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We are very excited to announce that Ear Scouts is now available on-the-go, wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! Want to learn more about Lightning Lanes during your morning jog? We've got you covered. Wish you were catching up on all things Disney with some friends instead of sitting in traffic or waiting in line at the DMV? Check and check. Each episode of our new bi-weekly podcast will feature a fun discussion of all the things going on in Disney Parks around the world, including news, events and reports from our adventures in the parks. We'll also share a sneak peek at some of the videos we are working on for the YouTube channel and upcoming Ear Scouts events. Most importantly, we answer the many questions we get through the comments on our YouTube videos and in our Patreon community. If you'd like to join us live as we record each episode, head over to Patreon and you'll be able to chat with us during the show, see all the bloopers and outtakes as they happen and join us for an exclusive "after party" chat at the end of each recording session. You can also listen to the finished show on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or YouTube . Meet the Hosts Rob & Erick Rob and Erick are the dynamic duo behind Ear Scouts. Rob has been creating videos with Erick on the YouTube channel Ear Scouts since 2021. While Erick spends most of his time behind the camera, he's been making more appearances in recent videos. When they're not crisscrossing the parks on an Ear Scouts adventure, Rob is a graphic designer and web developer and Erick is a professional photographer. Jessica Jessica is one of our Scoutmasters at earscouts.com and over at our Patreon community. She also hosts a scrapbooking channel on YouTube called Jessica Scraps . When she is not traveling around the country in her day job as a nuclear engineer, she is traveling to Disney World, scrapbooking or sharing her love for Star Wars and Judy Hopps. Craig Craig is a Disney history and trivia whiz who is known to our Patreon family as Quizmaster Craig thanks to the trivia games he hosts during our monthly Ear Scouts Jamborees . A lifelong Disney and theme parks afficionado, Craig made his first visit to Walt Disney World during the groundbreaking for Epcot. When he's not helping out on the forums here and on Patreon, Craig is a stage actor who has played such legendary Disney characters as Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and King Triton in The Little Mermaid . Subscribe to the Show

It's about to get a lot harder to get that castle shot without a lot of people in it. Starting January 5, 2026, Disney has announced that hotel guests at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim will no longer have access to the Early Entry perk that currently grants them 30 minutes of exclusive access to one of the two theme parks just prior to opening. Instead, guests at qualifying Disneyland hotels will be given a single Lightning Lane that can be used to book a Multi Pass attraction. In addition to ending Early Entry, Disney will also close the dedicated entrance to California Adventure that is currently available to guests staying at Pixar Place. Although it was located outside the Grand Californian, this special entrance was billed as a perk for Pixar Place guests and allowed entry into the Pixar Pier area of the park. Starting in 2026, Pixar Place guests may use the California Adventure entrance to the park, which enters into the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area of Grizzly Peak. Although the primary motivation for Disney to make these changes is likely cost (an extra hour of staffing costs for an entire theme park is far more expensive than tossing folks a free Lightning Lane), this will likely be a popular change for those guests who prefer to sleep in on their vacation. For other guests, however, the loss of thirty precious minutes of virtually crowd-free park time will be sorely missed. Even with the addition of a free Lightning Lane, guests who plan to pay for the full Lightning Lane service will gain little benefit since the Disneyland system does not allow guests to book Lightning Lanes until they enter the park. With early park admission, hotel guests had the first pick of all the most coveted Lightning Lanes when they entered the park thirty minutes early. It is unclear if the free Lightning Lane will allow an attraction to be pre-booked or if it will be subject to the normal limitations that require entry into the park before booking. It is unlikely this change would come to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida as the offering is very widely used in all four parks and is one of the largest motivators for guests to book an on-site Disney hotel stay. The benefit was not as widely used in Disneyland, which has far fewer hotels and tends to attract a larger local crowd that tend to visit the parks more frequently. Even though it is not as popular, the Early Entry benefit at Disneyland granted a special kind of magic that will be sorely missed: the experience of the park without all the people. Better get that crowd-free castle shot while you still can.

© Disney UPDATE: Annual Passholder previews have been announced. They will take place July 13-19 and will require a park pass reservation for Epcot in order to join a Virtual Queue that will open at 7:00 AM each day. There will be a second drop of Virtual Queue slots that will drop at 1:00 PM, which will be open to any Annual Passholder with valid admission for that day. If you've been missing the fastest ride in Walt Disney World, we finally have a reopening date. According to a post on the Disney Parks Blog , the reimagined attraction will officially reopen on July 22. We have also heard that previews for Cast Members and a limited number of their guests will begin June 27, though it is possible Epcot Cast Members may get the ability to preview the attraction before that date. Previews for Annual Passholders, DVC Members, Golden Oak residents, Club 33 Members and other groups will also be announced soon, though we don't have any dates to share at this time. © Disney According to the announcement, the updated ride "will debut an all-new musical score, as well as new scenes that highlight technology making our cars smarter and our lives more fun." A video is included in the post that shows a scene from the ride featuring 29,000 light nodes to viusualize how modern cars are able to "see" the world around them. Although this scene looks very high-tech and futuristic, the blog also promises to balance that vibe with others scenes about "spending quality time in the company of friends and family while embracing the beauty of the world around you." This likely refers to a lush, plant-filled scene that was included in the announcement of the attraction's refresh. Although Park Pass Reservations are still available at the time of writing for July 22, it is likely that these will fill up soon. Annual Passholders and other guests who still need Park Passes to visit the park should make those reservations now if they wish to be there for opening day. We will be remaking our Lightning Lane and Early Entry videos for Epcot after the attraction reopens, so stay tuned for the channel for those updates.

Epcot's Friendship Boat welcomes guests in Morocco A transportation Cast Member recently shared with us a planned change to the route for the Friendship Boat that currently ferries guests between Canada and Morocco in the World Showcase. Sometime over the next month, the plan is to close the Morocco dock and instead shuttle between Canada and Germany, which would helpfully carry guests across the entirety of World Showcase. This is the route that the boat took while the dock in Morocco was being refurbished in 2024 and it does appear that the dock is overdue for another refurbishment. It’s also possible that this change is simply to provide a more useful destination for guests looking to travel across the showcase. Its current route only skips two of the eleven World Showcase pavilions, which makes it of limited utility as a form of transportation. The dock in Germany is currently closed, but may be reopening soon Prior to the pandemic closures in 2020, there were two Friendship Boats in operation at World Showcase Lagoon: one traveled between Canada and Morocco and the other between Germany and Mexico. While there are no plans to bring back the second boat, this change will at least make better use of the remaining boat and allow guests to save a lot more steps when venturing across the massive World Showcase. The dock in Morocco does appear to be overdue for another refurbishment According to the Cast Member we spoke with, there is little chance of the route changing to include all four of the docks while there is only one boat operating. Although it would be possible for the boat to visit all four docks and provide a more extensive transportation option, the concern is that the capacity is not large enough to accommodate the number of guests who would use the service. Not only would this route attract more guests, many of them would likely choose to stay on board for a full rotation or more – similar to the way guests ride the railroad in Magic Kingdom. While it is possible that this change will only be temporary as a means to refurbish a dock, we hope it becomes a permanent route. If this more useful crossing proves to be popular, it may incentivize Disney to return the second boat to service and consider a full rotation that would allow guests to easily travel to any of the four docks in the park.

If you didn’t know the newest addition to Walt Disney World was there, you’d probably stroll right past it. Located inside Project Tomorrow, also known as the exit of Spaceship Earth, there is a golden passageway to a tiny host station. As of now, there is no signage outside of the building announcing the existence of Geo-82, just a sleek backlit sign next to this mysterious hallway. It’s almost like the Disney World equivalent of a speakeasy and much like the speakeasies of old, you need to know the secret to get in. Instead of a special knock, you’ll need an ADR – Disney-speak for an “Advance Dining Reservation,” and these are very hard to come by right now for this particular lounge. The hallway to enter the lounge at Geo-82 nods to the original plan for Spaceship Earth's famous geometric tiles: shiny gold. Once you have secured your elusive ADR and it’s time to check-in, you’ll need to make sure your entire party is present with their IDs before you venture into the golden passageway. There’s no app check-in available like you might find at other Disney dining establishments, presumably so that they can verify that everyone is over the age of 21. They also won’t check you in until they have seen every last ID in your party. Right now, expect a lengthy wait once your reservation time rolls around. There’s currently no time limit on visits to the lounge and so people are taking their time to enjoy this fancy new experience. We were summoned about 40 minutes after our reservation time and led up a tiny staircase beyond the host station. There is also an elevator available. Once upstairs, you’ll find another host station in a decidedly more upscale and much larger space. The host will offer you a chilled, scented towel, which sets the tone for the elevated experience you are about to begin. After a hot day in the park, a chilly towel is the perfect way to cool down and wipe away the grime and sweat while the calming aroma soothes your senses. Next, you’ll be invited into a fancy waiting room with mid-century modern furnishings and comfortable chairs while your table is prepared for your arrival. It was only a very short wait here before a host welcomed us into the lounge itself – and she was excited to share all the fun details of this new Epcot destination. The hallway that leads to the lounge area is filled with nods to the history of Spaceship Earth, from the sparkling black floors that harken back to the old floors of the attraction to the gold geodesic pattern that matches the exterior (which is currently a silvery white). We learned that the gold represents the original proposed design for the exterior of the attraction, but it was changed at the last minute due to the scorching sun in Orlando, which would have led to blinding glares outside and uncomfortable heat inside. Even the name of the lounge itself is an homage to the attraction’s opening date in 1982. We’re also shown the collection of signed bottles of rare spirits that are on display at the entrance, including the four bourbon whiskeys that can only be tasted at Geo-82 and are available as a flight of 0.75 ounce pours for $49: Uncle Nearest Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve Private Barrel, Blanton’s Gold Single Barrel and Stagg Private Barrel. If you look at just the right angle, the chandeliers form a hidden Mickey over the bar The lounge itself continues the mid-century vibe with eye-catching chandeliers that resemble little illuminated Spaceship Earths and appear as bursting fireworks when reflected in the wall of windows looking out onto the park. There are three clustered together near the bar that form a hidden Mickey when viewed from the correct angle. While the seats directly against the windows offer the best views, most every seat in the house can enjoy at least a peak – it’s a very small space. As with the entry, there’s a lot of gold on display. Even the fancy menu book is bound in gold. We sampled nearly all the food items listed inside and several of the cocktails. We’ll add more reviews as we return, but here’s what we have tried so far: Charcuterie Board ($29) We loved everything on the board and it’s a great contrast of flavors and textures. This is easily one of the best charcuterie boards in the parks. There’s a soft goat cheese with a pronounced truffle flavor, a rich and mellow blue cheese and a cows milk that has a distinctive funkiness to it which reminded us of the stinky raclette cheese that’s served during Food and Wine and Festival of the Holidays. All three of the cured meats were wonderful and shaved super thin. The breads were light, crispy and flavorful - one was a cranberry harvest bread and the other a sliced baguette. Accompanying the spread of meats and cheeses were honeycomb, a lovely peach chutney, sweet bread and butter pickles and some crunchy praline. Cannelini Hummus (Plant-Based - $14) The hummus is very creamy and garlic-forward. The crispy pappadam is nice and light with a little peppery flavor that adds extra kick to the hummus, which has a little spiciness of its own. The sliced Fresno peppers really bring the heat, so those who don’t love spicy treats might want to pick around those. The pumpkin seed pistou and microgreens brighten everything up with a little herby flavor. We liked this one a lot, but it was outshined by the flatbread. Funghi Flatbread ($15) This is wonderful and one of the best flatbreads we have tried at Disney World. Even though the dish has “funghi” in the name, the mushroom is more of a supporting player here. The star is the blend of cheeses and miso that creates a rich, salty and creamy base to the rest of the flavors - from the earthy roasted mushroom to the sweet black garlic molasses to the zippy pickled red onion. The flavors are so well-balanced and the flatbread itself is fresh, crunchy on the edges, chewy in the center and delicious all the way through. Jumbo Lump Crab Gâteau ($25) This dish is almost entirely made from fresh crab and topped with caviar, so it is definitely more for the seafood lovers. The smoked cheddar flavor pretty much disappears into the dish, but the pickled mustard seed-lemon vinaigrette adds an acidic contrast to the fishier flavors of the gâteau itself. The half of Ear Scouts that loves seafood really enjoyed this dish, but the other half couldn’t get past the fishiness. Even avoiding the caviar didn’t help much on that front. Note the Spaceship Earth design on the ice cube – a delightful little detail Brown Butter Old-Fashioned ($28) Disney has been experimenting with unique old-fashioned flavors (like the delightfully unique Banana Old Fashioned at the Polynesian’s new Wailulu Bar & Grill) and they are really hitting them out of the park. This brown butter version tastes like a rich, buttery blondie was somehow infused into a decadent bourbon, which happens to be a double-oaked Woodford Reserve. It’s ever-so-slightly sweet, but not overpoweringly so - a beautifully well-balanced cocktail that will be a memorable treat for bourbon cocktail fanatics. Electron ($23) While not as good as the old-fashioned, this drink also does a good job of showcasing its star spirit, in this case mezcal. The other flavors are very subtle – you mainly get the smoky booziness of the mezcal itself, though it is mellowed a bit. The pink peppercorn adds an interesting pop of flavor that pairs well and also serves as a unique aromatic. Strawberry and Coconut ‘Right Hand’ ($25) This was our least favorite of the cocktails. It had an artificial strawberry flavor that was reminiscent of Kool-Aid on the front end with a botanical bitterness on the finish. We didn’t detect the coconut, primarily because the Campari overpowered all the flavors other than the strawberry. Judging from the quality of the old-fashioned and the focus on the bourbon flight, it seems like the mixologists may be more skilled with the whiskey side of the menu. We’ll plan to try more whiskey drinks on our next visit. A Walk Through the Garden (Zero-Proof - $17) This drink is altogether odd. No one would mistake this for an actual alcoholic beverage. It’s more like a lightly sweetened lemon seltzer with a vegetable bouillon cube dissolved in it. Imagine V-8 minus the tomato with a lemon Pellegrino in its place. Surprisingly, we were split on this one – one of us really enjoyed the unique flavor profile and the other was done after a few sips. We both agreed; however, that there is no way this drink is worth $17. One benefit of our late seating was that we were able to enjoy the fireworks show, Luminous: The Symphony of Us, while finishing up our meal. The vibe shifts dramatically as the sun sets with a slowly evolving light show inside the restaurant that shifts the color temperature from warm and brassy to cool and blue. As the show began, the music was piped in and crystal clear while the lighting was set to near total darkness. It seems that this was not appreciated by all the patrons who were still enjoying their food and drinks because the lights kept getting brighter incrementally throughout the show until they reached their normal level just before the big finale. This was unfortunate since the lights caused a great deal of glare on the windows, especially the chandeliers that looked like fireworks which were now competing with the real fireworks behind them. Geo-82 offers a special prix fixe menu of light bites, desserts and champagne for viewing the fireworks in the lounge, but we’d recommend one of the other fireworks packages that are available instead. Even if the lighting had remained dim, this is not a great spot to view the show. We much prefer spots closer to the water or high above like the view from the terrace at Topolino’s at the top floor of the Riviera Resort. Geo-82 is definitely not our favorite spot to watch Luminous: The Symphony of Us Aside from the disappointing fireworks view, we really enjoyed our evening at Geo-82. The service from the entire team of Cast Members was exceptional: everyone was friendly and eager to point out all the lovely little details that made the lounge and menu offerings special. We will definitely return for the flatbread, charcuterie board and whiskey offerings. While we enjoyed all the food, it’s important to note that these are all pretty small plates. Even the flatbread was about half the size of the typical flatbreads you can order in the other restaurants around Walt Disney World. This is probably better as a snacks and drinks spot rather than for a full meal, but it is certainly worth adding to your itinerary if you are in the mood for an upscale, kid-free break in your Epcot day. For more on Geo-82, check out our Ear Scouts LIVE chat and upcoming video review on our Patreon community.

© Ear Scouts Disney has shared updated information related to the closing of Tom Sawyer's Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat, including new artwork that shows how the majority of the river itself – including the river walk boardwalk – will be preserved in the update that will add a Cars-themed area to Frontierland. © Ear Scouts Last Day to Ride the Liberty Belle and Tom Sawyer's Rafts: July 6, 2025 Fans of the Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer's Island will have a little over a month to experience these attractions before they close forever to make way for the new expansion to Frontierland that will welcome characters from Pixar's Cars franchise to the Magic Kingdom. We will be creating a video that was requested by one of our Patreon members to document Tom Sawyer's Island and the Riverboat before these attractions go away, so those who can't make it before the closing date will be able to enjoy that video over on our Patreon community. © Disney / Pixar Scenic River Walk to be Preserved in Frontierland with Even More Water Features Along with the announcement of the closure dates for these attractions, Disney also released updated artwork depicting the new addition to Frontierland and we are ecstatic to report that the river is NOT going away. From the moment this expansion was announced, many Magic Kingdom fans were deeply concerned about the loss of the scenic waterway and river walk boardwalk that meanders along the current Frontierland path. Not only will the river and boardwalk be preserved, there will even be some new water features visible from Frontierland and Liberty Square, including a very striking waterfall that cascades down snow-capped peaks. © Disney / Pixar This new land will be loosely based on the Rocky Mountain National Park and features not only the snowy Piston Peak with its eye-catching waterfall, but also multiple geysers, hot springs and creeks that will add even more water features to the expanded world of Frontierland. It appears the new area will be accessible from both ends with one entrance near Big Thunder Mountain and another beyond the Haunted Mansion, which is depicted by a sign along the path that is themed like a National Parks entrance sign. Just beyond that entrance, there appears to be a large lodge, which is likely to be the entrance to the signature off-roading adventure attraction that was announced at D23 Expo last year. Also near the entrance is a circular fenced area that looks similar to a pasture, which may be the attraction for younger guests that was also mentioned when the expansion was announced. © Disney / Pixar The reveal of the updated map of this new expansion finally has us really excited for this new chapter at the Magic Kingdom. It seems that Disney has been listening to the fears of many fans (us included) that the loss of this scenic waterway would destroy much of the charm of the park. It is also possible that this was the plan all along and the earlier renderings just didn't do a very good job of showing how the expansion would be placed while preserving much of the river. Let us know in the comments – does this announcement make you more excited about the changes coming to Magic Kingdom? We look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts, both here and in the forum.

Photo and Collage ©Ear Scouts; Magical Express illustration ©Disney Do you miss the days of dropping your bags off at your Disney Resort on your checkout day and having them magically re-appear at your home airport without you having to lug them around? That was one component of the much-loved Magical Express service that was complimentary for guests staying at Walt Disney World resort hotels before the pandemic closures. It appears that Disney is exploring the possibility of bringing the magic back – or at least part of it. According to reporting by Blog Mickey , guests staying at Pop Century Resort who are flying Southwest Airlines are currently able to try out a pilot program that allows them to leave their luggage with the luggage services team at the entrance and have it magically arrive at their destination airport. There is a cut-off time to drop off your bags that can be as early as the night before if you have a morning flight and you have to ensure that you already paid the checked baggage fees where applicable. Magical Express was never run directly by Walt Disney World. There was a baggage partner called Bag Check who handled making sure your luggage magically appeared at your resort and then at your home airport when your plane landed. There was also a transportation partner (Mears) who handled the bus service to and from the airport in Orlando. According to reporting from several outlets at the time the service went away, it was primarily due to the baggage partner ending their service after the extended pandemic disruption. Without that side in place, Disney didn't feel it was worth continuing a much less magical version of Magical Express. According to the report from Blog Mickey, this pilot program is being run by a new company under the leadership of the former owner of Bag Check. While it is not clear that this pilot could lead to the re-instatement of the full Magical Express service, it does seem clear that Disney is at least thinking about bringing some portion of the much-loved benefit back to Walt Disney World. The pilot service is complimentary, though that is no guarantee that it would continue to be a free service if it returns. As we all know, sometimes free things come back with a price tag attached. (Rest in peace, FastPass – you are gone, but not forgotten.) We do know for certain that Magical Express is at or near the top of many surveys that ask guests to share what they want from their future visits to Walt Disney World and it seems that Disney is listening.

© Disney Use the menu below to jump to the booth you’d like to check out and be sure to bookmark this page so you can reference it while you’re in the park. Also, stay tuned for our brand new video all about the festival that is coming VERY soon… Select a booth to jump to that section: Florida Fresh EPCOT Farmers Feast The Citrus Blossom Beach Grub Yacht Grub Swirled Showcase Trowel & Trellis BRUNCHCOT The Land Cart Connections Eatery The Honey Bee-stro Pineapple Promenade Jardin de Fiestas Lan Yuan Refreshment Outpost Bauernmarkt Primavera Kitchen Magnolia Terrace Funnel Cake Hanami Tangierine Café La Isla Fresca Fleur de Lys UK Beer Cart Refreshment Port Northern Bloom Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company Florida Fresh © Disney Conch Fritters 👍 With key lime aïoli (New) The conch fritters are better than I expected as someone who doesn’t care for seafood. Conch dishes I’ve tried in the past have a tendency to be overwhelmingly fishy. These do have a bit of a fishy finish, but on the front end they have a nice, peppery flavor. They are on the chewy side and I would say this is probably only for folks who either know that they love conch or like trying something new and aren’t put off by a fishy aftertaste. Cubanito 👍 With mojo-marinated pork belly, ham, swiss cheese, pickles, and stone ground mustard sauce The Cuban is a big improvement over last year. The bread is very fresh and the mustard sauce is more on the mellow side. The pork belly is wonderfully seasoned, tender and juicy. Add some good quality ham and cheese and you have one of the best Cuban sandwiches at Walt Disney World. Florida Strawberry Shortcake 👍 With vanilla pound cake, macerated strawberries, strawberry sauce, and whipped cream (New) The cake itself has a wonderful richness to it and is moist, but substantial enough to hold up well under the strawberry sauce. The fresh strawberries are perfectly in season and naturally sweet. While the Strawberry Shortcake is pretty basic, it’s really well prepared and makes for a perfect light and fresh dessert. Cucumber-Watermelon Slushy (Non-alcoholic) Brewery Ommegang Melon Falls Watermelon Kolsch 👍 (New) Lovely and refreshing, though not for folks who don’t enjoy beer with a strong flavor layered in. This has a bold melon flavor that doesn’t taste overly artificial. If you’re looking for a beer with more of a hint of flavor, you might want to pass on this one. For everyone else, this is a lovely springtime beverage. Orange Blossom Brewing Co. Starlight Papaya Pilsner (New) Southern Tier Brewing Co. Strawberry Shortcake Imperial Ale (New) Cucumber-Watermelon Slushy With gin Beer Flight Return to menu ⬆ EPCOT Farmers Feast / Early Bloom (March 5 - April 5) © Disney Grilled Asparagus 👍 With pancetta bacon, spring peas, frisée lettuce, truffle-sherry vinaigrette, and soft-poached egg (New) Erick and I both really loved this dish. It has a wonderfully smoky charred flavor that is enhanced by the salty pancetta and poached egg. Our favorite part was the truffle sherry vinaigrette, which added an extra punch of earthy flavor. Scallop 😐 With spring pea risotto featuring BEN’S ORIGINAL INTERNATIONAL GRAINS Arborio Rice, lemon-beurre blanc, and Gremolata These were a little on the fishy side, but ours had a nice sear. The risotto is veggie forward, but still rich and comforting with lots of flavor coming from the peas and the creamy beurre blanc sauce. How you’ll feel about this one will come down to your taste for fishy flavors and green peas because those are the most prominent flavors. Blueberry Crumble Cake 👍 With blueberry-lemon zest soft-serve and blueberry compote (New) This one is like a cinnamon streusel-topped coffee cake with blueberry ice cream and a blueberry compote that tastes very fresh. What brings this whole thing together is the cream cheese filling, which pairs well with both the blueberry flavors and the cinnamon streusel flavor. It’s an unusual combination, but it works. Return to menu ⬆ EPCOT Farmers Feast / Springtime (April 6 - May 3) © Disney Grilled Peaches and Burrata with prosciutto, petite lettuce, micro mint, and sweet tea-lemon gastrique (New) Seared Pork Tenderloin With corn risotto featuring BEN’S ORIGINAL INTERNATIONAL GRAINS Arborio Rice and roasted red pepper sauce Warm Corn Cookie With sweet corn soft-serve, brûléed corn, lime zest, and white chocolate (New) EPCOT Farmers Feast / Summer Solstice (May 4 - June 2) © Disney Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella With shallot vinaigrette, sourdough croutons, pesto, micro basil, and balsamic pearls (New) Grilled Beef Strip Loin With tomato risotto featuring BEN’S ORIGINAL INTERNATIONAL GRAINS Arborio Rice, tomato-beurre blanc, and basil pesto Peach Cobbler With cinnamon gelato and streusel topping (New) Beverages (Available March 5 through June 2) Gulf Stream Brewing Les Rêves de Monet Lager with lavender (New) B. Nektar Peach Tea Mead (New) Collective Arts Brewing Spring Pilsner (New) Hibiscus Lemonade Cocktail: Islamorada Hibiscus Gin and Simply Lemonade Frozen Lemon Tea With Bärenjäger Honey & Bourbon Beverage Flight (New) The Citrus Blossom © Disney Orange-Sesame Tempura Shrimp 👍 With orange-chile sauce The shrimp was an exact replica of what we tried last year, which was okay because we enjoyed this dish even though it wasn’t a favorite. The shrimp itself doesn’t have a lot of flavor. The flavor comes from the crunchy tempura batter and the sauce, which is like a mildly spicy sweet and sour sauce. Citrus-baked Brie 👍 With orange-lemon marmalade, limoncello-macerated blueberries, and spiced marcona almonds This returning favorite is a home run. You’ve got the richness of the brie cheese and the buttery pastry on the outside. Layered on top of that is a sweet citrus flavor coming from the marmalade and limoncello-soaked blueberries. The finishing touch is a little salty, mildly spiced crunch from the marcona almonds. It’s so good that I’ve already gone back for seconds. 🍓Lumpia 👍 With plant-based pork, green papaya salad, and yuzu sweet-and-sour (Plant-based) This one is really tasty, even though there’s not a whole lot of flavor coming from the lumpia “meat” itself - it has a very mild flavor. The main thing you taste is the salty, spicy and sweet dipping sauce and we enjoyed the satisfying crunch from the freshly-fried shell. 🍓Lemon Tart 👍 With lemon curd, blood orange fluid gel, aquafaba meringues, and raspberry powder (Plant-based) This vegan dessert was a wonderful surprise. It has a bright, zippy lemon flavor and we loved how the meringue on top dissolves in your mouth. Although the pastry shell was pretty standard-issue, the blueberries were wonderfully ripe and sweet and added the perfect finishing touch. Orange-Lemon Smoothie Served in a Souvenir Orange Bird Sipper (Non-alcoholic) 3 Daughters Brewing Orange Blossom Hard Cider (New) BrewDog Yuzu Rice Lager (New) Copperpoint Brewing Co. Lemon Meringue Blonde Fruit Beer (New) Key Lime Wine Slushy Beverage Flight (New) Return to menu ⬆ NEW! Beach Grub Menu © Disney Seafood Bake 👍 With shrimp, mussels, clams, andouille sausage, red potatoes, corn on the cob, persillade butter, white wine broth, and grilled sourdough (New) Where I’m from, this would be called a seafood boil as opposed to a “bake,” because it is essentially a seafood stew. There’s a lot of shellfish, which is all very fresh. The broth is a white wine broth which has a mild, citrusy sourness to it and is surprisingly not very fishy, though it is very salty. The andouille sausage was wonderfully plump and juicy and there’s also some chunks of corn on the cob. My favorite part was the grilled bread. You can see them grilling it alongside the corn and when you dip it in that broth, it’s really delicious. 🍓 Grilled Street Corn on the Cob 👍 With savory garlic spread and “cheese” (Plant-based) This is exactly as it was last year and features the same garlic flavored “cheese” topping. As with last year, it doesn’t really stick to the corn, so you have to constantly sprinkle more back on top as you take each bite. It’s worth the effort though, because it brings a bold punch of garlic saltiness and tastes great with the smoky, fresh-from-the-grill corn on the cob. S’mores Bar 😐 Fudge brownie, dark chocolate, toasted meringue, and smoked graham cracker (New) This is a tough one because it’s not a bad dessert – it tastes pretty good. You’ve got a dense brownie coated in chocolate with some torched marshmallow fluff and some graham cracker crumbs that are supposedly “smoked.” My problem with this dish is that – while it’s good – it’s not as good as old-fashioned s’mores. That said, if this sounds like what you’re in the mood for, go for it. It’s well executed, just don’t expect it to be better than classic s’mores. Coconut Water (Non-alcoholic) Coconut Water with Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum (New) Return to menu ⬆ NEW! Yacht Grub Menu © Disney Trio of Dips and Chips 👍 Caramelized onion dip, whipped feta dip, and pimento cheese with house-made potato chips and caviar (New) This is an upgraded version of a junk food classic and it’s pretty addictive. For feta fans, the whipped feta that has a delightfully salty and pungent feta flavor. Next up is a gourmet sour cream and onion dip that features a lovely sweetness from the caramelized onions. Finally, there is a traditional pimento cheese that isn’t earth-shattering, but is still quite good and much better than what you’d find in the supermarket cooler. The chips themselves are freshly fried and taste exactly like the housemade chips you’ll find all over Disney World and we hardly noticed the caviar, though it does make everything very fancy. Assorted Artisanal Cheeses and Accompaniments 👍 I love a cheese board where every single one of the cheeses is delicious and this one hits the mark. Best of all, each cheese is served alongside a perfectly paired accompaniment. The cast members weren’t sure if the cheeses would rotate throughout the festival, but the combination we were served featured an espresso-dusted cheese, an onion and chive cheddar, a goat cheese brie and an Italian truffle cheese with a dusting of ash on the rind. The pairings included a tomato jam that reminded us of chutney, honey, pickled vegetables and some seeded crackers. Meat Assorti 😐 Beef bresaola, prosciutto ham, and salami with baby arugula, pickled mustard seeds, tomato jam, truffle oil, and grilled ciabatta (New) We didn’t love this one as much as the cheese board. All of the meats were fine, but none were standouts in our opinion. There’s a beef bresaola, some prosciutto and salami that are paired with the tomato jam from the cheese plate and some pickled mustard seeds. Our favorite part was the freshly grilled bread that featured a nice, smoky char and paired well with the rest of the plate. Elderflower Sparkling Cocktail Sparkling wine, Seagram’s Club Soda, and St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur (New) Lemon Sparkling Cocktail Sparkling wine, Seagram’s Club Soda, and limoncello liqueur (New) Orange Sparkling Cocktail Sparkling wine, Seagram’s Club Soda, and Aperol Aperitivo Liqueur (New) Sparkling Cocktail Flight (New) Return to menu ⬆ Swirled Showcase © Disney Soft-serve in a Waffle Cone Vanilla Peanut Butter Grape Jelly Lemon Sorbet in a Waffle Cone Liquid Nitro Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake 👍 With fresh honey, granulated honey, and honey mead-blueberry compote We love the light cheesecake flavor and the honey and blueberries add extra sweetness and a punch of tart. Our only problem is the texture - the cheesecake itself has a grainy texture that is a bit off-putting. Aside from that, it’s a lovely dessert and fun to watch being made as they dip the whole thing into a small vat of smoking liquid nitrogen. Central 28 Beer Company Elderflower Pale Ale (New) Lemon-Elderflower Float Lemon sorbet and Central 28 Beer Company Elderflower Pale Ale (New) Return to menu ⬆ Trowel & Trellis © Disney Soy-glazed Pork Sticky Ribs 👍 With green onions and peanuts These are nice and tender with a satisfying smoky flavor. The soy glaze is sweet and salty and reminiscent of the sauce you’d find on Asian wings at your local chicken wing purveyor. 🍓Farmhouse Meatball 😐 Featuring IMPOSSIBLE Beef with Lentil Bread, Spinach, Marinated Vegetables, and creamy herb aïoli (Plant-based) This returning dish has a distinctly Indian flavor, primarily due to the spices in the lentil bread. Although the flavor is good, the flatbread is dry and leathery and the weakest part of the dish. The Impossible meatball itself is good and we loved the creamy aïoli, but the texture of the bread keeps us from giving this a thumbs up. Chocolate Mousse Terrarium 👍 With matcha crumble and chocolate soil Chocaholics can stop right here – this will likely be your favorite dessert from the festival. The mousse is rich and decadent and spiked with chunks of dark chocolate. The matcha powder is primarily decorative and doesn’t add a whole lot of flavor, which is fine because we are here for the chocolate. It’s also very cute and makes for a fun Instagram shot that perfectly fits the Flower and Garden theme. Tropical Punch Twinings Mango & Pineapple Herbal Tea with Minute Maid Passion Fruit Orange and Guava Juice, Simply Fruit Punch, and simple syrup (Non-alcoholic) Ology Brewing Co Spa Goggles Cucumber Lime Gose (New) Tropical Punch: Twinings Mango & Pineapple Herbal Tea With Minute Maid Passion Fruit, Orange and Guava Juice, Simply Fruit Punch, and simple syrup, with Cruzan Mango Rum Return to menu ⬆ BRUNCHCOT © Disney 🍓Avocado Toast 👍 With marinated tomatoes and plant-based cheese crumbles on toasted ciabatta (Plant-based) This is a solid improvement over last year’s version which had an off-putting bitterness. This year’s incarnation is light and fresh, if a bit basic. We didn’t get much flavor from the plant-based cheese crumbles aside from a hit of saltiness and the marinade on the tomato was mildly flavored, as well. Shrimp and Grits 👍 Blackened shrimp and cheddar cheese grits with brown gravy and sweet corn salsa The shrimp is fresh and delicious and the grits are perfectly prepared with a rich, buttery flavor. The salty and savory brown gravy and sweet corn salsa contrast well with each other and perfectly complement the rest of the dish. 🍓Biscuit and Gravy 👎 Featuring IMPOSSIBLE Sausage with pepper jelly (Plant-based) We tried this one late in the afternoon, which may have been a mistake as the biscuit was dry and tough. This was our favorite item from the booth last year and the plant-based sausage and gravy were still spicy and delicious. What we didn’t care for this year, aside from the biscuit, was the pepper jelly. The sweetness seemed out of place with the other flavors and we’d probably ask for this on the side (or skip it altogether) if we ordered it again. Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites 🏅 with cream cheese frosting and candied bacon Perhaps ours was fresh from the fryer, but whatever the reason, it was the best this dish has ever been in all the years we have tried it. In fact, this was Erick’s favorite dish from the entire festival. The deep fried cinnamon roll dough melts in your mouth and the whole thing is dusted with cinnamon sugar that is reminiscent of a churro. Add in some bacon and cream cheese icing and you have one of the most wonderfully decadent treats in the park. Fruit Cereal Shake: Vanilla soft-serve and fruit-flavored breakfast cereal (Non-alcoholic) 3 Daughters Brewing Coffee Blonde Ale (New) Peach Bellini Sparkling Wine and Peach Purée Return to menu ⬆ The Land Cart © Ear Scouts   Mediterranean Vegetable Wrap 👎 Pickled vegetables, hummus, cucumber, spring mix, tomato, and chipotle “cream” (Plant-based) This is easily the worst thing we ate at this year’s festival. It tastes like a  grab-and-go sandwich from a value resort and even then, it would be the worst grab-and-go sandwich in the whole case. The hummus tastes like it came straight from the supermarket shelf, the tortilla is cold and dry from sitting in the fridge and the pickled veggies add crunch, but not a lot of flavor. We couldn’t taste the advertised chipotle “cream,” but even if we could, it likely would not have been enough to save this sad, dried out sandwich. Strawberry Fruit Bar 😐 You’ll find this fruit bar all over the parks at the various ice cream carts. It’s the plant-based option and it’s perfectly fine, but also nothing to write home about. Since you can get these at any park (and even at your local supermarket), we wouldn’t recommend it as a festival treat. Tropical Smoothie DOLE Whip, Banana, and Mango (Non-alcoholic) Return to menu ⬆ Connections Eatery © Disney Lemon-Lavender Baumkuchen 👍 With lavender anglaise (New) This is one of the most beautiful desserts at the festival and it is very cool to watch how they make it through the glass wall near the cafe side. It is baked in layers on a rotating pole and you can see each layer in the dessert, similar to rings of a tree. These have a tendency to be on the dry side due to how they are made, but this one was the best flavor that we have tried. The lavender anglaise helps offset the slight dryness of the cake and the subtle floral flavor makes this a unique and tasty treat. Carrot Cake Liege Waffle 👍 With candied pecans and cream cheese icing (New) Unlike the last festival where the liege waffle was plated, it is back to being individually wrapped this time. While we like the convenience of a wrapped treat you can grab and go, we felt like the plated version was a step up in quality and presentation. This iteration is still very good and the cream cheese icing adds a nice richness to these sweet and dense waffles. Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich 👍 Southern fried chicken sandwich with hot honey and pickles on a brioche bun We always love the fried chicken sandwich at Connections – it’s a large, juicy and well-seasoned breast that is crispy fried and served on a soft brioche bun. The festival version adds hot honey and pickles that taste house-made and very fresh. This is meant to be a meal, so it is served with your choice of side and is one of the larger festival items. Note that all items at Connections Eatery can be ordered through Mobile Order on the app to save time in line and this one can count as a quick service meal credit if you are using the dining plan. Blood Orange-Hibiscus Margarita Teremana Blanco Tequila with hibiscus syrup, blood orange syrup, and Simply Orange Juice Return to menu ⬆ The Honey Bee-stro © Disney Chicken and Waffles 👍 Crispy Chicken and a sweet honey-jalapeño-bacon cornbread waffle with whipped honey butter and spicy honey The chicken and waffle got an upgrade this year. The waffle base has changed so it doesn’t get as charred on the outside as it has in years past. It’s still very tender, not too sweet, a little spicy and loaded with kernels of corn. The sweetness comes from the hot honey sauce and rich honey butter and we loved that the fried chicken we got this year was dark meat and loaded with flavor. Honey-glazed Cauliflower 👍 With honey-roasted carrot purée, wild rice pilaf, spring vegetables, honey-blistered grapes, and sunflower brittle While we still enjoyed this and recommend it as a lighter, veggie-forward treat, it wasn’t as good as last year when it made our best of the festival list. The carrot puree at the base was not as rich as before, and that was the key to making this mixture of veggies, grapes and rice feel indulgent. It’s still a nice snack and we especially like the contrast of the sweet honey and fresh veggie flavors. Honey-Peach Cobbler Freeze With streusel (Non-alcoholic) Florida Orange Groves Winery Orange Blossom Honey Wine Collective Arts Brewing Honey Lager Honey-Peach Cobbler Freeze With Blueberry Vodka and streusel Return to menu ⬆ Pineapple Promenade © Disney Spicy Hot Dog 😐 With pineapple chutney and plantain chips The pineapple chutney has a very canned pineapple flavor to it, but there’s also some onion there to balance it out. On the plus side, it was a bit drier than in years past, which helped to keep the bun from becoming a soggy mess. The hot dog itself is very spicy, but a good hot dog. It would be much improved if they grilled it, but it’s fine as-is. DOLE Whip Pineapple 😐 (Plant-based) This is the same Dole Whip you can find at Magic Kingdom and the Polynesian all year round, so we don’t recommend it as a festival treat unless you are a die hard Dole Whip junkie. For us, we prefer the coconut version anyway, so this is a skip. Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade Minute Maid Premium Lemonade with desert pear and violet syrups (Non-alcoholic) Pineapple Float DOLE Whip Pineapple and Fanta Pineapple Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Pineapple Wine Playalinda Brewing Co. Violet Lemonade Ale 3 Daughters Brewing Pineapple Cider Parish Brewing Co. Greetings from the Bayou Berliner Weisse Wicked Weed Brewing Perni Haze Hazy IPA Pineapple-Mango Cream Float DOLE Whip Pineapple topped with Sōmrus Mango Cream Liqueur Beverage Flight Return to menu ⬆ Jardin de Fiestas © Disney Taco de Camarón 😐 Crispy tempura-battered shrimp in a flour tortilla with dried hibiscus flowers and chipotle aïoli This tasted like an off-the-shelf supermarket tortilla and while the shrimp was crispy and fresh from the fryer, it tasted like it had been frozen as opposed to the fresh shrimp you can find at some of the other festival booths. On the plus side, the chipotle aïoli was delicious and saved the taco from being a total bomb. “Giant” Tostada de Carne 😐 Oaxacan tostada, barbacoa beef, guacamole, jícama, pumpkin seeds, and salsa macha Unlike the taco, the tortilla used to create this tostada tasted authentic and was one of the best parts of the dish. The sauce has a good amount of kick, but the meat was not well-seasoned. The guacamole tasted fresh – if a bit basic – and we enjoyed the addition of the jicama. If the meat had been better, it would have been a great dish. Chocoflan 👍 Layered traditional Mexican flan and chocolate cake with toasted walnuts In many parts of Mexico, this is called an “Impossible Cake” due to the challenge of baking a cake and flan on top at the same time. This was probably the strongest dish on the menu and we enjoyed it, though we wish the chocolate layer had more chocolate flavor. We also thought the syrup on top had an unusual aftertaste, but the flan layer was great and we liked the texture of the cake, which was very moist. Oaxacan Sweetheart Dos Hombres Reposado Mezcal, lemon juice, orange blossom honey, and a pollen salt rim Elderflower-Cucumber Margarita Dulce Vida Blanco Tequila, elderflower liqueur, and cucumber-lime juice Craft Mexican Draft Beer Return to menu ⬆ Lan Yuan © Disney House-made Cheesy Crab Wontons 👍 Fried wontons filled with cream cheese, celery, and imitation crab stick drizzled with plum-chili sauce China really upped their game for Flower & Garden this year and this dish was our favorite. These had so much cheese and it was rich, fluffy and delicious. The outside was crispy, savory and lightly sweet from the duck sauce. These are better than the version you’re likely to find at your local Chinese take-out place back home and worth checking out. Satay Beef Bao Bun 😐 Filled with pan-fried beef, red onion, and jalapeño in Chinese satay peanut sauce The boa bun was soft and fresh as always and we liked the flavor of the meat, which was a little spicy from the jalapeño. Unfortunately, it was also VERY fatty, so your appreciation for this one will depend on your tolerance for fatty cuts of meat. Pan-fried Vegetable Dumplings 👍 Filled with bok choy, carrot, shiitake mushroom, ginger, garlic, and sesame The filling on these is very veggie-forward, which is appropriate for this festival. While we didn’t like these quite as much as the wontons, they are still very good with a nice sear and a satisfying sesame sauce. Mango Bubble Tea (Non-alcoholic) Brew Hub Honey Jasmine Lager Dragon Dynasty Baijiu spirit, light rum, dragon fruit syrup, piña colada mix, and soda water Frozen Lucky Peach Peach whiskey, peach schnapps, oolong tea, simple syrup, and lemon juice Tropical Moo Vodka, triple sec, passion fruit syrup, sparkling water, and white boba pearls Return to menu ⬆ Refreshment Outpost © Disney 🍓Jamaican Beef Patty 👍 Featuring IMPOSSIBLE Beef with spicy papaya syrup (Plant-based) The Impossible meat at the center of the patty is wonderfully seasoned and quite spicy. There’s also a lot of it, which makes this a very filling plant-based option. The pastry shell is coated with a sweet and sour sauce that pairs perfectly with the spicy meat-like filling. 🍓Seasonal Fruit Parfait 😐 with sweet chili sauce and DOLE Whip Mango (Plant-based) Some Dole Whip flavors taste a lot like real fruit and others taste more like candy. The mango leans more toward the candy side, but it shines in bites with the real fruit that is layered in. Ours featured mango, watermelon and pineapple. While we didn’t love the Mango Dole Whip by itself, we did enjoy the pairing with the fruit and Tajin-based topping, which added a mildly spicy little kick. Crooked Can Brewing Company Pollinators Paradise Lager (New) Keel Farms Strawberry Hibiscus Hard Cider (New) Gulf Stream Brewing Humble Bumbl (New) Boyd & Blair Lavender Martini Return to menu ⬆ Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market © Disney 🍓Potato Pancakes 👍 With house-made applesauce (Plant-based) The potatoes are well-seasoned and fried to crispy golden perfection with a soft, rich interior. The applesauce brightens everything up and balances out the heavy richness of the potato pancake. Potato Pancakes 👎 With ham and onion The ham version of this dish had a very off-putting combination of flavors this year. The ham was cubed and cooked in a sweet sauce with an overpowering onion flavor. This was topped with an herbed sour cream sauce that was a little bitter on the finish. While the potato pancake is the same as you find in the delicious applesauce version, this one was not a favorite. Toasted Pretzel Bread 👍 Topped with black forest ham and melted cheese This one is always a hit and is unchanged from previous years. The pretzel bread is salty, soft and warm and completely filled with rich cheese sauce and ham. It’s hard to mess that up and even when you get one that’s been under the heat lamp for a little too long, it’s still delicious. If you get lucky and manage to snag a fresh one, it is out-of-this-world. Warm Cheese Strudel 👍 With berry compote The pastry is flaky and light with lots of cream cheese filling and berries that are fresh and bright. While it is on the tart side, it’s not overly sweet and would make a great breakfast treat paired with the potatoes. Bitburger Premium Pils Stiegl Brewery Raspberry Radler Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier Apfelschaumwein Apple Sparkling Wine and Apple Liqueur Beer Flight Return to menu ⬆ Primavera Kitchen © Disney Insalata Arlecchino 😐 Grape tomato, seasonal melon, mozzarella ciliegine, and balsamic dressing This is essentially a Caprese salad with melon added in and is something you could easily whip up at home with store-bought ingredients. If the balsamic dressing or the mozzarella had been exceptional, that could have made this one more exciting. Unfortunately, both were pretty basic. Primavera Cacio Pepe e Gamberi 😐 Penne, shrimp, zucchini, peas, asparagus, and creamy cacio pepe sauce The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and was much better than it has been at recent festivals. The sauce was rich and cheesy, but the shrimp was not great - it was chewy and flavorless. If they had gone with a higher quality shrimp, this could have been a home run. Chocolate Dirt Cannoli 😐 Cannoli shell with cookies and cream cannoli cream filling While the cannoli was perfectly fine, it wasn’t anything to write home about either. It’s a mid-tier, basic cannoli with some crushed up Oreos added in. If you’ve got a hankering for cannoli, this will do, but it’s not worth going out of your way for otherwise. Peroni Pilsner Prosecco Moscato Chianti Italian Sangria White Italian-inspired Blood Orange Margarita Tequila, triple sec, and blood orange liqueur Caprese Cocktail Basil-infused vodka, balsamic-tomato juice, and fresh mozzarella Return to menu ⬆ Magnolia Terrace © Disney Traditional Muffuletta 👍 With ham, salami, mortadella, provolone, and Swiss cheese with olive salad We loved the bread on the muffuletta - it was soft and fresh and was the star of the show for this one. We also loved the flavor coming from the olive salad. The meat and cheese were nothing extraordinary, but the bread and olives made this one of our favorites. Spicy Chicken Gumbo 👍 With andouille sausage and long grain and wild rice This dish is enormous, heavy and exploding with flavor. There are so many spices that it comes right up to the edge of being overpowering, but we still really enjoyed it. This one would be perfect if you’re super hungry or looking for a good dish to share. Grilled Gulf Oysters 👍 With cajun andouille sausage butter and lemon (New) These are very fancy and perfect for those who prefer their oysters to taste more like the stuff they’re paired with. The main flavor is the spicy cajun andouille sausage butter, which was delicious. There was also some bread crumbs and green onion for crunch and a lemon wedge and some tabasco on the side to add an extra hit of sour and/or spicy. Bananas Foster Bread Pudding 👍 With a rum-caramel sauce We talked to several people who were raving about how wonderful this dish was, but ours was a bit on the dry side. The flavor was still very good – especially the rum caramel sauce, which was our favorite part. Wicked Weed Brewing Twist Belgian-Style White Ale (New) von Trapp Brewing Vienna Lager (New) Parish Brewing Co. Ghost in the Machine Double IPA Spiced Rum Cocktail Spiced rum, coconut rum, Simply Fruit Punch, and Minute Maid Orange Juice Beer Flight Return to menu ⬆ Funnel Cake © Disney Peaches ‘n’ Cream 👍 Funnel cake with powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, peaches, whipped cream, cobbler crumble, and cinnamon-bourbon caramel sauce The Funnel Cake shop has had a lot more hits than misses at recent festivals and this one is another big hit. The base is their classic, freshly prepared funnel cake topped with vanilla ice cream, but the addition of the peaches, cobbler topping and especially the cinnamon bourbon caramel sauce make this one extra special. We didn’t notice a strong bourbon flavor, but the cinnamon and caramel was a delightful addition to what essentially tastes like a deep fried peach cobbler a la mode. Return to menu ⬆ Hanami © Disney Frushi 👍 Strawberry, pineapple, and honeydew wrapped in coconut rice and tri-color soy wrap served with coconut cream sauce and toasted coconut The frushi is a wonderful little treat, but be aware that it is very little. The coconut-infused rice is delightful and ever-so-slightly sweet, while the coconut cream sauce brings the bulk of the sweetness. The layers of coconut flavor add sweetness and richness to the tiny bites of fruit. Steam Bun 👎 With savory flavored vegetables and plant-based soy meat This is a rare miss for Japan – we normally love their steam bun creations. Unfortunately, the plant-based soy meat is on the dry side and this whole thing is crying out for some sauce. As always, the steam bun is soft and fresh, but it’s what’s inside that misses the mark. A little sweet sauce would have made this one a winner. Ramen Cup 👍 Ramen noodle salad shaken in a cup with fresh vegetables and grilled chicken served with yuzu-soy vinaigrette and chili oil This returning ramen salad cup is our favorite thing from the booth this year. The secret is to shake it well before enjoying it so that all the flavors meld together. The sauce features bright flavors of citrus, ginger and soy and the salty poached chicken adds a little protein that will take on the flavor of the sauce if you let it sit a bit. This is a perfect hot weather snack. Takoyaki 👍 Octopus tako balls served with spicy mayo, okonomiyaki sauce, and crunch rice pearls While the Takoyaki was good, be warned that there is a lingering fishy aftertaste that some (like me) may find off-putting. On the front end, you get the flavors of fried dough, spicy mayo and sweet soy sauce, which are delicious. If you’re a lover of octopus and don’t mind a little fishiness, you will likely enjoy this little treat. Kyoto Boba Crafted kyoho (Japanese black grape) juice with strawberry popping boba (Non-alcoholic) Locally crafted Japanese-inspired Pilsner With aromas of Cherry Blossom and Ginger Shogun Sangria Sake cocktail with a combination of citrus and white cranberry juice Strawberry Nigori Sake Nigori cloudy sake with spring notes from the strawberry Return to menu ⬆ Tangierine Café © Disney Grilled Chicken Kebabs 👍 With carrot-chickpea salad and garlic aïoli and Chermoula Chicken The chicken is smoky from the grill and well-seasoned. Both kebabs are served over a light, refreshing salad made from carrots, chickpeas and raisins and the whole thing is topped with a creamy garlic sauce. Grilled Lamb Kebabs 👍 With carrot-chickpea salad and garlic aïoli and Moroccan-spiced Lamb This version features the same salad and sauce as the chicken, but the lamb is more like a lamb sausage. It is packed with spices and seasonings and reminds us a bit of the lamb you'd find in a gyro, though spicier. It's always tender, juicy and fresh from the grill. Stone-baked Moroccan Bread 👍 With assorted dips (Plant-based) The reason this bread is so good is because it is super-fresh from the oven. You can see them baking it as you order. It's always accompanied by three sauces: a traditional hummus, an olive dip and a lemon-herb dip that is bright and always has a nice zing to it. We love to put all three together for a flavor bomb with each bite. Orange Blossom-Saffron Cake 👍 The cake layer is moist and tender and the mousse is extremely light and airy. This is not an orange flavor - it’s orange blossom so you get a subtle hint of orange, but it’s very subtle. The saffron and blossoms give it a slight tea flavor in the aftertaste that is refreshing on a hot day. Pomegranate Mimosa Sparkling Wine and pomegranate juice Keel Farms Pear Honeysuckle Hard Cider Blake’s Hard Cider Co. Tropical Mango Imperial Hard Cider (New) 3 Daughters Brewing Pomegranate Hard Cider Hard Cider Flight Return to menu ⬆ La Isla Fresca © Disney Jamaican Jerk 👍 With Pigeon Pea Rice, Roasted Sweet Plantains, and Cinnamon Butter (New) The chicken is perfectly seasoned all the way through. The outside features a spicy jerk sauce while the inside is salty and a little smoky. The rice is also a bit salty, but flavorful and well-prepared and the sweet plantain balances the saltiness nicely. Seafood Ceviche 😐 Shrimp, Scallops, and Fish with Citrus, Radish, and Chulpe (New) This one is moderately fishy, but balanced by the bright fresh flavors of the diced peppers, onions and herbs. It was still too fishy for me, but Erick said it was “pretty good, not great.” While it’s hard for me to accurately assess this one due to my aversion to seafood, other folks we chatted with confirmed that this one is “just okay.” 🍓Coconut-Chocolate Flancocho 🏆 Chocolate Cake, Coconut Custard, and Passion Fruit Caramel (Plant-based) (New) This was our favorite dessert from the entire festival. The chocolate base is dense and rich, the flan is light with a very subtle coconut flavor, but the star is the passion fruit caramel syrup. It is absolutely delicious and upgrades this dessert to the best kind of festival treat - unique and wonderful. Citrus Slushy Simply Lemonade, Simply Grapefruit, and Simple Syrup (Non-alcoholic) Woodchuck Chuck’s Imperials Wild Tropics Hard Cider (New) Florida Orange Groves Winery Hurricane Class 5 Tropical Sangria Citrus Slushy Simply Lemonade, Simply Grapefruit, Simple Syrup, and Don Q Limón Rum Return to menu ⬆ Fleur de Lys © Disney Croissant au Fromage de Chèvre, Herbes et Ail Rôtie 👍 Croissant with goat cheese, herbs, and roasted garlic This is one of the dishes from this booth that is so good, we have already gone back for seconds. It is absolutely packed with goat cheese and herbs. While the garlic flavor is very mild, the main flavor here is all that cheese and the delicious flaky croissant. Gnocchis Provencal Aux Herbes, Canard Confit, Sauce Romarin 👍 Pulled duck confit, rosemary sauce, and herbs provencal-style gnocchis This is the other dish we’ve already gone back for again. The combination of flavors is wonderful. It has a flavor profile similar to Thanksgiving – there’s definitely a strong rosemary and sage flavor. The gnocchi themselves are delicious, but not like Italian gnocchi. They are more like seasoned flat dumpling strips. The duck is tender, juicy and really soaks up the comforting flavors of the sauce. Gâteau au Chocolat chaud a la Noisette 👍 Warm chocolate-hazelnut cake This dessert is essentially a lava cake with hazelnut thrown in. It’s delicious and sort of like Nutella and a chain restaurant lava cake had a dessert baby. That said, it is not as unique as many of the other desserts at the festival and we preferred the chocolate terrarium at Trowel and Trellis if you’re having a chocolate emergency. Beignet Caramélisé, Fourré Crème Vanille, Glacé au Caramel Fleur de Sel Caramelized beignet 👍 Filled with vanilla cream and glazed with caramel fleur de sel This is a huge improvement over last year last year when we compared it to a grocery store donut. This year, the texture was more like an authentic beignet and it was absolutely packed with the vanilla cream. The caramel fleur de sel on top was nice and crunchy and added a satisfying contrast of salty and sweet. Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc Fruity white beer with citrus notes Sparkling Cantaloupe-Melon Cocktail French cantaloupe and honeydew liqueur and sparkling wine R. Dutoit Les Vieilles Collines Chardonnay La Vie en Rose Frozen Slush Vodka, Grey Goose L’Orange, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, and white and red cranberry juices Return to menu ⬆ UK Beer Cart © Ear Scouts Blackcurrant Gin Cocktail 👍 Fords Gin with lemon juice, blackcurrant syrup, and cucumber syrup While we didn’t try many cocktails this year, this one is by far our favorite of the ones we have sampled. While it’s very sweet and fruity, the sweetness is perfectly balanced by the cucumber flavor and the botanicals from the gin. In many of these pre-mixed cocktails at Epcot, the flavor of the liquor vanishes, but you can really taste the gin in this one and we loved it. We will be sipping on these until the festival ends. Return to menu ⬆ Refreshment Port © Disney Provence Poutine 😐 Herbes de Provence seasoned French fries, goat brie, lavender honey, hazelnut croquant, and fresh lavender (New) Refreshment Port often plays fast and loose with the definition of poutine at these festivals, but this one is absolutely not poutine. These are seasoned fries with some cheese on top. Even though it is pictured with lots of fresh lavender and is described as lavender, ours just had regular old wildflowers and the lavender flavor was very subtle. If you’re in the mood for some fancy fries that are a little sweet, a little salty and a little cheesy, these are fine. But if you want poutine, we much prefer the original that is available all year round. Country Boy Brewing Raspberry Lemon Hard Cider Villa Maria EarthGarden Sauvignon Blanc Frozen Mojito with Boyd & Blair Rum Return to menu ⬆ Popcorn Cart in Canada Peach Smash Canadian Club Whisky with lemon, peach purée, and ginger Return to menu ⬆ Northern Bloom © Disney Seared Scallops 👍 With French green beans, marble potatoes, and bacon vinaigrette While not quite as good as previous years, Erick still really enjoyed the scallops. The bacon vinaigrette added a smoky richness, but it still had too much fishy flavor for my taste. The beans and potatoes were both pretty basic, but well prepared. Beef Tenderloin Tips 👎 With mushroom bordelaise sauce, whipped potatoes, and garden vegetables Perhaps we got these on an off day, but the quality of the meat was much lower than we are used to from the Canada Pavilion. It was a little on the tough and gristle-y side and didn’t have as much flavor as we’d expect. The potatoes were not as rich and buttery, either. We may try these again later to see if things have improved and we’ll update the review if that’s the case. For now, these are a surprising skip. Chocolate-Maple Whiskey Cake 👍 If you love boozy desserts, this whiskey cake is for you. The chocolate cake is dense and rich and the maple whiskey topping is heavenly and a perfect combination of flavors. For us, this was far and away the star of the booth this year. Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Blackberry Wine Stone Brewing Delicious IPA Collective Arts Brewing Grapefruit Lime Sour Collective Arts Brewing Hazy State Session IPA (New) Beer Flight Return to menu ⬆ Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company © Disney Iced Pistachio-Banana Breeze Latte 👎 A nutty blend of espresso, milk, banana syrup, and pistachio syrup topped with whipped cream (Non-alcoholic beverage) We were afraid this would have an off-putting fake banana flavor, but it was surprisingly the pistachio that was the main offender on that front. The pistachio flavor tasted very fake and made the drink cloyingly sweet when combined with the banana, which didn’t add much flavor beyond the sweetness. Iced Strawberry Island Latte 👎 A tropical blend of espresso, milk, strawberry syrup, and coconut syrup topped with coconut whipped cream (Non-alcoholic beverage) On the plus side, the strawberry flavoring was the most natural tasting of all the options we tried. On the downside, we suspected that coffee and strawberry might not be the best flavor combination and this drink confirmed those suspicions. For us, these flavors just taste odd together and not in a good way. Iced White Chocolate-Mango Latte 👎 A fruity blend of espresso, milk, mango syrup, and white chocolate sauce topped with vanilla cold foam (Non-alcoholic beverage) The mango flavoring had a very strange chemical taste that we couldn’t get past. Not only was it unpleasant, it clashed with the flavor of the coffee and made this our least favorite of all the festival coffees. Iced Berries ‘n’ Cream Latte 👍 A velvety blend of espresso, milk, raspberry syrup, and white chocolate sauce topped with vanilla cold foam (Non-alcoholic beverage) We tried this one after all the others and it seems we saved the best for last. The berry flavor didn’t clash with the coffee like the strawberry version did, mainly because it was more subtle and balanced by the white chocolate sauce. Still very sweet, but the best of the bunch. Return to menu ⬆ Be sure to bookmark this page on your phone for easy access during your Epcot visit. Check back soon for more tips, secrets and must-dos in our new video that will be posted here as soon as it launches.

This morning, guests at the Magic Kingdom who were eligible for Early Entry got an even earlier start than usual as Disney rolled out a new procedure for the popular resort benefit. Until further notice, guests will no longer be held at the entrance to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland before Early Entry officially begins. They will be free to go directly to the line of their first attraction or explore these lands as soon as they show proof of eligibility in the hub area in front of the castle. As before, all guests are allowed to tap into the park ahead of Early Entry and only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open to eligible resort guests. If attractions are ready to open early, guests may be able to ride even earlier than 30 minutes before the park opens, though this will be at the discretion of Cast Members at each attraction. We shared news of this change last night with our Patreon community and one of our members let us know that the new procedure was in place during her visit this morning. Patreon member Rebecca R. posted "Confirmed! We went right into 7 Dwarfs" shortly after Early Entry began. With these changes, it’s more important than ever to arrive early if you want to maximize your early entry time. We suggest arriving at the bus stop, boat dock or monorail station at least one hour before early entry begins and ideally an hour and fifteen minutes early. For more tips on how to make the most of Early Entry at Magic Kingdom, check out the video below.

Virtual Queues will disappear from the last two remaining attractions that use them starting February 25! Do you wish you could visit Magic Kingdom and Epcot, ride all the newest attractions and NOT get up at 7am to fiddle with a Virtual Queue or shell out extra cash for Lightning Lanes? If so, we have some good news - Disney is about to make that wish come true. Starting Tuesday, February 25 , you can simply waltz right into the standby queue and ride any attraction you like at Walt Disney World - including Tiana's Bayou Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Tiana's Bayou Adventure will continue to offer access via Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Guardians will still be on Lightning Lane Single Pass, so you can still fork over some cash to skip what will likely be a very long line. But if you want to ride it again and again and again, you can do so to your heart's content. Or at least until the park closes, whichever comes first.

We'll continue to update this post with new photos and drink reviews. Be sure to check out our new video all about our favorites from this year's festival . Select a booth to jump to that section: Opening Bites Connections Eatery Fictional Victuals The Deconstructed Dish Figment’s Inspiration Station The Craftsman’s Courtyard El Artista Hambriento The Painted Panda Refreshment Outpost Pastoral Palate L’Arte di Mangiare The Artist’s Table Funnel Cake Goshiki Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina Vibrante & Vívido: Encanto Cocina L’Art de la Cuisine Française Gourmet Landscapes Refreshment Port Deco Delights Swirled Showcase Pop Eats Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company NEW! Opening Bites ©Ear Scouts Cheddar and Chive Scone 👍 With smoked salmon salad topped with crème fraîche and caviar (New)  This is a delightful way to start the festival – especially for those who love smoky and fishy flavors. Erick loved the bold flavor of the caviar and how well it paired with the smoky salmon. I loved the scone, which was rich and cheesy and had the perfect texture - moist and biscuit-like on the inside with a crunchier exterior . The crème fraîche mellows all the strong fishy flavors and adds a little extra creamy indulgence. Soft Shell Crab Slider 👍 With green papaya slaw and mango ketchup on toasted brioche (New) Growing up in Charleston, SC, soft shell crab season was a very big deal and when friends and family came to visit, they were surprised to learn that you can eat the whole thing – shell and all. These crabs have not yet hardened their shells and you can only get them for a very short time. This dish is prepared the traditional way, with the whole thing deep fried. I loved how the brioche bun looked like a shell with the legs of the fried crab dangling on the sides – it's surprisingly quite cute. The crab has a mild flavor and the breading adds a classic deep fried crunch. While the slaw didn't add a whole lot of flavor, it added a nice texture and the sweetness of the mango ketchup rounded everything out nicely. 🎨 Enchanted Rose 👍 Milk chocolate rose with raspberry and rose center (New)  Our first step on the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine is making us very excited for the journey ahead. Items with the paint palette icon are part of a food scavenger hunt - when you order them, you'll get a stamp on your passport. Collect five stamps and you'll get a special complimentary treat at Deco Delights. This rose is not only beautiful, it is delicious and filled with fun, unexpected flavors. The chocolate mousse has a rich milk chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with the raspberry and rose at the center. I normally find rosewater flavored dishes to be too floral for my liking, but the raspberry is the perfect choice to balance it. Even the cookie base is delightful - it's like a chocolate shortbread. If you are doing the Wonderful Walk, this is a must. Parish Brewing Co. SIPS Candy Paint Berliner Weisse (New)   von Trapp Brewing Bohemian Pilsner (New) Crooked Can Brewing Company Fantasia Fusion IPA (New) Beer Flight  Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage Champagne Katherine Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignon Martin Ray Chardonnay Return to menu ⬆ Connections Eatery ©Ear Scouts Figment’s Liege Waffle 👍 With ube filling (New)  The ubiquitous Connections liege waffle that now appears at every festival has gotten a big upgrade. While we miss the convenience of the old, pre-wrapped version that were easy to throw in your bag for later, these are clearly much fresher (you can even see them being freshly made in the bakery window). They also have a filling, which adds a touch more sweetness, but not a lot of flavor. Our only gripe is with the white chocolate disk: whatever they use to print the Figment design has an odd texture – almost like a thin piece of paper was glued on top – and the quality of the white chocolate isn't all that great. Imagination Lemonade 👍 Minute Maid Premium Lemonade topped with butterfly pea tea and lavender (Non-alcoholic) The first sips of this with the lavender tea at the top are quite refreshing and cut the sweetness of the lemonade. While we wish there was more of the lavender layer, it's still a refreshing beverage and one of the better lemonade concoctions Disney has come up with recently. Imagination Lemonade With vodka Return to menu ⬆ NEW! Fictional Victuals © Ear Scouts Squid Ink Pasta 😐 With lump crab, truffle cream, and shaved truffle (New) This is a very filling dish and we like the fresh truffle flavor, but the lumps of crab were overly fishy and much of the pasta was somewhat lacking in flavor. The top layer with the shaved truffle and Parmesan is rich and flavorful, so we’d recommend giving it a stir if you spring for this one. Charred Octopus 👍 With crushed fingerling potatoes, kalamata olives, capers, and romesco sauce (New) The presentation of this dish is top-notch – we love the artful nod to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the charred octopus makes the perfect centerpiece. Although it’s beautiful, it was a tad on the fishy side, but even Rob (who is notoriously averse to all things fishy) enjoyed the potatoes in romesco sauce. They had a mild spiciness and lots of briny flavor from the olives and the capers. Black Cocoa Brownie 👍 With ube ice cream, coral tuile, and sponge cake (New) The brownie is very dense and chocolatey. It almost tastes like a dark chocolate brownie with some finely ground Oreo cookies without the cream filling blended in. It’s not super sweet, which is key since the ube ice cream and the blue frosting are very sweet. Out favorite bit was the coral toile, which was surprisingly salty and the perfect complement to the other flavors in the dish.   Butterscotch Milk Shake with Chocolate Garnish. (New) 3 Daughters Brewing Barrel Aged Cognac Porter (New) Boyd & Blair Outis Fathom Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Juniper, and Boyd & Blair Vodka (New) Return to menu ⬆ The Deconstructed Dish © Disney Deconstructed BLT 👍 Pork belly, soft-poached egg, onion bread pudding, watercress espuma, and tomato jam This returning favorite is perfect for the bacon fan who is looking for a gourmet upgrade to their favorite smoked meat. The pork belly stands in for the bacon here and brings the flavor you know and love with a fancy twist. Each cut of pork belly is a bit different and some are fattier than others, but they all go beautifully with the poached egg, rich and buttery onion bread pudding, sweet tomato jam and fresh watercress espuma (like a flavored fluffy foam). 🎨 Deconstructed Key Lime Pie 👍 Flexible Key lime curd, “Key lime” mousse, graham cracker cake, and meringues We love this fun, playful dish every year and it js as good as ever - maybe even better. The secret is to combine all the elements in one bite - and don’t skip the meringues. You’ve got a rich graham cracker cake that is a bit dense and not all that amazing on its own, but the addition of the tart lime curd, the creamy key lime mousse and the crunchy meringue transforms it into a delightful concoction that tastes like a really good key lime pie. We love the different textures and the photogenic presentation and consider this a must-try if you’re enjoying the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine. Deconstructed Strawberry Mint Julep Frozen mint and simple syrup blend with strawberry purée (Non-alcoholic) Wicked Weed Brewing Blank Canvas Belgian Blonde Witbier Deconstructed Strawberry Mint Julep With Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Return to menu ⬆ Figment’s Inspiration Station © Disney 🎨 Raspberry Pastry Tart 👍 Sugar cookie with raspberry and lemon cream cheese filling (New) The sugar cookie pastry is a big upgrade over last year’s pop-tart-esque shell and we like the richness of the lemon cream cheese and raspberry filling much more than the straight-up sweet jam this used to have. That said, it’s still not as good as Woody’s Lunch Box Tarts over at Hollywood Studios. If you’re doing the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine, this can be a nice option to pair with your coffee. Rainbow Cake 😐 topped with SKITTLES POP’d Freeze Dried Candy We are sad to say that this adorable returning item is a bit of a downgrade. It’s much smaller and there are only a few of the freeze-dried Skittles, which are the best part. The cake itself used to be three times bigger and had more frosting between the layers. Although it’s colorful and cute, it tastes like a decent supermarket birthday cake. Not terrible, but pretty basic. Figment Imagination Lemonade With choice of flavor (Non-alcoholic beverage)  3 Daughters Brewing Black Cherry Hard Cider 3 Daughters Brewing Blood Orange Hard Cider 3 Daughters Brewing Pineapple Hard Cider Hard Cider Flight  81Bay Brewing Co. Green with Envy Blonde Ale 81Bay Brewing Co. Blue Butterfly Lager, Tampa 81Bay Brewing Co. Make All Things Purple Ale (New)  Beer Flight Return to menu ⬆ The Craftsman’s Courtyard ©Ear Scouts Beef Wellington-inspired Croissant Supreme 👍 With creamed spinach croissant pinwheel, mushroom-gorgonzola ragout, mustard-grilled flank steak, red wine sauce, and pickled mustard seeds (New) This Wellington is a massive upgrade from last year. The croissant wrapping is buttery and flaky with rich creamed spinach along the inside edge, but it gets even more indulgent with the mushroom and Gorgonzola cheese sauce and the slices of tender, juicy flank steak. The red wine sauce adds a layer of salty umami goodness and the mustard seeds help to cut the richness of everything under it. Cast Iron-roasted P.E.I. Mussels 👍 With sautéed tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs  This was one of the more shocking reviews from last year's festival because it was the rare seafood dish that was so good that even Rob liked it. We tried it again, and we are pleased to report that it is just as good. These mussels are very fresh and they serve them to you directly from the grill. There is so much rich garlic and tomato flavor here that even if you don't typically care for mussels, you might be surprised (like Rob was) by how much you enjoy them. They are served with a crunchy piece of charred bread that you'll definitely want to use to sop up all that delicious broth. Roasted Bone Marrow 👍 With onion marmalade, pickled mushrooms, and petite lettuce  From the tang of the pickled mushrooms to the charred flavor of the grilled bread to the sweet onion marmalade to the decadent richness of the marrow itself, this is a heavenly dish. Like the mussels, we picked it as one of our favorites last year (it was actually in Canada last year) and we had to try it again to make sure it was just as good this year. It definitely is. If you've never tried bone marrow, this is your chance and you'll be very glad that you did.   BrewDog Black Heart Nitro Oatmeal Stout Coffee Old Fashioned Cocktail Joffrey’s Coffee Cold Brew, simple syrup, orange bitters, and Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon  Return to menu ⬆ El Artista Hambriento ©Disney Carne Asada 👍 Ancho-marinated beef sirloin with pasilla chile sauce, grilled queso fresco, nopales salad, and chicharron dust  We loved this dish last year and we still like it, but it definitely wasn't quite as good as we remembered. The steak was tender, but it didn't have as much flavor as it had in the past. The grilled queso fresco was smaller, but still tasty and the nopales salad wasn't quite as bright and fresh tasting this year. As we often say in our review videos, consistency is always an issue at Walt Disney World, so we may have just gotten a subpar batch. While we still recommend this dish, we can't give it the same ringing endorsement that we did last year. Croqueta 👍 Chipotle chicken and chorizo croquette in chipotle salsa with chipotle aioli, avocado mousse, and truffle oil  We were split on this one. Erick really enjoyed the flavor of the chicken itself, but he was not a fan of the chipotle salsa. Rob loved everything about this dish, but he's also a chipotle junky. The salsa has a bold flavor that tastes like a cross between chipotle sauce and A-1 Steak Sauce (but in a good way – at least in Rob's opinion 😂). The shredded chicken at the core of the croqueta is tender, juicy and well-seasoned and the aioli, mousse and truffle oil make lovely garnishes, but their flavor is overpowered by the bold salsa that is the base of this dish. Natilla de Maiz 👍 Creamy corn custard with caramelized sugar  We both enjoyed this cross between flan and corn pudding, but Erick especially liked it. The texture is like a flan, but the flavor is distinctly corn - almost like a sweet masa flavor. The caramelized sugar bits on the top are wonderful and really complete the dish. We loved the rich caramel flavor they added, as well as the crunch. Mexican Craft Beer  Floridita Centinela Blanco Tequila, citrus juice, orange liqueur, and grapefruit soda with a hint of Aperol (New) Strawberry Fields Margarita: Tromba Blanco Tequila, Dos Hombres Mez Return to menu ⬆ The Painted Panda ©Disney General Tso’s Chicken Shumai 👍 Dumplings filled with chicken, potato, onion, and water chestnut topped with General Tso’s sauce  Dumplings aren't always the strong suit at the festival booths in China, but this one is an exception. The dumpling itself is of slightly above average quality with a ground seasoned meat inside that you can't quite immediately identify (it's chicken), but it has a pleasant flavor. The best part is the sauce: a perfect blend of salty. sweet umami goodness and the cucumber at the bottom balances it out with a pop of freshness. Har Gow 👎 Shrimp dumplings with pumpkin purée and drizzle of chili oil (New) Remember what we said above about dumplings not always being the best at the China Pavilion? This is a pretty good example of that. The shrimp inside is pretty bargain basement – chewy, fishy and clearly frozen. The pumpkin puree doesn't bring much flavor to the party, but the drizzle of chili oil definitely adds some heat. That was probably the only part of this dish we actually liked. Egg Tart 👍 Hong Kong-style egg custard tart (New) This dessert was a wonderful surprise. It's not much to look at and we expected it to be a dried out, forgettable little pie. It almost looks like something that could have come from a vending machine. Do not judge this little book by it's cover – it is delicious. The warm crust is flaky, buttery and satisfying. The egg custard in the center is reminiscent of buttermilk pie, but eggier. We loved this tiny pie and it is the perfect comfort food dessert to pick up if you just want a small bite on a chilly winter night.   Strawberry Bubble Milk Tea Non-alcoholic beverage / New Dragon Fruit Lager  Silk River Hard Lemonade With vodka, lavender-coconut syrup, and lemonade  Butterfly Blue Butterfly pea flower-infused cocktail with vodka, light rum, lychee syrup, and magic boba pearls  Return to menu ⬆ Refreshment Outpost ©Disney   Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie 👎 We're so sad to give this cookie a thumbs down because we love the idea of it and it used to be so delightful. Sadly, the quality has dropped so much that we can't recommend it for anything other than a fun art project. It comes with a paintbrush and icing "paint" that you can use to create your own chocolate chip masterpiece. How fun is that? Sadly, this cookie is dense, tough and bland. It tastes like something they might give for free to little kids at the supermarket bakery, which is a shame because Disney definitely knows how to make a great chocolate chip cookie. We'll hold out hope that next year's version is a delicious cookie like the one we remember from years ago when we tried this treat for the first time. Parish Brewing Co. Blueberry Mochi Berliner Weisse Brewlando Liquid Art Pilsner (New) Ology Brewing Co. Rainbow Colored Glasses Rainbow Sherbet Berliner (New) Return to menu ⬆ Pastoral Palate ©Disney Pork and White Bean Cassoulet 👍 With Regensburger Sausage and crispy pork rinds (New) We really loved the cassoulet that used to appear on the menu at previous festival booths in Germany, but it disappeared last year. Thankfully, a new version has arrived with some delightful smoked sausage on top. Legend has it that the first cassoulet was created by French villagers who needed to feed the army that was protecting their village from the invading British army. They all pooled together what they had and put it all in a big pot and the result was a delicious dish with beans and pretty much every meat you can imagine. This is a decent iteration of the dish – it's meaty, smoky and filling. The herb sauce smeared along the edge of the dish brightens things up and we'd recommend stirring it in. Red Wine-braised Beef Short Rib 👍 With parsnip purée, broccolini, baby tomatoes, and balsamic glaze  This dish comes back every year and never disappoints. To call the beef fork-tender is an understatement – this is the most tender cut of meat you'll ever encounter and it has a bold, meaty flavor that is enhanced by the peppery balsamic glaze. The parsnip purée is rich and creamy – almost like mashed potatoes – and the broccoli and tomato balance out the richness of everything else on the plate. Black Forest Cake 👍 Chocolate mousse with morello cherries and chantilly cream  This is more mousse than cake, but we're not complaining because it is rich and delicious. They use a good quality chocolate, both in the mousse and in the outer decorations and the morello cherries are tart, sweet and serve as the perfect foil to the richness of the rest of the dessert. 3 Daughters Brewing Rosé Hard Cider 81Bay Brewing Co. Rosé Blonde Ale Frozen Rosé  A Play on Rosé Flight  Marietta Old Vine Rosé Return to menu ⬆ L’Arte di Mangiare ©Disney Tricolore 👍 Cheese-filled ravioloni, pomodoro, cream, and pesto sauces (New)   This is the best pasta dish we have had from the Italy booth in quite some time. The pasta tastes fresh and is filled with a rich and creamy cheese filling. On top, you'll find a delightfully zippy pomodoro, a much-improved cream sauce and a so-so pesto. If you have a hankering for pasta, this is actually better than a lot of the entree pastas you'll find at Tutto Italia around the corner. Mozzarella Fritta 👍 Flash-fried breaded fresh mozzarella with artist palette condiments We love this fun and colorful play on fried mozzerella. The sauces are delightful and its fun to dip the crispy fried cheese in the rainbow of flavors that surround it. The cheese is good, too – it's an above-average piece of fried mozzerella. We just wish there was more of it to sample all the different sauces. Hazelnut S’more Cannoli 👎 Cannoli shell dipped in chocolate and graham cracker, chocolate-hazelnut cannoli cream, and toasted marshmallows (New) This dessert fails on two fronts: it's not a great cannoli and it tastes nothing like s'mores. For starters, the marshmallows were barely toasted and seemed more like a decoration than a key player. The tiny bit of graham cracker dust is completely lost against the more prominent flavors of the cannoli shell and the chocolate hazelnut filling, both of which are unremarkable. We'd suggest skipping this and getting a traditional cannoli somewhere else in the pavilion – or just wait and make s'mores over the campfire at your resort if you're staying at a Disney hotel. Either one would be a lot tastier than this.   Peroni Pilsner  Prosecco  Moscato  Chianti  Italian Red Sangria Italian-inspired Margarita With tequila, Triple Sec, and Fabrizia Limoncello Mela Spritz Apple Schnapps, prosecco, and sparkling water (New) Return to menu ⬆ The Artist’s Table ©Ear Scouts Deviled Egg Trio: Pimento Cheese, Green Goddess, and BLT (New) 👎 These may be the worst deviled eggs we've ever had. For some strange reason, they chose to leave the hard boiled yolks inside and then just top them with a small amount of the deviled egg filling. The pimento cheese was simply pimento cheese on top of a hard boiled egg. Really. The green goddess had a nice pop of fresh herb flavor and would have been great had it not been diluted by the plain yolk. The BLT was overwhelmed by the flavor of the bacon (which is not a bad thing) and it reminded us more of breakfast than a fancy hors d'oeuvre. Chicken “Pot Pie” 👍 With smoked cheddar mornay sauce, roasted vegetables, pickled mushrooms, wasabi peas, and sherry-chicken jus served open-faced on flaky pie crust (New) While it tastes nothing like a pot pie and looks nothing like a pot pie, it is tasty. Think of it more as a flatbread with a pastry crust. The smoked cheese mornay sauce combined  beautifully with the spiced chicken and was well balanced by the vegetables. The wasabi peas were probably the most surprising addition, but we loved the crunch and the pops of spicy flavor. Hummingbird Cake 😐 Banana and pecan cake dipped in cream cheese icing with caramel sauce and warm pineapple compote  While it's not bad, this cake is just so-so and there are so many better dessert offerings at the festival that there's no good reason to settle for so-so. The cake is a tad dry and we wish there was more of the cream cheese frosting. The warm pineapple compote and caramel sauce are a nice addition, but not enough to make this a standout. Wicked Weed Brewing Pineapple Daydream IPA (New)   Swamp Head Brewery Neon Palette Lager (New) Lost Coast Brewery Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout  (New) J Vineyards & Winery Pinot Gris (New) Beer Flight  Return to menu ⬆ Funnel Cake ©Ear Scouts Cotton Candy Funnel Cake 👍 Topped with powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, pink and purple sugar dusting, and cotton candy crunch (New)   We both agreed that this was adorable and that there was no way we were going to like it because it would be way too sweet. While it did end up being plenty sweet, it was also one of our favorite desserts from the festival. Don't let the "cotton candy" in the name fool you – that's just referring to the presentation (and the tiny garnish). This is a classic funnel cake that is not overly sweet, topped with standard-issue vanilla ice cream and traditional whipped cream. In other words, it's a classic funnel cake that is freshly prepared and quite delicious. Return to menu ⬆ Goshiki ©Ear Scouts Taiyaki 👎 Crisp, flaky fish-shaped pastry filled with sweet red bean served with whipped topping and blueberry popping boba (New)   On a recent trip to Japan, we were lucky enough to try this popular street food in Tokyo. While it's never fair to compare a festival booth item to the real thing, this wasn't even close. The pastry is a bit dry and bland. It has a mild sweetness, but most of the flavor comes from the generous amount of sweet red bean inside. The version we tried in Japan didn't taste like beans - it was like they had been transformed into a decadent dessert. This tasted like beans. Sweet beans, but still very much beans. Our favorite part was the whipped cream and blueberry boba, which mostly served to mask the flavor rather of the taiyaki rather than enhance it. Wagyu Bun 👍 Steamed bun filled with American wagyu beef served with Japanese karashi mustard sauce and violet shiso sauce (New) We always enjoy the steamed buns in the Japan Pavilion and this year's American Wagyu Beef version is no exception. The beef is rich, tender and flavorful. It's been ground and prepared in a slightly sweet onion sauce. The bun is pretty standard-issue, but was fresh and moist. Our favorite part was the sauce. Like with the sushi, these are artfully squirted and we wished they had squirted a bit more, but they really enhance the flavor of the sandwich. The violet shiso sauce tasted like a sweet mayonnaise and the karashi mustard was like a rich dijon. Sushi Donut 😐 Donut-shaped sushi featuring salmon, tuna, shrimp, cucumber, and sesame seed over a decorated plate of wasabi aïoli, sriracha aïoli, and eel sauce   This was one of Erick's favorite dishes in years past. He actually said this was the one thing he was most looking forward to. Unfortunately, this year's rendition was just okay. The recipe seemed unchanged, but the freshness was the issue. While the fish wasn't old, it didn't taste super fresh either. Even the rice didn't taste like it was freshly prepared. Erick said it reminded him of sushi from the cooler at the supermarket. He also wished there had been more of the accompanying sauces. They were "artfully" applied to the plate, but he would have preferred a larger amount. If you order this, you might want to consider requesting extra sauce. Okinawa Lemonade Lemonade mix with Shikuwasa Citrus (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)  Yuzu IPA (New) Masu Sake In a traditional personalized wooden cup  Junmai Daiginjyo Sake Flight Plum, yuzu, hyuganatsu, and sakuranbo Cherry Return to menu ⬆ Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina ©Ear Scouts Chermoula Chicken Grilled Kebab 👍 With carrot-chickpea salad and garlic aïoli  At this point, the kebabs and bread are just regular menu items at Tangierine Café - they appear at every single festival and the recipe remains unchanged. Not that we're complaining, because they're all good and the kebabs are among the healthier options on festival menus. The chicken is smoky from the grill and well-seasoned. Both kebabs are served over a light, refreshing salad made from carrots, chickpeas and raisins and the whole thing is topped with a creamy garlic sauce. Moroccan-spiced Lamb Kebab 👍 With carrot-chickpea salad and garlic aïoli  This version features the same salad and sauce as the chicken, but the lamb is more like a lamb sausage. It is packed with spices and seasonings and reminds us a bit of the lamb you'd find in a gyro, though spicier. It's always tender, juicy and fresh from the grill. Stone-baked Moroccan Bread 👍 With assorted dips (Plant-based)  The reason this bread is so good is because it is super-fresh from the oven. You can see them baking it as you order. It's always accompanied by three sauces: a traditional hummus, an olive dip and a lemon-herb dip that is bright and always has a nice zing to it. We love to put all three together for a flavor bomb with each bite. 🎨 Avocado-Coconut Custard Tart 👎 With pomegranate cream and henna-inspired gelée Veil (New) (Plant-based)    As a work of art, this dessert is stunning. Unfortunately, as a dessert, it's not so great. We loved the layer of gel "tilework" on top and it added a nice texture (though not much in the way of flavor). The pastry crust is pretty standard-issue and may have been pre-made, but the big problem is the avocado coconut filling. It doesn't have a strong coconut flavor and the avocado gives it a mildly bitter aftertaste. The pomegranate cream was also very mildly flavored and, like the filling, just ended up having a generic creamy-sweet flavor, albeit without the bitter finish. It will no doubt look lovely on your Instagram wall, though. We'd just suggest you leave it there and save the calories for one of the better desserts on offer. Chai Tea-Mint Fizz Twinings Chai Tea with Sprite and Mint (Non-alcoholic beverage) Parish Brewing Co. Mango Mochi 👍 (New) We loved this surprisingly sweet and refreshing beer. It is very mango-forward and almost tastes like a dessert drink. Obviously those who don't like sweet beers will want to steer clear, but if you are in the fruity brew camp, this beer's for you. Rekorderlig Strawberry-Lime Hard Cider Keel Farms Blueberry Lavender Hard Cider, Plant City Chai Tea-Mint Mimosa Twinings Chai Tea with Key Lime Sparkling Wine and mint flight  Return to menu ⬆ Vibrante & Vívido: Encanto Cocina ©Ear Scouts 🎨 Chorizo and Potato Empanada with turmeric aïoli and annatto aïoli 👍 We are a bit split on this one, but I'm still giving it the thumbs up because it is one of my favorite items on the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine. Erick feels that the turmeric and annatto aïolis overpower the other flavors and not in a good way. For me, I love those sauces and I love how well they compliment the spicy chorizo and potato filling. That said, if you're not a big fan of spicy foods, this might be one wonderful walk item that you'd rather skip. Spicy Ajiaco Soup 😐 With guajillo and árbol chili-spiced chicken, potato, avocado, corn, and crème fraîche  I really loved this soup in previous years, but this year left me a bit cold. Primarily because the soup wasn't hot. It was lukewarm at best and then the addition of the cold crème fraîche made things worse. This is a soup that needs to be hot, especially on a chilly January day. The chili flavors in the broth add a good bit of heat that is mellowed out by the addition of the cream and the chicken is well seasoned and tender. We also enjoyed that the corn cob was fresh and sweet. If you catch it when the soup is actually hot, it would probably be as good as years past. Passion Fruit-filled Mango Cheesecake 👍 With coconut-pineapple cake, dragon fruit gelée, and dragon fruit-strawberry sauce  This was our absolute favorite dessert last year and it is definitely high up on our list again this year. The coconut pineapple cake on the bottom was a tad bit drier than we remembered it, but all the bright, sweet flavors from the passion fruit filling, the dragon fruit topping and the fluffy mango cheesecake mousse more than make up for it. If you are a fan of tropical fruits, put this dessert at the top of your list. Layered Tropical Berry Smoothie Wild berry, piña colada, and strawberry (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) Collective Arts Guava Dream Blonde Ale (New) Layered Tropical Berry Smoothie with Sailor Jerry Rum (New) Return to menu ⬆ L’Art de la Cuisine Française ©Ear Scouts Pithiviers de Canard et Volaille, Sauce Canard 👍 Puff pastry with duck, chicken, onions, mushrooms, cranberries, and duck sauce (New) The pastry is a solid upgrade from most of the puff pastries you typically find at these festivals – this one is clearly house made and is buttery, flaky and substantial. The duck and chicken mixture is well seasoned and tender, if a tad dry. We wish there was more of a sauce on the inside, but we did enjoy the slightly sweet duck gravy that is served on the side. The onions and mushrooms are a classic pairing with the poultry, but the sweet cranberries were a nice surprise. Crème de Brie en Petit Pain 👍 Warm creamy brie in a house-made bread bowl  Our favorite thing about this one was the bread this year. Normally, it's all about the cheese, but the bread was so fresh and delicious that it stole the show. The crème de brie sauce was very mild and needed a tad more salt, but it was still delicious and there was tons of it. This is a comforting and indulgent treat. Escargot en Chocolat 👍 Chocolate mousse flourless cake, citrus coulis, almond-chocolate coating, and dark chocolate decoration (New) First off, this is a beautiful dessert and it is larger than it looks in the pictures. The chocolate is very high quality, both in the mousse cake and the outer shell. At the core is an orange coulis that brings a tart contrast to the richness of the chocolate. It's like a giant, gourmet Ferrero Rocher crossed with one of those chocolate oranges you might find in your stocking at Christmastime. We loved it, but this one depends a lot on how much you like the combo of chocolate and orange.  Frozen French Martini Grey Goose Vodka, vodka, Chambord liqueur, pineapple, orange, and grape juices with lemon-lime foam  Elderflower Liqueur Spritz St-Germain Liqueur, sparkling wine, and mint  Charles Lafitte, Brut Rosé Prestige, Méthode Traditionnelle Champenoise French Rosé Sparkling Wine  Patient Cottat Le Grand Caillou Pinot Noir  Return to menu ⬆ Gourmet Landscapes ©Ear Scouts 🎨 Citrus-braised Beet Tartare 👍 With golden beet “egg yolk,” mustard vinaigrette, pickled mustard seeds, pickled mushrooms, spiced pistachios, and “feta” snow (Plant-based) (New)  Beet lovers will fall in love with this vegan treat, but if you're not a fan of earthy flavors, you should probably skip this particular path along the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine. The pickled mushrooms add a sour brightness and the crusty bread is a tasty base, but the overwhelming flavor here comes from the beets. Wild Mushroom Risotto 👍 With aged parmesan, truffle shavings, and zinfandel reduction (Plant-based)   This is the best plant-based offering at the festival. It's so creamy and delicious that we went back to the booth to confirm that it really was plant-based. The star of the show are the shaved truffles on top. There is such a huge difference between real truffle flavor and the various truffle-infused butters and oils. We also tip our hats to the plant-based parmesan and whatever was used to add the creamy richness to the risotto itself. This is an indulgent vegan treat that non-vegetarians will love, too. Whole Hog Brewery Raspberry Chéret Double Radler Schlumberger Cuvée Klimt Brut Meeker Winemaker’s Handprint Merlot Frozen Scotch Cocktail 👍 Scotch and herbal tea garnished with a chocolate nail  Return to menu ⬆ Refreshment Port ©Disney Caprese Poutine 👍 With Tuscan-spiced French fries, confit tomatoes, slivered garlic, mozzarella pearls, basil pesto, shaved pecorino, and balsamic glaze (New) The caprese poutine is delicious, but we have to add an asterisk: it's still not as good as the Traditional Poutine that is available here all year round. That said, we loved the bright flavor of the pesto and the bold punch of the slivered garlic. The mozzerella pearls stand in for the cheese curds here and they're a bit of an upgrade. At the end of the day though, it's hard to beat fries covered in gravy and cheese. Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie 👎 See the full review for this item in the Refreshment Outpost section above. 81Bay Brewing Co. Italian Pilsner (New)  Boyd & Blair Blood Orange Cosmo   Return to menu ⬆ Swirled Showcase ©Disney Imagination Cone 👎 Bubble gum soft-serve in a lavender cone, “sparks” of imagination, and white chocolate wings (New)  We'll give this cone credit for being very cute and "imaginative." Unfortunately, the bubble gum soft serve is absolutely dreadful. It is similar to the flavor of bubble gum ice cream that you tolerated as a kid because you really wanted those colorful gumballs that were mixed in, but in this case there are no gumballs. It's just a cloying, artificial flavor that may still appeal to select nine year olds, but likely no one else. The white chocolate wings and purple cone are adorable, but they can't help this dessert to fly. Candy Trio Flight 😐 DOLE Whip Strawberry with STARBURST MINIS fruit chews, DOLE Whip Lemon with SKITTLES POP’d Freeze Dried Candy, and DOLE Whip Lime with chili-lime seasoning and LIFE SAVERS gummies (New)  This is a really fun concept that is held back by the subpar flavors of the DOLE Whips on offer. We love coconut DOLE Whip and the original pineapple has reached legendary status at Disney Parks, but the jury is still decidedly out on the other flavors. The lemon is tart and refreshing without the artificial flavor that plagues it's lime cousin. It's almost like the lime flavor you find in hard candies, though not quite as sweet. The strawberry is in the middle – it tastes artficial, but it's not as off-putting as the lime in our opinion. What we loved was the addition of candies to pair with each soft serve - especially the freeze dried Skittles, which brought a lovely crunch and a bright "rainbow of flavors" that paired especially well with the lemon. Liquid Nitrogen Minnie Cake Pop 👎 with berry sponge cake, white chocolate ganache, and colorful chocolate splats (New) We've been really loving the liquid nitrogen pops at Swirled Showcase since they were introduced last year. Watching the Cast Members prepare them is quite a show as they layer on ingredients and then dunk the whole thing in a smoking pot that is vaguely reminiscent of Han Solo getting frozen in carbonite. Up until now, the end result has been a delicious treat. This version, unfortunately, is super sweet and otherwise fairly bland. The berry cake at the center has almost no flavor and the layers of white chocolate on the outside just add cloying sweetness. The end result is a slightly improved version of a Little Debbie snack cake. Sorry Minnie, but we have to recommend skipping this one even though the bow is very cute. Bubble Gum Soft-serve in a cone 👎 (New)  (See Imagination Cone review) DOLE Whip in a cone: Lemon 👍 (See Candy Trio Flight review) Lime 👎 (See Candy Trio Flight review) Strawberry 😐 (See Candy Trio Flight review) Return to menu ⬆ Deco Delights ©Disney 🎨 Almond Frangipane Cake 😐 Layered with raspberry jam and Belgian chocolate  This is one of the most photo-worthy stops on the Wonderful Walk - and it’s a convenient one because it’s also where you show your stamped passport and get a special surprise (spoiler alert: it’s a fancy rice crispy treat). This cake has been at the festival for several years and it’s a little better than last year, but not a lot. The white layers are moist and rich with a lovely almond flavor. The other layers are dense and dry and have much less almond flavor. The raspberry jam doesn’t add much here, it’s a very small amount and the so-called Belgian chocolate is like a cheap chocolate glaze on the outside. If this is the last stamp you need, we’d say go ahead because the layers that are good are quite tasty and it does make for a lovely photo finish. 3 Daughters Brewing Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Beer   (New)   Keel Farms Strawberry Shortcake Hard Cider   (New) Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stout with Coconut   (New) Boyd & Blair Espresso Martini Beer Flight  Return to menu ⬆ Pop Eats ©Disney Tomato Soup 👍 With pimento cheese, bacon, and fried green tomato grilled cheese  Channel your inner Andy Warhol and indulge in a comfort food classic - a can of tomato soup with a delicious grilled cheese. This one is a big upgrade from Campbell’s – it’s got a fresher flavor and a zippy tang – but it’s still served in an iconic can. The star of the show; however, is the amazing grilled cheese that is stuffed with bacon, pimento cheese and a fried green tomato. We always like this sandwich, but this year it tasted better than ever. We will definitely be coming back for seconds (and probably thirds). Tomato Soup 👍 With grilled cheese This is the same delightful soup as the version above, only served with a more kid-friendly standard grilled cheese. That said, unless you are vegetarian or a little kid, we'd strongly suggest option number one instead. This is a solid grilled cheese, but the bacon and the rich pimento cheese are just way better. Brooklyn Brewery Pulp Art Hazy IPA Bleu Spectrum: Blanc de Bleu Cuvée Mousseux With boba pearls  Martini Return to menu ⬆ Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company ©Disney Color Craze Latte + Donut 👍 Espresso, Swiss chocolate syrup, dark chocolate sauce, and milk complemented with a frosted donut and whipped cream and topped with M&M’S Milk Chocolate Minis (Non-alcoholic beverage) We tried this both hot and iced (though we haven't yet tried it with booze) and the cold version is definitely superior. It's basically a mocha with a donut on top, but it's a very good mocha and a delightfully fresh donut. Did we mention the whole thing has M&M's? While the iced version had a stronger coffee flavor, likely due to having less milk, both were very good and it's a pretty good value if you want to try a donut with your morning mocha. Color Craze Latte + Donut With Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur (New)   Return to menu ⬆ Be sure to bookmark this page on your phone for easy access during your Epcot visit. For more details about our top picks for things to see, do and eat at this year's festival, check out our new video:

If you've been looking for a Lightning Lane strategy guide for your next trip to Hollywood Studios, you'll definitely want to check out our latest video. We break down our latest tips, tricks and strategies for booking ALL the rides in this park without spending all day staring at your phone. Here are some of our best tips from the video: 1) Make your first Lightning Lane a show – and make it as soon as the park opens. Unless you have the good fortune to pre-book one of the top rides right at park open, we'd recommend that you consider starting with a show. As soon as you tap in, you are free to book another Lightning Lane (including another of those coveted Tier One attractions) and while you are sitting comfortably in your seat, you can take the time you'll need to book, modify and perfect your next Lightning Lane. You can also modify your other pre-booked rides to get the times improved. Best of all, you'll also get to enjoy a show with minimal crowds and lots of room to spread out. 2) Toy Story Mania and Tower of Terror are trickier to book than they seem. Don't let their Tier 2 classification fool you, these rides are very popular and since everyone can start their day with TWO Tier 2 attractions and only one Tier 1, these rides end up being surprisingly hard to grab – even later in the day. 3) Want to meet some characters? Try Hollywood & Vine. Now that character meet and greets are not included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you might want to consider a character dining experience like Hollywood & Vine to avoid the long standby queues. Another option is to meet roaming characters who don't typically have a formal queue like Chewbacca and The Mandalorian and Grogu in Galaxy's Edge. For more tips and more in-depth explanations, check out our Lightning Lane Strategy Guide for Hollywood Studios video and stay tuned for our final Lightning Lane strategy guide for Magic Kingdom!