This Disney World trip R.E.P.O.R.T. isn’t for the faint of heart because I am ready to SPILL the TEA about my latest visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth.

I’ve been going to Disney World since before I could walk and I’m lucky to still live within a few hours of the parks, so I visit every chance I get — for business and for pleasure (I am an editor here at Disney Food Blog after all, so sometimes it really IS my job to go to Disney World!). My latest trip to Disney World was actually to celebrate my latest trip around the sun, and I’ve got some HOT takes about what I experienced.

I loved the trip R.E.P.O.R.T. my friend and co-editor, Maddie, recently did after her most recent visit to Disney World, so I decided to steal it for mine! This was just a quick visit to EPCOT — mostly for my birthday dinner (more on that later!) but I was still able to fit in plenty of fun.

Reading — All the little non-festival things

EPCOT almost always has a festival going on these days, but my most recent visit happened during one of the rare times that there wasn’t. And truthfully, I took my time to appreciate all the little, non-festival things that make EPCOT great all year long.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m not a fan of EPCOT festivals — especially the Festival of the Arts which kicks off on January 17th! But, strolling through the waterfalls back in the Canada Pavilion or taking the time to read all the animal facts inside the Seas Pavilion is a welcome respite from the chaos that EPCOT festivals can be.

Eating — Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs

I don’t want to toot my own horn, but here at DFB, I’m known for being something of a Corn Dog Connoisseur. So, of course, I had to make my way over to Disney’s BoardWalk during this visit to FINALLY check out Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs. Let me tell you, trying to decide which corn dog to order from this menu was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made and I’m definitely not being dramatic about this at all.

Eventually, I decided on the Golden Dragon. It’s an all-beef hot dog, fried in a cornmeal batter, and rolled in panko bread crumbs. It’s served with sriracha mayo, sweet Thai chili sauce, and a bag of chips. It sounded like a fancy take on a traditional corn dog without a ton of fuss — but there was, in fact, a fuss. Unfortunately, my corn dog was overcooked and became a pretty greasy mess.

I know corn dogs aren’t a healthy food, but mine was left in the fryer a bit too long and soaked up a good amount of oil. Not only that, but while I thought the panko would help make the dog crunchy, it actually just turned into tiny little shards of violence that cut up the roof of my mouth. I’ve never really met a corn dog I didn’t like, but this one came pretty close.

Playing — The absolute bangers that play when the torches come on before fireworks

Is there anything better than EPCOT at night when the sun goes down and the torches around World Showcase come on? Not only do the torches create a whole vibe, but the soundtrack that plays before the Luminous The Symphony of Us fireworks show starts is full of absolute banger tracks.

Actually, this isn’t even exclusive to Luminous — both the pre-show soundtracks for both the Harmonious and Illuminations fireworks shows were pretty stellar, too. If you spot a short brunette with a margarita in her hand dancing to the music… it’s definitely (probably) not me.

Obsessing — over the Reuben Croquettes at Festival Favorites

If the Reuben Croquettes at Festival Favorites over at CommuniCore Hall have zero fans, it means I’m dead. These little pockets of joy came back around during the 2024 Festival of the Holidays, and to my absolute surprise and delight, they were still around when I visited EPCOT recently! They’re a potato croquette made with pastrami, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese with a thousand island dipping sauce.

I first tried them during the Festival of the Holidays and they were easily one of the best things I had at the festival, so when I saw they were still around I had to get them again. The pastrami, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese are perfectly balanced and when they’re wrapped up into a mashed potato ball and fried, well, I’m pretty sure that’s the closest I’ll ever get to having all my dreams come true.

Recommending– Shiki-Sai Sushi Izakaya during fireworks

For my birthday dinner, I wanted to finally check out Shiki-Sai Sushi Izakaya in the Japan Pavilion. This is the newest EPCOT restaurant and one that has been on my list to try for a while — and I’m SO glad I did. I timed my reservation so that I’d still be in the restaurant during the fireworks and it may be one of my favorite Disney World experiences I’ve had in a while.

The menu here is primarily small plates and sushi, so we got an assortment — the Bluefin Chu-Toro Nigiri, the Grilled Wagyu Gyoza, the Kara-Age Chicken, and the Beef Yaki-Udon. Each dish was excellent in both quality and preparation, and the service we received was unmatched. Plus, ending my birthday with fireworks was a pretty sweet deal.

Treating — myself to a little something because I deserve it

“It’s my birthday and I’ll buy myself something if I want to,” said me to me when I spotted this Winnie the Pooh sweater in the UK Pavilion. But actually, shout out to my mother-in-law who ended up buying it for me instead! I’ve been eyeing this sweatshirt ever since I saw it roll out online but couldn’t justify it until I saw it after having multiple margaritas from La Cava del Tequila.

It was a short trip, but even the shortest trip to Disney World typically ends up being one for the books!

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for the latest news from Disney World and more here at DFB. Don’t forget to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog so you don’t miss any important announcements or updates!

I’m a Gen Z Editor Who Just Got Back From Disney World. Here’s What I Would Have Done DIFFERENTLY.

Have you been to Disney World lately? Tell us in the comments.