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Lanny is walking into the future on the #HoloTile floor 🤩🚶 #Disney #TechnologyView the full article

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is getting closer to opening in Magic Kingdom! ©Disney This Princess and the Frog-themed attraction is being built in both Disney World and Disneyland, and will officially start welcoming guests later this year. We’ve been keeping up with every single update Disney has announced but with every day bringing us closer and closer to the opening, we thought we’d dive into everything we know about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! We’re breaking down everything we know about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom! The Story Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will pick up the story of The Princess and the Frog “after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.” ©Disney So, what exactly happens next? Well, when the film itself ends, Princess Tiana makes her dream come true when she opens her very own restaurant, Tiana’s Palace, along with becoming the owner of Tiana’s Foods — and a giant salt mine! It all starts in the queue, where you’ll be able to smell fresh beignets and hear the sounds of New Orleans. Inside the yellow barn in the queue is where the Tiana’s Foods offices are located! The Barn The story of the attraction picks up during New Orleans’ Carnival season, and Tiana is hosting a Mardi Gras Party for the people of New Orleans — the community that has supported her successful restaurant. But Tiana realizes that the party is “missing a key ingredient” and she needs help finding it — which is where you come in! The Height Requirement Disney World has updated the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure page on their website, and it has revealed an important piece of information about the ride — the height requirement! This was previously unknown, but now we can confirm that the ride will have the same restrictions that Splash Mountain did. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure — January 2024 According to the Disney World website, the height requirement for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be 40 inches or 102 centimeters! This means older kiddos should have no problem riding with their parents. Little ones will have to stay behind until they meet that listed height! The Easter Eggs Disney has confirmed that the ride will feature a few different hidden nods to Splash Mountain! We know that they’ll be reusing the ride vehicles and the same track, but we also know that much of the interior ride architecture has been retained, including rocks and boulders — but the vegetation is being replaced with flora and fauna native to New Orleans. Look at the detail! Imagineers confirmed that there may be more Splash Mountain Easter eggs in store throughout the rest of the ride, including stone arches — but we’ll have to wait to hear new announcements! The Tech As far as actual ride tech goes, we learned that several Tiana audio-animatronics will be used throughout the ride! We’ll get to see just how they’ve chosen to bring her to life. It’ll be like Tiana is actually talking to us and taking us along on this journey. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Concept Art ©Disney The advanced animatronics in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure are state of the art and are said to be like the ones used in Frozen Ever After in Hong Kong Disneyland. There will also be an animatronic for Louis, the jazz-playin’ alligator that we all love, along with some swamp animals that make up a band. The Opening Timeline The ride is projected to open in late 2024 in both Disney World and Disneyland — at least according to the original announcement. But, we’ve been seeing signs that Tiana’s could open even earlier than anticipated — at least in Disney World. ©Disney In a recent blog post, Disney removed the word “late” and stated that the ride is just opening in 2024. With Disney typically being pretty specific about their use of language, we can’t help but think this may be a good sign. Foliage and lanterns As far as the ride construction goes, well, we think we’ve spotted some good signs over there too. Disney recently started adding all the incredible and lush foliage to the exterior of the ride which we had previously seen in the concept art. It’s hard to tell there was ever even another ride here with how much they’ve added! So much construction! And, that’s about all we know about this new ride coming to Magic Kingdom. Of course, we’ll be keeping up with all the latest announcements from Disney, so stay tuned to DFB for even more news about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! How Close Is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to Opening? Check Out These 2 Big Updates! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Will you be riding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure when it opens? Tell us in the comments! The post The BIGGEST News About Tiana's Bayou Adventure first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s that time of year in Disney World when rides and shows are CLOSED for refurbishment. Everyone needs a little break — even Disney World attractions! Disney’s Animal Kingdom Luckily, some refurbishments wrapped up pretty quickly. In fact, the Skyliner refurb was finished EARLY! Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is closed for an extended refurbishment, and the Country Bear Jamboree is getting ready for a MAKEOVER! There’s one Disney World attraction over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that’s been closed for a while, and now, we have a clue about when it could reopen. Let’s take a peek! Kali River Rapids is currently closed for an extended refurbishment. This makes sense, as winter is the ideal time for water rides to close for a little TLC. The attraction officially closed on January 8th, 2024. Disney shared it would reopen in mid-March, but we never got an official reopening date. Kali River Rapids Although Disney hasn’t officially shared the end date of the Kali River Rapids refurbishment, we do have a clue about when the ride could reopen. Looking at the calendar, we can see operating hours for Kali River Rapids on March 16th, 2024. Sneaky! At this time, March 16th is the first date to show operating hours (from 9AM to 6PM) since the ride closed in January. ©Disney Of course, this is subject to change between now and March, and Disney has NOT officially confirmed the ride will reopen on that date. But hey — it’s a pretty interesting clue, right? And it DOES line up with Disney’s estimated reopening timeline. Kali River Rapids We’ll be sure to keep our eyes out for official confirmation from Disney, and we’ll share more details when the ride reopens. In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more. 3 Disney World Rides Will Be CLOSED for Refurbishment in February 2024 Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Is Kali River Rapids one of your favorite rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Tell us in the comments! The post Did Disney World Just Drop a CLUE About When Kali River Rapids Will Reopen? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Are you ready for your February Disney World Trip? Got your flights and hotel booked? Made those dining reservations? There’s one thing you might be forgetting about! Disney World Make sure you check out what’s going to be CLOSED in Disney World before you head out for your vacation. We’ve made it easy for ya — here’s a complete list of ride, attraction, and restaurant CLOSURES that’ll affect the Disney World parks and hotels this coming month. Ride Closures in February Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in Disney’s Hollywood Studios closed for refurbishment on January 8th, 2024. When we first learned of the closure, we didn’t know how long it would last. Then, a few weeks after the closure was announced, Disney updated its Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster webpage and listed the reopening timeline as the summer of 2024. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster had a months-long refurbishment in 2023 as well, closing in January and reopening in late May. We could see a similar timeline this year. Click here to learn more about the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster closure. Kali River Rapids Like Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Kali River Rapids also closed on January 8th. This Animal Kingdom ride is going through an extended closure that’s expected to last through mid-March at least. Disney’s calendar lists opening times for this ride starting on March 16th, so even though Disney hasn’t officially announced this as the opening date, it appears that may be the case. Kali River Rapids This closure is pretty common for the early months of the year when we see cooler temperatures in Disney World, so guests aren’t as excited about the water rides in the parks. You don’t really want to get soaked when it’s only 50 degrees outside! Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Splash Mountain closed last year and is being transformed into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! Tiana’s Bayou Adventure The storyline for this ride will pick up the story of The Princess and the Frog “after the final kiss,” when guests will “join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.” Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Concept Art ©Disney So, what exactly DOES happen “after the final kiss”? Well, when the film itself ends, Princess Tiana makes her dream come true when she opens her very own restaurant, Tiana’s Palace. The story of the attraction, as Disney shares, picks up during New Orleans’ Carnival season, and Tiana is hosting a Mardi Gras Party for the people of New Orleans. But Tiana realizes that the party is “missing a key ingredient” and she needs your help finding it! ©Disney Tiana’s Bayou Adventure concept art Disney Imagineers have shared that guests will be active participants coming along with Tiana on this adventure! “On Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, we’ll join Tiana and Louis on a trip to the bayou, where they meet all sorts of unexpected new friends who have a special role to play at the party.” Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Concept Art ©Disney Disney initially said that this ride would open in “late 2024,” but recent announcements have removed the “late” language and left just “2024,” which makes us think it could open sooner rather than later! Read all about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure here! Attraction Closures in February Country Bear Jamboree The Country Bear Jamboree attraction in Magic Kingdom will close on January 27th as Disney Imagineers update the show with “an all-new act.” We’ll get to hear Disney songs in NEW styles, like pop-country, rockabilly, and bluegrass. But, this means we have to say goodbye to this iconic show for a while. Country Bear Jamboree Disney has shared that the new show is inspired by the Opry-style shows of Nashville, Tennessee. They even brought Nashville musicians in to help out with the arrangements. One of the songs we know we’ll see is a new version of “Bare Necessities” in a rockabilly style. The new show will also include easter eggs throughout that nod to the previous show. ©Disney The new show is expected to open this summer, 2024. Check out the CHANGES coming to Country Bear Jamboree here. Voyage of the Little Mermaid Voyage of the Little Mermaid as we previously knew it is permanently closed in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but Disney is currently working on a new Little Mermaid-themed show for this space. Voyage of the Little Mermaid “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure” is coming in Fall 2024! ©Disney The new show will be a reimagined show inspired by the original animated classic from Walt Disney Animation Studios. When the new show opens, we can expect musical numbers like “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Kiss the Girl,” which will be a new addition. Learn more about the NEW show here! Restaurant Closures in February Restaurant Marrakesh Restaurant Marrakesh in the Morocco pavilion of EPCOT is currently closed. Disney hasn’t announced when this spot might reopen. Restaurant Marrakesh building The building itself is actually open as a lounge, but the restaurant isn’t serving any food there. 1900 Park Fare 1900 Park Fare is a character dining spot at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. Previously, this spot hosted the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast with characters like Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner with characters from Cinderella, and the Wonderland Tea Party. 1900 Park Fare This restaurant is still closed with no reopening date in sight. However, we’ve started to hear some construction going on behind the doors, so we’re hoping it could reopen soon! Tomorrowland Terrace Tomorrowland Terrace in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland has previously only been open seasonally. You’d find it serving food on especially crowded days in the park. However, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen it open. It’s completely closed in here. The Terrace does serve as the location for the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Viewing Parties in the evenings, and you can learn more about these add-on experiences here. Pool Closures in February Doubloon Lagoon The Doubloon Lagoon Pool at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort will be closed from January 2024 to April 2024. Doubloon Lagoon Pool If you’re staying at this hotel during the pool’s closure, you can still go swimming at the Ol’ Man Island Pool at Port Orleans Riverside. Fuentes del Morro The Fuentes del Morro Pool at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is going to be closed from January 2024 to late March 2024. Fuentes del Moro pool During this time, Disney says that “guests are welcome to swim in any of the five leisure pools” at Caribbean Beach Resort. Click here to see the BEST hotel pools in Disney World. Planning a Disney World vacation while keeping track of all the closures and changes in the parks is NO easy feat! That’s why we recommend checking out our friends over at Small World Vacations. Their travel agents can help you plan your trip, finding you the best deals and discounts along the way. And their services are completely FREE! Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on the latest Disney news. Want to know more about construction and refurbishment projects in Disney World? Click here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you going to Disney World in February? Let us know in the comments. The post 3 Disney World Rides Will Be CLOSED for Refurbishment in February 2024 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Wanna get away? Ready to leave your work behind and go on a tropical beach vacation? It’s the middle of winter, the sun sets at an offensively early time of day, and it’s cold — even in Florida! All that unpleasantness is a recipe for a vacation, right? Castaway Cay Well, if you need a little distraction from your everyday chores, we’re here to help! Disney has a NEW island destination in the works, and we can’t WAIT to check it out. The vacation destination is called Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, and it’s set to open this summer! Ahead of its grand opening, Disney just shared a PREVIEW of Mickey and Minnie’s new island outfits. Wanna see? Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is located on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas. The NEW getaway will open for Disney Cruise Line guests on select sailings this summer! Here’s a peek at some early concept art — it looks AMAZING, right?! ©Disney Guests aboard the Disney Magic, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy cruise ships will be able to visit Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. If you’re interested, make sure to check those itineraries before you book a cruise! ©Disney Lookout Cay will be the second Disney Cruise Line destination in The Bahamas. Currently, guests only have access to Castaway Cay, so this addition will be a BIG deal when it opens! Now, let’s talk about the NEW announcement Disney shared! Take a look at the latest concept art — Mickey and Minnie Mouse will have NEW looks on Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point! These new outfits are being specially designed by a Bahamian fashion designer named Theodore Elyett. Aren’t they fun? ©Disney Disney revealed that the outfits will be inspired by the beauty of Theodore Elyett’s homeland. The designer has created looks for all kinds of high-profile clients, like Miss Universe contestants, celebrities, brides, and even government officials! ©Disney | Lighthouse Point concept art Disney shared that Mickey and Minnie’s outfits will be part of a collection of colorful works of art by local creators, which can be seen throughout the new island destination. Watch the video below for more details about the looks! Oh, and don’t worry — new outfits are also coming for Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, and Chip ‘n’ Dale! We’ll be sure to share more details when Disney shows off their new looks. ©Disney Well, now we’ve got ANOTHER reason to look forward to the new island destination! In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more. Disney Shared a NEW LOOK at Its New Island Destination DON'T DO IT ALONE! Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money, when you book your Disney trip or cruise. Their agents compare current offers to find the best deal for you -- they've literally saved their guests millions of dollars since 1996. Plus, their services are 100% FREE FOR YOU! (They're DFB's recommended travel agency, and you can see why here!) So book that trip now, then sit back and enjoy planning your Disney World Trip with a DFB-approved expert! Click here for a no obligation price quote today, and let them know DFB sent you GET MORE INFO Have you ever been on a Disney Cruise? Let us know in the comments! The post FIRST LOOK: Disney Announces Mickey and Minnie Are Getting NEW Outfits first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Experts are saying that airfare hasn’t been this cheap since 2009. Do we have low-fare airlines like Spirit, JetBlue, and Frontier to thank for these low prices? Spirit Airlines at Orlando Airport In 2022, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways proposed a $3.8 billion merger deal. Some believed this would allow JetBlue to compete with the “Big 4” U.S. airlines: Delta, United, American, and Southwest. But recently, a federal judge blocked the proposed merger and claimed that the deal could drastically impact the industry. Now, JetBlue Airways has responded to the judge’s ruling, and Spirit Airlines issued a response of its own. JetBlue Airways revealed that it is considering the idea of ending its bid to acquire Spirit Airlines, and may pull out soon, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Spirit responded by stating it plans to continue to meet its obligations regarding the merger “and it expects JetBlue to do the same.” Spirit Airlines plane Spirit and JetBlue airlines stated their intention to appeal with a higher court following the news that a federal judge blocked JetBlue’s $3.8 billion deal. The Justice Department filed a lawsuit to block the merger and claimed that the deal would increase fares by reducing competition. @JetBlue Airways Most recently, JetBlue announced that the airline informed Spirit that certain aspects of the deal were not completed by the deadline, which may lead JetBlue to end the deal “as early as Sunday” (January 28th). Spirit then issued a response with a separate filing to dispute JetBlue’s statements. ©JetBlue According to the airline, “Spirit believes there is no basis for terminating the Merger Agreement.” If the merger were to happen, the deal would allow the two carriers to control roughly 10% of the domestic air travel business, according to the Orlando Sentinel. ©Spirit Airlines Currently, Spirit Airlines is the seventh largest airline in the U.S., while JetBlue is in sixth place. If the airlines merge, customers may see higher prices with one less budget airline to choose from when booking a flight. Orlando International Airport We will continue to monitor the deal, so stay tuned for updates. Federal Judge BLOCKS Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways Merger Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post NEWS: Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways Respond to Federal Judge Ruling to BLOCK Proposed Merger first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Okay, let’s be real. It can be AWKWARD to share a hotel room with other people. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Room Whether you’re cramped into a small space with people you share a house/apartment with, or you’re staying with friends who live apart from you, nobody gets very much privacy in a Disney World hotel room. And you know what really doesn’t help? The bathroom situation. Usually, they’re right off the main room and the doors aren’t exactly soundproof. But if you’ve got that hotel bathroom anxiety…Disney has come up with a solution! Currently, Disney World is in the process of renovating the cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort and turning them into Disney Vacation Club properties. We’ve seen plenty of concept art for these updated buildings, but there’s something that really intrigues us about the floor plan. ©Disney In the old cabins, the bathrooms were located between the living room/kitchen area and the main bedroom, in the middle of a small hallway. It was a central location for the people staying in the cabin, since one of the beds was in the living room. The old bathrooms But with the new design, it looks like the bathrooms have been moved to the END of the building! They’re now separate from the other living spaces, on the opposite side from where the beds are. ©Disney This might be a smidge inconvenient in the middle of the night if you’re staying in the bedroom and you have to pass through the living room to get to the bathroom, but we do see the silver lining. If you’re feeling a bit…umm…”pee shy” in regular hotel rooms, then this might be the solution! ©Disney The redesign of these cabins has been a bit controversial so far, with some lamenting the loss of the more rustic features from the old cabins. We’ll be interested to see what they look like when they’re all complete! They’re set to welcome the first visitors in July 2024. ©Disney We’ll make sure to keep you updated with more details about these cabins and all the other hotel and resort updates happening in Disney World. Stay tuned to DFB for the latest! Read THIS Before You Shell Out $$ for Disney’s New Fort Wilderness Cabins! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Would you stay in these new cabins? Tell us in the comments! The post The Disney World Hotel That Finally Took Our Poop Anxiety Into Consideration first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Bob Iger’s job probably isn’t easy to begin with, but he’s got quite a tough task ahead of him: find his successor. ©Disney It’s something that we’ve been talking about ever since he first returned to Disney, and though we can’t say for certain, it doesn’t seem like Iger is any closer to finding his replacement. Plenty of speculation has gone around about who may potentially be in the running, but he’s running out of time if he’s to pick and train someone to run a giant multimedia corporation before his 2026 exit. And, a former Disney executive thinks he’s going to have a hard time doing it. When Iger returned, he made it clear that this would be his last hurrah. But, he did promise he would be intimately involved in the search and training of his successor who will take over as CEO after his contract ends in 2026. Iger’s successor is a major concern for both fans and investors, and former Disney Chief Financial Officer, Gary Wilson, thinks Iger may have shot himself in the foot. ©Apple Wilson told the Wall Street Journal, “Iger has systematically eliminated any executive who could become a successor. To me, it’s a real black mark on Iger’s record.” Now an investor, former CFO Wilson spent 21 years on Disney’s board, including first hiring Iger as CEO. Several potential replacement candidates left Disney during Iger’s first round as CEO, until he finally chose — and championed — Bob Chapek to take his place. Bob Chapek and Bob Iger ©CNBC But, it was only a few years later that Chapek was forced out and Iger was back in. We later learned that Iger apparently regretted choosing Chapek as his successor, despite the fact that Iger himself chose, trained, and touted Chapek. Reportedly Iger said that he didn’t realize Chapek was “such a ‘novice’ when it came to handling complex issues like talent management and political battles, and that Chapek was arrogant and uninterested in other people’s opinions.” ©Bloomberg After he was no longer with Disney, Chapek reportedly remarked that his time at the company was “about three years of hell, defined by one overriding theme: his unrelenting fear that Iger wanted his job back.” Unfortunately for Chapek, he was right. Bob Chapek Now that Iger is back, he’s tasked with once again choosing a replacement to lead one of the world’s largest media companies, with Board approval and the help of a Succession Planning Committee we haven’t heard about in ages. Hopefully, that means they’re hard at work trying to figure out who is going to steer this behemoth of a ship. Multiple names have been tossed into the ring, but it’s possible that Wilson’s theory is correct: Iger may have a hard time finding someone to take his place who won’t be fearful of ending up like Chapek. ©Disney Of course, it’s also possible that Iger could go back on his word and extend his contract since we know that’s kind of his whole thing. As far as potential replacements still in the running, analysts think it will either be Dana Walden (current co-chair of Disney Entertainment) or Kevin Mayer (former chair of Direct-to-Consumer at Disney and current CEO of Candle Media). Neither Disney nor Iger have made any mention of the succession plan in a while, but we could hear an update at the upcoming first-quarter earnings call on February 7th, 2024. ©Disney | Walt Disney Company Headquarters We’ll continue to be on the lookout for more updates about Iger’s succession plan, so stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog if you want to stay in the loop! Bob Iger Makes $31.6 Million. But That’s Not the Most Shocking Part. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Do you think this was Iger’s biggest mistake? Tell us in the comments. The post Former Disney CFO Criticizes Bob Iger for This Big Mistake first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Who doesn’t love saving money? ©Disney We’re always looking for ways to enjoy our favorite things while saving some cash. There are lots of discounts that you can get on your favorite Disney experiences and products, and Disney+ is included. Those subscriptions can add up, so we’re here to share a great way to save on your Disney+ subscription and your phone plan! Did you know that you can actually save quite a few dollars on Disney+ if you include it in your phone plan with Verizon? ©Verizon Yep, Verizon actually has an option where you can add the Disney Bundle to your current phone plan. You’ll then have the subscription paid for in your phone bill every month! And yes, that also includes ESPN+ and Hulu! ©Verizon If you’re an existing Verizon customer, that means that for $10 extra dollars per month you can get Verizon’s Unlimited Plus service, which includes the Disney Bundle and a 100-gigabyte mobile hotspot. That’s nearly half off a typical Disney+ bundle! ©Disney We’ll be sure to keep you updated with more ways to save, so make sure to follow along for more! Looking for more ways to save on Disney vacations? Click here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think of this deal? Let us know in the comments! The post SAVE on Streaming With the Verizon Disney Bundle first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Planning a Disney World vacation certainly isn’t easy. Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios You have to book your hotel, buy your park tickets, make your dining reservations, and worry about potential closures you may have to deal with. Sure, ride closures can certainly have an impact on your trip, but it’s those pesky transportation closures that can really get in the way. If you’re heading to Disney World soon, we’ve got a transportation update for you! Good news, friends! The Disney World Skyliner officially reopened EARLY! The Skyliner was set to officially reopen on January 28th, 2024, but we noticed it was up and running on January 26th. Suprise! The Skyliner had been closed since January 16th for its brief annual refurbishment, with a majority of the service reopening on January 22nd. The line that services Riviera Resort and EPCOT was closed for a bit longer, though. Here’s a peek at the sign! But, as of NOW, the entire Skyliner is up and running once again, so you can use it to get around Disney World! A Cast Member noted that the Skyliner will temporarily operate at a slower speed on January 26th and 27th, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to use this transportation soon. That said, when we rode the Skyliner on January 26th, it took exactly nine minutes and twenty seconds to get from Disney’s Rivera Resort to EPCOT. (It normally takes between 9-10 minutes, depending on the number of temporary stops the Skyliner makes.) Skyliner Turn Station Whether you ride the Skyliner for FUN or as a little shortcut from EPCOT to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it seems to be a SUPER popular way to get around the parks and resorts! And, while you’re at it, check out our Skyliner bar crawl if you’re looking for something fun to do. Disney World Skyliner Stay tuned to DFB as we continue to bring you the latest news from Disney World and more. 5 Stupidly Expensive Disney World Hotel Rooms That Might Actually Be Worth It Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Have you taken the Disney World Skyliner? Tell us in the comments! The post SURPRISE REOPENING! A MAJOR Disney World Transportation Closure Ended EARLY! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Calling all Disney pin collectors! We found a bunch of Disney pins that you won’t ever see for sale in the theme parks. The ONLY place you can get these pins is online at Amazon! ©Shutterstock All of these pins are made by Loungefly, and they’re Amazon exclusives. There are pins themed to Disney’s 100th anniversary, classic characters, and fan-favorite movies. Let’s take a look! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. All of these pins are available on Amazon, and some are part of Amazon Prime, which means you can get fast, FREE shipping! If you’re not a Prime member already, go ahead and click the link below to start your free trial so you can still get those benefits. Now, let’s check out these exclusive pins! Get the Mickey Musician Disney100 Pin Set ©Amazon This Disney100 pin set comes with four musical-themed pins! ©Amazon There’s a pin featuring Mickey, one for Tinker Bell, one for Sebastian, and one for the Golden Harp (from Fun and Fancy Free). View on Amazon Get the Hocus Pocus Pin Set ©Amazon Who says spooky season has to be limited to October? You can grab this Hocus Pocus pin set now, which comes with three pins featuring the Sanderson Sisters. View on Amazon Get the Nightmare Before Christmas Oogie Boogie Pin Set ©Amazon We’ve got another spooky set for you! This Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas pin set features Oogie Boogie, Jack, Sally, and Lock, Shock, & Barrel. View on Amazon Get the Disney100 Black and White Pin Set ©Amazon Fans of classic Disney characters will love this black-and-white pin set from the Disney Vault. The 4-piece set features some of the most iconic Disney pals! View on Amazon Get the Disney100 Pop! Steamboat Willie Pin ©Amazon What’s more iconic than Steamboat Willie? This Pop! pin shows Mickey Mouse as Steamboat Willie, and it’s also part of Walt Disney’s Black and White Vault collection. View on Amazon Get the Lion King Scar Pin Set ©Amazon Everyone loves a good villain, so we had to include this Scar pin set, featuring baddies from The Lion King! The set has a Scar pin along with three hyena pins. View on Amazon Get the Stitch Pineapple Pin Set ©Amazon Calling all Stitch fans! This Pineapple Stitch pin set is perfect for your collection! Our favorite one in the set has to be the one that has Stitch inside a pineapple, but honestly, they’re all super cute. View on Amazon Get the Little Mermaid Pin Set ©Amazon The Little Mermaid pin set has four enamel pins featuring characters from the animated movie, including Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, and Ursula. View on Amazon Get the Donald Wings Pin, Inspired by Walt’s Plane ©Amazon So you know Walt Disney’s famous plane, the Mickey Mouse One? This Donald Duck aviator pin is inspired by that piece of Disney history! View on Amazon Get the Year of the Mouse Pin Set ©Amazon 2020 was the Year of the Mouse on the Chinese New Year Calendar, and even though it’s 2024 now, you can still get this awesome set of 12 Mickey pins that came out for the occasion! Eight of the pins have silver-toned hardware, and four have gold-toned hardware. Every one has a different design, with bright colors, glitter, and patterns. View on Amazon Get the Captain America Pin Set ©Amazon Avengers, Assemble! This Captain America pin set has four pins, all featuring Cap in the Pop! figure style. View on Amazon Get the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Pin Set ©Amazon Here’s another Marvel pin set for ya! This one is all about Black Panther Wakanda Forever. There are pins for the characters of Namor, Shuri, and Nakia. View on Amazon Get the Iron Man Pop! Pin ©Amazon OK, OK, just ONE more Marvel pin! This one is a Funko Pop! Iron Man pin, and it’s perfect for all the Tony Stark fans out there. View on Amazon Get the Mickey and Minnie Holiday Pin Set ©Amazon If it can be spooky season year-round, it can also be the holidays year-round, right?! This Mickey and Minnie Holiday pin set shows four iconic characters as gingerbread cookies! View on Amazon Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on the newest Disney merchandise! Check out our favorite Disney merch on our DFB Amazon storefront!The post 14 Disney Pins You Can ONLY Get on Amazon first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

All set for your next trip to Disney World? Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom Well, imagine this: you’re all set for a carefree family vacay to Disney World, but hold on. What if I told you that this dreamy trip could take an unexpected turn, involving federal agents and a whole lot less magic? Sounds like a movie plot twist, right? Well, it’s not fiction. It’s the real-world impact of a game-changing law that’s shaking up how the U.S. deals with corruption globally. Let’s talk about it! So what are we talking about? We’re talking about the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) that was signed into law on December 22, 2023. It’s because of this law that people are suddenly getting arrested on their way to the most magical place on earth. Let’s not waste any more time and jump right into what surely feels like the intersection of where Disney World becomes a rendezvous point for both enchantment and the long arm of the law. Buckle up. It’s going to be dense. Main Street U.S.A. FEPA FEPA is this sneaky little thing hidden in a massive defense spending bill that was approved by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in December 2023. What does it do? It criminalizes the demand or receipt of bribes by foreign officials from public corporations or U.S. domestic concerns. Before FEPA became a thing, The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), came into law in 1977. It made bribery a crime, but only on the “supply side.” We can thank Congress for finally closing out this loophole. Back to FEPA, it’s also got this cool extraterritorial thing going on too, making it a crime in the U.S. even if the shady business goes down somewhere else. Leveling out the (Business) Playing Field Why should you care about FEPA? Well, it’s about fairness for American businesses. Corrupt foreign officials, and those acting on their behalf, have, for a LONG TIME, created an unfair market by engaging in bribery. FEPA wants to slap some deterrence on the “demand side” of bribery, making sure our businesses can play on a level field. Taking on Corruption Globally But wait, there’s more! FEPA also takes a swing at ending corruption globally. Foreign commercial bribery messes with foreign governments, undermines democracy, and tramples on human rights. What FEPA is doing is stepping in to reduce the temptation for foreign corruption and support reforms in those nations. Getting with the (International) Program (Finally!!) Now that FEPA is in the game, it’s like the U.S. is finally joining the cool kids’ club. As a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Anti-Bribery Convention, we’re FINALLY on the same page as everyone else. What’s this got to do with Walt Disney World? I’m so glad you asked. As you can imagine, foreign fugitives have a lot of money, and just like us law-abiding citizens, they enjoy taking their families on vacations. This is where Disney World comes to the rescue! It turns out that as of 2024, foreign officials can now be indicted in the U.S. for demanding or receiving a bribe, and they don’t even know they’ve been indicted! The indictment stays sealed until they step into the U.S. or any of the 110+ nations with extradition treaties. So, if said foreign government official doesn’t know about the charges and decides to take their family to Disney World for an innocent visit, they will now be arrested. This was the case with Former Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt, one of the architects of the “Dieselgate” scandal, who took his family on a Florida vacation. Cinderella Castle I know that was dense and it sounded like a movie plot twist that even Disney would envy, but it is interesting that Disney World would be making headlines for reasons you wouldn’t expect. Well, until next time, we’ll continue to keep you all updated with more Disney news every day, so make sure to follow along for more so that you never miss a thing! 10 Disgusting Things That Happen in Disney World Every Single Day Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Have you ever seen this bus stop at Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments! The post Why Are All These People Getting Arrested on Their Way to Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Is there anything better than a warm, homemade meal? They don’t call it “comfort food” for nothing, right?! Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake One of our favorite ways to make warm comfort food is with a slow cooker! Not only is it super convenient to toss all your ingredients in and let the cooker do the work, but the results are divine. Come with us to check out some Disney-inspired slow cookers available online NOW! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. This Nightmare Before Christmas 7-Quart Slow Cooker is SO good! ©Amazon Calling all Nightmare Before Christmas fans! This seven-quart slow cooker is available on Amazon NOW, and it features all our favorite spooky characters. View on Amazon Shop the Mickey and Friends 5-Quart Slow Cooker on Amazon! ©Amazon This slow cooker is SO cute that we’d be willing to leave it on our kitchen counter as a decoration! It’s a five-quart slow cooker, making it the perfect size for a nice little family meal. View on Amazon Isn’t this Disney Winnie the Pooh 7 Qt. Slow Cooker the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen? ©Amazon We cannot get over this slow cooker design. Look at Pooh! Look at Tigger! The slow cooker has multiple heat settings and a removable oval-shaped stoneware insert. Check it out now! View on Amazon Looking for a Disney-themed slow cooker? Check out the Mickey Mouse 7 Qt. Digital Slow Cooker! ©Home Depot Home Depot has a classic Mickey Mouse slow cooker available online now! The cooking time can be adjusted from 30 minutes to 10 hours and automatically switches to a warm setting after the food is cooked. How convenient! View on Home Depot This Mickey 6 Qt. Slow Cooker is another GREAT find! ©Home Depot This large slow cooker features a digital display for setting time and temperature, plus a FUN Mickey Mouse graphic. Check it out online before it sells out! View on Home Depot EVERYONE will ask you where you got this Disney Winnie the Pooh Hundred Acre Wood Map 7-Quart Slow Cooker! ©BoxLunch Prepare to get a LOT of compliments if you own this slow cooker. The stoneware bowl inside is dishwasher safe, so feel free to get cookin’, then toss the bowl right into your dishwasher. It doesn’t get any easier! View on BoxLunch In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney merchandise, so stay tuned for more. Check out our Amazon Storefront for more Disney items!!The post 6 Disney Crock-Pots You Can Buy Online Now first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We’ve seen our fair share of incredibly unique Disney merchandise and truthfully thought we’ve seen it all. That is…until today. We think we have found quite possibly the most unique and unhinged official Disney merchandise out there. Just wait until you see it. Are you ready? Get ready. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. We need to know your thoughts about this Minnie Mouse bag! ©Amazon Now, this bag is as animated as it gets! When you press Minnie Mouse’s nose, her eyes actually blink! With 30+ sounds and reactions to pair with the blinking, this bag will make you the talk of the town! Talk about a purse with CHARACTER. View On Amazon Not a fan of Minnie Mouse? Bring home Stitch instead! ©Amazon The adorably blue alien we call Stitch has the same special features as the Minnie Mouse bag! When you press his nose, he’ll blink and offer over 30 sounds and reactions! It’s a real purse pet — and you don’t even have to feed it. View On Amazon If you’re looking for a cute bag for your child or maybe a wardrobe staple piece for yourself, these bags are certainly the way to go! As always, stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for all merchandise updates! Check out our must-have Disney items here! The post Um…This Disney Souvenir Is Staring Right Into Our Souls. Should We Be Worried? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Magic Kingdom is going through some serious changes. Welcome to the SUNNY Magic Kingdom! We’ve been keeping up with all of the construction progress on the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure transformation, but that’s not the only attraction getting an update in this park. Last year, Disney announced that another iconic Magic Kingdom attraction would be getting an update, and that time has finally come. Disney is changing Country Bear Jamboree in a major way in Magic Kingdom! Disney Imagineers will soon be updating the show with “an all-new act.” We’ll get to hear Disney songs in NEW styles, like pop-country, rockabilly, and bluegrass! But, this means we have to say goodbye to this iconic show for a while. Country Bear Jamboree The show will close on January 27th, 2024, for refurbishment, and it’ll reopen with the updated show THIS SUMMER, 2024. ©Disney Disney has shared that the new show is inspired by the Opry-style shows of Nashville, Tennessee. They even brought Nashville musicians in to help out with the arrangements! One of the songs we know we’ll see is a new version of “Bare Necessities” in a rockabilly style. The new show will include easter eggs throughout that nod to the previous show. ©Disney We can’t wait to see what this new show will be like and how it compares to the original! Stay tuned to DFB as we bring you news about the latest changes coming to Disney World! Click here to learn about more HUGE changes in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think of these changes? Tell us in the comments. The post REMINDER: A Classic Disney World Attraction Is Closing TOMORROW first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Here's seven delicious soup recipes from the Disney Recipe Vault you’re going to love!View the full article

A LOT is going on in Magic Kingdom right now. Country Bear Jamboree Not only is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure under construction (and we keep looking for more updates on that ride every day), but another attraction is closing to get a brand new update. That attraction is Country Bear Jamboree, which is closing TOMORROW, January 27th. Now, we know you might not ever think an attraction like this would bring crowds to Magic Kingdom, but on its last day, well, Country Bear Jamboree was pretty popular! Country Bear Jamboree is closing so that the Country Bears can learn a brand-new act. The new act will take classic Disney songs and give them a Nashville twist. In fact, Nashville musicians were even brought in to work on new arrangements for some of these songs to give the new act an authentic feel. The Country Bears are learning some new songs! Today, when we entered Magic Kingdom, we noticed that more people were waiting to get into the park than usual. Are all these people here to see the OLD Country Bears Jamboree show one last time? WOW. The crowds are coming! We made our way over to Frontierland to check out the line for Country Bear Jamboree. Y’all, we’ve NEVER seen the line this long for this attraction so early. But everyone wants to get in that one last show from the Country Bears before it changes. It starts! The line wrapped alllll the way around the corner… Around the corner … and down past the entrance to Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Cafe! We don’t see lines like THIS for the Country Bear Jamboree too often. It keeps going down Frontierland! The attraction also opened its doors EARLY, and folks were able to start heading inside for the show. We have a feeling Cast Members opened the show early due to the crowds forming in Frontierland. Are you ready for the changes? So, after the show closes, when will it reopen with a new act? Well, Disney previously shared that Country Bear Jamboree will reopen in the summer of 2024, so at least we don’t have to wait too long for the return of those classic characters. We’ll let you know when a specific date is announced, so stay tuned to DFB for more. Why Are Fans So Angry About the Country Bears Re-Do in Disney World? Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think about getting a new Country Bear Jamboree show? Let us know in the comments! The post A Look at the SHOCKING Country Bear Jamboree Closure CROWDS in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The Walt Disney Company has had a rough go of it over the past few years. ©Disney | Walt Disney Company Headquarters We’ve seen political controversy, lawsuits, and mass layoffs impact the company, and now, more layoffs are on the horizon for certain employees. Here’s what we know. Disney’s main online store, shopDisney, will be laying off 115 employees effective March 24th, 2024, Scott Gustin has reported on X (formerly Twitter). According to Gustin, the employees affected work primarily in guest service roles and most of the positions being eliminated are part-time. It’s being reported that shopDisney will outsource these guest service positions to “a third-party company with employees across the globe and time zones.” ©Disney | Walt Disney Company Headquarters Disney hasn’t made any official statements on these layoffs just yet, but we’ll let you know if that changes. It’s also unclear whether or not this change will have an impact on shopDisney operations. These layoffs come after thousands of employees were let go in phases throughout 2023. In total, Disney laid off 7,000 employees during that time. Cinderella Castle Our thoughts are with those impacted by these layoffs. For more Disney news, stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog. Click here to learn more about what’s currently going on with The Walt Disney Company. Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post NEWS: Disney Reportedly Laying Off Over 100 Employees first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Everyone’s going to have an opinion on what we’re about to say, but we’re here to tell you we’re still super sad that one of our favorite character dining meals still isn’t offered. Disney’s Boardwalk Inn After almost 3 years post-pandemic closures there are STILL things around Disney World that haven’t reopened. Take, for instance, 1900 Park Fare, 2 locations for Bibbidi Boppidi Boutique, and a few more restaurants. What we discovered on a recent trip out to a nearby Disney World hotel, may be more telling than what you think initially. We love taking a stroll around the Disney World hotels to get out and see more of what the “world” has to offer. Sometimes, taking a stroll around the hotels is just a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of being out in the parks all day long. BoardWalk Inn Entrance If you’ve never had an opportunity to visit the Boardwalk walkway, it’s probably one of our favorite places to be and experience. Just being out among the shops and restaurants really helps you feel like you’re visiting something that resembles a classic Atlantic City boardwalk area. BoardWalk boat launch On our stroll, we decided to stop by Trattoria al Forno restaurant to see if they had made any recent changes to their menu. Trattoria al Forno While this restaurant HAS reopened since the pandemic closures, it didn’t open back up in the way we had hoped. Currently, Trattoria al Forno only is open for dinner, however, they used to host a popular character breakfast, affectionately nicknamed the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast. Pastry assortment When you dined here for breakfast, you had the opportunity to enjoy a hearty breakfast meal and see a few of your favorite characters from Disney princess movies like Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, along with Ariel and Prince Eric. Rapunzel and FLYYN RIDER. ALL CAPS! We’re still reeling from the loss of such a great character option for dining, however, when we stopped by to ask about changes to the menu, we were informed that there has been a CHANGE in the bar menu offerings. From reopening until now, the bar offerings were provided by Trattoria al Forno for AbracadaBAR, and now that has changed over to being serviced by Flying Fish Cafe (which neighbors the bar to the opposite side of Trattoria al Forno.) Flying Fish Cafe Could this be a clue of more menu changes to come? We certainly hope so! While we can’t confirm anything more concrete on when or if we’ll see the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast re-emerge, we can also say that you used to be able to order a pizza here (kind of a hack we discovered), and that has also changed to no longer be offered. Some interesting tidbits of information if you ask us, for sure! We’ll be sure to keep a close watch on any changes in the future so be sure to stay tuned with us at Disney Food Blog! These Special Guests Have Their Own PRIVATE Disney World Bus Stop — And You Probably Walk Past It All the Time! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Which Disney World character dining meal is your favorite? Defend your choice in the comments below! The post We Just Found a BIG CLUE That a Popular Disney World Character Meal Could Return SOON! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

From a new Princess Tiana Tiara Pin to indulging in “Cooking with Soul” items, and meet and greets with Ariel, Tiana and Asha, there are a variety of ways you can “Celebrate Soulfully” at Walt Disney World this Black History Month!View the full article

An iconic Disney World attraction is CLOSING today! Country Bear Jamboree Country Bear Jamboree in Magic Kingdom will be temporarily closed for refurbishment — and it’s getting a total retheme as well. Disney has shared a bit of the details about what we can expect from the refreshed, renewed attraction, but for now, we’re in Magic Kingdom taking the original show in for one last time — and apparently, so is everyone else! Today marks the last day to see Country Bear Jamboree as we know it — as of January 27th, the ride will close to undergo a retheme! Disney Imagineers are updating the show with “an all-new act.” The bears are going to be singing Disney songs in NEW styles, like pop country, rockabilly, and bluegrass, and the show is expected to reopen later this summer. But, how does the closure of one ride impact the rest of the attractions in Magic Kingdom? Let’s take a look! Lots of folks waiting for the attraction to open Less than an hour after park opening and we’ve already got some waits to contend with. Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain were hovering around 30-minute waits for a bit… ©Disney …while other popular rides like Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train already boasting hour-long waits. ©Disney Country Bear Jamboree doesn’t officially open until 11AM, so it’s quite possible we could see these wait times fluctuate throughout the day. Overall, it seems to be a pretty average morning in Magic Kingdom so far. Since Country Bear Jamboree is a show, there aren’t any official wait times listed in the My Disney Experience app — but we’ll be keeping an eye on the attraction and the rest of the wait times throughout the day so you know what you might be up against! Liver Lips! Disney has shared that the new Country Bear Jamboree show is inspired by the Opry-style shows of Nashville, Tennessee. They even brought Nashville musicians in to help out with the arrangements! One of the songs we know we’ll see is a new version of “Bare Necessities” in a rockabilly style. The new show will include easter eggs throughout that nod to the previous show. We’ll be keeping up with whatever changes we may be able to see from the exterior of the attraction along with the crowds throughout Magic Kingdom today, so keep checking back for more updates. ©Disney Stay tuned to DFB as we bring you more news about the Country Bear Jamboree closure and major changes coming to Disney World! Click here to learn about more HUGE changes in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Will you be sad to see the original show go? Tell us in the comments. The post What Do the Wait Times Look Like When an Iconic Ride CLOSES in Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Well, partners, the time has come. Country Bear Jamboree January 26th marks the very last day of the Country Bear Jamboree as we know it. This show of animatronic bears was one of the opening-day attractions at Disney World back in 1971. Disney shared back in September, 2023 that the Jamboree would be undergoing a refurbishment to modernize the show and make it feel brand-new again. Disney brought in Nashville artists to write the composition for all-new songs — country music renditions of classic Disney tunes! A lot of Disney fans are pretty bummed to say goodbye to the classic attraction, as the Country Bear Jamboree is one of the last remaining things that Walt Disney himself played a significant role in creating. The new show, Country Bear Musical Jamboree, is set to open this summer. So, shall we go see what crowds in Magic Kingdom look like as folks say their goodbyes? While we didn’t spot many crowds when we first walked into Magic Kingdom, we started to see a few more folks when we entered Frontierland — but nothing out of the ordinary. And when we saw Country Bear Jamboree? Well, that’s probably the busiest we’ve ever seen it! This is what we usually see as far as crowds go Usually, you can easily fit everyone waiting to see the show inside the holding room. However, today, the crowds were spilling out onto the “porch” area of the attrition, beyond the doors. We did notice, though, that more folks weren’t jumping in line. The attraction opens at 11AM like usual, so we were nervous that by the time it opened, these crowds would be DENSE. It’s relieving to know that the line isn’t getting uber long. Holy guacamole Roaming about were Liver Lips and Big Al! This was a nice touch, as those are the two bears with acts that we know for certain are getting a refurb. Liver Lips! Throughout the morning, we did notice that crowds throughout Magic Kingdom started to pick up. There are those crowds! We’re still waiting in line, so we’ll update you soon with how long our wait was as well as what the theater looked like! Make sure to follow along so that you don’t miss a thing. Looking for more big changes coming to Magic Kingdom? Click here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you at Disney World today to catch the final Country Bears Jamboree show? Let us know in the comments! The post The Good, the Bad, and the CROWDED -- What Magic Kingdom Is Like on Country Bear Jamboree's Closing Day first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

On the hunt for a new snack to try in Disney World? So are WE! Main Street Confectionery We’re constantly looking out for new treats to review. And with Disney releasing new treats seasonally for all kinds of celebrations (like Valentine’s Day or Black History Month), it’s usually not very hard to find something unique. But on a recent visit to Magic Kingdom, something really caught my eye in Main Street Confectionery! Several days ago, a new SKITTLES Strawberry Lemon Bundt Cake arrived at Main Street Confectionery. I tried that one and really enjoyed it, but now, it has a friend! There’s a new sweet in the case! The newest treat to join the bakery case is the TWIX Chocolate Caramel Bundt Cake for $5.99. It’s a mini chocolate bundt cake with caramel filling, topped with chocolate fudge frosting and chopped TWIX. This looks DELICIOUS Just the description alone had my mouth watering, and if it’s as good as its strawberry sister, I’m going to like it very much! Turns out, the cake consistency is very similar to its fruity counterpart. It’s dense, but moist. Sweet without being overwhelming, with a rich chocolate flavor. The mini cake! The frosting is very sweet, but I really liked it. It’s on the rich, fudgy side, and it pairs with the cake really well. There isn’t a huge TWIX presence on top, just a few tiny crumbs. That frosting is MMM The one problem with this cake is that it was rather lacking in caramel. There’s supposed to be a caramel filling, but it looked like it was missing from my particular cake! If you’re getting this for the TWIX-like aspect, you might be a little disappointed. However, if you’re getting it just because you’re a chocolate fanatic, this will be right up your alley. Where is the caramel? I would definitely get this mini bundt cake again, as well as the Strawberry Lemon version! Here’s to hoping Disney keeps these sweets around for a while. Stay tuned to DFB for more snack reviews from the parks and all the recommendations for what to eat in Disney World! 24 Snacks You Need in Disney World in 2024! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Would you try this tiny cake? Tell us in the comments! The post Disney World Has New MATCHING Snacks for You and Your Bestie first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Frontierland is BUSY today, and for very good reason! Frontierland If you’ve been in Magic Kingdom today and noticed some heavier-than-usual crowds, you might be wondering what the heck is going on on a random Thursday in January. Don’t worry — we can fill you in! When we arrived at the Transportation and Ticket Center on our way to Magic Kingdom this morning, we noticed a pretty long line for the Monorail. That’s usually a sign that the park is going to be especially busy! Long line Sure enough, we the crowds just got bigger as we made our way to the park. Crowds They got especially bad when we made our way to Frontierland! So what’s going on here? Frontierland is the home of the Country Bear Jamboree attraction, and that show is scheduled to CLOSE in just a couple of days! Starting on January 27th, the show will be closed and Disney will update it completely with “an all-new act.” Many of the people coming to Magic Kingdom today were hoping to visit the attraction one more time before it’s replaced! Country Bear Jamboree We noticed some crowds outside the attraction, and once we got inside, there was a crowd waiting for the next show. The theater was very full, and it looked like it would be for most of the shows today! Crowds Inside This show is a classic Magic Kingdom attraction, but it isn’t usually quite this busy. Still, the wait time was pretty low when we checked on the app! Since it’s just a 16-minute show, Disney is able to get the crowds in and out pretty quickly. Wait Times The crowds hoping to watch Country Bear Jamboree affected other parts of Frontierland as well. At Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café, the Cast Members were directing guests to enter the restaurant through the side walkways instead of the doors by Country Bear Jamboree because the lines at the cash registers were so long. Side entrance to Pecos Bill Country Bear Jamboree is closing on January 27th and will reopen later this summer with “an all-new act.” The bears are going to be singing Disney songs in NEW styles, like pop country, rockabilly, and bluegrass! ©Disney The new show will include easter eggs throughout that nod to the previous show, and the bears will be singing new, reinterpreted Disney songs in various country music genres. The updated show will be a take on the classic variety shows found in Nashville, Tennessee, and Nashville musicians are involved in the new arrangements. We do know we’ll be seeing a new version of “Bare Necessities“ in a rockabilly style! ©Disney A Disney Imagineer has said, “The music is going to be amazing, and the show will still have the fun and friendly tone that we all love about the Country Bears.” Country Bear Jamboree Are you planning a 2024 Disney World trip? Talk to our friends over at Small World Vacations! The travel agents there can help you score some great deals, and their services are absolutely free. Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on the latest Disney news. Click here to learn about another exciting change coming to Frontierland! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Did you visit Magic Kingdom to watch Country Bear Jamboree today? Let us know in the comments! The post Why EVERYONE Is Hanging Out in Frontierland Today first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

As a Theme Park Reporter, it’s my job to go to Disney World…ALL. THE. TIME. Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios And when you go to Disney World multiple times a week, there are some things you learn rather quickly. I can direct you toward any souvenir you’re looking for, give a recommendation for the best value lunch spot, and of course, I know which bathrooms in Disney World are absolutely ELITE. But before I learned all those things? I learned how to pack for the theme parks. My bag typically has everything I need for a successful park day…but what would happen if I tried to go bagless? On a recent visit to Disney World for work, I decided to go bag-free for a day and see if it would be better than lugging around a Loungefly or fanny pack for 8 hours. I’m typically a “pack the whole emergency kit” person, so would I be able to survive with just a few basic essentials? Hollywood Studios To start, I chose a cool, overcast day. For optimum success with going bagless, I recommend choosing outfits with as many pockets as possible (time to dust off those cargo pants! ). I wore leggings with side pockets as well as a rain jacket with two deep pockets. Spread throughout those four pockets, I was able to store my phone, FuelRod and cord, a small wallet, my keys, and a 16.9oz water bottle. FuelRods can be found all around the parks! I felt a little bogged down with everything in my jacket pockets, but the freedom of not having a backpack was a definite benefit. I had to pare down my packing list for the day to the bare necessities, which could have been a problem if I’d needed a Band-Aid, some Ibuprofen, or my lip balm. However, the big problem came not in the form of what I was missing…but what I picked up. First Aid will have some basic supplies like medicine and bandages The same day that I attempted to go bagless, Disney announced some new Minnie Mouse-themed treats. And on that treat list was a Minnie Mouse Kitchen Sink Sundae from Hollywood Scoops. Guess who was in Hollywood Studios that day? The Minnie Kitchen Sink Sundae I enjoyed a delicious snack, but then I had a problem. A red, plastic, kitchen sink-shaped problem. Umm… So yes, on my day of going bagless, I ended up carrying this Minnie Mouse sink with me everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE. She went all around the park… Nothing can stop us now! …to a galaxy far far away… She wanted to meet Darth Vader …to Andy’s backyard… Howdy, partner! …and on a tour of the Skyliner resorts! Crush thinks my sink is totally rad. She even accompanied me for a lunch date at Centertown Market at Caribbean Beach Resort. Turns out we both love fish tacos. This feels oddly romantic. As much as I enjoyed bonding with my sink (thank you for a lovely day, Minnie!), it certainly wasn’t convenient to carry around all day. So what’s the biggest mistake you can make when going bagless in the parks? Doing your souvenir shopping early in the day! Anything you buy first thing in the morning is going to be lugged around for HOURS. And then it’s like you brought a bag with you after all. 2024 Merchandise Of course, if you simply can’t wait to purchase a souvenir that you see, another option is to rent a locker at the front of the park. Each of the Disney World parks has lockers you can rent with a daily rate to store your belongings. This might also be nice if you want to bring a bag, but you don’t want to carry it. Just keep in mind that the lockers are typically located near the park entrance, so you’ll have to walk back and forth to visit them. Locker Rentals at Magic Kingdom If you’re going to commit to packing minimally, just don’t forget to hydrate throughout the day. For those who don’t want to carry a water bottle, you can pick up free cups of water at quick service restaurants and select snack stands. I hope you learned from my mistake and that you’ll be able to go bagless more successfully in the parks! Don’t forget your free water We’ll keep you in the loop with any more Disney World advice and tips, so stay tuned to DFB! 50 Secrets We’ve Learned From Going to Disney World Every Day — Click Here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Would you go bagless in the parks? Tell us in the comments! The post It's Totally Possible to Go Bagless in Disney World...But I Made a BIG Mistake When I Tried first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article