food IS a theme park
With great loophole power comes great loophole responsibility….
Disney World
But *I* feel pretty confident about trusting you with THESE Disney World loopholes that actually work!! (So prove me RIGHT.)
If you’re heading to Disney World this August, you’ll want to double-check your dining plans before you go.
Spread at Yachtsman Steakhouse
Several beloved resort restaurants are undergoing construction, and that means your usual go-to spot on vacation might not be available when you arrive. We’ve rounded up the three restaurants confirmed to be closed in August 2026. Here’s everything you need to know before you finalize your August travel plans.
Since the very first Disney World Hotels — The Contemporary and the Polynesian — opened with the resort on October 1st, 1971, the on-property accommodations have been known for their perks.
Contemporary Resort Monorail
From included transportation options and Early Entry and Extended Evening Hours to immersive theming and feature pools, Disney’s resort hotels offer a slew of amenities…which makes it somewhat surprising that a relatively common hotel offering is only available at three hotels on property…and one of them isn’t even owned by Disney!
Disney’s nightly fireworks are some of the most beautiful displays you’ll ever see in your life, especially when the colors and the shapes match up to the songs they’re going off to.
Happily Ever After
But there are some “rules” that guests think they HAVE to follow when it comes to these nightly spectaculars, and we’re here to tell you to BREAK THEM! You actually might get a better experience if you do.
When you’re thinking about essentials for your Disney World trip, you may be thinking about getting a few of them when you’re already in Disney World, because what if you don’t need it, you brought it from home, and then took up that space in your bag?
Let’s take a look at what’s in the first bag!
Here’s the thing, though: you may be surprised to see just how much MORE some of those items will cost you in Disney World. Whereas, if you buy them online ahead of time, you’ll spend less money, and if you don’t end up using them, well, Amazon has a pretty solid return policy (especially if you haven’t opened the item).
LEVEL99 recently opened in Disney Springs, and we’ve been having a blast playing all the games and collecting points. Disney Springs needed a space like this, so we’re glad it’s here, and the internet seems to be raving about the experience.
LEVEL99
Something super cool about LEVEL99 is that it’s decked out in amazing artwork. Seriously, it feels like every wall is filled with bright colors, and we couldn’t help but stop and admire them while waiting for our next game. Just wait till you see the art!
There are lots of ways to explore Disney World.
All-Star Sports
You can check out the theme parks, you can check out the hotels, and you can even dine and shop at Disney Springs. During one of our recent reporting walks around the resort, we heard some commentary that made our ears perk up. We asked what YOU guys thought about people sleeping in their cars in Disney World. Here are your replies.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has everything we want from a Disney World evening. Rare characters, ridiculously fun costumes, enough candy to turn your park bag into a kettlebell! And don’t forget the Headless Horseman casually galloping through Magic Kingdom!
Mickey and Minnie!
It also has something considerably less festive: Central Florida weather. That means your party outfit needs to be cute without becoming a portable sauna. Your bag needs to hold the essentials without dragging down one shoulder. And your phone absolutely cannot die before the parade, because that is how villains are made.
We love a fancy dinner, and let’s just say we won’t be adding up all the receipts from all the fancy dinners we’ve had across Disney World (and we definitely will not be throwing in Disneyland or Disney Cruise Line into that total). While we’re happy with a Mickey pretzel and a Coke, there’s something so special about being wined and dined at our favorite place in the world.
Wine Bar George
With the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival just around the corner, starting on August 27th and running till November 21st, we’re dreaming of all the fancy food we’re going to eat around the World Showcase. Lucky for us, a super special dinner is being added this year that is making the Food & Wine Festival even BETTER (and we truly didn’t know that was possible).
When it comes to dining at Disney World, you’ve got a TON of options to choose from. But when we’re craving something tropical, we almost always hop on the monorail from Magic Kingdom and say aloha to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort!
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
We recently stopped by Barefoot Pool Bar at Disney’s Polynesian Resort to see if one of our favorite pool bars is still as good as we remember, and now we’re bringing you our FULL review. Is it still worth a stop on your next trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth? Let’s find out!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
