DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.
A new Dooney & Bourke collection? Say less!
New bags!
Dooney & Bourke is constantly releasing Disney handbags with everything from Disney Horses to Goofy doing karaoke on a cruiseon them. We recently found out that their newest collection was going to celebrate Disney’s oldest icon, and the collection is finally here! Dooney & Bourke’s newest Disney collection is all about the mouse who started it all, Steamboat Willie! The collection is available online now, so let’s take a look! To start off, there’s the Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie Dooney & Bourke Tote Bag. It’s available for $268.
If you’ve got a lot of belongings and you like to be organized, this bag was MADE for you. Seriously, it’s covered in pockets of different sizes to keep all of your valuables separate. There’s even a pocket made just for your cell phone and an interior key hook — how clever!
If the tote bag is just a little too much for you (whether in size or price), don’t worry — you can grab the smaller, and cheaper, Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Baginstead! It’s $228 and features the same new Steamboat Willie print.
This bag has a lot of the same features as the tote (hello cell phone pocket and interior key hook!) but on top of that, it has an adjustable strap. It’s the perfect size for someone who’s on the go — just sling it over your shoulder and take off on the day’s adventures.
Like the satchel, it also has adjustable straps, and it has a BUNCH of zipper pockets — in the front, in the back, on the inside, on the outside, you name it! Plus, it’s incredibly hard to resist that adorable Mickey Mouse print.
We’ll continue searching the parks and online for the latest merchandise that you’ll want to know about. We’re always staying up to date on all the latest in all things Disney, so stay tuned to DFB for more!
Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
Unfortunately, not every ride is operating at full capacity on this busy holiday. Closures Refurbishments and closures are a necessary part of Disney Parks. Disney has to keep its attractions in tip top shape for Guest enjoyment! With the 50th anniversary, Disney completed a lot of touch ups but the work is never done. Splash […]
You can prepare, prepare, prepare for a Disney World vacation – snagging all the reservations you need, mapping out your itinerary, and planning your must eat snacks.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
But sometimes certain trip-ups happen that threaten to completely derail out happily ever after.
Check out our video below of Don’t Let These Disney World Disasters WRECK Your Vacation!
Are you a DFB Video subscriber? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to our channel and catch up on ALL of our latest episodes!
Watch the video and let us know if something has ever wrecked your Disney World trip.
It seems like a pretty great merchandising opportunity for Disney, but we haven’t really seen them dive too deep into the candle world — until NOW!
Ever wanted a pot of Pooh’s honey to take home with you? Well, you’re in luck! There’s now a Winnie the Pooh Hunny Candle available in Disney World!
A little bit o’ honey
We found this over in Magic Kingdom at The Emporium and, as you probably guessed, it’s honey-scented!
We need these for every character, please!
This is such a fun way to incorporate a little Disney into your decorating, plus you get that sweet smell of honey in your home! You can get this candle for $34.99.
Oh, bother
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Disney make some themed candles — over in Disneyland, there’s a Haunted Mansion Candle that’s just to die for.
Bring some Happy Haunts home with ya!
We’ve only seen the Hunny candle in Magic Kingdom so far, but we’ll be on the lookout for it in the other parks (and hopefully we might see it online, too!). Say tuned to DFB for updates!
Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
If you’ve planned a Disney World trip recently, you’ve probably found yourself thinking, “wow, this is A LOT more complicated than I remember.” And, you’re not wrong!
Cinderella Castle
Between deciding what parks you want to visit, where you want to eat, whether you want to rent a car, if you’ll be purchasing Genie+ (the new way to “skip the line” at popular attractions), and more, there’s a whole lot to think about now! And, on top of it all, some issues or complications can arise with all of these things that make planning your trip even more of a hassle. So, instead of throwing in the towel and giving up on your trip, we’re breaking down some of our tips and tricks to making your next Disney World trip easier!
1. Disney World Park Pass Reservations
Park Pass Reservations are something you need right now — you can’t escape them! If you want to visit a Disney World theme park you’ll need a valid ticket for every member in your party AND a valid Park Pass reservation for the park you want to visit for every single day of your trip.
And, while the process of making your reservation isn’t all that complicated, it can get a bit trickier during particularly busy periods or popular days (like holidays) as Park Passes can fill up. So, if you wait too long to grab yours, you could run the risk that the Passes for all of the parks (or the 1-2 parks you were hoping to visit) will be full by the time you go to make your reservations.
Gotta Get Those Park Passes if You Want to Visit the Parks!
So, what can you do to make things easy? First, book your Park Passes as EARLY as you can! Once you know your travel dates, go ahead and book those Park Pass reservations for every member of your party for every day of your trip as soon as you are able to — even if you’re just guessing which parks you’ll want to visit when. That way, you can guarantee that you’ll at least get to visit the parks you’ve got reservations for.
When you’re finished making your Park Passes, be sure to write them down, take screenshots of them, and/or add the information about which parks you’ll be visiting on each day in your calendars or phones. That’ll help you keep track of your plans. Plus, it’s good to make sure other people have a copy of these plans too in case your phone runs out of battery or has issues of any kind.
Spaceship Earth
And finally, if you change your mind later about what parks you want to go to — check the availability on the Disney Park Pass calendar before making any changes. You don’t want to end up canceling your reservation and find that all the parks are sold out for the same day so be sure to see if another park has become available that you want to switch your reservation to. You can then cancel your existing reservation and make a new one.
Availability does change and sometimes more Park Passes are added for select days so you’ll want to check back often if you’ve got your eye on one specific park. Of course, we’re always keeping an eye out for these updates, so instead of refreshing Disney’s website over and over again, let us do the work and check back with us (or subscribe to our newsletter) for the latest. We do posts each week on park pass reservations and availability so you, our readers, are in the know!
In other words, don’t necessarily expect every aspect of your next Disney trip to cost exactly the same as it did previously. Changes in pricing might mean that you’ll need to adjust your budget for your trip to handle these increased costs. Or, if you’re going to budget the exact same amount as you did for prior trips, realize that you might have to adjust how you spend that cash to make sure you can still do what you want to do.
Many iconic Disney World snacks got a BIG price increase
First, before you set your budget, take an updated look at just how much some aspects of your trip are going to cost you, especially when it comes to airfare and rental car costs.
You’ll want to look at these costs well in advance of your trip and adjust your budget as necessary. When you can, it might also be good to use tools and tricks (like airfare price watchers) to keep an eye on when costs may dip so you can get the best deals possible.
You can also look into potential discounts through services like AAA or you could see if you can utilize some of your credit card points for flights or hotels, which could then give you more wiggle room for other costs. You could also work with a travel agent who could help you utilize some discounts or special deals they may know about — we highly recommend our friends over at Small World Vacations for all your travel needs!
Orlando Airport
The key here is to be realistic about your budget and recognize that things might not cost the same as they did during your last trip. If you can, you’ll want to book early (or whenever you see prices fall) to make sure you get the best deals possible. Plus, be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all the latest updates on new hotel and ticket discounts that you can take advantage of!
If your last trip to Disney World was prior to the pandemic, then you might be used to getting advance dining reservations 180 days out from your trip. But, after the parks reopened, things changed significantly and guests can now make advance dining reservations just 60 days in advance of their trip, plus the length of their stay (up to 10 days).
Beast in Be Our Guest
Reservations can fill up VERY quickly for popular spots, especially with this shorter reservation window. And, some restaurants in Disney World have a more limited number of tables available because their dining room is just smaller.
If you wait until the last second before your trip begins to book those reservations, you may not be able to get a seat at the fan-favorite spots you were hoping to eat at.
Cinderella’s Royal Table
So, what can you do to make your next trip easier? Set those alarms and book those reservations the very first day they become available to you! If you change your mind later, you can always cancel your reservation and/or make a different one. Just make sure you cancel well in advance of the time that you’ll be charged the no-show fee (typically you need to cancel by 11:59PM the night before your reservation to ensure that you aren’t charged, but be sure to read your restaurant’s rules for any specific instructions).
Dinner at the reopened Cape May Cafe
If you’re on the fence about whether or not to book a reservation, our advice is to book it if you see it’s available. Then you can discuss it with your family during the next few days and make that call as to whether you want to keep or cancel it. BUT, do NOT make 3 reservations for around the same time which you don’t intend to keep, or hold onto reservations you don’t intend to go to until the last second and then cancel them. That can needlessly prevent other people from potentially getting reservations they really want. Plus those $10 per person late cancellation fees can really add up!
If you aren’t able to get the reservations you were hoping for, keep checking! You’ll especially want to check as you get close to that window when guests need to cancel their reservations if they want to avoid being charged for not going. You can sometimes find spots for popular restaurants pop up at that time as people cancel their reservations.
It can be hard to snag a reservation at Oga’s Cantina!
And be sure to check things like Disney’s walk-up waitlist feature or even table service to-go to see if you can get a last-minute seat or some food to go from your favorite spots.
4. Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selections
If you’ve visited Disney World before, FastPass+ might be something you were used to utilizing during your trips to be sure you rode the most popular attractions in the park and you may have relied heavily on it. However, in 2021, Disney officially closed the chapter on FastPass and the free option to bypass the standby and introduced Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Selections. So, now, if you’re planning to skip those standby lines, you’re going to have to pay at least $15 per person, per day, or even buy access to individual attractions a la carte.
There’s a brand new system to learn and…it’s complicated
If you simply walk into Disney World now without reading up on this new system, you may end up feeling overwhelmed, and like you’re missing out on some attractions or experiences.
You Don’t Want to Miss Out on Your Favorite Rides!
There are lots of ways to make Disney Genie work for you, or figure out if you want to use it at all. So take some time to do the research and figure out what will provide you and your family the most benefit and value for your trip!
5. Mobile Order
The days of waiting shoulder-to-shoulder in line at Quick Service restaurants are gone and Mobile Order is now available (and preferred) at almost all of Disney World’s Quick Service spots. All you have to do is open up the My Disney Experience app, select the restaurant you want to order from, order your food, and simply go to the Quick Service restaurant during your scheduled pick-up time to get your food.
First, if you wait until later in the day (or you wait until you’re hungry) to order, you may find that the next pick-up time is not for an hour or MORE. By that point, you and your group may be extremely hangry. Our advice? Place those mobile orders EARLY in the day. Seriously, we’re talking about ordering your lunch while waiting in line for a ride at 9AM. If you do that, you’ll likely have a greater amount of available options in terms of pick-up times.
Another issue that can come up with mobile order is that even when you go to your designated pick-up time, there may be quite a lot of people also waiting at that exact same time to get their food. That can cause LONG mobile order pick-up lines to form and could mean that you’ll have to wait a significant amount of time until your order is ready.
Mobile Order Line at Animal Kingdom
One way to avoid this is to schedule those pick-up windows for off-times when most people aren’t eating. You might want to avoid that peak lunchtime around 12:00-1:30PM or so and instead, consider eating a larger brunch meal and then snacking to hold you over until a later lunch.
If you’re planning to go to Disney World this year, you might have a tough time finding a Disney World hotel room in your budget or even finding a room at all! Disney World’s hotels have been filling up for certain days and periods MONTHS in advance meaning that you may find that availability is fairly low for some days.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
To make your next trip easier, even if you’re not planning to go until next year or several months from now, be sure to book those hotel rooms early!! If a deal later comes out that you want to take advantage of, or you change your mind about what hotel you want to stay in, you can later cancel, modify, and/or rebook to make your trip work for you. Just be sure to check on any cancellation or modification rules.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
If you can’t find a room at a Disney World hotel that works for you, remember that there are a number of other hotels that might still fit your needs! For example, you could consider spots like the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort (which is within walking distance of both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios), the Disney Springs Area Resort Hotels, or the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek (which is surrounded by the Walt Disney World Resort).
Plus, you could even look at renting Disney Vacation Club points to stay in a DVC resort through our friends at David’s Vacation Club Rentals. Renting points (as opposed to booking the room directly through Disney) can help you save BIG and still stay in the hotel you’re looking for!
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
There are also other off-property resorts that might work in your budget and still give you great benefits. The important thing here is to get planning early so you have plenty of time to look at all of the options, see what works best for your family and your budget, and book while you can get the best deals!
It’s no secret that things are constantly changing in Disney World. Whether it’s new mask rules, restaurants reopening, or new discounts, it can be difficult to keep track of it all and know what to plan for. That’s why working with a travel agent can help you with some of that and make your trip much easier!
Travel agents stay up-to-date on all the latest discounts, can help answer your questions, and can give you advice or assistance that can make your next trip so much easier. If you have to change a reservation, need to request something specific for your room, or have a question about your trip, you won’t be stuck handling all of that on your own if you work with a travel agent.
You’ll Have a Friend Helping You Out Along the Way
We highly recommend our friends at Small World Vacations. They’ve got years of knowledge about planning Disney trips and can really take a lot of the stress out of your next vacation. Plus, their services are TOTALLY FREE! So you won’t spend a penny more than you would have if you planned the trip all on your own. Their contact info is below so you can get in touch with them!
8. Need More Help and Tips on Disney Dining and More?
There are a LOT of little things that go into planning your trip, especially when it comes to details about what restaurants to try, what snacks to grab, what new experiences to check out, etc. Can’t decide where to eat? Not sure where to even start when it comes to planning your meals or other special experiences? Check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining!
Get the DFB Guide today!
The DFB Guide can be a great, portable resource to help you plan for ALL things dining (and more) in the parks. The guide itself is over 900 pages long and includes tips and tricks, information about Disney World’s restaurants and special dining experiences, links to reviews and other information you need to know, our picks for great snacks, Top 5 lists, resources like phone numbers and dining hours, and SO much more! And the best part? It loads onto your mobile device, so you don’t have to lug a giant book around the park, it’s all in the palm of your hand!
And that’s our list of tips and tricks to make your next Disney World trip easier. We hope these help your next vacation be absolutely magical. Want more insider knowledge for planning your trip? Check out our video below!
And, we’ll continue to keep an eye out for more Disney news and of course share updated tips with you so be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news!
Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money, when you book your Disney trip or cruise.
Their agents compare current offers to find the best deal for you — they’ve literally saved their guests millions of dollars since 1996. Plus, their services are 100% FREE FOR YOU! (They’re DFB’s recommended travel agency, and you can see why here!)
Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
The bags are covered in film strip scenes from “Steamboat Willie,” including Mickey playing “Turkey in the Straw” on various implements, the steamboat itself chugging down the river, and the ship’s crane lifting Minnie onto the boat. There is a tote bag, mini backpack, and crossbody bag.
“Steamboat Willie” Tote – $298
The bags have black handles and straps with red piping.
Each bag has a Mickey Mouse tag.
The tote has one large zip pocket and a small zip pocket on the side.
“Steamboat Willie” was the first appearance of both Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
There are some small pockets inside the tote, also. The lining is red.
Mini Backpack – $268
The backpack has a small zip pocket on the front.
The zipper pulls are black with red piping.
The backpack straps are adjustable.
There’s also a small zip pocket on the back.
Like the tote, the lining is red.
“Steamboat Willie” Crossbody – $248
The crossbody has a small zip pocket and a large zip pocket.
All three bags have golden Dooney & Bourke plaques.
The crossbody is made to sit flat.
It also has a zip pocket and another small pocket inside.
Will you be carrying one of these three bags to celebrate the Mouse that started it all? Let us know in the comments.
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Disney Springs is such a great location for date nights, whether you are a local or planning a time to have a date night while on your trip. The perfect date has fantastic food, live entertainment, and shopping, which can all be done at Disney Springs. Some restaurants give off date night vibes and feel a bit more adult than some other places. My wife and I partake in date night fairly frequently, which has led me to figure out my favorite spots along with some more affordable locations for the nights we don’t feel like breaking the bank.
The number one date night spot, in my opinion, is Wine Bar George. Wine Bar George has such a fun atmosphere and is very worth it if you enjoy wine and fried mac and cheese balls. Wine Bar George is a place where dressing casual is acceptable, but you could also get all dressed up. This is a more pricey location for a date night and should be reserved for a special occasion. Reservations are strongly recommended at this location because it is not guaranteed that they will have a table if you walk up, due to the popularity of this dining location.
Dessert Wine Flight at Wine Bar George
I have the perfect recommendation when looking to do something a little more casual or a lunch date. My number two spot for dates is Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. I love this dining location. It is very laid back, the food is excellent, and the service is always outstanding. If you or your partner love southern cooking and moonshine, then Homecomin’ is for you. We usually come here for lunch since the food is pretty heavy and the portions are relatively large compared to Wine Bar George. Reservations are also strongly encouraged for this location. If not, you might find yourself waiting an hour or longer for a table.
If you are looking for a price-friendly dining location for a fun date night, my following recommendation is City Works Eatery & Pour House. City Works seems to be very underrated since it opened up at Disney Springs, and I’m not sure why because the service is fantastic. Other than the service being excellent, they also have good food and giant screens to watch sports, if you are a sports fan. They also have a large selection of local craft beers and ciders along with flights to taste the different ones they offer. If you and your significant other enjoy tasting different beers or ciders, this could be a fun date night activity. For this dining location, I would recommend a reservation even though each time I have been able to walk up and only wait about fifteen minutes for a table. City Works is located by The NBA Experience, House of Blues, and Cirque de Soleil; that area tends to be emptier than others due to being further away from the main shops.
City Works Dining Room
The last date night spot on my list is Splitsville Luxury Lanes. Splitsville can be enjoyed in two ways: you can either eat inside near the bowling area or sit outdoors by the bar. The outdoor seating is first-come, first-serve, so this is where we usually sit, and they also have live entertainment out there. Inside there is a first floor and second floor, and each level has bowling lanes that can be reserved.
Outdoor seating area at Splitsville
Splitsville is moderately priced, and a reservation is recommended unless you want to eat in the outside section. My wife and I enjoy that we can grab a table, order our food and enjoy live entertainment while we have a fun night out. Splitsville also lands in that price-friendly category, which is great if you plan on doing some shopping after dinner. There are so many more fun locations at Disney Springs, but these are my go-to for an afternoon or night out with my partner, and we never fail to have a good time at these locations.
What is your favorite date night spot at Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments!
The collection features items inspired by retro and vintage Disney World designs, like the original ears, T-shirts, and more. We recently saw some new items be released that feature the original map of Magic Kingdom, including a Spirit Jersey, Crocs, and a really fun bucket hat! These pieces have been pretty popular in Disney World, but now — you can get them online!
These Vault Collection items were just released on shopDisney! You can get the Spirit Jersey, which has the map print all over.
With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
