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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

Foodies get ready because the time to taste your way around the world is almost here. The countdown to the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE is fast approaching. This delicious celebration takes place from Aug. 29 through Nov. 23, 2024, and is filled with incredibly tasty offerings featuring cuisines from around the globe. Hopefully you’ve saved your appetite because we have plenty of new additions and classic items on the menu this year. From the Liquid Nitrogen Frozen Sweet Potato Mousse at the Swirled Showcase to the Tostada de Camarones at Mexico, you’ll embark on a flavorful journey. Don’t forget to savor the flavors with one of the many signature drinks such as the refreshing Blood Orange Agua Fresca from Earth Eats. No matter where your destination takes you, there are tons of delicious bites and sips for your taste buds to celebrate. As you embark on your flavorful adventure, you’ll want to check out Emile’s Fromage Montage. Start planning your cheesy stroll with the menu items designated with a below. The return of this fan-favorite food stroll features several cheesy goodies from the Global Marketplaces. Simply pick up a Festival Passport and collect stamps by purchasing five of these items. Once you’ve gotten them all, head over to Shimmering Sips presented by CORKCICLE for a special redemption prize. New this year is the exclusive Disney Gift Card wristlet artwork showcasing Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse taking over the kitchen to create culinary masterpieces. These delightful cards are available at merchandise locations throughout EPCOT during the festival. Use them to pay easily at Global Marketplaces, merchandise locations, and anywhere Disney Gift Card is accepted! 2024 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Menus Enough talk. Let’s dig into this year’s Foodie Guide for the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE! World Celebration NEW! Macatizers Menu Location: CommuniCore Hall Food Items: Traditional Macaroni and Cheese with herbed panko Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese with shaved beef, peppers and onions, and breadcrumbs Truffle Macaroni and Cheese IMPOSSIBLE Chili Macaroni and Cheese with sour cream and cheddar (Plant-based) Beverages: Crooked Can Brewing Company Vinifera Velvet Lager Southern Tier Brewing Co Raspberry Shine Summer Wheat Ale Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company Kentucky Pumpkin Bourbon Barrel Ale Beer Flight Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Chardonnay Klinker Brick Bricks & Roses Rosé Beringer Bros Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Flight Knights Bridge Sauvignon Blanc St. Supéry Domaine de l’Ile Rosé Caymus 50th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon NEW! Festival Favorites Menu Location: CommuniCore Hall Food Items: Kielbasa and Potato Pierogis with caramelized onions and sour cream BBQ Pork Rinds served with pimento cheese Key Lime Tart Beverages: Frozen S’mores: Chocolate Milk Shake with marshmallow syrup topped with mini marshmallows and a graham cracker (Non-alcoholic) Irish Milk Shake: Guiness Stout, Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur, and Vanilla Ice Cream Schöfferhofer Grapefruit Hefeweizen Parish Brewing Co. SIPS Cab Franc Strawberry 3 Daughters Brewing Beach Blonde Ale Beer Flight Goldschmidt ‘Katherine’ Cabernet Sauvignon Martin Ray Chardonnay World Discovery Connections Eatery Menu Location: In World Celebration Food Item: Korean BBQ Chicken Sandwich with pickled cucumbers on a brioche bun Beverage: Blackberry Caipiroska: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Minute Maid Lemonade, strawberries blackberry syrup, and frosted mint syrup Coastal Eats Menu Location: Near Mission: SPACE Food Items: Roasted Warm Water Lobster Tail with garlic butter Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with cocktail sauce (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Beverages: Wildly Brut Cuvée Boyd & Blair Pomegranate Codder CORKCICLE Stemless Flute The Fry Basket Menu Location: Near Refreshment Station Hosted by Coca Cola Food Items: Adobo Yuca Fries with garlic-cilantro aïoli (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (Plant-based) Fry Flight (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Truffle-Parmesan Fries Barbeque Bacon Fries with smoked aïoli Sweet Potato Casserole Fries with candied pecans, toasted marshmallow cream, and bourbon maple syrup Beverages: Boyd & Blair Grapefruit Mule Collective Arts Brewing Mango-Rita Sour with Chili (New) Flavors from Fire Menu Location: Near Refreshment Station Hosted by Coca Cola Food Items: Steakhouse Blended Burger: Beef and wild mushroom slider with truffle brie cheese fondue, arugula, and truffle potato chips on a sesame seed bun IMPOSSIBLE Montreal Style Burger Slider with cheddar cheese, and tomato jam on a sesame seed bun (Plant-based) (New) Smoked Corned Beef with house-made potato chips, cheese curds, pickled onions, and beer-cheese fondue Beverages: Deschutes Brewery Black Butte Porter (New) Four Virtues Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel Swine Brine with Jim Beam Bourbon, apple cinnamon cider, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard Brew-Wing Lab Menu Location: The Odyssey Food Items: Traditional Buffalo Wings with celery and ranch (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Peanut Butter and Jelly Sticky Wings (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Garlic-Parmesan Wings (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) IMPOSSIBLE Buffalo Chicken Tenders with ranch and celery (Plant-based) Unnecessarily Spicy Yet Extremely Tasty Carolina Reaper Pepper Curry Wings with creamy cucumber raita (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (New) Fried Pickle Spears with dill ranch Beverages: Frozen Pomegranate & Raspberry Tea: Twinings Pomegranate & Raspberry Herbal Tea infused with orange ice cream molecules (Non-alcoholic) Pickle Milk Shake (Non-alcoholic) Coppertail Brewing Smoked Lager (New) Keel Farms Elderberry Serrano Hard Cider (New) 3 Daughters Brewing Pickle Hard Seltzer (New) 3 Daughters Brewing Palm Paradise Hefeweizen (New) The Bruery Desert Flora with hibiscus and prickly pear (New) Cigar City Peach White Oak Jai Alai (New) Beer Flight World Showcase The Noodle Exchange Menu Location: Near Disney Traders Food Items: Ramen with shaved beef, shiitake mushrooms, pickled carrots and daikon radish, shaved spicy peppers, and a soy egg in citrus-sesame broth Thai Shrimp with Rice Noodles, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Basil in Coconut-Curry Broth (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Ramen with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, pickled carrots and daikon radish, shaved spicy peppers, and Baby Bok Choy in Citrus-Sesame Broth (Plant-based) Beverages: Parish Brewing Co. Strawberry Mochi Pacific Rim Solstice Vineyard Old Vine Riesling Mexico Menu Food Items: Tostada de Camarones: Tempura battered shrimp atop a fried corn tortilla with guacamole, cabbage, chipotle aïoli, diced mango, and chile-lime powder (New) Flauta de Barbacoa: Fried tortillas filled with barbacoa beef topped with salsa verde, crema Mexicana, and queso fresco (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (New) Pan de Elote: Traditional Mexican cornbread topped with chocolate sauce and queso fresco (New) Beverages: Mexican Craft Beer Mango Sunrise Margarita: Dos Hombres Mezcal, Centinela Tequila, mango purée, and black currant liquor with a chile-lime salt rim (New) Poblano Margarita: Lalo Tequila Blanco, Abasolo Corn Whisky, lime juice, and Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Poblano Liqueur with a salt rim (New) China Menu Food Items: Pan-fried Chicken Dumplings with house-made sweet-and-spicy sauce Crispy Duck Bao Bun with hoisin sauce (New) Shanghai Scallion Noodles with shrimp (New) Beverages: Mango Peach Bubble Tea: Green tea, mango and peach syrups, and white boba (Non-alcoholic) (New) Baijiu Punch: Baijiu spirit, lychee syrup, sparkling water, and piña colada mix Fiery Dream: Citrus vodka, triple sec liqueur, guava nectar, and spicy hot honey syrup Orange Mango Cocktail: Gold tequila, vodka, orange juice, and mango syrup Brew Hub Lychee Foo Draft Beer India Menu Location: Near China Food Items: Potato and Pea Samosa with coriander-lime cream (Plant-based) Chicken Tikka Masala with fennel-spiced yogurt and naan bread Beverages: Mango Lassi (Non-alcoholic) United Brewing Taj Mahal Premium Lager Sula Brut Tropicale Sparkling Wine Mango Lassi with Sōmrus Chai Cream Liqueur CORKCICLE Stemless Flute Refreshment Outpost Menu Food Items: IMPOSSIBLE Spicy Sausage with piri piri peppers and onions, and piri piri aïoli (Plant-based) (New) Curried Chicken and South African Boerewors Sausage Stew with chickpeas and potatoes served in a bread bowl (New) Chocolate Amarula Mousse Dome with white chocolate (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly) (New) Beverages: Keel Farms Blackberry Apricot Jam Hard Cider (New) Habesha Cold Gold Pilsner (New) Gulf Stream Brewing Company Cloud 9 Watermelon Hibiscus Lager The Alps Menu Location: Near Germany Food Items: Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with alpine ham, baby potatoes, cornichons, and baguette Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with baby potatoes, cornichons, and baguette Dark Chocolate Fondue with berries, pound cake, and meringues Beverages: Stiegl Brewery Key Lime Hard Radler Frozen Rosé Germany Menu Food Items: Schinkennudeln: Pasta gratin with ham, onions, and cheese Bratwurst on a pretzel roll with mustard Apple Strudel with vanilla sauce Beverages: Schöfferhofer Lemon Zest Hefeweizen (New) von Trapp Brewing Dunkel Lager (New) Selbach-Oster Riesling QbA Weihenstephaner Festbier Beer Flight Spain Menu Location: Between Italy and Germany Food Items: Spanish Charcuterie: Jamón, Manchego, and pan con tomate (New) Paella Negra: Squid ink rice with shrimp, Bay scallops, and octopus served with garlic aïoli (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (New) Beverages: Red Sangria Quinta del ’67 Almansa Garnacha Tintorera Italy Menu Food Items: Italian-style “Nachos”: Homemade beef ragoût, pasta chips, tomato sauce, dried ricotta cheese (New) Polpettine Toscane: Beef meatballs, rosemary focaccia, and pomodoro sauce (New) Vanilla Cheesecake: Vanilla cheesecake, whipped cream, and fresh strawberry sauce (New) Beverages: Prosecco Moscato Chianti Italian Red Sangria Bellini Spritz (New) Italian-inspired Blood Orange Margarita: Tequila, triple sec, and blood orange liqueur Peroni Pilsner Block & Hans Menu Location: The American Adventure Beverage: Frozen Pineapple Chipotle Lemonade: Minute Maid Lemonade and chipotle pineapple syrup with a chili-lime salt rim (Non-alcoholic) Flavors of America Menu Location: The American Adventure Food Items: New York-style All Beef Hot Dog with sauerkraut, onion-tomato sauce, and spicy mustard in a brioche bun (New) Chicago-style All Beef Hot Dog with tomato, dill pickle, pickled sport pepper, diced onions, yellow mustard, and Chicago green relish in a poppy seed bun (New) Carolina-style All Beef Hot Dog with chili, coleslaw, and yellow mustard in a brioche bun (New) Southwest-style All Beef Hot Dog wrapped in bacon with warm pinto beans, tomatoes, jalapeños, avocado crema, and queso fresco in a French roll (New) Freshly-baked Chocolate Pudding Cake with bourbon caramel (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (New) Beverages: Brewery Ommegang Farm Fresh Ale conditioned on Wildflower Honey (New) Goose Island Beer Co. Hazy Beer Hug Hazy IPA (New) Wicked Weed Fest Bier (New) Beer Flight Funnel Cake Menu Location: Between America and Japan Food Item: Tiramisù Funnel Cake with vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate rum sauce and cream cheese whipped cream and dusted with cocoa and espresso powder (New) Japan Menu Food Items: Wagyu Temaki Sushi: Hand-held sushi with sweet and savory American Wagyu beef topped with Takana Japanese pickles and spicy mayo sauce (New) Eel Temaki Sushi: Hand-held sushi with grilled eel, egg crumbles, cucumber, and pickled daikon radish served with eel sauce (New) Teriyaki Chicken Bun: Steamed bun filled with minced chicken, vegetables, and teriyaki sauce Beverages: Kyoho Drink: Calpico with fragrant mellow, Kyoho Black Grape (Non-Alcoholic) Kyoho Grape Sour: Kyoho Black Grape cocktail with Japanese vermouth and Shōchū (New) Sake Sapporo Premium Beer Greece Menu Location: Between Japan and Morocco Food Items: Spanakopita IMPOSSIBLE Moussaka (Plant-based) Griddled Cheese with pistachios and honey (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Lamb Gyro with shaved lettuce, tomato-cumber relish, and tzatziki on warm flatbread Beverages: Mylonas Winery Assyrtiko White Wine Zoe Rosé Kir-Yianni Naoussa Xinomavro Dry Red Wine Flight Greek Melon Limenade with Kleos Mastiha Spirit, Aelred Melon Apéritif de Provence, Pearl Vodka, and lime sour mix (New) Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina Menu Location: Morocco Food Items: Grilled Kebabs with carrot-chickpea salad and garlic aïoli Chermoula Chicken (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Moroccan-spiced Lamb (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Fried Falafel Pita with tomato-cucumber relish and tahini sauce (Plant-based) Stone-baked Moroccan Bread with assorted dips (Plant-based) Pistachio Cake with cinnamon pastry cream and candied walnuts Beverages: Keel Farms Blackberry Pear Hard Cider (New) Coppertail Brewing Fallen Fruit Tamarind Mint Hard Cider (New) 3 Daughters Brewing Fig Hard Cider Hard Cider Flight Sparkling Fig Cocktail: Kleiner Feigling Fig Liqueur, sparkling wine, and cranberry juice CORKCICLE Stemless Flute Belgium Menu Location: Between France and Morocco Food Items: Beer-braised Beef served with smoked gouda mashed potatoes Belgian Waffle with warm chocolate ganache Belgian Waffle with berry compote and whipped cream Beverages: Belgian Chilled Coffee (Non-alcoholic) Brouwerij St Bernardus Dragòn Wit (New) Brouwerij Verhaeghe Vichte Duchesse Red Sweet & Tart Cherry Ale (New) Brouwerij Van Steenberge Gulden Draak Tripel Ale Beer Flight Belgian Chilled Coffee with ChocoLat Deluxe Salted Caramel Chocolate Liqueur Brazil Menu Location: Between France and Morocco Food Items: Feijoada: Black beans with pork belly, Brazil nut pesto, and BEN’S ORIGINAL Long Grain White Rice Pão de Queijo: Brazilian cheese bread (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Beverages: Xingu Black Beer Frozen Caipirinha with Cachaça France Menu Food Items: Moelleux aux Oignons Caramélisés et au Fromage de Chèvre: Egg moelleux, goat cheese, and caramelized onions (New) Brioche aux Escargots: Escargot brioche with garlic and parsley cream (New) Boeuf Bourguignon, Pommes de terre roties: Braised short ribs in cabernet with roasted potatoes Crème Brûlée mangue et passion à la Confiture: Mango passion crème brûlée with fruit compote (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Beverages: Cocktail au Gin et Aux Fraises: Rose d’Argent Strawberry Gin, cranberry juice, and DOLE Pineapple Juice (New) Mas La Chevalière, Pinot Noir (New) Guillaume Touton, Brut de Pêche Sparkling wine with natural peach (New) Frozen French Cosmo: Vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, Grand Marnier, and cranberry juice (New) UK Beer Cart Menu Location: In the United Kingdom Beverage: Strawberry Basil Cocktail: Beefeater Pink Strawberry Gin, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Seagram’s Ginger Ale, with strawberry and basil syrups Canada Menu Food Items: Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Soup served with a pretzel roll Filet Mignon with mushrooms, Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs mashed potatoes, and Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs butter (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Beverages: Collective Arts Brewing Audio/Visual Lager Château des Charmes Cabernet Sauvignon Refreshment Port Menu Location: Near Canada Food Items: Braised Beef Poutine: French fries with braised beef, Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese sauce, cheese curds, and gherkin relish Beverages: Boulevard Beverage Company Quirk Ginger Grape Fizz Hard Seltzer (New) Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Peach Boyd & Blair Pumpkin Spice Mule CORKCICLE Stemless Flute Australia Menu Location: Near Disney Traders Food Items: Grilled Bushberry Spiced Shrimp Skewer with sweet-and-sour vegetables and coconut chili sauce (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (New) Roasted Lamb Chop with mint pesto and crushed salt and vinegar potato chips (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Lamington: Yellow cake with raspberry filling with chocolate and coconut Beverages: Yalumba ‘The Y Series’ Viognier Bulletin Place Sauvignon Blanc (New) Fowles Wine Farm to Table Shiraz (New) Wine Flight Swirled Showcase Menu Location: Near Port of Entry Food Items: Liquid Nitrogen Frozen Sweet Potato Mousse with candied pecans and maple-caramel sauce(Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (New) Soft-Serve Vanilla Cinnamon Apple Salted Caramel Beverages: Floats: Coca-Cola, Barq’s Crème Soda, or Fanta Grape with choice of soft-serve (Non-alcoholic) Frozen Apple Pie: Apple pie filling, apple cinnamon gelato, cinnamon apple cider, topped with streusel (Non-alcoholic) 3 Daughters Toasted Coconut Porter Toasted Coconut Float: 3 Daughters Toasted Coconut Porter with salted caramel soft-serve Berry-vanilla Float: La Gioiosa Berry Fizz with vanilla soft-serve Shimmering Sips hosted by CORKCICLE Menu Location: Near Port of Entry Food Items: Guava Cake with whipped cream and coconut (Plant-based) Beverages: Tropical Mimosa: Sparkling wine, Minute Maid Passion Fruit, Orange, and Guava Juices Berry Mimosa: La Gioiosa Berry Fizz and white cranberry juice (New) Blood Orange Mimosa: Sparkling wine and blood orange juice Mimosa Flight Fruited Sour Beer and Sparkling Wine Cocktail: Brewery Ommegang Dream Patch Fruited Sour with Cherry, Blueberry and Raspberry, and sparkling wine (New) CORKCICLE Stemless Flute Hawaii Menu Location: Near Port of Entry Food Items: Slow-roasted Pork Slider with sweet-and-sour DOLE Pineapple chutney and spicy mayonnaise Hawaiian Rice Bowl: Spam, eggs, eel sauce, spicy mayonnaise, and furikake (New) Passion Fruit Cheesecake with toasted macadamia nuts Beverages: Maui Brewing Co Orange Mango Guava Hazy IPA (New) Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Pineapple Wine AULANI Sunrise: Vodka, DOLE Pineapple Juice, and grenadine NEW! Bramblewood Bites Menu Location: Between World Showcase and Imagination! pavilion Food Items: Grilled Cider-brined Pork Tenderloin with fennel apple slaw and apple cider gastrique Grilled Bison with butternut squash purée, roasted mushrooms, and huckleberry gastrique Cast Iron-roasted Brussel Sprouts and Root Vegetables with dried cranberries, candied pecans, and maple bourbon glaze Beverages: GoGi Pinot Noir Spiced Apple Old Fashioned inspired cocktail with Boyd & Blair Rum (New) Milled & Mulled Menu Location: Between World Showcase and Imagination! Pavilion Food Items: Freshly-baked Carrot Cake with walnuts and cream cheese icing Boursin Fig & Balsamic Cheesecake with fig jam and pomegranate (New) Pear and Almond Frangipane Pâte Brisée (New) Beverages: Blake’s Hard Cider Co. Cider Mill Donut Hard Cider (New) Coppertail Brewing Fallen Fruit Blueberry Pie Hard Cider (New) Chocolate Shop Chocolate Red Wine (New) Forest & Field Menu Location: Between World Showcase and Imagination! Pavilion Food Items: Autumn Chili with bison, lamb, pork belly, root vegetables, jalapeño cornbread, smoked cheddar, and Crème Fraîche (New) Pumpkin Mascarpone Ravioli with sage-brown butter, pecorino cheese, and hazelnut praline Burrata with seasonal fall fruit, spiced pecans, apple purée, and fig vinaigrette (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) Beverages: Lievland Bushvine Pinotage (New) Piper-Sonoma Brut (New) Brewery Ommegang All Hallows Treat Chocolate Peanut Butter Imperial Stout (New) World Nature Earth Eats Menu Location: Near The Land Food Items: Red Wine-braised Beef Short Rib with goat cheese polenta, puttanesca sauce, shaved pecorino, and petit herbs (New) Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with lemon icing (New) Beverages: Blood Orange Agua Fresca (Non-alcoholic) Harken Wines Barrel Fermented Chardonnay (New) Sunshine Seasons Menu Location: In The Land Beverage: Caramel Apple Milk Shake: Artisanal gelato, pâte brisée, whipped cream, candy apple cake, and caramel drizzle (Non-alcoholic) Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company Menu Beverages: The American Adventure Coconut Banana Cream Pie Latte: A comforting blend of espresso, milk, coconut syrup, and banana syrup garnished with whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes (Non-alcoholic) (New) Spirited version available with Baileys Original Irish Cream Near Disney Traders PB&J Latte: A delicious blend of espresso, milk, peanut butter syrup, and raspberry syrup, garnished with whipped cream (Non-alcoholic) (New) Spirited version available with Baileys Original Irish Cream Near Canada Hazelnut Mocha Latte: A nutty blend of espresso, milk, hazelnut syrup, and dark chocolate sauce garnished with whipped cream and dark chocolate drizzle (Non-alcoholic) (New) Spirited version available with Baileys Original Irish Cream Near Mission: SPACE Coconut Mocha Latte: A decadent blend of espresso, milk, coconut syrup, and dark chocolate sauce, garnished with whipped cream, toasted coconut flakes, and dark chocolate drizzle (Non-alcoholic)(New) Spirited version available with Baileys Original Irish Cream EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival Merchandise Want to take a bite of the festival home? Check out the 2024 Food & Wine Festival items, perfect for serving up your favorite festival-inspired dishes in your own kitchen. And look out for drinkware from our friends at CORKCICLE! There you have it, all the delicious eats and sips coming to the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival this year. Want to stay up to date on all the tasty bites? Check out our Disney Eats topics page and be sure to follow us @DisneyEats on Instagram and Facebook. (Note: All offerings are subject to change and availability.) The post Disney Eats: Foodie Guide to EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival 2024 appeared first on Disney Parks Blog. View the full article

Disney’s major fan event just wrapped up, and we were left with a LOT of big announcements! In front of the convention center D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event took place in Anaheim, CA, and it was basically an entire weekend filled with Disney news. We got updates on future films, announcements about Disney Cruise Line, and of course, plenty of big reveals about things coming to the theme parks. But through all that news, there were some things that we didn’t get ANY information about! So here are the announcements that were missing from D23. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Expansion First of all, we expected to get a lot more information about the expansion coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. We’ve already seen pictures of the rooms and we know the opening date, but what about details on the special offerings or the dining options? Restaurant concept art The closest that we got to information about the new Island Tower is that there was an exhibit featuring some Disney Vacation Club concept art. Among those pictures, we spotted a few new pieces of concept art that featured a sneak peek at a restaurant and at one of the water play areas. Click Here to See the NEW Concept Art! BoardWalk Restaurants Over at Disney’s BoardWalk, we’re waiting on some major restaurant updates! The Cake Bake Shop has been under construction for quite a while now, with the opening timeline getting pushed back as construction moves slowly. We’d love to get more details about this restaurant, but alas, we learned nothing from D23! Cake Bake Shop construction The resort is also welcoming a new walk-up stand in the future, Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs. It has been under construction since last year, and we were hoping to get a little update during D23 on this spot as well. Click Here to Learn More About The Cake Bake Shop! Tiana’s Palace? Another announcement we were crossing our fingers for at D23 was the possibility of getting Tiana’s Palace as a restaurant in Disney World. Rumors have circulated in the past that Tiana’s Palace might replace Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe in Frontierland, considering its close proximity to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe Disneyland Park already has Tiana’s Palace in its New Orleans Square, but we’d love to get the same treatment here on the East Coast — imagine that delicious southern food! Click Here to See What Tiana’s Palace Is Like at Disneyland! PLAY! Pavilion Several years ago, Disney announced a new offering called the PLAY! Pavilion would be coming to EPCOT, finding its home in the former Wonders of Life Pavilion in World Discovery. It was supposed to arrive as part of the EPCOT transformation, but we haven’t had an update on this project in quite some time. ©Disney || Play Pavilion Concept Art The EPCOT Monorail spiel still mentions a “city built on the power of play” as something that’s coming soon to the park, so we were hoping D23 would provide us with an update on this offering — is it still on the table or canceled entirely? We suppose we’ll have to wait and see. Click Here to Learn More About the PLAY! Pavilion! Spaceship Earth Update And speaking of possibly abandoned ideas from the EPCOT transformation, what about the Spaceship Earth overhaul? It was announced at a D23 event a while back that Spaceship Earth would get some new scenes, some much-needed updates, and a new storyline. However, this project has been quite stagnant in recent years. ©Disney During D23, we did get some information about Spaceship Earth, but it was only related to the new Spaceship Earth lounge. Alas, this seems like something else we’ll just have to hope Disney shares more information about in the future. Click Here to Get the Details on the Spaceship Earth Changes! Locations for Some Lands After D23 ended, the first thing many fans did right after was hop onto the internet and speculate WILDLY about some of the new announcements. Multiple new lands and attractions were announced, but Disney wasn’t very specific with locations for some of them. Mainly, we’re left wondering where things like the new Monsters, Inc. Land at Hollywood Studios and the Avatar experience in California Adventure will go. Monsters Inc. Land Concept Art ©Disney Will these be expansions to the parks or will they take over older attraction spaces? We’re so curious! Disney also didn’t reveal the specific locations of the Cars and Villains offerings at Magic Kingdom during the Experiences Showcase, but they announced those details after the weekend was over. Click Here to Learn More About the Monsters, Inc. Land! Fifth Park And last but not least, the biggest announcement that many were hoping for or expecting that got left off the list was a fifth park! With Disney World’s neighbor, Universal Orlando, building a new park, many fans speculated that it was time for Disney World to add another park of its own. Magic Kingdom Instead of this, however, Disney has revealed several expansions and changes to the current parks that will likely increase capacity and allow them to grow revenue, without the massive cost of building a park from the ground up. Maybe they’ll announce that fifth park someday, but for now, we’ll be on the lookout for these current expansions. So there you have it — all the announcements that were MISSING from D23 this year! We’ll make sure to keep you in the loop with any more Disney news, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest. Click Here to Learn About More Big News From D23! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Which of these announcements do you wish Disney had talked about? Tell us in the comments! The post 7 HUGE Announcements That Were MISSING From Disney’s HUGE News Drop first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We know when Lightning Lane prices will finally dip. Lightning Lanes in Walt Disney World A lot of aspects of waiting in line at Disney World changed since the company introduced the new Lightning Lane Single Pass and Lightning Lane Multi Pass systems last month. However, one thing that’s remained stable is the price…until now. Since the changeover to the new system in late July, Lightning Lane Multi Pass prices for the Magic Kingdom haven’t been below $25, oscillating between $25 and $27. In fact, it goes back further than that, as prices for the Lightning Lane Multi Pass system’s predecessor Genie+ system hadn’t seen prices dip below $25 since May 1st. That’s going to change in September. On September 2nd, prices for Lightning Lane Multi Pass at the Magic Kingdom are currently scheduled to be priced at $23. What’s even more surprising is this is Labor Day, meaning many people have a 3-day weekend. Usually the parks are quite busy on holiday weekends, but based on these prices, it seems Disney isn’t expecting that. Lightning Lane If you haven’t used the new system yet, a quick refresher on how it works: Lightning Lane Multi Pass You will now be able to make 3 Lightning Lane selections in a theme park, in advance of your visit and choose available times as you make your selections. From there, as you use each selection on the day of your visit, you can use the My Disney Experience app for availability to make an additional selection. New park maps Lightning Lane Single Pass Lightning Lane Single Pass will remain similar to Individual Lightning Lanes, today in concept. You’ll still be able to “secure a time to ride one of (Disney’s) most highly demanded attractions” for an additional charge. However, you’ll now be able to make said purchase and plan in advance. Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel and other select hotels will be able to plan Lightning Lane Multi and Single passes up to 7 days in advance, for their entire stay (up to 14 days). All other guests can plan up to 3 days in advance. Haunted Mansion Lightning Lane If you’ve been waiting for Lightning Lane passes to go down in price before trying out the new system, you should keep your schedule open in early September. Stay tuned to DFB for further coverage of Disney’s ticketing system. 5 Things Lightning Lane Experts Would Never, Ever Do in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Have you used the new Lightning Lanes yet? How did you like the system? Let us know in the comments below. The post We Know When Lightning Lane Prices Will DROP in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

An iconic Disney World attraction is closing soon in Magic Kingdom! Magic Kingdom Don’t worry though, it will only be for a few months. And, now we officially have the reopening date. There have been a lot of changes happening in Magic Kingdom recently, including the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the Country Bear Musical Jamboree. However, one attraction will soon be added to the “closed for refurbishment” list. Jungle Cruise is scheduled to close beginning August 26th. Jungle Cruise We have known about this closure for some time now, but we did not know when the attraction would be reopening. But we do now! Disney has updated the website with the reopening date for Jungle Cruise. The ride will reopen on October 17th, 2024, towards the end of the Halloween season at Magic Kingdom. Jungle Cruise Currently, Peter Pan’s Flight is closed for refurbishment in Magic Kingdom, but the ride is expected to reopen on August 20th. Luckily, that means that only Jungle Cruise will be closed for refurbishment beginning August 26th. But if you are hoping to laugh at some punny Dad jokes while viewing animatronic wildlife before October 17th, you better hurry over to Magic Kingdom soon! Although, it is good to know that at least Jungle Cruise will be open in time to be transformed into Jingle Cruise for the holiday season. Jingle Cruise If you are planning on heading to Magic Kingdom soon and want to know everything there is to know, make sure you check out our ULTIMATE guide to Magic Kingdom in 2024: Stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World news! Check out our FAVORITE Magic Kingdom restaurants! 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 favorite attraction in Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments! The post NEWS: Reopening Date Revealed for Jungle Cruise Refurbishment in Magic Kingdom first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The Future of Disney Parks and More Were Revealed at the Horizons: Disney Experiences ShowcaseView the full article

It has been a weekend for the books at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event! D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event One of the most anticipated events of the weekend was the Horizons: Disney Experiences Panel. This panel was focused on the parks, resorts, cruises, and more. 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Get the latest D23 updates on rides, restaurants, and more delivered straight to your inbox! Name: Email: There were SO many announcements made during the Disney Experiences Panel at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event. It could be hard to keep track of everything they ended up announcing, but have no fear! We are here with a round-up of all the major announcements made by Disney during the panel. Like we said, there are a lot, so grab some popcorn and let’s get into it! Disney World Magic Kingdom Pirates Themed Lounge At last year’s D23 event, Disney announced that a NEW tavern would be coming to Adventureland in Magic Kingdom and this year we got more details as well as an opening timeline. This “rambunctious watering hole will offer a welcoming haven for all pirate-kind, big and small, and everyone in between.” That means this lounge will NOT be reserved for adults only. Disney teased a selection of “grogs and grub,” so it sounds like we could get some PIRATE FOOD! The lounge is scheduled to open in 2025. Pirates Lounge ©Disney New Nighttime Parade Following in the footsteps of previous iconic nighttime spectaculars like the Main Street Electrical Parade and Spectromagic, the new Disney Starlight is scheduled to launch in the summer of 2025! This new nighttime entertainment will use “the latest technology” to tell new stories about Disney’s classic characters. The parade’s floats are expected to include new characters like some of our favorites from Encanto and Frozen, along with a few nostalgic ones like Peter Pan! “Disney Starlight” ©Disney Cars Land Magic Kingdom will also be getting a Cars Land! The cars are leaving Radiator Springs to explore the West and into new frontiers. There will be two NEW Cars attractions coming to Magic Kingdom. One will take you on a race through the mountains and wild terrain along mountain trails, dodging geysers and splashing through mud holes. The second ride will geared toward smaller racers and will be fun for the whole family! Construction on this new area in Frontierland will begin early in 2025! ‘Cars’ Land ©Disney Villains Land Disney also announced that a VILLAINS LAND is coming to Magic Kingdom! The new land will encompass all our nightmares and may make happily ever after feel like a distant dream, according to Disney. Look out for new dining and shopping “on an incredibly twisted grand scale.” This new land will feature fan-favorite Disney Villains and two new attractions! Villains Land Concept Art ©Disney EPCOT Opening Timeline for Reimagined Test Track Walt Disney Imagineering is collaborating with Chevrolet to embrace the spirit of innovation while celebrating a human “drive” for a brighter tomorrow. The updated version of the ride is anticipated to highlight the past, present, and future in its upcoming design. Disney confirmed the queue will feature six distinct exhibits, and within each room, celebrate the vehicles as well as the people behind the vehicles who usher in that next chapter in our collective journey. Imagineers are adding new show scenes that will showcase technological advances and show “how our lifestyles and relationships to mobility connect everyone.” Disney has an anticipated reopening timeline of 2025. Reimagining concept art ©Disney Spaceship Earth Lounge A new lounge is coming to EPCOT, and its sleek look is inspired by the “stories, shapes, and enduring legacy” of this beautiful icon. The decor draws inspiration from its unique geometric sphere and hopes to offer a zen space for families filled with “rich textures and warm metallic tones, giving it a mysterious and elegant intimacy.” This NEW lounge is set to open at EPCOT in 2025. Based on the concept art, this Spaceship Earth-inspired space looks like it will have an AMAZING fireworks view. Spaceship Earth Lounge ©Disney Disney’s Animal Kingdom Zootopia: Better Zoogether The new show ‘Zootopia: Better Zoogether’ will officially be coming to the Tree of Life theater in the winter of 2025! Disney explained that the show will take us on an adventure through different biomes seen in the film. Based on the concept art, it looks like this will be an updated 3-D experience — we recognize those iconic yellow glasses! Zootopia: Better Zoogether ©Disney Tropical Americas Land Disney has officially confirmed that DinoLand U.S.A. will become Pueblo Esperanza and will feature Encano and Indiana Jones. The new land will feature classic Spanish-style architecture with a large hacienda that will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Disney World There will also be two signature attractions — an Encanto ride featuring the beloved Madrigal family and a new Indiana Jones adventure ride! Construction on the new land will begin this fall and the land will open in 2027. Pueblo Esperanza ©Disney Disney’s Hollywood Studios New Missions coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will soon include one of the most popular Star Wars characters,the Mandalorian! New missions are going to be added to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers run in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! We don’t know much about these new missions, but we know that they will feature the Mandalorian and Grogu. This new Mandalorian and Grogu storyline will coincide with the release of upcoming films in 2026! New missions on Smugglers Run ©Disney Monsters, Inc. Land Monsters, Inc. Land will officially be in Hollywood Studios! The story of the land will pick up after the events of the film, and humans have now been invited to visit the world of Monsters, Inc. For the first time ever, we’ll finally get to visit the laugh factory with Sully and Mike. You’ll go into the factory and experience the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park. Construction on the new land will begin next year. Monsters Inc. Land Concept Art ©Disney Disneyland Resort Disney California Adventure Avatar-themed Land A new Avatar experience is coming to Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort! The new area of Pandora will be different than the one in Animal Kingdom and will feature new exciting sights and experiences. The new destination will have all-new adventures that explore Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: Fire and Ash, and more upcoming Avatar films. There will also be a brand-new ride that will take you on a thrilling excursion all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora. Avatar Land ©Disney Walt Disney: A Magical Life Disney has now announced that the first-ever audio-animatronic of Walt Disney himself will be coming to Disneyland in a brand-new show. The new show, “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” will share a space inside the Main Street Opera House with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.” After the initial run of the new show, “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” and “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” will alternate screenings at the Main Street Opera House. “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” ©Disney Avengers Campus Expansion The Avengers Campus is going to get a huge expansion that will double its current size. Disney announced TWO new Marvel attractions coming to the land. First up is the LONG-AWAITED Avengers E-Ticket. Teased at events going back to 2019, the latest and final version of the attraction will be called Avengers Infinity Defense. A new Iron Man attraction is also coming to the land, with Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as Tony Stark! In Stark Flight Lab, “you’re going to sit in two-person pods and deploy to a test station. Then a robot arm grabs your pod and starts whirling you around in a simulated flight.” Avengers Campus ©Disney Coco Attraction The smash hit Disney/Pixar film Coco is coming to the Disneyland Resort in the form of a brand-new attraction. The attraction will be a boat ride in Disney California Adventure that will see music play a large role. Disneyland’s new Coco attraction is set to break ground in 2026. ©Disney Disneyland Park Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will officially open in Disneyland on November 15th! According to Disney, “The Happiest Place on Earth will open their attraction inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ film The Princess and the Frog on Nov. 15, 2024 (at the start of the Holiday season at Disneyland Resort)! And not only that but Critter Country will be appropriately renamed Bayou Country when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens.” Construction progress in Disneyland — July 2024 Disneyland Paris Disney Adventure World Lion King Land An all-new Lion King Land is on the horizon in Disney Adventure World! The new Lion King Land will have you exploring the Price Lands with new areas of dining, shopping, and attractions. There will be characters, and the land will be set at Pride Rock (which looks to be a new log-plume style ride). ©Disney World of Frozen World of Frozen will be coming to the park in 2026! Disney recently opened World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disney, and this new Disneyland Paris land looks like it may be a similar concept. We’re excited to have another park representing an entire dedicated land to Frozen! World of Frozen ©Disney Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland New Avengers Experiences At Shanghai Disneyland, a Spider-Man roller coaster is on the way. Plus a new Marvel ride was announced for Hong Kong Disneyland. Disney is expanding its Marvel-themed area at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort by adding a brand new Avengers-themed ride. The idea for the Marvel area at Hong Kong Disneyland is that Tony Stark has chosen Hong Kong as the Asian headquarters for Stark Industries. It will also become home to the Stark Expo, showcasing all the latest Stark Industries tech. ©Disney There you have it! A full roundup of ALL the announcements Disney made about the Disney parks during the Disney Experiences Panel. There is definitely a lot of great expansions, attractions, and experiences to anticipate in the coming years. We can’t wait to see how all these additions progress, and we will be sure to keep you updated with all the latest news. Stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney parks news! Check out everything we experienced while at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event! 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 announcement are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments! The post EVERY MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT for the Disney Parks from D23 This Weekend first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Southern California was struck by a sizeable earthquake this afternoon outside of Los Angeles, and near Disneyland Resort. Disneyland According to the KTLA, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 struck the Los Angeles area on Monday, August 12th around 12:20PM PT. People across the Los Angeles area were able to feel the earthquake. The National Weather Service stated that a tsunami was not expected and so far there have not been any reports of extensive damage, according to Margaret Steward of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The hurricane struck nearby to Anaheim, CA which is where the Disneyland Resort is located. While it is oftentimes hard to feel the earthquake when you are in Disneyland, the parks will sometimes still shut things down to make sure everything is safe. Disney California Adventure One of our reporters felt the earthquake in Anaheim, but another reporter who was in Cars Land at the time did not feel anything. When we checked the app soon after the earthquake struck, we did notice that a few rides were closed in the park. However, it is hard to know for sure whether the closures were related to the earthquake or not. Cars Land in Disneyland While earthquakes are fairly common in California, it can still be scary to be in one or to worry that you may be affected by one when you are in Disneyland Resort. Know that Disney is well equipped to respond when an earthquake strikes and they will make sure that everyone stays safe. If you happen to be in an earthquake while you are visiting Disneyland, remain calm and make sure to follow Cast Member instructions! We will continue to keep an eye on the news, so make sure to stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney news! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Did you feel the earthquake today? Let us know in the comments! The post BREAKING: 4.6 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Southern California first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Raise your hands up! The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is almost here! EPCOT Food and Wine Festival 2023 This year, EPCOT is hosting the event from August 29th through November 23rd, 2024. There are going to be so many amazing booths and all kinds of entertainment — more than you can count, and we’re here for it! That being said, we wanted to go over some of the Food and Wine Festival trends we’re expecting to see this year. Again, the 2024 Food & Wine Festival is being held from August 29th through November 23rd, so make sure the dates are highlighted, circled, stamped…whatever you need to do to make sure you don’t miss it! ‘Round these parts, we’re constantly trying to predict what will happen during this year’s festival, so let’s do just that and go over the trends we’re expecting to see this year at the Food & Festival. New Lug Bags Okay, let’s start straigh away with accessories. As you know, the right bag can make or break your park experience, and in 2024, it looks like we’re probably going to be obsessing over a new must-have item: a brand-new Lug bag. Orange Bird Lug bags are BACK! If you haven’t heard of it yet, Lug is a brand that’s got some practical yet stylish bags, which makes them perfect for theme park adventures. It’s back! They’re typically big enough to hold your essentials (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, a phone) but small enough that they won’t weigh you down. Plus, all those vibrant colors and fun patterns will definitely complement your favorite Disney fit. La vita really e bella There might even be an exclusive EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Lug bag this year, so we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled! Exclusive Festival Merch Every year, Disney ups the ante with exclusive festival merchandise, and 2024 will most likely be no different. Food & Wine Spirit Jersey If you’re a collector or just someone who loves getting a good souvenir, get ready. We’re expecting to see limited-edition pins, spirit jerseys, and other “surprises” that will only be available at the festival. 2023 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival Dooney & Bourke Remember, snagging these goodies early is the key because there’s nothing worse than seeing that perfect piece of merch on Instagram, only to find out it’s sold out when you finally get to the park. Festival Hat As a pro-tip, you might want to plan on hitting the festival shops first thing when you get to EPCOT so you don’t miss out on anything. More Mocktails Let’s face it. Not everyone who goes to the festival is looking to drink around the world. Whether you’re the designated driver or just want something refreshing, mocktails are going to be your go-to this year. So yummy I’m sure we’re going to see creative, non-alcoholic concoctions that are every bit as “Instagram-worthy” as their boozy counterparts. They really are the perfect way to stay cool and hydrated without missing out on any of the fun. Also, they can be a bit easier on the wallet, too! More Plant-Based Dishes To be fair, Disney has been stepping up its plant-based game over the past few years, and we’ll most likely see even more plant-based options on the festival menu here in 2024. IMPOSSIBLE Buffalo Chicken Tenders with plant-based blue cheese, plant-based ranch, and celery Whether you’re a committed vegan, a curious carnivore, or just someone looking to mix it up, you’re in for a treat. It’s so interesting living in a time where plant-based dishes are no longer the afterthought, but they’re becoming a major highlight. Buffalo Brussels Sprouts with plant-based blue cheese and plant-based ranch Plus, don’t we all love indulging in something delicious and feeling a little better about our choices? More “Elevated” Comfort Food Comfort food has been making a comeback, and we’re expecting to see more of it at this year’s festival. We’re talking about those familiar, feel-good dishes but with a gourmet twist. This was hearty and delicious! Think mac and cheese topped with truffle oil, loaded fries with artisanal cheeses, or a classic grilled cheese made with the fanciest bread and cheese combo you can imagine. Fry Flight from Fry Basket In other words, it’s all about taking the foods you crave and dialing them up a notch. These are the kinds of foods that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, no matter what’s going on outside. We’re definitely going to come hungry, so we can indulge in all the elevated comfort dishes we can find. More Local Florida Flavors The last thing (for this list) trend we’re expecting this year is an even bigger focus on local food from Florida. Because of the continued rise of farm-to-table dining and an increased appreciation for locally sourced ingredients, EPCOT should highlight even more of the best that Florida has to offer. Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Peach There’s a lot that the Sunshine State has to bring to the table, so look out for booths featuring any local gems, allowing you to taste your way through Florida without ever leaving the park. Want to learn more about this year’s Food & Wine Festival? Check out our guidebook for comprehensive coverage and info about this event! You’re stoked about this year’s EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, right? So are we! Share your thoughts below and continue to follow us here at DFB for all the latest Disney World news, reviews, tips, and more! 3 BIG Ways EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival Will Be Totally Different 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! What trends are you expecting to see at the Food and Wine Festival this year? Let us know in the comments! The post NEW EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Trends We Expect to See in 2024 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney is moving quickly. ©Disney This past weekend, Disney hosted the D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. During the Horizons showcase, Disney dropped a ton of news relating to their theme parks. Two of the biggest announcements came in the form of Cars and Villains lands coming to the Magic Kingdom. Now just days later, Disney is already putting the wheels in motion. Just days after the initial announcement, Disney has confirmed where the new Villains and Cars expansions will be built at the Magic Kingdom. The former will take up the massive expansion pad that Disney has previously referred to as “beyond Big Thunder Mountain” while the latter will somewhat controversially replace the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, which have been a core part of the park since its 1971 opening. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Construction permits are being filed this week, Disney World said, and work will get into “high gear next year,” leaving time to “experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today,” the release reads.” ©Disney These won’t be the first permits filed for the Magic Kingdom’s massive expansion. Earlier this year, we heard Disney had filed permits to work on storm drainage and other foundational work, a “small but CRUCIAL step” for massive construction of this magnitude. In addition, a large area directly north of Frontierland in Magic Kingdom that was previously labeled as “considered unavailable for development,” had it’s designation changed to “Marginally Unsuitable“ meaning that “development is permitted to the extent allowable under the District’s long-term permits. Cars is coming to Magic Kingdom! ©Disney Disney described the decision to replace an iconic part of the park as such. “To make way for this completely new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world’s most iconic racers. We are thrilled to create this original Cars adventure and put our guests in the driver’s seat as we—quite literally—explore a new frontier in Frontierland.” Map of where the new Cars area will be Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World portfolio executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering added in the press release, “Part of pioneering this new story includes tapping into the themes of exploration and adventure that inspire so many of us to keep propelling forward. Anytime we touch Magic Kingdom, we recognize the massive responsibility that exists to get it right and tell stories that connect with our guests.” ©Disney With construction permits already filed, it seems that work is moving quickly on the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. Stay tuned to DFB for further updates as construction kicks into high gear. CONFIRMED: Location Revealed for NEW Villains Land Coming to 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 Are you excited for these expansions, or mourning the loss of the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island? Let us know in the comments below. The post Get Ready! Disney Will File Permits for MASSIVE Magic Kingdom Expansion This Week first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

WHEW! What an AWESOME past few days! We were at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event from August 9th to August 11th, and Disney was busy dropping news all over the place. D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event First, on August 9th, we heard about new movies and Disney+ series. Then, on August 10th, we got MAJOR experiences news. Disney shared new lands coming to the parks, a new nighttime parade in Magic Kingdom, new gaming experiences headed to Fortnite, and y’all it was ALL unbelievable! Every announcement is actually happening as no Blue Sky ideas were shared. But there was one announcement that all of us went wild for — a new Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom! But Disney didn’t share too many details, and we now we have a few questions. When Disney first announced the new Villains Land, Josh D’Amaro, Disney Experiences Chairman, didn’t say where or when exactly the new land (that fans have been asking for for years) would go. It wasn’t until a couple of days later that we got one of those details answered. NEW VILLAINS LAND On August 12th, we learned that this new land will be what has been known as “Beyond Big Thunder”. There is some land past Big Thunder Mountain Railroad that has been deemed suitable for new construction, and speculation about what Disney will be putting there has been ongoing. But now, we know that Villains Land will officially call Beyond Big Thunder home. RCID Comprehensive Plan map and map of Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland Disney has even said that preparation is already underway at Magic Kingdom! Back in April, Disney had confirmed that permits were going to be filed for storm drainage and other foundational work. This means that work is officially ongoing on this new land! So that brings us to our first question, when will Villains Land officially open for us to explore the land of our Disney nightmares? It’s Maleficent! Timeline Disney hasn’t announced any kind of timeline for the new land, and we doubt we’ll see one for a little while. However, since work has already begun on the new land, we hope that it will be completed relatively soon. We would guess that within the next five years or so, we’ll be walking into Villains Land. @BioReconstruct X (formerly Twitter) The new Tropical Americas Land coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom is set to open in 2027, so about three years from now, with construction beginning this fall. That could mean that Villains Land may have a similar timeline. The one big difference between these two lands, though, is that Tropical Americas Land is taking over an already existing land whereas Villains Land is starting completely from scratch, so it may take longer than three years. Puebla Esperanza model Another reference for a timeline might be Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Construction on the Star Wars land began in April 2016 in both Disneyland and Disney World. In Disneyland, it opened three years later in May 2019, and in Disney World, it opened four years later in August 1019. So within the next five years may be a good bet for the new Villains Land! Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Now, onto our second question: what will there be to do in Villains Land? Disney hinted that there will be two major attractions, dining, and shopping “on an incredibly twisted grand scale” Josh D’Amaro even said, “Be prepared, you poor unfortunate souls. It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be.” Sounds magnificent! Villains Land Concept Art Villains Land Concept Art ©Disney There’s not much concept art yet for the new land, but if we take a close look at what Disney did share, we might get some hints about these new experiences. Entrance ©Disney When we zoom in, we can see a lot more detail on the concept art. For instance, in the bottom right-hand corner, it looks like this may be the walkway where we will officially enter Villains Land likely from Frontierland. Some of the rocks remind us of Scar’s lair as well as the Underworld where Hades lives. Possible Shopping/Dining District ©Disney Once we get into Villains Land from the entrance, it looks like we come up on a central gathering area. It looks like there are several menacing buildings in this area which could potentially be the shops and restaurants that Disney mentioned coming to the land. Castle ©Disney Far off in the distance, there appears to be a castle high on some pointed rocks. By the looks of it, this appears to be Maleficent’s castle towering high above the land. There will be two major rides in Villains Land, perhaps her castle will house one of them. Is That a Roller Coaster? ©Disney Off to the left of Maleficent’s castle, we find Maleficent herself in dragon form! And next to the dragon are thorny vines, and those thorns almost appear to take the shape of a roller coaster track. How awesome would it be to get a brand-new roller coaster in Villains Land?! Overall, the concept art for Villains Land certainly looks enticing! It seems this new land will be a thing of nightmares in the best way possible. Fans have been asking for a Disney Villains land for a long time, and now we’ll finally get to experience it. We’ll be keeping our eyes and ears open for more details, so keep following DFB! CARS LAND and TWO NEW ATTRACTIONS Coming To Magic Kingdom in Disney World! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Are you excited for Villains Land? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney World Is Building a NEW Villains Land and We Have QUESTIONS first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

There are so many restaurants to choose from when trying to decide where you should eat in Disney World. Kona Cafe at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Your 60-day Advance Dining reservation window is about to come up, and you panic – you do not know where to dine! Don’t worry! That is where DFB is here to help you out! AJ has three Disney World restaurants that have been reliable for years, and she always recommends them. Trust us, she knows what she is talking about when it comes to where to find the best food at Disney World! She has been Disney Food Blogging for 15 years now! Now, it is important to note that a high price tag does not always mean that the food quality is going to be great. Some restaurants are more about the theme and experience rather than fine dining. Other restaurants offer all-you-care-to-enjoy meals where they charge more for the quantity of the food rather than the quality of the food. Garden Grill feast With that being said, let’s dive into AJ’s top three OL’ reliable restaurants at Disney World! Le Cellier Steakhouse Starting off in EPCOT’s Canada Pavilion, tucked away, you will find Le Cellier Steakhouse. It can be hard to find reservations for this restaurant, especially if you are traveling during peak travel season, so make sure you are searching for dining reservations as soon as your Advance Dining reservation window opens. Oh, Canada! This tends to be one of AJ’s favorite places to dine, and it is a great location to celebrate an anniversary, birthday, or just life in general. Le Cellier Steakhouse Le Cellier serves many classic steakhouse options, as well as a few signature dishes, like loaded poutine and Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup. And if you need a quiet, comforting escape from all the theme park action, Le Cellier’s atmosphere can provide just that — someplace warm and cozy. Except that sometimes the booths can feel a little too close together. Regardless, Le Cellier has been and will continue to be AJ’s go-to option if she is craving a filet or a nice bowl of cheesy soup. Le Cellier Steakhouse in EPCOT Nomad Lounge OL’ Reliable number two is located in Animal Kingdom. Nomad Lounge is attached to Tiffins, a signature restaurant, but Nomad Lounge uses its own Walk-up Waitlist and seating process. Nomad Lounge It also has a slightly different menu from Tiffins and the best part is that you won’t have to pay signature meal prices if you do not want to. Lounge-style seating On the menu, you will find specialty beverages, including some fun and exclusive mocktails. Small plates include grilled chicken satay, Tiffins’ bread service, and what AJ claims to be the BEST churros on the property. Churros! Sanaa For AJ’s third OL’ reliable, she recommends Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Both the park and the resort are pros when it comes to serving tasty meals in a stunning dining room setting. Sanaa Sanaa is located in the Kidani Village section of the resort. It is a table-service restaurant where you can enjoy authentic African and Indian-inspired food next to windows that look out over the resort’s savanna. Sanaa Since Sanaa tends to be out of the way of other resorts and parks (besides Animal Kingdom), it often gets overlooked. But if you can make time for it during your visit, AJ thinks this one could really steal the spotlight as far as your Disney dining adventure is concerned. Sanaa If you want to learn more about the Disney World dining scene and read up on our most recent reviews, advice, and recommendations, make sure to check out the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining on dfbstore.com! What AJ Eats at Disney World When Nobody is Looking 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 Disney World restaurant OL’ reliables? Let us know in the comments!The post OL' RELIABLES -- The 3 Disney World Restaurants AJ Recommends Every Time first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event may have come to a close, but the magic is far from over! If you missed the event or want to relive the enchantment, we’re thrilled to announce that many of the products showcased at the event are now available online. Dive into the magic of Disney with these must-have items, all now live on DisneyStore.com! Heroes and Villains Collection Discover the ultimate showdown between good and evil with our collection themed after heroes and villains! The Disney Princess Heroes and Villains MagicBand+ is a limited-edition must-have that’s perfect for any park day, while the Maleficent Ear Headband and Maleficent Backpack add a touch of villainous charm to any outfit. Plush lovers will adore the Disney Parks Wishables Good Vs. Evil Plush Blind Pack and the Ariel Disney Parks Wishables from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Vinyl collectors, prepare yourselves! The Stacey Aoyama Disney Designer Showcase features exquisite Disney vinyl sets, including Ariel and Ursula from “The Little Mermaid,” Hercules and Hades from “Hercules,” Jasmine and Jafar from “Aladdin,” Snow White and the Evil Queen from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” and Briar Rose and Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty.” Each set captures the essence of these beloved characters with stunning detail and is a timeless treasure for Disney collectors and enthusiasts alike. Midnight Masquerade: Fashionably Late Unmask the magic of the Midnight Masquerade collection, where elegance and whimsy collide in an extraordinary display. The newest Midnight Masquerade Box Set showcases Disney’s Gaston, Queen of Hearts, Alice, Mother Gothel, Ariel, and Snow White, offering a treasure trove of elegance. These six aren’t the only ones with an invitation in the mail! Collectors will not want to miss the limited-edition Aladdin & Jasmine and Anastasia & Drizella Doll Sets, which are unparalleled gems for any collection. ​​Star Wars​ Must-Have​ Item​s The galaxy’s finest are here! Recently revealed and now available exclusively at DisneyStore.com, the limited-edition Legacy Lightsaber ​Hilt ​set three-pack celebrat​es​ beloved characters from Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, alongside the Blade of Ochi of Bestoon collectible. Fans of Star Tours will not want to miss the limited-edition Starspeeder 3000, a Star Tours vehicle replica complete with original attraction footage. It also has light, sounds and a carded RX-24 Droid Factory figure among other great features. For those who lean towards the dark side​ of the Force​, the Kylo Ren Reforged Helmet is an artifact of unparalleled significance. Complete your collection with the Pit Droid Interactive Action Figure, R6-D23 Droid Factory Figure, and RX-24 Talking Action Figure. Star Wars Dark Side​ Artist Series Collection​ Showcase your fandom with the Star Wars: ​​Dark Side Artist Series collection. This collection includes the Dark Side Spirit Jersey,​ a​ Loungefly Ear Headband, and​ a​ Loungefly Mini Backpack for adults, all featuring designs by Disney artist Alex Riegert-Waters​,​ showcasing iconic Star Wars villains. Take command of your Star Wars collection with the Darth Vader Figurine and the Dark Side Matted Print, using art designed by Riegert-Waters. You won’t want to miss adding these items ​to your collection​!​ Disney Munchlings Collection Snuggle up with the Disney Munchlings Baked Treats Remix! This delightful collection includes charming new additions like the Mystery Scented Plush – Baked Treats Remix, featuring Minnie Mouse Cherry Tart, Baymax Tiramisu, and my top pick, the Stitch Frosted Blueberry Loaf, all with delightful scents. Looking for something even cuddlier? Check out the larger Mickey Mouse Steamed Bun Willie Plush for an extra dose of plushy charm! Mary Poppins 60th Anniversary Celebrate the magic of Mary Poppins with the 60th Anniversary Loungefly Ear Headband and the Penguin Waiter Plush. Inspired by a jolly holiday, the Loungefly Ear Headband features charming details that evoke the whimsical spirit of the esteemed nanny, while the Penguin Waiter Plush brings a touch of cheer from the classic film. These delightful items are as sweet as a spoonful of sugar! Ichabod & Mr. Toad 75th Anniversary Mark the 75th anniversary of “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad” with exclusive merchandise. The Loungefly Mini Backpack with Light-Up Belt Bag captures the adventurous spirit of the film, while the Ichabod Crane and Headless Horseman Light-Up Figure Set brings iconic moments to life with illuminating effects. Complement your look with the Ear Headband, featuring charming details from the movie, and stay cozy in the Varsity Jacket and Premium T-Shirt, both showcasing thematic designs. Complete your look with the elegant Pocket Watch by Bulova, a timeless piece that pays tribute to Mr. Toad’s character. Disney Pins: Joy on the Screen Pin collectors, get ready to elevate your collection with the Disney Pins: Joy on the Screen collection! This exquisite, limited-edition range celebrates the magic of beloved characters with unparalleled artistry and detail. The collection features a sketch series highlighting the artistic journey of characters such as Sorcerer Mickey Mouse, Ariel, and Simba. It includes a dedicated series with an Animation Desk Pin Set that brings to life timeless films such as ”Cinderella,” ”Sleeping Beauty,” and “Dumbo” and a Multiplane Camera Slider Pin featuring Snow White. Further enriching the collection is a movie ticket series that honors some favorites like “Alice in Wonderland,” “A Goofy Movie,” and “Fantasia 2000.” Adding a touch of romance, the jumbo pin set features beloved couples like Ariel and Eric, Belle and the Beast, and Aladdin and Jasmine. Lastly, don’t miss the deluxe Disney Animation and Imagineering Jumbo Pin, where Sorcerer Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell present a collection of artists’ sketches, along with three animation model sheets and two castle layouts that honor the talented Disney Legends behind them. The Haunted Mansion 55th Anniversary Happy haunts have been materializing for 55 years at The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland Resort, and what better way to celebrate than with some hauntingly delightful items. Adorn your shelf with this Madame Leota Replica. For those who prefer to carry a touch of magic with them, the Raven Magnetic Shoulder Plush will have you grim and grinning. A Walk in Disneyland & Parks Logo Play Immerse yourself in the magic of Disneyland Park with the A Walk in Disneyland collection, featuring the elegant Disneyland Dress for Women, the charming Disneyland Teacup Set, and the stylish Disneyland Icons Woven Shirt for Adults, all crafted by Ashley Eckstein and Ashley Taylor. For a more casual, streetwear look, check out the Parks Logo Play collection, including the D23 Varsity Jacket and Baseball Cap. Both collections celebrate the Park’s spirit with nostalgic flair and modern style. Disney Lacers Step into Disney magic with every stride in Disney Lacers! Explore the exclusive limited-release vinyl collection, including the Disney Lacers Mystery Set – Series One, Lacers Star Wars Vinyl, Lacers Donald 90th Vinyl, and more. Each collectible is a unique tribute to timeless icons and beloved characters, adding a touch of enchantment to your Disney collection. 15 Years of Pixar’s Up Celebrate Pixar’s magic with the Carl Fredricksen and Ellie Cake Topper and Cake Serving Set from Disney and Pixar’s “Up.” These items are perfect for adding a touch of adventure to any celebration. All these magical items are now available online and at the Disneyland Resort, so visit DisneyStore.com/D23Event2024 to shop and bring home the magic of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event! The post Unwrap the Magic: D23 Event Merchandise Now Available at DisneyStore.com! appeared first on Disney Parks Blog. View the full article

While Disney World may be the Most Magical Place on Earth, that doesn’t mean that bad things can’t happen. Animal Kingdom Yes, negative things are sometimes a little more manageable because hey, you’re in Disney World, but sometimes life’s struggles still break through that Disney bubble. Not to mention that being in Disney World can create a whole slew of NEW problems that you don’t really experience anywhere else. Since Cast Members are the first line of help for any issues in the parks, that means you could hear them say some pretty undesirable things throughout your trip, and if you do, you may want to turn around and walk the other way. “Are ya bleeding? …Did it get in your food?” WE ARE NOT KIDDING, WE HEARD THIS IN DISNEY WORLD! We’ll be honest, we were facing the other way when we heard a Cast Member say this to (we’re assuming) a guest, and after we heard it, we 100% were not about to turn around to find out. First Aid will have some basic supplies like medicine and bandages Some of us on the team are definitely squeamish when it comes to blood, but the rest of us just also don’t want to see that on our vacation if we don’t have to. If you hurt yourself and are bleeding in Disney World, it’s time to head to first aid! There’s one located in each park, typically close to the entrance of each park. Magic Kingdom First Aid Center If you have trouble finding first aid, or you’re afraid you’ll have trouble getting there, you can ask any nearby Cast Member for assistance. And if you happen to get blood in your food…PLEASE DO NOT EAT IT. “Head on over to that yellow line!” Doesn’t seem like too big of a deal, right? Well, in this case, this was said at security where after forgetting to take her umbrella out of her bag, our team member was asked to step over to get her bag inspected…and was faced with the LONGEST bag check line she’d ever seen. Mini UV Umbrella Safety is very important in the Disney World parks, and we’re very thankful it’s taken so seriously to keep all guests safe, but our team member was KICKING HERSELF that if she would have just remembered to take out her umbrella, she would have saved TONS of time. So this is your reminder that if you want to get through security fast, take out the following items and hold them in your hands as you walk through: Umbrellas Phones, tablets, any electronics (INCLUDING portable chargers!) Hard glasses cases Any items that contain metal Security Line at Transportation and Ticket Center It’s best to have these items in your hands by the time you’re stepping up to security/stepping off the parking tram so you don’t slow down the line. We know, it’s a little stressful, but it’s worth it to make it through security with no issues! Code V We’ve mentioned Code V on more than one occasion, but we feel it’s always important to rehash because it’s truly very unpleasant. Yes, Code V stands for Code Vomit, meaning someone has gotten sick in the area and it needs to be cleaned up. Custodian Cast Members Making Water Art! That alone should encourage you to proceed with caution, but this particular story comes from a former Cast Member on our team who had to call a Code V because as she was seating a family for their meal at ‘Ohana, they watched kids at another table get sick. Yeah, not at all fun for anyone involved. ‘Ohana And this is just your reminder too that we KNOW you’ve spent tons of money on this trip and you don’t want anything to ruin it, but if you or your kid is sick, PLEASE do not bring them into Disney World parks. We know it stinks to have to stay at the hotel room, but everyone in your party will have a miserable day with not everyone feeling 100% AND you’ll be spreading your germs to other guests, and that’s just not very courteous. Announcing A Ride Closure Hearing a Cast Member announce that the ride you’re currently waiting in line for is closed is NOT ideal and certainly isn’t something you want to hear, but did you know there’s something SPECIFIC you should be listening for when a Cast Member informs you a ride is down? Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed Pay very close attention to the wording the Cast Member uses to inform you the ride is down. If you heard them say something like “You are welcome to stay in line and we’ll hopefully be up and running soon,” it’s much more likely that Cast Members are only experiencing a minor difficulty and have hope that the ride will come back up shortly. Slinky Dog Dash closed However, if you hear them say something like, “You can stay in line IF YOU WANT but we have NO IDEA how long we will be delayed,” they’re subtly trying to encourage you to get out of line and go experience another attraction because it’s likely going to be a while before the ride opens back up again. Of course, the most obvious sign that an attraction will be down awhile is if they empty the queue, which leaves you no choice but to exit and (hopefully) come back later. “Your Annual Pass is Blocked Out Today” This has happened to some of our reporters on their off days, or some of our team who comes in from other areas to visit for vacation. Every Annual Pass tier for Disney World except for the Incredi-Pass (which is the most expensive and the only one available to out-of-state passholders) has blockout dates that prevent passholders from getting into the parks that day. Annual Passholder Magnet The less expensive the pass, the more blockout dates your pass has. This means that if you don’t check the calendar and you have any pass that isn’t the Incredi-Pass, it’s possible you could arrive to the park and be told that you’re blocked from entering that day. So if you REALLY want to get into the parks, you’ll have to purchase a day ticket, which is likely the last thing you’d like to do. Disney World Annual Passholder Entrance And that’s why we encourage passholders to make their park pass reservations EARLY — days before you’re looking to go — just to be sure you won’t run into this issue! Better to be safe than sorry — trust us, we’ve been there. Magic Kingdom We’re always here to bring you the latest Disney World news, tips, and tricks so you know what to expect, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB! This is the Disney World mistake you’ll totally make in August (don’t worry, we’re doing it too) 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 else would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments! The post 5 Things You NEVER Want to Hear a Disney World Cast Member Say first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Sometimes we get Disney World changes that inconvenience us, and other times we come out with a win. ©Disney If you’ve visited Disney World lately, you might have noticed changes in everything from decor to crowd levels, and even new attractions. But, one recent change in particular has helped us sleep better at night while on vacation at Disney World. When coming to Disney World there’s one HUGE topic that’s on everyone’s minds — THE CROWDS. Better yet, we’re always looking at the best ways to avoid them and get to experience as much (or free up our schedules as much) as we want. When Disney World introduced Genie+ we thought that would put an end to that stress. Genie+ However, once Genie+ went live in the Disney World app, it seemed to unlock a new inconvenience for us we never saw coming. In order to purchase Genie+ for use the next day, you had to be up late (or early depending on your outlook on it), to snag it as soon as possible! This meant staying up to midnight (12AM) on the day you intended to use Genie+ in the parks to buy it at the first possibility, otherwise, you could risk it selling out! Park-specific Pricing It’s no secret that you’re plenty exhausted on your Disney World vacation with all there is to see, do, and eat, but now we threw a 12AM purchase into the mix along with making our first selections for rides attractions at 7AM — mere hours later. We could easily see how this interrupted visitors just trying to get a good night’s sleep and rest up for the next day ahead of them — and it went on to be one of the systems main complaints. However, we’ve entered a new era when Lightning Lane Multi Pass was introduced! Lightning Lane changes are HERE! This revised version of the system allows Disney World hotel guests the convenience of booking Lightning Lanes in advance of their reservation — up to 7 days ahead and even if you’re not a hotel guest, you can still purchase AND book Lightning Lane Multi Pass AND Lightning Lane Single Passes at 3 days in advance. ©Disney So far in our experience, this is a much easier compromise than having to set an alarm at midnight to remind you to make a purchase when you’re already dazed from a full day walking around the parks. We’re hoping the pros for this new version of the paid Lightning Lane system continues to make users and park visitors feel more at ease with making these selections well in advance for their day’s plans and keeps them from feeling so constrained. We’re always keeping up with the latest updates, changes, and news happening around Disney World’s parks and hotels. Be sure to stay tuned with us at Disney Food Blog for more! We Spent Almost $300 in Disney World to Prove a Point. Here’s What We Learned. 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 Were you a fan of Genie+ or do you like the new Lightning Lane system better? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! The post Why 12AM Doesn’t Matter Anymore in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article