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We might be Disney Food Blog, but we’re pretty darn excited about everything going on at Universal Orlando. Universal Studios Epic Universe — Universal’s newest theme park — is slated to open in 2025, bringing a ton of new rides, restaurants, and more to this vacation destination. At Universal Studios, DreamWorks Land recently opened and has been a hit with fans. But, if you’ve got an upcoming trip to Universal planned, we have a word of warning for you! Heads up if you’re heading to Universal Orlando later this year! There’s another closure on the horizon and this one impacts both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. The Hogwarts Express will be temporarily closed from November 4th to 7th, 2024. Hogwarts Express This means you won’t be able to use the Hogwarts Express to travel back and forth from park to park during these dates. The Hogwarts Express joins Fast & Furious — Supercharged and MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack as other attractions that will be temporarily closed at Universal Orlando soon. Luckily, the Hogwarts Express won’t be down for too long! ©Universal And, right now, Universal has a pretty sweet deal on tickets for Florida Residents! The “Florida Unlimited Days Ticket” gets you into Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure for an unlimited number of days now through December 18th, 2024. Universal Orlando Epic Universe will have five new lands, including Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk. We can’t wait to check them all out, along with the “more than 50 awe-inspiring attractions, entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences.” ©Universal | Epic Universe Concept Art And, Universal just opened the Epic Universe preview center at CityWalk, which you can check out right here! Plus, at Universal Studios, the new DreamWorks Land is officially open. We got to experience the brand new land and you can see that by clicking here. DreamWorks Land houses areas dedicated to Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Fu Panda. Shrek and Donkey meet and greet In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for the latest news from Universal Orlando and more, so stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for all your theme park needs! EVERYTHING You Need To Know About Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Read more: DFB's complete guide to Universal’s Epic Universe >> Are you heading to Universal Studios anytime soon? Tell us in the comments. The post NEWS: Hogwarts Express Is Temporarily CLOSING at Universal Orlando first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Prepare for an “Under the Sea” party… in Orlando? Mermaid! While the greater Orlando area is best known for the Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando resorts, the area is chock-full of other tourist attractions and hotels that are definitely worth checking out, whether you’re a local or a visiting tourist. These include the world’s largest Marriott resort. Located close to Disney World, the Orlando World Center Marriott is a massive complex that boasts amenities including, “7 thrilling water slides, a 575-foot lazy river, poolside cabanas and more! Play 18 holes on our championship golf course and rejuvenate in our Orlando resort spa. Treat your palate in the 10 dining outlets of our hotel in Central Florida, including world-class Italian cuisine and Mikado Japanese Steakhouse.” In addition, a stay at the hotel includes “shuttle service to nearby Walt Disney World and Disney Springs” in its resort fees. The hotel also offers another perk: Mermaids. Yup, you read that right, mermaids. The hotel offers a seasonal Mermaid & Glow party where, according to the hotel, guests can join “Mermaid Elle & friends and dance the night away with our vivid glow party” in the hotel’s pool area. Mermaids While the party is included in the price of your room, you can also upgrade to a Mermaids & Glow Cabana package, which includes a heavily decorated cabana complete with “glow drinks” and a 10-minute private meet & greet with one of the hotel’s mermaids. From our recent experience, the mermaids swam across the whole pool, before meeting and greeting with guests. The neon light-filled atmosphere, music, and mermaids contributed to a vibe we really, really enjoyed. Mermaids The Mermaid & Glow Party is offered during select seasonal Saturday evenings from 8:00-9:30PM stretching through December. Glow party The Orlando World Center Marriott is one of the largest hotels in the Orlando area, and events like the Mermaid & Glow party offering definitely make it worth checking out for tourists and locals alike. Stay tuned to DFB for further coverage of Central Florida attractions. Tour the WORLD’S LARGEST MARRIOTT HOTEL with Us! 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 Mermaid & Glow party sound appealing to you? Let us know in the comments below. Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Marriott to attend their media preview of the Orlando World Center Marriott Hotel. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ The post Hold Up, This Hotel Near Disney World Has a MERMAID POOL PARTY?! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Believe it or not, spooky season is right around the corner — at least as far as Disney is concerned! Halloween in Magic Kingdom The Halloween festivities will be kicking off in the parks soon, and we’ve already started to see ghoulish merchandise show up in stores and online. Some of these Halloween items can be pretty hard to come by, and we think we’ve spotted a new one that’s going to sell out FAST! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Get The Stitch Halloween Light-Up Figure ©Disney Forget Mickey pumpkins, this one is for you Stitch fans. Stitch is popping up from a jack-o-lantern on this figure, ready to add a little scary to your Halloween decor. Turn on a switch and the figure fully lights up and emits a flickering white light. THIS should be the centerpiece of your Halloween decorations this year. View at The Disney Store We’re always on the hunt for the latest and greatest Disney souvenirs and essentials, so don’t forget to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for more! Shop for More Disney Essentials on Our Amazon StorefrontThe post If You Love Stitch and Halloween, Just Get Your Wallet Out Now first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Are you making a MAJOR mistake when you visit Disney World? Magic Kingdom The Lightning Lane system at Disney World is fresh off a brand-new overhaul with the creation of the Lightning Lane Single Pass and Lightning Lane Multi Pass. The change has caused some confusion, and Disney World newbies are especially susceptible to making Lightning Lane mistakes. We’re here to help and make sure those mistakes don’t happen! While Disney has put into detail how to use the new Lightning Lane options, mistakes can still easily be made. We’re going to go over some of the biggest issues you might run into when using Lightning Lanes and how you can avoid these mistakes. Not Booking at 7AM Seven Days Out According to Disney, “Guests can purchase Lightning Lane passes for days they have valid theme park admission starting at 7:00 AM Eastern Time on their first day of eligibility.” This applies to both Lightning Lane Single and Multi Passes for guests staying at Disney World resorts. Goodbye Genie+ With that said, guests without a hotel reservation have a three-day window to book. Either way, rookies might not take advantage of their hotel reservations by not booking seven days out, or they might ignore the 7AM time slot for when their window opens. ©Disney Here’s what every pro KNOWS about Disney World — it’s a competitive jungle. People are always vying for dining reservations, the best seats at shows, ride queue positioning, personal space, time with characters…you name it. While the majority of guests are able to coexist, that doesn’t negate the fact that everything you do at Disney World presents competition in some form. That can definitely be said about Lightning Lanes. When those time slots open up, people WILL take advantage of them. So be one of those people or risk missing out. Know when you’re eligible to book, set an alarm in your calendar, and come out ahead. Not Connecting Your Family to My Disney Experience We live in the digital age, and the Disney Parks have fully embraced that reality. At Disney World, the My Disney Experience app is heavily used, and you’d be hard-pressed to do much without it. ©Disney The app is your go-to wallet for dining reservations, PhotoPass, park tickets, and Lightning Lane reservations among other things. In short, it’s very, very difficult to do Disney World these days without the app. Fortunately, you can and SHOULD link your entire party to each other to manage everyone simultaneously. ©Disney Linking a party together also ensures that every single member of the group is accounted for with Virtual Queues and Lightning Lanes. If you DON’T connect your family on My Disney Experience before you book your Lightning Lanes, you run the risk of missing someone or wasting time figuring out how to make sure everyone is accounted for. The best piece of advice we can offer is once you have your tickets set, immediately connect your family on the app and bypass the unnecessary stress. Forgetting About Dining Reservations Look, we get it. Planning a Disney World trip is super overwhelming, and it’s incredibly easy to overlook things and make simple mistakes. With that said, try to remember when and where you’re booking those big dining reservations. Mickey! Rookies might forget about their existing dining reservations and book over one (or more) of them. It’s an easy mistake to make, but, fortunately, Disney might’ve already come up with a solution. Don’t miss your dining reservations! With the change, the new Lightning Lane system will show you when you’re about to book over a dining reservation… making this an easily avoidable mistake. Now it will still let you do it — but we definitely recommend you don’t. Look, if you’re set on the time being allocated toward something, we won’t try to sway you on which you should prioritize. We do, however, want to note that if you follow the previous two pieces of advice, it’s very likely you can have your cake and eat it too — literally! Make a note of your itinerary well before you go and get familiar with it so that you’re ready to tackle Disney World and have the best vacation ever! Everyone IGNORES This Disney World App Feature, but It’s a Lightning Lane GAME CHANGER How are you faring with the new Lightning Lane changes? Do you think they’re a step in the right direction? Let us know and continue to follow us here at DFB for all the latest Disney World tips, news, reviews, and more! Lightning Lane Rules Have CHANGED…But There’s Already a Problem in Disney World 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 are some Lightning Lane tips you have for Disney World rookies? Share your thoughts in the comments below! The post The Biggest Lightning Lane Mistake Rookies Will Definitely Make In Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Two of our favorite restaurants are running an exclusive offer on merchandise and food, and it’s all starting soon at Disney Springs! The Slow Lamb We’ve had some exceptional meals at Raglan Road and Cookes of Dublin, and we loved getting to preview the summer menu items they’re offering at a hefty discount. But, for a limited time, these restaurants are looking to share their appreciation for Cast Members and offering some NEW discounts and deals you just can’t beat! That’s right! Raglan Road, Cookes of Dublin, and even the boutique (Shop For Ireland) are running some amazing deals for a limited time. These offers will only be extended to Cast Members in honor of Cast Member Days, and they’ve already shared all the details with us! ©Raglan Road Starting now, July 26th, and running through July 28th, Cast Members who present a green or blue Cast Member ID are eligible for the following discounts: 30% off of merchandise at Shop For Ireland boutique shop $8 signature beer flights and 20% off of food inside Raglan Road Irish Pub $15 combo meal with a fountain soda drink at Cookes Of Dublin ©Raglan Road WOW! Those are some pretty sweet savings on almost everything that Raglan Road, Cookes of Dublin, and their boutique store have to offer. The details posted about the offer didn’t outline any exceptions to the menu items available at the discount or offer any limits to party sizes, so be sure to check with your server when you arrive for further details. Sale items were noted as excluded from the merchandise discount. ©Raglan Road While you’re dining, this is a perfect opportunity to check out the recently refurbished Raglan Room and take a closer look at the ornate decor and artwork lining its walls. Remodeled Raglan Room We’re also here to remind you that Disney Springs is still running the Flavors of Florida celebration at Disney Springs so it is definitely worth strolling the Landing, Marketplace, and Westside to scope out all of the exclusive offerings to try later in the day or on a return visit! We’re always on the hunt for special deals and savings across all of Disney World! Be sure to check out a few of our reviews below and stay tuned with us at Disney Food Blog for even more savings! REVIEW: When We’ve Got Extra Money For Snacks In Disney World, This Is Where We’re Going Need Disney Restaurant Advice? We’ve Got EVERYTHING You Need to Know The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! See Our Complete Disney World Restaurants Guide The Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants The Best EPCOT Restaurant Restaurants The Best Hollywood Studios Restaurants The Best Animal Kingdom Restaurants The Best Disney Springs Restaurants Check Out Dozens of Disney Dining Tips and Tools Learn All About Tipping at Disney Restaurants How to Use Mobile Order in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest Disney food news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What do you typically order from Raglan Road? Tell us in the comments below! The post 3 EXCLUSIVE Disney World Discounts Announced -- But Only for a Limited Time! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you’ve ever had pizza at Disney World, you know that it’s not all created equally. Sausage & Pepperoni Pizza There’s the infamous “puffy pizza” served at places like PizzeRizzo, Pizzafari, and Catalina Eddie’s, and some of the best slices can be found at Via Napoli in EPCOT’s Italy Pavilion. But, if you ask us, one of the BEST pizzas in all of Disney World is hiding at a restaurant you’ve probably never even heard of! Plus, even though they’re not technically Disney World hotels, the Swan and Dolphin and Swan Reserve still let you enjoy some of the perks of staying at a Disney World hotel. We’re talking things like free transportation to the parks and Disney Springs, Early Entry, and, as of July 24th, being able to book Lightning Lane selections up to seven days before your arrival date. In the meantime, you can bet we’ll be hunting down every single new pizza that comes to Disney World — so make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for more! Need Disney Restaurant Advice? We’ve Got EVERYTHING You Need to Know The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! See Our Complete Disney World Restaurants Guide The Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants The Best EPCOT Restaurant Restaurants The Best Hollywood Studios Restaurants The Best Animal Kingdom Restaurants The Best Disney Springs Restaurants Check Out Dozens of Disney Dining Tips and Tools Learn All About Tipping at Disney Restaurants How to Use Mobile Order in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest Disney food news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What’s your favorite pizza in Disney World? Tell us in the comments. The post One of Our FAVORITE Pizzas in Disney World Is at a Restaurant You've Probably NEVER Heard Of first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We would consider ourselves pretty big Disney World fans. We are in the park every single day, and we just so happen to write about Disney World as our job. We even dream about Disney World sometimes. Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom There is A LOT we love about Disney World, but there is also one thing that we find a bit annoying. There is one rule we really wish Disney World would finally start enforcing. While we know they frown upon it and occasionally enforce it, line jumping can sometimes feel like it has gotten out of hand. We understand that there are multiple scenarios where we would be perfectly fine with people cutting the line. Maybe your kiddo really needs to use the bathroom, or one member of your party runs out quickly to grab a water bottle to keep your group hydrated. Or maybe someone in your party has a hard time waiting in line. Big Thunder Mountain Wait Time However, whenever we see a huge group of people moving through the line to catch up with their one member who is all the way at the front of the line, we do get a bit annoyed. Haunted Mansion line Having one person wait in line and then having the whole rest of your party meet them when they are almost to the front is just not the proper theme park etiquette. We understand that the lines are long and it can be boring to have to wait in line. However, almost everyone else is managing, and there are lots of ways to entertain yourself while in line. An unfortunate fact about visiting a theme park is that there are going to be crowds, and you are going to have to wait in line at some point. Tiana’s Bayou Queue We really wish Disney World did a better job enforcing the policy of no line cutting, however we could also see how it would likely be difficult to enforce. It would take having many more Cast Members throughout the queue to be able to stop line cutting and even then, it may not put a complete stop to it. We just wish we would get passed by fewer huge parties while waiting in long lines. Dumbo Line Before we get too too far on our soapbox about line cutting, we do want to add in that there are people who are unable to wait in a conventional line, have issues while in line, or need to be able to step out and rejoin their party later on. We want everyone to be able to experience Disney World attractions, but we don’t like when people simply don’t want to have to wait in line, so instead they opt to cut the line to get to the front. Pirates of the Caribbean There are options for guests who are unable to wait in line for various reasons. One of these options is the Disability Access Service (DAS). While the system has undergone a huge change as of May 20th, 2024, it could still be an option if a member of your party is unable to wait in line. The new system has received lots of criticism and may not be able to be utilized by everyone who seeks to use it. If you are not able to qualify for DAS, Disney World also offers a return to line service if something happens while you are in the queue or you need to be able to exit. With this service, you will speak to a Cast Member at the entrance of an attraction if you need to leave the queue line for a bit. We want to stress that there are folks who are re-joining their party online in a manner that is fully endorsed in Disney World, and is not cutting in the line. This is very different than those groups that send one person to wait in the line and then bring a whole group in to join that person without authorization from Cast Members — that’s what’s against the rules, and that’s what we would like to see Disney enforce more frequently. Slinky Dog Dash While we would love for Disney World to better enforce line cutting, we are still grateful that we get to experience the parks as much as we do, even though we might get a bit annoyed when a group of 10 cuts past us in line. We will just shake our head and continue enjoying our wonderful day at Disney World. It is pretty hard to be mad when you are getting to spend the day in the park! Stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World news and food reviews! It Just Got Harder To Get On These Disney World Rides! 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 one of your biggest pet peeves while in Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post The One Rule We Wish Disney World Would Finally Enforce first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We don’t talk about Bruno…except that we do! Encanto is still making waves, especially in Disney parks. Mirabel! We’ve recently seen Mirabel come to a meet-and-greet fans in Magic Kingdom (you’ve been able to meet her for a while on the West Coast in Disneyland). There’s a limited-time Encanto sing-along happening in EPCOT right now! Bruno previously made an appearance during Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure. Well, it looks like Encanto might be coming to California Adventure in a NEW way. A new audition notice has been posted on the Disney Auditions website, and it seems Disney is looking for a Mirabel for Disney California Adventure. Now, there’s already a Mirabel meet-and-greet in Disneyland, as we previously mentioned, but this audition notice is looking for a singer, so that suggests a new Encanto show or at least a singing version of Mirabel in SOME kind of entertainment at California Adventure. ©Disney The notice says this is for a “limited-run entertainment offering,” but it doesn’t say exactly what kind of entertainment offering it will be. It COULD be a show, or it could be something else. Maybe it’s even something for the holiday season? We’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for more announcements regarding this new entertainment thing, whatever it is. Perhaps an Encanto singalong is coming to the West Coast like the one in EPCOT? Who knows? ¡Celebración Encanto! Whatever the case, it looks like we’ll be getting even more Encanto in Disney Parks soon, even if it is for a limited time. Stay tuned to DFB for more. When are you headed to Disney next? Have you checked out our line of fun graphic tees to wear on your trip? We’ve designed some for the whole family – from infants to adults! Click here to check them out! Disney Just Dropped a MAJOR Hint About the Animal Kingdom’Encanto’ Expansion Want to Learn More About Disneyland? Check Out the Links Below! DFB Disneyland Restaurants Guide Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Closures and Construction at Disneyland Learn All About Disneyland Park See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure Learn About Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Get All the Details About the Disneyland Mobile App Everything You Need to Know About Mobile Order in Disneyland Learn More About Disneyland’s Magic Key Program Full Details About the Holiday Season in Disneyland Full Details About Halloween Time at Disneyland Get Some STRANGE Tips for Disneyland Click HERE to Check Out Lots of Other DFB Posts About Disneyland Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click here to Subscribe What do you think? What kind of Encanto show would you like to see in California Adventure? Let us know in the comments! The post We Found a Clue That a NEW ‘Encanto’ Show Is Coming to a Disney Park! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has been a pretty big hit at Magic Kingdom, and for good reason! Tiana’s Bayou Adventure This party on the bayou is a jazz lover’s dream with all the sights, sounds, and smells of New Orleans, and we can’t wait for the Disneyland version to open — which begs the question: when is the Disneyland version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure going to open? We don’t have an official date just yet, but this latest announcement makes us think it could be pretty soon! While we still don’t know when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open at Disneyland, we have a feeling an announcement could be coming pretty soon! ©Disney Disney shared that the Princess Tiana Sipper will be available at Disneyland Resort starting August 1st at various locations throughout the parks. ©Disney So, what does this have to do with an opening date announcement? Well, we’ve actually already seen this sipper — at Magic Kingdom, for the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure over there! Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean the Disneyland version of the ride will open anytime soon, but we’re crossing our fingers that this means an announcement is on the way. It could also mean Disney had an extra stock of these sippers and decided to send them over to Disneyland, but we’re choosing to believe this is a sign instead. New souvenir alert! Still, the official Disneyland website (and actual signs around Disneyland) indicate that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is still slated to open in 2024 at Disneyland. As to the exact date, we still don’t know. Disney has been pretty tight-lipped so far about the Disneyland version, but as soon as we know something — you’ll know something! Construction progress in Disneyland — July 2024 In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for the latest updates about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opening at Disneyland. Make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for all your Disney news needs and more! When Will the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Ride Open in Disneyland? Want to Learn More About Disneyland? Check Out the Links Below! DFB Disneyland Restaurants Guide Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Closures and Construction at Disneyland Learn All About Disneyland Park See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure Learn About Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Get All the Details About the Disneyland Mobile App Everything You Need to Know About Mobile Order in Disneyland Learn More About Disneyland’s Magic Key Program Full Details About the Holiday Season in Disneyland Full Details About Halloween Time at Disneyland Get Some STRANGE Tips for Disneyland Click HERE to Check Out Lots of Other DFB Posts About Disneyland Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click here to Subscribe When are you heading to Disneyland next? Tell us in the comments. The post Did Disney Drop a HINT About the Tiana's Bayou Adventure Opening Date for Disneyland? first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney Cruise Line is BUSY cranking out new offerings these days! Helmsman Mickey on the Disney Magic The new island destination Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point just opened this summer, and now we’re anticipating the first sailing of the next new cruise ship, the Disney Treasure. It sets sail this December, and now Disney Cruise Line has revealed a key detail about the boat! Each Disney Cruise Line boat has characters on the stern, and we’ve seen everyone from Goofy to Donald Duck to Dumbo in the past! On the bow of the Disney Treasure, Captain Minnie Mouse will be featured, and inside the atrium, there will be a statue of Jasmine, Aladdin, and the magic carpet. ©Disney The Disney Treasure will take its Maiden Voyage with passengers on December 21, 2024, and will be the sixth ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. This new boat will celebrate “Walt Disney’s lifelong love of adventure,” as announced in September 2022 by Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro. ©DisneyCruiseLine For the inaugural season, the Disney Treasure will offer seven-night sailings to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral including stops at Disney’s Castaway Cay. This itinerary will continue through at least May of 2026. ©Disney The design of the Disney Treasure is “inspired by the grandeur and mystery of a gilded palace,” and draws influences from Asia, Africa, and even Aladdin’s Agrabah. The ship will feature 1,256 staterooms and they’ll have nods to Disney and Pixar films, including Aladdin, Pocahontas, Up, and Encanto! Verandah Stateroom ©Disney The majority of the ship’s staterooms will have an ocean view, with 877 of the 1,256 staterooms featuring a verandah. These staterooms are supposed to “strike an inviting balance between modern design and nostalgic charm with a fresh, natural color scheme and custom artwork that will entice guests to peer beyond their staterooms into fantastical worlds from heartwarming Disney adventures.” Tomorrow Tower Suite ©Disney We can’t wait to get more details and sneak peeks into this new ship as we get closer to the sailing date! We’ll make sure to share any updates with all of you, so stay tuned to DFB. Click Here to Learn More About the Disney Treasure! What You Need to Know About Disney Cruise Line Learn All About Disney Cruise Line and Its Various Ships Explore Disney’s Mega Cruise Ship – The Wish A Full List of What You CAN’T Bring on a Disney Cruise These Are the BEST Times to Book Your Disney Cruise The Best Ways to SAVE SPACE in Your Tiny Cruise Cabin 10 Things You NEED on Your Next Cruise (That You Won’t Think to Pack!) What It’s Like to Live on a Cruise Ship for 6 Months Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click here to Subscribe Have you ever been on a Disney cruise? Tell us in the comments! The post NEWS: Disney Treasure Shares NEW LOOK at 2 BIG Additions first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

One of the best parts about staying on property at Disney World is that once you park your car at the hotel, you don’t have to move it again until the end of your stay. Disney Bus That’s because Disney World has complimentary transportation everywhere you need to go on property! You can take a bus, the Disney Skyliner, a boat, or the Monorail to other Disney World parks, hotels, water parks, and Disney Springs for no charge (or you can choose to park at the Disney World parks for no charge since you’re a Disney hotel guest). However, there’s a new hotel perk coming to the resort in 2025 that sounds all fine and dandy…until you realize what a transportation problem it’ll cause. Starting in 2025, Disney World is introducing a new perk to staying on property — on their arrival day, guests will gain free admission to whichever of Disney World’s water parks is open at that time — Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. Surf Pool at Typhoon Lagoon This is a great way for families to go have some fun in the sun at no additional cost, as it could save them buying a park ticket for a half day at the parks, OR for families who usually visit the water park anyway, it saves them money on a ticket. Blizzard Beach Water Park This perk is a little divisive right now, with some fans frustrated that if they arrive around 5-6PM on their arrival day, they won’t get to enjoy this perk at all since the water parks close early. However, regardless of how you feel about this new perk, it does mean one big thing needs to happen at ALL Disney World hotel — a LOT more buses are going to need to be running between the hotels and water parks. Disney Bus This may not seem like an issue at first glance, because Disney World has tons of buses! That’s true, but the majority of those buses are already being used to take guests to and from other locations around the resort, so will this mean Disney will have to pull those buses AWAY from other destinations to provide more transportation to the water parks? If that is the case, it could mean seeing longer wait times between hotels and Disney World theme parks, which could back up said transportation and mean longer lines. Inside a Disney Bus For some Disney World hotels, it’s easy for us to just recommend taking another form of transportation, such as the Skyliner, Monorail, or boats, but for many Disney World hotels, such as the All-Star Resorts, buses are the ONLY form of transportation to get anywhere you’d like to go. So at these resorts specifically, longer lines/waits between buses for other locations may put a strain on the time it takes to get from one place to another. Crowded bus Now, we have faith that Disney World is planning ahead and maybe has some extra buses ready to go to accommodate this new perk, rather than taking them away from the current schedule, but we’ll have to wait and see! It’s best to prepare for the worst and expect longer bus wait times if you’re traveling in early 2025. We’ll be sure to keep an eye out, so stay tuned to DFB! We got stuck on the Disney World monorail with NO POWER — here’s what happened 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 How do you feel about this new hotel perk? Tell us in the comments! The post The 2025 Disney World Transportation Problem You Need To Be WORRIED About first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Attention, ghostly gals, ghouls, and Halloween lovers: we have some important NEWS! Here at DFB, we love tricks and treats, and we especially love all the FUN Halloween events that happen in Disney World and Disneyland. There’s the iconic Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Magic Kingdom, plus you’ve got the SUPER popular Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland. But there’s one more beloved Halloween addition fans look forward to all year long. Any guesses? What’s this? What’s this? Disneyland Did our clues give it away? Each year, Disney transforms a classic attraction just for the spooky fall and winter season. The ride overlay takes WEEKS to come together and is filled with special details, and we’ve been waiting for new details about the 2024 transformation! Well, the time has come, people! Now, we have a few important things to note here, so pay attention. When this ride reopens, it will be slightly different. The Haunted Mansion Holiday will be available to ride EXCLUSIVELY via a virtual queue when it first opens. That’s because Imagineers are working on a reimagined queue experience, so a big section of the standby line is behind walls. It’s happening! To join the virtual queue, make sure you have the Disneyland app open, logged in, and ready to go. Disney noted that the virtual queue will only be used while the queue is under construction, but we still don’t have an exact date for the construction to end. We’ll share more information when we learn more about the updated queue experience. This ride is SO fun! We expect the virtual queue process to work the same way it does for other attractions in Disney World and Disneyland. We recommend jumping on the app as soon as possible — the faster you can join the virtual queue, the more likely you are to get on the ride early in the day. Jack in Haunted Mansion Holiday This year, Disney’s Halloween season will take place from August 23rd through October 31st at Disneyland Resort. In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more. NEWS FLASH: It’s Already Time for Halloween at This Disney Park! Want to Learn More About Disneyland? Check Out the Links Below! DFB Disneyland Restaurants Guide Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Closures and Construction at Disneyland Learn All About Disneyland Park See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure Learn About Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Get All the Details About the Disneyland Mobile App Everything You Need to Know About Mobile Order in Disneyland Learn More About Disneyland’s Magic Key Program Full Details About the Holiday Season in Disneyland Full Details About Halloween Time at Disneyland Get Some STRANGE Tips for Disneyland Click HERE to Check Out Lots of Other DFB Posts About Disneyland Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click here to Subscribe What’s your favorite part of the Haunted Mansion Holiday ride overlay? Let us know in the comments! The post BREAKING: Disney Confirms Haunted Mansion OPENING DATE Following Extended Closure first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

When you’re feeling festive in EPCOT, sometimes you just want to indulge in a few sweet treats that transport your mind into another country and out of Disney World for just a few minutes. EPCOT We’ve tasted some phenomenal treats around Disney World lately including a chocolate choux and flavored ice cream cones, but neither of those options was quite as fancy as what we had a craving for today! While walking along the World Showcase in EPCOT, we decided we were well overdue for a treat or two! Italy Pavilion in EPCOT It had been a while since we really went deep into the Italy Pavilion to explore all the best eats and treats we decided today was the day. While most people come to Italy to taste their thick pizza slices at the pizza window restaurant Pizza al Taglio and visit the Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar to spend some time out of the sun, we decided we wanted to stop by the Via Napoli Donkey Cart to grab a quick treat. Atmosphere This cozy snack stop can be hard to miss if you’re not looking in the right spot. To find it, you’ll need to walk into the Italy Pavilion and stay on the right-hand side. Just about the spot that you come to the tiered roundabout that’s centered in the middle of the pavilion, if you look over to the side towards the wall you should spot a prominent donkey pulling a cart. That’s it! DONKEY! We’re serious, it’s a cute little stop, isn’t it? While it’s hard to call it a “restaurant” of sorts it’s more like a mostly beverage-style kiosk to pick up something special while browsing the rest of the pavilion. There’s space for a line to order… In line to order …along with a few self-service utensils… Donkey Cart in Italy …but that’s basically it. For seating, you’re pretty much on your own to find a nearby patio-style table and chair set up or take your drink and snack with you as you continue your stroll around the World Showcase. Menu This tiny but mighty menu serves up an assortment of beer, wine, specialty cocktails… Menu …a few non-alcoholic beverages and a small array of desserts. Granted, there wasn’t a ton to choose from here, but that helped make our decision on what we wanted to try out this visit even easier. Drinks We were excited to try out the Orangecello Cocktail which we picked up for $14. It’s made of Orangecello, pineapple juice, orange juice, and strawberry purée and served in a fancy-looking plastic flute. Orangecello Cocktail This drink is a boozy fruit juice at its core. You can definitely taste the blend of the orange juice against the pineapple purée with an alcoholic taste to it — which totally works for the drink overall. While it’s a solid combination to create an enjoyable drink it wasn’t anything we’re completely obsessing over and talking about for weeks to come, but it was a nice change of pace for an alcoholic drink at Disney World. A boozy fruit cocktail Admittedly though, the price for the portion is a big reason why we weren’t considering buying it again so soon even with as much as we liked it. Eats We figured we could use a snack to go along with our drink so we also picked up the Tiramisu popsicle for $9. It’s a simple push-up dessert made out of layers of Tiramisu cake. Tiramisu popsicle You don’t even have to be a big Tiramisu enthusiast to appreciate this treat and we certainly enjoyed it. It definitely gives a sweet coffee scent when you first open it and from the first bite, it will have your taste buds bathing in sugary goodness! Yummy layers Full disclosure though for this one, our reporter who picked up this treat is a self-proclaimed sweet coffee drinker so they found it totally a treat that fit right into their sweet treats palette. The layers even come out in a spoonful! However, for a smaller treat that really only consists of the section of the pop you are able to push up as you eat through the layers, it’s pretty expensive (but again, we can’t say we wouldn’t opt to pick it up again). Overall As a snack spot, this place is fairly decent. While the menu isn’t extensive it’s effective for a special treat. Sure, the menu here is mainly a few alcoholic beverages and a few non-alcoholic options, but as a refreshing stop it serves its purpose. Feelin’ fancy! However, the prices here are going to cost you a pretty penny so if you’re planning to stop by, just know these might be classified more towards a special treat rather than something you’ll probably pick up multiple times throughout your visit. Nosh or Not? Swing on by the Donkey Cart in Italy if… You’re looking for a unique treat that’s not too weird. These treats will cost you more than most but sometimes that higher price is reflected in the taste. You’re a Disney adult with some snack money to burn. Were our treats expensive? Yes. Would we do it again on occasion? Also yes. Mosey on by the Donkey Cart in Italy if… Specialty “smecialty.” If “designer” snacks aren’t beckoning your sweet tooth, this probably isn’t worth the stop for you. You’re ideal dessert is unforgettable! You’re making every moment of your Disney World trip count right down to the memories you close your eyes and think back on. If you’re looking for a treat or beverage that will have you talking about it for weeks to come, it probably won’t be here. We’re always trying out the treats, snacks, eats, and drinks around Disney World’s parks and hotels! While you’re here, be sure to check out a few more of our most recent reviews below, and stay tuned with us at Disney Food Blog for more. After 15 Years of Reviewing Disney World Food, I’m Revealing the Most BIZARRE Trends Need Disney Restaurant Advice? We’ve Got EVERYTHING You Need to Know The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! See Our Complete Disney World Restaurants Guide The Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants The Best EPCOT Restaurant Restaurants The Best Hollywood Studios Restaurants The Best Animal Kingdom Restaurants The Best Disney Springs Restaurants Check Out Dozens of Disney Dining Tips and Tools Learn All About Tipping at Disney Restaurants How to Use Mobile Order in Disney World Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest Disney food news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What’s your favorite thing to eat in the Italy Pavilion? Tell us in the comments below! The post REVIEW: When We've Got Extra Money For Snacks In Disney World, This Is Where We're Going first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Okay, Disney’s All-Star Resorts are somewhat polarizing. Some people LOVE these hotels, while others are not a fan. Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort Not only are these resorts economical, but they also have some super fun theming. Take Disney’s All-Star Movies, for example. This resort has some of the most fun theming of all the All-Star resorts, featuring some of your favorite movies, including Fantasia, Toy Story, The Mighty Ducks, 101 Dalmations, and The Love Bug. If you love this resort and have a stay planned there, we just found your next Loungefly bag! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Don’t have Amazon Prime? No biggie! You can sign up for a free trial by clicking on the banner below: These are some Loungeflys we think are PERFECT for a stay at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort. Get the 101 Dalmations Loungefly ©Amazon It’s all about the puppies! Yes, there is a whole section of All-Star Movies devoted to 101 Dalmations, so this spotted backpack is ON BRAND. This cute bag has the puppies on the outside AND the inside, too. This could be Cruella de Vil’s favorite Loungefly, y’all. View on Amazon Buy the Buzz Lightyear and Jessie Moments Loungefly ©Amazon This backpack features some fun scenes from Toy Story with Jessie and Buzz Lightyear. Look at them — they’re dancing! You’ll also find some other Toy Story characters, like the aliens, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Bullseye, and more. Just like the Toy Story characters you’ll find at All-Star Movies! View on Amazon Buy the Jungle Book Loungefly ©Amazon This hotel is all about the movies, and is any Disney classic movie more fun than The Jungle Book? Forget the “Bare Necessities” because you need this Loungefly featuring Baloo. You’ll even find Baloo and Mowgli on the back. View on Amazon Buy the Fab 5 Loungefly Mini Backpack ©Amazon You can’t name more classic movie characters than Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto, can you? That’s why this bag featuring the whole gang is PERFECT for a stay at Disney World’s movies-themed hotel. View on Amazon Looking for even more Disney souvenirs and necessities? Be sure to check out our Amazon Shop! Visit our Amazon ShopThe post 4 Disney Loungefly Bags You’ll LOVE if Your Favorite Hotel Is Disney’s All-Star Movies first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If there’s one thing we look forward to around the Disney parks every year, it’s spooky season! ©Disney There’s just something extra magical about all the pumpkins, wreaths, ghouls, ghosts, eats, special entertainment, and more. We’ve already had a sneak peek at what’s coming to Disneyland Resort for this year’s Halloween season, but it looks like Disney has started decorating for the occasion, too! We spotted the wreaths and pumpkins (barely!) from over the construction walls, but this just means we’re that much closer to spooky season at Disneyland — and to the reopening of the Haunted Mansion! It’s happening! When this ride does open for the season, it will be a little different. Disney shared that the Haunted Mansion Holiday will be available to ride EXCLUSIVELY via a virtual queue when it first opens. Imagineers are working on a reimagined queue experience right now, so a big portion of the standby line is behind walls. We still don’t have an exact reopening date, and the ride has been closed since January! Everyone remain calm! You’ll need to use the Disneyland app to join the virtual queue. But, it seems like Disney has hinted that the virtual queue will only be used while the queue is under construction. Of course, we’ll be sure to share more details as we learn more about the updated queue experience. Jack in Haunted Mansion Holiday The Halloween season will take place from August 23rd through October 31st at Disneyland Resort. In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for the latest news from Disneyland, Disney World, and more — so don’t forget to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog! Learn More About Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort Here Want to Learn More About Disneyland? Check Out the Links Below! DFB Disneyland Restaurants Guide Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Closures and Construction at Disneyland Learn All About Disneyland Park See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure Learn About Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Get All the Details About the Disneyland Mobile App Everything You Need to Know About Mobile Order in Disneyland Learn More About Disneyland’s Magic Key Program Full Details About the Holiday Season in Disneyland Full Details About Halloween Time at Disneyland Get Some STRANGE Tips for Disneyland Click HERE to Check Out Lots of Other DFB Posts About Disneyland Join the DFB Newsletter To Get All the Latest Disney News Delivered Right to Your Inbox! Click here to Subscribe Will you be checking out Haunted Mansion Holiday this year? Tell us in the comments. The post NEWS FLASH: It's Already Time for Halloween at This Disney Park! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Heading to Walt Disney World anytime soon? ©Amazon If you’re planning a trip to the “Most Magical Place on Earth”, one of the MOST essential things you’ll need is a bag. We scoured Amazon for the best options and found 3 FIVE STAR bags for you to check out. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Looking to sign up for Amazon Prime? We’ve got you: First up, this LuluLemon Belt Bag ©Amazon Yes, belt bag is just a fancy way of saying funny pack. With that out of the way, this pack is a perfect small option for the parks. Made of a “water-resistant and easy to wipe clean” fabric, this pack can comfortably hold phones, wallets, keys, and other small essential items. VIEW ON AMAZON For a More Ornate Option, there’s this Beauty and the Beast Loungefly ©Amazon This may be our favorite Loungefly of all time. Along with 3D-layered appliqué, there’s a gorgeous Beauty and the Best stained glass design that wraps around to the back… ©Amazon … and both sides… ©Amazon … of the bag. ©Amazon VIEW ON AMAZON Shopping for Kids? There’s this Modern Kids Backpack ©Amazon This pack – – available with a floral Mickey design, as well as other Disney options including Moana, Frozen, Encanto, Toy Story, Cars, Minnie Mouse, The Little Mermaid, Disney Princesses, Spider-Man, The Avengers, and others – – Measures 16.5″x13″x6.25″ with 18L Capacity. The pack features “a padded tablet sleeve, a large zip-closure front pocket, a zip-closure stash pocket, and two expandable bottle sleeves on the sides” and is made out of “easy-to-clean, water-resistant polyester, reinforced stitching, and padded, adjustable shoulder straps with buckle.” VIEW ON AMAZON Any of these 5-star rated bags would be PERFECT for a Walt Disney World trip. Looking for More Disney Essentials, Check Out our Amazon Storefront.The post 3 Bags With 5 Stars on Amazon That Would Be Perfect for Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Another major streaming company has teamed up with Disney to bring consumers a massive streaming bundle offer (and it’s pretty enticing)! ©Disney We already knew several companies like Warner Brothers Discovery were in talks with key streaming platforms to join forces and offer consumers a competitive bundle of streaming platforms. And it wasn’t too long ago since we saw Disney+ and Hulu merge allowing subscribers for both services to access each other’s content across both platforms. Now, it seems that an attractively priced bundle is the latest to grab our attention of the streaming giants and we have to admit this is one we didn’t think we’d see come to an agreement so soon! An announcement was made today that another streaming service has been bundled with Disney+. You could already get Disney+ and Hulu bundled together in one set price for both services however, that has now expanded to include Max (formerly HBO Max). ©Disney As of July 25th, the new Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle is available in the U.S. with an introductory price of $16.99 per month with ads and $29.99 per month without ads. Although you’ll still be able to see Hulu and Disney+ streamable content shared across each other’s platforms, streaming content through Max will be mostly accessed through its same app with select content from Max accessible through Hulu when opting for no ads with your bundle. Taking a closer look at the no-ads bundle comparison also revealed an advantage of access to downloadable content, too. ©Disney This means that if you’re a fan of Max’s House Of The Dragon, Game of Thrones, Friends, The Last Of Us, the DC Universe, new releases from Warner Bros. and A24 along with much more, your billing could have just become much more streamlined. With this new bundle pricing, it’s estimated that subscribers could save up to 38% on the bundle of Hulu, Max, and Disney+ compared to paying individually for the same three streaming services. ©Max According to Deadline, this is the first time we’ve seen separate companies join together to release a single bundled subscription service. However, other streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video are choosing to keep their own companies streaming services for now, and have decided not to team up with other companies for the foreseeable future. But, as we’ve come to learn, you can’t ever say never so we’re not ones to rule out the possibility of talks down the line for all parties involved once there’s been time to see how this new bundle partnership unfolds for both the companies involved and on the consumer front. ©HBO Max For now, we’re just excited that more of what we like to watch has been streamlined into a bundled service that doesn’t seem too farfetched in pricing for 3 big streaming content libraries. We’re staying current on all of the Disney updates big or small! Be sure you’re following us at Disney Food Blog for all the latest! 2 Suspicious Things Disney Has Done Ahead of the HUGE August 10th News Drop Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Will this bundle option save you money on streaming services you already pay for? Or, does it make you more willing to try out a new one? Leave us all of your thoughts in the comments below! The post NEWS: Pricing Announced for NEW Disney+, Max, and Hulu Streaming Bundle first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

BIG news, people. For YEARS, Southwest Airlines has taken a different approach to flying. Unlike many major airlines in the US, Southwest passengers boarded under an “open seating policy” where seats were not preassigned. The policy was pretty controversial, and many travelers have hoped the rules would change. Orlando International Airport Well, it seems like that long-awaited update might finally arrive. Southwest Airlines shared a BIG announcement about the future of open seating. Southwest Airlines has some big plans. The company shared several announcements “designed to elevate the Customer experience, improve financial performance, and drive shareholder value.” Most notably, Southwest plans to assign seats, offer premium seating options, redesign its boarding model, and introduce redeye flying. Southwest plane We previously reported that Southwest CEO Bob Jordan stated, “We’re looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft,” following a weak first quarter, but reassured travelers that Southwest was not considering charging for checked bags. At the time, Southwest did not share when — or if — these changes would go into effect, but now Southwest has officially made its decision. Southwest Plane In a new statement, Southwest stated that the company will provide more details on its comprehensive plan to deliver “transformational commercial initiatives, improved operational efficiency and capital allocation discipline” in September. That said, we do know that Southwest decided to assign seats and offer premium seating options on ALL flights. We love a window seat! Southwest explained that the airline conducted a research investigation and found that “80% of Southwest Customers, and 86% of potential customers, prefer an assigned seat.” Further, Southwest will offer a “premium, extended legroom portion of the cabin” due to customer feedback. At this time, cabin layout details are still being designed, but Southwest expects roughly one-third of the seats on its planes will offer extended legroom. Southwest Airplane So, what do you think of this news? Are you among the 80% of Southwest customers who prefer assigned seating? We’ll be sure to share more information about this historic change, so stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest travel news, so stay tuned for more. NEWS: Thousands of Delta Flight Delays and Cancelations Prompt Federal Investigation 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 among the 80% of Southwest customers who prefer assigned seating? Let us know in the comments! The post NEWS: Southwest Airlines Will END Open Seating Policy Following Customer Feedback first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

We know a lot goes into planning a Disney World vacation, and with the planning can come a lot of questions. Magic Kingdom As of July 24th, the skip-the-line system at Disney World has changed, so we expect that a lot of questions right now are focused on these changes. There’s a lot to learn and understand ahead of your trip especially since you can reserve a few Lightning Lane experiences in advance. However, there’s one question that we haven’t really answered yet — at what age do you need a Lightning Lane reservation? Genie+ has completely changed! You will now be able to book Lightning Lane Multi Passes and Lightning Lane Single Passes during your trip to Disney World. Lightning Lane is the skip-the-line system that you pay for. When you purchase Multi Pass, you have access to the many experiences in each park that fall under the Multi Pass system. Lightning Lane changes are HERE! Lightning Lane Sing Pass is for all the rides in each park that you have to pay for individually that do not fall under Multi Pass. ©Disney With both services, Multi Pass and Single Pass, you get a designated time to visit the rides that you book so you can enter the Lightning Lane line and bypass the standby line. It’s great if you don’t like standing in long lines! Lightning Lane at Spaceship Earth If this new system sounds confusing, don’t worry, it was actually pretty simple to use when we tried it out on the first day! We broke down everything you need to know into 1,000 words or less, so check out the article below. Breaking Down Disney World’s NEW Lightning Lane System in Under 1,000 Words Scanning into a Lightning Lane at Disney World Ok, so now that you know what Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Sing Pass are, you may be wondering if your little kids that you’re taking with you on your trip need these reservations as well. And here’s the simple answer — if you had to buy them a park ticket, then you will also need to book them Lightning Lane selections if you wish to use the system. Attraction Sign at Animal Kingdom directing Guests to Standby Line and Lightning Lane Entrances Kids aged 3 and up need park tickets, so that means that if you wish to use the Lightning Lane system, they will also need these bookings as well. So make sure that you have all the names of your party selected to ensure everyone gets their selection! TRON Lightcycle / RUN Lightning Lane Disney also offers a Rider Switch service for families with kids who can’t ride or don’t want to ride with their siblings. This means that one parent can take the child who can or wants to ride the ride while the other parent waits with the child not riding. When the parent riding is done, the other parent can take the child riding on the same ride again without waiting in line. You’ll need to check with the Cast Members at the ride to ensure that this option is available, but it can be a great way to accommodate children who can’t ride certain rides! Toy Story Land We hope this helps you understand and use the new Lightning Lane system on your next trip to Disney World! For more Disney planning tips, keep following DFB! Helpful Lightning Lane Links This Question About Disney World Is Going Viral and We Finally Have an AnswerIt Just Got HARDER To Get on These Disney World Rides!Everyone IGNORES This Disney World App Feature, but It’s a Lightning Lane GAME CHANGEROur Disney World App Just Sent Us a SURPRISING Message in EPCOTCan Disney World Dining Reservations Overlap With Lightning Lanes? We Found Out! SURPRISE! These Attractions Are INCLUDED In the New Lightning Lane System in Disney World DON'T DO IT ALONE! Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money, when you book your Disney trip or cruise. Their agents compare current offers to find the best deal for you -- they've literally saved their guests millions of dollars since 1996. Plus, their services are 100% FREE FOR YOU! (They're DFB's recommended travel agency, and you can see why here!) So book that trip now, then sit back and enjoy planning your Disney World Trip with a DFB-approved expert! Click here for a no obligation price quote today, and let them know DFB sent you GET MORE INFO What burning questions do you have about planning your next trip to Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post This Question About Disney World Is Going Viral and We Finally Have an Answer first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Staying connected and keeping a mostly full battery around Disney World all day long is no easy task and we recently spotted a significant CHANGE to one of our favorite ways to stay fueled! Fuel Rod It’s no secret that we’re used to filling our bags with things to help us all day long in Disney World, but when it comes to using the My Disney Experience app to check wait times, check for showtimes, and even pick up Multi Pass and Single Pass Lightning Lanes, you could easily run your battery down quicker than you thought. So if you’re someone who’s GOT to stay charged the whole day through, one of our best Disney World park hacks just got a big upgrade we’ve got to tell you about! One of our favorite portable chargers to use around Disney World just received a rather visible upgrade to its design. We’ve been screaming from the rooftops for a while about how much we rely on Fuel Rods to keep our phone batteries going and with this new upgrade it’s getting even easier to use them! Fuel Rod Station The premise behind Fuel Rods is really simple — you’ll visit a kiosk where you can make your initial kit purchase, the fully charged battery pack rod is then dispensed to you along with several cords and an adapter to fit multiple phone and device charging ports. We’ve charged everything from phones to cameras, to even handheld fans with these things. Fuel Rod and adaptors And, when you’ve used up the entire charge on your Fuel Rod, you can visit another kiosk to swap it out for another one that’s dispensed to you charged and ready to go. This has been our experience for the most part, but, admittedly things could become somewhat of a psychological thriller for us when on busy days we would be dispensed a depleted Fuel Rod upon swapping. However, it seems those days may become fewer and farther between thanks to its latest design. FuelRod stations in the parks provide another option for charging! On a recent swap, we were surprised to find that our familiar Fuel Rods had a different look to them now! The latest rods we were swapped came with a polished look that now sports a small button and light-up indicators. New look! We didn’t know exactly how this worked at first, like if we needed to press the button before charging or what, but as soon as we plugged our charging cord into the Fuel Rod we discovered that the button probably was just to make the lights glow on the battery indicator. This tiny upgrade is a tremendous help when determining how close you are to draining the last bit of your Fuel Rod’s energy out and when it’s time to swap it for another one. Battery indicator We knew there would probably be a bit of a price difference to be expected with this upgrade so you should expect a single Fuel Rod to now costs $38 and the kiosk will also give you pricing on purchasing multiple kits at once. Pricing If you’re returning an older style of Fuel Rod you’ve previously purchased, there is a discount offered if your Fuel Rod met certain requirements at the time of swapping! We’re always reporting on the latest changes and updates we’ve spotted around Disney World, so be certain to check back in with us for even more! 3 Disney Items on Amazon That You Didn’t Know You Needed Until 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 How do you feel about the new look of Fuel Rods? Tell us in the comments below! The post This Small CHANGE We Spotted In Disney World Might Solve a HUGE Problem first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Universal’s Epic Universe is opening in 2025 and the countdown is officially ON! ©Universal The new theme park will include lands including Celestial Park, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. Universal has shared tons of details about every land except one — and we think we know when we might learn more! The NEW Ministry of Magic will be the third Harry Potter-themed land at Universal Orlando! It will join Hogsmeade (located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure) and Diagon Alley (located in Universal Studios) as a unique land adding another chapter to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. ©Universal Universal has shared that in this land, “guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts films with the iconic British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series.” And, while it’s the only land at Epic Universe we still don’t have details on, we’re pretty sure we know when Universal will make some sort of announcement! Ministry of Magic According to Variety, the official Harry Potter YouTube channel will be streaming the Back to Hogwarts showcase on September 1st at 10:30AM BST/ 5:30AM ET. During the showcase, we’ll get some major updates on all things Harry Potter — including news from “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Destinations & Experiences”! Hogwarts at Universal’s Islands of Adventure While we don’t know for certain that this will be an announcement about the new Ministry of Magic land at Epic Universe, we’re certainly hoping it is. But, if Universal decides to announce the rides, restaurants, and more coming to this land before then, well, we’ll be pretty stoked about that too! Hogwarts Express in Universal’s Islands of Adventure Universal has not yet shared much about the new attraction coming to the Ministry of Magic, other than to say that “it has to be a surprise…” But, in June 2024, Universal unveiled a model of Epic Universe which is now on display at the Epic Universe Preview Center, which opened in June 2024 at Universal CityWalk. Epic Universe Model at Preview Center on Universal CityWalk The massive model of Epic Universe showcases each of its five lands, and you can get a good look at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic in the display. Ministry of Magic Check out our other posts on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic at Epic Universe for more details: Ok, The NEW Harry Potter Land In Epic Universe Looks So Cool and You HAVE To See It Uhhh Universal, Is This Announcement Something We Need To DECODE? Everything We Know About Harry Potter Land at Epic Universe So Far In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Epic Universe announcements and more! Read more: DFB's complete guide to Universal’s Epic Universe >> Will you be tuning into the announcement? Tell us in the comments. The post Did Universal Just Drop a HINT About the NEW Harry Potter Land at Epic Universe?! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Disney offers Private VIP tours for your trip to Disney World. Magic Kingdom These tours are planned for you by a Disney World Cast Member guide. You just tell them what you want to do and see, and they’ll have everything planned and ready for you. You will even get picked up by a private vehicle at your Disney World or Disney-partnered hotel to start your day. You pick when you want to start your day, and which parks you want to visit, and your guide will ensure you have a great time! We asked our readers about a time when they did a VIP tour and what they would do differently if they ever did one again. We got six great answers that might be good to know if you plan on booking one of these private tours. Brought an Umbrella One reader, Regina mentioned that she would have brought an umbrella with her on her VIP tour, but it’s probably not for what you might think! Regina notes that she would have taken an umbrella with her to help her get some shade throughout her day. ©Amazon An umbrella, especially one when UV protection like the one above, can offer you a bit of solace from the glaring Florida sun while you’re wandering Disney World with a VIP tour guide. Of course, it does rain often in Florida, and an umbrella can be multifunctional, saving you from getting soaking wet as well! It’s not a bad idea to take an umbrella with you on a VIP tour or on just a regular day in the parks. VIEW ON AMAZON Not Done the Tour in the Summer If we continue this theme of being hot in Florida, reader Brittany says she would not have gone when it was super hot out. And reader Ashley echoed this thought by saying she would not have gone in July, twice! EPCOT It’s no secret that it gets hot in Florida, and depending on what you ask to do on your tour, you may be spending a lot of time outside in the sun. If you’re hoping to take a VIP tour, it may be something to consider, and perhaps choose to take your trip and tour in the fall or winter when things have cooled off a little bit. Asked for Fewer Rides and More Trivia As we mentioned, you get to tell your guide what it is exactly that you want to do and see around Disney World. This means you can decide if you want to get on more rides or learn more history of the theme parks. Reader Terry told us that they would have preferred to do fewer rides and get more trivia. Tower of Terror When you’re coming up with your game plan to tell your guide, really consider what it is you want to get out of the tour. If you do want to ride more rides, great! But if you would rather see more behind-the-scenes things or learn more Disney trivia/history, be sure to let them know that so they can plan the day you’re hoping for. Gone with a Smaller Group Private VIP Tours are available for groups of up to 10 people. According to reader Lynne, they believe the smaller the group the better! This may be because you can have the tour even more catered to your liking if there are fewer people you have to accommodate. It becomes even more personalized when there are fewer of you in the group. Hollywood Studios However, one thing to consider when determining how many people will be in your group is price. Private VIP tours can range from $450 to $900 per hour depending on the season for a minimum of 7 continuous hours. Plus, you must purchase an admission ticket. This means that the more people in your group the less each person may cost individually for the tour. Having fewer people in your group may make it more personal, but having more may make it more affordable. Taken Medicine for Motion Sickness If you opt for more thrills and less history on your tour, you may want to start the day by taking something for motion sickness. That’s what reader Teresa said about her VIP tour! ©Amazon There are a variety of options for dealing with motion sickness, and while we’re not experts in medication, many people have said that taking ginger chews has greatly helped them with the nausea that comes with riding rides, especially those big thrill rides. VIEW ON AMAZON Nothing Of course, there may always be something you might change to a vacation, but there were several readers who said they would simply change nothing. Reader Becky shared, “Nothing! We had an amazing tour guide, and an amazing group that we’ve stayed in contact with, and hit everything everyone wanted to do! The rest of our vacation was spent low-key! It was perfect!” Tree of Life We hope that, if you’re planning a VIP tour of Disney World, it is practically perfect in every way! Keep following DFB for more Disney tips, tricks, and news. What It Takes To Be a Cast Member at Cosmic Rewind 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 planning on doing a VIP tour in Disney World? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney World Fans Share the EXPENSIVE MISTAKES They Made on Disney World VIP Tours first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Things have been…shall we say…interesting in Disney World this week. Cinderella Castle Genie+ has gone away forever (and we know a lot of folks cheering about that), but it was replaced with a new system called Lightning Lane Multi Pass. But this was WAY more than a name change. Nope, a lot of other changes happened with how you make Lightning Lane selections through Multi Pass. A LOT. We have tested out the system, and we’ve got to warn you: it’s now a lot harder to book Lightning Lane for some rides. One of the biggest changes with Lightning Lane Multi Pass replacing Genie+ is that you can now make your Lightning Lane selections in advance of your Disney World trip: seven days in advance for Disney World hotel guests and three days in advance for everyone else. Rides are also divided into two tiers: you are only allowed to book one tier 1 ride in advance, along with two tier 2 rides or you can book three tier 2 rides. Disney World Lightning Lanes have CHANGED Tier 1 rides already tend to be the more popular rides, so it sorta’ makes sense that these rides are going to be the first to get booked up. We noticed this already happening yesterday when we tested out the new system. The following Tier 1 rides were already completely out of Lightning Lane times by 10:20AM (note that Disney’s Animal Kingdom does not have ride tiers): Magic Kingdom: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure EPCOT: Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and Soarin’ Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster At 12:30PM, the following Tier 1 rides were no longer available for Lightning Lane selections: Magic Kingdom: Big Thunder Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and Space Mountain EPCOT: Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Slinky Dog Dash Slinky Dog Dash Later in the day, at 5:45PM, the following Tier 1 rides did not have Lightning Lane selections available: Magic Kingdom: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure EPCOT: Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and Slinky Dog Dash Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway So a lot of those Tier 1 rides are disappearing quickly. We think this is going to really make staying at a Disney World hotel more worth it now because you’ll be able to book one of those each day seven days before everyone else. Otherwise, you can hope that Lightning Lane selections open up later (and they did for some rides, but then were gone quickly again). We’re continuing to test everything about Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass in Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB for more. In the meantime, we’ve put together some guides for you! Take a look: COMPLETE GUIDE to the New Line-Skipping Service at Disney World Book These Rides FIRST With Disney World’s New Lightning Lane Multi Pass System! The EASIEST Way To Use Disney World’s NEW Lightning Lane Multi Pass System Answering Your 12 BIGGEST Questions About Disney World’s Huge Genie+ CHANGES Have you used Lightning Lane Multi Pass yet? Are you having trouble getting times for Tier 1 rides? Which ones? Let us know in the comments! The post It Just Got HARDER To Get on These Disney World Rides! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

One of Disney’s biggest events of the year is coming up, and we can’t wait! The Walt Disney Company headquarters in California D23 is Disney’s Official Fan Club, and bi-annually they a fan convention in Anaheim, California. This event consists of 3 days of numerous panels about Disney news, movies, TV shows, and everything in between. It’s a great way to learn about all the new things coming down the pipeline for the Walt Disney Company, and the next event is coming up on August 9th-11th. While we can’t wait for all the latest news to come out, we have noticed that Disney has done some suspicious things, and we can’t help but wonder what that’ll mean for the event this year. We know that Disney is planning some pretty big announcements during this event, specifically on the evening of August 10th during the “Experiences” panel. But have you noticed that as we’ve gotten closer to the big event, there has been NO news about some of Disney’s largest projects? ©Disney Most recently, Test Track went under construction to undergo a massive retheming (the current plan announced is to make it more similar to the original attraction, World of Motion), we know that Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland U.S.A. retheme is still in the planning stages, and that a new Little Mermaid stage show is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios later this year, but it’s been months since we’ve heard updates on any of these projects. Test Track Not to mention we’re still waiting for an opening date for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Disneyland, and what Disney’s first step of the DisneylandForward Expansion that’s been approved will be. It all comes down to this: there are some MAJOR question marks on these new Disney projects that we’ve been eagerly awaiting hearing more about. And our theory? Disney has purposefully been holding on to these announcements specifically for D23. ©Disney Which is pretty wild, considering some of these announcements are for projects that are set to open later this year, OR in the case of Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs and the Cake Bake Shop coming to Disney’s BoardWalk, they were supposed to be done months ago. Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs However, what’s even stranger is that Disney isn’t saving EVERY bit of news for the event — it’s just been announced that a popular quick service restaurant in Disneyland is being rethemed, so why share this news now and not wait for D23? In this case, it’s likely because there’s no panel or spot the announcement could fit into, and/or that the news is too “small” for the event (but apparently the opening date for a few new restaurants in Disney World isn’t too small — it’s a little confusing to us too). ©Disney We can’t help but think about the other side to this equation though — we’ve seen Disney scrap projects before and quietly push them under the rug or postpone them only to never return to them again. The Spaceship Earth refurbishment, Mary Poppins dark ride, Reflections — A Lakeside Lodge, and the PLAY! Pavilion in EPCOT are just a few examples of this, so we’re trying not to think about the fact that if we don’t hear an announcement about some of these upcoming projects, there’s a possibility it could be because they’re on the road to getting scrapped (or at least postponed for quite some time). Spaceship Earth We’ll be at D23 ourselves to bring you all the latest news as it comes out, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB! Check out the FULL schedule for D23 right here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think? Will Disney finally announce news about these projects at D23? Tell us in the comments! The post 2 Suspicious Things Disney Has Done Ahead of the HUGE August 10th News Drop first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It seems like we’ve been holding our breath ever since Disney’s announcement to retheme an entire land of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Chip and Dale in Dinoland! While several ideas and choices have been tossed around about what we could see in the new retheming of Dinoland U.S.A., if you take a quick look around, you won’t have to look very far to already see evidence of its countdown to extinction. Come on, take it all in! That’s it — deep breaths. That’s essentially what we tell ourselves every time we step through that Dinoland U.S.A. sign over us as we’re roaming the park. Dinoland U.S.A. has played an integral roll at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park since it opened over 20 years ago and now we’re finding ourselves seeing its decline in slow motion. Dinoland U.S.A. We can’t say we were totally shocked when Disney announced plans to retheme this land. It’s been a few years since the first of the land’s rides were removed, and then we started noticing that Dinosaur was having rough days staying operational all day long. Dinosaur When Disney initially announced plans to retheme the land, they also threw out several ideas of what we could expect to see take its place. The over arching theme seems to have been settled on the Tropical Americas. This could including popular characters and architecture from movies like Encanto and Indiana Jones. Concept art for DinoLand expansion ©Disney While nothing terribly concrete has been announced further, we’ve had a few clues that Disney’s gears are already turning on this new project. Just recently we learned of a trip Disney Imagineers took to gather inspiration from the Mayans, their culture, and their art. This resulted in several models created that bear a striking resemblance to Casita from Encanto and the nature around it. ©Disney Additionally, a permit was filed that seems to indicate intent to begin construction soon in the surrounding area. This was the second permit since March filed which tends to suggest to us that the end for Dinoland U.S.A. may be more near than we thought! ©SWFMD So for now, it seems we need to continue to savor every moment we still have in Dinoland U.S.A. and keep an eye out for its chapter coming to a close. Of course, we’ll be keeping you updated on the latest news as we have it so be sure to stay tuned with us at Disney Food Blog for even more! 5 Major Changes Coming to Disney World in August Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you hope to see in the newly revamped land that will take over for the current Dinoland U.S.A.? Tell us in the comments below! The post Take a Look Around. Everything Is About to CHANGE at This Disney World Park first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article