Disney4me

There are a lot of abandoned attractions and buildings across Disney World, and some are hidden in plain sight. The Wonders of Life Pavilion EPCOT is home to the abandoned Wonders of Life Pavilion, and now behind Hollywood Studios lies the abandoned Star Wars hotel, The Galactic Starcruiser. And who can forget about the abandoned NBA Experience sitting in Disney Springs. We recently were curious about an abandoned attraction that Disney tried to hide with a different kind of version of Go-Away-Green over at Animal Kingdom. Did you know that Magic Kingdom is not the only park that is home to a train? There is actually a train hidden in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom that will take you on a one way trip to Rafiki’s Planet Watch and Conservation Station. Take the Train! This train is better known as the Wildlife Express and will drop you off at Rafiki’s Planet Watch wear you can get up close and personal with animals in the Affection Section which is a petting zoo. Conservation Station The Conservation Station is also home to the Animation Experience at Conservation Station. Here you can participate in a 20-minute experience where you can animate some of your favorite animal Disney characters. You can also get an inside look at what animal caretakers are working on as there is viewing glass around Conservation Station. Animation Experience While all of these attractions are still available for you to visit and enjoy, there is one attraction that is hidden in plain sight. Remember when we mentioned Go-Away-Green? Well, this version of Go-Away-Green is ferns. What is behind those ferns? Behind those ferns lies an abandoned attraction. Grandmother Willow used to narrate the Song of the Rainforest. This show was a Binaural Sound Show located in the sound booths located at the Conservation Station. If you were wondering who Grandmother Willow is, she is from the 1995 film Pocahontas. Sound booth It is no secret that Central Florida is home to a lot of rainstorms and sometime in 2011, lightning actually struck Conservation Station. This ended up frying the computer system that was used to run the show. So what about backup? Well, there was not any. The show was run on Windows 98, so it was never backed up. Which meant the show could no longer run. Tips and Tricks for Surviving the Rainiest of Days at Disney World Due to this, the sound booths now sit abandoned in the Conservation Station. Last year we saw some Grandmother Willow representation in the parks when Disney released this pin for World Wildlife Day in 2023. Grandmother Willow World Nature Day Pin While there is no word on whether Disney will use these booths to create another experience, we wonder why they have kept them for the past 13 or so years. Regardless, it is still cool that there is a piece of Disney history hidden in plain sight. Conservation Station As always, keep following the Disney Food Blog for more fun Disney secrets like this one! Hold Up. We Need To Talk About Disney’s Weird Abandoned Catfish Situation 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 ever get to visit this abandoned attraction? Let us know in the comments!The post How a Lightning Strike and Windows 98 Destroyed This Abandoned Disney World Attraction first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney World isn’t just chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers, but you probably already knew that. These days, you can get a thick, juicy steak at Le Cellier, a handmade pizza at Via Napoli, or an authentic meal at Takumi-Tei. Spaceship Earth at EPCOT The possibilities are practically endless! If you’re willing to splurge, you can get some really good food at Disney World. In fact, there’s one signature dining restaurant that offers a unique experience — and it’s hiding in EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion! Any guesses? If you’re not familiar, let us formally introduce you to Takumi-Tei, a fine signature dining restaurant in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion. Takumi-Tei — which means “house of the artisan” — is inspired by Japan’s natural beauty. You’ll be seated in one of five rooms inspired by a natural element: water, wood, earth, stone, or washi paper. It’s a gorgeous restaurant with an impressive menu. Takumi-Tei Now, what makes this place special is Takumi-Tei’s prix-fixe menu, consisting of two omakase* multi-course meal options: an omnivorous “Kiku” meal for $250 per person (with plates that include Sushimi, Soups, a Wagyu Beef Roll, a selection of desserts, and more), and a plant-based “Hasu” meal for $250 per person. Wine pairing is also an option with the omasake meals. (*Omasake dining is a style where you “leave it up to the chef” and let them curate your meal!) Fried Tofu Unlike, say, a place like Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom, this restaurant has a fluid, ever-changing menu. The menu contents change every three months in line with the four Japanese seasons. You could go multiple times within a year and have a completely different experience! Menu In the past, there were a few notable ways to pay less than the $250 per-person price tag. First, the plant-based “Hasu” meal was $150 per person; the price has now increased to $250 per person. Additionally, starting September 1st, 2024, Annual Pass and DVC discounts will no longer be available. Dessert It seems like soon, there won’t be much getting around those high prices. But, to be fair, this is a signature dining experience with a thoughtful menu and chef-quality entrees. It’s not your average theme park meal, that’s for sure! In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more. Full Review of EPCOT’s Most EXPENSIVE Restaurant 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 dined here? Let us know in the comments! The post We’ve Got Some Bad News About EPCOT’s Food Prices in the Japan Pavilion first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you followed along with D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, you know it was a weekend full of groundbreaking surprises, out-of-this-world updates, and so much more. At this past weekend’s Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, we announced can’t-miss news coming to Disney parks around the world. Our Imagineers have dreamt up new experiences at Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, Shanghai Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland — and we’re bringing you all the details. Tokyo Disney Resort New Nighttime Spectacular Coming to Tokyo Disneyland If a magical end to a park day is just your vibe, you won’t want to miss the new nighttime spectacular coming to Tokyo Disneyland park. “Reach for the Stars” debuts on September 20 and features some of your favorite Super Heroes in the park for the first time! Disneyland Paris New Nighttime Spectacular Coming to Disneyland Paris Disneyland Paris is also joining in on the fun with its own new nighttime spectacular, coming in January 2025. The show will feature Disney and Pixar songs, plus projections on Sleeping Beauty Castle and down Main Street. New “The Lion King” Area Revealed for Disneyland Paris Disneyland Paris’ second park, which is being renamed Disney Adventure World, will feature a mighty king when its new attraction themed to Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Lion King” roars to life. Guests in the area will be able to shop, dine, and fully immerse themselves in this beloved story. More Updates at Disneyland Paris In case you missed it, World of Frozen opens in 2026 at Disney Adventure World at Disneyland Paris with can’t-miss experiences themed to the Disney Animation film “Frozen!” Plus, a new nighttime spectacular will debut that same year on the park’s new lake, Adventure Bay. Shanghai Disney Resort New Spider-Man Attraction Swings into Shanghai Disneyland Peter Parker has gotten himself into a bit of a tough situation, and we’re along for the adventure as we join him on a high-speed coaster ride to get out of trouble. Hong Kong Disneyland Spider-Man and Tony Stark Attraction Announced Hong Kong Disneyland will also debut a super new attraction featuring Tony Stark’s friend and new Stark Industries intern, Peter Parker. When one of Spider-Man’s most formidable foes spots the new Stark Industries technology, Spider-Man has to protect both us, and the tech, to save the day. The new attraction will be the third pavilion to open at Stark Expo in Tomorrowland. Oh boy! We can hardly wait to reveal even more updates for these exciting new experiences on the Disney Parks Blog. In the meantime, check out all the announcements from the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase. The post ICYMI: Disney Parks Updates Around the World for D23 Event 2024 appeared first on Disney Parks Blog. View the full article

Well, here we are again. SO MUCH FOOD To the surprise of NO ONE, the DFB team has eaten MORE food at Disney World this year that we NEED to share with you RIGHT NOW (so you don’t miss a potential new favorite during your 2024 vacation)! Check out our video below: The Best Things I Ate in Disney World So Far in 2024 — Part 2 Are you a DFB Video subscriber? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our channel and catch up on ALL of our latest episodes! And stay tuned for more theme park news! 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 did you think of this video? Tell us in the comments. The post DFB Video: The Best Things I Ate in Disney World So Far in 2024 -- Part 2 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We have some sad caramel apple news to share with you… Where did the caramel apples go? Caramel apples have been DISAPPEARING off the shelves in Disney World! This deliciously chewy, crunchy, and sweet treat seems to be nowhere to be found and we did some digging to find out why. One of our lovely readers messaged us asking about the lack of caramel apples in Disney World and we needed to find out for ourselves! Caramel apples are an iconic treat in the Disney parks and it would be a tragedy if they were being taken out of stores. Halloween Caramel Apples One of our reporters stopped by Bayview Gifts inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and, sure enough, there was not a single caramel apple to be seen! We were getting worried and needed to get to the bottom of this caramel apple fiasco. Where are the apples? We spoke with Cast Members and while they assured us that caramel apples aren’t disappearing for good, it will be a bit before we can enjoy one again. Apparently, due to quality issues, caramel apples needed to be pulled from the cases and it will be 10-15 days before they are back on display again. This is due to a recall of the caramel used when making the apples. Pecan Praline Caramel Apple The Cast Member did mention that they weren’t sure if it was affecting all stores and we are curious if Karamell-Küche in EPCOT is also without caramel right now. We will continue to be on the lookout for any caramel apples and we will keep you updated on the great caramel apple disappearance. Easter Egg Caramel Apple While caramel apples are a favorite of guests, there are still plenty of delicious, sweet treats to get while you are in Disney World. Some of our favorites include the Warm Cinnamon Roll from Gaston’s Tavern in Magic Kingdom, the School Bread from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in EPCOT, churros from Nomad Lounge in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the PB&J Milkshake at the Tune-In Lounge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. School Bread If you want even more recommendations for our favorite food in Disney World, look no further than our video that is the ULTIMATE guide to the best food in Disney World! We have eaten everywhere and we want you to know about the best food you can get: We are hoping to see caramel apples back on display soon, but there is still plenty of great food to enjoy until then. Stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World news! Check out the BEST snacks in Magic Kingdom! 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 is your must-have treat while at Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post Breaking Snack News! This Sweet Treat Is Disappearing from Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Where are our Dole Whip lovers? Dole Whip is a classic! Okay, we’re ALL Dole Whip lovers, aren’t we? There’s just something special about that Pineapple Swirl that always just HITS perfectly at Disney Parks. That combo of sweet and tart from the pineapple — well, it’s always THE snack to get. Yes, it’s trendy, but we would argue it’s trendy FOR GOOD REASON (it’s also a classic and never goes out of style). Well, now that trend has come to a whole new merchandise collection that you can buy online RIGHT NOW. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Yes, that’s right, your favorite treat is now the star of a new Loungefly bag, ears, and more. Let’s check out the latest Disney Eats collection! Get the Pineapple Swirl Loungefly Mini Backpack Dole Whip Loungefly Look at how sweet the Dole Whip looks on the front of this backpack, which also features a fun diamond pattern in Dole Whip colors. It’s also got a pretty contrasting green trim, as well as a Dole Whip pattern interior lining. The Dole Whip on the front is also a zippered pocket. Buy From The Disney Store Buy the Pineapple Swirl Starbucks Tumbler ©Disney A Dole Whip Starbucks Tumbler? YES, PLEASE! This tumbler has a fun striped pattern in Dole Whip colors across it, as well as the Starbucks logo on one side, and the Walt Disney World logo WITH a Dole Whip on the other. SO fun. Buy From The Disney Store Get the Pineapple Swirl Ears Dole Whip Ears Show off your love for Dole Whip by wearing it on your head! These ears feature pineapple slices on the ears (TOO adorable), along with a pretty sparkly green bow with a Dole Whip in the middle. Buy From The Disney Store Buy the Pineapple Swirl Spirit Jersey Dole Whip spirit jersey You KNEW there had to be a spirit jersey, right? This bright yellow spirit jersey with white at the bottom has the Walt Disney World logo on the front p0cket with a Dole Whip, with Walt Disney World on the back. There’s also a line of Dole Whips down the sleeve…you know, in case anyone wasn’t SURE about your love for this classic snack. Buy From The Disney Store You’ll want to head on over to The Disney Store now to grab this collection. And stay tuned to DFB for more. Visit our Amazon ShopThe post Souvenir ALERT! Disney's Dole Whip Loungefly, Ears, AND MORE Are NOW ONLINE! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

As if Disney’s official announcement of booths and menus weren’t enough already, it’s time for another round of EPCOT Food & Wine Festival news! Wall-E & Eve! There’s so much to do while visiting Disney World during Food & Wine that it’s almost impossible to do in a single day! If you were already planning some downtime to unwind to the sounds of the upcoming Eat to the Beat concert series at night, you’re going to love making time for this fun activity to during during the day! If you’re ready to put your eagle eyes to the test then EPCOT is the place for you! Disney has just confirmed that one of the activities we were introduced to last year, is expected to return to EPCOT for the upcoming Food & Wine Festival. Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit map with prizes Pluto’s Pumpkin Patch is a fun scavenger hunt built for kids of all ages (and kids at heart). This game involves searching for a few of Pluto’s friends hidden on cleverly disguised and well covered pumpkins stashed around the park. You’re welcome to pick out a few pumpkins at a time while you’re strolling along or snag one of the game boards for yourself at either Creations Shop, Port of Entry, or World Traveler. Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit (2023) This trusty map will help you track all of the pumpkins you’ve spotted as you move along and the best part to this is there’s not true time limit so you can take multiple days to complete your board! Once you’ve finished, you’ll want to show your completed board to a Cast Member at either Port of Entry or World Traveler to claim your spooky surprise! Here’s a look at all the pumpkins! There are a few important details to keep in mind when planning to pick up this year’s board like: Valid admission for EPCOT is required. A theme park reservation may be required based on admission type Game board valid for redemption through November 1st, 2024, or while surprise supplies last Pluto Pumpkin Pursuit is subject to cancellation or change without notice including—without limitation—dates, surprises and prices Game boards available while supplies last Limit 5 game board purchases per person One surprise per game board Stitch sipper prize We’re also not totally certain just how much these game boards will cost this year, however, we’ll be certain to keep you informed once we’ve confirmed its pricing, however, last year’s game boards cost $9.99. We’ll be bringing you all of the updates before, during, and after this year’s Food & Wine Festival kicks off in EPCOT. Be sure to stay tuned with us for all the latest! OK Disney World, Why Does This Problem Even Have to Exist? IT'S WINE & DINE TIME! Food & Wine Festival can be a bummer. You stand in line waiting for what looks like the perfect treat, and it's a bust. But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE EPCOT Food & Wine Festival experience. If you're planning a day or a week at the festival, we've got every performance, activity, and tasty nosh detailed out so you can make the most of your time and money. Listen, it's a tough job eating and documenting the nearly 200 bites and sips, but we do it all for YOU! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Learn More About the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival! Food and Wine Festival 101 Eat to the Beat Concert Updates EPCOT Food and Wine Festival - Fans Facebook Page Wine and Dine Half Marathon Details Get More Updates, Tips, and Tricks to Help You Conquer the Food & Wine Festival Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Will you be doing any of the EPCOT Food & Wine extras when attending this year’s festival? Tell us your favorites in the comments below! The post CONFIRMED: A Popular (and SPOOKY!) EPCOT Food & Wine Festival Favorite Is Returning for a Limited-Time first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

In February, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts was named in a lawsuit filed in Orange County following the death of a woman who dined at Raglan Road in Disney Springs. A man named Jeffrey Piccolo filed a 19-page lawsuit against Disney and Raglan Road after his wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, passed away on October 5th, 2023. Disney Springs The suit alleged that Piccolo, Piccolo’s mother, and Tangsuan dined at Raglan Road and informed their waiter of Tangsuan’s severe food allergies, requesting allergen-free food. Then, later that evening, Tangsuan passed away due to an allergic reaction. Piccolo’s lawsuit states that his party questioned the waiter about menu items “to confirm whether they had allergens in them or not,” and after receiving confirmation that the food could be safely prepared, Tangsuan suddenly passed away that night after suffering from a severe acute allergic reaction. Welcome to Disney World According to Piccolo’s lawsuit, a medical examiner determined that Kanokporn Tangsuan’s cause of death “was as a result of anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system.” Piccolo is seeking more than $50,000 in damages under Florida’s wrongful death act, in addition to mental pain and suffering, loss of income, and funeral expenses. The suit argued that Disney did not properly teach its employees how to ensure that food indicated as “allergen-free” was safe. Disney Springs Now, Disney is responding to the lawsuit. According to CNN, Disney filed court documents to attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. The reasoning? The plaintiff, Jeffrey Piccolo, signed up for a one-month trial of Disney+ in 2019. Per the terms of the Disney+ trial, users are required to arbitrate all disputes with the company. Additionally, Disney stated that Piccolo used the Walt Disney World website to buy EPCOT park tickets; therefore, Disney is shielded from a lawsuit from the estate of Piccolo’s deceased wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan. ©Disney Piccolo’s lawyer responded to Disney’s argument, claiming Disney’s argument is “preposterous,” “outrageously unreasonable and unfair,” according to CNN. He added that Disney is “explicitly seeking to bar its 150 million Disney+ subscribers from ever prosecuting a wrongful death case against it in front of a jury even if the case facts have nothing to with Disney+.” Disney World Disney has not responded to these statements. We will continue to share updates about this developing case. In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more. Disney Named in Wrongful Death Lawsuit Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! The post Disney Seeks To Dismiss Wrongful Death Suit in Move Lawyer Claims Is “Outrageously Unreasonable and Unfair” first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Today is a GREAT day to book your next Disney World vacation! You still have time to sneak in some more summer fun, and there’s so much happening at Disney World. Exciting things are happening at Disney World! Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is happening through October 31st and the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival starts August 29th! And, right now we have details on several NEW vacation discounts and deals that are available for Disney World, Disneyland, and more. Halloween at Disney World! Are you in? We’re in. Let’s go! Today our friends at Small World Vacations have compiled all of the current Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, and Adventures by Disney discounts for DFB readers, including a few new discounts that have recently been announced. Boo to you! The agents at Small World Vacations know how to save money on your Disney Vacation! When you book your trip with Small World Vacations, their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings. They also compare discounts and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation. Current Walt Disney World Deals and Discounts Exclusive FREE Dining Plan Deal Disney Visa Cardmembers can score a FREE Disney Dining Plan when they book a non-discounted 4-night/4-day stay. Guests at Value and Moderate Resorts will receive a Quick Service Dining Plan and guests at Deluxe Resorts will receive the Standard Dining Plan. Casey’s Corner full spread To book the deal, Disney Visa Cardmembers must use their Disney Visa Card to purchase a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day (or longer) Walt Disney World package that includes a room at a select Disney hotel and a theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option—for arrivals most nights from: September 1st to September 7th, 2024 December 9th to December 21st, 2024 Click here to get the full details on this offer! Summer/Fall Disney World Hotel Offer A new hotel offer was just announced — you can save up to 30% off at Disney World hotels if you book a stay of 5 nights or more. Disney’s Beach Club Resort You can also save up to 25% on shorter stays! This deal is valid most nights from now to October 3rd, 2024. Click here to get the details for this offer! Fall/Holiday Room Offer You can get discounted hotel rooms and free Park Hopper benefits on select dates from October 6th through December 25th. This discount is available for everyone. The holidays are on their way! With this deal, you can save up to 30% on hotel rooms most nights from November 24th to December 25th, 2024. Only certain dates will allow you to take advantage of the highest discount, but there are lots of hotels and dates included in this deal! Additionally, you can save up to 20% on most Sunday to Thursday nights from October 6th to November 21st, 2024. These are some great times to take part in the holiday festivities including Halloween and Christmas. Click here to read more about this holiday season offer! NEW Disney World Ticket Deals 4-Park Magic Ticket Deal If you’re looking to visit the most magical place on earth between now and September 22nd, 2024 — make sure you get your hands on this ticket deal! Hollywood Studios You can purchase the 4-Park Magic Ticket deal! With this deal, you get 4 park tickets — and admission to one park per day. Click here to check out this deal! 3-Day 3-Park Ticket The specially priced 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket is valid for admission to 3 of Disney World’s parks Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and starts at $89 per day, plus tax. Click here to read more about this ticket deal! All-Star Movies Resort Florida Resident Offers A new Florida resident offer was announced this week! Florida residents can book a Disney World vacation package for travel dates between now and October 3rd, 2024, and save up to 30% on a stay at Disney World! Click here to see details of this offer! Port Orleans Riverside Florida residents can save up to 30% on their hotel stay this fall/winter. The new discount is for travel most Sunday to Thursday nights from October 6th through November 21st and most nights from November 24th through December 25th. Hotel stays anywhere from one night to fourteen nights are eligible. Click here to check out more about this HOLIDAY season deal! Discover Disney Tickets This ticket deal is for Florida residents. If you qualify, you can choose from 4-day tickets for $59 per day ($23 +tax) or 3-day park tickets for $73 per day ($219 +tax). Click here to read more about this deal! Annual Passholder Offer A brand new Annual Passholder deal just dropped — Annual Passholders can book a Disney World vacation package for travel dates now through October 3rd, 2024, and can save up to 35% on a stay at Disney World! Click here to get more details on this offer! Annual Passholder Card Disney World Annual Passholders can also save up to 40% on rooms during the month of December! But that’s not all. You can also save up to 35% on rooms most days between October and November. The catch? You’ve got to book those rooms by August 28th, 2024! Click here to check out the holiday deals for Annual Passholders! 2024 Military Offers Disney has announced its 2024 military offer. Those eligible can purchase park admission for 4, 5, or 6 days of multi-day tickets that will be valid for visits starting January 1st through December 20th, 2024. EPCOT These promotional tickets are subject to blockout dates on March 24th through April 6th, 2024, and November 24th through November 30th, 2024. Click Here for More Details on the 2024 Military Offers US military members can also save on room reservations in 2024. Contact our friends at Small World Vacations for additional details! Disneyland Offers Check out the latest deals for your next Disneyland vacation! Sleeping Beauty Castle Summer Room Offer If you’re booking a stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, the Disneyland Hotel, or The Villas at Disneyland Hotel for four nights or more, you can save 25% on stays of four nights or longer from now through September 26th. You can also save 20% off these hotels on stays shorter than four nights on Monday through Thursday. This offer can be reserved from through September 12th. Click here for more details on this offer. Summer Ticket Offer If you purchase a 3-Day Disneyland ticket, you can get that ticket for as low as $50 per child per day (ages 3-9) and $83 per adult per day. The ticket is good for Monday through Thursday now through September 26th. Note that you will still need to make a park pass reservation for the days you plan to visit. Click here for more details on this offer. Disney Visa Offers Disney Visa Cardmembers can save up to 30% on rooms at select Disneyland Resort hotels. Grand Californian This offer is good on select nights now through September 26, 2024. Contact Small World Vacations for more details on this offer! Disneyland Military Offers U.S. Military members can also save on hotels over at Disneyland Resort! The deal is available on most nights through December 14th, 2024 and you can book the deal from now until December 10th, 2024. Contact Small World Vacations for more details. Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, and Adventures by Disney Discounts Our friends at Small World Vacations can also help you plan your next Disney Cruise Line sailing, a trip to Aulani, or even an Adventures by Disney vacation! Check out these deals. Restricted Rates You can save up to 30% on Disney Cruises! Quiet Cove on the Disney Wish Sail the Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean, and more without paying full price. Click here for more details on this deal! Aulani Deals Disney Visa Cardmembers can save 30% on select Aulani rooms with a stay of 5 nights or more. Travel dates must be between July 29th through August 20th, 2024, or August 21st through December 20th, 2024. Contact Small World Vacations for more details. @DisneyAulani You can also save 10% on select villas for stays on most nights from June 13th through July 31st, 2024. Your checkout must be no later than August 1st, 2024. Click here to read more about these deals! There’s also a fall room offer — Save up to 30% on select rooms for stays of 5 or more nights or up to 25% on select rooms for stays of 4 nights. Travel dates are most nights August 21 – December 20, 2024 (room or villa) or July 29 – August 20, 2024 (villa only). Contact Small World Vacations for more details. Adventures by Disney Disney’s latest offer could literally save you hundreds of dollars on select 2025 Adventures By Disney small ship sailings. Seven destinations with multiple trip itineraries are eligible to save you anywhere from $500 up to $750 per person if you’re willing to book EARLY. Click here for more details! There is an early booking offer — Save up to $500 per person on select 2025 Land Adventures. Travel dates are March 7, 2025 – April 6, 2026, and this must be booked by June 21, 2024. Contact Small World Vacations for more details. You can also save up to $500 per person when booking eligible 2024 departure and airfare through Adventures by Disney Air. Contact Small World Vacations for more details. Contact Small World Vacations for a no-obligation quote before these offers expire. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Let the agents at Small World Vacations compare discounts to find the best possible savings for YOU! When you feel ready to start planning your next Disney Vacation, Small World Vacation is happy to assist you with pricing and guidance. And there is no charge for their expertise and firsthand knowledge. You have questions…they have answers! Small World Vacations agents have been to Walt Disney World over 2,500 times! The agents at Small World Vacations know what you need to know before you go. Small World Vacations is happy to help with your Walt Disney World Vacation. Learn below what they can do for you! Small World Vacations is proud to be the preferred travel agency of the Disney Food Blog. http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Small-World-Square-Banner.png 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. (Why should you use a travel agent when you go to Disney? See what we think here! Or click here for a no obligation price quote today! And tell them DFB Sent You! Exclusive Small World Vacations Limited Time Offer Considering booking a Disney World trip? If you want to save time and money, you definitely want to book with a Small World Vacations travel agent. And now is a perfect time! Small World Vacations has an exciting offer for DFB readers in AUGUST! Book a new Walt Disney World Vacation Package (at any on-site, Walt Disney World hotel) valued at $3,800 or more and get one $25 DFB Store Gift Card emailed to you after final payment. The perfect time to stock up on DFB-exclusive gear and guides! Offer valid on bookings with code DFB0824 made with Small World Vacations between August 14 – August 31, 2024. Check-in between September 15 and December 31, 2024 to qualify. Previously booked reservations are not eligible. Substitutions may be necessary. No cash value. Cannot be transferred. If reservation is canceled, or price of Walt Disney World vacation reservation falls below $3800 or dates are modified to non-qualifying dates, offer is no longer valid. DFB Store gift cards! *DFB Store Gift Card is a digital card and will be emailed to guest at approximately 2 weeks prior to arrival. Small World Vacations is not responsible for lost or deleted e-Gift Card. Get a quote for your Walt Disney World Vacation and let your agent know that DFB sent you. Include code DFB 0824. Contact Small World Vacations for a no-obligation quote before these offers expire. If you are ready to begin planning your Walt Disney World vacation, simply fill out Small World Vacations’ no-obligation quote form! Small World Vacations is happy to share over 23 years of Disney expertise and extensive experience with My Disney Experience, discounts, dining and reservations so you can sit back, relax and enjoy some Disney Magic! Small World Vacations is happy to help with your Walt Disney World Vacation. Learn below what they can do for you! Maximize the Dining Plan! If you book a Walt Disney World Vacation Package you will receive one FREE digital e-Book, the Disney Food Blog Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World valued at $19.95. This guide helps you to get the most out of your Disney Dining Experience! Small World Vacations is proud to be the preferred travel agency of the Disney Food Blog. http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Small-World-Square-Banner.png 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. (Why should you use a travel agent when you go to Disney? See what we think here! Or click here for a no obligation price quote today! And tell them DFB Sent You! Small World Vacations agents have been to Walt Disney World over 2,500 times! We know what you need to know before you go. We’re Diamond Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planners (that’s the highest level, ranked by Disney!) who have been there, done that, and are going back. Learn how we can help you and what our guests are saying about us: “I am a very hands-on type of person and I’ve always planned our vacations. I decided this time to give Small World Vacations a try. Best thing I could have done. My agent was able to handle the booking part, which is the tedious part of the planning. Then she was able to get me free dining for my trip, which saved me a ton of money. She answered all my questions very promptly as well.” Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money, when you book your Disney trip or cruise. Their agents compare current offers to find the best deal for you — they’ve literally saved their guests millions of dollars since 1996. Plus, their services are 100% FREE FOR YOU! (They’re DFB’s recommended travel agency, and you can see why here!) So book that trip now, then sit back and enjoy planning your Disney World Trip with a DFB-approved expert! Click here for a no obligation price quote today, and let them know DFB sent you http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/customemailexample.jpg Are you planning to visit Disney World soon? Let us know in the comments below! The post 4 New Disney World Discounts Announced! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event was filled with TONS of excitement, we still can’t believe some of the news! Monsters Inc. roller coaster There are so many new attractions coming to Disney World and Disneyland, as well as the international parks, and one of the largest announcements was that a new Monsters Inc. land is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! But here’s the thing — Hollywood Studios isn’t THAT big of a park (as it stands, it’s the second smallest next to Magic Kingdom), so it’s extremely likely that this new land will take the place of an existing attraction in the park. And Muppets fans, we need to warn you that it could be very bad news for Muppets Courtyard. Now, to preface, NOTHING has been confirmed about where this new Monsters Inc. land will go in the parks! However, from the concept art of the new land, there are a few sections of the park that it could fit into. The first theory fans have is that it could replace Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy over in Sunset Boulevard. A new land is coming to Hollywood Studios! However, the concept art doesn’t reaaally look like this area, if we’re being honest (but it could still happen). Another common assumption has been that it could be placed in Animation Courtyard, which would take the place of Disney Junior Play and Dance! and/or Star Wars Launch Bay. A new land themed to Pixar Animation Studios’ “Monsters, Inc.” is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Taking place after the events of the film, Monstropolis need humans’ laughter to power the city. ©Disney Again though, we’re skeptical that this concept art matches this area. Concept art can always change, yes, but…*sigh* if we’re being honest with ourselves, we have to admit what the concept art really looks like — it looks like it’s smack dab in the middle of Muppets Courtyard. Monsters Inc. Land Concept Art ©Disney We know, we know, we don’t want to admit it either, but it’s time to face the unfortunate truth that it’s entirely possible we could need to say goodbye to Muppets Courtyard, which consists of PizzeRizzo and MuppetVision 3D (as well as Mama Melrose’s) when construction begins on this new land in 2026. And since the new land appears to be so large, it could take away Star Tours and Backlot Express as well. You can even ride on a door like Mike and Sully in the iconic scene from the film with Disney’s first-ever suspended coaster. ©Disney That does mean that we still have over a year to still experience Muppets Courtyard IF Disney does announce that this is where Monstropolis will be going! And the same can be said for any attractions that will be getting cut for this new land. While we’re excited to see this new land come to life, we still have a LONG time until we see it come to fruition, so nothing is changing anytime soon. You can still go see Sam Eagle’s glorious 3 hour finale that had to be cut down to a minute and a half. More D23 News! Is This the END of The Muppets at Disney World as We Know It?!The ONE THING We HATE About the Magic Kingdom ExpansionOkay, This Is Officially the BEST Thing We Saw at Disney’s Ultimate Fan EventWe Know What EVERY Disney Fan Will Be Doing in 2025!7 HUGE Announcements That Were MISSING From Disney’s News Drop We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest news we hear, so stay tuned to DFB! Learn MORE about the new Monstropolis land right 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 Where are you hoping this new land will go? Tell us in the comments! The post Is This the END of The Muppets at Disney World as We Know It?! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Pixar’s 2026 film has an official release date! ©Disney After a few pandemic-affected years had people questioning whether Pixar still had “it”, the legendary movie studio is currently riding high. Their 2024 release Inside Out 2 just bested Frozen II to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and the D23 Ultimate Fan Event saw announcements of The Incredibles 3, Toy Story 5, new Monsters, Inc. land and Coco attractions at Disney theme parks, and some new Disney + series, and Pixar’s newest original film. Riding on all of this comes the release date for Pixar’s 2026 film Hoppers: March 6th, 2026. #af-form-501507268 .af-body{font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:16px;color:inherit;background-image:none;background-position:inherit;background-repeat:no-repeat;padding-top:15px;padding-bottom:15px;} #af-form-501507268 {border-style:none;border-width:1px;border-color:#454545;background-color:#FFFFFF;} #af-form-501507268 .af-standards .af-element{padding-left:60px;padding-right:60px;} #af-form-501507268 .af-quirksMode{padding-left:60px;padding-right:60px;} #af-form-501507268 .af-header{font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:18px;color:inherit;border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;border-width:1px;border-color:#FFFFFF;background-image:none;background-position:inherit;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-color:#CFCB4B;padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px;padding-top:9px;padding-bottom:9px;} #af-form-501507268 .af-footer{font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;color:inherit;border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;border-width:1px;background-image:none;background-position:top left;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding-left:16px;padding-right:16px;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;} #af-form-501507268 .af-body input.text, #af-form-501507268 .af-body textarea{border-color:#454545;border-width:1px;border-style:solid;font-family:Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;font-size:24px;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;color:#454545;background-color:#FFFFFF;} #af-form-501507268 .af-body input.text:focus, #af-form-501507268 .af-body textarea:focus{border-style:solid;border-width:1px;border-color:#454545;background-color:#FFFFFF;} #af-form-501507268 .af-body label.previewLabel{font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;color:#454545;display:block;float:none;text-align:left;width:auto;} #af-form-501507268 .af-body .af-textWrap{width:98%;display:block;float:none;} #af-form-501507268 .buttonContainer input.submit{font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;background-color:#1CA7BF;background-image:none;} #af-form-501507268 .buttonContainer{text-align:right;} #af-form-501507268 .af-body label.choice{font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;color:#454545;} #af-form-501507268 .af-body a{font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;color:#454545;} #af-form-501507268, #af-form-501507268 .quirksMode{width:100%;max-width:418.0px;} #af-form-501507268.af-quirksMode{overflow-x:hidden;} #af-form-501507268 .af-quirksMode .bodyText{padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;} #af-form-501507268{overflow:hidden;} #af-form-501507268 button,#af-form-501507268 input,#af-form-501507268 submit,#af-form-501507268 textarea,#af-form-501507268 select,#af-form-501507268 label,#af-form-501507268 optgroup,#af-form-501507268 option {float:none;margin:0;position:static;} #af-form-501507268 select,#af-form-501507268 label,#af-form-501507268 optgroup,#af-form-501507268 option {padding:0;} #af-form-501507268 input,#af-form-501507268 button,#af-form-501507268 textarea,#af-form-501507268 select {font-size:100%;} #af-form-501507268 .buttonContainer input.submit {width:auto;} #af-form-501507268 form,#af-form-501507268 textarea,.af-form-wrapper,.af-form-close-button,#af-form-501507268 img {float:none;color:inherit;margin:0;padding:0;position:static;background-color:none;border:none;} #af-form-501507268 div {margin:0;} #af-form-501507268 {display:block;} #af-form-501507268 body,#af-form-501507268 dl,#af-form-501507268 dt,#af-form-501507268 dd,#af-form-501507268 h1,#af-form-501507268 h2,#af-form-501507268 h3,#af-form-501507268 h4,#af-form-501507268 h5,#af-form-501507268 h6,#af-form-501507268 pre,#af-form-501507268 code,#af-form-501507268 fieldset,#af-form-501507268 legend,#af-form-501507268 blockquote,#af-form-501507268 th,#af-form-501507268 td { float:none;color:inherit;margin:0;padding:0;position:static;} #af-form-501507268 p { color:inherit;} #af-form-501507268 ul,#af-form-501507268 ol {list-style-image:none;list-style-position:outside;list-style-type:disc;padding-left:40px;} #af-form-501507268 .bodyText p {margin:1em 0;} #af-form-501507268 table {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} #af-form-501507268 fieldset {border:0;} .af-clear{clear:both;} .af-form{box-sizing:border-box; margin:auto; text-align:left;} .af-element{padding-bottom:5px; padding-top:5px;} .af-form-wrapper{text-indent: 0;} .af-body input.submit, .af-body input.image, .af-form .af-element input.button{float:none!important;} .af-body input.submit{white-space: inherit;} .af-body input.text{width:100%; padding:2px!important;} .af-body .af-textWrap{text-align:left;} .af-element label{float:left; text-align:left;} .lbl-right .af-element label{text-align:right;} .af-quirksMode .af-element{padding-left: 0!important; padding-right: 0!important;} .af-body.af-standards input.submit{padding:4px 12px;} .af-body input.image{border:none!important;} .af-body input.text{float:none;} .af-element label{display:block; float:left;} .af-header { margin-bottom:0; margin-top:0; padding:10px; } body { } #af-form-501507268 input.submit, #af-form-501507268 #webFormSubmitButton { -webkit-appearance: none; } .af-form { border-radius: 12px; } .af-header { -webkit-clip-path: polygon(0 0, 100% 0, 100% 80%, 0% 100%); clip-path: polygon(0 0, 100% 0, 100% 80%, 0% 100%); } .af-header p { padding-top: 25px; padding-right: 50px; padding-bottom: 40px; padding-left: 50px; } .af-body input.text, .af-body textarea { border-radius: 4px; } .af-element { padding-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px; } #af-form-501507268 select, #af-form-501507268 label, #af-form-501507268 optgroup, #af-form-501507268 option { padding-bottom: 5px; } #af-form-501507268 p { margin: 0; } #af-form-501507268 .af-body .privacyPolicy { font-size: 9px; padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; } #af-form-501507268 .af-body .poweredBy { font-size: 9px; padding-top: 0; padding-bottom: 0; } #af-form #webFormSubmitButton, .buttonContainer input.submit, .af-body.af-standards input.submit { border:none; border-radius: 4px; padding: 10px 30px; } .bodyText p strong { letter-spacing: 0.03em; line-height:1.25; } .af-form .af-element-radio { padding-bottom: 5px; } Be the First to Know! Get the latest D23 updates on rides, restaurants, and more delivered straight to your inbox! Name: Email: According to Pixar, the film will tell the story of a group of scientists who have “discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals! The adventure introduces Mabel, an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.” The film will be directed by Daniel Chong, produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, and feature the voices of Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, and Jon Hamm. The film will follow another original/non-sequel Pixar film into theaters, as Elio, the long-delayed original sci-fi adventure film is scheduled for release on June 13th, 2025. ©Pixar Hoppers new release date gives Disney and Pixar animation fans a new date to look forward to: March 6th, 2025. Stay tuned to DFB for further Pixar updates. EVERY MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT From D23’s Entertainment Panel 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 excited for Hoppers? Let us know in the comments below. The post ATTENTION PIXAR FANS: Mark Your Calendars for March 2026 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Plans are drawn and dirt is already moving for the next generation of Disney Experiences, announced this weekend at the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase. ICYMI, you can read about all-new lands, attractions and more that were announced in our D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event roundup. Guests will start to see many of these projects come to life in the near future — including quite a few experiences debuting next year. Keep reading for your list of new must-dos, all opening in 2025! Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics Figure Coming to Disneyland Next year at Disneyland Resort, a fitting tribute to Walt Disney will debut on Main Street U.S.A. Walt Disney Imagineering is designing the first ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure as part of a new show, “Walt Disney — A Magical Life.” You can initially catch this production inside the Main Street Opera House, before it moves to play in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.” New Disneyland Paris Nighttime Spectacular We announced plenty of entertainment news at D23 Event 2024, including a new nighttime spectacular coming to Disneyland Paris! The show will open in January 2025 and include projections on Sleeping Beauty Castle as well as down Main Street. You’ll hear timeless tunes from both Disney and Pixar in the soundtrack. “Disney Starlight” Nighttime Parade at Walt Disney World Over at Walt Disney World, the “Disney Starlight” nighttime parade meanders through Magic Kingdom Park beginning summer 2025 — and fans of the “Main Street Electrical Parade” won’t want to miss it! The Blue Fairy will bring the magic of Disney characters from classic Walt Disney Animation Studios films to life, including “Peter Pan,” “Encanto,” “Frozen” and more. Pirates of the Caribbean and Spaceship Earth Themed Lounges Also opening 2025 are two new Walt Disney World lounges themed to Spaceship Earth and Pirates of the Caribbean. The Spaceship Earth lounge is a nod to the iconic EPCOT attraction with rich textures and warm metallic tones, while the Pirates of the Caribbean tavern at Magic Kingdom Park will feature a sea-worthy selection of grogs and grub. New Disney Cruise Line Ship, the Disney Destiny Disney Cruise Line’s new heroes and villains-themed cruise ship, the Disney Destiny, sets sail in November 2025! The ship blends all-new Disney Animation experiences like a Cruella de Vil-themed piano lounge and a “The Lion King” dinner show with guest favorite must-dos such as a can’t-miss Broadway-style production, “Disney Hercules”— with everyone’s favorite Super Heroes and Pixar characters. Disney Adventure Sets Sail from Singapore Next year, guests will also be able to board the Disney Adventure, the first Disney Cruise Line ship to homeport in Asia. The Disney Adventure will sail with three- and four-night itineraries out of Singapore. New areas include Disney Animation-inspired experiences like Wayfinder Bay themed to “Moana,” Town Square featuring “Tangled” and “Cinderella,” and more. Plus, just on the horizon and as announced at D23 Event 2024, four new Disney Cruise Line ships will arrive between 2027 and 2031. Test Track Reimagining Reopening Racing to return to Test Track presented by Chevrolet? We got some updates on this EPCOT attraction’s reimagining at the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase. Construction has already begun, with a reopening date sometime in 2025. Get ready to rev your engines! It’s shaping up to be a great big, beautiful tomorrow in our parks. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for updates on these thrilling new projects as we approach their openings in 2025! The post 8 Can’t-Miss Disney Experiences Opening in 2025 appeared first on Disney Parks Blog. View the full article

Look, the week just started, but we’re not going to get behind on those sales! It’s the holiday season! And that’s what we’re here for — making sure you don’t miss out on any of the sales or discounts on your favorite pieces of Disney merch. With that, in preparation of the coming holiday season, we’ve got a list of the best deals on Disney Advent calendars we’ve just found on sale right now at Amazon for you to enjoy! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Remember, you can get free, fast shipping with an Amazon Prime membership, so sign up for a FREE trial below. Shop this Funko Pop! Advent Calendar – Star Wars – Holiday for 59% OFF ©Amazon First up, if you’re looking for a new advent calendar and you’re a massive Star Wars fan, this could be the one for you. It’s got 24 unique Funko Pocket Pops! dressed in their winter best! Is there anything better than that?! View on Amazon Shop this Disney 100 Storybook Advent Calendar for 11% OFF Disney 100 Storybook Advent Calendar Next, this advent calendar has some of your favorite Disney and Pixar characters. Also, it takes the interactiveness to the next level by giving you 24 holiday themed storybooks that you can read on your countdown to Christmas. View on Amazon Shop this Funko Pop! Disney: Advent Calendar – Holiday for 31% OFF ©Amazon Next, if you’re looking for one that’s a bit more straightforward and has your favorite Disney characters in their holiday best, well, you’ve come to the right advent calendar with this one! It includes 24 unique Funko Pocket Pops! that will be perfect additions to your Christmas decor! View on Amazon Shop this The Nightmare Before Christmas: Advent Calendar and Pop-Up Book for 48% OFF ©Amazon Next, we all love Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, right? So, since we love it, there’s only one choice to make when looking for a new advent calendar — choosing this one for the cart! It’s also going to look great in your holiday decor collection! View on Amazon Shop this Disney Princess: Enchanted Christmas: Official Pop-Up Advent Calendar for 68% OFF ©Amazon Lastly, we’ve got one that just might be perfect for the princess in your life — this Disney princess pop-up advent calendar! It has a 12″ pop-up tree that you’ll be able to decorate with images and icons from some of your favorite Disney Princesses like Cinderella, Snow White, Pocahontas, Tiana, Rapunzel, and more. View on Amazon We’ll continue to keep you updated with any and all Disney news and updates, so make sure to follow along for more. Click here to view our Amazon Storefront The post Disney Advent Calendars Are On Sale Up to 68% Off on Amazon Today first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Joe Rohde, #Disney Legend, certainly has a nice (ear)ring to it.✨🙌 #DisneyParks #D23 #DisneyCastLifeView the full article

There is A LOT to look forward to in the coming years for the Disney parks! Magic Kingdom is expanding! At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event we got so many announcements about what will be coming to Disney parks around the world. In particular, Magic Kingdom is getting some love with two new lands. However, there is something we are already not looking forward to. During the Disney Experiences Panel at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney announced that Magic Kingdom will be getting a huge expansion! First, a new Cars Land will be making its way to Magic Kingdom with two new attractions. This addition will be replacing Tom Sawyer Island. Construction on this new area is expected to begin in early 2025. ©Disney As well, Magic Kingdom will also be getting a VILLAINS LAND! Yep, an entire area of Magic Kingdom is going to be dedicated to the villains of Disney stories. The Villains Land will also be adding two major attractions to Magic Kingdom, as well as shopping and dining. Disney has stated that they will be “pushing creative boundaries to dark and mysterious levels to bring this new, first-of-its-kind land to life.” Disney has not announced a timeline yet for the new Villains Land, but they did reveal it will be located “beyond Big Thunder Mountain.” Villains Land Concept Art ©Disney While we are excited about these new expansions and additions to Magic Kingdom, there is one thing we are less than excited about. Walls. Construction walls. And LOTS of them. The Magic Kingdom expansion promises a lot of new things coming to the park, but that also means that these new things need to be built. Construction Walls at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure And while we appreciate that Disney tries to hide as much of the construction as they can with walls, they are definitely not the prettiest thing to look at. We were ecstatic when the EPCOT transformation was finally completed in June and all the construction walls came down. We no longer had to take detours around walls to get where we wanted, we could just walk straight there! We also felt relieved when the walls came down around Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom. Construction Walls Now with these announcements about the Magic Kingdom expansion, we will be welcoming walls into a new park. We aren’t sure yet how obstructive they will be yet, but there is no doubt that there will be walls going up at some point. However, in the end, hopefully, all the walls will be worth it when we get to walk through and experience new two lands in Magic Kingdom. Walls, Walls, Walls While we wait for construction to begin on these new lands, there is still so much to enjoy at Magic Kingdom! Make sure you check out our video that covers the 25 things you should always do in Magic Kingdom: Make sure to stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World news! Find out more about the Villains Land coming to 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 are you most looking forward to with the Magic Kingdom expansion? Let us know in the comments! The post The ONE THING We HATE About the Magic Kingdom Expansion first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We sometimes stumble upon celebrities visiting Disney World. Magic Kingdom Most often, we notice their posts on social media exclaiming that they had a great time at the Most Magic Place on Earth. However, occasionally we stumble upon them in the parks while we’re there. Sometimes, the stars are hanging out on vacation or they may be there on business doing some filming or other work with Disney. Well, recently, we spotted a 90s icon doing a bit of filming in the hub at Magic Kingdom! Busy Philipps is an American actress known for popular movies and shows of the 90s and early 2000s. She was most notably in Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek, White Chicks, and ER. Most recently, she was in the remake of Mean Girls (2024). White Chicks (2004) On August 13th, we happened to stumble upon the actress doing some filming in the hub near Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom! Busy Philipps in Magic Kingdom We’re not sure what she was filming, but she had Cast Members there assisting her with what appeared to be a mic. Cast Members assisting Busy Philipps It was pretty cool getting to see her at the parks! Hopefully, she’ll have some time to explore the parks for fun not just for business. She looked ready to have the best day ever in her Minnie ears. Busy Philipps It can be pretty cool to spot a celebrity while you’re out and about in the parks. Stars enjoy Disney World as much as we do, so it’s not uncommon to see some big-name people hitting up the rides and attractions. Keep your eyes out if you hope to spot someone famous while you’re there! For more Disney news, keep following DFB! FULL MENUS Announced for the 2024 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival 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 spotted a celebrity at the parks? Let us know in the comments! The post SPOTTED: A Celebrity Was Seen FILMING at Magic Kingdom Today first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Okay so…it’s no secret that we’re obsessed with Disney merchandise. Loungefly Wall at the Emporium in Magic Kingdom Listen, we have reporters in the parks every day, YES, but some of the writers and editors on the team work from home in different states, and that means we don’t get to experience the Disney World magic every single day! So we supplement with buying Disney merchandise online or from the parks when we’re there, and then when we look at it at home, we remember the magic. Is it the best for our wallets? Absolutely not, but it keeps us happy, and life without simple happiness like that is not a life we want. But there’s one souvenir in particular that we find ourselves going back to over, and over, and over again, and we can’t stop telling you about it. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. These Are The Best Coffee Mugs And No, We’re Not Hearing Any Arguments JoyJolt Cups Now LISTEN HANG ON! We know, you’re thinking “it’s just a mug, DFB, calm down, it’s not that special.” WRONG, friends! We drink coffee pretty much every morning, and we’re sure a lot of you do too. And it probably brings you joy, either because you genuinely enjoy making it or the taste of it (or you just need to wake up and it helps with that), so why not drink out of a cup that brings you EXTRA joy? These Mickey Mouse JoyJolt Cups do just that! JoyJolt Cups The best part is that from the outside, you really can’t tell that the actual shape of the cup is Mickey inside, so if you’re trying to slightly hide your obsession from your visitors, it’s much easier to do so. But when YOU go to take a sip, you’ll look down and see Mickey every time and it’ll bring you an extra jolt (no pun intended) of joy. Look, we even took a video of it in action for you! Seriously, we own more of these than we’d like to admit, and will that stop us from buying more? It should, but it definitely won’t. Grab a pack of 2 here! If you’re looking for the latest and greatest Disney merchandise information, we’re here to bring you all the latest news from both in the Disney parks and online! And don’t forget that sometimes Disney merchandise is cheaper online than in the parks, especially if there’s a special promotion going on that you’re eligible for — those are much more likely to be active online than in the parks. Stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news! Check out our Amazon Storefront for all our Disney essentials! What’s your number one Disney merchandise obsession? Don’t be shy, tell us all about it in the comments below! The post If You Saw Me Buying 4 of This Disney Souvenir from Amazon, Shhhh 🤫 No You Didn't first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

When it comes to choosing a hotel for your Disney World trip, you have a lot of things to consider. Skyliner First, there’s a budget to think about. Will you be staying in a value, moderate, or deluxe resort? If you’re on a tight budget, you might be leaning more towards a value resort, which means you can stay at one of the three All-Star Resorts or Disney’s Pop Century Resort or Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. The latter two can be more expensive, though, because they have something the All-Star Resorts don’t: direct access to the Skyliner. But is it worth spending more money on those hotels just for the Skyliner? Well, the answer is: it depends. There are certain things you need to think about to justify the extra cost of staying at a Skyliner hotel. So should you book that Skyliner hotel? Let’s find out. Yes Convenient transportation to two parks The Skyliner can take you directly to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s a lot more convenient than waiting for a bus because even when there’s a long line at a Skyliner station, it moves quickly because the Skyliner rarely stops — it basically moves continuously. Skyliner Station at Disney’s Pop Century and Art of Animation Resorts If you’re staying at Pop Century or Art of Animation, you’ll just walk to the Skyliner station and hop on a gondola if you’re headed to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios. It’s as easy as that. The two hotels share the Skyliner station. 5 Unfortunate Things That Happen Every Time We Stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Hotel It’s faster If you’ve ever had to wait for a Disney bus at a resort, you know how long those waits can be. You also know that some trips to the parks take longer. However, as we mentioned, the Skyliner is faster because it’s continuously moving, which means you’ll spend less time waiting in line for it. The Skyliner is faster than buses It’s also generally faster because it travels over Disney World’s roads, so you don’t have to worry about things like traffic. The 2025 Disney World Transportation Problem You Need To Be WORRIED About Visiting other resorts The EPCOT resort area has a lot of great dining, shopping, and entertainment, and if you’re planning on visiting the area, you can get there via the Skyliner. If you plan on spending any time at those hotels, staying at a hotel with Skyliner access will make it so much easier to get to those hotels. This is especially true as you can’t just Uber to a hotel without a dining reservation there. EPCOT Skyliner This is also the case with Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort or Disney’s Riviera Resort — if you plan on spending time there or dining there, all you have to do is hop on the Skyliner to get to those hotels. 50 Amazing Things You Never Knew Were in Disney World Hotels You get the best views If you want a bird’s eye view of Disney World, particularly of the gorgeous Caribbean Beach Resort or EPCOT, the Skyliner is the way to do just that. You can just ride above part of Disney World and see it from a completely different point of view. The views from the Skyliner are AMAZING You can’t get this view with any other Disney World transportation, so if that sounds good to you, booking that Skyliner hotel might just be worth it. 9 Things The Disney World Skyliner Desperately Needs It’s a ride! The Skyliner is pretty much its own Disney World ride, and the best part is you don’t need a park ticket to ride it! Seriously, it’s a lot of fun and really is an attraction on its own. And it’s FREE. You could just hop on the Skyliner and ride all day if you want. Disney World’s Skyliner is a ride! Also, your kids are going to love it. It might end up being their favorite Disney World ride. 4 Hotel Rooms in Disney World That Are Only 127 Steps Away from the Skyliner No It’s closed during bad weather If you’re visiting Disney World and there’s bad weather, the Skyliner will be closed. Instead, you’ll just have to take a bus, which defeats the purpose of booking a Skyliner hotel. So you would have paid extra for basically nothing. Skyliner closed This isn’t really something you can check super far in advance, but let’s just say it rains a LOT in the summer plus there’s hurricane season to consider, so if you’re visiting during those times, you might not want to pay more for a Skyliner hotel. We Were Seriously WORRIED About the Disney World Skyliner — Here’s How It Turned Things Around! You’re afraid of heights The Skyliner does go up above the roads in Disney World and gets up to about 60 feet above the ground. If you have any kind of fear of heights, you’re not going to want to ride it. So why pay for a hotel perk you can’t use? This is also often the only way to travel to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, so you’d just be out of luck. The Skyliner gets up pretty high! So keep that in mind: if you have a fear of heights, you probably don’t want to have anything to do with the Skyliner or stay at a Skyliner hotel. How the Disney Skyliner Totally CHANGED This EPCOT Debate You don’t want to ride with strangers Yes, you have to ride on a bus with strangers when using that Disney World transportation option, but you’ll be in a small enclosed area with other strangers on the Skyliner — and it can feel a little awkward because the seating is a little more intimate. Those gondolas can feel a little awkward with strangers If you don’t want to have those awkward moments, you may not want to stay at a Skyliner hotel. People Keep Making the SAME Skyliner Mistake in Disney World The gondolas aren’t air-conditioned Disney buses have air conditioning, which is something you’ll appreciate during the hot Florida summers. On the other hand, the Skyliner gondolas do NOT have air conditioning, and although you can sometimes feel a breeze in them, you’re otherwise left to your own devices in the heat. No air conditioning If you’re heat-intolerant or just don’t want to subject yourself to even MORE heat traveling to and from your hotel, you may not want to pay for a Skyliner resort. We Bet You Didn’t Know THIS About the Disney World Skyliner If you’re visiting in January If you plan on visiting Disney World in January, just go ahead and do yourself a favor by NOT booking a Skyliner hotel. Why? Well, the Skyliner usually closes for a week or two for maintenance in January, so you would have just paid extra for a Skyliner hotel just to take Disney buses everywhere. The Skyliner closes temporarily in January So the time of year you visit could also mean it’s not worth it to pay for a hotel with Skyliner access. When You CAN’T Use the Skyliner in Disney World So if you are considering a Skyliner hotel, you’ll need to consider all these things first to determine if it’s worth it. Stay tuned to DFB for more. Disney World Skyliner Gondola PRO TIPS: Here’s What You Need To Know Before You FLY! 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 prefer to stay in a Skyliner hotel or not? Tell us why or why not in the comments! The post Is Skyliner Transportation Really Worth Spending More of Your Hotel Budget For? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Let's give a hand to Disney Legend Martha Blanding! 👏👏 #Disney #DisneyParks #D23 #DisneyCastLifeView the full article

We hope you’re still not ready to let it go because we just got MAJOR Disney movie news! Disney’s Hollywood Studios That’s right, people. Disney just announced the release date for the next installment in an epic franchise, and we can’t wait to learn more. Following the recent success of Inside Out 2, Disney has set the bar pretty high. So, when can we expect to head to the theaters again? Let’s find out! After our whirlwind weekend at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, we’re still not done bringing you all sorts of Disney news! As you may know, Moana 2 is coming later this year, and now, we have even more new Disney movies to look forward to. D23 Variety has reported that Frozen 3 will be released in theaters on November 24th, 2027 — just before Thanksgiving weekend! Disney had already confirmed that Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 would officially be happening, and according to Disney, Frozen 2 left us with questions that will need two movies to answer. ‘Frozen 3’ At D23, we got to see some concept art for the new film, and it looks like there may be a Viking shadow on the ground behind Anna, Elsa, and Olaf riding through the woods toward a glistening light castle in the sky. There are certainly questions about Anna, Elsa, and their family from Frozen 2, but now we have more questions about this concept art! ‘Frozen 3’ Back in July, Disney dropped a new trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, which is set to hit theaters in 2025. We also know that an original new animated film called Elio is coming soon. There’s a lot to look forward to in theaters over the next few months, so make sure you’ve got yourself a reusable popcorn bucket! ©Marvel We can’t WAIT to learn more about this new movie! In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for everything you might want to know! Check Out Disney’s ‘Moana 2’ Trailer Out Now! 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’s your favorite Disney movie from the past 3 years? Let us know in the comments! The post BREAKING: Disney Announces 'Frozen 3' Release Date! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

A delectably delicious new dish has come to Disney World. The Friar’s Nook The Friar’s Nook — the Robin Hood-themed restaurant in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom — is well-known for offering “tasty American cuisine and crowd-pleasing picks.” The eatery just introduced a NEW menu item that fits both those descriptions to a tee and we’re trying it out! The Mac & Cheese Hand Pie is essentially an empanada filled with mac & cheese. And yes, it was as ooey, gooey, delicious as it sounds. You can grab one for $8.99. The Mac & Cheese Hand Pie First off, we have to talk about the fried exterior shell. It was not only delicious but stayed perfectly crunchy. There were no soggy or soft points, even after several minutes. The internal mac and cheese was delicious as well. It had a creamy consistency, and wasn’t at all dry, which was a potential concern of ours with a dish like this. The cheese sauce for dipping was the typical “plastic Disney cheese sauce” that we know and love. However, if you’re not a fan, the hand pie is delicious without it. Gooey The Friar’s Nook has featured several variants of similar hand pies over the years. Currently, the location is also offering a Buffalo chicken hand pie — featuring Buffalo chicken, mozzarella, and blue cheese wrapped in a flaky dough topped with jalapeño-ranch — only during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party events. Buffalo Chicken Hand Pie Overall, we found the mac & cheese hand pie is a unique quick bite offering and twist on the current fried Mac and cheese trend that that we’ll definitely be ordering again. Stay tuned to DFB for further reviews of NEW Disney World food offerings. Ranking the BEST Magic Kingdom Snacks Under $10 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 Does the mac & cheese hand pie sound like something you want to try? Let us know in the comments below. The post REVIEW: Disney Put MAC AND CHEESE in a Hand Pie and We're Not Mad About It first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Ever wondered what goes into bringing some of our favorite products to life? We’re going ‘behind the drawing pad’ and diving into the journey from merchandise concept to guest by chatting with some of the artists who helped develop products for D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Unable to attend last weekend’s event or purchase a coveted product? Not to worry! All the collections we’re touching on today are available NOW on DisneyStore.com/D23Event2024. Now, let’s turn it over to the artists, starting with Ashley Eckstein and Ashley Taylor. A Walk in Disneyland by Ashley Eckstein and Ashley Taylor Nathalie: We’re so excited to have the infamous Ashley and Ashley duo on the Disney Parks Blog! Thanks for joining us today, ladies. What would you say is the best part about collaborating with your friend? Ashley E: Ashley Taylor is such a brilliant artist! We’ve been working together for so long that we practically share a brain and work so well together. We bring out each other’s strengths, making it so much fun to collaborate. We both LOVE Disney and always approach every new project from a fan’s point of view, because we’re fans too! Ashley T: We’re completely Disney fans! I think the best part about collaborating with Ashley Eckstein is we both want everyone to feel loved, seen, valued, and celebrated when they wear the products we design. Making people feel special is our top priority! I also think Ashley and I both have such a sharpened eye for details. Every product we create is designed with so much thought and care. Working with Ashley Eckstein is always such an inspiring, dynamic, and rewarding experience. Nathalie: That’s so sweet! We can tell you two really value your friendship. Speaking of sweet, your collection, A Walk in Disneyland, is an absolute Fantasyland dream come to life. I especially love the dresses! What do you hope fans takeaway from this collection? Ashley T: I hope everyone walks away from this collection feeling like they are the magic that brings Disneyland Park to life! Disneyland Park is pixie dusted with all the beautiful experiences and memories we leave behind, and I hope our collection reminds everyone of the memories they have experienced over the years – and all the future adventures yet to come! Ashely E: Totally agree, Ashley. This collection is our love letter to Walt Disney. We really tried to imagine what it would have been like to walk through Disneyland Resort in the early years, when Walt would frequent the Park. We were inspired by the early attractions and Walt Disney’s fashion, which is why the whole collection has a mid-century feel – an ode to 1955. Ashley and I both agree that our favorite item is the Storybook Land Canal Boats and Monstro figurine set! We are SO excited that we were able to design pieces for all to enjoy. Star Wars Dark Side by Alex Riegert-Waters Nathalie: Thanks for joining us on the Disney Parks Blog, Alex! As a certified Kylo Ren fan, I love everything in the dark side-themed collection you helped develop. Where did you draw inspiration from while creating this line? Alex: When I was designing, I wanted to find the balance between the evil and the fun. What I’ve always loved about the Star Wars villains are how diabolical they are, but how much fun the actors bring to the screen. I wanted to work in a way that was angular and blocky, using flat colors with striking highlights to create a look that was simple yet dynamic. And of course, something that would translate well in the result! Nathalie: I completely agree with you on that! The actors really do bring these villains to life for us. We just have to know though – dark side or light side of the Force? Alex: When I’m watching the movies, I always root for the good guys, but as an artist it’s so much more fun to draw the villains! Heroes and Villains Vinyls by Stacey Aoyama Nathalie: Welcome to the Disney Parks Blog, Stacey! The heroes and villains inspired vinyl figures you created are must-haves for any Disney collector; my personal favorite is the Ariel one. What steps are involved with designing a vinyl figurine? Stacey: This particular vinyl series originated from illustrations I worked on that depicted the iconically evil Disney Villains characters in a very “cute” stylization. I love the worlds of evil and cute combined and was so excited to hear these would end up being made as vinyl figures! The next step was to evolve the concept into a “Good vs. Evil” storyline and to complete the collection with a “hero” counterpart to the Villain. I LOVED having a chance to design the heroes! I worked closely with our amazing 3D team to bring the illustrations to life in vinyl. The process was truly a team effort and included 3D modeling, multiple overlay rounds to refine the sculpts and paint reviews. The final result is so fun, and I can’t wait for fans to get them! Nathalie: We all have our favorites, but which heroine or villain do you see most see yourself in out of the ones in this collection? Stacey: This is a tough one, it’s so hard to pick a favorite! I’m such a fan of these films and love the classic “heroes and villains” component to the storylines. One of my favorite Disney movies growing up was “The Little Mermaid,” so just like you said Nathalie, I’m especially excited to have Ariel and Ursula as part of the collection. I love that Ariel is an adventurous dreamer, and, of course, who doesn’t love the ultimate villainess Ursula! Overall, I’m honored to be able to have shared my interpretation of these characters this weekend at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event and now on DisneyStore.com! Disney Designer Dolls Midnight Masquerade – Fashionably Late by J Fuchs and Steve Thompson Nathalie: Last up, J and Steve – welcome to the Disney Parks Blog! You two have quite the tenure with Disney, having designed so many of our beautiful designer dolls throughout the years. What’s the best part about designing? J: For me it’s definitely seeing the final doll! It’s always magical to see the head-to-toe doll sample come in after the long process of developing and sampling. Steve: Right! Every collection is a new chance for me to work with J’s incredible designs and come up with a new and unique art style that matches the theme. It’s my job to take the initial sketches and bring them to life the same way J brings the doll to life. It’s fascinating to let the design of the outfits inspire the character poses, mood, and attitude. It’s like watching them come to life in a new and unexpected way before your eyes! Nathalie: Fascinating stuff! In my role, I love seeing the end results come to life too, especially when it connects with such amazing people. Now, to finish things off, who is your favorite character in the Midnight Masquerade series? Steve: It’s always so hard to pick, but I think my favorite from this release has to be either Gaston or Queen of Hearts. I love that we’ve added a few unexpected characters, and they are both such a mood! You can’t help but love them. Ask me tomorrow and I might have another favorite. J: Agreed with Steve, Gaston was unexpectedly fun to work on! I was also able to mentor two of my teammates while they designed and developed concepts for the Snow White and Mother Gothel dolls. It was especially fun to help bring those two dolls to life in the final production. Steve: Teamwork! Are your shopping lists ready yet? I know mine is! As mentioned, all these collections and so much more can be found now on DisneyStore.com/D23Event2024, while supplies last. Until next time, a huge thank you to our wonderful artists for taking time to go behind the drawing pad with us today – we can’t wait to see where their imaginations take us next! Photos of Ashley Eckstein and Ashley Taylor by Zachary Follmer The post Behind the Drawing Pad: Interview with D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Artists appeared first on Disney Parks Blog. View the full article

One of our favorite Disney World snacks will soon be found somewhere NEW! Zebra Domes When browsing the recently released menus for the upcoming EPCOT Food & Wine Festival, we couldn’t help but notice that a particular snack looked oddly familiar — like we had seen it somewhere else around Disney World before. And then it hit us like a ton of bricks! One of our favorite times of the year to visit Disney World is the Fall for so many reasons, with the main one being the upcoming start of EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival. The festival is set to take place around EPCOT beginning August 29th through November 23rd, 2024 and will introduce a handful of NEW booths joining this year’s lineup. The 2023 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival While browsing the menus for not only the new booths but others that are returning favorites, we noticed a bit of a shift was happening with several of them. Click Here for the FULL MENUS for the 2024 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival While some menu items that we’ve come to expect in certain places were found to be listed for this year at a different booth, one of the biggest menu changes that surprised us has to do with bringing a popular Disney World resort snack to one of Disney World’s parks for the first time! We can’t wait for the booths to open! We noticed on the Refreshment Outpost menu that a Chocolate Amarula Mousse Dome with white chocolate will be offered this year and couldn’t help but notice its striking resemblance to our beloved Zebra Domes. ©Disney This is not a drill — Zebra Domes are coming to EPCOT! If you’re not as familiar with these tasty snacks, they’re made of a thin cake base topped with Amarula cream liquor mousse, coated in delicious white chocolate, and finished with chocolate stripes and shavings. They’re a long-time favorite of ours here at DFB, and we’re really excited that they’ll be more readily available to those visiting the parks and not planning to stop by Boma or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge which was where we’ve been able to pick them thus far. Zebra Domes from the Mara Surprised, shocked, and even more importantly excited were all of our initial reactions to seeing this news and based on the pictures, it looks like it’s got an interesting design to the revamped treat, too! We’ll be out on the first day of EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival to bring you all the new tasty eats and drinks! Be sure you’re already following us at DFB for all the reviews, updates, first day happenings, and more! These Are the BEST Hotels for the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival in 2024 IT'S WINE & DINE TIME! Food & Wine Festival can be a bummer. You stand in line waiting for what looks like the perfect treat, and it's a bust. But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE EPCOT Food & Wine Festival experience. If you're planning a day or a week at the festival, we've got every performance, activity, and tasty nosh detailed out so you can make the most of your time and money. Listen, it's a tough job eating and documenting the nearly 200 bites and sips, but we do it all for YOU! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Learn More About the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival! Food and Wine Festival 101 Eat to the Beat Concert Updates EPCOT Food and Wine Festival - Fans Facebook Page Wine and Dine Half Marathon Details Get More Updates, Tips, and Tricks to Help You Conquer the Food & Wine Festival Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Have you ever tried a Zebra Dome at Disney World? Leave us your review of them in the comments below! The post ZEBRA DOMES Are Coming to EPCOT and This Is NOT A DRILL! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It is wine and dine time! 2023 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival The 2024 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is nearly here! The event runs from August 29th through November 23rd this year. You can roam through EPCOT tasting foods and drinks from around the globe. It’s one of our most favorite times of the year at Disney World. Disney just recently released the NEW menus for each of the food booths, and while we are excited to try all the tasty snacks, we noticed that two booths were MISSING from the lineup! Let’s start with some exciting news. This year, there are FIVE new booths at the Food and Wine Festival! Macatizers Festival Favorites Bramblewood Bites Milled & Mulled Forest & Field Macatizers and Festival Favorites will both be new booths in CommuniCore Hall. Macatizers will feature mac & cheese dishes, and Festival Favorites will offer three food items — Kielbasa and Potato Pierogis, BBQ Pork Rinds served with pimento cheese, and a Key Lime Tart. Festival Favorites While we are excited to see new booths appearing at the festival, we can’t ignore the fact that TWO booths are gone from the list. The Ireland booth was introduced to the festival in 2001 and now seems to be gone. Luckily, one of the usual items here, the Guinness Baileys Coffee Shake now known as the Irish Milk Shake, will be at Festival Favorites this year! So the booth may be gone, but at least one its items stuck around making it feel like we at least get a piece of the missing booth. 2023 Ireland Booth The second booth that is missing this year is the Kenya booth! Last year, the Kenya booth didn’t blow us away. Everything was returning from previous years, and overall the booth was just okay. So while this booth is now gone, we hope the new five booths will showcase better options. 2023 Kenya Booth We’re excited for this year’s festival! There will be tons of food booths, a concert series, family-friendly activities such as a scavenger hunt and Emile’s Fromage Montage, and MORE. This is a really fun event to participate in at EPCOT, and you know we’ll be there on the first day to check it all out! Check Out the FULL MENUS Here! While we finally got the food booth menus, we’re still waiting for even more EPCOT Food and Wine Festival details, so keep following DFB for all your festival news! 5 NEW Booths Revealed for the 2024 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival IT'S WINE & DINE TIME! Food & Wine Festival can be a bummer. You stand in line waiting for what looks like the perfect treat, and it's a bust. But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE EPCOT Food & Wine Festival experience. If you're planning a day or a week at the festival, we've got every performance, activity, and tasty nosh detailed out so you can make the most of your time and money. Listen, it's a tough job eating and documenting the nearly 200 bites and sips, but we do it all for YOU! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Learn More About the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival! Food and Wine Festival 101 Eat to the Beat Concert Updates EPCOT Food and Wine Festival - Fans Facebook Page Wine and Dine Half Marathon Details Get More Updates, Tips, and Tricks to Help You Conquer the Food & Wine Festival Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Are you excited for the 2024 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival? Let us know in the comments! The post An ICONIC Booth Is MISSING from the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival This Year...Sort Of first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Waking up and arriving at the Disney World theme parks can be like an Olympic sport as well as a team effort. Magic Kingdom We totally understand wanting to soak in as much time as possible in the parks, especially if you have saved up for a trip to Disney World for years. There is so much to think about when it comes to getting to the parks early that we are stressing ourselves out just thinking about it, and it made us wonder, why does this Disney World problem even have to exist? If you want to perfect the art of Rope Dropping, you’ll have to go through a few extra steps before you can ride that first attraction at the park. Hollywood Studios rope drop crowds Rope Dropping is when you get to the park before it opens so that you can start pounding the pavement the minute you can get in. Cast Members have entrance areas in the park roped off until the park opens, and then they literally drop the rope. Rope Dropping can help you get to ride certain attractions with a smaller wait since you are one of the first people in the park. Rope Dropping can get even more confusing if you are staying at a Disney World hotel and can participate in Early Theme Park Entry. Rope Drop Crowds If you want to Rope Drop, you will have to make sure that everyone in your party is up and ready to go, has eaten breakfast, and is on Disney transportation at a certain time, get through security, and scan into the park all before the park officially opens. There’s that famous rope at Magic Kingdom! So how do you do it? We have some tips for you! EPCOT Rope Drop The first thing you are going to want to do is make sure you have breakfast taken care of by the night before you are planning to Rope Drop. Many Disney World hotels start serving breakfast after most people leave to Rope Drop the parks. There is the exception of some Value Resort food courts that usually open around 6:30 AM. Make sure to have breakfast plan! We like to pack foods like Pop-Tarts and mini boxes of cereal before we leave for our trip. If you forget to pack some light breakfast foods, don’t sweat it! You can always go grocery shopping once you arrive at your hotel, or you can use Kroger Grocery Delivery. We love to use this service, and it is so easy! Kroger Delivery drivers know their way around the resort and can deliver your groceries to your hotel directly! Step By Step Guide to Kroger Grocery Delivery at Disney World Delivery! You can also hit up your resort’s gift shop for small breakfast bites the night before. That way, when you wake up in the morning, you have your breakfast ready to go! Pick up snacks the night before Now, what time should you wake up? That is a tough one, as there are so many factors that play into this question. It all depends on which park you are going to, what time the park opens if there is Early Theme Park Entry, and what type of transportation options you have available. Can we hit snooze? For our example, we will use Magic Kingdom. If you take the Disney bus to Magic Kingdom, you are in luck because you can bypass the Transportation and Ticket Center! If you decide to drive to the park, you will have to park at the Transportation and Ticket Center, get through security, and then take either the Monorail or ferry to the front of the park, which can take a lot of extra time. Transportation and Ticket Center The Monorail begins to run about 30 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry begins, which is about one hour before Magic Kingdom opens for everyone. We suggest that you arrive to the Transportation and Ticket Center at least one hour before Early Theme Park Entry begins. So if Magic Kingdom opens at 9 AM, and Early Theme Park Entry is at 8:30 AM, and the Monorail starts running at 8 AM, we would suggest arriving at the Transportation and Ticket Center parking lot by 7:30 AM. Magic Kingdom Monorail station at Transportation and Ticket Center If you arrive at the park before it opens for all guests, that is totally fine! You can spend extra time on Main Street, taking in all the sights before it is time to Rope Drop. The earlier you arrive, the better! Main Street Disney Busses normally start running 30-45 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry. Although the buses bypass the Transportation and Ticket Center, we suggest getting on the first bus to ensure you have plenty of time! Disney Bus If you are heading in for Early Theme Park Entry or Rope Drop from a Skyliner Resort, the Skyliner will start running one hour prior to Early Theme Park Entry. Lines for the Skyliner can be long in the morning, and if you want to be in the park early, we suggest getting in line for the Skyliner right as it opens. Skyliner Station at Disney’s Pop Century and Art of Animation Resorts With all this in mind, you and your party will have to decide how much time you need to get ready to be out the door to make it to Rope Drop. While there is no perfect answer, and everyone is different, we say the earlier, the better! That way if anything goes wrong along the way, you have some added cushion. It is time to rise and shine! We go to Disney World every day, and we have still perfected our Rope-dropping strategy, but we really wish this problem was not as stressful as it is. The Shocking Things We Have Learned Rope Dropping Hollywood Studios Planning a Trip to Disney World? We’ve Got Everything You Need to Know The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Disney World Vacation A Month-by-Month Guide to Planning Your Disney World Trip Tips, Hints, Lists, and Videos for Planning the BEST Disney World Trip Learn About the Disney Park Pass System The Ultimate Disney World Packing List Everything You Need to Know About Lightning Lanes Insider SECRETS for Your First Trip to Disney World A Complete Look at the Current Disney Discounts and Deals The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! Join the DFB Newsletter to Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click Here to Subscribe What time do you wake up to hit the parks? Let us know in the comments!The post OK Disney World, Why Does This Problem Even Have to Exist? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article