Universal Orlando Resort has been looking to cut costs and increase profits a lot lately and another price increase has quietly happened around the attractions. Universal Orlando has raised the prices for locker rentals at all of their attractions around the resort by $1.

Prices Raised for Locker Rentals at Attractions

Several attractions at the Universal Orlando Resort require riders to store their belongings in lockers prior to boarding. Attractions that require guests to use lockers offer small lockers for free and larger lockers are available for rental. Large locker rentals were $2, but they are now $3 each. Here are the attractions that require guests to use lockers:

• Revenge of the Mummy
• Men in Black: Alien Attack
• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Jurassic World VelociCoaster

Water rides do not require riders to store their belongs, so small lockers are not free. Small lockers for water rides are $3 now, a $1 increase from the previous $2 cost. Large lockers at water rides are $6 now instead of $5. Here are the water rides that offer paid lockers:

• Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
• Jurassic Park River Adventure
• Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls

The small, standard lockers at water rides are $5 for up to $90 minutes and $3 for every 30 minutes after. The maximum cost for the locker is $25, the same as an all day locker rental.

Large lockers start at $6 for 90 minutes and cost an additional $3 for every 30 minutes after. The price to use the locker for a full day has not changed and is still $25. Lockers at the front of the park are the same price for a full day rental.

Small lockers are still free at attractions where they are required. The small lockers can’t fit much, so guests with backpacks or large items will need to purchase a larger locker for the new $3 price.

This is just one of many small increases we’ve seen recently around the Universal Orlando Resort. With Epic Universe on the horizon, it appears that Universal is cutting corners and raising prices wherever they can. This is only a $1 increase, but when so many attractions require guests to use lockers, anybody who travels with more than a small bag is going to feel this price increase.

How do you feel about something like the prices of lockers increasing? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to stay tuned for all the latest updates.

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

The post Prices Raised for Attractions Locker Rentals at Universal Orlando Resort appeared first on WDW News Today.

Will you be visiting Disneyland in 2024?

If so, in case you haven’t already heard, you’ll need to know that a fan-favorite Disney California Adventure attraction will be closed for refurbishment — tomorrow!

Radiator Springs Racers will close for refurbishment in Disney California adventure tomorrow, February 26th! Remember this is planned to be a short closure and should reopen on March 2nd. We’ll definitely update you if there are any changes to the refurb schedule!

We’ll definitely miss it while it’s closed, but we’re already getting excited to see its return!

In the meantime, you can still get your Cars Land fix, and while you’re there, hop on Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree or Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters!

We’ll continue to keep you updated, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news.

NEWS: Haunted Mansion Has CLOSED for a Lengthy Refurbishment at Disneyland

Are you visiting Disneyland in 2024? Let us know in the comments.

The post This Disney California Adventure Fan-Favorite Attraction Closes for Refurb TOMORROW! first appeared on the disney food blog.

So it’s no secret that sometimes things just close in Disney World.

Sometimes, those closures are part of Disney’s refurbishment schedule, and we know about it WAY ahead of time. Other times, the weather can shut down rides. Sometimes things just…well, shut down without any apparent reason. Well, that seems to be happening ALL over Fantasyland — and WE HAVE QUESTIONS.

So when we wandered into Magic Kingdom today (February 25th) and ended up in Fantasyland, one of the first things we noticed was a ride closure. For some unannounced reason, “it’s a small world” was closed. We spoke with some Cast Members who told us the ride had already been down for at least an hour and that they were working on some technical issues inside the ride. We were also told it wouldn’t be open anytime soon, though Cast Members could not share a specific reopening timeline.

But hey, we can imagine some parents might be grateful for this closure if their kids insist on riding it over and over.

After that, we continued our stroll through Fantasyland. We reached The Friar’s Nook, and more than half of the restaurant was closed. We spoke with a Cast Member there, and they were unaware of why it was partially closed but assured us they were working on resolving it soon. So, if you wanted some of those yummy tots they have there, you might have to wait a little longer.

So yes, it seems like Fantasyland was having some problems in the morning. Listen, we get it; it usually takes us a trip to Starbucks to get really going on a weekend morning, but we hope these problems are resolved soon. We did check, and “it’s a small world” has reopened (sorry to those of you hoping it would stay down all day!).

But, hey, at least it wasn’t a bear that closed things down this time! Now, THAT was a wild time!

Stay tuned to DFB for more!

Disney World Transportation Is CHANGING, and We’ve Got a NEW LOOK Inside!

What do you do when parts of Disney World are closed? Let us know in the comments!

The post Multiple Parts of Disney World’s Fantasyland Are Mysteriously SHUT DOWN first appeared on the disney food blog.

Disney collectors are SERIOUS about the items they collect.

Disney fans collect everything from popcorn buckets (we still can’t get over the Figment Popcorn Bucket chaos of 2022) to Loungefly bags (some designs sell out in MINUTES) to limited edition pins, Minnie ears, and more! One of the most SOUGHT-after Disney collectibles, though, are the Tiki Mugs from Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar in Disneyland and Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto in Disney World. Among these tiki mugs, though, seven of them are SO memorable we had to write about them!

Haunted Mansion Gargoyle Tiki Mug

The gargoyles in the Haunted Mansion are ICONIC, so we had to talk about the Haunted Mansion Gargoyle Tiki Mug released in 2023 in Disney World. We had to stand in a MASSIVE line to get our hands on one of these babies, which resembles the gargoyle candelabra you’d find in the Haunted Mansion with a Tiki twist.

Now, this mug is a little delicate, so we don’t break it out to use often. No, this is one you show off in a display case with the rest of your Tiki mug collection. It’s special! (And valuable…)

See more photos of this mug HERE!

Hatbox Ghost Tiki Mug

As you can imagine, Haunted Mansion Tiki Mugs are hot ticket items, and caused some of the longest lines we’ve seen at Trader Sam’s. The Hatbox Ghost Tiki Mug was originally released in Disneyland and Disney World in 2018, but another version turned up in Disneyland ahead of the Haunted Mansion movie premiere in 2023.

Hatbox Ghost is so popular now that he can be seen in both Disneyland and Disney World, so this tiki mug was a HOT commodity every time it was released.

See more photos of this tiki mug HERE!

Jose Tiki Mug

Welcome to Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room! Who doesn’t love a tiki mug inspired by a singing bird in the TIKI Room? The Jose Tiki Mug was released last year, and this is the mug for fans of The Enchanted Tiki Room (we bet the song is looping through your brain RIGHT NOW).

This mug was released to celebrate the Tiki Room’s 60th anniversary, although there have been previous Jose tiki mugs in the past, too. You can’t put a good bird down!

More about this mug HERE

Monstro Tiki Mug

Okay, when we say Disney villains, you probably don’t even THINK of the whale in Pinocchio, but you should! This man-eating whale was terrifying in the movie, but oh, did he make a cute Tiki Mug. The Monstro Tiki Mug is another mug we had to wait in a long line for because it’s rare to get him on ANY merchandise.

We got Monstro in Disney World, although a similar mug quickly sold out in Disneyland, too.

More photos of this mug HERE

Missing Cargo Tiki Mug

The ultimate mashup might have happened when Disney World released the Missing Cargo Tiki Mug, which recreated a scene from Jungle Cruise (the ride, not the movie). How fun is this mug?

This one came out in 2021, and we’ll admit we weren’t so happy with the drink that came with it (we still think of that licorice-like flavor when we look at this mug). The mug itself, though? WORTHY.

See more photos of this mug

Now, new tiki mugs don’t drop all the time, and you’ll need to make sure to keep an eye out for announcements from Disney about when and where they’ll drop. We’ll also let you know when new ones are set to release, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

The Best Disney World Souvenirs For Every Budget

Do you have a favorite Tiki Mug release? Let us know in the comments!

The post The 5 Best Tiki Mugs Disney Has Ever Released first appeared on the disney food blog.

Kenneth Mitchell, an actor known for his roles in Star Trek: Discovery and Captain Marvel, has passed away.

Mitchell played several characters on Star Trek: Discovery but was also known for his roles as Eric Green in Jericho and Joseph Danvers in Captain Marvel. The actor’s family stated that he died from complications of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 49.

His family wrote on social media, “With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend.” The post detailed how he faced challenges from ALS, but “managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment.”

The family’s full statement can be read below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kenneth Mitchell (@mr_kenneth_mitchell)

According to the post, he is survived by his wife Susan, their children Lilah and Kallum, his parents Diane and David, brother Sean, in-laws Sally and Bill Pratt, sister-in-law Beth, nieces and nephews Kiran, Jyoti, Avery, and Eliza, as well as his two cats Chai and Cinna.

The family asks that any gifts be directed to ALS research or in support of his children.

Our thoughts are with Mitchell’s friends and family at this time.

The post NEWS: ‘Captain Marvel’ and ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Actor Kenneth Mitchell Has Passed Away first appeared on the disney food blog.

We always say it’s important to have a plan in place when visiting Disney World, but sometimes things can impact your schedule.

For example, you may want to ride Rise of the Resistance, but the ride closes, and you never get a chance to get on it. Maybe you have plans to ride a bunch of outdoor attractions, but bad weather rolls in, and Disney closes those rides. Sometimes, other things can change your plans, too. For example, on February 24th, the second showing of Fantasmic! was canceled in Hollywood Studios. We’re going to tell you how to stay on top of this kind of cancelation and still get an opportunity to see the show.

We wish we could tell you these things didn’t happen, but sometimes shows get canceled. This can be due to last-minute staffing issues, weather, or even technical difficulties. We know we often tell you to wait for that second Fantasmic! show if there are multiple performances, as that second show is generally less crowded. However, there is a risk that the show could get canceled.

Here’s how to be prepared so you don’t miss the show. Make sure you have multiple nights open so you can possibly see Fantasmic! another day if needed. You’ll want to keep an eye on how many showings are happening during the days you’re there because, sometimes, there is only one show per night. You can do this by checking the Fantasmic! page on the Disney World website or through the My Disney Experience app. You’ll also want to check the times for Fantasmic! on the day you plan on seeing it because showtimes can change at the last-minute.

Finally, make sure you have notifications turned on in My Disney Experience so that you get updates when this kind of thing happens. There’s nothing worse than getting blindsided by a change in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Keep those notifications ON, people!

If you’ve purchased a Fantasmic! dining package, note that even if the show is canceled, your dining experience will still take place. 

Stay tuned to DFB for more!

Hold up for a sec! Before you plan your next trip to Disney World, check out our DFB Guide Everything Bundle here. You will get ALL of our best-selling eBooks with details on Disney World Dining, EPCOT Festivals, the BEST snacks in each park, and soooooo many tips and tricks we’ve learned over decades of visiting our happy place.

How Long is Fantasmic!?

Have you ever planned to see Fantasmic! and had the show canceled? Let us know in the comments!

The post NEWS: Disney World Cancels Second Showing of Fantasmic! Due to “Unforeseen Circumstances.” first appeared on the disney food blog.

Planning for your next Disney World trip? Let’s talk about what you can leave off of your packing list.

You know how it goes when you start thinking about all the stuff you need to bring on a trip, right? The list just seems to go on forever, and it’s so easy to forget the really important stuff. But hey, let’s chat about something different today — things you can actually skip packing and save yourself some hassle!

Before you start packing your bags for your Disney World trip, let’s talk about some stuff you can actually leave behind this time around. Ready? Let’s jump right in!

Full-sized Toiletries

Listen, we get it. You want to smell fresh and clean on your trip. But you can leave those big shampoo and conditioner bottles at home. Swap ’em out for travel-sized versions.

Plus, typically hotels hook you up with those essentials anyway, so why lug around extra weight? And if you use travel-sized bottles, you won’t have issues with TSA at the airport!

Clothing for Every Weather

Okay, so you might encounter a little rain or an unexpected heatwave. No need to pack for all four seasons, though.

Grab some versatile layers and check the forecast beforehand. Oh, and toss in a poncho or umbrella just in case Florida decides to throw a curveball.

Too Many Clothes

Guilty of packing half your closet? Don’t worry. We’ve all been there. But here’s the deal: less is more. Say it with me: less is more.

Stick to mix-and-match outfits and remember, you can always make use of the laundry facilities during your stay to refresh your clothing.

Large Towels and Beach Gear

We’ll just say this plainly — leave your oversized towels and beach toys at home.

The hotels hook you up with towels, and truthfully, trying to pack your pool noodles is just asking for trouble.

Too Many Shoes

Oh, the struggle of choosing between heels or flats. We totally get it. Here’s a tip: limit yourself to a few pairs of comfy shoes to save space and weight in your suitcase.

Think supportive kicks for long days of walking and save the heels for fancy dinners. Your feet will thank you later.

Valuables and Irreplaceable Items

Sure, your hotel room has a safe, but why risk it? It’s best to minimize the risk of loss or theft by leaving all the valuable or irreplaceable belongings at home. It’s not worth the stress.

Focus on making memories, not worrying about lost or stolen treasures.

So there you go — our advice for making your packing a little bit easier for your next Disney World trip! Until then, keep it right here for all the latest Disney news!

Click Here for Big Changes in Disney World in 2024!

What are you leaving off your packing list for your Disney World trip? Tell us in the comments!

The post 6 Things to Keep OUT of Your Suitcase, According to Travel Experts first appeared on the disney food blog.