Of all the changes at Disney World this year, the one that we’ve loved the most might be the character cavalcades!

Seeing Mickey and friends riding through the World Showcase or spotting our favorite princesses headed down Magic Kingdom’s parade route really helps us to feel the magic in the parks. We especially enjoy watching the unique holiday cavalcades around the parks, and post-Christmas, one of them got a switch-up!

We were visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios today when we happened to hear the Santa Claus Merry Motorcade strolling down Hollywood Boulevard!

We saw the familiar elf dancers with their presents, and we heard the same festive music, but something was different…

…Santa was missing and Santa Goofy replaced him instead! We guess it was time for Santa to head back to the North Pole — he’s probably exhausted after delivering all those presents to the good girls and boys.

We don’t really mind though, because Santa Goofy is so adorable! He really hams it up for the crowd, as you can tell from the video below.

We love Santa Goofy! pic.twitter.com/7geZCreSDJ

— AJ Wolfe (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 28, 2020

We’ll be keeping an eye out to see if Santa Goofy sticks around for the remainder of the holiday season. We’re definitely going to miss these festive motorcades when they’re gone!

Keep checking DFB for the latest Disney news, especially considering how busy this week will be in the parks! We’re visiting Walt Disney World daily to get the latest scoop on what’s going on!

Click Here to See Which Disney Attractions Will be Closed This Week!

Do you prefer regular Santa or Santa Goofy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

The post Santa Goofy Arrives in Style at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Another week has gone by and we’ve gotten some BIG news out of Disney World and Disneyland!

You may have read our post rejoicing over the opening of Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs, but did you hear that dates for EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival have been announced for 2021 or hear that one of Disney’s water parks will be opening soon? There are a bunch of new things you’ll want to check out during your next Disney trip — whether that’s to Disney World or Disneyland (when it reopens at some point in the future), and we’re breaking down 5 of those today!

1. Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival

Heading to Disney World in 2021? You could enjoy the Festival of the Arts early in the year, but if you were hoping to plan a trip to see those incredible topiaries (and eat lots of yummy food) during the Flower & Garden Festival, now you can! Last week, Disney announced that theFlower & Garden Festival will be coming back to EPCOT from March 3rd through July 5th, 2021.

Disney also shared how MANY booths will be at this year’s festival, and announced that the Spike the Bee Scavenger Hunt will also be returning. So, if you’re planning to visit Disney World during the festival’s run, you’ll have lots of great booths, fun events, and more to look forward to!

Click here to see more about the return of the Spike the Bee Scavenger Hunt at the Flower & Garden Festival!

2. The EPCOT Fountain

You won’t have to wait until 2021 to enjoy this next one though! EPCOT is undergoing a massive transformation right now, but one new aspect has already been revealed — the new (but totally retro-inspired) EPCOT Entrance Fountain! We’d seen a bit of the pylons that are part of this fountain from the sky and the ground, and we’d seen some sneak peeks, but this week it was finally revealed for all of us to enjoy.

Disney Imagineer Zach Riddley has previously explained that the design team “took special interest in looking back to the original geometry for inspiration and infusing new features with a little bit of added magic to bridge the past, present and future of EPCOT.”

It’s beautiful during the day and at night, and adds a touch of that retro EPCOT feel with a modern twist.

Click here to see the new fountain!

3. Blizzard Beach

When Disney World closed earlier this year, its water parks closed with it. But, when the Resort reopened, both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon remained closed. Previously, Disney had shared that it planned to open one of its two water parks on March 7th, 2021, and now we know which one we’ll soon be able to visit. Last week, Disney announced that Blizzard Beach will be reopening on March 7th, 2021!

Because Disney’s original announcement said that it only planned to open one of its water parks on March 7th, 2021, it seems Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon may remain closed for longer. We’ll let you know if we spot any more info on that. It makes sense for Blizzard Beach to open in early 2021 though, as it will be celebrating its 25th anniversary on April 1st.

Click here for more info on the reopening of Blizzard Beach!

4. Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland Resort in California for when it eventually reopens, you’ll be able to enjoy something new there in the future. We knew that Snow White’s Scary Adventures, the Snow White attraction at Disneyland Park, was getting a refurbishment, but last week we got a peek at some of the new aspects of the ride!

For starters, the ride has a new name — Snow White’s Enchanted Wish. The attraction will also feature new scenes and other aspects including a dancing Snow White animatronic in one scene, the scent of apple pie in part of the ride, and a mine scene that’s been upgraded with all kinds of projections and glittering gems!

Some aspects definitely remind us of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Disney World. Although Disneyland Park is closed at the moment, we’re looking forward to experiencing this ride when we’re able to.

Click here to see a video and photos about this refurbishment!

5. Keister Coaster

And, finally, if you’ll be staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, you’ll be able to check out the new design for resort’s signature water slide at Luna Park Pool — the Keister Coaster! That’s right, the hotel’s clown slide is NO MORE! Mickey and Friends have officially taken over and are ready for some fun in the sun.

The coaster had quite the series of reveals, with a typo in the initial design that was later corrected, but now construction walls have come down near the area and we’ve been able to check it out for ourselves as the remainder of construction around the slide is finalized.

When we last visited, there were still some construction walls around the slide and the slide itself was not yet accessible. We’ll be keeping an eye on the construction progress here and let you know of any key updates. Do you miss the clown or are you happy with the new Mickey and friends look?

Click here to see more photos of the slide’s new design!

Well, that’s our list of the 5 things you’ll be able to enjoy or look forward to enjoying on your next Disney trip! We’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so be sure to stay tuned for more updates so you can best prepare and plan for your next Disney vacation.

Disney Cruise Line itineraries have been announced for Spring 2022 — check out more details here!

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Which of these new things are you most excited to see during your next trip to Disney World or Disneyland? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 HUGE Disney Updates You NEED to Know About first appeared on the disney food blog.

There’s a reason that EPCOT is often known as a foodie park…because there are SO MANY delicious food options!

Whether you’re heading to the American Adventure to get some barbecue, over to France for some yummy pastries, or stopping by Japan for some fun snacks in the Mitsukoshi store, there are snacks for every taste in the World Showcase. Now, another snack option has returned to EPCOT for a limited time, and it’s a big one for pizza fans!

If you find yourself craving Via Napoli‘s pizza at EPCOT, but you can’t score a reservation, then head on over to their pizza window: Pizza al Taglio! This walk-up window has reopened for a limited time in EPCOT’s Italy pavilion (we usually see this happen when the park is busiest). The temporary reopening was announced this weekend on the Via Napoli Pizzeria Twitter:

Our pizza window has reopened for a limited time and is serving slices of pizza, our amazing cannoli’s and refreshing frozen sangria! #ViaNapoliPizza pic.twitter.com/aiODCObBqg

— Via Napoli Pizzeria (@ViaNapoliPizza) December 27, 2020

The tweet announced that for its reopening, the pizza window would be serving up slices of pizza, cannolis, and frozen sangria. When we stopped by the window, we were told that it should be open from now until New Year’s Day.

We checked out the menu that was posted in front of the restaurant, and our mouths are watering just thinking about some of these options!

We’ll be keeping an eye on this spot to see if we learn any more details, and we’ll be looking out for more limited-time offerings, as we expect the parks to be pretty busy this week! Stay tuned to DFB for the latest in Walt Disney World updates!

Here’s How You Can Celebrate New Year’s Eve from Your Walt Disney World Hotel!

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Are you visiting Disney World this week? Tell us in the comments!

The post EPCOT’s Pizza Window Has Reopened for a Limited Time! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is a new attraction coming to EPCOT in 2021!

We’ve been keeping track of all the France pavilion construction updates. The EPCOT expansion is getting for its debut and the attraction will open next year for guests to experience. Disney has given a peek inside the attraction and a closer look at the expanded pavilion!

Emily Jacobsen was one of the many TikTok creators who dreamed up songs inspired by Ratatouille. Her song inspired TikTok users everywhere to write music for the unofficial Ratatouille musical. Disney decided to take Jacobsen on an exclusive tour of the attraction and the France pavilion expansion. 

The ride will “shrink” audience members to the size of a rat and have them navigate through Gusteau’s kitchen. You’ll experience the attraction with all your senses, including smell! You can’t have a bustling kitchen without smelling the delish food!

She also got to try on the brand new Ratatouille Chef Ears that will be released next year! The headband features a Chef’s hat, ears, and a cute little nose. In the background, you can clearly see the new fountain featuring rats popping champagne!

Stay tuned with us as we learn more about the new attraction! We’ll continue to update you as more information is released!

Take a closer look at the new Ratatouille headband right here!

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Are you excited about the new attraction? Let us know in the comments below!

The post VIDEO! Step INSIDE Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Opening Next Year at Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog.

The Christmas rush is almost over and we’re FINALLY heading into the New Year!

Say goodbye to 2020! (We won’t miss you. Like at all.) You might be welcoming 2021 at Disney World this week. It could get busy as the remaining holiday crowds linger to ring in the New Year. We’re here to help you plan with our weekly refurbishment updates! Let’s recap with everything that’s closed for refurbishment between December 28th through January 3rd, 2021!

Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat

The Rivers of America has been drained while Cast Members work on the surrounding area. We’ve been watching the river slowly drain and right now it’s completely dry! This isn’t a subtle refurbishment either. You’ll see the muddy river bottom and tracks that guide the riverboat.

Speaking of! Without water, the Liberty Square Riverboat can’t transport guests on its daily tour. The riverboat is temporarily unavailable while the area is refurbished.

You also won’t be able to access Tom Sawyer Island with the river being drained as well. It’s actually an island and you need to take a raft to get there! We recently noticed that scaffolding has been installed around Harper’s Mill on the island.

Both attractions are scheduled for refurbishments until February 28th, 2021.

See more updated photos of the drained Rivers of America here!

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

We hate to break it to you…but the PeopleMover is STILL closed. For those of you just tuning in, the PeopleMover was supposed to reopen all the way back in July with the rest of the Magic Kingdom. (Seems like a lifetime ago, right?) Well, that didn’t happen and we circled the area for a while waiting for any signs of life.

Instead, the PeopleMover got put on the refurbishment list and we cried in our Space Ranger Slushies. We had hope because it seemed that the PeopleMover would reopen the day after Christmas.

Santa didn’t come this year and the closure was extended to January 9th, 2021. We bought another churro to comfort ourselves. We’ll be keeping an eye on the calendar just in case it gets extended again. *Fervently knocks on wood.*

Read more about the PeopleMover closure right here!

Walt Disney World Railroad

We’ve been keeping you updated on all the construction for TRON Lightcycle Run. The tracks are taking shape and it’s starting to look closer to the finished product every day. The good news is: we’ll soon have another high-speed roller coaster in Disney World. The bad news is: construction is interrupting the train tracks at the Magic Kingdom.

The roller coaster is located towards the outside of the theme park which is where the train tracks run. That means that the Walt Disney World Railroad is not currently running at this time.

We don’t have a clear indication when the train will start running again. TRON is set to open in October 2021 so it could potentially reopen at that time. We’ll have to wait and see!

See more TRON construction pics here!

Future Closures

We should also note that Kali River Rapids will be closed starting January 4th, 2021. Some water rides will close during the wintertime to get a little freshening up. It’s also because water rides aren’t super popular in the cold weather.

As of now, Kali River Rapids is scheduled to stay closed until April 1st, 2021.

Read more about the Kali River Rapids closure here!

You’ll notice a lot more construction around the theme parks as well. EPCOT is loaded with construction walls as the park prepares for its massive overhaul. (Except for the front entrance fountain which was just revealed!) You’ll also notice construction at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and a temporary scrim facade over the Main Street Train Station. 

Happy New Year, friends! 

See all of the recent construction updates at Disney World here!

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Are you visiting Disney World for New Year’s Eve? Let us know in the comments!

The post EVERY Attraction That Will Be Closed This Week in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog.

2020 has been the year of 1 million Minnie ears, and it seems like 2021 is going to continue that trend!

Just recently, we’ve seen Cornflower Blue, Champagne, 2021, and fireworks-themed Minnie ears, not to mention the dozens of other pairs we’ve shopped in the Disney parks and online throughout the rest of this year. Now, we have a sneak peek at one of the new pairs coming next year, and they’re made to match a new attraction!

Recently, Ratatouille superfan Emily Jacobsen got a chance to visit Disney World’s EPCOT and get a sneak peek at the construction going on with Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Jacobsen gained popularity on TikTok for a song she wrote about Remy, which skyrocketed the “Ratatouille Musical” trend on the social media platform.

Remy himself greeted her during her visit, and Jacobsen got the opportunity to model a new pair of Minnie ears that are coming in 2021 — the Ratatouille ears! The new headband features Remy’s ears with a little chef’s hat. You can get a better glimpse at the accessory in the screenshot from the Disney Parks Blog TikTok account below.

The chef’s hat has the Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure logo, so we imagine these ears will release with the ride (but an opening date has yet to be announced). We can’t wait to hear more about this upcoming attraction and all the merchandise that comes with it!

Want to Know More About Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure? Click Here!

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Are you excited for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure? Tell us in the comments!

The post PICS! ‘Ratatouille’ Chef Ears Are Coming to Disney World in 2021! first appeared on the disney food blog.

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We’re pretty sure that food tastes better when you make it with Mickey kitchenware! And, Disney released a new kitchen collection on shopDisney so you never have to make a meal without a Disney flare!

From serving bowls with hidden mickeys all over to an adorable Disney “Home” mug, there are TONS of new kitchen items that feature neutral colors and remind us that there’s no place like hme!

Whether you’re drinking coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, it’s sure to taste better in the Fantasyland Castle “Home” Mug! This speckled ceramic mug has a neutral flare, making it a great addition to your Disney mug collection (which is pretty large if you’re anything like us!).

This mug is currently available on shopDisney for $19.99.

Click HERE to buy the new Home Mug! 

If you’re serving breakfast with your coffee (or really any other meal), the Mickey Mouse Bowl Set pairs well with more neutral colors and subtle Disney details.

The inside of the bowls even have an adorable hidden Mickey so your kiddos might finally finish a meal to find Mickey Mouse!

You can grab this bowl set for $34.99 on shopDisney!

Grab the bowl set here!! 

Serve up your meal in this Mickey Mouse Serving Bowl, featuring a Mickey design on the interior and Mickey icons with raised geometric patterns on the outside.

This ceramic serving bowl will have your guests saying “OH BOY!” when you bring it to the table and is currently $39.99 on shopDisney!

Purchase the Mickey Serving Bowl here! 

Finish off your Mickey kitchen collection and by adding the Mickey Mouse Salt and Pepper Grinder Set and you’ll be ‘grate’ful for the added magic (or flavor!) in every meal!

Grab the pair on shopDisney for $39.99!

Snag the Salt and Pepper Shaker Set here! 

And, last but certainly not least, complete your Disney kitchen collection with the Fantasyland Castle Table Runner and Fantasyland Castle Kitchen Towel. These add a subtle and neutral Disney touch to your kitchen, making your home feel like a Disney Park!

The table runner is available for $49.99.

And you can grab the kitchen towel for $19.99!

Get the Home Kitchen Towel here! 

We LOVE new kitchen merchandise and we’re quite fond of this new collection.

Check out the Retro Minnie Mouse Kitchen Collection!

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Will you be adding any of these Disney kitchen items to your collection? Let us know which ones caught your eyes in the comments!

The post The NEW Disney Kitchen Collection Reminds Us There’s No Place Like Home! first appeared on the disney food blog.