Have you ever seen a more beautiful cookie in your life?

Just this picture is enough to leave us in a puddle of drool. Just in time for the holidays, we have the recipe for these Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies!

The absolute highlight of these cookies are the chocolate chips. These aren’t just any, regular chocolate chips. These are 72% Cacao Chocolate Chips, PERFECT for dark chocolate recipes. This recipe will make 36 of these glorious delights.

The Ingredients

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 bag (10 ounces) of 72% Cacao Chocolate Chips (divided)

The Recipe

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter on low heat until browned.
• In a large bowl, add 3/4 cups chocolate chips. Pour the browned butter over the chips and mix until melted.
• In the large bowl, with the melted butter and chocolate chips, add both the granulated and brown sugar, the vanilla, and the salt. Stir.
• Add eggs one at a time to the wet mixture.
• Fold in dry ingredient until just combined, and stir in remaining chips.
• Drop by rounded tablespoon on to parchment-lined cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are firm but the center is still soft.
• Cook cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

 

We hope you enjoy these rich, dark chocolate chip cookies!

Click here for another fantastic cookie recipe!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

Did you try this recipe? How did your cookies turn out? Tell us in the comments!

The post RECIPE: Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Cookies That Are Perfect for the Holidays first appeared on the disney food blog.

Lots of great Halloween costumes all around the Magic Kingdom today. My sister Christina made us custom t-shirts depicting the suns in different scenes of It’s a Small World. That was our first ride of the day, too, and the CMs seem to enjoy the effort.

Mask compliance: We checked 500 guests in Tomorrowland today, just outside of Cosmic Ray’s exit near the Tomorrowland Speedway. 96% (481 of 500) were wearing masks as per Disney’s guidelines.   We also checked 100 guests at Disney Springs yesterday, with 99 out of 100 wearing their masks properly.  Let’s do the other numbers.

Magic Kingdom

No surprise that everyone wanted to ride Haunted Mansion today.  Mansion’s average wait time was 55 minutes, well above its 7-day average of 37 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 45 minutes, so today ranks #76 for the past year. We received 13 actual wait times today from Doombuggy enthusiasts, and their actual wait averaged 82% of the posted wait time.

The water cannons were off at Splash Mountain this morning, probably because of the cooler weather.  Splash had an average posted wait time today of 55 minutes. We received 11 actual wait times today for Splash, and the actual wait averaged 115% of the posted wait time. Its 7-day average is 45 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #17 for the past month.

Posted waits were more accurate over at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which had an average wait time today of 39 minutes. Its 7-day average is 37 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #19 for the past month. We received 10 actual wait times today at Thunder, and the actual wait averaged 57% of the posted wait time.

Over in Fantasyland, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had an average wait time today of 60 minutes. Its 7-day average is 47 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 60 minutes, so today ranks #15 for the past month.  And Peter Pan’s Flight had an average wait time of 33 minutes. Its 7-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 34 minutes, meaning today ranks #16 for the past month. We received 6 actual wait times today from Pan, and the actual wait averaged 77% of the posted wait time.

If you’ve got to visit during a busy weekend, have a special tool at your side. Subscribe today and get our Lines app too.

The Barnstormer had an average wait time today of 18 minutes. Its 7-day average is 12 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 18 minutes, so today ranks #12 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today from Barnstormer, and the actual wait averaged 61% of the posted wait time.  And Dumbo the Flying Elephant had an average wait time today of 9 minutes. Its 7-day average is 8 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 12 minutes, so today ranks #22 for the past month.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh had an average wait time today of 26 minutes. Its 7-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #12 for the past month. We received 5 actual wait times today for Pooh, and the actual wait averaged 62% of the posted wait time.

Pirates of the Caribbean had some technical difficulties this afternoon.  Pirates had an average wait time today of 47 minutes. Its 7-day average is 37 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 47 minutes, so today ranks #18 for the past month.  We received 7 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 74% of the posted wait time.

Space Mountain had an average wait time today of 44 minutes. Its 7-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 42 minutes, so today ranks #14 for the past month. We received 15 actual wait times at Space today (thank you, Liners!), and the actual wait averaged 67% of the posted wait time.

Animal Kingdom

Kilimanjaro Safaris had an average wait time today of 11 minutes! Good morning to go on safari. Its 7-day average is 19 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 22 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month.  And Expedition Everest had an average wait time today of 30 minutes, #1 for the week and #14 for the past month.

Kali River Rapids had an average wait time today of 23 minutes. Its 7-day average is 17 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 23 minutes, and today ranks #13 for the past month.

Na’vi River Journey had an average wait time today of 40 minutes, 2 below its 7-day average – today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 46 minutes, putting today in spot #23 for the past month.

Avatar Flight of Passage had an average wait time today of 45 minutes. Its 7-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 63 minutes, so today ranks #24 for the past month. We received 6 actual wait times today for Flight of Passage, and the actual wait averaged 81% of the posted wait time.

Hollywood Studios

First thing to note is that the Studios is already prepping for Christmas:

A relatively light day for crowds over at the Studios.  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith had an average wait time today of 49 minutes. Its 7-day average is 45 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #23 for the past month.

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue had an average wait time today of 28 minutes, which is enough time to watch half of the season premiere of The Mandalorian. Star Tours’ 7-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 29 minutes, so today ranks #20 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times at ST2 today, and the actual wait averaged 60% of the posted wait time.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror had an average wait time today of 49 minutes. Its 7-day average is 41 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #12 for the past month.  Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway had an average wait time today of 67 minutes. Its 7-day average is 72 minutes, so today ranks #4 for this week. Its 30-day average is 82 minutes, so today ranks #27 for the past month.

In Toy Story Land:

• Toy Story Mania! had an average wait time today of 26 minutes. Its 7-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #26 for the past month. We received 8 actual wait times today for TSM, and the actual wait averaged 62% of the posted wait time.
• Slinky Dog Dash had an average wait time today of 62 minutes. Its 7-day average is 59 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 68 minutes, so today ranks #25 for the past month.
• And Alien Swirling Saucers had an average wait time today of 28 minutes. Its 7-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month.

Rise of the Resistance started off strong this morning and ran well for the first hour.  Rise has had three significant delays in adding new boarding groups today: one for around 40 minutes at 11:10 a.m.; another for about 40 minutes just before 1 p.m., and almost an hour of delay right before 4 p.m.

Finally, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run had an average wait time today of 51 minutes. Its 7-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 59 minutes, so today ranks #26 for the past month.

EPCOT

EPCOT was relatively busy today, but actual wait times weren’t as bad as the posted seemed.  Spaceship Earth had an average wait time today of 28 minutes. Its 7-day average is 14 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 19 minutes, so today ranks #4 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today for SSE, and the actual wait averaged 50% of the posted wait time.

Test Track had an average wait time today of 68 minutes. Its 7-day average is 49 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 63 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month.

Soarin’ had an average wait time today of 43 minutes. Its 7-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 36 minutes, so today ranks #9 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 62% of the posted wait time.

Frozen Ever After had an average wait time today of 68 minutes. Its 7-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 63 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month.

Mission: SPACE Orange had an average wait time today of 35 minutes. Its 7-day average is 18 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #6 for the past month. And Mission: SPACE Green was much less busy – it had an average wait time today of 15 minutes. Its 7-day average is 10 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 14 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month.

The post This is Halloween! – Walt Disney World Wait Times for Saturday, October 31, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

It may be Halloween, but the winter holidays are everywhere in Disney World.

We’ve seen LOADS of holiday merch and winter treats popping up, and now we’ve got even more festive merch. This time, featuring Baby Yoda!

Over at Mouse Gear in EPCOT, we spotted the Star Wars Holiday Phone Cases! Who doesn’t love the holidays AND Baby Yoda?!?

The first phone case we saw was the Season’s Greetings Star Wars Phone Case. This one is a light blue, wintery color with snowflakes all over. And, in the center, Baby Yoda is in what appears to be a snow globe that says “Season’s Greetings” and “Merry Force Be With You.”

Baby Yoda is just too adorable on this one! This can be your holiday phone case for $29.99. The other phone case we found is the Christmas Lights Baby Yoda Phone Case. If you are a fan of looking at Christmas lights each year, this one is perfect for you! It features Baby Yoda all over the case wrapped in lights.

The design is super fun on its own, but this case ALSO has the 3D effect! This phone case is $34.99. It may be Halloween, but we are so excited for the holidays this year! As always, we will keep you updated on the latest Disney holiday merch.

We found a LOT of holiday merch in Disney World

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

What is your favorite holiday merchandise so far this year? Let us know in the comments!

The post PHOTOS: Get Festive With Baby Yoda on These NEW Phone Cases in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.

October has been quite an eventful month for EPCOT!

Since EPCOT reopened, the park has been keeping busy with the Taste of EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival as well as construction and character updates. (It’s also been the center of some major project and firework drama!)

This month alone we’ve seen a ton of changes while the theme park adapts to the new safety protocols and moves forward on attraction construction. Let’s take a look at the 5 most important changes we’ve seen happen at EPCOT this month!

Morocco Pavilion is Acquired by Disney

The Morocco Pavilion in World Showcase was funded and designed by the Kingdom of Morocco. Since EPCOT opened, an independent vendor ran the restaurants, gift shops, and exhibits located inside of the pavilion. That is, until now.

Disney representatives and Operating Participants of the Morrocco Pavilion made a statement that by the end of the year, Disney will assume all operations and “under Disney’s operation, the pavilion will continue to honor the rich traditions and legacy it has since it opened.”

This means Disney now has complete control over the Pavilion’s restaurants and merchandise shops. It’s unclear what may or may not change under the operation of Disney. However, we did notice that Spice Road Table stopped taking reservations for dates starting mid-December. This could be a simple closure for refurbishment or linked to the acquisition. We’ll keep following up on this story!

Check out details regarding the Morocco Pavilion Acquisition here!

Annual Passholder Pop-Up Shop

Disney has been enticing Annual Passholders with HUGE discounts on merchandise. Just recently, a new pop-up shop was opened inside the Germany Pavilion that’s full of exclusive souvenirs and majorly discounted Disney gear. The gift shop is exclusive to Passholders and they can apply their hefty discounts to the marked down merch and new arrivals!

The pop-up shop is a central hub for Passholders to get all their exclusive merchandise in one place. It’s sure to lure in more Passholders to the theme park during the weekdays. It’s also been recently stocked with new holiday t-shirts, phone cases, magnets, and more! The current hours of operation are from Monday – Friday from 11:30AM to park close.

Check out photos of the pop-up shop and exclusive Annual Passholder merchandise!

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Entrance Sign

The new attraction based on the film, Ratatouille, is part of a big expansion to the France Pavilion in EPCOT. (The ride will be a short distance away from a fancy new crêpe shop, too!) We’ve been taking A LOT of rides on the Disney Skyliner to get a glimpse of the construction updates on the ride and surrounding area. Just recently we got a good look at the iconic entrance marquee that will welcome guests to the new ride!

The sign installation means guests are one HUGE step closer to getting to experience the attraction. An opening date has not been announced yet, but we are keeping a keen eye on this part of EPCOT.

Take a closer look at the attraction entrance sign here!

Character Meet and Greet Updates

Anna and Elsa have been making their way around World Showcase in Character Promenades since the parks reopened. Anna sat comfortably in a horse-drawn carriage while Elsa pulled on her walking shoes and lead the way. Disney is now letting Elsa rest from her walking and greeting duties and the two can now be visited for stationary photo ops! They appear individually at the Norway Pavilion and guests can take a physically distanced photo with either of them.

Alice and Mary are also greeting in new locations! You can take distant photos with them holding an adorable watering can in the UK Pavilion.

See more photos of Anna and Elsa’s meet and greets here!

Two Restaurants Reopened

Lastly, guests have now two more options for eats at EPCOT. The quick-service location, Lotus Blossom Cafe, reopened in the China Pavilion this month. The menu was reduced slightly, but EPCOT visitors can still get items like egg rolls, potstickers, and fried rice on-the-go! The other location to reopen is the table service restaurant, Chefs de France, in the France Pavilion. The menu was also altered with a new Prix Fixe option.

By the way, everything we had at the reopened Chefs de France was the bomb dot com! We had SO much good bread, charcuterie, wine, french onion soup, and creme brûlée. 10/10…would totally try again!

Check out our review of the newly reopened Chefs de France!

All Disney World theme parks and surrounding areas are constantly changing and updating throughout the year. We’ll continue to monitor the area for important updates and fill you in on what you need to know for your next visit to Disney World!

See the Biggest Changes in Magic Kingdom here! 

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

What’s your absolute favorite thing about EPCOT? Let us know in the comments!

The post The 5 Most Important Changes We’ve Seen in EPCOT This Month first appeared on the disney food blog.

Hey DFB friends! We’re back with another what’s new in Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

On our recent visit, we searched for the latest food, construction, and merchandise, and we’re here to share it with you. Here we go!

Hollywood Studios Attraction Updates

Rise of the Resistance

We were lucky enough to score a Rise of the Resistance boarding pass. With the recent installation of plexiglass on the ride vehicles and in the pre-show room, we wanted to see if Disney would change the way guests experienced the attraction. When we visited last time, Cast Members still loaded one party per vehicle, but today they were loading two parties per car!

Now that there is a plexiglass barrier, more people can safely ride Rise of the Resistance. We sat in the second row with a party in front of us.

If anything changes on this attraction again, we will be sure to let you know!

Here is more information on the new plexiglass at Rise of the Resistance

Hollywood Studios Merchandise Updates

Tatooine Traders

In Tatooine Traders, we spotted a couple new Star Wars hats! The first one we saw was the Yoda Baseball Cap. This hat features Yoda himself and perhaps his most famous quote, “Do or do not, there is no try.”

On the back of the hat, it says Disney Parks, so everyone will know you got it from the theme parks! This hat is sold for $27.99.

To get you in the holiday spirit, we also spotted this Star Wars Holiday Hat! This is so festive and we are HERE for it!

We love the combination of Storm Troopers, stockings, and gifts, plus the fuzzy bottom that says Star Wars. This can be yours for $29.99.

We found a festive porg in Disney World

Legends of Hollywood

Over at Legends of Hollywood, we spotted the Pocahontas Alex and Ani Bangle! We have seen this online before, but now we’ve found it in the parks!

We also spotted the Flounder Alex and Ani Bangle in the park, even though we have seen it online! We are obsessed with all of these Disney bangles by Alex and Ani!

Both of these bangles are sold for $44.99 and you can buy them online or in Hollywood Studios.

Check out this other Alex and Ani jewelry

Keystone Clothiers

In Keystone Clothiers, we spotted some new Baby Yoda PJs! Not only are these super cute, but the sequins that make up Baby Yoda are reversible! This set comes with a shirt and bottoms.

We also found a Porg Keychain! If you are a fan of these adorable Star Wars creatures, you gotta have this. Just look at that little face!

You can purchase a porg keychain for $12.99. We love finding new Star Wars merch around Disney World!

We found TONS of new Star Wars merch

And that’s a wrap on our day in Hollywood Studios. We had a blast visiting all of the shops and restaurants (and even riding Rise of the Resistance), and we hope you had fun following along. Stay tuned for our next visit!

Here is what’s new at EPCOT

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

 

The post What’s New in Hollywood Studios: New Ride Procedures for Rise of the Resistance and MORE ‘Star Wars’ Merch! first appeared on the disney food blog.

It’s hard to say goodbye to Walt Disney World attractions, isn’t it? I have fond memories of riding 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with my dad. I miss Mr. Toad, and while it was lovely visiting him in Disneyland, I know it’s not the same. And I wish the Skyway buckets were still transporting guests from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland and back again, which is one of the reasons I’m so enamored with the Disney Skyliner. And don’t get me started on EPCOT‘s World of Motion and Horizons. Sniffle…it’s just so easy to become attached, isn’t it?

Before I met up with Ryno last week to do a livestream from EPCOT, I found myself in front of the Imagination pavilion. As I gazed up at the massive structure, I wondered, for really the first time, what could be done with it and its purple resident. I’ve never wanted to reimagine Journey into Imagination with Figment before, despite the public rumblings of it being necessary to do so. But, at this point, I found myself thinking that it might be an attraction I’d be okay letting go of if it meant that something with a fresher look, feel, and approach took its place.

It’s fun to throw an idea out here and there, but what if we fully did a little armchair imagineering and reimagined the entire building: the Magic Eye Theater next door (currently housing the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival), Imageworks “What if” Labs and character meet and greet area, the attraction, the second floor of Imageworks (currently a Disney Vacation Club member lounge), and the Imageworks gift shop. I mean, if we’re going to dare to dream, let’s address the whole kit and caboodle, right? And, we must of course, find Figment a home and a gig. He was, after all, created for the original sponsor of the pavilion, Kodak. He’s become the mascot of the park, and we can’t very well just kick him out.

Since it’s always good to save a dollar or two, let’s say that the new attraction needs to utilize the same track currently being used, à la Magic Kingdom’s If You Had Wings and Delta Dreamflight. If Buzz Lightyear could move in and make an attraction out of what was once an airline and travel-themed ride, surely something could move into the Imagination pavilion and make use of what’s there.

I know that we’ve all heard the idea for re-theming the pavilion to Inside Out; a thought and rumor that rings a little louder now that Joy herself is flitting about in the grassy knoll across from the pavilion. But, in your opinion, is Inside Out the best way to go? The ample space inside Imageworks would be ideal for meeting and greeting Joy and her emotional friends, either in a physically distant way or otherwise. And, of course, with all of the brilliant colors used in the film, we’d have to dig around in a back room upstairs to unearth the Rainbow Tunnel that used to amaze kids of all ages. But how does Figment fit into an Inside Out-themed attraction? As a side note, if you’d like to read additional thoughts regarding what an Inside Out re-theme of the pavilion could look like, be sure to read DIS Contributor Spencer Wright’s July 2018 article. It’s chock-full of great thoughts, and, yes, I’d totally be down for a Bing Bong’s Candy Shop à la Pixar Pier. Yes, please.

It’s also fun to think back to the original version of the attraction and wish for Dreamfinder’s triumphant return to the ride. To have another walk-around Dreamfinder and Figment would be every OG EPCOT fan’s wish. To turn back the clock and bring back what we once had would be exciting, but, would guests connect again with the lovable pair? The attraction being renovated in the first place meant that it wasn’t what guests wanted anymore, right?

And then I come to another thought: what if the pavilion became an homage to Imagineering itself? If the thought behind the space is to give guests an understanding of the importance of using one’s imagination, why not take the time to dig into the dreamers behind the magic? From Walt and Roy to the Nine Old Men to the past and present amazing residents of 1401 Flower Street in Glendale. Each “lab” in the attraction could be a part of the imagineering process that guests could travel though: from initial thought to research and development and all the way to fully realized attraction, and, along their journey through the attraction, they could learn how using their imaginations can unlock a million possibilities. While the EPCOT Experience details the Imagineers’ future plans for the park, the Imagination pavilion could be both archival (wouldn’t it be amazing if show pieces or elements from the Walt Disney Archives rotated in and out?) and inspirational.

For that matter, the pavilion could simply focus on the imagination of one man: Walt Disney. While One Man’s Dream in Disney’s Hollywood Studios showcases highlights from Walt’s life and career, the Imagination pavilion could focus on the creative process of one of his projects or films from start to finish. Guests could then head to the Magic Eye Theater and watch snippets of the finished project. The overall theme would be the power and potential of one’s imagination as seen through the example of Walt Disney himself. After all, we’re getting a statue of Walt in the new Dreamer’s Point area in the middle of the park. It could help tie things together, as well as inspire new generations of guests.

But then where does Figment go? Hmmm…

What would your ideal re-theming of the Imagination pavilion be? What would move into the adjoining spaces? What would you do with our little purple friend, Figment?

We’ve just begun to dream.

Things are always changing in Disney World!

Just a few days ago we found that holiday decorations had started to appear (a bit early), and we’ve seen some other new or different things popping up around the other parks. But, some very important changes have come to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this month. Today, we’re going through the top 5!

If you haven’t visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a while, here are some of the biggest changes and new things that may not have been available when you last strolled through the park.

1. Rise of the Resistance Boarding Groups

We’ve got to start with what we think is set to be the BIGGEST change coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios — a revision in the way that morning boarding groups are accessed for arguably Disney World’s most popular ride, Rise of the Resistance. Although this change won’t take place until November 3rd, it was announced October 29th, so we’re counting it as a change for this month!

Essentially, starting November 3rd, if you want to sign up to potentially get a boarding group for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, you’ll still need a valid ticket to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and a valid Disney Park Pass reservation for the day you want to visit, BUT you’ll be able to access the virtual queue system and try to get a boarding group for Rise of the Resistance starting at 7AM on the day of your park reservation from OUTSIDE of Disney’s Hollywood Studios! That means, you can be in your hotel room, getting breakfast, or wherever else you like and you can try to grab a boarding group at that time!

This could be a huge change especially for people who perhaps couldn’t make it through the gates of Disney’s Hollywood Studios in time to sign up for the morning boarding groups previously because they got delayed at breakfast or parking. We’ll definitely be testing out the new system once it starts and we’ll let you know if any other changes are made in the future.

Click here for more details on this change coming to morning boarding group sign-ups!

2. Plexiglass

Not 1, not 2, but 3 attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios have gotten some plexiglass added to their ride vehicles or queue areas this month! There are now plexiglass dividers in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror…

…in the queue for Slinky Dog Dash…

…and on the vehicles at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

We anticipated that the plexiglass at Rise of the Resistance, in particular, could help increase capacity at that ride, and it appears Disney feels the same way. In a recent statement, they said, “To try to maximize the number of boarding groups we’re able to accommodate while adhering to current health and safety guidelines, we recently added a clear barrier between the two rows of seats on each First Order Fleet Transport vehicle inside the attraction. This enables us to invite more guests to board Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance each day.” 

At first, we didn’t see them seating two separate parties in the same vehicle, but during our most recent visit, they were in fact seating more than one party per vehicle (separated by the plexiglass divider).

We’ll definitely keep an eye out for more updates on this situation, and see if plexiglass is added to any other attractions or queues in Hollywood Studios in the future.

Click here to learn more about the plexiglass on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

3. Ronto Roasters

Sometimes there is nothing better than grabbing a seat in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and just munching away on a Ronto Wrap (or 2, or 3!) from Ronto Roasters.

This month, we noticed that Ronto Roasters was actually starting to close at 3PM each day. But our Ronto Wraps! How can we survive the night without one?! No need to worry!

Starting at 3PM, until close, you can actually get a Ronto Wrap next door at Docking Bay 7! Hooray!

Click here to read about this change and how you can still get those delicious wraps in the afternoon!

4. Droid and Lightsaber Pieces

More changes have come to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge this month as well. If you built a droid at Droid Depot, but are looking to change out some of its pieces, you didn’t really have the ability to do that easily before, but now you do!

That’s right — your trusty droid companion can get a fun makeover! This month, we saw a number of head and body pieces starting to be sold individually in Droid Depot.

Looking to give your droid a makeover? Click here to read more!

But that’s not all. If you built a lightsaber in Savi’s Workshop, but would like to customize it even further, you can now buy some “scrap metal” (A.K.A. lightsaber parts) and make your saber truly unique.

If you build a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop, you’re limited to just the pieces in the theme you select initially. No mixing and matching to make the saber of your dreams! That’s STILL the case when you do the full saber building experience at Savi’s but now you can buy additional parts from ANY of the themes to customize your build! That means you can pick from some Power & Control parts…

…or add a little Elemental Nature spin to your lightsaber’s look.

It really gives you the ability to continue the customization process beyond your Savi’s experience!

Check out more details on how you can get more parts to further customize your lightsaber here!

5. Return of Character Dining

Last, but certainly not least, we saw Character Dining recently return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Technically, this return came at the very end of September, but we’re being a bit generous with our “this month” timeline here. Specifically, we saw character dining make its comeback with Minnie’s Halloween Dine at Hollywood & Vine, and BOY were their Halloween outfits adorable!

This former buffet is now serving up plated meals and characters are visiting regularly at a distance. We definitely LOVED seeing Mickey and friends again in this modified character dining experience (plus the food was surprisingly good too!).

Click here to see more photos of Mickey and friends dressed in their Halloween best!

We also got some important announcements this month about MORE seasonal character dining experiences returning to this spot including Minnie’s Holiday Dine, Silver Screen Dine, and more!

We can’t wait to experience these in the coming months!

Click here to check out all of the details on these themed character dining experiences coming soon!

Well, that’s our list of the top 5 changes that we’ve seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the last month (or so). We’re always on the lookout for more news and updates, so be sure to come back for all the latest.

Click here to see what else is new in Hollywood Studios!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

Which of these changes are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!

The post The 5 Most Important Changes We’ve Seen in Disney’s Hollywood Studios This Month first appeared on the disney food blog.