Calling all Star Wars fans!! May the 4th (a.k.a. Star Wars Day) is coming up soon and we’ve got some great news!

Are You Part of the Resistance?

You can celebrate Star Wars day at home by snagging some collectibles or new tees, cooking up Star Wars recipes, and watching the Star Wars films (of course). But, if you’ll be in Disney World, soon you’ll have the chance to try some out-of-this-world treats leading up to Star Wars Day!

Earlier today, Disney announced some special treats that will be available in advance of and right around Star Wars Day in Disney World. Check them out below!

Amorette’s Patisserie in Disney Springs

The Child Mini Dome Cake – Vanilla chiffon cake with cookies and cream mousse (available April 30th through May 5th)

The Child Dome Cake

The Ganachery at Disney Springs

Millennium Falcon Chocolate Pop – Milk chocolate pop with crispy pearls (available April 30th through May 5th)  

Millennium Falcon Chocolate Pop!

Pineapple Lanai at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Millennium Falcon Star Wars Soft Serve Sundae – Galactic gray vanilla soft-serve with chocolate cream cookie crumbles, chocolate drizzle, white chocolate pearl stars, brownie asteroid pieces with stardust sparkles, and a Millennium Falcon chocolate accent piece (available May 2nd through 5th)

©Disney

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

If you’ll be visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 4th or 5th, you’ll get the chance to try some of these special treats:

Churro Cart, Anaheim Produce, and Grand Ave. Cart

Lightsaber Churros – Red or blue churro lightsabers served with chocolate sauce for dipping (available May 4th and 5th)

Lightsaber Churros

Epic Eats

Galactic Swirl Funnel Cake – Black and white funnel cake with strawberries, space dust, and candy rocks (available May 4th and 5th)

Galactic Funnel Cake

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo

Oi-Oi Puff – Raspberry cream puff with passion fruit mousse (available May 4th and 5th)

Oi-Oi Puff

Hyperion, Animation, and Hollywood Popcorn Carts

Interstellar Sweet and Crunchy Popcorn (available May 4th and 5th)

You can see the popcorn on the bottom right ©Disney

The Trolley Car Café, PizzeRizzo, and Backlot Express

Dark Side Chocolate Creation – Malted milk chocolate mousse dome with raspberry mousse topped with slivered almonds sitting on a chocolate shortbread cookie (available May 4th and 5th)

Oasis Canteen, Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge, Sunshine Day Bar

Cosmic Rum Punch – Coconut rum, rum, pineapple juice, Minute Maid Lemonade, and grenadine served with a glow cube (available May 4th and 5th)

Backlot Express, ABC Commissary, PizzeRizzo, Rosie’s All-American Cafe

Jettison Juice – Minute Maid Lemonade and watermelon beverage syrup served with a glow cube (available May 4th and 5th)

©Disney

Darth Vader Stein served with fountain drink (available at all locations May 4th and 5th. After May 4th, you’ll continue to find it at Backlot Express, ABC Commissary, and Rosie’s All-American) 

Darth Vader Stein

WOW! You could have quite the galactic adventure trying to snag all of these treats during your trip.

We’ll keep an eye out for more Disney World news, especially as Star Wars day gets closer, and we’ll let you know what we find!

Animatronic bartenders?! Click here to see some of the restaurant ideas that didn’t make it into Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!

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Which of these treats are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments!

The post See ALL the May the 4th Star Wars Treats Coming to Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog.

The pandemic has resulted in constant changes to travel and other policies.

Health and Safety Signs in Disney World

If you’ve been traveling in the last few years, you may be familiar with the Real ID. These new ID cards were originally supposed to roll out across the entire United States by October 1st, 2020, but that deadline was pushed back due to the pandemic. Now, we have another update.

Real ID cards were supposed to be required for all airport travel or to enter federal facilities starting October 1st, 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security postponed that deadline. According to the Los Angeles Times, that deadline has now been pushed back again, to May 3rd, 2023.

Airplane

After the May 3rd, 2023 deadline, people will need their Real ID to board flights or enter federal facilities. If they don’t have one, a passport or military ID will work as an alternative. But if you’re planning on traveling frequently, you may want to switch over to that Real ID to make things easier.

Orlando International Airport

People who renew their licenses are currently getting compliant IDs, but the process is slow and only 43% of all ID cards are compliant right now. Old IDs will remain effective for driving, buying liquor, and gambling.

We’ll keep you posted on if this deadline is extended again, so stay tuned to DFB.

Read the Latest on Airport Travel

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The post Traveling This Year? There’s Been a CHANGE to ID Requirements first appeared on the disney food blog.

It’s a BIG week for Disneyland Resort!

We can’t wait to be back!

Disneyland is officially reopening on April 30th (that’s FRIDAY!), and we’ve already told ya all about how to buy your tickets, book your Park Passes, and more. But Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is reopening this week, too! And if you’re planning a visit, you’ll need to know ALL the details.

What Will Be Open?

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is reopening on April 29th, with the Disney Vacation Club villas reopening on May 2nd. The hotel will be open at a limited capacity, with modified amenities and recreational activities.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa ©Disney

So what will be open? Character dining, in-room dining, and any other character experiences will all be temporarily suspended. As far as recreation goes, you’ll be able to enjoy the pools, fitness centers, and shops, but with limited operations. Hearthstone Lounge, GCH Craftsman Bar, and GCH Craftsman Grill will be open for dining, but only for hotel guests.

©Disney

Resort services will also undergo a few changes. Club-level service and in-room celebrations are temporarily unavailable, as is valet laundry. You can read the full list below:

©Disney

We will continue to keep you posted as this evolves and changes.

Read More About What Will Be Available!

Who Can Visit?

The theme parks are only open to California residents, but Disney has not stated that the same requirement applies to the Grand Californian. Just know that if you’re an out-of-state guest staying at the hotel, you won’t be able to visit the theme parks.

Disneyland Resort, here we come!

As we mentioned, hotel dining is only available for those with a hotel reservation. If you aren’t staying at the Grand Californian on the day you want to dine, you won’t be able to eat at Hearthstone Lounge, GCH Craftsman Bar, or GCH Craftsman Grill.

Read More About Who Can Eat Here!

How Can I Make a Reservation?

Reservations for the Grand Californian are OPEN! We’ve got a step-by-step guide for you on exactly how to do that. You’ll have to visit the Disneyland website to select your dates and room type. Do note that you’ll only have to verify California residency if you’re buying theme park tickets at the same time as part of a package.

Checking Availability ©Disney

If you are buying tickets, we recommend grabbing them at the same time as your hotel reservation. It’ll save you a lot of time!

Check Out Our Guide for Making a Reservation!

What If I Want to Visit the Parks, Too?

While the Grand Californian hasn’t specified residency requirements for booking a stay, the theme parks are only open to California residents until further notice. So keep that in mind if you’re planning a visit! If you are a California resident, you need to know that a reservation at the Grand Californian does not guarantee entry into the parks. You’ll still need a valid ticket and Park Pass reservation.

Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle

We have a full guide for you here on making that Park Pass reservation. The main thing to remember is that you do need one for each day you’re visiting the parks, EVEN if you’re a guest at the Grand Californian.

Here’s Our Guide to Making a Park Pass Reservation!

As the hotel reopens and we receive even more details, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. Stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disneyland reopening news!

Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Disneyland Reopening!

Are you planning a stay at the Grand Californian? Let us know in the comments!

The post Your Complete Guide to Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Reopening first appeared on the disney food blog.

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.

Well, howdy pardners!

Howdy, Woody!

We’ve made a couple visits to Disney’s Hollywood Studios over the past few days and now we’re here with a quick check-in on everything new! We didn’t spot any updates in food or construction — but we DID see some cool new merchandise!

Hollywood Studios Merchandise Updates

Celebrity 5 & 10

Celebrity 5 & 10 had a few new mugs including a Monorail Mug…

Monorail Mug

…and a Disney World Parks Mug!

Disney Parks Mug

Both are available for $14.99.

You can get the new Disney Parks Mug online! Click here to snag it! 

Mickey’s of Hollywood

Over at Mickey’s of Hollywood, there was a new-to-us Retro Disney World Hat with Mickey and Friends for $24.99. How fun! This cap is also available at Once Upon a Time.

Disney World Hat

Once Upon a Time

Speaking of Once Upon a Time, this spot had Mickey and Minnie Gold Door Grabber Keychains!

Door Grabbers

And that’s all from Disney’s Hollywood Studios this time; it was just a little update today. As always, stay tuned to DFB for ALL the latest news from Disney World!

Want to see more of the latest from Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Click here!

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

Headed to Hollywood Studios soon? Tell us in the comments! 

The post What’s New at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: A Monorail Mug and Keychain Door Grabbers! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Part of our day-to-day in-park research includes revisiting restaurants to ensure our dining reviews are up to date.  A few days ago I had the opportunity to tag along with Christina as she ate lunch at Sci-Fi Dine-In at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Setting and Atmosphere

Whether it’s the 50’s Prime Time Cafe or the Hollywood Brown Derby, theming is probably the strength of most sit-down restaurants at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  That’s also true of the Sci-Fi Dine-In, where the setting is an outdoor drive-in, the dining tables sit inside miniature cars, and you eat while watching 1950’s-era newsreels, plus movie trailers involving all manner of oozing space alien and atomic-age mutant.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Menu

Burgers feature prominently in Sci-Fi’s menu, taking up 6 of the 9 spots on the entrée list (including one special of the day).  I could see myself ordering the Buffalo Chicken Salad or the Oven-Roasted Turkey Sandwich for lunch.  I’m not sure how many people will want to order the Pan-seared Shrimp or Chicken Pasta, especially now that it’s routinely 90 degrees every day in Orlando.

One thing to note: We were told that Sci-Fi’s menu will change on May 1, 2021, and that the burger line-up, in particular, will be revamped.  We’ll be back for another review once the kitchen is familiar with the new features.

Our Dining Experience at Sci-Fi Dine-In

We ordered two appetizers, one burger, one kid’s meal, and two desserts for lunch.  The two appetizers were the Smoked Seafood Dip ($11) and the Island Cake ($12).  Of the two, the Island Cake is the better choice.  The Island Cake is a plant-based version of a crab cake, made from apple and cabbage slaw, and seasoned with dill and what tasted like Old Bay spices.  It looks like the Island Cake was lightly fried on a grill, and it was surprisingly light and tasty – we were hard-pressed to say it didn’t contain crab meat.  We’d definitely order this again.

On the other hand, the Smoked Seafood Dip was heavier, and too smoky in its seasoning. While it came with tortilla chips for dipping, we finished neither, and wouldn’t order this again.

Our two entrées were the kid’s Beef Skewer ($12), which came with two selections of either sides (green beans and carrots, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, or sliced apples) or desserts (fruit salad, ice cream sundae); and the “burger of the day” special, a Bacon Cheeseburger with Pimento Cheese ($24).  We opted for onion rings as a side, which was a great choice.

This pimento cheese-and-bacon burger was almost certainly the best option on the menu.  The burger was juicy, and the pimento cheese added a zing that cut through the meatiness.  The onion rings were crispy and delicious, and we recommend these over the fries.

The kid’s beef skewer was a single 6″ stick of sirloin steak, with two scoops of mashed potatoes.  The steak was cooked medium-well (we didn’t get a chance to specify a temperature), and was tasty.  The mashed potatoes are home-style, with a nice bit of texture.  We thought it was an appropriate amount of food for most children ages 3-9.  If you’re an adult and you just want something light, this would absolutely work as an entrée.

Desserts were the highlight of our meal.  We ended up with three: the House-Made Sci-Fi Candy Bar ($9), the Warm Glazed Doughnut ($10), and the kid’s sundae.

The House-Made Sci-Fi Candy Bar is layers of cookies-and-cream mousse, chocolate ganache, and chocolate sauce. served chilled.  It was rich, yet light, with a nice balance of sweet from the mousse, and bitter from the dark chocolate coating.  It’s also big enough to share between two adults, especially if you’re at lunch and staying in the park for the rest of the day.  For variety, I would’ve liked to have the ability to substitute a berry or caramel sauce for the chocolate sauce, just to add a different flavor to this dessert.  As it is, it’s still one of the menu’s highlights.

Our second dessert was the Warm Glazed Doughnut.  Perhaps because we were watching movie clips about UFOs in the background, the construction of this dessert reminds me of a delicious flying saucer speeding through clouds of warm cinnamon-infused apples, the scoop of ice cream on top functioning as the saucer’s command center.  Or maybe that’s just the sugar talking at this point.

The doughnut is a fluffy, super-sweet raised dough along the lines of a Krispy Kreme.  The apple base is served warm, and thankfully isn’t as sweet as you’d expect.  Combined with the glazed doughnut frosting and the vanilla ice cream, all three flavors combine well.

The last dessert we tried as the kid’s sundae, which was a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We asked for the chocolate sauce on the side. It’s one small scoop of ice cream, which is probably the right amount of a child.  Ours came out half-melted, which wasn’t a great experience.  It tasted as you’d expect – no surprises.  Here’s what it looked like:

Sci-Fi Dine-In Ratings

In the past 6 months, Sci-Fi Dine In has earned an 88% thumbs-up rating on 269 reader restaurant surveys (confidence interval is +/- 4.4%).  That’s average for Walt Disney World’s sit-down restaurants, and up about 2 points from its 2019 rating.  After this meal, we think the readers are spot-on with this rating.

Our Dining Recommendations for Sci-Fi Dine-In

Going in to this meal, our advice for the Sci-Fi Dine-In was this:

We consider the Sci-Fi an attraction, not a dining destination: The concept is fun, but the prices are sometimes too high for what you get. Stick with simple fare, fill up on appetizers, or just order a shake or desserts.

After this meal, we’d amend this to say that splitting a burger and a dessert is also a good option.  For example, we’d happily split the bacon-and-pimiento cheeseburger and the home-made candy bar dessert.  That’s not too much food, especially if you’re going to spend the rest of the day in the parks (and in the heat), and the bill would be right at $40 with two sodas, before gratuity.

Sci-Fi Dine-In offers discounts to Annual Passholders (10%) and to those who still have Tables In Wonderland (18%, plus 18% gratuity).

Sci-Fi Dine-In’s menu gets updated on May 1, and we’ll be back soon after for another round of testing.

The post Sci-Fi Dine-In Review: Cheesy Movie and Burger Goodness appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

If you’ve visited EPCOT recently, you may have seen construction going on behind walls in the Italy Pavilion.

The Disney Parks Blog has shared that a new gelato location is opening in May – Gelateria Toscana.

This walk-up window will offer gelati, sorbetti, gelati floats, and much more; take a look!

• Gelati in a Waffle Cone or Cup – Chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, cookies ‘cream, stracciatella, strawberry, or tiramisù
• Sorbetti in a Waffle Cone or Cup – Lemon, raspberry, mixed berry, or mango
• Gelati Floats – Fior di Latte gelato with your choice of root beer or Coca-Cola 
• Coppa del Nonno – Fior di Latte, chocolate, and cookies ‘n cream gelati with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and amaretti cookies
• Coppa Amicizia – Fior di Latte, cookies ‘n cream, and strawberry gelati with whipped cream
• Coppa Delizia – Fior di Latte, strawberry, and cookies ‘n cream gelati with strawberry sauce and whipped cream
• “Affogato” Espresso Gelato – Fresh Italian espresso poured over Fior di Latte gelato with an amaretto cookie
• Cannoli al Cioccolato – Crisp pastry filled with sweet ricotta, chocolate, and candied orange
• Zeppole –  Soft fried Ricotta cheese fritters dusted with powdered sugar
• Mocha Tiramisù – Mascarpone cream, espresso coffee, savoiardi biscuits, and chocolate
• Specialty non-alcoholic beverages along with cocktails, beer, and wine are also available