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Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is officially open at Disneyland! Tiana’s Bayou Adventure The ride opened to everyone on November 15th after previews for Cast Members, Magic Key Holders, and others. The ride is pretty similar to the one that opened at Disney World earlier this year, other than a few key differences. We’ve noticed less empty space or dark rooms on the ride, the ride vehicle is different than at Magic Kingdom, and a few other things are different. One of the biggest differences, though, that we noticed may have a significant impact on the rest of your day in the park. Throughout previews, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure riders shared that they felt that they got considerably soaked on the big drop. They believed the amount of water that was used on the drop was significant and that it was “too wet.” This may be a bit of a problem when you are still planning on enjoying the park but now you’re soaking wet. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure When we rode the ride on opening day, we had a similar, damp experience. We got VERY wet, and it felt like it soaked you more than Splash Mountain used to. For this ride, we were sitting in the very back seat of the log. Up the hill However, another time we rode it, our reporter’s experience was that it seemed like a normal amount of splash. That time, they were sitting in the middle. Here we go! It is possible and likely that the amount of splash you’ll experience will be determined by several factors, including where you’re sitting, how many are in the boat with you, and the probability that the Cast Members can dial up or down the splash effect. In the instance that we didn’t get soaked, we were at a media preview, so it’s possible they had dialed back the splash, knowing that people would be recording their rides. Prepare to get wet Regardless, it’s important to realize that this IS a water ride, and it’s VERY likely that you will get wet while riding it. It may be that the splash effect is turned up higher at Disneyland than at Disney World or at different times of the year. If you’re riding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, prepare to get wet! You may get wet…and probably will! One way to combat the splash is to wear a poncho while you ride, or you can always pack a change of clothes if you don’t want to walk around in soggy ones. The ride at Disneyland is lots of fun for families who have seen The Princess and the Frog, so if you love Tiana, Naveen, and the New Orleans theming, head to Disneyland to ride the new ride now! For more Disney news, keep following DFB! The Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Hot Take You Didn’t Know You Needed 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 Have you ridden Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Disneyland yet? What did you think about the splash? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney Fans Are Saying You Get TOO Wet on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. We’re Here to Set the Record Straight. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Happy Holidays! Disneyland Christmas Parade The holiday season has officially arrived at Disneyland Resort and we are making our way through ALL of it, seeing and doing all the things at the Disneyland Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure and enjoying all the additional holiday food and entertainment. Now, it’s no secret that Disneyland goes HARD on seasonal snacks, so we also just made our way through a TON of holiday treats and now we’re sharing our thoughts on ALL of them. We’re going to get started in Disneyland Park and head straight to Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree for the new Holiday Funnel Fries, which are funnel fries that are cinnamon sugar-dusted with caramel drizzle, vanilla ice cream, whipped topping, holiday sprinkles, and crushed TWIX cookie bar pieces for $9.99. One word: YUM. Holiday Funnel Fries These are hot fries with the cold ice cream — such a great combo. The caramel sauce is also super thick and tasty, along with the Twix crumbles (and there are a lot of them). There are also some chocolate sprinkles, which add a nice bit of texture. But again, that caramel sauce is SO good with these. We would order it again! That SAUCE Let’s head back to Main Street, U.S.A. to visit Refreshment Corner where you can get Santa’s Vacation Sausage Potato with pickled pineapple and teriyaki sauce topped with mac salad on a baked potato for $13.99. Who knew there was a thing as a vacation potato? Well, it exists and it’s HUGE. The sausage on it is delicious with a nice salty flavor that goes well with the potato. Santa’s Vacation Sausage Potato Then when you get a taste of it with the cold pineapple and mac salad on top, it’s hot and cold at the same time that’s just perfection. The tarty sweetness of the pineapple with the creamy mac salad and the teriyaki sauce is so good together. This is one of those things we might not have tried if it wasn’t our job, but now we’re glad we did. Delish! Let’s head on over to New Orleans Square and visit the Mint Julep Bar to try the new Peppermint Mickey-shaped Beignets dusted with peppermint powdered sugar and Peppermint Bark Dipping Sauce with chocolate peppermint bark. You can get these in either a 3-pack or 6-pack. We got the 3-pack for $6.49. We have some great news — the peppermint flavor is NOT like toothpaste. It’s actually good. We also saw what looked like chopped up candy canes in the powdered sugar for even MORE of a peppermint flavor. Peppermint Mickey Beignets HOWEVER, that said, we had several different kinds of beignets in Disneyland on this particular day and THEY WERE NOT great. This is not usually the case, especially at the Mint Julep Bar, but Disney seems to be having beignet issues — the beignets we had were not doughy or fluffy. We hope this is just a temporary thing. Disney, what’s up with the beignets lately? We paired the beignets with the Cranberry Pomegranate Mint Julep, which is a holiday twist on the classic mint julep with cranberry and pomegranate juices for $6.99. We’re happy to report that this drink did NOT disappoint us like the beignets did. This twist on the classic Disneyland mint julep has a lovely cranberry and pomegranate flavor that makes for a delicious holiday-flavored combination. Cranberry Pomegranate Mint Julep Over to Tomorrowland, where we visited Alien Pizza Planet to try the new Alien Reindeer Macaron filled with salted caramel buttercream, chocolate ganache, and brownie pieces for $7.99. First, it’s SO CUTE. But it’s also good. You can taste the salted caramel in the butter cream, as well as the chocolateyness of the ganache and browniei pieces. Alien Reindeer Macaron It’s served cold, so when you bite into it, it’s refreshing. It IS very rich, but you HAVE to get it, if only for the cute photos. SO good In Fantasyland, you’ll want to stop by Edelweiss Snacks to get the Black Forest Bundt Cake made with Chocolate sponge filled with cherries topped with chocolate ganache and chantilly crème finished with chocolate curls, cherries, and powdered sugar for $6.79 — it’s also new this year. If that sounds like a super rich dessert, IT IS. It’s very dense. Black Forest Bundt Cake However, it’s served cold and it’s kind of hard to get your fork into it (especially if it’s a plastic fork). We also didn’t get a lot of cherry flavor from it, save from the cherry on top. It just mostly tastes like a rich chocolate cake. So this one is for you chocolate lovers. VERY rich Next up? We visited Galactic Grill, where we picked up the Darth by Peppermint (okay, like who doesn’t love the name of that?). It’s layers of chocolate sponge, chocolate pudding, and peppermint mousse finished with crunchy pearls, cookies and cream pieces, candy cane sprinkles, and Darth Vader and red lightsaber decorations for $7.29. See? The Dark Side CAN be festive! So, it’s really just death by peppermint because that’s the most forward flavor you’re getting here. Do NOT order if you don’t like peppermint. Darth by Peppermint The top is sort of like Oreo cookies because it breaks up the texture. The cake layers are nice and moist, but at the same time, it makes the dessert a little gritty, which isn’t a texture we love. It’s VERY pepperminty Well, we were FINALLY done in Disneyland, so we hopped on over to California Adventure to try a few treats there. You’ll find the VERY cute Santa Baymax Macaron at Lucky Fortune Cookery for $7.79. It’s filled with peppermint buttercream, chocolate ganache, and dark chocolate crunchies. This could easily be our favorite holiday treat of the year. It’s so tasty with a nice light peppermint taste (see, Darth, you did NOT have to go that hard on the peppermint). Santa Baymax Macaron The chocolate ganache also adds a nice fudgy texture. It’s not super sweet and the macaron pieces were baked to perfection — see the ruffled raised edges at the base of the cookie? Those are called feet and they’re a sign of a well-baked macaron. Perfect macaron One more snack to go! We picked up the Gingerbread Mickey-shaped Waffles at Schmoozies for $10.99. They’re topped with Powdered Sugar, served with a side of Holiday Confetti Icing. The waffles are soft on the inside with a nice crunch on the outside, so their texture is great. You can also definitely taste the gingerbread. Gingerbread waffles The icing, though, was a bit much. It’s very very very sweet, like a thick version of Royal icing. We would have rather had something more consistent with a lighter syrup. But the waffles themselves are great. You can enjoy them without the icing since it is served on the side. The icing is too sweet Well, that’s it for us. We are FULL. But if you’re heading to Disneyland for the holidays, we hope this gives you a good idea of which holiday snacks to try and which snacks to skip. Stay tuned to DFB for more. The 8 Things You Should Eat and Drink at the Disney California Adventure Festival of the Holidays 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 Disney snack are you looking forward to trying the most? Share with us in the comments! The post REVIEW: 7 NEW Snacks Have Arrived in Disneyland first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Let’s just say we know food in Disney World, it’s why we’re here — to tell you about ALL the food in Disney World. We love some appetizers We also have certain foods that we will ALWAYS return to (just call it our comfort food), which includes savory dishes like Corn Dog Nuggets (we refuse to use Disney’s new “mini corn dogs” name because it’s BORING). We also love our snacks, including the many seasonal snacks Disney releases throughout the year (and some, like the Gingerbread Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwich should be available year-round…ahem.). But now we’re going to talk about appetizers. Now we LOVE a good appetizer, but we’re going to share the BEST appetizers, according to the DFB team. Pimento Cheese Fritters We know not a lot of people travel to Port Orleans — Riverside for food, but they should. One: MICKEY BEIGNETS. But also, you need to tried the Pimento Cheese Fritters from Boatwright’s Dining Hall at least once in your life. We order these little fried balls of love EVERY time we eat here. They’re nice and crunch on the outside and pimento cheesy on the inside. Pimento Cheese Fritters They’re also topped with Pepper Jelly, which just makes this a next level appetizer. It’s creamy and sweet with a hint of spice, and it’s heaven by itself, but even better with the fritters. Read our full review of the Pimento Cheese Fritters Bacon and eggs We bet you’re scratching your head that something as simple as bacon and eggs would make our list, but if you’ve had the Bacon & Eggs at Steakhouse 71 or the Steakhouse 71 Lounge at the Contemporary Resort, you’d know why this made the list. This appetizer is Maple-lacquered Pork Belly, Smoked Cheese Grits, and a Perfect Egg. EVERYTHING about this is breakfast perfection, but we’d also eat it for lunch and dinner. Bacon and Eggs So, yeah, this isn’t your run of the mill bacon and eggs — it’s an elevated version of the dish and well worth visiting the Contemporary Resort for. It could also be a meal if you’re not super hungry! Read our full review of Bacon & Eggs Bread service with Whipped Paneer Alright, we haven’t ever really met a Bread Service we DIDN’T love, and we’ll always order it at Sanaa, Tiffins, and Nomad Lounge. But, y’all, the Bread Service with Whipped Paneer at eet by Maneet Chauhan in Disney Springs is incredibly underrated and we have to tell you about it. It comes with buttered naan, garlic naan, pimento whipped paneer cheese, masala vegetable sticks, Indian pickle, coriander honey, and various chutneys. The buttered naan is wonderfully buttery, while the garlic naan has a great garlic flavor. The dips, though, are the star of the show, and we still can’t figure out which is our fave because we love them all. The Whipped Paneer is light and airy. SO good. Read our full review of the bread service Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup This is one of those appetizers we’ll just call “Ole Reliable” because it never disappoints. It’s cheese. It’s soup. It’s Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup from Le Cellier in the Canada Pavilion in EPCOT. Seriously, this has us wanting to move to Canada (well, this and the poutine). Cheddar Cheese Soup from Le Cellier The soup is made with Moosehead Pale Ale and Nueske’s Applewood-smoked Bacon. If you’ve ever eaten at Le Cellier, you know what’s up. If not, make a reservation NOW — trust us, you will not be disappointed. Read our latest review of Le Cellier Hummus Fries Another completely underrated restaurant is Spice Road Table in the Morocco Pavilion in EPCOT. It’s so underrated that you can pretty much walk in and get a table at any time, but hey, we don’t mind keeping this place a secret. We like popping in just to order the Hummus Fries as a snack. They’re served with a citrus-chipotle sauce and preserved lemon. Hummus Fries The fries are so flavorful, but when you dip them in the sauce, you get a nice heat and intensity (so beware if you’re spice-averse). This is literally one of our favorite snacks in EPCOT. Plus Princess Jasmine recommends them, so you KNOW they have to be good. Read more about the Hummus Fries Tony’s Garlic Bread For The Table Yes, we know we’re not always big fans of Tony’s Town Square Restaurant in Magic Kingdom, but believe it or not, it’s been slowly winning us over lately. One of the big reasons we’re heading there these days is the Tony’s Garlic Bread for the Table, which is funny because WE ARE NOT SHARING (seriously, get your own). It’s toasted ciabatta with roasted garlic-butter and parmesan fonduta. It’s literally dripping in cheesy sauce, y’all. YUMMM The flavor is nice and garlicky, but also cheesy with the parmesan. The bread has a great toasted texture and is perfectly seasoned. Tony’s, you’ve won our hearts. Read our recent review Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites You KNEW we weren’t going to end this post without mentioning Wine Bar George, right? We’ve hyped this restaurant up so much, and we won’t stop hyping it up because it really is worth it. The Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites are a big reason why. They’re served with a tomato nage and pecorino. They are crispy Mac & Cheese perfection. YUM The breading is light and flaky. You get a hint of heat from the spices. The mac and cheese is creamy and cheesy. We freaking love these and we’ll shout it from the rooftops. If you don’t want to have a table service experience, you can also grab these from Wine Bar George’s quick-service location, The Basket at Wine Bar George. Read our most recent Wine Bar George review So there you have it: our non-negotiable appetizers in Disney World. If you haven’t tried any of these, we highly recommend them (trust us on this!). In the meantime, stay tuned to DFB for more. With DOZENS of places to eat at Disney World, we know it can be tough to plan your meals. That’s why we wrote the DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World. We have reviews, pictures, and details about every restaurant all in one digital download – along with ALL of our best tips and strategies from decades of Disney World trips. Why is Disney World Opening Two Lounges…and No Restaurants…in 2025? 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 World appetizer? Tell us all about it in the comments! The post These Are the Best Appetizers In All of Disney World, and I Will Be Taking No Questions at This Time first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The holidays are here, and, let’s be real, the International Festival of the Holidays at EPCOT has got to be THE definition of all that holiday magic wrapped up in one sweet, glittering bow! 2023 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays I mean, with all the Christmas trees, holiday decor, festival booths, not to mention the World Showcase pavilions themselves, it’s the best kind of holiday overload (and we’re not complaining). But you know what? It’s not ALL sugar and spice. No, there are some “unfortunate” side effects of attending the Festival of the Holidays, and we’ve gotta talk about them! As we were saying, there’s no better way to get into the spirit of the holidays and enjoy the customs from around the world than by hitting up the International Festival of the Holidays. Every single year, this festival is chock-full of entertainment, delicious eats and drinks, holiday storytellers, special decorations, and so much more. Disney World trees are ICONIC That being said, not every thing is all sugar and spice. You’re most likely going to encounter a couple of “unfortunate” side effects of going to the festival, so we thought we’d go over some of them so that you’re not caught unawares! Tummy Ache from the Cookie Stroll Let’s kick things off with the big one. If you’ve done the Cookie Stroll before, you know exactly where we’re going with this. 2023 Festival of the Holidays Passport — Cooke Stroll Stamp Collecting Page It sounds like a cute idea: grab a map, wander around to select spots in the park, and collect stamps as you munch your way through a variety of holiday cookies. A couple of cookies later, you’ve earned yourself a “free” completer treat. Cookie Stroll Completer Prizes in 2023 But let’s talk logistics. Five cookies sounds manageable in theory until you remember they’re not mini bite-sized cookies. These are EPCOT cookies — big, sugary, dense rounds of deliciousness that could probably double as paperweights. Peppermint Pinwheel Cookie By the time you’re three cookies in, you’re probably starting to feel a little sugar-ed out. And if you push through, as any self-respecting Cookie Stroller does, unfortunately, a tummy ache is almost inevitable. It’s like your inner child and responsible adult are fighting a silent battle, and I don’t know about you, my inner kiddo always wins. Jingle Sugar Cookie Our advice is to space them out! Do a couple cookies, enjoy a few other treats or savory options from the food booths, and then come back for more cookies later. Snickerdoodle Cookie made with SNICKERS bar pieces Or, if you’re with a group, split the cookies with your crew! This way, you’ll still earn your completer treat without having a serious tummy ache halfway around the park. Blowing Your Gift Budget on Merch for Yourself I don’t know about you, but every year I go in with the best of intentions. I’m specifically going to pick up cute stocking stuffers for my loved ones, snag that one special ornament, maybe even get a little something for that one “hard-to-buy-for” relative. But it’s like the moment I step into those EPCOT gift shops during the festival, it’s like there’s some special holiday-spending spell that gets cast on me, and suddenly every piece of merch just screams my name. Let’s shop! Between the adorable holiday-themed ears, limited-edition ornaments, and all the EPCOT-exclusive festival swag, it can feel way too easy to veer off your “gifts for others” plan and end up with bags of goodies just for you (trust us, we’ve been there too many times). Zipped Hoodie Before you know it, you’re facing the harsh reality that you’ve blown half your holiday budget on a cozy EPCOT hoodie and three new mugs that will totally fit in your already overflowing kitchen cabinet. 2023 Festival of the Holidays Merchandise Mug Here’s our advice: Maybe set a merch budget in advance, and try to stick to it (easier said than done, we know). Or, make a mental list of the merch you can’t live without so you don’t end up spending extra on impulse buys. Crowds Crammed into the World Showcase for Storytellers Now, one of the best parts of the Festival of the Holidays has to be the World Showcase Storytellers, where each pavilion has a unique holiday tale or tradition to share with guests. It’s incredible to watch these performances and hear stories from different cultures about how they celebrate the season. Sigrid and Barn Santa in the Norway Pavilion Now, the not-so-fun part is that you and about a thousand other people are going to be huddling in these areas to catch a glimpse of Father Christmas, La Befana, or the Daruma dolls. Holiday storytellers The Storytellers are fantastic, but that means everyone flocks to these events, which can make some of the pavilions a tad uncomfortably packed. And if you’re there with kids, getting them a view can be a whole other challenge. Daruma Storyteller If you want to catch a Storyteller (and you totally should), you might want to try and aim for times earlier in the day when the pavilions aren’t quite as packed, or catch one of the lesser-known shows first to avoid the rush. Hanukkah Storyteller At the end of the day, the Festival of the Holidays has a whole lot more magic than mishaps, and we wouldn’t miss it for anything! These “side effects” are all part of the EPCOT festival experience, but a little planning can help you avoid the worst of them (or at least keep things manageable). EPCOT Festival of the Holidays In the meantime, keep it right here at DFB for any updates on this festival and all it has to offer! Click Here for All the Festival of the Holidays Details! DON'T MISS A MOMENT OF HOLIDAY MAGIC Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. It includes all the must-have information for navigating the holiday season at Disney World, including: The COMPLETE schedule of events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! Save 20% on the Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide with code PEPPERMINT. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Learn About Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Get the Latest Information About the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays Get All the Details About Disney Jollywood Nights Everything You Need to Know About Disney World Holiday Dining and Events Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Are you going to the festival this year? Tell us in the comments! The post We May Have Found an Unfortunate Side Effect of the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays…😬 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s the most wonderful time of year at Disney California Adventure Park because the Disney Festival of Holidays has returned! The 2024 Festival will run from November 15th, 2024 through January 6th, 2025! Festival of Holidays The Festival features unique merchandise, special entertainment, and (of course) all kinds of food. We’ve shared the full festival menus and reviews of the booths, but what if you’re looking for a quick list of the TOP items you cannot miss? Well, now we’ve got you covered with that, too! Here are our picks for the very BEST items at the Festival of Holidays! Best NEW Eats and Drinks at the Festival Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron at Favorite Things The Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron is a Mickey-shaped chocolate macaron filled with vanilla buttercream, date cake, and salted toffee sauce. Not only is it adorable, but it’s one of our favorite things we ate during the festival. The salted toffee flavor works so well with the sweet vanilla buttercream, but it’s not SUPER sweet. Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron We seriously think this could be our favorite macaron we’ve ever had in Disneyland. Read our full review here Barbecue Pulled Pork Cornbread Bake at A Twist on Tradition The Barbecue Pulled Pork Cornbread Bake with creamy slaw instantly became one of our Best of the Festival snacks this year. The cornbread is so sweet and the barbecue saw is tangy, and it just WORKS. We also liked that the cornbread has actual pieces of corn inside it, PLUS it’s served warm with the slaw. Barbecue Pulled Pork Cornbread Bake with creamy slaw This one stuck out to us as one of the best snacks we ate all day. We’ll be coming back for this one. Read our full review Jelly Donut Punch at Winter Sliderland As far as drinks go, the non-alcoholic Jelly Donut Punch, made with Apricot Nectar, house-made raspberry and strawberry jam syrup, cookie butter, and lemon juice garnished with a skewered powdered sugar donut hole, seriously wowed us. This was probably our favorite drink at the festival (and we had some great drinks). Jelly Donut Punch The donut was moist and sweet, and we loved the punch because we could taste almost every ingredient in it. This was a HUGE hit with us. Read our full review Chicken Chicharrón at Brews & Bites The Chicken Chicharrón with basmati rice, herb chutney and masala drizzleis the only eat at Brews & Bites, but it’s a snack we’ll definitely be ordering again. It has a slight kick to it, with some Mediterranean and Indian flavors, thanks to the spices. It’s tangy and citrusy and every flavor works perfectly. Chicken Chicharrón with basmati rice, herb chutney and masala drizzle The chicken stayed nice and crispy even with all the sauce on top, too. Read our review Best RETURNING Eats and Drinks at the Festival Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese at Holiday Duets The Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese, made with herb breadcrumbs, sour cream, and chives, was one of our favorite eats at the festival. It’s just so creamy and rich! Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese We loved the addition of the chives, which added a great depth of flavor. This new snack costs $8.50. Last year, this dish was at A Twist on Tradition. Read our full review here! Barbacoa Tamal de Res at Grandma’s Recipes Grandma did not disappoint! The Barbacoa Tamal de Res with Oaxaca cheese, tomatillo salsa, and crema was fantastic. The meat is well-seasoned, and it’s got some heat to it. Then there’s the cheese mixed with the crema. This is just a wonderful explosion of flavors. Barbacoa Tamal de Res This snack had SUCH a good flavor — we loved the tomatillo salsa verde. It was fresh and spicy but had a mild spice level overall. The masa shell isn’t dry at all — it was moist and was a nice complement to the beef inside. Read our full review here! Berry Pomegranate Paloma at A Twist on Tradition The Berry Pomegranate Paloma for $18 is made with Blanco Tequila, blueberry purée, lime, cranberry and pomegranate juices, and agave syrup, topped with fresca mixed vodka spritz and garnished with an orange wheel and chile lime-seasoned rim. You’ll find this drink at A Twist on Tradition this year — in 2023 it was at Grandma’s Recipes. Berry Pomegranate Paloma This was also a hit — it reminded us of a berry sangria! We loved the addition of the Tajin-seasoned rim. It was fresh and fruity. We’d definitely get this one again. Read our full review here! Pork Belly Adobo at Favorite Things At Favorite Things, you’ll find another one of our FAVORITE snacks (so the name of this booth really fits) — the Braised Pork Belly Adobo, which is served with garlic fried rice. This is one we loved in 2023 (and years past) and once again it’s a winner! Braised Pork Belly Adobo with garlic rice This dish is flavorful, the pork is moist and easily just pulls apart. Though the rice is fairly standard, the meat makes this snack stand out! Click here to see our full review of Favorite Things! Best Booth at the Festival Best Booth — Favorite Things We found many of our favorite things at the Favorite Things booth, and it certainly lived up to its name. The Braised Pork Belly Adobo has been a favorite of ours every year, while the Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron is the best macaron we think we’ve ever had in Disneyland — and it gets bonus points for presentation. Our Favorite Things We also grabbed the Spiced Coconut Cocktail for $17.50 here, which is made with dark rum, spice tea, coconut purée, and evaporated and condensed milks, garnished with nutmeg and a wafer stick. This drink is literally what Christmas tastes like. It’s a wonderful blend of wintry flavors with a hint of nutmeg spice on top. See our full review of this booth here! Runner-Up — A Twist on Tradition Coming in at a very close second place is A Twist on Tradition. The Barbecue Pulled Pork Cornbread Bake was, as mentioned above, one of our best of the festival picks, and the Turkey Galantine Croissant Muffin Slider with herb mayo and cranberry marmalade was VERY flavorful. A Twist on Tradition Of course, there’s also the Berry Pomegranate Paloma, which we love year after year — and it’s a drink we’ll keep coming back for. See our review of this booth here! Best of the Festival for Kids M&M’S Peanut Butter Fudge Cake at Merry Mashups What kid wouldn’t love M&Ms on a fudgy cake? The M&M’s Peanut Butter Fudge Cake is a chocolate fudge cake filled with peanut praline and M&M’S Peanut Butter Minis, glazed with salted peanut butter, and is topped with vanilla Chantilly crème. Yes, it’s a win! M&M’S Peanut Butter Fudge Cake at Merry Mashups It is extremely rich and fudgy, so you might want to make sure your kid shares with you. Read our full review Cookies and Cream Hazelnut Hot Cocoa at Winter Sliderland Hot cocoa is always going to be a hit with kids, and we think kids will like this twist on a traditional hot cocoa. The Cookies and Cream Hazelnut Hot Cocoa is made with Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. hot chocolate with cookies and cream flavors, melted chocolate, hazelnut purée, and Irish cream syrup garnished with strawberry whipped cream. Cookies and Cream Hazelnut Hot Cocoa It’s sweet and delicious, and the strawberry whipped cream on top is just yummy and fun. Read our full review And those are our picks for the very BEST of the Fest at the Festival of Holidays in Disney California Adventure Park. What items do you think you’d most want to try? Tell us in the comments! For our reviews of all the snacks we tried at this year’s festival, click here. Stay tuned for more news. 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 Which of these items do you want to try? Tell us in the comments! The post The 8 Things You Should Eat and Drink at the Disney California Adventure Festival of the Holidays first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The Disney World parks are gearing up for the holidays! Animal Kingdom Christmas tree Every park has its iconic Christmas tree up, holiday treats can be found all around the resort, and fun events such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights have begun. While we love these after-hours holiday parties at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there’s one bit of holiday entertainment we’ll never get enough of over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and it has FINALLY begun! The Merry Menagerie is one of the cutest and sweetest holiday traditions you’ll see at any of the Disney World parks. Snow white animals make their way out to greet you in the park between Island Mercantile and Discovery Trading Company. The Tree of Life stands as a beautiful background for these loving, furry, and feathered friends. The Merry Menagerie are animal puppets like polar bears… Polar Bears …birds… birds …and seals. Different animals will come out throughout the day, so you may get to see foxes, deer, and others, as well! Seal The animals are accompanied by musicians, so be ready to dance with the animals as they hang out for a while with you! A drummer and violinist playing with the animals You can see these adorable winter animals throughout the day. The times they’ll be out to play and visit are listed on the My Disney Experience app, so if you want to see them, be sure to check out the schedule for the day you’re there. ©Disney And if you, like us, LOVE the Merry Menagerie, you can pick up some limited-time souvenirs, such as a polar bear stuffed animal… Stuffed polar bear toy …or light up Merry Menagerie ornaments! Plus, there are Spirit Jerseys, t-shirts, and more. Light up ornaments You can also check out the DFB exclusive Merry Menagerie merchandise over at the DFB Store! Merry Menagerie Ornament You’ll find blankets, ornaments, tumblers, shirts, and more featuring the beautiful winter designs of the Merry Menagerie. It’s a fun collection to celebrate your love for your winter animal friends. Visit the DFB Store The Merry Menagerie is one of our favorite holiday festivities at Disney World! Be sure to catch them at Disney’s Animal Kingdom next time you’re there in November or December. For more Disney news, keep following DFB! The 8 Souvenirs Every Disney Fan Is Buying for Christmas This Year DON'T MISS A MOMENT OF HOLIDAY MAGIC Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. It includes all the must-have information for navigating the holiday season at Disney World, including: The COMPLETE schedule of events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! Save 20% on the Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide with code PEPPERMINT. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Learn About Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Get the Latest Information About the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays Get All the Details About Disney Jollywood Nights Everything You Need to Know About Disney World Holiday Dining and Events Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Do you like seeing the Merry Menagerie? Let us know in the comments! The post This Is My Favorite Thing To Do at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Too Many People Forget It Exists first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Another Disney World attraction will be temporarily closing SOON! Magic Kingdom Disney closes rides and attractions from time to time for short periods so they can conduct refurbishments. These refurbishments are often for routine maintenance, but sometimes changes are also made. We keep track of the big closures happening around the parks, and there’s a NEW one you should know about if you’re planning a trip to Magic Kingdom in the coming month. Swiss Family Treehouse The Swiss Family Treehouse at Magic Kingdom is based on the classic movie Swiss Family Robinson, and is a fun tree climbing experience at the park. Swiss Family Treehouse This attraction will be undergoing a month-long refurbishment starting November 18th and ending December 20th. If you and your kiddos are looking for a place to climb around, you’ll have to check out Tom Sawyer Island for the time being! This isn’t the only attraction on the list of refurbishments at Disney World! Keep reading to find out what else will be closed the week of November 16th through November 23rd. Magic Kingdom Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade We had to say goodbye to an opening day attraction on June 23rd. The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade is closed The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade was around for generations and provided simple fun to all who played. Now, the attraction has closed to make room for a new Disney Vacation Club lounge. This lounge will be the third in Disney World, joining one in EPCOT and one at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Disney has not yet announced when the new lounge will open. The Super Weird Holiday Exclusive That’s Not on the Map in Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland Terrace Tomorrowland Terrace is a quick-service restaurant that has been closed since the 2020 pandemic-related closures, but even before that, this spot was only occasionally open. Tomorrowland Terrace Once in a while, you’ll see the dining room open as a rest area (and it’s still being used for the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Parties), but it’s usually all roped off and empty. Tomorrowland Terrace seating Disney hasn’t announced when this spot could finally reopen, but we’ll be watching for updates. If you’re looking for a nice spot to hang out in Disney World and sit down for a rest, this could be it! Reviewing These New Magic Kingdom Confectionery Treats Was Truly a Roller Coaster Ride EPCOT Test Track Test Track closed on June 17th, and Disney is giving this ride a BIG makeover! ©Disney Disney has shared that the new version of Test Track will take inspiration from the old ride, World of Motion, that was originally there when the park opened in 1982. Disney recently shared more details at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience, including an opening timeline! We’ll be able to ride Test Track once again in 2025. You’ll Never Guess What’s Behind This Wall in EPCOT’s Germany Pavilion Restaurant Marrakesh Restaurant Marrakesh is currently closed as a dining location in the Morocco pavilion of EPCOT’s World Showcase, and there’s no word yet on when the restaurant could fully reopen. Restaurant Marrakesh However, it is currently open as the Florida Blue Lounge during the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. So, if you’re in the Morocco Pavilion, check it out to see if it’s open. We’re watching for updates on when the full restaurant could reopen! A HUGE Change Hits EPCOT This Week Hollywood Studios Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy The Cars-themed show featuring Lighting McQueen permanently closed on October 8th, 2024, to make way for a brand-new Villains show. Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is now closed The Cars show was previously housed in the Sunset Showcase building, but the last day for guests to enjoy it was October 7th. The new Villains show is supposed to debut in the summer of 2025. We’re always watching for more details about the new show, and we recently spotted a casting call for Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent! Read about the NEW Villains show coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Voyage of the Little Mermaid Voyage of the Little Mermaid is currently closed in Disney World. But we recently spotted some construction walls up at the building along with a new permit filed! Voyage of the Little Mermaid Disney is going to introduce a new, updated show in this spot, though it will still be themed to the animated movie The Little Mermaid! The new show will be called “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure,” and it is now coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Summer 2025. The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure Disney still hasn’t announced an official opening date for the new show, but it has been postponed from its Fall 2024 opening timeline. It will be a “fully reimagined theatrical production inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic.” NEW LOOK at “The Little Mermaid” Show Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Typhoon Lagoon Blizzard Beach officially welcomed guests back on November 4th! That same day, Typhoon Lagoon closed its gates for the season. Typhoon Lagoon Typhoon Lagoon will likely be closed throughout the winter until sometime in the spring. Disney has been having one water park open at a time seasonally since 2020. In the meantime, you can enjoy the slopes at Blizzard Beach this winter! Click here to learn all about Blizzard Beach Disney World Hotels Everything POP Shopping & Dining — Disney’s Pop Century Resort The Everything Pop Food Court will continue its refurbishment for the time being. Everything Pop Since July 29th, Everything Pop has been getting some work done. The refurbishment was supposed to end on September 29th. However, Disney updated the refurbishment timeline to extend it to November 30th. This means the food court should have been back to full and normal operation, but that’s not the case. However, we did stop by and noticed a few updates — it’s looking really good so far! Guests can grab food at several counters and on mobile order, as well as use the limited seating while work is being done. World Premiere Food Court — Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort The World Premiere Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort has been undergoing refurbishment since July. World Premiere Food Court This food court closed for refurbishment on July 1st and was set to reopen on July 31st. Currently, the Disney World website only lists the Rialto coffee shop as being closed for refurbishment until the end of November 2024. 3 Disney World Hotels Cracking Down on Parking Looking for more resources to help you get ready for your upcoming trip? Check out these posts to learn all about Disney World’s rides: 10 Rides to AVOID in Disney World if You Struggle with Motion Sickness What It Takes to CHANGE a Disney World Ride 9 of the SCARIEST Rides in Disney World, According to YOU! A FULL LIST of the Thrill Rides in Disney World! The Ultimate Guide to the BEST and WORST Seats On EVERY Magic Kingdom Ride We’ll keep you updated with all the latest news, so stay tuned to DFB. Full List of Important Disney World Closures You Should Plan Around in 2025 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 When is your next Disney World vacation? Let us know in the comments! The post Disney World Adds NEW Attraction to Ongoing List of Refurbishments first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

One of Disney World’s most iconic hotels is getting a major new addition — but some fans have a few reservations about the expansion! Polynesian Village Resort Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is about to have a brand new set of Disney Vacation Club (DVC) rooms! Construction is well underway at the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. In fact, it’s currently set to open next month! But, as exciting as it is to have something new to experience at Disney World, some fans have a few concerns about what changes the Island Tower might bring. The Island Tower is located on Seven Seas Lagoon, offering waterfront views. According to Disney, the new villas will be “inspired by the early concepts for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.” Concept Art ©Disney We’ve been keeping a close eye on construction at the Island Tower with the opening date just about a month away, and sharing any official updates about what guests can expect when the expansion officially opens its doors. Construction progress We shared a few big updates on the Island Tower on our Facebook page a few months ago, and while there is definitely excitement about the addition, some commenters also raised concerns about what changes the expansion might bring with it. One worry that came up was the potential for long lines and waits for the Monorail at the Polynesian Village Resort once the Island Tower is filled with guests. Reader Linda wrote, “Can’t imagine the line for the monorail with all the extra people staying there…” Two Bedroom Suite Preview ©Disney The expansion will add over 200 new guest rooms to the hotel, so it might end up being important to consider traffic patterns and peak times of day when taking transportation to the parks when it opens. Of course, we’ll check out all of the changes once it officially opens, but it’s worth keeping on your radar for now if you have a trip planned before the dust settles! Monorail Other commenters also pointed out that the Monorail might not be the only area with increased demand. Reader Pam said, “Will there be a new indoor restaurant or only a pool bar/grill[?] O’hana will be impossible to get into without another restaurant.” Breakfast Skillets at ‘Ohana The Island Tower expansion will include the Wailulu Bar & Grill, a casual walk-up pool bar and grill. This spot will feature an all-day menu for lunch and dinner, plus specialty coffee and on-the-go morning pastries for breakfast. But since it’s not a Table Service restaurant like ‘Ohana, it is possible that ‘Ohana reservations might be in higher demand after the Island Tower opens. Concept Art ©Disney Some of our readers also commented about the overall look of the Island Tower expansion, saying that the aesthetic of the taller building changes the vibe of the Polynesian Resort area for them. Amy said, “Aww. Kinda seems like it will diminish the charm of the Polynesian. Let’s hope not.” Island Tower Construction As exciting as it can be to have a brand new addition to explore in Disney World, we also understand the concerns about potential growing pains that can come along with it. That’s why we’ll be sure to check out the Island Tower — and all of its related changes — in ultra-detail when it opens so we can report back with any important details you need to know! Keep an eye on DFB for more coverage on the Island Tower when it opens next month! Want More Details About Disney World’s Hotels? Ranking of ALL of Disney World’s Hotels The “I’m So Tired; Just Tell Me What To Do” Guide To Choosing the Perfect Disney World Hotel 13 Critical Things You’re FORGETTING About When Booking a Disney World Hotel 8 Gadgets You Need for Your Disney World Hotel Room The Surprising Things You Won’t Find in Your Disney World Hotel Room The Secret Way to Stay in Disney World’s Hotels for LESS! What's New at the Disney World Hotels All About Disney World's Resort Hotel Refillable Mugs Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest Disney World hotel news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! What are your thoughts on the new Island Tower? Share with us in the comments! The post Why Disney Fans Are So Mad About the Changes at the Polynesian Village Resort first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

It’s no secret among Disney snack fans that the Orlando theme parks aren’t exactly known for their top-quality churros. Need we remind you of the Worms ‘n Dirt Churro? Worms ‘n Dirt Churro Disneyland, on the other hand, is very much known for its iconic churros. Disney World churros often fall extremely flat and can never seem to achieve that same level of deliciousness. But every time Disney World comes out with a new churro, we ask ourselves if it’ll live up to our West Coast expectations, even though we expect to be disappointed. This time, we headed over to Animal Kingdom to try the new holiday churro and…well…we had such high hopes. Over at Eight Spoon Cafe, you can grab the S’mores Churro for $7.99! This is a churro rolled in a Chocolate and Sugar Mix topped with Whipped Cream, Graham Crackers, and Chocolate Chips served with Whipped Cream and Marshmallow Topping. S’mores Churro The toppings here were delicious, we won’t lie, especially the marshmallow fluff they give you for dipping. However, the churro was, as unfortunately expected, stale and so disappointing; it almost had that weird squeakiness you experience when you chew something stale, and we did not enjoy that texture. It was a little cardboard-y. But hey, maybe we got one that had been sitting out for a while — you might get lucky and end up with a fresh churro! The marshmallow fluff is not enough to save this Were we surprised? Not necessarily, which is unfortunate, but we’re still holding out hope that the day will come when we get better churros in Disney World. Better luck next time, Disney! More Recent Reviews! REVIEW: There’s a HEATED Churro Battle Happening in Disney World, and a New Competitor Just Entered the RingREVIEW: NEW Menu Items Have Landed at a Controversial Disney’s Hollywood Studios RestaurantREVIEW: The ONLY New Disney World Hotel Treat You Need to Know AboutREVIEW: Come for the Hush Puppies Stay for the View — Why We Love This Underrated Disney World LoungeREVIEW: We’re in Chocolate and Nutella Heaven with This NEW Disney World Treat As always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest snack reviews! Guide To Churros and EVERY Place To Get Them 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 ever had a good special churro in Disney World? Tell us in the comments! The post REVIEW: There’s a HEATED Churro Battle Happening in Disney World, and a New Competitor Just Entered the Ring first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Deadpool is the gift that keeps on giving! 🖤❤️View the full article

Disney World is changing, and soon, there will be even more to experience across all four parks! Spaceship Earth Earlier this year, at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, it was revealed that Disney World would be getting eight new rides! Unfortunately, this means that the parks will be filled with construction walls for a while as these new projects are built. The good news is that while some projects are years away, a ton of new offerings will debut next year, two of which will be at EPCOT! Oh, did you think EPCOT would get a break from construction after completing the EPCOT Transformation? EPCOT was only construction wall-less for about a week, but that’s okay because a ride and a new lounge will open at the park next year! The EPCOT Transformation was completed with the opening of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza In June 2024, Test Track closed to be reimagined as a third version of the ride, and construction is coming along. The third iteration of the attraction will take inspiration from its predecessor, World of Motion. Test Track is under construction. At D23, it was confirmed that the ride would open in 2025, although no exact date was given. Josh D’Amaro, the Chairman of Disney Experiences for The Walt Disney Company, said that 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. Reimagining concept art ©Disney Disney also confirmed that the queue will have six different exhibits. Each room will celebrate the vehicles and the people behind them who help with the next chapter in our collective journey. Test Track concept art ©Disney Not only will Test Track open as a new version of itself, but a new ride-themed lounge will also open. Spaceship Earth, EPCOT’s park icon, is recognizable around the world and is often referred to as the “EPCOT ball.” Spaceship Earth The Spaceship Earth-themed lounge is set to open in the park in 2025. This lounge will pay homage to the attraction’s sleek look and be inspired by its “stories, shapes, and enduring legacy.” The decor will draw inspiration from the ride’s geometric sphere and plan to offer a relaxing space filled with “rich textures and warm metallic tones, giving it a mysterious and elegant intimacy.” ©Disney We can’t wait for these to open in EPCOT next year! There is so much on the horizon at Disney World in 2025 across all four parks, so make sure to continue following along with Disney Food Blog! Why is Disney World Opening Two Lounges…and No Restaurants…in 2025? Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Will you be taking a trip to Disney World in 2025? Let us know in the comments!The post Two Game-Changing Updates Announced for EPCOT in 2025 first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is now open on the West Coast, and Disneyland is celebrating big! Tiana’s Palace in Disneyland For the new ride, we’ve seen lots of fun merchandise and special offerings, but one thing we’re most excited to try is the new menu at Tiana’s Palace. Let’s go check out some new eats! Before we dive into the food, there’s a NEW souvenir available at Tiana’s Palace in honor of the ride opening. The Raymond Firefly Straw Clip is now available for $7.99 with the purchase of a beverage. There’s a limit of 2 per person. We can just hear him now talking about Evangeline Now, onto the food! There are now two new entrees and one dessert to check out. Full spread First, we’ve got the Catfish Po’boy for $17.99. It’s made with a southern-style dusted catfish filet with lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise on toasted New Orleans French bread with remoulade sauce. It’s served with red beans & rice and house-made pickles. We’ll just warn you now. This bread is dry and HARD, which meant the sandwich as a whole was hard to eat. The catfish, though, was tasty and had a great flavor. The remolaude sauce that came on the side also had a great flavor — it had spices, but it wasn’t spicy (if that makes sense). The homemade pickles are also delicious with a sweet tang that goes great with the sandwich (or at least the parts of it we could eat without breaking a tooth). Catfish Po’ Boy For our second entree, we have the Jambalaya for $17.49. This dish is made with chicken, andouille sausage, heritage rice, and Creole sauce. Sounds yummy! Now this is worthy of New Orleans. The sausage is salty with a bit of heat, while also being crunchy. The Creole sauce have a tomato taste with loads of great spices. The chicken is also SO moist. This reminds us of the jambalaya that we used to get a long time ago when this restaurant was The French Market Restaurant. The jambalaya is SO good And finally, we’ve got dessert! The Classic Beignets are $5.49 for an order of two. They’re dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled in honey. Y’all, we know what beignets are. We’ve been to New Orleans. These are NOT beignets. Tiana did NOT make these. Classic Beignets Look at the inside of these. There’s no fluff, no dough in the center. Even the honey drizzle couldn’t save them. Just do yourself a favor and skip these and get the Mickey Beignets next door at The Mint Julep Bar. Sad beignets You can also get the Strawberry Pie Beignet for $4.99. We didn’t get these because we’ve had them before and they were also a huge disappointment. At the time, they were premade (so not even FRESH beignets — EW). The strawberry filling and strawberries on top were good, but it’s sad that you can’t get a good beignet at a restaurant supposedly owned by Tiana, who is known to make world famous man-catching beignets (at least according to her BFF, Charlotte La Bouff). More sad beignets So what did we think of the new menu items overall? Well, the only thing that we really liked was the Jambalaya. If the bread situation with the ‘Po Boy was better, that might’ve been a hit with us, but dry, hard bread is a non-starter for us. Thanks for coming along with us to try out the new eats! We’ll keep you in the loop with all the latest Disneyland news. Click Here to Learn More About Tiana’s Palace! 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 Have you ever been to this restaurant? Tell us in the comments! The post BIG BEIGNET NEWS: We Tried Disney’s New Menu Items at Tiana’s Palace Restaurant (and the Beignets SHOCKED Us!) first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hey! Christmas is almost here. Wow’s that Christmas list coming along? ©MEGA Well, since you said one of the things on the list are LEGO sets, we’ve rounded up some of the best deals on Disney LEGO sets from Amazon for your consideration! So, let’s not waste another minute. Time to check them out! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Check Out This LEGO Disney Advent Calendar 2024 for 21% OFF ©Amazon First up and right off the bat, how can you beat getting a LEGO Disney Advent Calendar 2024 for over 20% off? I mean, it’s Christmas and this is just about the most perfect Advent Calendar in all the lands especially since it’s got some of your favorite characters like Elsa, Tiana, Ariel, Mirabel, Moana and more! Get it here! Check Out This LEGO Disney and Pixar ‘Up’ House for 20% OFF ©Amazon Now, if your kiddo is a fan of the movie “Up”, this LEGO Disney and Pixar ‘Up’ House would be perfect for them! There really isn’t a more iconic house that they could build. And it comes with Mr. Fredricksen, Russell, and Dug! Get it here! Check Out This Lego Disney Walt Disney Tribute Camera for 30% OFF ©Amazon This Lego Disney Walt Disney Tribute Camera really is such a wonderful way to celebrate the magic of Disney cinema for over 100 years at this point. It’s quite a massive set and makes for a great present for Christmas! Get it here! Check Out This LEGO Disney Princess Creative Castles set for 20% OFF ©Amazon If you’ve got a little princess at the house, this LEGO Disney Princess Creative Castles set might be exactly what they’re looking for! And, at 20% off, this one’s practically a steal. Get it here! Check Out This LEGO Disney 100 Celebration Train for 20% OFF ©Amazon Last up, if you’re looking you and your kiddo love a good Disney parade, then look no farther than this LEGO Disney 100 Celebration Train set. It’s definitely the one for you! You’ll have hours of fun as you build the train and play pretend parades with it. Get it here! In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest deals on Disney products, so stay tuned for more. Did you know we have a Disney-themed Amazon Storefront? Check it out!The post 5 Disney LEGO Sets Are on Sale on Amazon for up to 30% Off! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Can you believe it? We’re finally here! Now we can take a trip down the bayou with Tiana and all of her friends at both Disney World and Disneyland! Tiana’s Bayou Adventure If you remember, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened in Disney World over the summer, and Disneyland’s version of the ride opened yesterday! Now that the attractions are complete on both coasts, we’ve actually got a hot take about the ride that you didn’t know you needed! As we were saying, now that both rides are open, and we’ve been on both of them, we have a hot take that we want to share with you. “And what is that hot take?” I hear you asking. Our hot take is that the Disneyland version is hands-down superior. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Disneyland Yes, you heard me right. The West Coast wins this round, so let’s talk about why. It’s All About the Vibes Let’s start with the obvious: Disneyland has New Orleans Square. The entire vibe screams jazz, gumbo, and that “Almost There” ambition. New Orleans Square Tiana’s Bayou Adventure slides into this setting like powdered sugar on a beignet. It’s seamless. You can soak in some live music and practically feel the Louisiana humidity as you approach the ride. Tiana’s Palace in Disneyland Now compare that to Magic Kingdom. Sure, we love Frontierland, but it’s more yee-haw than bayou charm. Westward Ho Refreshments in Frontierland Now we’re all for tumbleweeds and cowboy aesthetics, but let’s just say that the setting in Disneyland doesn’t just work — it elevates the experience. Designed With Disneyland in Mind Now here’s something you may not have known: one of our reporters sat in on an Imagineering presentation, and guess what? The team openly admitted that the project was designed specifically with Disneyland in mind. Morning crowds at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure The ride was designed to integrate with the surroundings of New Orleans Square and Bayou Country. They envisioned it as an extension of Disneyland’s storytelling, weaving it into the area’s existing narrative. That means over at Magic Kingdom, it’s more of a retrofit, a “this should work” situation instead of the “this was meant to be” feeling you get at Disneyland. ©Disney It’s like designing a wedding dress for someone specific and then letting someone else borrow it. Sure, it’s still beautiful, but does it really feel right? Pacing is Everything And lastly, you know how the pacing is crucial for any attraction, right? Well, this is where Disneyland absolutely shines. The layout in California feels tight and intentional, with less of the “blank space” that Magic Kingdom sometimes struggles with. Hey Louis! We’ve seen a lot of complaints about empty spaces during the ride in the Disney World version of the ride that affects its pacing. None of that feels apparent at Disneyland. You’re swept up in Tiana’s story without unnecessary lulls breaking the rhythm. Disneyland Has the Crown At the end of the day, both versions will have their magic, and we’re lucky to have a ride celebrating such an iconic Disney princess, but if you’re asking where the best vision of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure lives, It’s Disneyland, hands down. Tiana Make sure to stay tuned to Disney Food Blog to stay up to date on all the latest Disney news! The 6 BIG Differences Between Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Disney World and 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 Will you be visiting Disneyland to check out Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Let us know in the comments! The post The Tiana's Bayou Adventure Hot Take You Didn't Know You Needed first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Hey, friends! We’re back with another DFB Video covering all the latest Disney news! ‘Walt the Dreamer’ Statue in World Celebration We’ve got MENUS for EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has opened in Disneyland, a new Wicked experience has opened at Universal, and Disney quietly made a change to a classic ride that actually makes me a little sad?? All the latest Disney Parks news is coming up right now on DFB Guide. By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to the channel and never miss a single episode! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/subscribe.png So check out the video and then let us know: Which Disney news of the week are you the most excited about? The post DFB Video: Latest Disney News: Festival of the Holidays Menus, Tiana's Bayou Adventure in Disneyland & MORE! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Will you be visiting Disney World for the holiday season? It really is the MOST wonderful time of the year in the parks. The decorations are MAGICAL. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights are happening on select nights. The snacks are UNFORGETTABLE. The EPCOT Festival of the Holidays starts soon. However, if you are planning a trip during this season, you have probably already figured out it’s one of the most expensive times of the year to visit Disney World. That includes the price of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which is going UP in December. Really, we’re already in the midst of the holiday season in Disney World, it’s in full swing by December. As a result, we’re seeing the price of Lightning Lane Multi Pass increase during that month. The price is based on demand, which means Disney expects a lot of people will be purchasing the skip-the-line option on the My Disney Experience app. Lightning Lanes! On December 5th and 6th, the price for Lightning Lane Multi Pass in EPCOT will increase to $28 per person, the highest we’ve seen for that park so far (the previous high was $26). Magic Kingdom will increase to its highest price (which we have seen before) on those dates at $36 per person. Animal Kingdom will also reach its previous highest price at $22 per person, while Hollywood Studios will increase to $32. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Lightning Lane This also suggests that Disney is expecting more people in the parks on those dates, so you’ll probably benefit from purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass as ride lines could be long (and they usually are during this season). Of course, you’ll need to figure out if riding as many rides as possible is a priority for your group and you’ll have to figure out if these costs fit into your trip budget. Lightning Lane at Peter Pan’s Flight Note that some rides also have Lightning Lane Single Pass — you’ll also have to decide if those rides are a priority and if you’ll want to pay extra to skip their long standby lines. Stay tuned to DFB for more. Book These Rides FIRST With Disney World’s Lightning Lane Multi Pass System DON'T MISS A MOMENT OF HOLIDAY MAGIC Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. It includes all the must-have information for navigating the holiday season at Disney World, including: The COMPLETE schedule of events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! Save 20% on the Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide with code PEPPERMINT. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Learn About Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Get the Latest Information About the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays Get All the Details About Disney Jollywood Nights Everything You Need to Know About Disney World Holiday Dining and Events Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Will you be visiting Disney World during the holiday season? What are your priorities? Let us know in the comments! The post CONFIRMED: Lightning Lane Multi Pass Price Increases Ahead of Holidays in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

The Cake Bake Shop is officially open at Disney World for an extravagant dining experience! The Cake Bake Shop The new restaurant and bakery are along the boardwalk right by Disney’s BoardWalk Inn resort. It features an elegant interior, an amazing environment, and delicious food. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while the bakery is open daily from 7AM to 11PM for you to stop by and try some yummy pastries and desserts. Recently, a new dining option was added to the list — Roses of Gold Afternoon Tea. We’ve tried breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the bakery and shared a first look at those options for you, and now Gwendolyn Rogers, the owner, has shared a first look at the afternoon tea experience! The Cake Bake Shop is so charming and luxurious that it will make a great option if you’re celebrating something special in Disney World, such as a birthday or anniversary. But the Roses of Gold Afternoon Tea looks absolutely decadent. It will be a fabulous option for an outing with friends, a special treat for your kids, or even a fun pre-wedding option for you and your bridal party. via The Cake Bake Shop on Instagram By the looks of it, the options will be perfect for afternoon tea, and the rose details are perfection! Finger sandwiches, bars, cupcakes, macarons, fresh scones, and other adorable options will be served on a golden-tiered tray adorned with tiny roses. via The Cake Bake Shop on Instagram This is seriously so cute and charming! via The Cake Bake Shop on Instagram You can have imported French tea, a premium cocktail, or bubbles served in a keepsake champagne flute adorned with a rose. via The Cake Bake Shop on Instagram This is sure to be a luxurious experience that will make you feel like you’re transported right into a movie or directly to France. via The Cake Bake Shop on Instagram To experience Roses of Gold Afternoon Tea, you will need a reservation; walk-ins and same-day bookings will not be available. To book your reservation for the afternoon tea experience, you must call (407) 574-9040 between 10AM and 4PM ET or send an email to concierge@thecakebakeshop.com. via The Cake Bake Shop on Instagram The entire experience is $95 per adult and $65 per child, and if our experience at the restaurant is any indication, you’ll have wonderful service, delicious food and drinks, and lots of fun! Dining at The Cake Bake Shop is certainly a high-end experience and may be a great option for celebrating special occasions. If you’re interested in dining here, be sure to visit the My Disney Experience app to book your meal or see above to book the Roses of Gold Afternoon Tea experience. Check out our reviews of The Cake Bake Shop below: REVIEW: We Tried the Controversial $23 Cake Slices at Disney World’s Brand New Restaurant REVIEW: Is Dinner at The Cake Bake Shop in Disney World WORTH The Price Tag? We Found Out! REVIEW: Did We Just Find the BEST New Breakfast in Disney World?! For more Disney news, keep following DFB! It Just Got EASIER To Dine at Disney World’s NEWEST Restaurant 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! Are you planning on trying Roses of Afternoon Tea at The Cake Bake Shop? Let us know in the comments! The post NEWS: Reservations Are OPEN for a NEW Cake Bake Shop Experience in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

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It is finally time to go down the bayou with Tiana and all of her friends at Disneyland! Tiana’s Bayou Adventure While Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened in Disney World over the summer, Disneyland’s version of the ride opened today! With the opening of this attraction, Bayou Country, which was re-imagined from Critter Country, is also officially complete! We are here on opening day, and we were surprised by the crowd levels in Bayou Country on this attraction’s opening day. Just like in Disney World, to manage lines at this new attraction, you must obtain a Virtual Queue or purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass to ride for the time being. There is no standby line. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Testing The good news is that you get THREE chances a day to obtain a Virtual Queue, unlike Disney World. At Disneyland, you can enter the queue from outside the park at 7AM. Then you can try again inside the park at both 1PM and 4PM. Opening day crowds Here is a crowd check for the opening day of both this attraction and land! Early in the morning, the virtual queues sold out super quickly, which led us to believe we were in for a busy, crowded day! As the morning rides progressed and the boarding groups started to be called, we noticed the ride went down for a few hours, interrupting the flow of the crowds that had gathered just outside of the ride. Morning crowds at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure It took a bit, but eventually, the ride reopened, and still, the crowds didn’t appear to be too bad, despite the ride having been closed for a few hours. When the next virtual queue opened up, we got a much lower boarding group than we anticipated. Not quite the crowds we anticipated Unfortunately, the virtual queue’s boarding groups paused boarding again, and despite the delays, the crowds still didn’t seem so bad. Waiting for the ride Of course, we’re also aware this is just day one of the newest Disney ride to open, so we could expect to see the crowds start growing over the weekend, and as word gets out, the ride is capable of staying open longer throughout the day. We are here to check out everything in Bayou Country as well as try some new menu items at Tiana’s Palace in New Orleans Square, so make sure to stay tuned to Disney Food Blog to stay up to date on all the latest Disney news! FIRST LOOK Inside a NEW Disney Store Open Now! 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 visiting Disneyland to check out Bayou Country? Let us know in the comments! The post A SURPRISING Look at Disney's Opening Day Tiana's Bayou Adventure CROWDS first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

If you remember when the castle at Magic Kingdom was decorated as a cake for it’s 25th anniversary, then you might be nostalgic for some Disney things that don’t exist anymore. ©Disney Maybe you are still calling Disney Springs, “Downtown Disney”, which it hasn’t been called that since 2015. Do you miss the giant Tower of Terror billboard that moved on World Drive? When you’ve been going to the parks for a long time, you see things come and go. We recently asked our readers what they would love to see back regarding souvenirs; their answers will take you down memory lane! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. We asked our readers “Which extinct souvenir do you desperately wish Disney World would bring back?”. Thank you to everyone who took us on a nostalgic walk through the ’90s and early 2000’s. Let’s see how many of their answers you remember! Pal Mickey ©Disney/D23 Disney sold the Pal Mickey in the early to mid-2000s. This interactive Mickey Plush wasn’t only a cuddly toy; it was also designed to provide location-based information and play interactive games while inside the parks. Evolving technology quickly outstripped the Pal Mickey hardware, and by the time smartphones became ubiquitous, Pal Mickey was a thing of the past. But gosh, he was adorable! Our readers are beginning Disney to bring this one back. Large Snow Globes ©DisneyStore Our reader, Cheryl, said “the beautiful snow globes.” and she wasn’t the only one. 10% of the answers on the question were reminiscing for the snow globes. While they are limited, we did find this 2024 Mickey and Minnie Snow Globe online. View on The Disney Store Antenna Toppers ©Amazon Another one fans shared a lot was the antenna toppers. If you don’t remember these, they were very popular in the early 2000s and came in different Disney characters. I vividly remember my parents buying them when I was a kid. While they don’t sell them in the parks anymore, we did find these Mickey and Minnie Antenna Toppers online. View on Amazon Character Watches ©Disney Our reader, Tina, reminded us of character watches that were popular back then. While you can still find some now, like this Winnie the Pooh Citizens Watch, the characters are more limited. However, if you are still wanting that classic Disney feel, this watch would definitely fit that vibe. View on The Disney Store Dated Ornaments ©DisneyStore Lindsay, a reader, mentioned “having year dates ornaments available all year long”. We totally understand wanting an ornament with your vacation year even if you are going in the summer and not around the holidays. We found this 2024 Mickey and Minnie Holiday Sketchbook Ornament online. Buying ornaments online after your vacation could be beneficial. You wouldn’t have to worry about it breaking while you’re in the parks carrying it around or traveling back home with it. View on The Disney Store Mr. Potato Head ©Amazon Ok, this is speaking to our childhood right here! Mr. Potato Head was a toy everyone had or at least it feels like that. While we haven’t spotted these in the parks in a while, we did find one online! Grab your own Mr. Potato Head online at Amazon. View on Amazon Whatever your nostalgic souvenir is, try finding it online! You never know what you could find that would bring back those old memories. Wanting More Disney Deals? See Our Amazon Storefront! The post Fans Are Desperate for Disney World to Bring Back This Souvenir first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

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It’s beginning to look a lot more like Christmas at Disney World! Christmas is starting! We’ve donned our festive outfits to attend Disney World’s holiday parties, tried fun holiday treats around the parks and hotels, and even taken on the challenge of hunting down over two dozen Christmas trees at Disney Springs! If that wasn’t enough to lift your spirits into something merry and bright, we have the PERFECT activity for you to check out. One of our favorite things to do around Disney World during the holidays is take the road less traveled and create our own fun day by visiting all of the nearby Disney hotels. Why? To check out the unique Christmas trees and decorations! It’s usually a full day (or several days) of fun spent searching for lights, festive decor, and ornaments on each themed Christmas tree. Little character trees at the lobby Gingerbread House inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort It’s also a free activity to do, making it a great option for those traveling solo or with a group of all ages. Let’s take a look at some of the hotels where we’ve recently spotted 2024 Christmas tree displays! Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort First up on our list is Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! You’ll find this hotel’s tree in the Great Ceremonial House, a.k.a. the main lobby. Christmas tree at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort This tree is gorgeous and filled with all the island-esque elements you can imagine! We spotted fruit… Pineapple …sea life… Turtle! … and beautiful flowers! Flowers That’s not the only festival decor here, though! We also spotted some fun wreaths hung at the windows! Christmas wreath You’ll also find a few pieces of garland decked throughout the lobby… Garland around the lobby …and as you enter the lobby and look to the side, you will see a festive motif to welcome you through the door! By the entrance doors It’s a fun, tropical take on Christmas, and we ADORE the decorations! Disney’s Contemporary Resort Next on our holiday tour is Disney’s Contemporary Resort and this one’s a SIGHT! This hotel’s Christmas tree is so tall it is literally located outside. OOH, Christmas tree! You can take a quick peek at it as you’re coming around the monorail, but you can’t truly appreciate the scale until you’re at ground level. This gigantic tree is gorgeous and decked out in larger-than-life ornaments and ribbons! So large But if you thought this was the only tree around at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, guess again because there are actually a few more! As you head towards the porte cochere, you’ll find the meticulously hung garland strung just under the hidden Mickeys. So cute! As you make your way inside, the check-in desk of the lobby is decorated, too. Lobby decorations There are even a few smaller trees over by the front entrance of the hotel… Tree by the entrance doors …and by the entrance of Steakhouse 71 on the opposite side of the lobby, completely adorned with (you guessed it) ornaments with a contemporary appeal. A 3rd tree Don’t they look fabulous?! Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Our last stop around the monorail loop is at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, and it didn’t disappoint! Garland hung from the stairs We spotted several smaller Christmas trees on display by the ornate marble floor. What a welcome! Trees! While we stopped to admire them, we also got a chance to take a look at a few of the Victorian-style ornaments that cover the trees, like this snowflake ornament and velvet bow… Snowflake ornament …and these little kids! Adorable ornament But the greatest one of all here stands in the center lobby just out front of the Gingerbread House, and it is MASSIVE! Lobby Christmas tree We actually had to walk around the entire lobby up top just to get a good look at it from all sides. You’ll want to walk around to get a good look at it Wow, the holidays really are a special time to visit the Disney World hotels, and we think you should work some time into your schedule to see them for yourself. We’re covering all of the holiday happenings around Disney World! Be sure to stay tuned with us at Disney Food Blog for all the latest. You Don’t Want to Skip This FREE Disney World Holiday Experience DON'T MISS A MOMENT OF HOLIDAY MAGIC Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World. It includes all the must-have information for navigating the holiday season at Disney World, including: The COMPLETE schedule of events for the Holiday Season How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!) ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM. And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat! Save 20% on the Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide with code PEPPERMINT. GET YOUR GUIDE NOW MORE Disney World Holiday INFO! Learn About Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Get the Latest Information About the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays Get All the Details About Disney Jollywood Nights Everything You Need to Know About Disney World Holiday Dining and Events Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Which of Disney World’s holiday offerings are a must for you? Tell us in the comments below! The post NEWS: The MASSIVE Christmas Trees at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Hotels Are HERE! first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Is your brain feeling fried from working all day? Find yourself daydreaming about Disney? Magic Kingdom While we can’t bring you to the Disney parks, we can allow you to take a shopping break! For Christmas or just for an end of the week pick me up for yourself, we’ve got you covered! Here are some Disney finds and just some seriously cool things we found on the internet this week. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Want to try out Amazon Prime this holiday season? Get a FREE trial below! Stinky Fridge? Try These Refrigerator Deorderizers! ©Amazon With the holidays coming up, we all know we will have a refrigerator full of leftovers. So to help fight all of those smells, grab this refrigerator deodorizer. How does it work? It decomposes harmful gases into water molecules, eliminates the odors at the source, maintains a fresh odorless refrigerator, and keeps the foods fresh longer. For less than $25, your family will thank you! View on Amazon Check Out These Digital Thermostats! ©Amazon If you’re like me, the weather can fluctuate this time of year with cool nights and warm days. We installed these in our home and it has changed my life. I used to have to get up in the middle of the night to turn up the heat, but now, these regulate the temperatures for me. You can save up to 23% off your energy bill with these as well. View on Amazon Mickey Mouse Mood Light ©Amazon How adorable is this Mickey mood light? At 6″ high, this little guy, your favorite mouse has arrived in the form of this mood light. Functions as an adorable Mickey Mouse figurine when not lit, making for an adorable display on your desk or shelf. The light operates via the 5-foot USB cable (included), complete with an in-line on/off switch for added convenience. It also has a nifty 15-minute auto-shutoff feature makes it a great night light. View on Amazon Smart WiFi Towel Rack Warmer ©Amazon Who else hates getting out of a nice, warm shower to grab their towel and immediately get cold? With this WiFi Warming Towel rack, you’ll feel like you’re at the spa. You Ssmply voice command to control our smart towel warmer via Alexa or Google Home. Turn the towel warmer on or off from anywhere in the world with your smartphone using the SmartLife app. View on Amazon Automatic Curtain Opener ©Amazon Help make waking up easier with these automatic curtain openers. Hang it up, install the positioning magnets, and connect to our app. 3 simple steps for smart curtains in any room. These are also very quiet allowing for a gentle wake up. View on Amazon Mickey Mouse Mug and Warmer ©Amazon Keep your coffee warm until you actually have time to finish it with this Mickey Mouse Mug and Warmer set. Get distracted by work? Do your kids need you to help them while enjoying coffee? Grab one of these and never come back to a cold cup of coffee again. View on Amazon Black & Decker Cocktail Maker ©Amazon Bring the bar to your home with this Black + Decker Cocktail maker. Make mixologist-crafted cocktails from the comfort of your own home in three easy steps: insert a cocktail capsule, select drink strength, press mix, and enjoy. You can even select your drink strength with the turn of a dial. Choose from mocktails, light, regular, and strong. The cocktail maker connects directly to five standard 750ml liquor bottles, loaded upright, so you can drink and display your choice of liquor. View on Amazon Lightsaber Chop Sticks ©Amazon Use the force while you dine at home with these Lightsaber Chop Sticks. For under $10, you can choose between a variety of colors to eat with. These would make a great gift this holiday season to any Star Wars fan. View on Amazon UV Nail Lamp ©Amazon Sometimes going to the nail salon is inconvenient. Between waiting to be seen, waiting for your nails to dry, and finding time in the day, it can get pretty annoying. Grab this UV Nail Lamp to do your nails at home this holiday season. Right now, it is 50% off so hurry! View on Amazon Disney Villains Tarot Deck ©Amazon Disney’s most iconic villains have taken over tarot in this dastardly take on a traditional 78-card deck. Featuring the notorious ne’er-do-wells from classic animated films like 101 Dalmatians, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, and more, this tarot deck reimagines Cruella de Vil, Ursula, Maleficent, and the whole motley crew in original illustrations based on classic tarot iconography. Including both the Major and Minor Arcana, the set also comes with a helpful guidebook with explanations of each card’s meaning, as well as simple spreads for easy readings. View on Amazon Need Some More Distraction? Check Out Our Amazon Storefront!The post Need to Take a Break This Afternoon? We Gotchu. first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is officially open at Disneyland Resort, bringing riders along a musical journey inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Princess and the Frog” filled with familiar faces, new friends and a thrilling 50-foot descent. Keep reading to find out how some of your favorite celebrities – including the voice talent from the film: Anika Noni Rose, Jenifer Lewis and Michael-Leon Wooley – rang in the debut of this family-friendly attraction! Anika Noni Rose, Jenifer Lewis and Michael-Leon Wooley Disney Animation’s “The Princess and the Frog” cast Anika Noni Rose, Jenifer Lewis and Michael-Leon Wooley were on hand for the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland Resort. Princess Tiana and Louis the Alligator even joined them for a celebratory moment dancing to swinging melodies from the Jambalaya Jazz Band over on Orleans Street in New Orleans Square. Anika and Jenifer were joined by composer and singer-songwriter PJ Morton to deliver a joyful performance aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat during the official dedication of the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland. Jenifer and Michael-Leon also experienced the magic of the attraction as they went through the bayou on the exhilarating musical adventure together. They even saw some familiar faces including Mama Odie and gator pal Louis! Tia Mowry In the nearby New Orleans Square, Tia Mowry (in an outfit inspired by Boo from Pixar Animation Studios’ “Monsters, Inc.”) posed with Princess Tiana and then stopped by Tiana’s Palace for some New Orleans- inspired dishes, including gumbo, red beans and rice, and of course beignets! Yvette Nicole Brown Yvette Nicole Brown made her way over to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure after stopping by Eudora’s Chic Boutique Featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets in New Orleans Square, where she browsed through home goods, clothing, accessories and even found Tiana’s Cookbook. Jaime Camil Jaime Camil also dropped into the bayou for a day at Disneyland Resort to enjoy Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. He even saw Louis during his visit! The post It’s a Joyful Celebration! See How Stars Celebrated Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Opening at Disneyland appeared first on Disney Parks Blog. View the full article

A NEW LAND inspired by the Tropical Americas is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom park in 2027. Say goodbye to Dinoland U.S.A. and hello to Pueblo Esperanza! Animal Kingdom Get ready for a lush, vibrant new land in Disney World filled with music, characters, and adventures. We’re still waiting on a few key details, like the opening date, but we do know that Dinoland (the land that Pueblo Esperanza will replace) will close in phases. Speaking of Dinoland, though, I have some questions about the logistics of this expansion project. OK, so for context, I should preface this by saying that I am a former Disney World Cast Member, and I still keep in touch with several coworkers from the parks. After Disney confirmed that Dinoland U.S.A. would be transformed into Pueblo Esperanza, people (including Disney Cast Members) started asking a LOT of questions. For starters — how’s this gonna work?! Dinoland, U.S.A. Pueblo Esperanza will be a new 11-acre section of the park. For comparison, Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is about the same size. The new land will highlight the Tropical Americas through the stories of Encanto and Indiana Jones. Pueblo Esperanza will become home to two signature attractions — an Encanto ride featuring the Madrigal family and a new Indiana Jones adventure ride! Disney is also adding a carousel ride as an option for people of all ages. Pueblo Esperanza Carousel Concept Art ©Disney The updated land will feature classic Spanish-style architecture and a large hacienda, which will also serve as one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Disney World. We have a feeling that this new restaurant will take over Restaurantosaurus, but Disney hasn’t confirmed the location yet. Take a DEEP DIVE into the Pueblo Esperanza Carousel concept art HERE! The retheming of this section of the park is part of Disney’s $60 billion project to update and expand the Disney parks. TL;DR? Disney is about to spend a bunch of money on a bunch of big projects. Pueblo Esperanza Model If everything goes according to plan, Pueblo Esperanza should open in 2027. As part of the phased closure of the land, the last day to ride TriceraTop Spin, visit Fossil Fun Games, and see Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures is January 12th, 2025. Construction walls will go up around these areas on January 13th. We’re still waiting for closing dates for DINOSAUR, the Boneyard, Restaurantosaurus, Dino-Bite Snacks, and Trilo-Bites. Trilo-Bites Now, back to the logistics of it all. While this major project is being called an “expansion,” it’s worth noting that there isn’t actually much room to expand. Here’s a look at Dinoland via Google Maps. That big white building in the center of the photo is the Dinosaur attraction, and directly behind it is a big lake. ©Google Maps Here’s a closer look at the area we’re working with here. Disney Cast Members (especially those who work at Disney’s Animal Kingdom) have a lot of questions about how Disney plans to fit all its new attractions in this relatively small area. Unless Disney plans to tap into the lake area (which seems highly unlikely), it seems like Pueblo Esperanza will use pretty much the same footprint as Dinoland — there’s simply nowhere to expand! ©Apple Maps Additionally, we spotted some permits for Buena Vista Construction Company — a construction company that Disney itself owns and operates from Disney World property. The permits were vague, simply stating, “Provide labor, material and/or electrical for construction.” What’s interesting, though, is that the addresses listed on the permits match up with three separate buildings in an area that is currently backstage at Dinoland. Could these permits be related to new construction, or are they just preparing the area for construction? It’s hard to say! Map of planned construction areas If Disney really does want to expand this land, it seems like some backstage buildings might be in jeopardy. For now, we’ll have to wait and see! In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more. The Tropical Americas — An Encanto Transformation in Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW What do you think about this expansion? Let us know in the comments! The post I’m a Former Disney World Cast Member, and I Am CONFUSED by This Expansion Announcement first appeared on the disney food blog. View the full article