planDisney is adding more Disney locations to their umbrella of helpful tips. What’s Happening: planDisney has just announced that Disneyland Paris and Disney Beach Resorts (Hilton Head and Vero Beach) will now be joining their destination line-up. Originally named the Disney Moms Panel, planDisney has been around since 2008, helping guests navigate their upcoming Disney vacations. […]
The Avengers are gearing up for a brand new battle…on the tennis court. What’s Happening: Marvel has posted on X details about their collaboration with the US Open. Near Arthur Ashe stadium, the Power of Tennis booth will be handing out custom Marvel comics to those who show their Fan Access Pass. Based on the provided […]
Rivals, a new UK drama series coming to Disney+ globally and Hulu in the US, now has a release date, as reported by Deadline. What’s Happening: Based on Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name, Rivals is set for an October 18th premiere on Disney+ in the UK, with a Hulu release date to be revealed in the […]
So, let’s cut right to the chase. The EPCOT Food & Wine Festival has always been about celebrating diverse cuisines from around the world, right? But we noticed that this year, some of our beloved booths are disappearing. Yup, you heard that right. They’re gone, but…not forgotten?
Food and Wine
Take the Ireland booth, for example. It made its debut at the festival way back in 2001 and now it hasn’t made the list of booths at the festival this year.
Ireland booth
But before you start crying into your Guinness, there is a silver lining (kinda). With the recently opened CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, Disney opened up a new food spot called Festival Favorites. It’s a quick service spot that’s open year-round and serves some of the best food from EPCOT’s many festivals.
Festival Favorites!
Now, bringing it back to the Ireland booth, there was a Guinness Baileys Coffee Shake, now known as the Irish Milk Shake, and Disney will be offering it at Festival Favorites! So, even though the booth won’t be here anymore, at least we’re still getting one nostalgic piece of it.
Guinness Baileys Coffee Shake
Now, onto the questions that are forefront of our mind: Is this going to be a trend we’re going to see more of? Will more of our favorite booths vanish, only to be “enshrined” at the Festival Favorites booth like they’re inductees into an EPCOT festival Hall of Fame?
Festival Favorites
To be honest, it’s a possibility. Disney is always evolving and trying to keep things fresh while also leaning into our nostalgia. But it does seem like nothing is off-limits, and that could very well include our favorite festival booths.
2023 Kenya Booth
In the meantime, it means we’ve got to be ready to roll with the punches. Maybe more booths might disappear, and maybe they won’t. So, here’s to new tastes, old favorites, and whatever else Disney has up its sleeve next!
EPCOT Food and Wine Festival!
Until then, keep it right here for all the latest from the 2024 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival and more Disney news!
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!
Halloween season is just around the corner, which also means the return of fall treats!
McDonald’s
Some of the best snacks each year are rolled out in the fall, whether it be at EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, or in your own neighborhood. If you’re like us and are always ready to try Halloween and fall-inspired treats — GOOD NEWS! McDonald’s is bringing back an autumn-inspired dessert!
Per several reports and the official McDonald’s website, the Pumpkin and Creme Pie is BACK at participating McDonald’s locations!
The dessert is available now at some locations, appearing earlier than expected this year in anticipation of the fall season. In 2023, the pie didn’t appear on the menu until mid-September.
Made with spiced pumpkin puree and vanilla-flavored crème filling wrapped in McDonald’s signature pastry crust, the Pumpkin and Creme Pie features dual layers of autumnal sweetness in 280 calories. Having first debuted in 2015, this treat has quickly become a fan favorite and is something we always keep an eye out for once summer starts winding down.
The Collector’s Meal comes with a limited-edition cup themed after Beanie Babies, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Hello Kitty, Peanuts, Shrek, Jurassic Park, or Minions — but be advised, as many of these have already sold out at several locations.
Meanwhile, the Yu-Gi-Oh x Hello Kitty and Friends Happy Meal includes one of nine different plush Hello Kitty and friends dressed up in Yu-Gi-Oh character costumes, as well as printable coloring and activity sheets.
Are you going to trek over to your nearest McDonald’s and snag this limited-time dessert? Let us know and continue to follow us here at the Disney Food Blog for more fall treat news and updates!
Gourd vibes are in the air because it’s officially pumpkin spice season!
Magic Kingdom Halloween Decorations
Pumpkins have taken over Main Street U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom as early as the first week of August so it’s officially fall in our book (because why wait when you can just celebrate?). Not only that, but Halloween merch has also stocked the shelves inside AND outside Disney World. So of course, we have to check out some of the decor available now and show you our pick of the pumpkin patch!
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year when bright orange pumpkins are on display to bring about the fall season. Our favorite pumpkins, however, have to be Mickey-shaped ones, much like the iconic pumpkin wreaths you can find on certain lamp posts at the Magic Kingdom.
But if you’re unable to stop by a Disney World shop in person, don’t think that the wreaths are the only way to bring a Mickey pumpkin home for the season. Spotted at Sam’s Club is this adorable Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkin pillow!
Mickey Pumpkin Pillow from Sam’s Club
This pumpkin pillow is absolutely gourd-geous (my pun-kins cannot be stopped!) and gives off the same spooky fun vibes that the Mickey wreaths do. And a big pro to the pillows is that you can snuggle up to them, which, maybe you can do with the wreaths if you want, but it definitely won’t feel as soft or cozy!
This pumpkin pillow is available at Sam’s Club, so we recommend checking out a local one near you. We’re sure this fall-tastic pillow will be as popular as the Mickey wreaths.
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 on scouring this Mickey pumpkin find? We’d love to read about it in the comments!
Here at DFB, we’re a team of Disney experts. This doesn’t just mean we go to the parks and hotels every single day for the fun of it, but we make it our mission to report on any and all changes, discounts, menu updates, and closures happening in Disney World so that you can be prepared for your vacation.
Let’s get into it. Lightning Lane Multi Pass is an optional paid service available on the My Disney Experience app, which allows you to skip standby lines (the free lines) and enter the Lightning Lane (previously known as the FastPass line). This service works at select attractions in the parks, and you can pay one base price for multiple attractions. (This is the new option that replaced Disney Genie+.)
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
When purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can make up to three Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections in a park before your visit. Then, during your park day, you can choose available times after you use a Lightning Lane reservation and can continue to hold up to three Lighting Lane Multi Pass selections at a time.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Lightning Lane sign
One of the biggest new perks is that those staying at a Disney World Resort hotel (and select other hotels) can purchase and select their first three Lightning Lane Multi Passes up to seven days in advance of their check-in day for their entire stay (up to 14 days). All other guests can purchase and select their first three Lightning Lane Multi Passes three days in advance. Phew! OK, got all that?
We track the price of Lightning Lane Multi Pass EVERY DAY. Why? Well, the price changes from day to day thanks to Disney’s “surge pricing” method. While we’re a little skeptical about the crowd-to-price ratio (especially this summer when the crowds were relatively low), it does seem like the price tends to increase around holidays and special events.
Crowds in Liberty Square
Recently, though, we noticed an odd trend with Disney’s upcoming Lightning Lane prices. For the first week of September, the prices are fairly consistent. On Sunday, September 1st, the highest Lightning Lane price of the day (the cost for the Magic Kingdom option) is $25. Then, on Labor Day, the price decreases by a few dollars to $23. But here’s where things get weird. On Wednesday, September 4th, the price drops all the way to $20 — just two days after the Labor Day holiday!
This is an interesting trend!
The very next day, the price jumps back up to $23 and hits that max. price of $25 by the weekend. So, what’s up with that one singular discounted day? It’s hard to say for certain! It could be due to the fact that most people taking a Labor Day weekend trip will be back home by Wednesday? Either way, we’re not complaining! Any time we can pay a little less for those Lightning Lanes is a good day in our book.
Hollywood Studios
Oh, and we checked the data. The Lightning Lane price does not drop every Wednesday, so this is not a common weekday occurrence. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party does not happen that day, either. Magic Kingdom closes at 10PM for most guests, with a second 12AM closure for those staying at a Deluxe Resort, so it’s not like the price is lower due to an early closure, either!
Magic Kingdom
If you’re planning a trip to Disney World, it’s a good idea to look at those Lighting Lane prices as far in advance as possible. That way, you know how much to budget for this additional expense! Of course, it is totally optional, but if you want to ride as many attractions as possible (with much shorter lines), this is the way to go.
Magic Kingdom
Don’t want to go through all of the stress of booking your Disney World trip alone? Reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings, compare discounts, and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. They also share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation.
Small World Vacations
In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.
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 a trip to Disney World? Let us know in the comments!
Florida is certainly known for it’s rainy afternoons, especially in the summer time. But you can run into rain any time of the year at Disney World. That’s why we recommend bringing rain gear with you to the parks so you’re prepared if (or when) it begins to downpour on you. Umbrellas are great, but we found a rain poncho that we would totally buy again!
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.
We found these rain ponchos on Amazon and knew we had to grab one to try. We tossed it in our park bag and headed to the parks to test it out, and boy did it deliver! This awesome rain poncho is available on Amazon, so remember, you can get free, fast shipping with an Amazon Prime membership. Sign up for a FREE trial below!
We noticed that the poncho is made of a material that is similar to a rain tarp, which we took as a good sign that it was going to hold up against a Florida rain shower. When we put it on, the rain rolled right off thanks to this great material. It was also large enough that we were able to fit our backpack under it on our back and still felt comfortable — that’s a HUGE win! We felt protected under it but not too hot. After the rain stopped, we were able to pack it in the waterproof pouch that comes with it and slip it back into our backpack without anything else getting wet.
Packing bag
We liked it so much during our test run that we packed it again the very next day! The only downside that we noticed may be that you have to pull this over your head, but that might not be a big deal to you. It was a great addition to our park bag, and we’re glad we got it. For being inexpensive, it was certainly durable and effective at keeping us dry. You can grab it now for only $14!
Instead of pulling these over your head, you just simply put it on like a jacket and snap the buttons shut down the front. If we had to pick, we would grab the Frogg Togg, but these are great alternatives!
Pixar has released the official trailer for LEGO Pixar: Bricktoons, coming to Disney+ in September. What’s Happening: Check out the official trailer and images from the brand-new series of shorts, LEGO Pixar: BrickToons. In LEGO Pixar: BrickToons they will catch up with characters from some of your favorite movies, including Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Brave, and […]
