Some celebrities and world-renowned movie stars have dedicated themselves to a global cause over the course of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

©IMDb

One popular movie star, known for his portrayal of Star Wars‘ Luke Skywalker, joins the many celebrities fighting to make a difference and assist the people of Ukraine in some way. Mark Hamill’s recent contribution is one that we definitely didn’t expect.

According to AP News, Hamill voiced all-new air raid alerts in Ukraine, warning Ukranian citizens of impending danger in the voice and personality of beloved Luke Skywalker.

©Star Wars

Citizens will hear Hamill say, “Attention. Air raid alert. Proceed to the nearest shelter,” when the defense system detects aerial strikes. The announcement adds some Star Wars flair with, “Don’t be careless. Your overconfidence is your weakness,” which is a line of Skywalker’s in Return of the Jedi.

Once given the all-clear, an alert will sound that signals the danger has passed. Hamill adds, “May the force be with you” to the all-clear announcement.

©AP News

AP News interviewed Hamill, who said that he has long admired how Ukraine has “shown such resilience … under such terrible circumstances.” He stated that the fight against the Russian invasion “reminds him of the Star Wars saga […] — of plucky rebels battling and ultimately defeating a vast, murderous empire.” Hamill said, “The Ukrainian people rallying to the cause and responding so heroically … It’s impossible not to be inspired by how they’ve weathered this storm.”

Mark Hamill signature on Hollywood Yard of Fame in Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The voiceover is not the only way Hamill is trying to assist Ukrainian forces. He is also raising funds to purchase reconnaissance drones for the front lines, which he is doing by autographing Star Wars posters and raffling them off. He said, “Here I sit in the comfort of my own home when in Ukraine there are power outages and food shortages and people are really suffering. It motivates me to do as much as I can.”

One of the security systems that co-developed the warning app, Ajax Systems, commented on Hamill’s contribution. They said, “With Mark’s approach, it won’t be so terrifying.” They commented that “for Star Wars fans, it sounds really fantastic. It’s kind of a Ukrainian mentality to find some humor even in the bad situation or to try to be positive.”

We’ll continue to watch for more updates about Disney-related stories, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news.

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The post ‘Star Wars’ Celeb Mark Hamill Voices Air Raid Alerts in Ukraine first appeared on the disney food blog.

Genie+ could cost you WAY more soon and you need to be prepared.

©Disney

In case you’re not familiar with it, Genie+ is the PAID service that has replaced FastPass+ in Disney World. With it, you pay one price per person per day to make Lightning Lane reservations (generally one at a time throughout the day) at many (but not all) of Disney World’s rides. We’ve shared all kinds of Genie+ tips and tricks over the past few years, tracked when it’s hit RECORD high prices in the parks, and even warned you about the potential for Genie+ to sell out. But now we’ve got another Genie+ warning to share.

Easter Weekend is coming up, and Genie+ could cost you MUCH more in the coming days due to this holiday. In 2023, Easter itself falls on Sunday, April 9th, but you should prepare for higher Genie+ prices ahead of and around that entire weekend.

Donald Duck Egg

Genie+ is now subject to surge pricing. That means its price varies depending on the day you visit, and it can be much more expensive on days when there are bigger crowds expected.

Holidays like Easter can bring in some massive crowds to Disney World (particularly since Easter can fall on or around spring break for some kiddos), which can lead to higher Genie+ prices.

Magic Kingdom Crowds March 2023

But let’s dive into the data to really see what those Genie+ prices could look like. Genie+ hit its highest price so far ($29) on all of the following holiday periods:

• March 12th-March 17th, 2023 (peak spring break time)
• March 27th, 2023 (spring break, plus near the end of the 50th)
• February 18th-February 20th, 2023 (around President’s Day)
• December 23rd, 2022-January 3rd, 2023 (around New Year’s Eve)
• November 21st-26th, 2022 (around Thanksgiving)

©Disney

It stands to reason that if Genie+ hit its high $29 price on those dates surrounding major holidays, it could hit that same price (or be even more expensive) around Easter too.

Easter Egg Display

What about Genie+ and Disney World ticket prices? Do those seem to show a connection? Well, sort of, but it’s complicated. Generally, you would expect that on days when park tickets (based on standard 1-day, 1-park tickets) are more expensive, Genie+ might also be more expensive. That does happen…sometimes. But it’s not a perfect correlation.

This Easter Sunday (April 9th) a 1-day, 1-park ticket starts at $154. Remember that 1-day, 1-park tickets are now priced differently depending on what park you want to visit.

©Disney

Here’s a full look at 1-day, 1-park ticket prices for Easter Sunday — they range from $154 to $174.

©Disney

What has happened previously when tickets started at $154+? Well, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. On December 17th, tickets started at $154 but Genie+ was only priced at $19. On December 23rd, however, we also saw that tickets generally started at $154 but Genie+ was priced at $29.

Here’s a look at some of the days we’ve seen Genie+ at its most expensive ($29) and what ticket prices started at:

• December 31st, 2022 — $159+
• December 30th, 2022 — $159+
• December 29th, 2022 — $159+
• December 26th, 2022 — $159+
• December 25th, 2022 — $159+
• December 24th, 2022 — $159+

EPCOT

Here’s a look at some other ticket prices and how they related to Genie+ pricing:

• Genie+ price: $17
  • December 16th — tickets started at $149+
• Genie+ price: $19
  • December 12th — tickets started at $144+
  • December 18th — tickets started at $149+
• Genie+ price: $15
  • December 15th — tickets started at $144+
  • We also saw similar pricing on December 14th and December 13th
• Genie+ price: $25
  • December 19th, 20th, 21st, 2nd — tickets started at $149+

Hollywood Studios

So it can be a bit of a mix there. It does seem, however, that ticket prices that start closer to $159 would likely fall into a more expensive Genie+ price category. Since the ticket price for April 8th and 9th starts at $154 that could place it closer to the $29 range. Some dates around that are priced at $149 though, so Genie+ may be priced closer to $25 or cheaper on those dates.

Still, you should be prepared to spend a pretty penny on Genie+ around Easter, so make sure you’ve left enough wiggle room in your budget. For more tips for visiting Disney World around Easter, click here for a list of the Easter treats you’ll find in Disney World and find out where you can see some epic Easter egg creations in Disney World too!

Click here to learn all about Genie+!

A new light purple sequined Minnie ear headband is available at Walt Disney World Resort. We found the new ears at the Emporium in Magic Kingdom.

Purple Sequined Minnie Ear Headband – $34.99

The puffy ears and bow have a zig-zag pattern of sequins.

The inside of the headband is lined with light purple velour for a soft fit.

The fabric beneath the sequins is silky.

Ear headbands now have perforated tags instead of excessively long ones.

The sequin pattern continues onto the back of the ears.

Check out the new Moana ear headband, too.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post NEW Purple Sequined Minnie Ear Headband at Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW News Today.

Sometimes things happen in Disney World that you just don’t have any control over.

Monorail

Rides occasionally malfunction or get closed for the weather, transportation issues can arise, and other minor annoyances happen that could impact your day. Today, we came across a weird, less common problem, though, when we were riding the Monorail. 

We were traveling from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort to Magic Kingdom on the Monorail this morning, but the gates that are the actual EXIT from the Monorail station were not working. They’re supposed to open for guests, but they didn’t.

They didn’t open

There is, however, a Cast Members Only gate, which is what we, along with other guests, were allowed to use this morning.

Cast Members gate

So if this does happen to you, be sure to look for a nearby Cast Member, who will direct you where to go. This minor issue didn’t put much of a dent in our day, but it’s very possible to run into other transportation problems that could have more of an impact on your trip.

Cast Members are there to help!

We’ve come across some of these unusual transportation problems before, and it’s always a good idea to just look for Cast Members, who will know exactly what you should do. We’ve even come across issues where the Monorail is completely closed. If you’re heading to Magic Kingdom, you can always just take a ferry or a bus to the park from the Transportation and Ticket Center. Just look for the BIG sign for the Magic Kingdom Ferryboat.

Magic Kingdom Ferryboat

If you’re having issues with the Disney Skyliner (it does occasionally close due to technical issues and weather), you’ll be able to catch a Disney bus to your destination. You might have to wait a bit for the next bus, especially if the Skyliner closed recently, so be sure to be ready for that (this might be a good time to whip out the Disney Parks App on the phone and play some games and trivia).

Skyliner

Finally,  if a Disney bus has an issue, another bus will be sent to replace it. If you find yourself waiting FOREVER for a bus, you also have the option of calling a rideshare, which might be the best solution if you have to be somewhere at a certain time, like for an advance dining reservation.

Basically, there are a LOT of options when it comes to getting around Disney World, so don’t panic if one of those options doesn’t pan out. Just ask a nearby Cast Member for help and they can direct you to the next best choice. When are you headed to Disney World next? Have you checked out our line of fun graphic tees to wear on your trip? We’ve designed some for the whole family – from infants to adults! Click here to check them out!

Everything You Need To Know about the Walt Disney World Transportation System 

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Have you ever come across a weird transportation problem in Disney World? Tell us about it in the comments!

The post The WEIRD Problem We Ran Into at Magic Kingdom Today first appeared on the disney food blog.

One thing we know is consistent about summer vacations in Disney World is this: It’s gonna be HOT.

Having an amazing Disney day!

We know there are many tips and tricks for beating the heat, but it all starts with your clothes. So how do you stay cool and still make it Disney?

DFB’s new, exclusive line of Disney-inspired tank tops are here to solve your packing problems! We have continually received requests for tank tops, and, well, you asked — we came through!

New Disney-inspired tanks!

These unisex tank tops are available in 10 of our most popular designs. They are printed on Bella Canvas brand shirts, and they are designed to have a fitted look — so if you like a looser fit, we suggest you size up. Let’s take a look at some of the designs you can order today!

First up is this Figment tank top!

A dream can be a dream come true!

It says, “A dream can be a dream come true!” — just like our favorite purple dragon used to tell us.

If you’re missing Splash Mountain, you can remember the ride with this Briar Patch Band Farewell Tour tank.

Goodbye, Splash Mountain!

Of course, here at Disney Food Blog we wouldn’t forget the iconic snacks. Check out our Dole Whip tank!

Everyone’s favorite frozen treat!

And if you love those EPCOT festivals, you’re going to want to wear this Flower & Garden Festival tank top as you snack and drink around World Showcase.

Wear THIS to the Flower & Garden Festival!

These designs and many more are available NOW if our DFB Store! Keep following us for the latest news about Disney World — and more fun merch, too!

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

Which new tank top design is your fave? Tell us in the comments!

The post New Disney World Essentials For Your Summer Trip Just Dropped! first appeared on the disney food blog.