Before we even made it to Magic Kingdom, we spotted the first hint of the crowds when we were arriving at the Transportation and Ticket Center — but, honestly, this really wasn’t too bad! We’ve definitely seen more crowds over this past week and even yesterday. Perhaps folks are sleeping in this morning to save their energy for staying up late tonight!
What’s this?! Walking right up to the monorail?
As we walked up to the Magic Kingdom entrance, we noticed much of the same. There weren’t too many crowds gathered just yet — at least not compared to what we’ve been seeing lately!
Everyone must be sleeping in!
We made our way further into the park, and started to see a bit more of the crowds we were expecting.
A few more people in here!
There were certainly people milling about, but we weren’t shoulder to shoulder with other folks like we typically see on holidays like today. We’re thinking people will likely start to trickle in as the day continues, but even at mid-day, we weren’t seeing the crowds we’re used to seeing.
Overall, not too bad.
As far as wait times go, right around noon, the highest wait was for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 145 minutes and we confirmed all parks were still accepting guests — meaning they haven’t reached capacity. You can call (407) 560-5000 for up-to-the-minute park hopping availability if you’re trying to park hop in Disney World today — just to make sure the park you’re hopping to hasn’t reached capacity yet.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Are you going to Disney World in the next few days? Let us know in the comments!
This morning, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway failed to open with the park today, December 31, 2023. As of this writing, the ride remained down, extending wait times on other rides that are already long due to holiday crowds.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Failed to Open
When Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened this morning, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway did not open.
The ride remains closed, which has driven the holiday crowds at the park that would be enjoying that ride toward other attractions, extending wait times throughout the park. Currently, six attractions at the park are listed in the My Disney Experience app with a wait time longer than an hour.
Are you braving the holiday crowds to spend the evening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments.
If you’re boarding a cruise soon, and one for a leisurely vacation, not one to plunder and pillage, then you may want to know about some of the laws that are around to protect you, and you’ll be expected to follow.
Wait, Did You Say “Merry Time” or “Maritime”?
You didn’t imagine by opening this post that you’d be getting a partial law degree, did you? What? That’s NOT why you read DFB? Ok, ok. We’ll keep the legal jargon to a minimum and splice in some humor and maybe some food references (we are DFB, afterall). But we are responsible reporters, and we wanna give you the facts, you know, with a splash of fun.
Disney Dream
Are you ready to dive in? Grab your favorite cruise snack (you know, either snacks you eat on a cruise, or land-based snacks that are shaped like boats, both are acceptable), and let’s discuss the nuances of Maritime Law. No, no, just kidding, don’t choke on your boat-shaped snack! It’s just a little maritime overview.
Here we go! Maritime law, also known as admiralty law, is a body of laws and treaties that govern private maritime business and other nautical matters, such as shipping or violations occurring on open water. So, who oversees (overseas? ok, ok, too many puns might compromise the grammatical integrity of this post) the maritime laws? Those folks are the International Maritime Organization (IMO), an agency of the United Nations. Maritime law exists to protect the world’s open seas and the people who use it. Without it, there would likely be anarchy and a collapse of the global economy. No big deal, right?
Disney Dream
So, the smarty-pants in the IMO decide on the rules and policies that ships and their crews must follow. Regarding passenger behavior, the laws on a cruise ship align with the flag the ship is flying under. A ship flies the flag of the country where it’s registered, and, in general, the laws onboard a ship are the laws of that country.
So, if you’re planning to take a cruise out of a different country, you may wanna brush up on your international law since that country’s laws will be what’s applied on board. This probably won’t affect you too much, but keep an eye on those legal drinking ages as those change from country to country.
To Light Up or Not to Light Up — That is the Question.
Just when you thought you had all of the federal laws figured out, the good ol’ U.S. steps up and confuses everyone with varying state laws (way to go, America, we love you, but why you gotta be so complicated?)
With marijuana laws being different from state to state, the cruise industry must deal with passengers depending on state legalization. Although many states allow possession of specific amounts of marijuana, major cruise lines have clarified their stance on cannabis and CBD.
Onboard the Disney Dream
Carnival Cruise Line’s policy states: “While certain CBD products used for medicinal purposes may be legal in the US, they are not legal in all the ports we visit and therefore are also considered prohibited items. Guests will need to consult with their physician for other suitable alternatives.”
Norwegian Cruise Line’s policy states: “All illegal narcotics/drugs, including marijuana prescribed for medical purposes and other items used as drug paraphernalia. This includes all products containing CBD, oils, candies, and gummies or any product containing THC.”
Royal Caribbean’s policy states: In no event shall any Passenger bring on board the Vessel any illegal controlled substances (including medical marijuana). Marijuana possession and/or use, including medical marijuana, and possession or use of any illegal drugs, is strictly prohibited in many jurisdictions visited and on the Vessel at all times, as well as in terminals, during shore excursions or any other part of the cruise, regardless of any local, state, or other laws which might permit use or possession of marijuana.
Keg & Compass
Disney Cruise Line’s policy states: “In accordance with United States federal regulations and local laws in the destinations we visit, illegal narcotics—including synthetic designer drugs—and marijuana (even if legal where you reside or medically prescribed)—are prohibited on board the ships and on Disney Castaway Cay.”
Ultimately, if you sail from a port within the United States, you must follow U.S. federal law, which prohibits use and possession. Your best bet is to get familiar with the policies and proceed at your own discretion.
Are you cruising soon?
And what about cigars, vaping, or cigarettes, you ask? You may smoke on a cruise ship, but only in designated smoking areas. On most ships, all indoor public spaces are off-limits except the casino (or part of the casino), a cigar lounge (if the ship has one), and designated sections in nightclubs. Pretty much all ships prohibit smoking or vaping of any kind in stateroom and on stateroom balconies/verandas with hefty financial penalties.
Outside, smokers are typically restricted to small areas on one or more decks. The designated area may differ from one ship to another within the same cruise line. Smoking information can usually be found in the FAQ section of the cruise line’s website, but when in doubt, ask upon boarding.
Disney Cruise Line
On European cruise lines, there’s usually a bit more room for smokers to spread out, but even those lines are cutting back.
“And I’m packing your angry eyes…just in case.”
You can pack your angry eyes, though hopefully, on a cruise, you won’t need them. But there are some things you should definitely leave at home. Each cruise line will have its own list, but standard prohibited items can include:
Though you probably aren’t planning to bring your blender, electric blanket, or cricket bat with you on a cruise, obviously, someone has tried because there are some pretty specific rules about it. Be sure to review your cruise line’s guest services page for a very thorough list of what will not be permitted on the ship.
S-A-F-E-T-Y
Who among us has been on a ship and not reenacted the Jack and Rose “I’m Flying” scene from Titanic? Shoot, I’d do it on the Jungle Cruise if the Skipper would let me stand up. We’ve all seen, loved, and been traumatized by that movie. Why didn’t Rose scoot over and let Jack on the door?
Captain Minnie on the Ship’s Bow
Because of the tragedy of the Titanic, the IMO established the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Seas (SOLAS). This international treaty regulates safety standards related to ship construction, navigation, firefighting, and lifesaving equipment. So you can rest assured that when you board any cruise, you won’t have to rely on the benevolence of a cruise mate to share a floating door with you, should the ship go down; there will be a spot reserved for you on a bona fide lifeboat.
Disney Wonder
You also have the Titanic to thank for that mandatory muster drill. Don’t try to dodge it. The crew is counting everyone and checking off lists. And just like Baskin Robbins, they always find out.
This Passport Has Fine Print
First, you’ll need to see if you’re a citizen of the country the ship is departing from. If you’re coming to Port Canaveral for a Disney Cruise, but you’re a citizen of Denmark, then you’ll definitely need a passport. Got it?
Mount Rustmore
Some cruise itineraries include foreign ports that require a passport for disembarkation. This is most commonly an issue for travelers on a Caribbean cruise. Barbados, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, St. Barts, and Trinidad and Tobago all require U.S. citizens to present a valid passport to disembark and enter the country.
Castaway Cay
If your itinerary includes a country requiring a passport, your cruise line will require you to have the passport at check-in. Note that your passport must not expire within six months of your arrival in a foreign country or else it won’t be considered valid for international travel.
If you want to be sure not to accidentally break any laws during your Disney World trip, we recommend checking out our links below:
There is a trio of new Disney Munchlings options available at Magic Kingdom, featuring adorable treat versions of fan-favorite characters.
Lollipop Donald Munchlings Purse – $34.99
At Disney Clothiers, we found this new Lollipop Donald purse. He is modeled to look just like his lollipop form from the Sweet Treats collection. He has his signature sailor hat, a tuft of hair, embroidered eyes and eyebrows, a 3D beak, a blue band for his collar, and a 3D bowtie. There is a small lollipop stick coming out from the bottom of the purse.
The back has one main zip compartment and a removable strap.
Inside of the zip compartment, there is a slip pocket.
Peanut Butter Swirl Cup Pluto Munchlings Backpack – $44.99
Next up, at Big Top Souvenirs, we spotted a Peanut Butter Swirl Cup Pluto Backpack. He’s a larger backpack version of the Pluto that’s part of the Sweet Treats collection, and is meant to look like a peanut butter cup candy inside of its wrapper. He has embroidered eyes, nose and mouth, and a green wrapper in corduroy.
His right ear is resting in a downward position.
His left ear is lifted up.
The back has a top handle and green adjustable straps.
His two small feet peek out of the bottom of the “wrapper.”
On the top are felt nubs to give Pluto the peanut butter cup look. There is one zipper that goes across the top for the main pocket.
The material inside the pocket is soft, like the rest of the backpack.
Also at Big Top Souvenirs was a new variation of the Sensational Snacks Mystery Plush Pack.
Each pack contains one of seven options: Mickey Onion Ring, Pascal Jalapeño Popper, Pluto Ramen Noodle, Panda Meilin Poutine, Jack Skellington White Chocolate Covered Pretzel, Alien Wasabi Pea, and a Mystery Character.
Panda Meilin, Jack Skellington, and Pascal were on display inside of the store.
Which of the new Muchlings items is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
It’s the end of the year, and that means every blog goes into autopilot mode, putting together ‘best of’ lists. It’s a brilliant move, really. Not only does it spare the author from having to write new content, but it allows them to remind readers of some good posts they might have missed. This new holiday […]
Welcome to our annual Disney Person of the Year article. To see the runners up, check out our Most Fascinating Disney People post. From an outside perspective, it would appear that the leadership change at the top of The Walt Disney Company had an impact on the Disney 100 Celebration. The New Year’s Day kickoff […]
Happy New Year, friends! 2024 is upon us and while many of you might be thinking about new resolutions, we’re thinking about ice cream. Sweet, sweet ice cream.
Salt & Straw
Why are we thinking of ice cream? Well because five ice cream flavors (Including one called Death By Chocolate Cake, might I add.) have been announced for Salt & Straw in Disney World and Disneyland.
The five flavors for the month of January are all part of the returning Dairy-Free Decadence series. We hope you’re ready to eat with your eyes because we’re about to deep dive into all five flavors.
Starting things off is the returning Toasted Oat Milk and Cookies. The ice cream is made with chewy chocolate chip cookies that are dunked in silky oat milk cream and layered with an ultra-rich chocolate ganache.
Toasted Oak Milk & Cookies
We like the texture the chocolate chip cookies adds to this ice cream. The oat milk taste was very prominent and we weren’t too fond of the lingering taste after a few bites. The ganache is pretty overpowering as well, but if you like a rich chocolate taste, you’ll enjoy this flavor.
Then there’s the also returning Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. This flavor is made by tossing bits of spongy red velvet cake into a subtly sweet coconut cream that is then infused with red velvet batter. After that, they add in a tangy cream cheese frosting.
Now it’s time to chat the returning Bananas Foster with Candied Pecans flavor! It’s made with a Bananas Foster reduction with rum, brown sugar and spices, and coconut cream. And of course, more banana and candied pecans.
Bananas Foster
None of the flavors overpowered the others in this ice cream and it had a nice light caramel and banana taste. However, we could tell this isn’t traditional dairy ice cream. It had a distinct taste that wasn’t bad, just different from your typical ice cream. Just something to note if you don’t typically eat dairy-free ice cream!
Okay, okay. So enough about the returning flavors, right?! Well, the next two options are brand NEW Salt & Straw flavors. Are ya ready for em??
The first of the new flavors is Marionberry Oatmeal Cobbler. The base is coconut milk and cinnamon mixed with a marionberry filling. Then there’s the bits of pie crust and cobbler topping swirled throughout. Uh, we’ll take 12, please!
And lastly is that dreamy flavor we mentioned when we started this post — Death By Chocolate Cake. If this is the way flavors are going to go in 2024, I think we’re in for a good year! This brand new option is made with Salt & Straw’s chocolatey upcycled barley milk base that is then paired with Dutch process cocoa, vegan chocolate cake and vegan chocolate ganache. YUM!
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Will you be trying these ice cream flavors out? Let us know in the comments below!
The Oscar-nominated actor was known for roles in The Full Monty, Michael Clayton, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. He was 75.
The Associated Press reports Wilkinson died suddenly at home on Saturday, December 30th, 2023. No further details were shared in the statement provided by his agent.
He was nominated for a best actor Academy Award for his role in In the Bedroomand best supporting actor for his role in Michael Clayton. He is likely best known by many in Britain for playing former steel mill foreman Gerald Cooper in 1997’s The Full Monty. Disney+ later brought The Full Monty back for a revival.
Wilkinson was recognized for his services to theater when he was appointed a member of the Order of the British Empire in 2005. He is survived by his wife Diana Hardcastle and two daughters.
Our thoughts are with Wilkinson’s family and friends during this difficult time.
We have lots of favorite restaurants around Disney World, but it’s important to note that most of them require advance dining reservations. If you’re headed to Disney World in 2024, here’s why getting a reservation at those restaurants may be harder to get than before.
So why will it be harder to get these dining reservations? Three words: Disney Dining Plan. Yes, this beloved perk is coming back in 2024 for Disney hotel guests, and while it’ll make budgeting for food on your trip easier for those with the Disney Dining Plan, reservations could be harder to come by — here’s why.
Guests getting the Regular Disney Dining Plan will receive one quick service meal credit, one table service meal credit, and one snack credit per person, per night of their package. Now, guests on the Disney Dining Plan do have to make reservations at table service restaurants just like you do up to 60 days before your trip begins.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
However Disney World Resort hotel guests may make reservations up to 60 days in advance plus the length of their stay up to 10 days. And since everyone with the Disney Dining Plan has to be staying at a Disney World hotel, this gives them a leg up on you if you’re NOT staying at a Disney hotel.
Liberty Tree Tavern
Since many guests were waiting to return to the parks until the Disney Dining Plan came back, this could mean that dining reservations for these table service restaurants are about to be more complicated. So how can you ensure you get your reservation? Here are some tips:
Make your reservation right at that 60 day mark before your vacation begins
If you can’t get a reservation, don’t stress too much — keep checking back on the app multiple times each day to see if a reservation will show up. Yes, even when you’re in the parks already, because last minute reservations show up all the time. It’s never a guarantee, but we have gotten last-minute reservations before!
Chef Mickey’s!
We’re always here to bring you the latest Disney news, so stay tuned to DFB!
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
What are your thoughts on the Disney Dining Plan? Tell us in the comments!
It’s been a few months since the United Kingdom pavilion at EPCOT received a merchandise refresh, but today we found a King Mickey Mouse plush among the offerings in the shop.
King Mickey Mouse Plush – $34.99
We found the monarch mouse in a small basket display.
The King Mickey Mouse plush is dressed in a royal blue tunic, leggings, and shoes. His tunic is trimmed in gold. He sports his traditional signature white gloves.
Mickey wears a burgundy plush crown between his ears, adorned with shiny gold fabric printed with jewels. The fleur-de-lys details are embroidered with gold thread. He has a fur-trimmed edge to his crown, which matches the fur trim on his attached cloak.
The back of the cloak reveals more gold detailing on the burgundy field. the entire cloak is edged in white fur. There is a satiny underside to the cloak’s collar, designed to be folded down for a finished look.
Mickey’s left foot is embroidered with “Disney London” in red thread.
Will you be inviting this King Mickey Mouse Plush to come live in your royal palace? Let us know in the comments.
