit as well — well as spirited as Eeyore can get! Eeyore is ready for a jolly season Pooh and Piglet out for a walk This looks like it was plucked out of a Christmas Carol! All we need is Tiny Tim. A Christmas Carol scene Disney Traditions The Pumpkin King’s Halloween may be over, but Sandy Claws is here to celebrate Christmas Sandy Claws Tinkerbell is also here with a jam-packed stocking! Tinkerbell at Christmas With each visit to the parks our shopping list grows longer and longer! What are your must-haves from this post? Let us know in the comments below! Check out our NEW video 25 Must Do Holiday Activities in Disney World! When you’re done – check out all of our Videos on You Tube! 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 World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What’s New!! chapter for the 2018 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World’s busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And of course we’ll tell you where to eat! ;-D Order your 2018 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don’t love it, you get your money back! Related posts: More Holiday Merchandise (Plus Chocolate Peppermint Marshmallows!) Pops Up in Disney’s Hollywood Studios Pre-Order the DFB Guide to the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival…and Get the 2014 Guide FREE! Epcot Food and Wine Festival Review: French Family Meal Traditions Luncheon View the full article

The Plaza Restaurant in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is a longtime favorite. Learn About: The Plaza Restaurant Magic Kingdom Disney World Restaurants Tucked at the end of Main Street, U.S.A., this small location (as compared to your usual table service restaurant) is completely packed with old-fashioned charm echoing Main Street’s turn-of-the-century feel. The Plaza Restaurant is typically a spot for lunch and dinner, but this morning a new meal made its debut: breakfast! You can currently make an Advance Dining Reservation for breakfast from 7:45 – 10:30 AM. And, as of press time, The Plaza will be serving breakfast through March 2, 2019. (It is unknown at this time whether the meal will be extended beyond that date.) So let’s start our Magic Kingdom day with breakfast at The Plaza Restaurant! The Plaza Restaurant sign Atmosphere We can’t help but say that The Plaza Restaurant — filled with sunlight pouring in from the windows — is a perfectly charming space to begin the day! Outside Plaza Restaurant You may be seated in the main dining area. Main Dining Area Table Seating The other seating option is the solarium dining room, where we were seated this morning. Second Dining Area Solarium Seating View from the Solarium Decorative elements also help you feel like you’ve made the trip back in time as a citizen of Main Street, U.S.A. The Plaza decor The Plaza decor Lighting Fixtures But let’s get to what we came here for… because it’s time to dig in to BREAKFAST! Eats Breakfast at the Plaza features traditional breakfast classics alongside some specialty dishes. The All-American Classic Breakfast Platter and Steak and Eggs meet items like Mickey Waffles and Lobster-Fried Green Tomato Eggs Benedict among the choices. (Just click the image to enlarge.) Breakfast Menu (click to enlarge) A la carte sides are available as well, including Biscuits and Gravy. Sides The kiddos can also choose a Kids portion of Mickey Waffles or a Breakfast Platter, or just some simple cereal for smaller appetites. You’ll notice the Kids Meals are served with drinks. Kids’ Breakfast Menu Care to start your Magic Kingdom day with a Specialty Cocktail, like the Plaza’s Mimosa or a Peach Bellini? Because you can do that. Specialty Cocktails and Wine Non-alcoholic selections include Smoothies. Choose from Berry Blast and Raspberry-Vanilla-Peach. (By the way, we did ask, but at this time the Plaza’s famous Milkshakes are not available during breakfast.) Non-alcoholic Beverages But, of course, you can always begin with a simple cup o’ joe. Coffee and Cream OR… Plaza’s Mimosa I mean, how could we resist Plaza’s Mimosa, especially when it’s made with POG Juice — that special Disney blend of passion, orange, and guava juices lending its tropical flavors? Plaza’s Mimosa For our first breakfast at The Plaza, we went with something sweet and something savory: Mickey Waffles and the Country Ham Eggs Benedict. Mickey Waffles and Country Ham Eggs Benedict Now, we all know Mickey Waffles are great as is… they’re just a special morning treat whether you are at The Plaza or your Resort Counter Service location… ‘cuz MICKEY. At The Plaza, the waffles are sprinkled with powdered sugar and served atop a banana pastry cream. Mickey Waffles Included sides are sausage, bacon, and a small bowl of fruit. Sausage and Bacon This particular batch of Mickey Waffles was nicely golden brown with a slight crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. Delicious, as always. Mickey Waffles As you can see, they are served with syrup, if that’s your preference. But we really enjoyed the twist on the classic that came from the addition of the banana pastry cream. It was so yummy with the waffles, in fact, that it proved to be a highlight of the meal. Banana Pastry Cream And that small side of fruit — just simple grapes and berries — helped the full entree to be a nice amount of food, overall. Side of Fruit The Country Ham Eggs Benedict takes two poached eggs, smoked Alpine ham, and creamy Hollandaise Sauce sprinkled with fresh herbs and places it all on top of buttermilk biscuits. Country Ham Eggs Benedict These are served with Breakfast Potatoes, which are given a bit of kick from onions, diced peppers, and herbs. Breakfast Potatoes Truly, this is another winner, thanks to some great tang from the Hollandaise. Country Ham Eggs Benedict And though you can’t really see it due to the generous toppings, the buttermilk biscuits underneath were nice and fluffy! A fun change from the typical English muffin. Country Ham Eggs Benedict And with that… it’s time to start the rest of the day in the Magic Kingdom… where, by the way, the Christmas Tree is now on full display! Magic Kingdom Christmas Tree Magic Kingdom Town Square for Christmas Magic Kingdom Christmas Tree Nosh or Not? You may want to try breakfast at The Plaza Restaurant if: You’d like to start your Magic Kingdom day in an absolutely classic setting. You are all about tasty variations on Eggs Benedict! You enjoy the idea of sipping on a POG Mimosa in view of Cinderella Castle. You may want to skip breakfast at The Plaza Restaurant if: You are on the Disney Dining Plan and know that you can better maximize your table service credit at lunch or dinner versus the out-of-pocket prices. You prefer to head straight for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, or Big Thunder Mountain after rope drop! Overall Well, as we suspected when it was announced (and as did many other people, the way the Advance Dining Reservations have been filling up), breakfast at The Plaza Restaurant is a very pleasant start to the day. The morning view from Main Street, U.S.A. just steps away from Cinderella Castle offers a quintessential beginning to a day in Magic Kingdom. And the fact that you can enjoy some classic breakfast dishes with just enough of a twist to make them special — AND tasty! — makes it an even better option. Cheers to breakfast at The Plaza Restaurant! The Plaza Restaurant is located on Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom. Take a complete Food Tour of the area in our DFB YouTube Video! Would you like to try breakfast at The Plaza? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: Advance Dining Reservations for Breakfast at Magic Kingdom’s Plaza Restaurant Extended HOLIDAY Tips from the DFB Guide: Where to Dine When You Don’t Have a Reservation in Walt Disney World News: Liberty Tree Tavern Menu Updates (And Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake for DINNER!) View the full article

How does Thanksgiving at Disney Springs sound – maybe at a steakhouse with chic decor and rooftop dining? If you’re tempted, STK Orlando has just released their special Thanksgiving menus for 2018. Upper Level Patio Dining at STK Orlando On Thursday, November 22, STK will be serving their full signature menu along with a special Thanksgiving menu. So, what’s for dinner? Read on – we’ve got the details! Thanksgiving Menu at STK Orlando Start with Lobster Butternut Squash Soup, then dive into Herb Roasted Turkey Breast, Chestnut Stuffing, Orange Cranberry Chutney, Sweet Potato Puree with hints of Maple and Vanilla, Creamy Yukon Mashed Potatoes, French Green Beans, and Traditional Gravy. Finish off your meal with Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crumble and Cranberry Compote. (Hey, can we come, too?) STK Orlando Thanksgiving Specials © STK Because Walt Disney World and Disney Springs restaurants usually book up quickly around the holidays, be sure to make your dining reservations as soon as possible. You can book through My Disney Experience, Open Table, or by calling STK directly at (407) 917-7440. Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What’s New!! chapter for the 2018 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World’s busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And of course we’ll tell you where to eat! ;-D Order your 2018 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don’t love it, you get your money back! Are you spending Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World? Leave a comment and let us know where you’ll be dining! Related posts: First Look! STK Orlando in Disney Springs Full Review: STK Orlando in Disney Springs What’s New in Disney Springs! August 10, 2018 View the full article

Since it’s after 11:59 PM on October 31, the holiday season has officially arrived at Walt Disney World! This adorable Mickey Snowman Ornament Drink Holder was one of the first festive items to make an appearance at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Mickey Snowman Ornament Drink Holder at Animal Kingdom You’ve probably seen this cute little guy all over Instagram, and it’s no surprise that he keeps selling out. Made of plastic with a flip-up lid, the Mickey Snowman Ornament Stein is similar to the Chewbacca Souvenir Steins available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Poison Apple Steins from Halloween. The small and medium paper drink cups from Disney Parks will fit right inside! Mickey Snowman Ornament Stein at Animal Kingdom This Snowman obviously keeps up with his Disney news, too, because he’s wearing a special Mickey Mouse Club ear hat – just in time for Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday! Mickey Snowman Ornament Drink Holder at Animal Kingdom The Mickey Snowman Ornament Stein is $8 (not including the beverage) and is available at snack carts throughout Animal Kingdom. Since this holiday stein keeps selling out, your best bet is to try and buy yours first thing in the morning. Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What’s New!! chapter for the 2018 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World’s busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And of course we’ll tell you where to eat! ;-D Order your 2018 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don’t love it, you get your money back! Tell us in the comments: is the Mickey Snowman Ornament Drink Holder on your Christmas list this year? Related posts: News: Tiffins Prix Fixe Menus! Plus: Review of Two New Eats in Pandora! 36 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do at Walt Disney World! One Year In, These Are The Best Snacks in Disney World’s Pandora, The World of Avatar! View the full article

Did you race in the runDisney Wine and Dine 5k, 10k, or half marathon at Walt Disney World this weekend? If so, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Florida Kitchen has a special discount just for you! © Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Florida Kitchen The Disney Springs restaurant is offering 20% off of food and non-alcoholic beverages all day Sunday, November 4. © Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Florida Kitchen The discount applies to food and non-alcoholic beverages. Just show your race bib or medal to save! We love Homecomin’ — enjoy! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Are you running in one of the Wine and Dine races this weekend? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Disney World Mac and Cheese Gallery What’s New in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World: May 7, 2018 The Five Best Table Service Salads at Walt Disney World (According To The Experts!) View the full article

Our latest trip to Hollywood Studios was packed with updates! The park is starting to get ready for the holidays and the arrival of the Flurry of Fun (that starts this week!) with lights and merch all over, progress continues on Stars Wars construction and refurbishments and they are ready to open a new car entrance! We’ve collected all of the updates for you! It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas in Hollywood Studios! Like we said, the holidays are here in Hollywood Studios! In addition to a lot of holiday merch we spotted lights going up as well as decor. New Stars Wars Merchandise There’s a new line of Star Wars character mugs as well as a new collection of baseball hats for the Star Wars fans in your life. New R2-D2 Mug We are loving the full-hat design of the new collection of hats. New Star Wars Hat Check out the complete line of mugs and hats here. We know this isn’t Star Wars, but couldn’t resist this hat! How many times have you had a Bruce Banner/Hulk kind of day? New Hulk Hat An Abundance of Holiday Merchandise When we were in the park last week we saw mostly sweet treats from the holiday line, but this week we saw everything! There’s ugly sweaters, decor, stockings, plates, mugs, more sweet treats, plush characters, and so much more in the parks now! Take a look at everything we found so far! It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas in Hollywood Studios! A Festive Chip and Dale And kind of holiday related (well, cold weather related)…they are already selling the think blankets on the mobile carts along with cooling fans! While it may still be 80° in Central Florida at night, you can pick these up for the chilly nights you may encounter when you get home! Blankets…and Fans…For Sale on Mobile Carts Holiday Decor All Around the Park We spotted holiday lights going up at restaurants and on Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards. This is getting us pretty excited for the return of Flurry of Fun (and snow!) in Hollywood Studios next week! Christmas Lights in Hollywood Studios Sunset Boulevard Holiday Lights and Stars Vampirina Has Arrived for Meet and Greets! Everyone’s favorite vampire has landed in Hollywood Studios for Character Meet and Greets! Check out her new home in Hollywood Studios! Meet and Greet Vampirina at Hollywood Studios Star Wars Construction Updates The anticipation is building as Fall of 2019 gets closer, and that means the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. We checked in on the construction progress for this new land , as well as the refurbishment of Tatooine Traders. Star Wars Land Galaxy’s Edge Construction Progress Check out more construction and refurbishment photos here, including the progress on the stage area for the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away stage area. PizzeRizzo Transitions to Seasonal Operations PizzeRizzo has transitioned to seasonal operations, and is currently closed. There is a sign outside the location offering a list of other dining options in the park. PizzeRizzo is Seasonal Updates to Hollywood Studios Parking Lot for New Car Entrance A new car entrance to Hollywood Studios will open November 8. We scoped out all of the changes and updates made to the parking lot to accommodate this new entrance. Check out all of the photos here. New Car Entrance for Hollywood Studios Opening November 8 Disney Skyliner Progress We are getting so excited for the new Disney Skyliner system to open! With the 2019 opening time frame getting closer and closer, and progress moving along we are ready for this new system! Check out all of the progress on the Hollywood Studios Skyliner Station here. Hollywood Studios Skyliner Station That’s all the news from this week in Hollywood Studios. Stay informed on all the news in the parks! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Check out our NEW 25 Must Do Holiday Activities in Disney World! When you’re done – check out all of our Videos on You Tube!  Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What’s New!! chapter for the 2018 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World’s busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And of course we’ll tell you where to eat! ;-D Order your 2018 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don’t love it, you get your money back! Related posts: Star Wars and Tatooine Traders Construction Updates in Hollywood Studios NEW Eats, Merch, and Construction Updates: Disney’s Hollywood Studios What’s New in Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Everything We Found this Week! View the full article

This week, Disney Parks Blog readers were among the first to learn about new celebrity narrators at the highly anticipated Candlelight Processional during the 2018 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, Nov. 22-Dec. 30. As many of you know, the Candlelight Processional is a beloved part of the Walt Disney World holiday season. Celebrity narrators read the biblical Christmas story backed by a 50-piece orchestra and massed choir. And for the first time, performances of the Candlelight Processional begin on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. To see the updated list of narrators, visit our original Candlelight Processional story. And for more information about Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, visit DisneyWorld.com/Holidays. We also shared two of our popular Foodie Guides filled with everything you need to know about the 2018 Holidays at Disneyland Resort, including Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure park. This special holiday festival returns on November 9 and runs through January 8. For more information on Disney Festival of Holidays as well as Holidays at Disneyland Resort, check out the Disneyland Resort site. Here are some of the other stories we worked on this week. Disney Parks Blog Readers Enjoy an Early Look of ‘The Nutcracker and The Four Realms’ at a Special Advance Screening – Disney’s “The Nutcracker and The Four Realms” opens this Friday, but last Sunday, 250 Disney Parks Blog Readers got an early look with a special advance screening. Trendy Top 5 Fun for Families at Epcot International Food and Wine Festival – Did somebody say ‘trendy?’ In “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” Yesss, the voice of Taraji P. Henson, is the head algorithm of a trend-making website called BuzzzTube. If it’s hip, if it’s trendy, if it’s now, Yesss has seen it first and shared it with the world. Tune In for ‘Mickey’s 90th Spectacular’ ABC TV Special on Nov. 4 – Join us as we celebrate 90 years of the one-and-only Mickey Mouse in a two-hour, prime-time special on ABC airing this Sunday, November 4 starting at 8:00 p.m. EST. #DisneyFamilia: Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Epcot! – Día de los Muertos is almost here, and to celebrate we want to invite you to the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot! Now Shining: Pixar Lamp at Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Park – We’re excited to shine a first look on the newest addition to Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure park. Now standing atop the dazzling Pixar Pier marquee is an iconic Pixar Lamp! Rosita Flying into The Tropical Hideaway in Disneyland Park – You may have heard about The Tropical Hideaway opening later this year in Disneyland park. This new Adventureland outpost will serve as an exotic marketplace for discovering unique food and beverages. 2019 Star Wars Rival Run Weekend Themes Revealed – Earlier this year, we announced that for the fourth year of our Star Wars race weekend at Walt Disney World Resort we will be celebrating the epic rivalries of the saga. we’re excited to share with you the individual race themes, each featuring a light side and dark side rivalry. View the full article

Happy November from Epcot! November brings Dia de los Muertos to the Mexico Pavilion, a lot of Holiday merchandise to the park, the end of the Food and Wine Festival on November 12 and the start of the Festival of the Holidays on November 18 to this really busy park! That’s in addition to the construction for the new Guardians of the Galaxy and Ratatouille rides and installation of the park’s Skyliner station!! Here’s everything we found! Epcot Mexico Pavilion: Dia de los Muertos T-Shirt Celebrate Dia de los Muertos in the Mexico Pavilion through November 4 with a selection of merchandise and a visiting artist! Dia de los Muertos Celebrations The Mexico pavilion is hosting visiting artist Carmellita Melchor Jimon in the Plaza de los Amigos through November 4. She will be there painting and signing Catrinas. In addition, you’ll find a selection of Dia de los Muertos merchandise including shirts, tumblers, and Minnie Ears! Epcot Mexico Pavilion: Visiting Artist Carmelita Melchor Jimon New Prize for Remy’s Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt Remy’s Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt has proven to be one of the most popular activities during the Food and Wine Festival, so popular they ran out of prizes! But don’t worry, there are new prizes that we find just as appealing and fun! Get all the details on the new prizes here. Remy’s Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt Prizes Pumpkin Spice Alert! Get Your Fix at Norway’s Kringla Bakeri og Kafe Pumpkin Spice fans we spotted a Pumpkin Spice Pretzel in the case at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe while we were in the Norway Pavilion. Of course, we couldn’t just walk by this, we tried it out. Read our review here! Pumpkin Pretzel We also saw the temporary structure (like a Food and Wine booth) that served as the Bakeri while Kringla was being refurbished, Midnattsol Bakeri, has been taken away. Goodbye Midnattsol Bakeri Germany’s Bier Carts Updated Germany has now updated both of their Bier carts, the one on the promenade, and now, the one by the store. The one by the store has a second register that will be used on busy days as well as a new, updated look. Updated Germany Bier Cart Updated Germany Bier Cart You can still get pretzels as big as your head here! Updated Germany Bier Cart We also spotted a new information desk for the Biergarten at the entrance to the Germany Pavilion. Biergarten Information Desk Construction Progress on New Table Service Restaurant in Japan We are keeping you updated on the construction progress of the new table service restaurant in Japan. We don’t see any building yet, and don’t know an opening date or time frame, but will keep you updated as we visit the park and learn more information. Construction on New Restaurant in Japan Construction on New Restaurant in Japan While we were in the Japan Pavilion we spotted a bargain for you! These Food and Wine Celebration headbands are 50% off! Food and Wine Celebration Headband Food and Wine Celebration Headband Ratatouille Ride and Skyliner Construction Progress We checked on the progress of the Ratatouille Ride and Epcot Skyliner Station construction while we were in the France Pavilion. The Ratatouille Ride is opening in 2021, check out the progress here. The Skyliner is coming to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and The Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach and Riviera Resorts in 2019. Take a look at the Epcot station becoming a work of art here. Epcot’s New Ratatouille Ride Construction Epcot Skyliner Station Progress While we were in France we also spotted this Mary Poppins themed parasol. It is Practically Perfect Mary Poppins Parasol in France Pavilion Guardians of the Galaxy Construction Progress The Guardians of the Galaxy Ride is coming to Epcot in 2021, but work is well underway transforming the Universe of Energy building in to a the queue area for the new ride as they also build a brand new ride building for the actual coaster. Judging by the size of the building this will be an amazing ride! Check out all of the construction photos here. Epcot’s Guardians of the Galaxy Ride Queue Building Behind the Seeds Tour New Check-in Desk The Behind the Seeds Tour is one of the hidden gems in this park. In the past the check-in desk for this tour was by the Soarin’ ride exit. Now the tour has a more established and independent location by the Living with the Land attraction exit — which is fitting since the Behind the Seeds Tour is a more in-depth look at what you see on the Living with the Land attraction. Behind the Seeds Tour Desk Be sure to check this tour out for your next visit to Epcot. Details are available on the Disney World website. Behind the Seeds Tour Desk Outside The Land pavilion, we noticed that Yuengling Draft is no longer served at the Cart that stands to the left of the entrance of the building. Bud Light is available on draft at this location. The Land Cart Holiday Merchandise All Over We spotted holiday merchandise in Mouse Gear, the America Pavilion, and a former Food and Wine Festival merchandise booth! You’ll be able to find housewares, Mickey Santa Hats, decor, sweet treats, pajamas, aprons, and so much more in Epcot. Take a look at everything we found! Merry and Bright Sign World Showcase Holiday Merchandise Boot A Christmas Carol scene Ralph Breaks the Internet Merchandise There is some new Wreck-it Ralph and Ralph Breaks the Internet merchandise in Mouse Gear for the opening of the movie this month. Ralph Breaks the Internet Merchandise Rose Gold Hat in Mouse Gear Are you looking for an on-two trends rose gold and iridescent hat? We thought so! Stop in Mouse Gear to get it! Iridescent Rose Gold Hat That’s all the updates and new merchandise we could find for you! What are you more excited about: Japan’s new restaurant, the Skyliner, the Ratatouille Ride, the Guardians of the Galaxy Ride, or all the holiday merchandise? Let us know in the comments below! Check out our NEW video 25 Must Do Holiday Activities in Disney World! When you’re done – check out all of our Videos on You Tube! 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 World Fun This Holiday Season! The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. Order The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2018 now! It includes over 400 pages of must-have information, including: A full What’s New!! chapter for the 2018 Holiday Season A full Monthly Schedule of Events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World’s busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And of course we’ll tell you where to eat! ;-D Order your 2018 Guide now and get 20% off with code PEPPERMINT! As always, our e-Books are 100% guaranteed! If you don’t love it, you get your money back! Related posts: What’s New in Disney World’s Epcot: Everything We Found This Week! Celebrate Dia de los Muertos in Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion with New Merchandise and a Visiting Artist What’s New in Disney World’s Epcot! August 6, 2018 View the full article

Happy weekend! Here’s all the Disney food news this week! Holiday Peppermint Brownie There’s just a little more than one week left for the 2018 Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Find out EVERYTHING you need to know about the festival on our Epcot Food and Wine Festival pages! PLUS – check out our BEST OF THE FEST! TOY STORY LAND IS OPEN at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!!! Click here to see ALL of our coverage!! Disneyland’s Festival of Holidays starts this week and we have ALL the menus! Start planning what you’re going to eat before you go! We have a lot to share with you this week, so let’s jump right in… Disney Food News We spotted refillable Coke bottles at the Coca-Cola Store in Disney Springs! You need to check out this Pineapple Spam Burger at Disney World! Check out our Fall Back Flash Sale at the DFB Store. We reviewed the holiday sandwiches and a new dessert at Earl of Sandwich. T-Rex Cafe in Disney Springs is hosting Breakfast with Santa next month. Check out the construction updates for the Ratatouille and Guardians of the Galaxy attractions in Epcot. Disney Cast Members can get a discount via Mobile Order at select locations. Check out the adorable new ears coming to Epcot! We have the FULL list of holiday treats coming to Disneyland. And we have a sneak peek at two treats here. Check out the seasonal cupcakes coming to Sprinkles this month. The list of celebrity narrators for the Candlelight Processional is now complete! Check out menus for the Disneyland Festival of Holidays. The gingerbread display at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is up! Mickey’s Magical Birthday Sundae has arrived at Ghirardelli. The Magic Kingdom has decked the halls for the holiday season. Tink’s Pixie-Dusted Cone has arrived in the Magic Kingdom! You need to check out this year’s Pluto Holiday Popcorn Bucket. Epcot’s Skyliner station is becoming a work of art. We have details on the 2019 Epcot Festival of the Arts, including the Disney on Broadway performers! We spotted the Holiday Refillable Resort Mugs at Disney World. We reviewed a couple seasonal cupcakes at the Contemporary Resort! Check out the only-available-on-Halloween cupcake we spotted at Epcot. We shared a construction update from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And this update on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway! New prizes are available for Remy’s Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion was celebrating Dia de los Muertos with a visiting artist and new merchandise. More holiday merchandise is popping up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We spotted new Star Wars mugs and hats at the Studios. Vampirina is now meeting guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels are offering a sale on holiday season rates! We reviewed a Pumpkin Spice Pretzel in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion. The Disney attractions-inspired Spirit Jerseys are now available online. Check out who is coming to the Tropical Hideaway in Disneyland. We launched the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays 2018 e-book! Reservations are now available for the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill coming to Disney Springs. Check out this update on the Disney Skyliner construction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Ralph and Vanellope from ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ are coming to the Disney Parks! We shared a preview of the merchandise for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. Check out these over-the-top shakes from Beaches and Cream! We reviewed two new menus at Frontera Cocina in Disney Springs. New DFB YouTube videos: What’s New at the Disney Parks This Week, AJ’s Favorite Disney World Restaurants, 7 Things That Might Surprise You About the Holidays at Disney World, and What Cast Members Wish You Knew Before Coming to Disney World. Check out all the latest Disney Food News — even the stuff we don’t mention in posts on the blog! — on our Disney Food News Pin Board, including menu updates, restaurant closures, special events, and more! We’ve got all the latest for you, so check it out before you go. New DFB Video — What Cast Members Wish You Knew Before Coming to Disney World Have you subscribed to the DFB YouTube Channel? We’ve got FOUR brand new videos EVERY WEEK showcasing our adventures in Disney World and Disneyland! This week, we’re sharing our latest video — check it out — What Cast Members Wish You Knew Before Coming to Disney World — and don’t forget to subscribe here.  Deal of the Week: Fall Back Flash Sale – 40% off EVERYTHING at the DFB Store! We’re turning the clocks back one hour this weekend…which means YOU get an extra hour of sleep! To celebrate “falling back” this weekend we’re having a FLASH SALE at the DFB Store! This weekend only take 40% off EVERYTHING in the DFB Store with promo code 40SALE! Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World during the busy holiday season? Or do you have your eyes set on 2019 vacation? Whenever you visit, we know one thing for sure: you need to make some plans. Can you believe it? Seriously, it’s time to get going on those Advance Dining Reservations for SPRING BREAK NEXT YEAR! (Nope. Not even joking.) And we’re going to make sure you choose the best restaurants Disney has to offer — and save some money while you’re at it — with our Fall Back Flash Sale! If you’ve been thinking about getting one (or more) of our guides, now’s the time to do it! HUGE savings and some extra time to drool over Disney food pictures, tips, deals, and discounts sounds like the perfect way to spend your weekend. Just use promo code 40Sale at checkout, and save 40% off of every product in the store. From our pre-order of the 2019 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining to the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays — not to mention our detailed snack guides covering EVERY single park — these books are MUST reads. Want Even Bigger Savings? Here’s How… SAVE EVEN MORE with one of our best-selling Bundles. We’ve bundled our books together into the ideal package to save you the most money possible. Since our bundles are already highly discounted, the extra 40% off makes them a steal. Looking for our DFB Guide, plus a more in depth look into the snacks in each park? Then our best-selling DFB Guide PLUS Snacks Bundle is for you. Going to Disney World for the holidays? Check out our Holiday Bundle. And if you want ALL of it — we have you covered there, too! Check out our DFB Everything Bundle! Also, keep in mind, when you pre-order our 2019 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining, we’ll send you the new guide as soon as it is published — and you’ll receive the fully-updated 2018 guide for FREE as an immediate download! Enter promo code 40SALE at checkout to receive 40% off of your entire DFBStore.com order. Don’t forget to head over to DFBStore.com to check out details, sample pages, and more. These e-books are a must-have for your next Disney World trip! Oh, and don’t forget to check out the testimonials from our customers — take it from them! The best part? Shop in confidence, knowing that all of our DFB Guides are 100% guaranteed. Don’t like it? You get your money back! No questions asked. DFB Reader Finds If you find a fun new food — or other edible awesomeness — in or around Disney, share a photo with us on facebook or twitter so we can add it to our DFB Reader Finds each Sunday. There’s just a little more than a week left for this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival and my good friend Jenn/FairestRunOfAll shared this bit of humor with us this weekend: “Is it even the Epcot Food and Wine Festival if you don’t take a picture of your food on a trash can?” True story! ;-D Trash can = table at Food and Wine! Baseline Tap House at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a nice spot to stop for some great brews and eats. DFB and Disney food fan waltdisneydaze on instragram says: Baseline Tap House Pretzel > Regular Pretzels. Pretzels as big as your head! Do you have a favorite Disney Food find? Share your photos with us! On to the Round-Up! Mickey Fix shared these gorgeous Disney Princess Stemless Wine Glasses! WDW for Grownups shared a review of drinks at Yak and Yeti Bar in the Animal Kingdom. Oh My Disney shared a fun Disney foodie quiz! Disney Family shared a recipe for a Winnie the Pooh Apple and Cranberry Pie! Don’t Miss ANY Disney Food News! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Related posts: What’s New Around Walt Disney World: May 13, 2016 What’s New Around Walt Disney World: August 18, 2016 What’s New Around Walt Disney World: October 20, 2016 View the full article

Happy Saturday! We’re back with another DFB Video today, and we’re sharing WHAT’S NEW in Disney Parks from this past week with you! New Beaches and Cream Shakes What a week it’s been! We’ve got the scoop on all sorts of new stuff all over the Disney Parks this week, PLUS stuff on the way! We’re talking about new over-the-top milkshakes, new MENUS for Epcot’s upcoming Festival of the Holidays, a Secret Menu item and MORE… and you can see it all here in our latest DFB YouTube Video! And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our DFB YouTube Channel! 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! So check out the video and then let us know: What new thing in Disney Parks are you most excited about? Related posts: DFB Video: Things Most People Don’t Know About Walt Disney World DFB Video: 11 Things Disney World Pros Do, And You Should, Too DFB Video: Disney World Bathrooms! (Volume I) View the full article

Attention, friends who have a fondness for fizzy drinks: the Coca-Cola Store Orlando Rooftop Beverage Bar at Disney Springs is offering refillable plastic Coke bottles and cups! Refillable Bottle at the Coca-Cola Store If you’ve ever wished the Walt Disney World-area Coca-Cola Store would offer a refillable cup, today is your lucky day. Now you can get your soda fix every time you stroll around Disney Springs. So how much does it cost and what drinks are available? We’ve got the details! Refillable Bottle at the Coca-Cola Store This large, plastic Coke bottle is $8. Your first fill is $3.25, and every fill after that is just $1 (plus tax). YESSSS! ONE DOLLA! Refillable Bottle at the Coca-Cola Store The Coca-Cola Store Orlando Rooftop Beverage Bar also offers a few other refillable options that range from $8 – $20. Drink Options at the Coca-Cola Store The flavors available go far beyond Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite. At the Coca-Cola Store Rooftop Beverage Bar, you’ll find dozens of Coke products from around the world. Drink Options at the Coca-Cola Store Some current favorites from Epcot‘s Club Cool, including Bibo Kiwi Mango, Fanta Melon Frosty, and VegitaBeta are available, too. Been missing MezzoMix and Lift Apple since they were retired from Club Cool? Good news: you’ll find ’em at the Coca-Cola Store Rooftop Beverage Bar! Refillable Bottle at the Coca-Cola Store Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Are you planning to buy a refillable Coke bottle on your next visit to Disney Springs? If so, leave a comment telling us which flavor you’re getting it filled with first! Related posts: News: Coca-Cola Store Orlando Opens July 2nd at Disney Springs News and Review: Beverly’s Revenge at the Coca-Cola Rooftop Bar in Disney Springs Review: Limited-Time-Only Margarita Cupcake at Sprinkles in Disney World and Disneyland View the full article