Walt Disney World has brought back the “secret” lounge for the 2025 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival! This spot is a great guest hideaway for escaping the heat and crowds, relaxing & recharging with free drinks as well as activities and VIP concert seating. This post takes a look inside and how to access the […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is once again returning this summer and fall to Magic Kingdom, and Walt Disney World has already announced changes. This post covers what’s new & different for the 2025 MNSSHP, with our assessment as to the good and bad of various additions. The first thing you need to know […]| Disney Tourist Blog
There are over one dozen different PhotoPass Magic Shots in Magic Kingdom at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and regular hours for all Walt Disney World guests. This lists locations, shares our results (good, bad & ugly), tips & tricks for avoiding lines, and other advice. (Updated August 15, 2025.) This post is coming […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Our 1-night itinerary for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party offers a step-by-step plan-of-attack for minimizing time waiting in lines for character meet & greets, watching the fireworks, Boo to You Parade & Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, and avoiding crowds. For those who are unfamiliar with it, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Party Season is now underway for 2024 at Walt Disney World, with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party now through the end of October and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party almost immediately thereafter until December 20, 2024! This covers growing crowds during Magic Kingdom, why this is happening (and will only get worse), and how […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Wondering about the least-crowded or most-crowded nights to attend the 2025 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party? This covers the best & worst dates to buy tickets for Magic Kingdom’s special event, so you can plan your vacation around avoiding these crowds. (Updated August 2, 2025.) Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party occurs in Magic […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Our ultimate guide to the 2025 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival provides event dates & details, tips & info, booth lineup, snack & dessert reviews, entertainment details, things to do for kids, and everything else you need to know about Walt Disney World’s foodie event. (Updated August 17, 2025.) Let’s start with the basics. This […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Fall is right around the corner and, with that, Magic Kingdom enters a new phase for the remainder of 2024. Halloween and Christmas seasons bring with them a roller coaster of crowds, with dramatic differences in wait times and attendance in choosing the best vs. worst days to do MK. This explains why, with lists […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom serves a special menu for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. This Walt Disney World dining review features food photos, menu picks, and advice for eating inside Beast’s Castle during MNSSHP. (Updated August 17, 2025.) We consider this Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant to be one of […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Walt Disney World has announced that a new Villains stage show is coming to Hollywood Studios in Summer 2025. This post shares the announcement and official details, plus our commentary about the upcoming addition and the fate of what it’s replacing. (Updated January 18, 2025.) Let’s start with the announcement from Walt Disney World. Deep […]| Disney Tourist Blog
At the D23 Expo, Disney revealed that a new land (or areas?) is under development for beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. The expansion would feature Coco, Encanto, and Villains (you read that correctly). This post will share all of the details, concept art, and everything we know about the possible […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Walt Disney World’s 2023 is the year of cleaning up Chapek’s costly catastrophes. We’re not even halfway through, and arguably the biggest announcements and changes have all been about “undoing” damage done by Umbrella Bob during his reign of terror. Okay, that is slight hyperbole. Not every single decision that’s now being corrected was made […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Magic Kingdom is going to get crazy from August through December. The next several months are a roller coaster of crowd levels, with huge swings in choosing the best vs. worst days to do MK during the Halloween and Christmas seasons. This explains why, with lists of the least & most crowded dates for the […]| Disney Tourist Blog
One week after closing, the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Square Riverboat, and Walt Disney World Railroad’s Frontierland Station, work is underway and construction walls are up at Magic Kingdom. There are a a few new notable changes worth sharing as Imagineering gears up to start on Piston Peak and Villains Land, and […]| Disney Tourist Blog
After President Donald Trump announced expansive tariffs on the United States’ largest trading partners, CEO Bob Iger warned of the negative impact on the country and Disney’s businesses as a result. This covers what the CEO said, plus our preliminary thoughts on the ramifications for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, etc. During a […]| Disney Tourist Blog
How about some pleasantly surprising Magic Kingdom news? The Walt Disney World Railroad will NOT close during construction of Piston Peak National Park, the Cars miniland! This shares dates & details of the modified route, plus quick commentary about why this is so surprising in the first place. In terms of basic background, the whole […]| Disney Tourist Blog
We have refined this strategy guide based on our experiences of attending the party every year for the past decade-plus, and has been updated following our experience at recent Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties. The tips here are pretty consistent from year to year and we’ve honed our strategy over several years, so don’t […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Walt Disney World has announced big expansion plans for Magic Kingdom, officially confirming Villains Land is being built! This post shares details, concept art, and everything we know about the plan–plus comprehensive commentary about why this is happening and whether we think these are potentially good or bad additions for the park. (Updated November 9, […]| Disney Tourist Blog
There’s a ton on the horizon in the next 5 years at Walt Disney World with new lands and attractions themed to Villains, Cars, Monsters, Indiana Jones, Encanto & more. There are also reimagined rides, new entertainment, dining, and more. This shares construction and opening timelines for all of the major projects coming to Magic […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Walt Disney World is rumored to soon start construction on Villains Land, the Magic Kingdom expansion ‘beyond Big Thunder’ that will replace a portion of the Rivers of America. This details the development about the project, sheds new light on what the ‘dark kingdom’ land will entail, along with what still stands in the way […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Nothing at Walt Disney Word is “just a ride.” Backstories exist for every attraction, land, restaurant, and hotel. They provide framework and context for the Imagineered details, and a good backstory can add another layer to the visual storytelling. In this post, I’ll list my favorite backstories at Walt Disney World. (Updated December 30, 2023.) […]| Disney Tourist Blog
This guide to Lightning Lane MultiPass and Single Pass at Walt Disney World offers answers to frequently asked questions, info & tips for using the paid FastPass+ and Genie replacement. It covers strategy for line-skipping, off-site vs. on-site ride reservation booking windows, tiers for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and much more! (Updated January 27, […]| Disney Tourist Blog
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours is an on-site perk for Walt Disney World guests staying at a Deluxe Resorts, DVC Villas, and select other hotels this year and in 2025. This strategy guide covers everything you need to know: eligibility, ride rosters, how it works, and tips for best using the extra time. (Updated November […]| Disney Tourist Blog
This Walt Disney World ride refurbishment calendar lists the closure schedule for 2024 and 2025 at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom. Attractions close for routine maintenance, safety upgrades, improvements, and reimaginings. (Updated| Disney Tourist Blog
These free Walt Disney World crowd calendars rate dates so you can choose best weeks to go & avoid the worst, skipping long lines and high wait times. We cover seasonal events, weather, park hours,| Disney Tourist Blog
Looking for the best and worst days of the week to visit each park at Walt Disney World? This strategy guide covers Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, offering info about when the| Disney Tourist Blog
Our guide to September 2024 at Walt Disney World offers a free crowd calendar, when to visit, red flag dates to avoid, new attraction openings & closures, plus Halloween events & early fall weather. We| Disney Tourist Blog
Looking for the best discounts for Walt Disney World? This post offers money-saving details & dates on special offers for the general public, Disney+ subscribers, Annual Passholders, Visa cardholders, and Florida residents. It covers deals| Disney Tourist Blog
Reviewing Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a fool’s errand. Most Walt Disney World fans already have their minds made up one way or the other and are entrenched in their opinions. Some seem to get quite| Disney Tourist Blog
Walt Disney World has announced the closing date for Test Track at EPCOT, which will go down for a lengthy refurbishment to reimagine the thrill ride into its third version. This post shares all of| Disney Tourist Blog
Walt Disney World has announced that the Cars attractions coming to Magic Kingdom will replace the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, fully eliminating the waterway. This post shares details, concept art, and everything| Disney Tourist Blog
Ride refurbishments are now confirmed for a few of Magic Kingdom's most popular attractions, starting later this summer and lasting through 2025. Here's everything we know about these Walt Disney World ride closures, along with| Disney Tourist Blog
CommuniCore Hall and Plaza are the new multi-purpose spaces for guests to relax, to anchor EPCOT Festivals, and everything in between. World Celebration is the new neighborhood in the former Future World that focuses on experiences| Disney Tourist Blog
Our Walt Disney World vacation planning guide offers advice for 2024 & 2025 on how to avoid crowds, save money & time, with info on Lightning Lanes, best rides, restaurant reviews, and itineraries for Magic| Disney Tourist Blog
Considering staying at a Walt Disney World hotel, but unsure which resort is right for you? Our Disney hotel reviews share strengths and weaknesses of each hotel, give our opinion as to whether they are worth the money, and offer an idea of what type of guests (families, honeymooners, commando tourists, etc.) will like or dislike each hotel.| Disney Tourist Blog
Our guide to discount Disney World tickets offers money-saving info, pros & cons of Park Hoppers, tips for the best deals on tickets for now through October 2025 at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios &| Disney Tourist Blog
Walt Disney World announced that Zootopia: Better Zoogether will open in 2025 at Animal Kingdom. This post shares details, opening timeframe, poster art, and everything we know about the upcoming attraction--plus commentary about why this| Disney Tourist Blog
