Category: Disney

Disney Announced Fall and Winter 2023 Cruises

Very Merrytime Cruises

Disney Cruise Line has announced the itineraries for the rest of 2023! This includes all of the Halloween and Christmas themed sailings!

Some notable changes include the Dream doing sailings out of New York now and the Magic going over to do sailings out of San Diego. The itineraries show sailings for all 5 DCL ships, including the newest Wish ship.

Bookings start next week! It’s always cheapest to book when they’re first released because prices will increase as they fill up and certain cabin categories or popular sailings will sell out quick! Deposits are fully refundable if you need to cancel before your paid in full date, usually 90-120 days before sailing, so you still have over a year to save up if you book now.

Here are the opening dates for bookings according to your Castaway Club or other affinity group status, starting at 8am ET. You’re automatically a Silver member after you complete your first DCL cruise, and will progress to Gold and Platinum after 5 and 10 cruises, respectively. If you’ve never sailed DCL before, you would have to wait until the General Public date.

  • Monday, July 25, 2022 – Platinum and Golden Oak members
  • Tuesday, July 26, 2022 – Gold members
  • Wednesday, July 27, 2022 – Silver, DVC, and Adventure Insider members
  • Thursday, July 28, 2022 – General Public

View the full list of new itineraries on the DCL site:

We love sailing on the Disney ships! They’re all gorgeous and immaculately clean. All of the itineraries provide so many fun activities in a family friendly environment. The service on the ships is always top notch! There are so many other features that we love about Disney cruises. Yes, they do cost more than most other cruise lines, but for us, it’s worth it. You’d have to weigh what you’re looking for in a cruise experience. For us, this is a case of “you get what you pay for”.

I often hear folks asking which cruise is best or which ship is best. I say you can’t go wrong with any of them. The big deciding factors are how many days you can spend, what locations you want to go to or sail out of, what are some key favorite Disney characters (different themed shows and restaurants), or which ships you haven’t been on yet.

Perhaps if this is your very first cruise ever, start with the smaller ships, the Magic and Wonder, just because they’re easier to figure out and find your way around on board. However, the larger ships aren’t all that confusing, just a tad more walking to get around. The shorter 3 night sailings are good for “dipping your toes in the water”, no pun intended, if you want to try out a cruise, but on the flip side, it’s impossible to do everything on a short cruise and if it’s your first time, by the time you figure things out, it’s time to sadly leave, so I think you’re not getting a good taste of how great the cruises can be. 4 nights are slightly better in that case. Yes, that one additional day makes a noticeable difference. Our favorite are the 7 nights since it gives you a few days to figure out the ship, get settled, and then also relax more. However, any cruise is better than no cruise!

It almost doesn’t matter where the ship is going. The ports are almost just a bonus for us. We sail DCL because of the ships, and usually just stay on the ships. There’s so much to do, even on the port days. Each one offers a slightly different experience with different Broadway quality stage shows and different themed restaurants. We’ve done all four of the classic ships and loved them all, and will be experiencing the newest Wish ship soon! We can’t wait! I have cruise info and trip recaps (click on the Menu above) on my site and will post info about the Wish asap.

If you’re going to book any sailings, try to do so as soon as your booking window opens. If you want me to help do your booking or just chat about Disney or any other cruises, feel free to contact me below. Bon voyage!

EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival will be held from July 14 – November 19, 2022 this year. That means it starts today! This is one of our favorite Disney World events!

Eat around the world at the many marketplaces featuring global cuisine and beverages. This is foodie heaven with delicious dishes, fine wine, craft beer, spirits and other beverages sure to satisfy every palate.

For a full list of the numerous marketplace menus, check out the festival page below:

In addition to the food, there are also other fun activities. Participate in the Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak or Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit scavenger hunts. Commemorate your trip with special photo ops. And of course, there will be plenty of merch if you want to do some souvenir shopping.

Also, you can enjoy live concerts at the Eat to the Beat concert series with performances nightly starting at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM at the America Gardens Theatre.

For a full performance schedule, see below:

Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about this or any other Disney event. We love these festivals!

More characters are returning!

Exciting news! More characters are returning to the Disney World restaurants!

Sept 20, 2022 – Pooh and friends are joining the lunch and dinner celebration at The Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom.

Sept 27, 2022 – Lilo and Stitch will be kicking off your day at breakfast at ‘Ohana in the Polynesian Resort.

Oct 4, 2022 – Minnie and friends will be hosting a breakfast beach party at the Cape May Cafe in the Beach Club Resort.

Character meals are a great way to get your hugs and pics without waiting in line.

Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss anything about Disney dining.

Flavors of Florida

Starting today, July 5, 2022, through August 14th, over 30 restaurants and shops at Disney Springs will be offering beverages and dishes inspired by the flavors of Florida.

You can see the full list of offerings below or pick up a printed event guide at the Disney Springs Welcome Center or any participating location.

Of course, you can do some Florida-inspired shopping at Flavors of Florida, too. Many shops will offer Florida themed items.

Flavors of Florida is presented by CORKCICLE.

Christmas Party at Disney World

Disney Christmas parade

It’s already more than halfway to Christmas! Disney has announced that all of the usual festivities will return to all of the parks this year. More details on those coming soon.

At Disney World in Florida, this means the Festival of the Holidays in EPCOT and many other events in the other parks. However, the most anticipated is probably the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and Disney has confirmed that it will indeed return in its full glory this year!

This special event takes place on select nights November 8 to December 22, 2022, from 7pm – midnight ET, though you can get in the park after 4pm with the party ticket. No park reservations necessary for the party.

Throughout the evening, you can:

  • Delight in the amazingly festive Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks show!
  • Gather to watch Disney Characters give a yuletide nod to the season during Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.
  • Head over to Cinderella Castle for a yuletide stage show, Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration!
  • Get the perfect picture and Magic Shots with Disney pals dressed in their Christmas best!
  • Make your night extra sweet when you explore the park searching for cookies and cocoa, plus many other holiday treats and merch. 
  • Dance the night away at several dance parties with your favorite characters.
  • Take in the elaborate decorations that bring the spirit of the season to life!
  • Enjoy lower crowds on rides and shows, some with holiday overlays and decor.
  • See Santa!

Tickets range from $139 – $199. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket.
Tickets are on sale now for guests of select hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort.
All other Guests may purchase tickets beginning on July 7, 2022.

Tickets are limited so certain days can sell out. If this is a must-do and you’re limited to certain days, you may want to buy your tickets ASAP.

We’ve been to this in the past and it was pretty fun. However, if you’re not going to the party, you may want to go to a different park on a party day since Magic Kingdom will close early to non-party guests.

For more details on the party and to buy tickets, go to:

Feel free to contact me if you want to chat more about this or your trip in general.

©Disney

Disney Wish Christening

Tune in on June 29, 2022 at 11am ET for the christening of Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Wish, on the Disney Parks Blog or on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok!

Follow @DisneyParks and @DisneyCruiseLine social media channels as they reveal exclusive sneak peeks of the Disney Wish in the coming weeks.

©Disney

More characters returning to Disney World

Disney characters
©Disney

Exciting news! Many of our favorite characters are returning to Disney World in the coming months!

But first, one new favorite is debuting in the Magic Kingdom park. Maribel, from Encanto, will appear in the “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade” starting June 26, 2022!

Other characters and events will start on the following dates:

  • July 6 – Minnie Mouse will join Mickey Mouse in Town Square Theater at Magic Kingdom Park
  • July 6 – Chip ‘N Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long will return to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
  • July 10 – Peter Pan and Snow White will greet guests at Magic Kingdom Park
  • July 17 – Star Wars Launch Bay will reopen in Hollywood Studios park, where you can encounter Chewbacca, BB-8, and Darth Vader

In the coming months, a visit to Magic Kingdom Park will bring chances to meet Aladdin, Jasmine, Merida, Pooh, Tigger and Storybook Circus pals like The Great Goofini in Pete’s Silly Sideshow. Your favorite toys will be ready for playtime in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Donald Duck and friends will rejoin their prehistoric party at “Donald’s Dino-Bash!” in DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

Many other character encounters have already returned to the various Disney parks. Check your app for times and locations.

If you want to chat about a trip to any of the parks, feel free to contact me.

Genie+ no longer available for pre-purchase

Genie
©Disney

UPDATE 07/24/2024: The Genie+ service has now been retired at Disney World in Orlando. View my Lightning Lane page to learn all about the new service. The Genie+ functionality at Disneyland California remains the same, just renamed to Lightning Lane.

Breaking Genie+ News!

Starting June 8, 2022, Disney World guests will no longer be able to pre-purchase the Genie+ service for the length of your trip. You may only purchase it on the day you intend to use it during your trip, which is an option available now as well.

If you wish to pre-purchase your Genie+ for any trip after June 8th, make sure to do it now. Any purchases made before June 8th will be honored even if your trip is after that date.

No word yet on any changes in Disneyland or any other parks. This is just for Disney World in Orlando Florida.

If you have any questions about the Genie+ service or want me to help plan your Disney trip, feel free to contact me.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

The Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is returning this Fall to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World! The evening extra-ticketed event will take place on select nights from Aug 12 – Oct 31, 2022. Party festivities begin at 7pm but you may enter the park after 4pm with the party ticket.

Partake in all of this spooktacular fun:

  • Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular! – three sinister sisters bewitch and bedazzle the residents of Magic Kingdom park in this fun stage show.
  • Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular – a wickedly wild fireworks display featuring some of your favorite Disney characters, hosted by Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
  • Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade – fun parade unique to the party. Must see!
  • Disney Junior Jam – dance with some favorite Disney Junior friends at Storybook Circus. Perfect for young partygoers!
  • Trick-or-Treat – collect candy as you roam trails around the park in search of some of your favorite sweets.
  • More treats – eat more Halloween-inspired food and beverages
  • Dress in costume – revel in the festive atmosphere around the park with fellow party-goers and Disney favorites in their Halloween finest.
  • Photo Ops – commemorate the night with themed back drops and magic shots.
  • Shopping – of course, there will be themed party merch!

Ticket sales for this party start on May 18, 2022 for everyone, and already on sale now for select Disney resort guests. Prices range from $99-$199, depending on day. Annual passholders and DVC members get $10 savings per ticket.

For more details about the party and to buy tickets, go to this Disney World party page:

Be sure to read the costume guidelines and other Know-Before-You-Go before you go. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or want help planning your Disney trip.

©Disney