food IS a theme park
Haven’t been to Disney in a minute? Not all caught up on the latest Disney news? Well there have been some BIG announcements this week you need to know about!
EPCOT
From BIG Food & Wine Festival news for EPCOT to a very important Genie+ change, we’ve got all of the latest information wrapped up in one place just for you. So let’s get started!
We’re almost halfway through 2022, so it might be time to start thinking about your 2023 Disney World visit!
Balloons on Main Street, U.S.A.
Although you can’t yet book your 2023 Disney World vacation, that’s changing very soon. Disney just announced the date that 2023 Disney World trips can be officially booked — so it’s time to break out your calendar and start thinking ahead!
Disney Genie+ launched back in October of 2021, but it has since seen several changes!
Lightning Lane at Kilimanjaro Safaris
The paid system replaced Disney’s previously free FastPass program. Now, you have to pay $15 per day, per person to use Genie+, which allows you to make reservations to skip the lines of certain Disney World attractions using the Lightning Lanes. Disney has been making changes periodically to the system, and now, MORE changes are on the way!
Disney World has been open for 50 years now, and it’s been changing the whole dang time. Planning a trip right now looks very different than even just a few years ago! If you haven’t been in a while (or even in a few months), you need to know about a bunch of new changes. And we’re here to help with that!
Driving to Disney World
With major changes like new rides and restaurants, park pass reservations, Genie+, and so much more, we understand that planning for a Disney World vacation right now is complicated! So we’ve compiled a list of 9 common planning mistakes that people are making right now and how you can avoid them in order to plan the BEST Disney World trip possible. Let’s dive in! [Read more…]
Disney World now offers Disney Genie+, A.K.A. a paid system that lets you skip the standby line and head straight into a Lightning Lane.
Disney Genie+
The system has been controversial since it was announced. Not only is it a paid replacement for something that was once free, but the system is can be confusing and difficult for some Disney guests to navigate. Consider growing wait times and crowd levels, and it can feel a bit like Genie+ is a mandatory up charge now. So, we looked into it to find out if Genie+ is truly NECESSARY now.
The way guests skip the line is changing in many Disney parks. Last year, Disney World unveiled Genie+ and the pay-per-ride system and Disneyland Paris introduced something called the Premier Access system, which is similar to Genie+ in that guests can choose to pay a fee to skip the line at eligible attractions.
You can pay to skip the line at eligible rides, like Space Mountain!
These services have been replacing the previously used FastPass system, and now, Premier Access is coming to another Disney park.
You’re ready to see the main Mouse, eat Mickey-shaped waffles, and ride all of the newest rides, but there’s just one thing — before you get to Disney World, you’ll have to PLAN your trip. That alone can feel like a marathon.
Planning for Disney World Can Be a Lot of Work!
Between planning for dining reservations, transportation to and from the airport, and Park Passes — it can be a lot. So we took to Facebook to get your thoughts on the hardest part of planning a Disney World trip, and you all had a LOT of thoughts.
Seeing a Disney character in Disney World is a BELOVED pastime, right up there with eating Mickey Pretzels and riding the PeopleMover!
Mickey!
Make no mistake, there are LOTS of classic characters we NEVER get tired of spotting (and HUGGING!) in Disney World, but we also get excited about spotting a RARE character!
MagicBands may not be required to navigate around Disney World anymore, but we’ve noticed that a lot of people still choose to wear them! It can be convenient to have everything you need to get into the parks or your room right there on your wrist, instead of having to pull out your phone or physical ticket.
Springtime MagicBand in Disney Springs!
If you’re someone who still doesn’t want to let go of that MagicBand lifestyle, then you’ll want to see these new MagicBands available to resort guests and annual passholders!
April was a big month in Disney World! Expedition Everest finally reopened after a months-long closure, Salt & Straw in Disney Springs opened its doors, and traditional character meet-and-greets returned to the Disney parks for the first time in years!
Daisy!
We learned a lot in Disney World in April, so we’ve narrowed it down to 10 things you should take away from a month of Disney World news.
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
