food IS a theme park
There’s always something new happening Disney World!
Magic Kingdom
You may have heard a lot about Disney’s new ride — Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which opens on June 28th in the Magic Kingdom. And there’s been lots of discussion about Disney’s changes to its skip the line paid service (which used to be Genie+ but is now called Lightning Lane Multi Pass). But there are also two MAJOR attractions opening in Disney World in July that you need to know about!
Disney Genie+ is changing in some very big ways on July 24th, 2024.
Lightning Lane at Expedition Everest
Genie+ is a paid service that reduces your wait times for attractions at Disney World and at Disneyland Resort. You buy Genie+ in the My Disney Experience App, and it allows you to book windows to ride your favorite ride using the Lightning Lane — which has shorter waits than the typical standby lines. In addition, you can buy Individual Lightning Lanes for certain rides — where you pay to book a specific window to ride that one ride (there’s a list of those “individual” rides right here). Today, we’ve learned of a BIG CHANGE coming to Disney Genie+!
Disney just dropped SO MUCH INFO on celebrating the holidays at Disney World!
How cute!
We now know that Jollywood Nights — a special ticketed holiday party that debuted in 2023 in Hollywood Studios — is coming back, we know that EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays will run Nov. 29th through Dec. 30th, and we’re excited about some shows like the Frozen Holiday Surprise in Magic Kingdom and the Holiday Projection Show in Hollywood Studios will be returning. And, of course, there’s the granddaddy of them all — Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in Magic Kingdom. We’ve got the dates and some information on pricing for the Very Merry Christmas Party…and, well, ticket prices are going UP (surprised? yeah, we aren’t either.).
Are you confused about using Disney Genie+ in Disney World?
©Disney
Trust me, you are not alone. At DFB, we get questions every day about Disney’s paid service that helps you “skip the line” on some attractions. LOTS and LOTS of you (and maybe some of the team here, too) really miss its predecessor FastPass+, which seemed simpler (not to mention FREE). But we’ve used Genie+ a whole lot now, and I’m here today to reassure you that it works, and using it is simpler than reading about HOW to use it. For real!
The “world’s largest” theme park is coming to Orlando in 2025.
©Universal
Universal’s Epic Universe construction is well underway, and today we’re learning much more about one of the lands that will be part of the brand-new theme park — Dark Universe! This land will be devoted to Universal’s rich history with horror. Here, visitors will “encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.”
I am always nervous about losing my ID at the airport, how about you?
Orlando International Airport
You have to have it out at TSA, then you have to stow it quickly because you can’t have it in your hand or your pocket as you go through the body scanners or metal detectors. And then I’m always carrying a larger bag than I typically carry as my personal item, but still have my important items like my wallet and cell phone stored in my smaller bag I will carry with me every day at my destination. I thought I had found a perfect solution for this by wearing a belt bag — but then I found out these can cause some problems at the airport that you might not be expecting.
Do you love character dining at Disney World?
Mickey!
Character dining can be a fun way to have interactions in a different setting than waiting in line at the parks — and all while you’re enjoying a meal. While most character dining locations in Disney World keep it pretty consistent, there’s one that changes regularly!
There’s a lot to plan before a Disney vacation, and one of the biggest questions you may have is about what to carry into the parks!
Cinderella Castle
We go to Disney World every day here at Disney Food Blog, and our team is pretty evenly split between carrying backpacks and carrying belt bags/hip packs into the parks. And guess what? We have TWO brand-new bags to show you today — one of each variety. So your perfect bag is right here, no matter which you prefer! Let’s take a look!
Is there anything better than…FRIED DOUGH?
Funnel Cake
Funnel cake, churros, beignets…you can find them all in Disney World, and they are 🎵a few of my favorite things🎵. But today, I come to you with some sad news, because one of my favorite forms of fried dough is GONE. GONE, I tell you.
I travel A LOT, and I’m always looking for ways to save a bit of money — so that I can fund more travel!
Southwest plane
I use Costco Travel to rent cars at the cheapest rates, I house sit and pet sit in exchange for lodging sometimes, and of course, I shop for bargains on items I might need in my travels. Now since I work here at DFB, I obviously spend a whole lot of time in Florida — and that means I use a whole lot of sunscreen! I recommend getting your sunscreen at discount retailers like TJ Maxx and Marshall’s — which is where I usually find my favorite brand, Coola.
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
