We love Disneyland for many, many reasons — the rides, the atmosphere, not to mention the FOOD.

Hey, we’re DFB, eating Disney food is literally what we do. And while we’ve had some fantastic eats over the years, there are also some that just don’t make the mark for us, and we don’t hold back on telling you when that happens. We’d hate for you to spend your money on something you may not enjoy, which is why we’re telling you to beware of this new Disneyland meal.

 

Over at Craftsman Grill in the Grand Californian Hotel, you can find new hot dogs of the month throughout the year. We make it a priority to head over there and try them all out, and this month’s is the Oktoberfest Dog. This is made with classic German bockwurst served on a warm pretzel bun with whole-grain mustard, braised cabbage, and white cheese sauce, served with a side of fries. It costs $13.75.

Now this dog certainly looked like a lot, and we had high hopes. However, we’re sad to say it just wasn’t…good. The bockwurst had a soft and mushy texture, and it tasted like super bland, off-tasting pork. Bockwurst is usually flavored with salt, pepper, and paprika, but the pepper overpowered all other flavors in this one.

The whole grain mustard was spread inside the bun and was the most prominent flavor, and the braised cabbage had a texture like grilled onions but with an earthy flavor that was slightly sweet.

The pretzel bun was our favorite part because it was a little crunchy on the outside but soft and warm on the inside. But the fries were very disappointing — they were just crunchy potato skins with little to nothing inside each fry.

Overall the bread and toppings were pretty good, but the bockwurst threw the whole thing off. Maybe if you REALLY love bockwurst it’s worth a try, but otherwise, we recommend skipping this one.

We usually like the hot dogs here a lot, so this was an unusual occasion when we just weren’t big fans of this particular meal.

However, there are a lot of other incredible things we love about Disneyland, and we write about those very often, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB!

Check out when the Candlelight Processional is returning to Disneyland this year!

What meal would you eat instead of this in Disneyland? Tell us in the comments!

The post REVIEW: You’ll Be So Tempted To Buy Disney’s NEW Oktoberfest Dog…DON’T first appeared on the disney food blog.

It’s no secret how fast Disney World’s tickets, park pass reservations, and hotel rooms can sell out.

Tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party sold out weeks ago, and Jollywood Nights are following a similar path. Hotel accommodations on property also often fill up before popular times of the year come around, making last-minute solutions hard to find. If you’re heading to Disney World in 2024, these are the dates you need to book hotel reservations for right now!

January 3rd-7th — Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is taking place January 3rd-7th.

These races often sell out, meaning hotel accommodations will be hard to come by, and the parks will be very crowded. Grab those reservations now!

Learn More About This Marathon Weekend Here!

February 22nd-25th — Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend will take place February 22nd through 25th and will be another weekend that fills up very quickly.

Keep in mind that not everyone will choose to stay on property too, so hotels around Disney World may also fill up, or go up in price very quick. Get yourself booked now!

Check Out More About This Marathon Weekend Here

March and April — Spring Break

Spring Break differs between districts within each state, which means you can usually expect to see tons of guests throughout the entirety of March and April. 

Like you, many of those guests may be choosing to stay on Disney World property. Value resorts are often some of the quickest to fill up during these months since many people choose to stay on property for less, but we recommend booking your reservation at any Disney hotel ASAP!

Here’s what you need to expect out of Disney Genie+ during spring break

April 18th-21st — runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend

Things will be extra busy this weekend in April — not only will you be dealing with spring break crowds, but a runDisney event as well.

Since we still have about 6 months until this race, there’s a little extra time to make your reservations, but don’t let that cause you to procrastinate! One week could be the difference between available and sold-out hotels, so make those reservations sooner rather than later.

Learn More About This Race Here

October 31st — Halloween

Halloween season is always busy in the parks. Between Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and fall offerings around the resort, many guests are drawn to spending time here during the month of October, specifically on Halloween.

If you’re hoping to spend some time in Disney World around and on Halloween, you’ll want to make those hotel reservations at LEAST 6 months in advance to be safe.

Watch us experience 2023’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!

The Opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

While we don’t know yet when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be opening in Magic Kingdom, as soon as that announcement comes out, you’ll want to make that hotel reservation.

This ride is taking the place of the beloved Splash Mountain ride, not to mention that it’s TIANA, and who doesn’t love her, so tons of families and guests will want to be in the park for the first day and/or week that the new ride is open.

Learn all about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure here!

November 28th — Thanksgiving

We’re thankful for Disney World, and we know many of you are too, so it makes sense to spend Thanksgiving in the resort!

Thanksgiving always proves to be one of the busiest days of the year. Seriously, we’re not kidding — get your hotel room booked ASAP!

Here’s where you can find turkey dinner on Thanksgiving in Disney World

December 24th and 25th — Christmas Time

The busiest (and most wonderful) time of the year is Christmas, hands down. Christmas time brings TONS of people to the parks, so if you wait too long to book your reservation, you may be out of luck.

Don’t take it lightly, we’re 100% serious, they fill up SO fast!

Check out what crowds have been like in the past!

December 31st — New Year’s Eve

What better way to celebrate the final day of 2024 than being in Disney World?

Since many adults like to drink an alcoholic beverage or two to celebrate the holiday, they don’t want to travel too far to get back to their rooms, so Disney World hotel rooms will book up fast. Grab yours before they’re all gone!

See what celebrating the START of 2023 in Disney World was like!

We’re here to help make your vacations as easy as they can be, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news!

Buy your Disney World tickets right now for these dates in 2024!

 

When are you planning your 2024 Disney World trip? Tell us in the comments!

The post Planning to Go to Disney World On These Popular 2024 Dates?! Book Your Hotel NOW! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Another Carousel of Progress audio-animatronic lost a hand mid-show at Magic Kingdom this week. John, the father of the progress family, previously lost a hand in February 2020 and again in August 2023. Now Grandpa went handless during the Christmas finale scene.

Carousel of Progress Grandpa Loses a Hand

@anywayitsamy

carousel of progress grandpa’s hand fell off whoopsies. we were evacuated because of it. #disneyworld #wdw #distok #disney #waltdosneyworld #carouselofprogress

♬ original sound – ʎɯɐ

TikTok user @anywayitsamy shared a video of the Grandpa’s hand on the ground next to him, among the presents below the Christmas tree. Amy wrote in the video that “grandpa really wanted to lend a hand at Christmas” and added in the caption that they were evacuated from the attraction, possibly because of the hand.

This scene was updated last summer, with the animatronics getting new hair and outfits, while the dialogue remained the same.

Carousel of Progress has also seen at least two squirrel invasions this year. In March, we shared a rare glimpse of generational progress as the ride broke down mid-rotation, showing two scenes at once.

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

This classic Disney attraction premiered at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair in the General Electric (GE) Pavilion. The fair was notable for also featuring the debut of “it’s a small world” and other pioneering efforts from Walt. After the fair ended, both attractions moved to Disneyland. The Carousel of Progress operated in California from 1967 until 1973, after which it was replaced by America Sings (which itself later closed and was replaced by Innoventions and Star Wars Launch Bay).

Progress lived on at Magic Kingdom, though, where it opened in 1975 and remains to this day. The attraction sees guests seated in a round, rotating theater that takes them through four different scenes featuring the same American family in different eras of history. The first scene is Valentine’s Day at the “turn of the century,” the second is the 4th of July in the 1920s, the third is Halloween in the 1940s, and the fourth is Christmas at the dawn of the 21st century.

The carousel focuses on technology, as well as other elements of American family life, and how things have changed over the course of (now well over) a century. As the opening narration states, “Although our Carousel family has experienced a few changes over the years, our show still revolves around the same theme — and that’s progress.”

There have been multiple iterations of the finale scene in particular, though it has remained mostly unchanged since the 1990s. In addition to the Christmas scene updates, Halloween decorations were updated last year.

Carousel of Progress is known for its theme song, composed by the Sherman Brothers, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.” Many also remember “The Best Time of Your Life,” which was the theme song from 1974 to 1994.

During a “Haunted Mansion” movie interview, star Jamie Lee Curtis said she would like to make a Carousel of Progress movie.

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

The post VIDEO: Another Carousel of Progress Animatronic Loses a Hand at Magic Kingdom appeared first on WDW News Today.

A new development has occurred in Disney’s legal battle against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

The Walt Disney Company filed a lawsuit against Governor DeSantis in April of this year, claiming that the governor has waged a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power” against Disney. Now, in papers filed on Monday, October 30th, Disney once again commented on this lawsuit and warned of potential repercussions if the court rules against Disney.

According to CBS News, Disney made a statement in court papers on October 30th that “if Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wins a federal lawsuit in which Disney claims its free speech rights were violated by the Republican leader, the company won’t be the last entity to be punished over supporting a ‘disfavored viewpoint.’”

Disney said, “If the line is not drawn here, there is no line at all.” They continued, “The retaliation against Disney for crossing the Governor’s ‘line’ was swift and severe: for the explicitly-stated purpose of punishing Disney for its comments, the State immediately stripped Disney of its voting rights in the governing body that oversees Disney’s use of its own private property.”

Disney and DeSantis have been at odds for a while now, after Disney’s issued statements against the Parental Rights in Education law. Following those statements, DeSantis and the Florida legislature made significant changes to Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, turning it into the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. They imposed a new board, declared some recent Disney x Reedy Creek agreements invalid, and threatened to build a prison near Disney World.

Disney officially sued Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (as well as members of the District’s new board), alleging that the Governor has waged a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power” against Disney. The lawsuit —  filed in federal court — argues that DeSantis has orchestrated a campaign to punish Disney for its political views and that this all now threatens Disney’s business.

When Disney asked a judge to reject DeSantis’ motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Disney pointed out that “the First Amendment protects the right of free speech even if it goes against government powers” (CBS).

Within the lawsuit, Disney has alleged:

• For more than half a century, Disney has made an immeasurable impact on Florida and its economy, establishing Central Florida as a top global tourist destination
• Disney is one of Central Florida’s largest taxpayers
• Disney is also one of the largest employers in the State

Disney argues that DeSantis “paid no mind to the governing structure that facilitated Reedy Creek’s successful development until one year ago, when the Governor decided to target Disney.”

According to Disney, “There is no room for disagreement about what happened here: Disney expressed its opinion on state legislation and was then punished by the State for doing so.”

Disney stated, “This is as clear a case of retaliation as this Court is ever likely to see.”

Disney is asking that the court:

• declare the legislative declaration just approved by the new Reedy Creek board as unlawful
• declare that the contracts Disney signed with the old board are still in effect, and
• declare that the laws impacting Reedy Creek (specifically, the first one that would have dissolved the district, and the second one that made substantial changes to the District) be declared unlawful.

We’ll continue to watch for more updates from Disney and the Florida governor, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news.

Click here to learn more about this lawsuit.

The post NEWS: Disney Warns It “Won’t Be the Last To Be Punished” If Gov. DeSantis Wins Federal Lawsuit first appeared on the disney food blog.

The official 100th Anniversary of The Walt Disney Company took place on October 16th, but that doesn’t mean we’re done celebrating!

Throughout the parks and resorts, there are plenty of ways to get in on the festivities. But, even if you can’t make it to the parks — you can still celebrate with NEW Disney100 McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys!

NEW Disney 100th Anniversary Happy Meal Toys have started popping up at McDonald’s!

Each figurine is modeled after a different — and obviously iconic — Disney character. There are Disney princesses, Pixar characters, villains, and more.

Two Disney figurines come in each Happy Meal box.

If you visit the McDonald’s website with your new Happy Meal toy, you can play a virtual game with them.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for even more Disney100 Happy Meal Toys, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney news!

McDonald’s Is Getting a MASSIVE Upgrade in One Disney Park

Will you be snagging these new toys? Tell us in the comments.

The post ALERT! McDonald’s Just Dropped Over 50 NEW Disney Happy Meal Toys! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Are you ready to face your fears? Universal Monsters: Legends of Fear haunted house is back. Can you survive?

Universal Monsters are a mainstay of Halloween Horror Nights across the globe, so it’s no surprise that the Monsters are terrorizing Universal Studios Japan again. This year, Universal Studios Japan is representing the classic characters with Universal Monsters: Legends of Fear, a returning haunted maze from last year’s event.

Universal Monsters: Legends of Fear

As suggested by signage for the maze, Universal Monsters: Legends of Fear features Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula, and The Mummy. It also features several other Universal Monsters, like the Bride of Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and the Phantom of the Opera.

According to Universal surveys, this house has the top satisfaction rate of Halloween Horror Nights houses.

The official description reads,

Relying only on your friends, you must flee from Universal Monsters that assail you in the darkness of the cemetery. Step into the marvelous worlds of the Wolfman, Frankenstein, and Dracula and experience a series of unparalleled desperate crises and fierce ambushes. Can you survive this hell?

Guests must have a Universal Express Pass or Numbered Ticket to visit the maze. It’s at Stage 22, open from 10 a.m. to park close. Halloween Horror Nights houses are available during the day at Universal Studios Japan, so you have plenty of chances to brave the Monsters inside.

Guests are guided into the maze and split into groups, typically of five or six. The lead guest is given a lantern by Crew Members to shine their way through. You enter through a graveyard and are warned to turn back and leave. Evil creatures first appear in the graveyard before you encounter the werewolf bursting out. A monster hunter then saves you before guiding you inside a building. Little do you know, it’s the home of Dracula and his vampires. Even the lantern given to the lead guest turns red with blood.

Winding hallways lead you on multiple encounters with vampires before finally reaching the world of Egypt, where mummies attack. Last but not least, we enter the laboratory of Doctor Frankenstein, where his monster and the Bride come after you. Through one last trip in the graveyard to escape, we meet each of the monsters one more time before reaching the safety of the exit.

Much of the attraction’s audio cues were in English, with incredible set design throughout creating a realistic feeling that left us impressed. Despite our cowardice, we were still incredibly entertained by the wonderfully talented scare actors, each with detailed costuming, incredible makeup and prosthetics to boot, and the incredible set design that brought us into the worlds of these classic monsters.

This year’s Universal Monsters house at Universal Studios Japan is based on the Monsters house that was featured at the Universal Orlando Resort last year. This year, Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Studios Florida all featured Universal Monsters at their events.

The style of this house is classic and authentic, with appearances from some of our favorite monsters. The Mummy, Dracula, and Wolfman play a major role in this year’s event at USJ, but Frankenstein’s Monster and the Phantom of the Opera also make appearances inside the house. Overall, we really enjoyed the return of Universal Monsters: Legends of Fear.

Read more details about Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Japan.

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 Face Your Fears With Universal Monsters: Legends of Fear at Halloween Horror Nights 2023 in Universal Studios Japan appeared first on WDW News Today.