Guests who purchase Genie+ have access to the Lightning Lane which allows guests to “skip the line” at select attractions at the four theme parks. A second option is to pay for Individual Lighting Lanes at select attractions (two at each park). Disney has announced an update to the attractions included with Disney Genie+. During the busy spring and summer season, Disney will be moving three of the Individual Attraction selections to the Genie+ lineup so that guests have more options when using Genie+.
Here is the statement from Disney with the updated policy:
Between February 25, 2022 – August 7, 2022, the following attractions will be added to Disney Genie+ service*:
Magic Kingdom Park: Space Mountain
EPCOT: Frozen Ever After
Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
During this time period, these attractions will not be available for purchase a la carte. This will help to give Guests more options as we prepare for a busy spring and summer season.
*Attractions with Lightning Lane entrances that are Disney Genie+ and individual purchases are limited in availability, subject to change or closure, may vary by date, are not guaranteed and may not be available at all on the date of visit or at the time you make a selection.
We applaud this move by Disney. Paying for access to Lightning Lanes has come with mixed reviews. Most of those we have talked to, have not had overall positive experiences, and paying for something that was free is always a bummer. Disney changing the lineup does two things that help guests–(1) give those paying for Genie+ more attractions to experience and (2) reduce the amount guests need to spend to use the Lightning Lane by removing the need to pay for three Individual Lighting Lane Attractions. Paying for these attractions costs $7-$15 per person, which offers huge savings to guests who were planning on paying for these attractions. Now, guests have more choices and more value when purchasing Disney Genie+. Well, at least through August 7!
The 2022 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival is almost here! Disney has released a sneak peek of the upcoming merchandise collections for this year’s festival!
From a Disney Cast Member;
Bees will buzz, flowers will bloom, and shelves will fill with fresh new merchandise as the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival springs to life at Disney World. Here’s your chance to celebrate the season alongside featured characters Orange Bird, Spike the Bee, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Figment with colorful garden tools, cheerful drinkware, stylish accessories and more. Keep reading for a sneak peek at the collections, which can be found at festival retail locations across EPCOT beginning on March 2, with additional pieces debuting throughout the festival and select items available on shopDisney.com.
Orange Bird Collection
Orange you glad these Orange Bird items are coming to EPCOT? An iconic symbol of the sunshine state, Orange Bird inspires an eye-catching collection of wearable fashions, accessories and other adorable keepsakes, including the Orange-Lemon Smoothie in a Souvenir Orange Bird Sipper Cup.
Mickey Mouse Home Garden Collection
Garden in style with this vibrant assortment of apparel, drinkware, yard tools and other coordinating accessories. Mickey Mouse takes center stage in the collection’s playful design, which features springtime blue hues and dainty floral prints.
Spike the Bee Collection
Memorable for his appearances in early Mickey Mouse cartoons, Spike the Bee evokes nostalgia for longtime Disney fans. The collection includes a variety of sweet new pieces, including collectible novelties, apparel and accessories.
Figment’s Garden Collection
Figment shares his love of all things purple – including beets! – with an imaginative new line of wares that celebrate the springtime harvest. These creative purple pieces will launch later on during the festival.
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Collection
Decked out in dapper ensembles, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are ready for a stroll in the garden! Find an array of new items featuring whimsical artwork inspired by the festival.
As the 50th Anniversary celebration continues at Disney World, now is the perfect time to plan your next visit. Learn how you can take part in the celebration of spring at the 2022 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival here.
To experience the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, guests must have both valid park admission and a park reservation for EPCOT on the same date.
Diehard Disney fans usually have a favorite Disney character, Disney Park, park attraction, Disney film, etc. Some of them even have a favorite Disney Parks souvenir. And some love those souvenirs so much that they purchase them on repeat, making it a goal to acquire an entire collection, or to get their hands on every version of that souvenir.
Kayla Freitas is one such Disney fan, and her passion is Disney Parks popcorn buckets.
Kayla was in good company last month when EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts opened, and a brand-new Figment-themed popcorn bucket debuted. The bucket was so popular that many Guests at EPCOT waited in line for between four and six hours just for the opportunity to purchase one (or several). A few fans even became the focus of news stories about the buckets, some for buying more than Disney’s per-Guest limit allowed, and others for their uncommon kindness in waiting in the line, purchasing a bucket, and gifting it to a total stranger so she didn’t have to wait in line.
Like many of those Guests who waited for hours to buy a Figment bucket, Kayla is a popcorn bucket enthusiast. The 32-year-old mom and Navy veteran has a travel-focused YouTube channel called Travel Memoirs. It’s only been a little over a year since she started collecting the souvenir buckets, which, she says, started by accident.
Years before she began her YouTube channel, Kayla says she attended a “swap meet,” which was an event where people got together and traded their collectibles and other items. It was during the event that she first saw a Disney Parks popcorn bucket shaped like Cinderella’s carriage.
Kayla says she thought the bucket was “a cute little Disney collectible,” so she bought it, and it only cost her $5. It wasn’t until she was looking for information about the bucket online that she discovered that many of the same buckets were selling online for $100 or more.
But it wasn’t until after she had her daughter that she began to acquire more of the festive Disney Parks souvenirs.
“Once I had my daughter,” she explained, “it kind of gave me an excuse to buy all the Disney stuff I wanted as a kid.”
Kayla says she doesn’t really have a “collection niche.” Rather, she buys items that she thinks are “especially interesting or unique.” In this case, those items are Disney Parks popcorn buckets, and in just over a year’s time, Kayla has collected more than 50 of them, and they didn’t all come as cheap as the Cinderella bucket did.
“My most expensive bucket is the Figment one,” Kayla said. “I got it secondhand when it was relatively cheap, a couple hundred dollars, but now they’re going for thousands online, so I’m sort of glad I got it when I did.”
The Figment bucket was sold only at one booth at EPCOT for $25 each, but they sold out quickly. The bucket was recently restocked, but fans could only buy them online. Soon after the announcement was made about the restocking–you guessed it–they sold out yet again.
So what’s the deal with these popcorn buckets, and why do they go for so much online?
One reason is that many are only sold at international Disney Parks, such as Tokyo Disney Resort and Shanghai Disneyland. One Tangled-inspired bucket from Tokyo Disney Resort featured Pascal (Rapunzel’s chameleon sidekick) on the strap, looked like a lantern, and could even light up. But since it was only sold at the one Resort, fans like Kayla who want to add one to their collections usually have to pay the resale price determined by the seller on sites like eBay, and then pay for international shipping.
“It would be really cool if Disney brought some of those really creative ones to the US,” Kayla said. “There’s obviously a demand for it.”
Kayla says she has spent “several thousands of dollars” on the buckets in her collection. She loves them and sees them as very creative souvenirs that are also practical because they can be used in a variety of ways.
“A question I get daily, even from Disney lovers, is: what do I do with all these popcorn buckets?” she said. “The answer is everything; I use them as purses, as decorations. I even use them as night lights and piggy banks. They’re just so versatile and so cute. They have so many purposes.”
But she also says she does it for her fans–the one million people who follow her on TikTok–who love to see the new buckets she buys.
“People want more popcorn buckets, so I’m buying them constantly,” Kayla joked. “Not that I’m upset about it.”
Kayla says the buckets’ versatility lends itself to the appeal of these limited-edition souvenirs.
“I think that’s made the popcorn buckets more appealing,” she said. “If they’re just for popcorn, you may or may not be interested. But if you can decorate with them or wear them as a purse at the park, they become an inexpensive but great souvenir.”
It looks like Disney’s newest roller coaster is going to open sooner than we thought it would!. According to a tweet from Disney’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Geoff Morrell, Disney’s newest roller coaster, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, will be opening Memorial Day weekend. The roller coaster has been under construction for a couple of years and Disney said that an opening was coming late-summer 2022.
Walt Disney
Morrell posted the following on his Twitter account, but then quickly deleted it.
Since Disney has not made Cosmic Rewind’s opening date official yet, it seems that this tweet may have spilled the beans! Morrell then went on later and reposted the tweet, but took out the mention of Memorial Day.
Just another day at the office–got to "test ride" the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster at @WaltDisneyWorld EPCOT. Walt Disney Imagineers deigned this one like no other ride you've ever been on. Have to ride it to believe it! Coming soon! pic.twitter.com/PjSityLjUb
This opening day leak comes on the same day that images were shared of the final ride vehicle as well as the loading area. Phil The Horizoneer (@TheHorizoneer) shared images on Twitter, as well as the information that the ride vehicles would be called Starjumpers.
Here is more information on the new roller coaster — which took the place of Ellen’s Energy Adventure — from the Walt Disney World website:
Begin your adventure by touring the Galaxarium—a planetarium-like exhibition showcasing the similarities and differences between Xandar and Earth’s galaxies. You’ll even get to discover some of the incredible wonders of Xandar and learn about their technology.
Just as you are about to reach the culmination of the tour, everything goes sideways, and you are called into action to help the Guardians of the Galaxy. Are you ready to rock out on an awesome quest across the cosmos to save the galaxy? It’s all up to you!
This family-friendly attraction features the first ever reverse-launch on a Disney coaster and is one of the longest enclosed coasters in the world! A new innovation from Walt Disney Imagineering—this coaster rotates 360 degrees so you can focus on the action!
it is important to remember that Disney has not confirmed the Memorial Day opening date at this time. The Disney World website still states that the attraction will be opening in late summer 2022. Many had been speculating that the ride would open early since Disney Imagineers seemed close to done, so hopefully, Disney will use this slip to confirm a Memorial Day opening date.
The 2022 ECPOT International Flower and Garden Festival is just a few weeks away! It’s our favorite festival and while the flowers and topiaries may be the main event, the food is just as amazing. Disney has released the menus for the Outdoor Kitchens.
Spring is almost here and you know what that means … the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival! With flavors in full bloom and dishes waiting to be cultivated from March 2 through July 4, this year’s celebration is not one to be missed.
Once you see the tasty options available, your appetite will be sure to grow. With nearly 20 Outdoor Kitchens, there is a perfectly harvested combination of new delights like the BLT Scone atCider House and fan favorites like the Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake at The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board back in season. There’s so much to enjoy this year – you and your tastebuds will want to keep coming back for more. And to help, I’ve put this guide together to assist you in making your list of must-have treats!
As you eat your way through the Festival, don’t forget to pick up a Festival Passport to participate in Garden Graze, a returning food stroll featuring five delicious dishes from various Outdoor Kitchens. Get a stamp in your passport after you’ve purchased the items and once you’ve compiled all five, simply make your way to Pineapple Promenade to receive your Festival-exclusive treat.
If you know anything about the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, you know that the fresh flavors aren’t the only fun to be had. This celebration is filled with adorable topiaries featuring some of your favorite characters, renowned performers for the Garden Rocks Concert Series, and, of course, exclusive merchandise to bring the fun home with you. The little ones can get in on the fun too with Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration, a scavenger hunt for the whole family!
Now, it’s time to see all the treats our EPCOT chefs have put together for you this year. I hope you enjoy the latest edition of the Foodie Guide!
Flavor Full Kitchen Hosted by AdventHealth (Between Imagination! and Refreshment Port)
Food Items:
Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with savory garlic spread (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
Seared Salmon with farro risotto and micro herbs
Strawberry Mousse with chocolate-crisp pearls
Beverages:
Blood Orange Agua Fresca (non-alcoholic)
Cookie Butter Worms and Dirt (non-alcoholic)
EPCOT Sunshine Griddle (Near Test Track presented by Chevrolet)
Food Items:
Avocado Toast with marinated toybox tomatoes on toasted ciabatta (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
Shrimp and Grits: Blackened shrimp and cheddar cheese grits with brown gravy and sweet corn salsa
Corned Beef Brisket Hash with house-made potato barrels, onions, peppers, cheese curds, and a soft-poached egg with Tabasco hollandaise (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites with cream cheese frosting and candied bacon
Beverages:
Froot Loops Shake (non-alcoholic)
Joffrey’s Coffee Cold Brew Cocktail with milk, rum and coffee liqueur, and vanilla vodka
The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board
Food Items:
Tupelo Honey and Sweet Corn Spoon Bread with jalapeños, bacon, and house-made whipped honey butter (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
Lavender Honey Mustard-marinated Chicken Flatbread with whipped honey-ricotta cheese, marinated vegetables, and goat cheese
Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake with orange blossom honey whipped cream, whipped honey, crystalized honey, honeycomb, dehydrated honey, and fennel pollen meringue kisses
Beverages:
Honey-Peach Freeze in a Souvenir Spike the Bee Sipper Cup (non-alcoholic) (Limit 2 per guest)
Lemonade Mead
Orange Blossom Honey Wine
Honey-Peach Freeze with Blueberry Vodka
The Citrus Blossom (Near Port of Entry)
Food Items:
Crispy Mojo Marinated Pork Belly, with avocado cream, corn salsa, salsa verde, and plantain chips (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly) (New)
Tuna Tataki Bowl with spicy yuzu glaze, mango, avocado, and pappadam crisp
Springtime Menu (available April 10 through May 21)
Grilled Vegetable Bruschetta with marinated peppers, zucchini, squash, artichokes, goat cheese, and balsamic glaze on grilled ciabatta (New)
Herb-crusted Spring Lamb with marble potatoes, spring vegetables, and red wine butter sauce
Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-down Cake with crème fraîche whipped cream
Summer Solstice Menu (available May 22 through July 4)
Tomato and Cornbread Panzanella with burrata cheese and fresh basil
Barbecue Seared Pork Tenderloin with summer succotash, herb butter, and grapefruit vinaigrette (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
A Whole Lotta Melon: Feta cheesecake with watermelon curd, pickled watermelon rind, watermelon caramel, and compressed watermelon (New) (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
Beverages (available throughout the Festival):
Raspberry Lemon Verbena Whole-Leaf-Steeped Sparkling Hard Tea
Hibiscus Lemonade Cocktail featuring hibiscus gin
Cider House (United Kingdom)
Food Items:
BLT Scone with Nueske’s applewood-smoked bacon, sundried tomato, and basil (New)
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart with whipped cream
Beverages:
Pink Lemonade Hard Cider
Watermelon Hard Cider
Triple Jam Hard Cider
Pure Brewed Organic Lager
Snakebite: Triple jam hard cider and pure brewed organic lager
Cider Flight
Northern Bloom (Canada)
Food Items:
Seared Scallops with French green beans, butter potatoes, brown butter vinaigrette, and applewood-smoked bacon (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
Beef Tenderloin Tips, Mushroom Bordelaise Sauce, and Whipped Potatoes with garden vegetables
Griddled Maple Pound Cake with warm peach compote and sweet corn gelato
Beverages:
Maple Popcorn Shake (non-alcoholic)
Blonde Ale
Blueberry Fruit Beer
Apricot with Maple Syrup Blonde Ale
Maple Popcorn Shake with maple rye whisky
Beer Flight
Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico)
Food Items:
Enchilada de Mole Negro: Chipotle chicken in a corn tortilla with mole negro, avocado mousse, crema Mexicana, and queso fresco (New) (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
Taco Vampiro: Barbacoa beef in a corn tortilla with crispy grilled Monterey jack cheese, salsa ranchera, and esquites (New) (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
Tostada de Chorizo: Plant-based Chorizo and black beans on a crispy corn tortilla with avocado mousse and queso fresco (New) (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
Beverages:
Poppy Flower Margarita: Tequila blanco, hibiscus flower tea, cucumber juice, aperitivo, and blackcurrant liqueur with a chile salt rim
Hypnotic Margarita: Tequila blanco, mezcal, rosemary syrup, cognac, and lemon juice
Craft Mexican Lager
Lotus House (China)
Food Items:
Spicy Mala Chicken Skewer (New)
House-made Cheesy Crab Wontons
Beverages:
Rose Bubble Milk Tea (non-alcoholic) (New)
Jasmine Draft Beer
Marco Boba: Amaretto, iced coffee, milk, and boba
Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, triple sec, mango, orange juice, and soda water
Tang Dynasty: Tequila gold, light rum, strawberry, piña colada mix, white boba pearls, and soda water
Primavera Kitchen (Italy)
Food Items:
Arancini: Fried Risotto Balls stuffed with braised beef served with grape tomato salad and balsamic emulsion
Ravioli alla Boscaiola: Sweet sausage ravioli with sweet corn, spring vegetables, and cream sauce
Bomboloni: Cream-filled Italian doughnut with raspberry sauce and powdered sugar
Beverages:
Pilsner
Pinot Grigio
Chianti
Prosecco
Rosa Regale
Moscato
Italian White Sangria with prosecco
Italian Red Sangria with cabernet sauvignon
Italian Margarita with limoncello and tequila
Hanami (Japan)
Food Items:
Frushi: Strawberry, pineapple, and cantaloupe wrapped in sweet rice and pink soy wrap served with whipped cream, berry sauce, and toasted coconut
Chicken Yakitori: Grilled chicken with scallions, red pepper-shoyu emulsion, and pickled onions
Beef Tataki: Seared sirloin with red shiso sauce, watermelon radish, and sprouts
Beverages:
Yuzu Tilted Tonic Hard Seltzer
Ozeki Pineapple Nigori Sake
Cucumber Cooler: Sake, vodka, and cucumber garnished with a cucumber slice
Fleur de Lys (France)
Food Items:
Croissant au Fromage de Chèvre, Herbes et Ail Rôtie: Croissant with goat cheese, herbs, and roasted garlic (New)
Pan Bagnat Classique: The Niçoise Sandwich with house-made bread, albacore tuna mayonnaise, tomato, black olives, lettuce, and celery (New)
Salade de Lentilles à la Lyonnaise: French Green Lentil Salad with bacon and garlic sausage (New)
Beignet Caramélisé, Fourré Crème Vanille, Glacé au Caramel Fleur de Sel: Caramelized Beignet filled with vanilla cream and glazed with caramel fleur de sel
Beverages:
French Wheat Draft Beer
VeRy Raspberry: Rosé wine with natural raspberry flavor
Grand Mimosa Cocktail with orange liqueur, Champagne, and orange juice
La Vie en Rose Frozen Slush: Vodka, orange vodka, and liqueur with white and red cranberry juice
Funnel Cake
Food Item:
Strawberry Cheesecake Funnel Cake topped with strawberry ice cream, cheesecake crumbles, strawberry drizzle, and whipped cream (New)
Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company
World Discovery (Near Mission: SPACE) – Minty Melon Refresher: A lightly caffeinated blend of watermelon-cucumber-mint juice with strawberries and blueberries (Spirited option available featuring Watermelon-Basil Vodka)(New)
Near Canada: Strawberry Fields Refresher – A lightly caffeinated blend of strawberry açaí juice with strawberries and blueberries (Spirited option available featuring strawberry-lemongrass vodka)(New)
World Showcase (Near Disney Traders) – Pink Paradise Refresher: A lightly caffeinated blend of refreshing dragon fruit-lychee juice with strawberries and blueberries (Spirited option available featuring watermelon-basil vodka)(New)
The American Adventure – Wildberry Wonder Refresher: A lightly caffeinated blend of wildberry-hibiscus juice with strawberries and blueberries (New) (Spirited option available featuring tropical rum)
