You walk into a typical gift shop in Disney World and pretty much know what to expect — there will generally be t-shirts, spirit jerseys, maybe a few Crocs, shoulder plushes, etc. — the typical, standard stuff.

And, don’t get us wrong, there is NOTHING bad about those typical items. In fact, a lot of them are great, super cute, and fantastic adds to your Disney collection. But, if you’re looking for some unique merchandise in all of EPCOT, and really all of Disney World, there’s 1 place you absolutely, positively, 100% NEED to visit.

Let’s just say, your typical Disney gift shop doesn’t have SWORDS available for you to buy. BUT, if you head to the Mitsukoshi Department Store in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion you’ll find swords, merchandise featuring non-Disney characters like Mario or Hello Kitty, and MUCH, MUCH MORE!

Personally, for me and my family, no trip to EPCOT is complete without a stop by the Mitsukoshi Department Store to pick up a pack of Pocky Sticks, check out the Mario items, and maybe even grab a few Hello Kitty things. It’s one of the parts of World Showcase my family and I look forward to the MOST.

Do you know the CENTURIES old history behind this store? Click here to find out!

Don’t believe us that this is one of the most unique shopping experiences in all of Disney World? We’ll prove it to you!! Here’s just a glimpse at just some the many amazing items you can snag at this store.

Need an awesome headband? They’ve got it!

Want to grab some items that your friends will likely NEVER guess are actually erasers! They’ve got that too. There’s literally a whole set that looks like bowling pins and they’re ERASERS FOLKS!!!

Need a whole collection of items themed to Sanrio’s Gudetama, the lazy egg, who literally says “MEH”? YUP — that’s here too!

Like, is this the most relatable character we’ve ever seen in Disney World? We think that might be a solid “YES.”

Looking for a beautiful and colorful Kimono? You’ll find that here too with lots of gorgeous options available.

Need items for your kitchen? Need to upgrade from those Disney cups and plates you got from McDonald’s a billion years ago that you’re still using? You’ll find a LOT of incredible options here.

Bowls and mugs…

…tea sets with teapots and cups…

…and so much more is available here.

The designs on these items are absolutely gorgeous. Cups and other items shaped like cats or owls? Yeah, they’ve got that here! And you’ve gotta admit, your tea might just taste a whole lot better out of a cup shaped like a cat. C’mon! You can’t deny it!

If you love Hayao Miyazaki films, this is also a spot you’ll want to visit. We found quite a few postcards there themed to some of Miyazaki’s movies including Kiki’s Delivery Service!

Feeling hot in the Florida sun? Cool down with a fan shaped like a dog, a cat, or other animals!

Need a bit of luck? Why not grab a mini lucky cat, owl, Shiba Inu, or Daruma? There are lots of options to pick from.

If you’re looking for non-Disney characters, this is also THE spot to be. Is that a tiny Toad from Mario we see in the plush section?!

Wondering what the cheapest item is here? Based on what we saw, one of the least expensive items was this Hello Kitty notebook, priced at just $2.25.

What about the MOST expensive item though? Is it this Gold Leaf Folding Fan?

Or this item priced at $90?

NOPE! Based on what we saw, one of the most expensive items in the store was a sword with stand that was priced at $360!

Here’s a full look at the sword. It’s that one in the center area of the photo with the golden designs on it.

But, of course there are other swords available too in a whole bunch of different designs.

Just keep in mind that you’ll need to be an adult to grab one of these and there are special procedures you’ll need to follow in terms of getting it home for security reasons. Also, the blades are generally only intended as display pieces and are typically not very sharp. But still…you could say you bought a SWORD in Disney World!!

But, of course, we couldn’t do this post without sharing a look at what is likely many people’s favorite part of this entire store…the FOOD!

There are so many different items here — from chocolate treats to more gummy-type candies and everything in between!

Want to try some shrimp chips? There are quite a few different flavors here for you to grab, And there are all kinds of other sweet and savory delights.

Basically, what we’re saying is — if you haven’t been to Mitsukoshi at all or haven’t been recently, this shop is totally worth a visit!

This is just a SMALL sampling of the many items here. You could spend a solid amount of time just looking at all of the big and little amazing things here. There are some great items here you won’t find ANYWHERE else in Disney World. If you want to come home with something really special, this is the place to look!

We’ll keep stopping by Mitsukoshi and all of the other stores around Disney World to find more great items and share that all with you. Stay tuned for more Disney news and updates!

Click here to see some of the skincare masks we’ve found in this store before! (Spoiler alert: they’ll make you into a cat, dog, or BABY??)

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What is your favorite item from Mitsukoshi? Tell us in the comments!

The post PHOTOS: Where Can You Get a Sword, Cat Themed Plates, and Shrimp Chips ALL in 1 Place in Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog.

If you’re a fan of carrot cake, the pastry team at Disney’s Beach Club Resort has you covered this Easter. If you’re visiting the Magic this week, you may want add this carrot patch-inspired Easter treat to your list!

The Easter Carrot Cupcake can be found in the refrigerated case in the Beach Club’s quick service dining location, The Beach Club Marketplace.

On the outside, it’s apparent right off the bat that great care was taken when constructing this cupcake. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill Disney cupcake; this one’s special.

I can’t fully express to you how excited I was when I cut into the cupcake. The discovery that the cream cheese icing that forms the top of the carrot on the outside of the cupcake continues down into the cupcake and perfectly forms a carrot delighted me to no end. How cool is that?

The carrot cake is rich and moist; just what you want from a carrot cake cupcake. The icing is delightful, and was applied, thankfully, with a generous hand. The chocolate cookie crumbles on the top of the cupcake don’t add flavor to the treat, but instead serve to simply continue the carrot patch theme. The green icing is a yummy vanilla buttercream, and the wildflower quins on top provide a bit of texture variety.

If you’d rather not have raisins hanging out in your carrot cake, you’re in luck as this one is completely raisin-free. Whew.

The Easter Carrot Cupcake is available through Easter Sunday at both the Beach Club and the Yacht Club for $5.49. If you enjoy carrot cake, this treat should be on your list.

Please let me know in the comment section below if you’ve tried a Disney snack recently that you’d recommend. Happy snacking!

You can virtually join me as we try five different Walt Disney World Easter snacks (including the Carrot Cake Cupcake) in the video below:

If you haven’t noticed, Disney has taken quite a few steps to make its parks more environmentally friendly. In 2018, Disney announced it would ban single-use plastic straws at its parks.

We also recently noticed some changes at Disney World: our beloved plastic cheese (okay, it’s not REALLY plastic, but that’s what we call it) in pre-packaged plastic cups was being phased out in favor of cardboard cups of plastic cheese at select locations. And we’ve even spotted special trash cans in the parks for compost waste!

Now, Disney has announced that new reusable bamboo sets of utensils that include a knife, fork, and spoon will be released. It also comes with a handy pouch that can clip on to your bag or belt! We have seen similar offerings at Food and Wine in Disney California Adventure and with the Spike the Bee Spork at EPCOT festivals! But this time, it won’t be themed for a certain event or time of the year.

This utensil set will be available at select locations in Disney Parks starting this spring, so be on the lookout! We will be on the lookout for these and will let you know when and where you can get them in the parks.

Click Here To Celebrate the Return of the Space Spork

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What do you think of Disney’s efforts to make snacking more waste-free? Let us know in the comments!

The post FIRST LOOK: New Reusable Utensils Coming to the Disney Parks first appeared on the disney food blog.

It’s time to EAT, people!

We keep a close eye out for any changes to the food up for grabs in Disney World. Lately, we’ve clued ya in that TONS of new treats are on the way — and we’ve told you all about a secret menu or two! Now, we spotted some new options for munching over at Magic Kingdom.

Friar’s Nook is known for its tater tots (YUM), but they tend to love switchin’ up their offerings. And now, they’re serving…hot dogs?! When we stopped by, we noticed 2 hot dog options (with those iconic tots, of course), had been added to the menu.

Hey, we’re all for tryin’ something new! So we grabbed one of each and dug in.

We’re gonna kick things off with the Loaded Buffalo Chicken Hot Dog and Tater Bites. We gotta be real here…this one was WEIRD. The combination of the buffalo chicken and hot dog was strange — the flavors were too different to complement each other.

And while the buffalo sauce itself tasted great, it made the hot dog bun all soggy. Yikes! All in all, this snack wasn’t our favorite.

The Loaded Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Hot Dog and Tater Bites was only slightly better. The flavors did match the hot dog vibe a little more, but the mac and cheese was pretty lackluster. Fortunately, the bacon was nice and flavorful! Unfortunately, we woulda liked to see it a little crispier.

So…what’s the scoop? Overall, both hot dogs were VERY meaty, with very little topping to balance out the taste. Unless you’re REALLY into hot dogs, grab those toppings with just the tots instead and skip the hot dog! Those tots offer a sturdy base, and they DON’T make the meal taste all funny.

If you’re all for hot dogs and wanna give ’em a try, you can get them for $11.49 apiece at Friar’s Nook! While they weren’t our favorite (womp womp), they would make for a filling meal. We’ll keep trying more new eats around Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB!

Eat THIS in Magic Kingdom Instead!

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Are you going to try these new hot dogs? Let us know in the comments!

The post We Had High Hopes for Disney’s New Loaded Hot Dogs…But Man Were We Disappointed first appeared on the disney food blog.

Hello, everyone!!!

We spent some time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios taking in the sights (like does seeing the Hollywood Tower Hotel looming over everything EVER get old?), living our best life, checking out new food and new merchandise, and saying hello to some favorite characters. So here’s what’s new since the last time we were here!

Hollywood Studios Food Updates

Ronto Roasters

Ronto Roasters recently added some new plant-based options to the menu. We really liked the Zuchii Wrap we tried earlier this week, which is available for lunch and dinner, but this time we decided to give the Triple Suns Breakfast Wrap a shot! It contains a plant-based “egg,” smoky chickpea onion slaw, and roasted tomato sauce — and it’s all wrapped up in a warm pita.

We found this to be pretty spicy (which we liked) and we LOVED the chickpea onion slaw! Overall, we weren’t the biggest fan of the eggs, but that didn’t stop us from devouring the whole thing. This new Ronto is both delicious and filling. It’s definitely a menu addition worth trying, friends.

Read Our Full Review of the Triple Suns Breakfast Wrap

Hollywood Studios Merchandise Updates

The Darkroom

We found the most adorable headphone cases we think we’ve ever seen! There was a Spaceship Earth Headphone Case…

…a BB-8 Headphone Case…

…an Up-inspired Wilderness Explorers Backpack Headphone Case…

…and Minnie Mouse Headphone Cases!

These cases are $19.99 each. What a great way to carry around your Airpods!

See More Photos of These Headphones Cases

Hollywood Studios Character Updates

Pluto

Pluto popped up on top of the Hyperion Theatre today!

Hey, Pluto!

See PHOTOS From When Pluto Made a Surprise Appearance in Animal Kingdom Today

Hollywood Studios Construction Updates

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

A scrim was added to the area across from the Milk Stand.

We wonder what’s going on here…?

Click here To Learn How to Upgrade the Most Popular Galaxy’s Edge Snack in Disney World

That’s it for our time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but we’ll be back soon with even more updates!

Here’s How We Made It Easier To Navigate Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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Have you been to Hollywood Studios recently? Let us know in the comments!

The post What’s New In Disney’s Hollywood Studios: A Breakfast Ronto Wrap and Headphone Cases! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Ordering allergy-friendly food can be a mixed bag when it comes to Disney quick service dining locations. The challenge is that some locations have allergy-friendly foods through mobile ordering, and some don’t.

I recently covered my experience with ordering a customized allergy friendly entrée at Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation. If you or a family member has multiple food allergies, or you wish to customize your allergy friendly order you will need to speak with one of the Chefs at the quick service location (read about it here).

When mobile ordering you’ll want to look for the Allergy-friendly icon. You can get to this view by selecting a timeslot for your mobile order then “See All Categories”. The Allergy-friendly icon is at the very bottom of the categories. You can see examples of where this icon is located in the screenshots below. You can also just view the menu, rather than selecting a time slot. But, to me, it is best to go into the mobile order process to truly confirm what is available.

Let’s take a look at the Disney quick service dining locations that do have allergy friendly items through mobile ordering:

Magic Kingdom

• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
• The Pinocchio Village Haus
• Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant

EPCOT

• Regal Eagle Smokehouse

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• ABC Commissary
• Backlot Express
• Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
• PizzeRizzo
• Ronto Roasters
• Rosie’s All-American Café
• Woody’s Lunch Box

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Flame Tree Barbecue
• Harambe Market
• Restaurantosaurus
• Satu’li Canteen

Disney’s Blizzard Beach

• Lottawatta Lodge

Disney Springs

• D-Luxe Burger

Disney Resorts

Surprisingly not that many of quick service dining locations at Disney’s resort hotels have allergy-friendly options available for mobile ordering. Currently only Everything POP at Disney’s Pop Century, Centertown Market at Caribbean Beach, and World Premiere Food Court at Disney’s All Star Movies has it available.

 

 

 

The above locations are based on what is listed in the MyDisneyExperience app and based on what locations are currently open. Not all dining locations have reopened at Walt Disney World. If you wish to dine at a quick service location that does not have allergy-friendly options listed in the app, you can ask a Cast Member at the dining location for assistance.

What do you think of Disney’s mobile ordering for allergy-friendly foods? How would you improve it? Let us know in the comments!

The post Here Are the Disney Quick Service Locations Where You Can Mobile Order Allergy-Friendly Food appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

We’re just about a month out from the reopening of the Disneyland Resort theme parks!

As we gear up for our return to the parks, we also get to get PUMPED about all of the eats we’ll get to taste. Sure, we’ve gotten to have some of our favorites at A Touch of Disney events, but now we’re looking at some new and returning eats that are coming to the Resort!

Disney just announced a number of exciting eats and treats that are either available now or will be available soon. Let’s take a look!

Disneyland Park

Blue Bayou Restaurant

Perhaps the most exciting update is that Blue Bayou Restaurant in Disneyland Park will begin offering alcohol in the form of wine, beer, and a new Hurricane cocktail. Alcohol is still a pretty rare offering in Disneyland Park, so this is certainly notable.

We can also keep an eye out for new seasonal versions of the non-alcoholic Mint Julep!

Click here to learn more about the changes coming to Blue Bayou!

Downtown Disney

Ballast Point

For Earth Day, we’ll be able to snag a special limited-time linguini dish over at Ballast Point. And get this, it’s served with their house-made kale and walnut pesto. YUM.

The dish is a Linguini and Kale Pesto Salad made with linguini, house-made kale and walnut pesto, sun-dried tomato, arugula, and pecorino with lemon zest. It will be available from April 22nd through April 25th.

Earl of Sandwich

Earl of Sandwich is ushering in the return of Le Frenchy Sandwich (also available at the location in Disney Springs!). This eat is a sammie made with smoked ham, brie, and mustard sauce on Earl of Sandwich signature artisan bread.

Salt & Straw

And Salt & Straw is offering FIVE cereal-based ice-cream flavors as part of The Cereal-sly Delicious Series. Get ready for:

• Pots of Gold & Rainbows – Whole-grain cereal in cream for that bottom-of-the-bowl sweetened milk before stirring in mountains of rainbow ‘mallows 
• OffLimits’ Dash Cold Brew Cocoa Crisps – Coffee and dessert all at once with this cold brew ice cream swirled with malty fudge and coffee and cocoa spheres enveloped in salty chocolate bark 
• Peanut Butter Captain Munch – Dairy-free, starchy oat ice cream with peanut butter-coated cereal clusters and peanut butter swirl
• Snap ‘N Crackle Marshmallow Treats – Brown butter treats pressed and toasted with marshmallow into a lacy Florentine in a rich, malty graham ice cream
• Cornflake Cookies w/ Marionberry Jam – Swirls of housemade marionberry jam with malty cereal-flecked ice cream and crumbled brown butter sugar cookies

Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs

There’s also a new Pickle Corn Dog available at Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs. Yes, really. And it’s served with a side of peanut butter. REALLY!

We spotted this available in Downtown Disney over the weekend so you can try it out now.

Click here to see PICS of the Pickle Corn Dog!

We can’t wait to give these items a try! Stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney updates!

What looks tasty to you? Tell us in the comments! 

The post YES! NEW Eats Coming to Disneyland Resort SOON! first appeared on the disney food blog.