food IS a theme park
Hello from EPCOT!
Spaceship Earth is looking good!
We like to regularly check out what’s going on around all of the Disney World parks so we can keep you updated, so let’s take a look at what’s new in EPCOT!
It might be fall, but the hot weather in Disney World makes it perfectly acceptable to keep snacking on those summer flavors!
Gotta be prepared for those really sunny days!
POG juice DOLE Whips, strawberry slushies, spicy margaritas, and more have all been new additions to Disney World lately, mostly for the 50th anniversary. And, we’re grateful for these refreshing flavors, because it still gets pretty toasty walking around Disney World right now! Luckily, we just found another drink to help you cool off over in Disney Springs.
UPDATED July 24, 2024
We’ve spent a lot of time in Disney World playing around with the Genie, Genie+, and pay-per-ride systems.
Lightning Lane
We know how to buy Genie+, how to purchase Individual Attraction Selection (pay-per-ride) reservations, how many rides we can get on using both, and a whole lot more. We’ve already mentioned that you CANNOT cancel or modify a pay-per-ride Lightning Lane reservation. But what about the normal Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations? [Read more…]
Disney World’s upcoming Star Wars-themed hotel is going to be an immersive experience in a galaxy far, far away.
Crown of Corellia Dining Room Concept Art – Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser ©Disney
This hotel — called the Galactic Starcruiser — is basically a Star Wars lover’s dream come true. Guests can not only stay in the Star Wars-themed rooms, they can also dress up like their favorite characters, take part in an immersive storyline, dine on some strange-looking space food, and enjoy activities like lightsaber training or learning to steer the ship. Bookings aren’t open for most guests until October 28th, but starting today, some people can make reservations immediately.
For a while now, we’ve been able to say “hello” to Mickey, Minnie, and more Disney pals through distanced photo ops and character cavalcades.
Hey There Mickey!
But, soon character meet-and-greets will be returning to Disney World in a modified way. In October 2021, Disney announced that character meet-and-greets would be coming back with changes. Just what characters will you be able to see in the parks with these modified meet-and-greets? We’ve got a list right here!
Let’s face it. Disney World can get BUSY. One way to skip the lines and ensure that you enjoy all that you want throughout your Disney vacation is to purchase Genie+, the service that replaced FastPass+ in 2021.
©Disney
The Disney Genie service is still unfamiliar to many and can be tricky to use (to say the least). We’ve used the service a LOT over the past two years, and have shared all of our findings with our readers — from our biggest takeaways, to the free aspects of Genie, to how the service affects wait times — even tips on booking for all the members of your party. Now, let’s take a look at how Disney Genie interacts with Park Hopping in Disney World.
Disney Genie has debuted in Disney World and new portions in the My Disney Experience app have appeared in relation to the new service.
Disney Genie Pamphlet
But, some of those changes initially altered the spot where guests could find their Park Pass reservations in the app and look at their future plans. Now, things have changed again and we’re sharing all the updates you need to know.
Disney Genie is live in Disney World, and we’ve been learning a LOT about the new system.
Lightning Lane sign at Kali River Rapids
Now we know how to buy Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selections (pay-per-ride) reservations, and we’ve even found out how many rides we can do in one day using the new tools. We’ve learned that the Lightning Lane reservations for pay-per-ride attractions CAN sell out in Disney World (and some — like Rise of the Resistance in Disney’s Hollywood Studios — often do). But can Lightning Lane reservations sell out for regular Genie+ attractions as well? Let’s find out.
The biggest technological advance since MagicBands has arrived in Disney World and Disneyland and we tested out every single aspect of the new Disney Genie. For better or worse, paid skip-the-line features are here; but alongside that is a totally free new planning tool that’s gonna change how you visit the parks.
Disney Genie has launched!
Whether you’re welcoming the Disney Genie+ with open arms, or completely rejecting the idea of paying for a single ride on Space Mountain, we’ve got the details, tips, tricks, and full is-it-worth-it breakdown. Let’s get into it.
We’re still in the middle of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, but we’re already thinking about our plans for the Festival of the Arts in 2022!
The decorations could be pretty phenomenal.
A while back, Disney announced that the Festival of the Arts will run from January 14th-February 21st, 2022, and you know we’ll be there to experience all the excitement! Since then, Disney has revealed some of the offerings that are returning to the festival, and we’ve got the full list.
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
