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NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Disney World’s theme parks are gearing up to reopen next month, and to prepare several Disney World resort hotels are getting ready to welcome back guests starting next week!

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Walt Disney World

But if you’re looking forward to enjoying one of your favorite meals at one of these Disney World restaurants, you might be out of luck!

Just like we saw right before several restaurants reopened in Disney Springs, menus are getting slashed left and right! We’ve seen lots of starters, appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, desserts, and kids’ menu selections fly out the window today! But don’t worry — it’s not all bad news! Several restaurants have added a bunch of new boozy drinks! Let’s find out if your favorite menu items have survived the chopping block.

Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort

Beaches & Cream

One of our favorite spots to eat at Disney World is Beaches & Cream! So far, they’ve cut the Beaches & Cream Salad, Patty Melt, Turkey and Applewood-smoked Bacon Sandwich, and Salmon Sandwich with Bacon Aioli from the menu.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

No Way Jose Sundae

They’ve also erased their Plant-based Bowl of Chili, Chicken Noodle Soup, and dessert offerings including Apple À la Mode and Beaches Chocolate Cake! Never fret, though! You’ll still be able to get your Kitchen Sinks and No Way José Sundaes! They’ve re-emerged unscathed!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Sanaa

We love dining at Sanaa where you can watch exotic animals grazing while you eat (or are THEY watching US eat?!). Either way, you won’t find Shrimp Tinashe Sauté, Boerewors and Spiced Eggs, Lamb Kefta Skewers, Shrimp Over Harvest Salad, Boerewors Braai Grilled South African Sausage, Kenya Coffee Barbecue Sandwich, or Seasonal Sustainable Fish on the lunch menu any longer!

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Animal Kingdom Lodge

For dinnertime, the Artisanal Cheese Selection, Berbere-braised Lamb Shank and Traditional Sosatie Braai Lamb with Apricots, South African Braaivleis Fire-grilled Meats with Traditional Accompaniments, and Mozambique Chicken Roast Piri Piri Half Chicken have been taken off the menu. Desserts offerings that are no longer available include the Caramel N’dizi Banana Financier, Spice Trade Candy Bar, and Chakalaka Poached Pear with Frangipane.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Spice Trade Candy Bar

For kids’ entrees, Chicken Breast is no longer offered, nor are sides including Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans, Quinoa Pilaf, and the African Shield Dessert.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Whispering Canyon Cafe

Over at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Whispering Canyon Cafe has also reduced its menu. House-smoked Salmon Frittata, Benedicts Traditional, Vegetable Two-Poached Eggs served atop House-made Buttermilk-Cheddar Biscuits, Flapjacks Bourbon-Maple Syrup, and Stone-ground Cheese Grits have been sliced off the breakfast options.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Whispering Canyon

House-made Cornbread with Honey-Butter, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Smoked Beef and Vegetable Soup, and Seasonal Fruit Cobbler has also been taken off. Bourbon Cowboy, a mixed drink, has also been removed.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Whispering Canyon Cafe Corn Bread and Honey Butter

The kid’s entree Fish of the Day has been replaced with a Chicken Breast while sides of Broccoli, Rice Pilaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Farro Fruit Salad are no longer available.

Roaring Fork

Roaring Fork has added a bunch of beers to their menu!

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Roaring Fork

You’ll now find Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider, Corona Extra Lager, Heineken, Blue Moon Belgian White Ale, Yuengling Traditional Lager, Bud Light, Budweiser, Coors Light, and Miller Lite in their grab ‘n’ go refrigerated cases!

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

The Wave…of American Flavors

The Wave…of American Flavors will not be serving its Breakfast Buffet, and they’ve also removed their Glazed Donut French Toast and Egg White Frittata breakfast menu offerings. Meanwhile, they’ve added a Seasonal Fruit Plate for $9, Continental Breakfast for $10, and Oatmeal for $7. The Egg White Omelet from the kids’ menu has also been removed.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

The Wave…of American Flavors Entrance

For their lunch menu, the Prince Edward Island Mussels, Rock Shrimp Taco, Tikka Masala, Dashi Noodle Bowl, Pappardelle Pasta, French Dip Sandwich, and Sweet Temptations The Wave Cheese Board have been cut while the kids’ menu Grilled Cheese and Grilled Steak Kabob options have been taken off.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

No Longer Serving Their Breakfast Buffet

The Wave’s Seasonal Dessert Flight which included Pineapple Cheesecake, Strawberry Mousse Cake, Florida Key Lime Tart have also been taken away along with the No Sugar-Added Dessert and Trio of Sorbet.

Contempo Cafe

At the Contempo Cafe, they’re stocking the bar with new beers including Stella Artois Lager, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider, Blue Point Toasted Lager, Cigar City Florida Cracker Hefeweizen, Samuel Adams Seasonal Beer, Blue Moon Belgian White Ale, Yuengling Traditional Lager, and Budweiser.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Kitchen and Pick Up Area at The Contempo Cafe

For wine offerings, they’ve added Parducci Pinot Grigio, Copa Pinot Grigio, and other canned alcoholic beverages including Cutwater Gin & Tonic, Cutwater Rum & Ginger, and Jose Cuervo Classic Lime Margarita.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

Grand Floridian Cafe

Grand Floridian Cafe is a great place to hit up on your way to Magic Kingdom, but you won’t find their Bacon and Egg Salad Cobb Salad, Smoked Salmon, Spicy Chorizo Benedict, Lobster Benedict, or Benedict Flight on their breakfast menu when they reopen.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Benedict Flight is No Longer Available

They’ve also taken away their Traditional Reuben Sandwich, Seasonal Soup, French Onion Soup, Artisan Cheese Selection, House-breaded Fried Mozzarella, House-made Turkey Meatloaf Shrimp and Grits, Cast Iron-seared Pork Chop, Sirloin Steak and Scallops, and The Cafe Sandwich.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Grand Floridian Cafe Dining Room

Enhancements such as their Shrimp Skewer and Scallop Skewer are not available while they’ve also removed their Chocolate Fondue, Apple Crisp, and Raspberry Sorbet from the dessert menu.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

New York Strip Steak

Kids’ appetizers including Chicken Noodle Soup and Cucumbers and Tomatoes Served with Ranch Dressing have been cut while kids’ create-your-own entrées Shrimp Skewer and Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs options have also been taken away.

Gasparilla Grill

Gasparilla Grill has been given a boozy upgrade! You’ll now find a selection of alcoholic beverages including Cut Water Bloody Mary, Lime Margarita, Kahlúa Mudslide, Beer Schöfferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen, Bud Light Lime, Ciderboys Grand Mimosa Apple Orange Hard Cider, Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider, Cigar City Jai Alai IPA, Kona Big Wave Golden Ale, Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale, Redbridge Lager, Budweiser, Coors Light, and Miller Lite.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Gasparilla Grill

Wine by the bottle selections now includes Drouhin Pinot Noir,  Bellafina Moscato, Milbrandt Cabernet Sauvignon, KRIS Pinot Grigio, and Grayson Chardonnay while by the glass servings of Drouhin Pinot Noir, Francois Montand Brut Sparkling Wine, Milbrandt Cabernet Sauvignon, Bellafina Moscato, KRIS Pinot Grigio, Grayson Chardonnay, and Copa White Zinfandel are now offered.

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Captain Cook’s

Captain Cook’s will have a bevy of new beverages including Heineken, Bud Light Lime, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, and Budweiser.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Captain Cook’s

Wine offerings now include Natura Chardonnay, Copa Cabernet Sauvignon, Copa Chardonnay, Copa Pinot Grigio, Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Woodbridge Chardonnay, and Woodbridge Pinot Grigio.

Kona Cafe

Onto Kona Cafe, a bunch of menu items got the ax. For breakfast, the Lighter Fare Tropical Fruit Plate, Spice-rubbed Salmon Plate, Polynesian Egg Platter, Seven Seas Samoan Poached Eggs, and Turkey Hash Loco Moco Traditional Island Brunch have been cut. However, the plant-based Loco Moco option is still available. The Ham and Cheese Omelet, and French Toast Topped with Caramel-Banana Sauce have also been given their walking papers, but don’t worry — you can still get Tonga Toast!

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Kona Cafe

As for lunch and dinner offerings, the Shrimp Tempura, Hamachi-Tuna Roll, Dragon Roll, Polly Lolly Roll, Shrimp Fire Cracker Roll, and several Samplers have been removed. The Seafood Pu Pu Platter, Polynesian Tuna Niçoise, Duck Fried Rice with Leg Confit, Big Kahuna Burger, Hawaiian-style Reuben, Char Siu Duck Ramen, and Beef Pho have also been dispatched too. On the kids’ menu, the Pasta with Marinara selection has been taken away.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Rix Sports Bar & Grill

Heading over to Rix Sports Bar & Grill, the Rix Reuben, Short Rib Chili, Ceasar Salad, Wedge Salad, Ale-battered Fish & Chips, Florida Grouper Sandwich, Turkey Burger, Bacon Cheeseburger, Black & Blue Burger, BBQ Ranch Burger, and Queso Fundido Burger have been removed from the menu.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Rix Rueben

We had just stopped by to try the new Rix Rueben, so we hope it doesn’t stay away too long since it was very yummy!

Disney’s Old Key West Resort

Olivia’s Cafe

Meanwhile, a bunch of items have been taken off Olivia Cafe’s breakfast menu including their Hash and Two Eggs-Any Style, Sombrero Beach Omelet, Crab Cake-Eggs Benedict, Monroe Egg White Omelet, and Key West Hash Tamari-marinated Tofu as well as a number of side items such as Olivia’s Famous Grits and Biscuits and Sausage Gravy.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Olivia’s Cafe Entrance

For dinner, they’ve removed the Tomato Mozzarella Salad and added a new Beets and Citrus Salad for $11 which includes Sangria-poached Beets, Avocado Purée, Orange Segments, Sunflower Seeds, Arugula, and a White Balsamic Vinaigrette.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Olivia’s Cafe

Olivia’s has taken their Mascarpone Cheesecake and Mile Marker Zero (No Sugar Added) Tropical Panna Cotta off of their dessert menu. For their kids’ create-your-Own entrées, Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs, Chickpea Slider, and Seasonal Grilled Fish meal options have been cut and side offerings including Broccolini, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, No Sugar-Added Sorbet With House-made Gummies, and Ice Cream Sundaes have been taken away.

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort

Artist’s Palette

Our last stop brings us to Artist’s Palette where you’ll find a new vast array of alcoholic beverages. You’ll find canned Kahlúa Mudslide, Blue Marble Bloody Mary, Truly Wild Berry Hard Seltzer, Beer Schöfferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen, New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale, Cigar City Jai Alai IPA, Concrete Beach Havana Lager, Goose Island IPA, M.I.A. Brewing Tourist Trappe Belgian Tripel, Strongbow Hard Cider, Coors Light, and Miller Lite.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Artist’s Palette

For wine by the bottle, there’s Moet and Chandon Imperial Sparkling Wine, Banfi Rosa Regale Sparkling Wine, Rainstorm Pinot Noir, Drouhin Pinot Noir, Black Pearl Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz, Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, Sokol Blosser Evolution Lucky No. 9 White Blend, Fess Parker Chardonnay, and Parker Station Pinot Noir.

NEWS! Disney World Just Changed A LOT Of Menus, and We’ve Got The DETAILS!

Artist’s Palette

But wait, there’s more! Martini and Rossi Asti Sparkling Wine, Coppo Moncalvino Moscato, Kenwood White Zinfandel, Island Grove Blueberry Moscato, Rosemount Estate Chardonnay, Sartori di Verona Pinot Grigio, Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot, Banfi Chianti Superiore, Once Upon a Vine Big Bad Red, Hogue Cabernet Sauvignon, Copa Moscato, Copa Pinot Grigio, and Stella Rosa Pink are also on the menu.

It’s important to note that all of these menu changes MAY be temporary. Plenty of spots in Disney Springs have been offering limited menus upon reopening, and there’s no indication those cuts are permanent. The same very well COULD apply to these Disney World restaurants.

Those are all the menu changes we’ve noticed so far, but we’ll be on the lookout for more, especially now that we know when Disney World hotel guests will be able to book dining reservations once again! 

Did your favorite menu item get slashed? Let us know if your favorite foods survived this round of Disney World menu cuts in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club Resort, Contemporary Resort, Coronado Springs Resort, Counter-Service, Disney News, Featured, General, Grand Floridian Resort, Old Key West Resort, Polynesian Resort, Snacks, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club Resort, artists palette, Beaches and Cream, Breakfast, Captain Cook’s, Contempo Cafe, dinner, Disney World, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, disney’s grand floridian resort, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, disney’s saratoga springs resort, disney’s wilderness lodge, disney’s yacht and beach club resort, Gasparilla Grill, Grand floridian Cafe, hotels, Kona Cafe, limited menu, lunch, no breakfast buffet, Olivia’s Cafe, reduced menus, reopening, resorts, restaurants, Rix Sports Bar and Grill, roaring fork, Sanaa, The Wave, the wave of american flavors, Whispering Canyon Cafe

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10 Disney World Tips That AREN’T in the Guidebooks

Planning a Walt Disney World vacation can be both an extremely exciting AND daunting task.

Hello there Mickey and Minnie!

But with the proper planning and research, you can make the most out of your time and hard-earned money spent on a Walt Disney World Resort Vacation. Even still, you might not find everything you need to know about having the most EPIC time at Disney just by reading the guidebooks! Luckily, you’ve got us by your side!

We’re going to take you through a few tips that we think are SUPER important — although you’ll rarely see them discussed anywhere except here! Let’s go for ride!

Your Disney World Resort Is a BIG Part of Your Disney World Experience!

A lot of folks think a hotel is just a place to sleep, shower, and get dressed so you can spend all your time at the parks (and for some, it can be just that!), but don’t overlook how truly important your Disney World resort hotel can be! In fact, some of our favorite vacation things aren’t at the parks at all — they’re at the resorts!

Port Orleans Riverside

Disney does an excellent job of providing a slew of resort activities all day long at all properties, from their Value resorts to their Deluxe resorts. You never know what cool new thing your family will stumble upon!

Oasis Pool at Polynesian Village Resort

Each afternoon the pools at the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels offer guests a full slate of entertaining family activities including Bingo, karaoke, hula hoop contests, relay races, scavenger hunts, trivia challenges, chalk art, pin trading, and poolside challenges. No matter which Resort you call home, you can stop by the front desk and ask a cast member for the Resort Activities Schedule.

Sample Activities Board at Coronado Springs

And don’t be afraid to explore OTHER Disney World resorts either! Even if you aren’t a guest, you can still explore any hotel at Disney World! Take advantage of the Holiday season by touring the various resorts with Christmas Displays. Any guest can enjoy the annual Gingerbread house displays at Grand Floridian or sip on a specialty holiday cocktail at The Contemporary Resort!

Grand Floridian Gingerbread House

Lounge hopping is another great way to explore the properties. Many of these bartenders have been cast members for a long time and it’s always nice to relax and chat over cocktails and delicious bites. Some of our favorites are Crew’s Cup Lounge at the Yacht Club Resort and Territory Lounge at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (be sure to indulge in the sinfully delicious fondue). Oh and don’t forget Trader Sam’s at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort!

Chardonnay Cheese Fondue

Don’t Miss These Walt Disney World Bars and Lounges!

Some resorts also offer character meals like those you can find in the parks. Some of these dining experiences offer more time with your favorite characters as well as a unique selection of food. In fact, let’s talk about character dining next!

Learn More About Disney World Hotel Activities For The Whole Family!

Not All Character Meals Are Created Equal

If you’re looking to spend your FastPass+ on popular attractions instead of using them to meet characters, a character dining experience is a great opportunity for you to do just that! Note that Character Meals have been suspended for now, but we know they’ll be back in the future, so it never hurts to plan ahead.

While Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is crazy popular, some character dining options are a little more off-the-beaten-path. Storybook Dining at Artist Point in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is one of our favorite character meals with some really cool theatrical lighting, innovative food presentation, and even a private encounter with the Evil Queen herself!

Meet the Queen at Storybook Dining at Artist Point!

Snow White, Grumpy, and Dopey usually make the rounds as well!

Read our FULL REVIEW of Storybook Dining at Artist Point here!

At the Walt Disney World Swan Resort, you’ll find one of the most underrated character dining experiences, Garden Grove. The weekend breakfast buffet is affordable and offers plenty of interaction with characters. This is the perfect place for photo ops with the typical cast of characters that can include Goofy, Chip & Dale, Pluto, and more.

Garden Grove ©Disney

We went to EVERY character meal so you don’t have to!

And since some of these out-of-the way, lesser-known character meals aren’t as well attended as Chef Mickey’s or 1900 Park Fare (another popular character meal, which usually has characters from Cinderella in the evening, and Pooh, Tigger, the Mad Hatter, and others in the morning!) the characters aren’t as pressed for time and can sometimes spend a little longer with you at your table!

Cinderella and Prince Charming

It’s also important to keep in mind some character meals are served buffet style (like Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace), while others are plated and brought to your table.

Crystal Palace Buffet

For families with smaller children, we happen to prefer the latter since it means we don’t have to worry about rushing to the buffet before a character arrives while juggling our kids at the same time!

Winnie the Pooh, Tiger, Eeyore, and Piglet normally greet at Crystal Palace! Read our full review of dinner here!

And we might just love character meal BREAKFASTS most of ALL! ‘Ohana has an amazing character breakfast (where you’ll meet Stitch, Lilo, and more!) and Trattoria al Forno‘s Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast has some of the rarest Disney characters you’ll meet, including Rapunzel, Flynn Ryder, Ariel (with legs!) and Prince Eric! 

Meeting Rapunzel is part of the fun!

You won’t find these princes meeting anywhere else at Disney World!

Read our FULL REVIEW of the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast here!

And don’t forget — Disney’s Riviera Resort, which just opened last winter, has a fancy new plated character breakfast too!

Topolino’s Terrace Breakfast a la Art Characters

You’ll find this at the resort’s signature dining location, Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera, and have a chance to meet Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Donald!

Click here to see our review of breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace!

And finally, our all-time FAVORITE character meal can be found over at Garden Grill in the Land Pavilion at Epcot. This restaurant serves up all-you-care-to-eat platters of breakfast favorites in the morning (including plates of their incredible Chip’s Sticky Bun Bake!), and meats and veggies (grown IN the Land Pavilion!) for lunch and dinner.

Breakfast Skillet at Garden Grill

This spot is usually pretty easy to snag a last-minute table, and due to the small size of the restaurant, you often get a TON of interaction with characters like Farmer Mickey, Chip, Dale, and Pluto! Oh yeah — and the restaurant slowly rotates while you eat, letting you look down on the Living with the Land attraction below! We seriously can not understate what a fantastic character meal AND quality food Garden Grill offers all day long.

Click here for our latest breakfast review of Garden Grill!

Disable Charging Privileges on Your Child’s MagicBand

He’s a little tip you’ll want to keep in mind as soon as you arrive at Disney World IF you’ll be staying on property with kiddos!

All of the MagicBands you’ll receive in the mail prior to your trip will already be linked to your Disney World account, including any credit card you have on file. That means you might want to deactivate this feature if you have children who might be tempted to make an unauthorized purchase! ?

Mulan MagicBand

Your kids would still need to know the 4 digit pin code to make purchases, but if you have older kids in your crew you don’t want running around Disney World with unlimited access to your money, consider disabling charging privileges for their bands. ? You can deactivate the purchase settings on your kids’ MagicBands yourself using the My Disney Experience app or just ask a friendly Cast Member at Guest Relations to deactivate it for you when you check-in!

A great solution to older kids who want the freedom to buy their own goodies? Buy a Disney Gift Card!

Flower and Garden Festival Themed Gift Card

Disney often sells themed gift cards on wristbands, making them super convenient to tote around with you. You can load more money on the card if you choose, but for your kid — when it’s gone it’s gone!

Click here for even more tips for your Disney trip with kids!

Loyalty Programs and Third Party Offers

If you’re a Disney Vacation Club member or Annual Passholder, you’re probably already used to purchasing merch with your 20% discount at select locations throughout the parks, but did you know there are even greater ways to save??

Walt Disney World Annual Passholder

Tables in Wonderland is a dining discount program for eligible Florida Residents, Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders (21 and older), good for 20% off food and beverage (including booze) at a wide selection of Walt Disney World Resort hotel and theme park restaurants and lounges.

Tables in Wonderland Card

Many Disney Springs restaurants have loyalty programs where you’ll be rewarded simply for enjoying your meal! The Levy Loyalty Program gets you special deals at Paddlefish, Terralina Crafted Italian, and Wolfgang Puck branded restaurants.

Paddlefish

The Landry’s Loyalty Program comes with lots of extra perks too! At Yak & Yeti Restaurant, T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe, you’ll be treated to priority seating, rewards points, $25 for signing up, and an extra $25 during your birthday month. There is a one-time membership fee, but that sign-up reward cancels it out!

T-Rex at Disney Springs

Patina Group offers a free Subscription List where they’ll send you offers and deals –  plus $30-$50 offers for your birthday — they run several restaurants at Disney Springs and a few over in Epcot. Here’s a list of spots they offer discounts for:

How to Build the Fastest Car on Test Track

We might be known for our competitive eating practices at Epcot’s many annual food festivals (where we literally order everything on EVERY menu!). Epcot’s two largest festivals, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and the O.G. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, are some of our favorites to eat our way around!

Epcot Flower and Garden

Check out our Best of the Fest list from this year’s Flower and Garden Festival here!

But there’s ANOTHER competition we take VERY seriously at Epcot and it has a little sumptin’ to do with an attraction called Test Track. To provide a little backstory if you’re unfamiliar with this ride at Epcot, you’re responsible for building a “sim car” on a touchscreen before entering the attraction. Once inside, you’ll take the prototype for a test drive — at speeds of up to 64 miles per hour!

Test Track

To have the highest score (note: none of this will actually alter your experience in any form, but you WILL receive bragging rights, which is reward enough for us), you’ll need to build the perfect performance MACHINE!

Stations Where Guests Design Their Cars

When designing your car, you’ll want to move quickly through the basics like shape and width — but pay attention to the category point values as you make changes (you want to keep them all as high as possible). Once you get to the accessories section at the end you can pick up lots of extra points by adding hood elements and wheel upgrades. It’s tempting to focus on flash when building your car, but stick to those numbers — they’ll literally pave the way to your victory every time you ride!

Click here for more tips to maximize your scores on Disney rides!

Familiarize Yourself with the My Disney Experience App BEFORE You Go

The My Disney Experience App on your device is a key element to planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Besides providing the vitals like FastPass+ bookings, showtimes, and park hours, this is now the preferred method for booking and modifying your Advance Dining Reservations.

Access My Disney Experience on Your Computer or Your Mobile App

But don’t wait until you’re at the parks to open it up for the first time. Trust us — you’ll be using it A LOT, so play around with it before you go! Believe it or not, a lot of people don’t even realize the My Disney Experience app is completely free to use and it’s not only exclusive to resort guests. Anyone can use it!

Haunted Mansion

Make sure your whole family has tickets and is linked up on the My Disney Experience app, too! Otherwise, you won’t be able to reserve FastPasses for your entire party. It’s also super important to keep in mind when your FastPass window opens up so you can reserve your three FastPass selections for your whole group each day!

These are usually available to resort guests 60 days out from their arrival and 30 days out for everyone else. Once you use all of your FastPasses during a day in the parks, you can open the My Disney Experience app and make another FastPass selection on the fly!

Rock N Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios

Another thing to keep in mind about FastPasses — all of the parks except Magic Kingdom have FastPass tiers, meaning you can only reserve a one Tier 1 FastPass at a time. For instance, Hollywood Studios has three Tier 1 FastPasses, so you’ll have to choose between Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon, and Slinky Dog Dash!  

Remember though, right now the FastPass system has been suspended temporarily. But once it’s back up and running you should be ready!

Which Tier 1 FastPass should you choose in Hollywood Studios?

Happy Hour at Disney Springs

You’ll be hard-pressed to find Happy Hours at Walt Disney World resort hotels or in the theme parks. BUT, there is good news — Disney Springs offers a SLEW of amazing happy hours throughout the day. One of our absolute FAVORITES is the Happy Hour at The Edison. Offered from 3-6PM, this deal includes $7 Craft Cocktails and select Wines.

Happy Hour At The Edison

End the night off at the swanky STK Steakhouse, which offers an incredible deal on Sunday-Wednesday from 3-6PM and Thursdays-Saturdays 10PM-close with $2 oysters, $5-8 small bites, and half off specialty cocktails.

Discover More Happy Hour and Late Night Menus In Disney Springs!

Bring Refillable Water Bottles and Water Flavor Enhancers

We are ALL doing our part to support the environment, one (paper) straw at a time. Bringing a refillable water bottle with you to the parks is a smart way to help the Earth while saving some money by not having to buy bottled water all the time. (We love this SUPER CUTE New Skyliner Water Bottle!)

Skyliner Water Bottle

New filtered water refilling stations are now popping up in a few locations around the parks, making it easy and convenient to stay hydrated while on the go. Or, you can always ask a Cast Member at a fast food location for a cup of ice water for free.

Free Water in Disney

And if you don’t like the taste of tap water (it can be especially swampy flavored in Florida!), we recommend bringing some packets of water flavoring along! Most of these enhancers come in a powder form or small squirt bottles. You simply add some to your water bottle, give it a good shake, and you’re ready to go with a tastier beverage without having to spend extra money!

Click here for even more helpful tips for your Disney World trip!

Managing Your Expectations When Things Go Wrong

Things inevitably have a way of going wrong sometimes, and even the best of trips usually has a few disappointments.

Maleficent at Villains After Hours

But as long as you keep a cool head and an even keel, we think you’ll still walk away with a good experience, and maybe even a funny story to share later on down the road.

We’ve been stuck on Spaceship Earth for 30 minutes, gotten drenched in more torrential downpours than we can remember, and encountered all kinds of torment due to poor footwear decisions, but that hasn’t stopped us from having a ball each and every time we go to Disney World!

Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom

And just remember — Cast Members are there to make sure you have a magical day. If you need any assistance to help achieve that, whether you need something like a bandaid or directions, just ask. Cast Members will help you solve whatever problem you’re having. Well, almost. They can’t really help you if your family is driving you bonkers (which probably will occur at some time during your trip!). Even Disney World Cast Members aren’t miracle workers. ?

Nicest Bathrooms in Parks!

Choose your restrooms wisely. While this may sound a little off-kilter, Walt Disney World is ALL about planning and that includes choosing your restrooms wisely. You never know when your little one or even YOU are going to have an emergency!

At Epcot, the American Dream is alive and well at perhaps one of the LARGEST bathrooms in all of the parks, located at the American Adventure. There are plenty of stalls and the air conditioning is always blasting. This is an especially great location if you’re drinking and eating around World Showcase or enjoying a show at the America Gardens Theatre.

American Adventure Pavilion ©Disney

Quite possibly the most hidden bathroom in all of Walt Disney World can be found on the side of Journey Into Imagination with Figment. This is just to the right of the attraction’s main entrance and there’s rarely more than few guests ever in there at one time.

Journey Into Imagination Sign

There are a few gems at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests in route to Toy Story Land should avoid the ones located inside the land and opt for the bathrooms located just outside and across from Joffrey’s.

Toy Story Land

The bathrooms just behind the Cheshire Café at Magic Kingdom tend to never have a wait. Another solid choice are the Tangled Restrooms on the border of Fantasyland and Liberty Square. While this area tends to be a little chaotic and packed with strollers, there are plenty of stalls and rarely a wait.

Cheshire Cafe Sign

Animal Kingdom does perhaps the best job at providing strategically placed restrooms with plenty of stalls. The theming is also something to note at many of these locations as well.

Asia Bridge in Animal Kingdom

Our personal favorites are the ones at Restaurantosaurus. Speaking of bathrooms, we have a WHOLE VIDEO on some of the best bathrooms in Disney World!

Of course, there are plenty more tips and tricks to share with you! We hope we’ve helped you think of a few things you hadn’t considered for your trip and how to approach them differently. With proper planning and research, you can have a totally MAGICAL and STRESS-FREE Walt Disney World vacation (well, within reason, of course!).

6 Walt Disney World Planning Tips Everyone Always Forgets!

What are your top tips for visiting the Walt Disney World Resort?

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
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Here’s How We Snagged a FREE One-Time Express Pass in Universal Orlando Today

It has been an exciting day at Universal Studios now the theme parks are open to the general public!

Hogsmeade

And believe it or not, the crowds haven’t been too bad today! We’re not sure what sort of wizardry is at work, but we’ll take all the extra elbow room we can get in Hogsmeade right about now!

The line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure was noticeably more subdued as we waited for our chance to ride! We had reserved a spot in the virtual line this morning using the Universal app, but there was still a short wait!

Line for Hagrids’ Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

But alas! Just as it was almost time to embark on our adventure, the ride broke down! Since no one knew when the attraction would be up, the crowd dispersed.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

But just when all hope seemed lost, we received a push notification…and WHAT WAS THIS?! Universal sent us a one-time use Express Pass for our troubles!

Screenshot of Universal App

That’s right — the QR Code for a single-use Express Pass (which is a feature Universal guests usually have to pay for) magically showed up on our device. Similar to Disney’s Multi-Experience Fast Passes (which Cast Members sometimes issue to guests when things don’t work out quite right) this was Universal’s way of saying, “Sorry for the trouble!”

Unfortunately, the Express Pass wasn’t available for every attraction, but it was awesome to be able to walk up to any ride at any time and use it whenever we wanted!

Screenshot of Universal App

We can’t guarantee Univeral is giving out these one-time Express Passes every time a ride breaks down or if we just got lucky today! Either way, we wanted to share this little tip with you so you could be prepared just in case this happens to you!

Check out 6 things we learned from attending Universal’s reopening here!

Have you ever received a multi-experience FastPass from Disney? Tell us what happened on your trip in the comments below!

Related posts:

  1. Universal Studios to Officially Implement Employee Temperature Checks
  2. Margaritaville at CityWalk in Universal Orlando Just Reopened — and it Already Has a 2.5 Hour Wait!
  3. Universal Studios Hollywood Might Be Looking To Reopen in July

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, General, News, any ride pass, breakdown, express pass, Fastpass, one-time express pass, reopening, reservation, ride broke down, single-use, Universal Studios, virtual line

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Walt Disney Company Speaks Out Against Racism In Widespread Social Media Campaign

After releasing a statement about racial disparities on May 31st, The Walt Disney Company and many of its subsidiaries have taken a stand against racism via a widespread social media campaign.

Across the company, instagram streams including @disney, @pixar, @disneyanimation, @waltdisneyimagineering, @waltdisneyarchives, and more posted a straightforward message against racism, while other subsidiaries posted similar sentiments targeted to their unique audiences.

The @abcnetwork instagram channel posted in solidarity with their “black colleagues, creators, performers…and every ally of the black community against systemic racism… .”

ABC Network Instagram

And Disney-owned @ESPN has dedicated several social posts to the topic, including quoting Gregg Popovich, head coach and President of the San Antonio Spurs, calling for change.

Click here to see the full statement from the Walt Disney Company about racial disparities and instances of lethal attacks and harassment.

Related posts:

  1. Schedule and Sneak Peeks Released for D23 Expo 2019! Disney Legends, Film News, Park Updates and MORE!
  2. National Geographic Is Bringing “The Right Stuff” to D23 Expo 2019!
  3. BOGO Alert! Find Out How To Score a FREE Sprinkles Cupcake TODAY!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, General, News, disney social media, racial disparities, walt disney company

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NEWS! Disney Springs Updates Operating Hours

Disney Springs started Disney World’s phased reopening on May 20th by opening select third-party shopping and dining experiences.

Disney Springs

Disney-owned locations like World of Disney and Marketplace Co-Op joined in on May 27th. Disney Springs has been open from 10AM to 10PM, but this schedule just got an update.

According to the Disney Springs website, Disney Springs will now be closing each day at 7PM beginning today, May 31st, and continuing “until further notice.”

©Disney

Restaurants such as Morimoto Asia are seating their last reservations at 6PM to accommodate the new hours.

Our last reservation will be at 6:00 pm to comply with Orange County’s 10 p.m. curfew, effective today, Sunday, May 31st. This will allow our employees and guests time to return home. We apologize for any inconvenience.

— Morimoto Asia (@MorimotoAsiaFLA) May 31, 2020

We will keep updating this page if Disney Springs releases any additional information.

You can read more about Disney World’s reopening here or at the links below!

Do you have plans to visit Disney Springs soon? Let us know in the comments!

Related posts:

  1. Disney Springs Is a Little Busier Today With a Short Virtual Queue in Place
  2. Spotted: Sequined Minnie Mouse Loungefly in Disney Springs!
  3. What’s New at World of Disney in Disney Springs: Inflatable Minnie Ears, Baby Yoda Plush, and Gifts for Grads!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
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