The Walt Disney Company has named Adam Smith their Chief Product and Technology Officer, Disney Entertainment & ESPN. What’s Happening: Adam Smith has been named Chief Product & Technology Officer, Disney Entertainment and ESPN, it was announced today by Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. In this role, […]
Peter Pan’s Flight was originally scheduled to reopen on August 21, but it will now reopen to guests nearly one week earlier at Magic Kingdom.
Peter Pan’s Flight Reopening Date
When Peter Pan’s Flight closed for refurbishment on July 8, it looked as though the attraction was going to be shuttered to the public for a few months. It was then announced that the attraction would reopen on August 21. However, guests visiting Magic Kingdom this weekend are in for a surprise.
While looking at the attraction’s official webpage, we noticed that the ride is now showing operating times for Friday, August 16, 2024. That means guests visiting Magic Kingdom tomorrow will be able to ride the newly refurbished attraction. The ride will also be open during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
This past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday completely flew by — but that only makes sense, considering the saying goes that time flies when you’re having fun at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Myself and thousands of other Disney fans arrived at the Anaheim Convention Center for three days of unrivaled celebration across the Disney parks (and beyond), seeing new things, getting to experience new things, and learning about what’s in store for the future (and there’s a lot of it coming soon).
It’s hard to pick just one or two things that were the highlight for the weekend, so instead I’ve gone ahead and chosen a handful of things that really WOW-ed me. In no particular order, here’s everything I loved seeing across the three-day event.
Haunted Mansion cosplay
Lots of ghosts materialized this year at D23 Event 2024, bringing with them ghoulish delights. Though we might not have seen 999 of them roaming the halls of the Anaheim Convention Center, they were out plenty, greeting those who dared to get close. If you’re ready for more scares, Halloween season at the parks is right around the corner…
The Legends Ceremony
On the closing night of D23, 14 new Disney Legends were honored at the Honda Center, including Former Imagineer Joe Rohde and the first Black Disneyland Tour Guide Martha Blanding.
“It’s a great honor to be counted as a Disney Legend…to even be considered in the same breath as the other honorees this season,” Joe told the crowd. “None of this is done alone, I owe everything that I am to others.”
As for Martha, she explained during her inductee, “Never let other people determine your future…I promised myself that I wouldn’t cry, but that’s hard because becoming a Disney Legend is something I never thought would happen to me. When Josh called to give me the news, I was speechless. And anyone who knows me, knows I am never speechless.”
Not only did we see these two newly minted Disney Legends up on the stage, but they were assisted by the Disney Ambassadors from across the globe!
Everyone meeting Mickey
There were stars on stage during the Horizons: Disney Experience Showcase, and then the big cheese was backstage — Mickey Mouse, of course. The celebrity presenters and performers stopped by to pose with Mickey, a highlight for everyone’s night. Who can say no to snapping a pic, or two, with Mickey?
Parks cosplay
The hitchhiking ghosts weren’t the only impressive cosplay we saw out on the floor. Disney Parks fans put their creative juices to work coming up with inventive ways to show off their love for their favorite attractions, locations, and things. I loved seeing all the attention to detail, and all the little things added into outfits to really make them pop.
Cast Member Meet-Up
Even Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro stopped by the Cast and employee “meet up” during D23 Event 2024. There, some working — and some visiting the Anaheim area — gathered for a big group picture in front of the dazzling Sorcerer Hat statue in front of the convention hall.
Venturing outside of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the BDX Droits made a splash on the show floor interacting with those going in and out of the Imagineering pavilion. They also took time to venture outside of the pavilion space, heading over to the Star Wars pavilion to experience the Void themselves (which is a technological marvel you need to see to believe!).
Speaking of the Imagineering pavilion, while you might have been able to get into the space and see everything, you couldn’t really get the full experience until Sunday. That’s when curtains came down for the secret reveal rooms at the back of the space, showcasing announcements made the night prior during Horizons: A Disney Experiences Showcase. Getting up close with the newly revealed models was really the perfect way to end the weekend — and get excited about everything in progress right now around the world.
Want more D23 Event 2024?
Catch up on all the exciting announcements out of Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase now!
Not only do we love Disney food here at DFB, but we also love checking out all the Disney merchandise.
We love Disney merchandise!
We especially love it when we spot deals on Disney merchandise, and we can’t help but share those deals with you. We could all use another pair of ears or another Loungefly!
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.
The Disney Store is offering some great deals and we wanted to make sure you know about them! It is a great time to stock up on your favorite Disney souvenirs and grab some additional goodies for cheaper. Let’s take a look at the deals going on at the Disney Store.
With Halloween in full swing at Disney World, you can grab this Mickey Halloween Tote Bag for only $20 with any purchase on the Disney Store. This tote bag has lots of space to carry all of your belongings and it even glows in the dark!
It is also the time to pick-up all those souvenirs that you keep eyeing! If you spend more than $100 on the Disney Store, you can choose a free gift. You can choose from eight different gifts including a Winnie the Pooh lamp.
There are also more ways to get in the Halloween spirit on the Disney Store. You can grab a Mickey Mouse Halloween Plush for just $20 with any purchase! He is so adorable and the perfect addition to your Halloween decorations.
If Minnie Mouse is more your style, you can also get a Minnie Mouse Halloween Plush for only $20 with any purchase on the Disney Store. Or better yet, you can grab a Mickey Mouse plush and a Minnie Mouse plush to complete the collection!
Finally, you can also take advantage of a sale on back to school essentials. You cansave up to 40% on school essentials such as backpacks, lunchboxes, drinkware, art kits, school outfits, and more. Your kiddos will love going back to school decked out in their favorite Disney characters.
Happy Halloween season, ghouls and boys! Sorry…we couldn’t resist. We are in the spooky spirit now that we’ve been to the first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year.
Halloween at Disney World!
Yes, Halloween has arrived in Disney World, along with all the fun Halloween decorations in Magic Kingdom. One of the most ICONIC pieces of decor, though, are the Mickey pumpkin wreaths, and in case you missed it, you can buy a similar one for your own home! Well, you can if you’re fast enough because those babies are flying off shelves. However, we recently witnessed a restock…but we can’t promise they’ll last for long!
So the Halloween Wreaths were online for a very short time before they sold out, so right now, you can pretty much only get them in the parks. We’ve seen them flying off shelves in Disney World, but we recently witnessed a restock at Emporium in Magic Kingdom.
They’re back!
However, we have to warn you — we actually caught Cast Members in the middle of the restock and they were VERY busy getting ready with all hands on deck. So, yes, they’re ready to see these fly off shelves all over again. So the good news is they ARE restocking these wreaths, but you might want to be quick in getting your hands on them once they’ve been restocked.
We found them in Disneyland, too!
Like we get it — who doesn’t want to have a classic Mickey pumpkin wreath at home? We’re hoping they turn back up online at some point, too, however that might not happen until Halloween 2025 (and Disney does occasionally re-release these viral items again the following year, like they did with the light-up pumpkins). We’ll be keeping an eye out and we’ll let you know if we spot them again. So stay tuned to DFB for more.
From the thrills of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party to the enchanting resort decorations that’ll send shivers down your spine, our guide is packed with tips and tricks to help you squeeze every ounce of ghoulish fun out of your visit. Plus, we’ve got the inside scoop on all the limited-time-only bone-chilling activities happening across the parks!
The holiday season will be here before we know it!
Magic Kingdom during the holidays (2023)
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is currently happening in Magic Kingdom through October 31st, but after that, the holiday season will EXPLODE into Disney World! Many Disney World fans wish it would wait a little longer, preferably until after Thanksgiving, but we love that having Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party start so early gives more families a chance to experience the magic while they visit the parks. However, with Disney’s recent change from Genie+ to Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass, what does that mean for its usage during the party?
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes place on select nights from November 8th through December 20th from 7PM to midnight. However, you can enter the parks as early as 4PM on party nights with your party ticket to take advantage of the most amount of time in the park possible. You do NOT need to purchase a regular park ticket to attend the party, unless you’d like to enter before 4PM.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
However, it’s been confirmed that Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass WILL NOT be available during the party and for those with party tickets. Not to worry though, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and TRON Lightcycle / Run will both be available with a standby queue instead of needing a Lightning Lane Single Pass or virtual queue!
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
But won’t the lines be really long? Thankfully, since only a limited number of tickets are sold for the party each night to keep crowds low, it’s very unlikely you’ll see a wait time over about 40-50 minutes, and that will likely be for party-exclusive meet and greets and/or Tiana’s and TRON. Many attractions are very likely to be a walk-on!
Space Mountain
If you enter the park at 4PM and only have a party ticket, this means you will not be able to access Lightning Lane Multi Pass OR Lightning Lane Single Pass, UNLESS you’ve also bought a regular park ticket for that day. Otherwise, you’ll be experiencing those final 2 hours the park is open to all guests without access to skip-the-line services.
Christmas in Magic Kingdom
While this may seem frustrating, we’ve been to these parties countless times and if you want to prioritize rides, it’s very unlikely you’ll have any trouble riding all you’d like to. Most wait times are around 5-10 minutes, which is about how long it takes to walk through the queue itself!
Christmas in Magic Kingdom
We’ll be at the very first party to show you all there is to experience and let you know if it’s worth the whopping $169-219 price tag, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB!
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Are you planning to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year? Tell us in the comments!
Emile’s Fromage Montage is a special cheese crawl held for the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. It is every cheese lover’s dream, as the purpose is to try different cheese-inspired dishes featured at some of the festival’s food booths (yummmmm). Participating in the stroll gets you a special passport that details the specific dishes as well as where to find them. And as you try each item, you get a corresponding stamp on your festival passport. Once you’ve collected 5 stamps, you get to receive an exclusive prize over at Shimmering Sips Marketplace hosted by CORKCICLE.
Get your stamp!
Disney has officially released the full list of items that qualify for the stroll this year and if you’re curious as to what they are, we got you covered!
Here’s a look at the qualifying menu Items and locations for Emile’s Fromage Montage:
Charcuterie with a selection of imported Spanish Meats, Cheeses, Olives and an Herbed Serrano Vinaigrette
Once you redeem 5 stamps from trying five of these items, you can take your Festival Passport to the Shimmering Sips Marketplace hosted by CORKCICLE for your prize. Last year, the prize for completing the cheese crawl was a strawberry cheesecake soft serve with a piece of cheesecake on top served in a souvenir cup featuring Emile himself. The prize for 2024 has not been revealed yet, but we’ll be on the lookout for details.
Emile’s Fromage Montage Completer Prize!
Stay tuned with us here as we bring you all the latest news for the 2024 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival.
Food & Wine Festival can be a bummer. You stand in line waiting for what looks like the perfect treat, and it’s a bust. But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE EPCOT Food & Wine Festival experience.
If you’re planning a day or a week at the festival, we’ve got every performance, activity, and tasty nosh detailed out so you can make the most of your time and money. Listen, it’s a tough job eating and documenting the nearly 200 bites and sips, but we do it all for YOU!
Learn More About the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival!
Fans are not too happy about losing this peaceful part of the park and are worried that this new land could interfere with Frontierland’s storyline. We asked you, our awesome readers on both Instagram and Facebook, what you all thought about this major Magic Kingdom change.
One reader pointed out how this project is going to change the park’s landscape and said, “That area (Tom Sawyer’s Island) added a lot to the park, not just in nostalgia and theme but also having the river there as a water feature. Now we’ve got more pavement being added. So much green space has already been taken away.”
Tom Sawyer Island
Another reader said that they are going to miss having a quiet spot to visit. Other readers have pointed out that the story of Frontierland is going to be lost as one reader said, “I mean, it’s not really the best place for it. I feel like over by Big Thunder Mountain would be a more suitable location. It’s gonna make the queue for Haunted Mansion noisy. I like the tranquility of the river while waiting in line.” Another reader joked and said, “When I think of Frontierland or just about the frontier in general, the number one thing I think of is … Cars.”
Tom Sawyer Island
While Magic Kingdom is being expanded with Villains Land behind Big Thunder Mountain, one reader pointed out that “the problem is they aren’t really adding when they get rid of existing things to make new things.” Others talked about how they are sad about the closures of attractions currently offered here as one reader said, “The Riverboat became my husband’s favorite Magic Kingdom attraction when Mr. Toad left.”
Views from Tom Sawyer Island
While some are sad about the change, others are welcoming it! One reader said, “It’s sad to see an original area disappear, but progress waits for no one. Cars is going to be great!” Also sharing enthusiasm, a reader agreed and said, “I’m more than cool with it. I love Cars Land in Disneyland, so I’m definitely excited to see what they’ll do with Disney World!”
Cars Land in Disneyland
Over on Instagram, we also created a little poll to gauge people’s thoughts on this big news. Out of 6,898 responses, 37% of fans were a little confused by Disney’s decision.
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While we do have quite a bit of information for this new area, such as location, concept art, and some information on one of the rides, it is unclear when construction will start and when this new area will be open. So many new projects were announced at D23 that it will be interesting to see when we will get a construction timeline and what will close while we wait for these new experiences to be built.
Map of where the new Cars area will be
As always, stay tuned to Disney Food Blog as we will continue to monitor any new updates about these projects, and we will keep an eye out for any construction permits.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
How do you feel about Cars Land replacing Tom Sawyer Island? Do you like this change? Let us know in the comments!
Today, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) published its annual Theme Index of estimated attendance for the theme park/attractions industries. As is quite often the norm, Disney is once again topping the list. What’s Happening: The 2023 Theme Index Report marked the first time TEA has adjusted its rankings since 2019 due to the pandemic. Disney Experiences has […]
