Some familiar faces are taking over Marvel Comics covers in a new “What If…?” Disney100 pin collection, first revealed at the Walt Disney World 2023 Magic HAP-Pins trading event at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.

Disney100 Marvel Comics ‘What If…” Cover Pins

These Limited Release pins feature a number of Marvel Comics covers, with many Disney characters filling in the super suits of Marvel Super Heroes.

In this photo, Goofy steps in as The Incredible Hulk in the pin on the left. On the right, Mickey leads his own team of Avengers as Captain America, with Goofy as Iron Man, Donald as Thor, and Minnie and Pluto as Giant Man and the Wasp. Daisy even makes an appearance as Namor the Sub-Mariner.

The pin on the left sees Mickey as Captain America once again, where he’s joined by Minnie as Iron Man, Pluto as The Hulk, Goofy as Spider-Man, Donald as Cyclops, and Daisy as Wolverine.

On the right is a variant cover referencing “Ms. Marvel,” in which Daisy takes up the mantle.

Moving on, the pin on the right shows a cover for “Fantastic Four,” where the team faces off against Pete, who has stepped in for the role of Giganto. Minnie stars as Invisible Girl, Goofy is the Human Torch, Donald is the Thing, and Mickey is Mr. Fantastic.

The leftmost pin here shows us the answer to, “What if… Mickey Mouse was The Invincible Iron Man?,” and the pin on the right shows us what Mickey, Donald, and Goofy would be like as members of the X-Men.

Here, these pins show off Daisy Duck as Ghost Spider, and Minnie Mouse as Captain Marvel.

These two pins have Mickey front and center, as Captain America leading The New Avengers on the left, and as The Amazing Spider-Man on the right.

Finally, the last pin in this set sees Pete take on the role of Thanos in a cover inspired by “The Infinity Gauntlet.”

Are you a Marvel Comics fan and a pin collector? Will you be getting your hands on these new pins once they’re released? Let us know what you think in the comments.

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

The post FIRST LOOK: Disney100 Marvel Comics ‘What If…?’ Cover Pins Revealed at Magic HAP-Pins Trading Event appeared first on WDW News Today.

The highly anticipated Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game’s initial launch has not gone without a hitch; in fact, the limited stock and the two-week window for Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS) to sell the game before its mass market release has led to “price gouging” at FLGS, high resale market costs, and even reports of mass markets putting out product early with prices higher than MSRP.

Limited Lorcana Stock Leads to Tough Decisions for Game Shops

Even before its soft launch, reports of limited Lorcana stock and re-allocations of product to and from big box stores began making rounds online. Comicbook.com caught up with Ravensburger North America’s CEO, Stephane Madi, at GenCon to try to set the record straight.

There’s been a lot of speculation along the way. I’ve been in meetings where I realized how much the speculation has affected some people because it’s gone really far. And a lot of our fans and retail partners are looking for firm answers. And so, there’s a lot of confusion out there. We’ve tried to clarify it and we continue to clarify it. We have prioritized the hobby trade in our allocation. We have prioritized particularly OP play. We believe that there will be product to experience, to play, and to go around. There is going to be scarcity in the first set. That’s, I think, a given. You can see from the scale of the demand. This is a very difficult category to plan for and to forecast.

These Lorcana stock allocation concerns left Friendly Local Game Stores with challenging decisions to make ahead of the release. Knowing that their allocations were not what they had ordered, what was the most effective way to bring in players, make money for their shop to sustain their small businesses, and grow the Lorcana community?

One of our writers attended a FLGS Learn To Play release at Dragon Fire Games in Lynchburg, Virginia. The event was sold out, and the owner, Evan Garrett, decided to sell his entire stock allocation at MSRP, using a raffle drawing for event attendees to choose 1 additional item from his small allocation and up to 12 booster packs.

“I chose to sell [our Lorcana stock] at MSRP because I wanted to grow the community here for gameplay,” said Garrett.

Selling at the highest price point might create a short term benefit, but long-term it would prevent the people who want to play the game from playing the game, and if this game is to succeed, it needs players playing the game!

But the high market values of the limited Lorcana stock have led other shops to go in a different direction. MSRP for a Gift Set, for example, is $29.99; as of the writing of this article, TCGPlayer.com has the market value of that same set for $60.69, more than double its MSRP.

Some FLGS owners have defended their decisions to price their Lorcana stock competitively with online resellers, citing that the shop making the money instead of the resellers keeps their brick and mortar doors open and provides the space in the long term for players to play. Still, others have broken down multipacks to sell individual boosters from within these sets to ensure that players have enough cards to play the game.

Mass Market Embargo Violations

When Ravensburger chose to give the game first to local game shops, it withheld Lorcana stock from mass markets like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy; however, to hit shelves on September 1st, shipments to these big box retailers have to arrive to the stores prior to that date to be stocked. Whether intentional or not, Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Louisiana have Disney Lorcana product for sale at big box stores.

Lorcana: The First Chapter starter decks and booster packs were spotted at a South Carolina Walmart store. The booster packs (MSRP $5.99) were being sold for $7, and the starter decks (MSRP $16.99) were being sold for $20 each.

Welp… let the madness begin. Went to Walmart when I saw the pictures and this was ALL the @DisneyLorcana they had. For those of you who were hoping to get product in Sept. 1st and for singles to drop… might wanna start checking your stores. pic.twitter.com/nL0ssr9NfS

— BSquared24 Miami TCG Con (@BSquared24YT) August 26, 2023

In addition to releasing several days before the approved September 1 date, the image from BSquared24 on X above shows the gift set price below the product as $34.98 in Ruston, Louisiana. This is a markup from the MSRP of $29.99.

Have you spotted Disney Lorcana stock at your local retailers? Let us know in the comments who’s selling at MSRP and who’s playing the market costs.

Learn to Play Disney Lorcana

Learn to play this exciting new game with us in the video above, or, if you’re interested in following the narrative of the game, Ravensburger also recently released a teaser video for the story.

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

The post Limited Lorcana Stock for Early Release Leads to Difficult Decisions for Local Game Shops, High Resale, and Mass Market Embargo Violations with Markups appeared first on WDW News Today.

Preparations for Halloween Horror Nights are in full swing at Universal Studios Florida, and a cauldron full of new merchandise has materialized at the Five and Dime.

Chucky Cotton Candy – $7

This cotton candy has a sticker with Chucky icons on it on the front.

The lid features the Halloween Horror Nights 2023 logo.

The back reveals that the flavors are layered watermelon, blue raspberry, apple, and pink vanilla inside the container.

Chucky Popcorn – $10

This package of colorful popcorn features Chucky on the front.

The popcorn itself is red, as if Chucky has flavored it with blood.

The design on the label sees Chucky having a lot of fun with a new friend, with blood spatters in the background.

The back label indicates that the popcorn is “Halloween Horror Nights 2023 flavored popcorn,” without indication of what the flavor is. Is it a trick or a treat?

Halloween Horror Nights Mug – $16

This black coffee mug features images from the haunted houses, scare zones, and classic movie icons featured in Halloween Horror Nights 2023. The side features the event logo and “The Last of Us” imagery.

This side of the mug features Chucky with his trusty knife, and it says “Never go alone” across the top of the mug.

Further around the mug is Universal Monsters’ Phantom of the Opera, who we’ll soon see in “Universal Monsters: Unmasked.”

Toward the bottom of the mug is art for “The Exorcist: Believer.”

And finally, toward the handle of the mug is art of Vecna and Eleven from “Stranger Things 4.” A planchette with this year’s event logo is positioned below it.

Chucky Chocolate Bar with Raspberry Filling – $8

This Chucky themed milk chocolate bar is filled with raspberry flavored filling.

Halloween Horror Nights Chocolate Coffin – $16

Put your sweet tooth to rest with this milk chocolate coffin. It comes in shrink-wrapped cardboard packaging.

The chocolate coffin has the tagline “Never Go Alone” and “2023” molded into it.

‘Never Go Alone’ Freestyle Souvenir Tumbler – $28.99

This year’s Halloween Horror Nights Freestyle tumbler features the same art as that on the mug we showed you earlier. Chucky is front and center, with “Never go alone” above his head and the event logo and year beneath him on a planchette.

Guests can purchase this tumbler and drink for free for the rest of their time at the park that day.

Turning the tumbler, art for “The Exorcist: Believer” is featured on the bottom.

Vecna and Eleven from “Stranger Things 4” are at the top.

Around the other side of the tumbler is art of a clicker from “The Last of Us.”

The Phantom of the Opera from “Universal Monsters: Unmasked” is below it.

Halloween Horror Nights Graphic Socks – $20

These graphic socks include the same key art as other merchandise, with imagery of Chucky, Vecna and Eleven, a clicker from “The Last of Us,” Universal Monsters’ The Phantom of the Opera, and “The Exorcist: Believer.”

The art is stacked and runs down the front of the sock.

The Halloween Horror Nights logo is included on the back of the socks, housed inside a planchette with skeleton hands on either side.

Never Go Alone Magnet – $9

It’s not a theme park event without a commemorative magnet. This one features the “Never Go Alone” art with all of the IP-based haunted houses represented.

Chucky Magnet – $9

This magnet features various stylized takes on Chucky. The phrase “Give me the power I beg of you!” is included on the bottom right.

Universal Monsters Magnet – $9

The final magnet includes the art for “Universal Monsters: Unmasked,” one of the haunted houses guests will experience this year. The monsters included on the magnet are The Phantom of the Opera, The Invisible Man, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Halloween Horror Nights Drawstring Bag – $28

Keep your Horror Nights essentials handy with this drawstring bag. In addition to the main pocket, a smaller zip pocket is included on the front.

The front of the bag features imagery of a clicker from “The Last of Us,,” Vecna and Eleven from “Stranger Things 4,” Chucky, The Phantom of the Opera, and “The Exorcist: Believer.”

If you’re after more Halloween Horror Nights 32, check out our other round-ups below:

• Halloween Horror Nights 32 House Lineup Shirts, Lil’ Boo Wall Sign, and More New Merchandise at Universal Orlando Resort
• New Lil’ Boo, Dr. Oddfellow, & More Halloween Horror Nights Merchandise (with Prices) at the All Hallows Eve Boutique at Islands of Adventure
• New Lil’ Boo Frame, Artist Signature Chucky Shirt, and ‘Never Go Alone’ Crop Top Arrive at Universal Orlando Resort
• PHOTOS: New Chucky, The Exorcist: Believer & More Halloween Horror Nights Merchandise Available Now at Universal Orlando Resort

Halloween Horror Nights 32 begins on September 1, 2023.

Which item intrigues you the most? Let us know in the comments.

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

The post New Halloween Horror Nights 32 Merchandise Materializes at Universal Studios Florida, Including ‘Stranger Things 4’ & ‘The Last of Us’ appeared first on WDW News Today.

While visiting Disney World, it can seem nearly impossible to experience all the rides and attractions within a week-long visit or less.

Lines for several fan-favorite attractions can quite literally be HOURS long, and Disney’s skip-the-line service, Genie+, doesn’t always fit everybody’s budget. We typically recommend rope dropping each of the Disney World parks to hit those super popular attractions early in the day. Rope dropping is when you show up to the parks as soon as they’re open in order to be among the first people on a ride or attraction. This “hack” allows you a shorter wait in most cases, so that you aren’t spending your whole day waiting in line. While we totally recommend this trick for people visiting three of the Disney World parks, there’s one park that makes us feel a little hesitant when recommending the rope drop strategy.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a fairly small park, as far as rides are concerned. Compared to the other Disney parks, Animal Kingdom has the fewest amount of rides, and out of these, there are really only one or two attractions that post higher waits throughout the day.

At the other Disney World parks, there’s typically gonna be a pretty busy attraction in each land of the park. This means that at rope drop, crowds will usually disperse so that wait times at each of those big ticket attractions will remain relatively low.

However, at Animal Kingdom, rope drop crowds typically head to one ride and one ride only: Avatar: Flight of Passage. Yep, this ride is going to be busy from park open to park close, and not even rope drop can help you with this issue. This is one of the only rides that we would absolutely recommend snagging a Lightning Lane for, unless you want to wait for two hours or more.

Unless you’re a pretty speedy power walker or you just get super lucky, rope drop might not help you in this case. So. Our advice to you? Have a slow start on the morning of your Animal Kingdom visit. At 7AM, snag a Lightning Lane for Flight of Passage. Take your time getting ready, and then make your way into the park a while after rope drop. Most of the other wait times will still probably be low at this point. 

Or, if you want to be in the park at rope drop, you could always rope drop Starbucks! wink Or, knock out ALL of the Animal Kingdom rides while you wait for your Flight of Passage return time. There are so many ways to go about it — just DON’T rope drop Flight of Passage expecting a lower wait. 

We’ll continue to keep you updated with more Disney news, reviews, and advice, so make sure to follow along for more! 

Looking for more to do in Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Click here for the SNACKS!

Which park do you always make sure to rope drop? Let us know in the comments!

The post The One Thing You Need to Know Before You Rope Drop Animal Kingdom first appeared on the disney food blog.

Every day at Disney World is our favorite day. It’s true.

However, some days do get a little extra sprinkle of pixie dust! This week was a really great week at Disney World, because of small details that just made our days in the parks and hotels just a little bit better. In case you’re craving just a little extra magic in your life as the week comes to an end, this post is filled with some of our favorite things that happened in the parks this week. Let’s go!

Our top three favorite things that happened this week took place in Magic Kingdom, at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, and in EPCOT. Two of these things were yummy, and one of these things was just MAGICAL. Are you ready? Yes? Alright, well let’s start in Magic Kingdom.

Fall Drinks Are Back At Starbucks

Okay, yeah, Starbucks locations are available in every Disney World park. HOWEVER. Something about the Main Street Bakery Starbucks just feels so much more magical. Well, Starbucks’ fall menu officially arrived this week, and you bet your top dollar we loaded up on those sugary sweet pumpkin drinks. Yessiree, it’s Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Season.

We actually tried the NEW fall drink, the Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, and we fell in love. It’s a delicious drink that we think is going to be a hit this fall for sure.

Click here to see what else is new in Magic Kingdom!

Magical Music Mishap at Old Key West Resort

On August 22nd, we were casually strolling around Disney’s Old Key West Resort when we heard… CHRISTMAS MUSIC! Yep, it was blistering hot outside, the merchandise shops were all decked out with Halloween merch, and holiday music was blasting through the speakers.

None of the Cast Members knew what was happening and we heard that they ended up calling maintenance. Apparently, it randomly started at some point during the day. We can’t say we minded. We can’t wait for the holidays, but for right now, we’ll live in the moment and enjoy Halloween at Disney World.

Click here to see more of what’s new at the Disney World Hotels.

Pizza al Taglio Is OPEN at EPCOT

Pizza al Taglio is a window where you can get fresh slices of pizza in the Italy Pavilion. Usually, this spot is only open seasonally. On August 23rd, the Pizza Window was OPEN when we visited!

Here, you can get square pizza slices with a thick crust — Sicilian-style! It tastes great for quick-service pizza, and it’s one of our favorite counter-service spots for ‘za.

Click here to see what else is new at EPCOT! 

And there you have it! You can keep up with EVERYTHING new happening at all the Disney World parks by clicking the links below.

Make sure to follow along for more so that you never miss a thing!

Hoping to be even more in the know? Click here to see more things that happened in August at Disney World! 

Are you headed to Disney World soon? Let us know in the comments!

The post Our 3 Favorite Things That Just Happened At Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.

Among Disney World’s Deluxe Resorts are a few that are just more iconic than the others.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of those resort icons! Here, it’s like you’re truly staying in a lodge located in the African Savanna, and the experience is only heightened by the fact that you can catch a glimpse of some REAL animals roaming around outside. Not only this, but resort guests will also have quick and easy access to some fan-favorite restaurants located at the hotel. However, there’s one problem that many guests encounter when staying at this resort.

The issue starts with the fact that Animal Kingdom Lodge is kind of off the beaten path at Disney World. It makes sense, though, because those animals have to have a peaceful place to roam! However, this typically means long bus rides to the other parks, and no Monorail or Skyliner access. 

On top of these lengthy bus rides, there’s also an internal loop with multiple stops once you arrive at the resort. So, even once you get back to the hotel, you might have to wait even longer to allow people to get off the bus, if your stop isn’t the first one.

While this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, it IS something to consider if you have tired little ones, get motion sick while on the buses, or just really want to be closer to the parks. However, if you’re seeking a quieter resort that’s a bit further away from everything, this could be the place for you! 

Don’t get us wrong, here, though. We LOVE staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge! But sometimes, you just have to choose if it’s worth it for you and your Disney group! We’ll continue to keep you updated with more Disney news and advice, so make sure to follow along for more so that you never miss a thing.

Looking for more Disney World hotel advice? Click here!

 

Have you ever stayed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Harsh Reality of Staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge first appeared on the disney food blog.

No, we’re not joking — the time to get your Disney advent calendar is NOW.

There are some great designs out there that’ll come with all kinds of Disney fun — from storybooks to figurines. And if you get them now, you’ll be able to score them with plenty of time to spare (no last-minute stress!) and you might even get them at a DISCOUNT (saving you some hard-earned cash!). So let’s take a look at just which ones you should add to your cart ASAP.

All of these Advent Calendars are from Amazon, making them easy to grab and get home ASAP. Not an Amazon Prime Member yet? Did you know that you can get a FREE trial to see if it’s worth it for you?! Click the link below and claim your free trial now!

Alright, now let’s look at those advent calendars!

Check Out the Disney100 Advent Calendar

First up, we have the Disney 100 Advent Calendar, which is full of storybooks!

This advent calendar comes with 24 small paperback books each of which is individually wrapped.

You can read these stories each night — some of which are holiday-themed — to get ready for the big celebration.

Get the Storybook Advent Calendar on Amazon!

Grab the Disney Junior Advent Calendar for Over 20% Off

Love figurines, decorations, and stickers? Then pick up the Disney Junior advent calendar!

This comes with 11 mini-figures, 5 card decorations, 5 sticker sheets, 5 stickers, and 3 stickers that are in gift boxes.

There are items from shows like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Adventures and Puppy Dog Pals, so your little ones will stay entertained each day.

Check Out the Disney Junior Advent Calendar on Amazon!

Don’t Miss Out on the Disney Princess Advent Calendar

If you have a Disney Princess fan or just love decorating, grab this pop-up advent calendar NOW! After opening the cover of this collectible, you’ll find a pop-up Christmas Tree!

There are 25 compartments that come with this set too, and each compartment is filled with displayable ornaments to put on your pop-up tree. Those ornaments include things like Cinderella’s glass slipper, Rapunzel’s frying pan, and more!

Plus, you’ll get a guidebook that has facts about the princesses and their ornaments. Decorating the tree and learning about these princesses could be a great tradition to start up with your family.

View the Pop-Up Advent Calendar on Amazon!

Get the Funko Pop! Advent Calendar for Over 40% OFF

Want to get an advent calendar AND save big? Well, then act fast because this one from Funko Pop! is over 40% OFF right now. 

The advent calendar comes with mini doors, behind which you’ll find 24 Funko Pocket Pops! which feature Mickey and friends in their very best holiday looks.

Check out the Advent Calendar on Amazon

Get the Star Wars Advent Calendar for Over 40% OFF

And finally, you can pick up a Star Wars Funko Pop! advent calendar on sale right now too!

This one has 24 little doors as well, behind which you’ll find Star Wars characters (heroes and villains!) in festive looks — how unique!

Check out this Advent Calendar on Amazon

That’s a peek at some of the advent calendars you’ll want to pick up right now while you can. To see more, check out our Amazon storefront section full of Advent Calendars you can get online right now. And stay tuned for more Disney and holiday news.

For more great Disney merch check out our Amazon storefront HERE!

Are advent calendars part of your annual traditions? Let us know in the comments below! 

The post Disney Advent Calendars You’ll Regret Not Buying NOW first appeared on the disney food blog.

Soon travelers will have even more options when flying into Orlando!

Recently, several airlines have announced new direct flights to Orlando International Airport, including Porter Airlines, and Silver Airways, to name a few. And now, another carrier plans to add new nonstop flights to Orlando soon!

Calling all Canadian travelers, this one’s for you! Canada Jetlines, a new Canada-based leisure airline, has announced plans to add flights to Orlando in the coming months.

According to a news release from the company, Canada Jetlines will begin flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Orlando International Airport four times a week starting October 30th.

In the release, the airline also announced plans to add flights from Toronto to Montego Bay, Cancun, and Las Vegas.

We’ll continue to be on the lookout for more Orlando travel news, so stay tuned to DFB to stay in the know about all of the latest updates!

How To Handle Record-Breaking Crowds at Orlando’s Airport

 

Which airline is your go-to for traveling to Orlando? Share with us in the comments!

The post NEW Nonstop Flights Coming Soon to Orlando International Airport first appeared on the disney food blog.