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Heigh-ho, everybody! We are excited to announce an all-new format for our monthly Ear Scouts Jamboree in 2025 , including an in-person Jamboree here at Walt Disney World later this year. Each month, we host a live Zoom event for all of our Ear Scouts Patreon Members where we answer questions about park planning (or whatever else is on your mind) and have a fun and lively discussion of the latest Disney Parks news. This year, we'll be adding trivia games (with prizes!) and Patreon Family Feud. In January, we'll also have a special roundtable discussion about Disney Cruises. For Patreon members at the Minnie Scouts Tier, we are excited to announce that we will start having Live Q&A Special Events throughout the year and our very first topic will be Planning a Trip to Disney Parks Around the World: Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris & Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. Let us know in the comments what other topics you'd like to see us cover or watch our previous Live Q&A about Lightning Lane Multi Pass here . Also, members at the Minnie Scouts tier can watch the full Jamborees each month after they happen. Finally, we'll be planning an in-person Jamboree with lots of fun activities here at Walt Disney World later this year. Be sure to sign up for a free membership over at Patreon.com/earscouts to find out more about how you can join us at this first-ever event later in 2025. Until then, keep thinking happy thoughts everybody!

The full menu is here for the 2024 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays and we will be updating this post LIVE as we try this year's festival items and share our picks. Select a booth to jump to that section: Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow Favorites of Festivals Past Connections Café & Eatery Holiday Hearth Desserts Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen Shanghai Holiday Kitchen Refreshment Outpost Bavaria Holiday Kitchen Tuscany Holiday Kitchen American Holiday Table Funnel Cake Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen UK Beer Cart Canada Popcorn Cart Yukon Holiday Kitchen Refreshment Port Swirled Showcase Holiday Sweets & Treats Mele Kalikimaka Holiday Kitchen Nochebuena Cocina Chestnuts & Good Cheer Holiday Kitchen Sunshine Seasons Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company NEW! Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow 🍪 Spaceship Earth Tile Gingerbread Triangle (Naughty List) - $10.00 (New) These are exactly like the famous gingerbread shingles you can get at the Grand Floridian this time of year, and though they are extremely popular, we've always found them to be very dry and a bit bland. Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee - $4.00 (Non-alcoholic) Gingerbread Milk Shake (Naughty List) - $4.75 (Non-alcoholic) The gingerbread spices were a bit harsh and overpowering in this shake. It might be better with the whipped cream vodka, but by itself it was not one of our favorites. We'd recommend the Coquito shake at Connections or the frozen hot chocolate at Holiday Hearth if you're looking for a holiday frozen beverage. Gingerbread Milk Shake - $12.00 With whipped cream vodka Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. Gingerbread White Stout - $12.00 81Bay Brewing Co. Gingerbread Coffee Porter - $12.00 Return to menu ⬆ NEW! Favorites of Festivals Past Reuben Croquettes (Naughty List) - $6.00 With pastrami, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese with thousand island dipping sauce While the corned beef had a nice texture and was not too fatty (which was a must since the whole thing is deep fried), we found the filling of the croquettes was lacking flavor. The most prominent taste was the sauerkraut, but even that was mild as sauerkraut goes. We enjoyed the dipping sauce and the crispy fried coating, but that was about it. Brown Sugar and Mustard-glazed Ham Sliders (Nice List) - $6.00 With cranberry and apple coleslaw on a Hawaiian roll The ham was wonderfully smoky and basted with Dijon mustard, which is a classic combination. The slaw brings fresh sweet flavors with apples and berries adding crunch and a burst of tartness. Also, the bun was lightly grilled, which was a nice touch. Bauducco Panettone Holiday Trifle (Nice List) - $5.25 With eggnog custard and cranberry cherry compote While we were a bit split on this, Rob really loved it and Erick thought it was just okay. There's a lot going on here: winter spices, tart sweet cranberry and cherry and moist panettone. The custard tastes like a pumpkin spice pudding even though it is advertised as eggnog. The cherry and cranberry compote is very sweet with pops of tartness from the berries and the panettone at the base was moist, fresh and studded with candied fruit. The sugar coated cranberries on top are delightful and add a tart freshness to the dish. Southern Tier Brewing Co. Tiramisu Imperial Stout (Naughty List) - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) This one was a little too sweet for our taste. There was definitely a hint of amaretto and some coffee flavor in the finish, but it’s the sweetness kept us from loving it. Keel Farms Pecan Pie Hard Cider (Nice List)- $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) This one was refreshing and flavorful, if a little artificial tasting. The base is sparkling apple cider, but then there’s a bready, nutty flavor that tastes almost like an extract of some kind. Overall, we really liked this one. Point Snow Pilot Pistachio Nut Brown Ale (Nice List) - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) There's definitely a little nuttiness in the flavor, though we wouldn't have guessed pistachio if it weren't right there in the name. This is the most traditional beer flavor of the bunch - a nice mellow ale with just a hint of bitterness. Beer Flight (Nice List) - $10.25 Return to menu ⬆ Connections Café & Eatery 🍪 Holiday Sugar Cookie (Naughty List) - $4.29 This is the only item from the cafe side (which is essentially Starbucks). We went back and forth on whether this belonged on the nice or naughty list. It's a fairly basic sugar cookie, but it was freshly prepared. It was actually a bit warm, which was a lovely surprise. The center was soft, the outer edges were a bit crispy and the cookie had a hint of lemon flavor. All that said, it's not a particularly remarkable cookie but there's also not a lot you can do with a sugar cookie. Holiday Sweater Liege Waffle (Nice List) - $4.49 Chocolate-coated brioche waffle with a flurry of blizzard themed sprinkles and white chocolate garnish We always enjoy the liege waffles at Connections Eatery. They are served individually wrapped, so they are a great grab-and-go item to take back to your hotel for breakfast. The waffle was rich and sweet with a touch of cinnamon and the sprinkles added a nice crunch. Coquito Milk Shake - $7.49 (Non-alcoholic) French vanilla gelato, cream of coconut, nutmeg, and cinnamon (Non-alcoholic beverage) (Spirited version available with Bacardí Superior Rum) Coquito Milk Shake (Naughty List) - $15.50 With Bacardí Superior Rum We loved this last year, but this year it was so sweet, we couldn't even finish it. A good coquito is boozy, which balances the sweetness but we could barely detect the rum this year. Return to menu ⬆ Holiday Hearth Desserts Red Velvet Mini Bundt Cake (Naughty List) - $5.00 With cream cheese icing The red velvet cake is perfectly fine: it's moist and red and has a flavor vaguely reminiscent of chocolate. The problem is the icing. A great red velvet cake is all about the cream cheese frosting and there just isn't enough of it. There's a dollop in the center and the rest is a simple sugar icing that doesn't add much beyond lots of sweetness. It is cute, though - especially with the sugar snowman on top. Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie (Nice List) - $5.50 This cookie got a massive upgrade last year and it is delicious again this year. There are two types of cookies: a darker cookie with a hint of cocoa on the bottom and a super delicate sugar cookie on top. In between is a layer of rich dulce de leche and the sugar crystal topping adds crunch and makes for a lovely cookie. Plus, it's shaped like Spaceship Earth, so what's not to love? Mouse Crunch (Naughty List) - $6.50 Made with Red & Green M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies While this is a great grab-and-go snack item to take back to the hotel, there are much more interesting options at this booth, let alone the rest of the festival. This one reminds us of a snack mix your neighbor might have whipped up before a casual holiday get-together. The caramel corn tasted fresh and the chocolate covered pretzels were above average, but at the end of the day these are all grocery store items you could easily throw together yourself when you get back home. Mint Chocolate Mousse Wreath (Nice List) - $5.25 While this definitely needs more chocolate, it's still a delicious holiday treat that is vaguely reminiscent of Andes mints. The mousse is light and minty with some small shavings of chocolate sprinkled here and there. The whole thing is very cute and if there was twice as much chocolate, it would be a home run. As it is, we'd say it's a solid base hit for mint lovers. Apple Caramel Crumb Cake (Nice List) - $5.00 If you've always said the crust and the crumb topping is the best part of apple pie, this dessert is for you. It's sort of like an apple tart and a coffee cake were melded together and while it is good, it would need a bit more apple to be great. The caramel drizzle is a nice touch, but what we'd really like on top is a scoop of ice cream. Chocolate-covered Toffee Brittle (Nice List) - $4.50 Much like the Mouse Crunch, this is more of a grab-and-go snack item, though we like this one more because it has a homemade flavor that would be harder to replicate with off-the-shelf ingredients. If you're looking for a sweet snack for later and you enjoy your toffee on the chewy side, this is a good pick. Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee - $4.00 (Non-alcoholic) Frozen Caramel Hot Cocoa (Nice List) - $5.25 Hot cocoa with whipped cream and TWIX cookie bar pieces (Non-alcoholic) We always enjoy frozen hot chocolate. While it sounds like it would just be a chocolate milkshake, somehow it has that distinctive hot cocoa flavor...only iced. The Twix on top adds some nice texture. Plus, who doesn't love a little Twix? Wicked Weed Brewing Jack Frost IPA - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) BrewDog Winter Staycation Pecan & Toffee Stout - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Wicked Weed Brewing Milk & Cookies Imperial Milk Stout - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Cocoa Candy Cane - $12.50 Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee with Peppermint Schnapps Beer Flight - $10.25 Return to menu ⬆ Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen Empanada de Pollo (Nice List) - $8.00 Fried corn tortilla filled with chipotle chicken and potatoes topped with chile rojo salsa, crema Mexicana, and queso fresco (New) This tasted like something you would find on the streets of Mexico City. The masa shell had lots of flavor and the chipotle chicken inside was creamy with lots of flavor. We also enjoyed the salsa, which was mildly spiced but flavorful. Tamal de Puerco con Mole (Naughty List) - $9.00 Shredded pork in corn masa topped with mole negro, queso fresco, crema Mexicana, slivered almonds, and sesame seeds (New) We really wanted to like this one because it looked so beautiful. Plus, we are suckers for a great mole. Unfortunately, the tamal was extremely dry, as was the shredded pork inside. The mole was somewhat bitter, though we did enjoy the added crunch from the almonds. Maybe we just got a bad batch, but we wouldn't likely try this one again to find out. Dulce de Leche Churro (Naughty List) - $6.50 Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar This tasted like a day-old convenience store churro, though Erick says he thinks convenience stores churros are better. The dulce de leche center was also very disappointing. There was a fair amount of filling inside but it was blandly sweet and tasted like it was made with canned evaporated milk rather than fresh cream. Holiday Margarita (Nice List) - $14.00 Dos Hombres Mezcal, tequila, cranberry lime juice, allspice and orange blackcurrant liqueurs (New) This delightfully smoky margarita tasted like a holiday cranberry punch spiked with mezcal. We loved that it wasn't overly sweet and will definitely order this one again before the festival ends. Coconut Guavarita - $13.50 Tromba Blanco Tequila, coconut water, guava cream, hint of lime rum, and orange liqueur with a toasted coconut rim (New) Holiday Cerveza $7.00 (6 oz), $13.00 (12 oz) Mexican Artisanal Craft Lager with black currant liqueur Return to menu ⬆ Shanghai Holiday Kitchen XO Fried Rice (Nice List) - $9.75 Chinese sausage, onion, green onion, mushroom, egg, and house-made Hong Kong XO Chili Sauce (New) While Rob didn’t enjoy this dish at all, Erick really loved it so we’re putting it on the nice list. The rice is a bit chewy and crunchy and there is a distinct fishiness to the flavor - all of which Rob found off putting and Erick loved. If you try this, you’ll have to let us know in the comments which one of us you agree with. Beef Noodle Soup Bowl (Naughty List) - $9.50 With slow-braised beef shank, green onion, and house-made chili oil It’s not often that one can quote Ralph Wiggum in a food review, but there’s no better way to describe the broth of these noodles than “it tastes like burning.” It really has no discernible flavor beyond being very spicy. It’s not salty or meaty or even flavored like whatever chilis were used to make it so spicy. It just tastes like burning. The noodles are overcooked to the point of mushiness and the meat is rather fatty. On the plus side, it’s a whole lot of food. Vegetable Spring Rolls (Naughty List) - $6.00 With citrus sauce The China pavilion always phones in their dumplings and spring rolls. They always taste  like they came straight from the freezers as Costco. They’re not terrible, just terribly basic and likely not even as good as the ones at your neighborhood Chinese restaurant back home. Taro Bubble Milk Tea (Nice List) - $8.75 Green tea and boba (New) (Non-alcoholic) We were shocked by the size of this Taro Boba Tea. It was larger than any beverage we have gotten at any festival and would probably be classified as a medium drink at your favorite fast food spot. The taro flavor was good, if a bit too sweet for our taste. We were split on the boba pearls - they are the chewy tapioca kind, not the ones that burst open with flavors like you find in the Japan booth this year. As long as you are good with a super sweet and creamy tea, this is a great value. Brew Hub Year of the Dragon - $5.75 (6 oz), $10.00 (12 oz) Dragon Fruit Lager Butterfly Lantern - $14.75 Butterfly pea blossom gin, vodka, prickly pear, lychee syrup, soda water, and white boba Lychee Martini - $14.50 Vodka, lychee syrup, and vermouth (New) Peach of Longevity - $14.00 Peach Schnapps, citrus vodka, piña colada mix, and orange juice (New) Return to menu ⬆ Refreshment Outpost Peanut Stew (Naughty List) - $5.25 With sweet potatoes, mustard greens, and roasted peanuts (Plant-based) While we love spicy foods, this was just too spicy for us and we didn’t love the strong peanut butter flavor. This had more of a jarred peanut butter flavor than an Asian peanut sauce flavor, which was odd for us as the basis of a spicy stew. It’s a hearty meal with lots of rice and potatoes, but we didn’t enjoy this enough to finish it after the spice level got so intense that it was making our noses run. DOLE Whip Raspberry (Naughty List) - $6.50 (Plant-based) Most DOLE Whip has a flavor similar to fruit juice, but this one tastes more like candy. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, there are definitely more unique options available at the festival as you can find this at various spots throughout the year at Walt Disney World. Ciderboys Caramel Apple Hard Cider - $12.00 81Bay Brewing Co. Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Wheat Ale - $12.00 Pineapple-orange-guava juice, coconut soft-serve, and a spiced pineapple tree pop Crooked Can Brewing Company Crème Brûlée Lager - $12.00 Return to menu ⬆ Bavaria Holiday Kitchen Cheese Fondue (Nice List) - $8.50 In a bread bowl with steamed baby vegetables and marble potatoes This is a favorite year-after-year and while ours wasn't quite as freshly prepared as usual, it was still delicious. The fondue itself is cheesy, creamy and very salty with a distinct gruyere flavor. The bread bowl was a bit dry and chewy this year, likely due to being less freshly baked than normal. The new potatoes are soft and pair perfectly with the cheese and the al dente zucchini and carrot add a healthier dipping option with a welcome crunch. Pork Schnitzel (Nice List) - $6.75 With mushroom sauce, spätzle, and braised red cabbage The star of the show here is the mushroom sauce - it's bursting with roasted mushroom flavor. The schnitzel itself was a tad bit overcooked, but still tasty and the spätzle adds some buttery, eggy noodles to complete this comfort food classic. Finally, there's the braised cabbage, which adds some sweetness and a touch of holiday spices along with a little crunch. 🍪 Hazelnut Linzer Cookie (Nice List) - $3.25 This is pretty much always our favorite cookie on the stroll. While most of the cookies are fairly standard-issue, this one is special. The hazelnut cookie is light, delicate and not overly sweet, while the berry jam in the center and the powdered sugar on the top bring the sweetness. This is a must-try and definitely belongs on your list if you're doing the Cookie Stroll. Possmann Pure Hard Cider - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) von Trapp Brewing Trösten Smoked Dark Lager - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Köstritzer Schwarzbier - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Regional Riesling - $6.75 Glühwein (Nice List) - $9.50 House-made hot spiced wine (Served warm) We've gone back and forth on this mulled wine over the past few years. First, we loved it, then we thought it tasted very odd and medicinal last year. This year we are pleased to report that it is back to being a delightfully warming holiday beverage that is filled with the flavors of Christmas: cinnamon, spice and everything nice. Beer Flight - $10.25 Return to menu ⬆ Tuscany Holiday Kitchen Montanara (Naughty List) - $9.00 Fried house-made pizza dough with pomodoro sauce, parmesan, and fresh basil This one isn't terrible, but none of the components are all that remarkable, either. The pizza dough starts our crispy on the outside and very chewy on the inside, but the pomodoro makes it a bit gummy. The sauce and parmesan taste like they could have come from a supermarket shelf, so we'd say you could skip this one unless you're really hankering for some chewy fried dough. Dolce Pizza (Naughty List) - $7.50 Fried house-made pizza dough with sugar and cinnamon This is the exact same fried dough as the Montanara, only here it is coated with cinnamon and sugar like a churro. It's like a churro and a chewy pizza crust had a baby and the problem is, we wish we were just eating a good churro with its superior texture and flavor. Panettone (Nice List) - $7.00 Panettone bread pudding and vanilla cream (New) Italy often stumbles with their main dishes, but then knocks dessert out of the park and that was the case again this year. The pannetone is on the dense and chewy side, which helps it to hold up under the generous layer of rich vanilla cream. Best of all, there are lots of candied fruits throughout that bring a fruitcake vibe, but this is way better than your average fruitcake. Bombardino Freddo (Nice List) - $16.00 Creamy eggnog and Italian brandy This is a lighter eggnog than most with just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. The brandy is well balanced with the egg nog so that it enhances the flavor of the drink rather than overpowering it. Prosecco - $11.75 Moscato - $12.00 Chianti - $11.00 Italian Red Sangria - $12.00 Italian-inspired Margarita - $12.00 Tequila, triple sec, and limoncello Peroni Pilsner - $6.50 (6 oz), $11.00 (12 oz) Return to menu ⬆ American Holiday Table Slow-roasted Turkey (Nice List) - $6.25 With stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce If you're ready for Christmas dinner, this is the perfect miniature version. The turkey is juicy and brined to salty perfection. We also loved the savory and moist stuffing and the cranberry sauce brightened up the heavier flavors. The mashed potatoes were simple, but tasted freshly made and the green beans were cooked southern style (which means soft and salty to folks from other parts of the world). Blackened Catfish (Nice List) - $6.75 With Hoppin’ John and Comeback Sauce While the turkey is like a lovely Christmas dinner, this one brings the traditional flavors of the new years celebration here in the south. Even Rob enjoyed this one despite his aversion to fish. The catfish has a very mild flavor that plays second fiddle to the spicy "comeback sauce," which is similar to a spicy remoulade sauce. The hoppin' john is well seasoned with pork and there's collard greens mixed in for some extra good luck in the new year. 🍪 SNICKERS-Doodle Cookie (Naughty List) - $3.25 Made with SNICKERS bar pieces For starters, this is NOT a snickerdoodle. We get that they are going for a play on words with "Snickers," but this is closer to a peanut butter cookie than a snickerdoodle, which is typically a cinnamon-flavored treat. What's even more odd is that it doesn't taste much like a Snickers bar either, though there is a light sprinkling candy bar bits on top along with a chocolate drizzle. Overall, this is simliar to a supermarket bakery cookie and not a highlight of the Cookie Stroll. Crooked Can Brewing Company Bah HOPbug IPA (Nice List) - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Hoppy and bright, this is an easy-drinking IPA and is lighter than the other offerings, which are all from local Florida breweries. We get notes of citrus and a flavor that reminded us of a Christmas tree. 3 Daughters Brewing Eggnog White Porter (Nice List)  - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) While we didn't get a strong eggnog flavor, there was a nice sweetness that balanced out the naturally bitter flavor of the porter. Playalinda Brewing Co. Peppermint Chocolate Stout (Nice List)  - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Who knew peppermint and beer was such a delicious combination? Stouts can be a bit heavy and naturally have a bit of a chocolate note, but the peppermint brings a lighter, fresher flavor that makes this one of our favorite holiday brews. Beer Flight (Nice List) - $10.25 Return to menu ⬆ Funnel Cake Gingerbread Funnel Cake (Nice List) - $12.00 Vanilla ice cream, gingerbread crumbs, whipped cream, and red and green sprinkles (New) This is simple and delightful. The funnel cake itself has a mild gingerbread flavor that pairs beautifully with the ice cream and whipped cream. Though the festival funnel cakes are often much more elaborate, we really enjoyed this classic flavor combo and it was served hot and fresh like always. Return to menu ⬆ Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen Sushi Tree Roll (Nice List) - $7.50 Christmas tree-shaped sushi roll with krab meat and cream cheese topped with ikura salmon roe and spicy mayo Erick looks forward to this adorable treat every year and he thought this year's version was the best one yet. Everything tasted very fresh and the rich crab and cream cheese core made this taste like a decadent holiday treat. We love the little caviar ornaments and the star made from a carrot slice. The "garland" of spicy mayo adds a little extra richness and a subtly spicy kick. Toshikoshi Soba (Nice List) - $8.50 Buckwheat soba noodle in hot dashi (fish-based) soup topped with shrimp tempura and chopped green onion This soup was warm and comforting and loaded with hearty buckwheat noodles. Although the broth is advertised as being fish-based, it did not have a fishy flavor. The shrimp on top was crisp and freshly fried, though the shrimp itself was likely frozen. Mochi Donut Wrap (Nice List) - $6.50 A soft, chewy fusion pastry served with strawberry, whipped cream, strawberry sauce, and sweet red beans wrapped with “gyuhi” rice cake sheet (New) We liked this, but didn't love it. The weak link here is the donut, which is chewy as described in the menu, but also a bit bland. Our favorite parts were the strawberry sauce and sweet red beans and the mochi layer, which had a wonderfully soft and gooey texture. Ichigo Boba (Nice List) - $7.00 Cranberry and yuzu cream drink with calpico and popping strawberry boba pearls (Non-alcoholic) This sweet, tart and refreshing drink reminded us of candy. The yuzu cream adds a touch of milkiness, but the overall flavor is similar to Sweetarts candy. The strawberry boba pearls add fun pops of strawberry to the mix. Japanese Punch - $8.25 Shochu, plum wine, cranberry, and lemon juice Chocolate Nigori - $10.00 Creamy texture of Nigori Sake and rich sweetness and gentle bitterness from chocolate (New) Sapporo Premium Black Beer - $5.50 (6 oz), $9.50 (12 oz) Return to menu ⬆ Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina Grilled Chermoula Chicken Kebabs (Nice List) - $6.25 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 Kebabs (Nice List) - $6.25 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 (Nice List) - $5.00 With 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. Ciderboys Cranberry Razz Hard Cider - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) (New) Bold Rock Apple Crumble Hard Cider - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Gulf Stream Brewing Holiday Snakebite - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Holiday Fig Cocktail (Nice List) - $11.50 Kleiner Feigling fig liqueur and white cranberry juice This one reminds us of a holiday punch made with cranberry juice cocktail. You can taste some holiday spices and just a hint of the fig liqueur, but it is subtle. Hard Cider Flight - $10.25 Return to menu ⬆ L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen Pastrami on Rye (Naughty List) - $6.00 With house-made pickles and deli mustard This sandwich needs a little something. The pastrami is on the fatty side and the bread is a bit dry. The mustard isn't enough to gussy this one up. We'd much rather see a reuben on the menu instead, but if you like plain pastrami on rye with a dash of mustard, you may enjoy this one. We did not, unfortunately. The pickle is good, though. Smoked Salmon Potato Latkes (Nice List) - $6.25 The latke is perfectly seasoned (more on that below) and the salmon is pleasantly smoky without a strong fishy flavor. While we actually preferred the latkes without the salmon, this is still quite good if you'd like a little smoky fish with your fried potatoes. Potato Latkes (Nice List) - $4.75 (Plant-based) We really loved this comfort food classic - it was our favorite treat at the booth. The potatoes are well seasoned and fried to crispy perfection. The creamy sauce had just enough dill to add some freshness, but not so much that it overpowered the other flavors. Rugelach (Nice List) - $4.25 Pastry filled with raspberry jam, walnuts, and cinnamon Although our rugelach had almost no raspberry jam, we enjoyed the cinnamon walnut filling - it tasted similar to baklava. The flaky pastry tasted fresher than in previous years. 🍪 Black and White Cookie (Nice List) - $3.25 (Plant-based) This is much improved over the one we reviewed last year, which was very stale and dry with an odd lemon flavor. This year, it tasted like the classic we are used to with a cakelike cookie and good chocolate in the glaze on the black half. If you love traditional Black and White cookies (or have never tried one), put this on your cookie stroll list. Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) (New) Frozen New York Whiskey Sour - $12.50 Manifest Whiskey and Manischewitz Blackberry Wine Return to menu ⬆ Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen Crème De Saumon Fumé en Brioche aux Grains de Sesames, Concombre Et Radis (Naughty List) - $8.75 Smoked salmon spread on a sesame brioche roll with cucumber and radishes The biggest problem with this sandwich is that the entire thing is prepared and then chilled. Not only does it lead to the roll getting dried out, it gives the whole thing a convenience store sandwich vibe. This was also the fishiest tasting salmon at the festival. Rôti de Jambon Sauce Moutarde à l’Ancienne, Pommes Darphin (Naughty List) - $7.95 Roasted ham with mushrooms, pearl onions, bacon, white wine mustard sauce, and darphin roasted herb potatoes (New) This dish is overwhelmingly salty. The problem may have been that ours had almost no potatoes, which would have cut the salt a bit. There was a lot of ham and lots of onions, both of which were heavily seasoned. Although the menu described the sauce as mustard-based, it didn’t have a strong mustard flavor which would have been a welcome addition. Bûche de Noël au Chocolat et Caramel (Nice List) - $6.95 Chocolate fudge Christmas log with a caramel cream center (New) This is the best chocolate dessert of the festival. While last year’s Bûche de Noël was a crime against French log-shaped desserts everywhere (it wasn’t even log shaped - you can imagine the horror), this one is a triumph. The cake is moist, the chocolate in the ganache is very high quality and the creamy caramel center is very mildly flavored, which is the perfect counterpoint to the richness of the dark chocolate flavors that surround it. For chocoholics, this is a no-brainer: put it on your must-try list. Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini - $13.95 Vodka, chocolate milk, and whipped cream Spiced Cranberry Punch - $9.95 Pol Rémy Sparkling Wine, cranberry juice, orange juice, and spiced brown sugar (New) Chateau Haut Beaumard Cabernet Sauvignon - $5.95 (New) Return to menu ⬆ UK Beer Cart Frozen Chocolate Orange Cocktail (Naughty List) - $16.50 Hot chocolate, orange syrup, and blood orange liqueur This one tastes like a perfectly delightful chocolate shake was mixed with Triaminic cough medicine. The orange flavor is not only super fake, it tastes like something that belongs in your medicine cabinet rather than the cocktail shelf. Return to menu ⬆ Canada Popcorn Cart Canadian Hot Toddy (Naughty List) - $10.00 Maple syrup, honey, black tea, lemon juice, cinnamon, and Tap 357 Canadian Maple Rye Whisky served warm We really wanted to like this one because we are big fans of hot, boozy drinks. Unfortunately, the combination of honey and maple made this too cloyingly sweet for our taste. It is VERY boozy, so if you're looking for a strong whiskey drink and don't mind it being overly sweet, you might enjoy this. Not for us, though. Return to menu ⬆ Yukon Holiday Kitchen Seared Salmon (Nice List) - $7.25 with butternut squash purée, maple-bourbon glaze, and fennel-arugula salad Yukon Holiday Kitchen boasts two of our favorite dishes of the whole festival. While Rob's is the Beef Bourguignon, this salmon dish was Erick's. He thought the salmon was fresh and perfectly prepared, but it was the combination with the rich squash puree, the sweet glaze and the crunchy and fresh salad that made it one of his favorites. He especially liked the bits of pear in the salad, which brought an extra touch of sweetness. Beef Bourguignon (Nice List) - $7.00 with crushed potatoes This beef Bourguignon is perfection. The beef is fall-apart tender and the gravy has rich beefy flavors accentuated with mushroom and black pepper. The mashed potatoes are chunky and buttery. Put it all together and it is exactly what we want for the holidays: hearty, comforting and delicious. 🍪 Peppermint Pinwheel Cookie (Naughty List) - $3.25 This crunchy cookie is a tiny bit buttery, but the main flavor is the peppermint extract, which ends up overwhelming everything else. It's very cute and very minty, but we wish the flavors were more balanced. Frozen Joffrey’s Coffee - $4.75 (Non-alcoholic beverage) 81Bay Brewing Co. Peanut Butter Banana Porter - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Playalinda Brewing Co. Maple Cookie Blonde Ale - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Collective Arts Coffee Maple Porter - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Frozen Joffrey’s Coffee with Tap 357 Canadian Maple Rye Whisky (Nice List) - $12.50 Who knew the addition of Maple Rye Whiskey would make Joffrey's frozen coffee into such a wonderfully complex drink. In addition to the maple, we tasted notes of chocolate and caramel and the coffee flavor was bold and strong. While we wish it was a bit bigger, it was a delicious way to get your daily allowance of caffeine. Beer Flight - $10.25 Return to menu ⬆ Refreshment Port Turkey Poutine (Nice List) - $9.50 Sweet potato fries with turkey gravy, cranberry relish, and crispy onions Do you think Thanksgiving dinner would be better in French fry form? Then I have a treat for you. The sweet potato fries are the perfect choice to balance the salty turkey, gravy, cheese curds and fried onions. Plus, it brings that classic sweet potato casserole vibe to the mix. The dash of cranberry sauce on top adds a little sour sweetness that plays well with all the salty richness of everything under it. Keel Farms Pumpkin Hard Cider - $12.00 Pasek Cellars Cranberry Wine - $7.50 Return to menu ⬆ Swirled Showcase Holiday Mickey-shaped Liquid Nitrogen Pop (Nice List) - $4.75 Chocolate cake dipped in ganache made with Red & Green M&M’S Milk Chocolate Minis We always enjoy the liquid nitrogen treats at Swirled Showcase and they are also fun to watch being made. This one is perfect for chocolate lovers. It tastes like a chewy brownie dipped in chocolate and covered in M&Ms. Plus, it's very cute. Soft-serve in a Cone: Vanilla - $6.50 Apple-cinnamon - $6.50 Dark chocolate - $6.50 Floats - $6.75 Barq’s Red Crème Soda or Barq’s Root Beer with Vanilla Soft-serve (Non-alcoholic) Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. Bourbonola and Cherry Cola - $12.00 Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. Bourbonola Float - $12.50 With dark chocolate soft-serve Fireball Cinnamon Whisky and Barq’s Red Crème Soda Float - $12.50 With apple cinnamon soft-serve Coffee Float - $12.50 Dark chocolate soft-serve with iced coffee and choice of Mozart Liqueur Return to menu ⬆ Holiday Sweets & Treats Peppermint Sundae (Nice List) - $6.50 Chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, and peppermint candy It's not that this is bad, it's just boring. The soft serve is much better next door at Swirled Showcase - this one tastes like a Wendy's Frosty and comes topped with canned whipped cream and some crushed up candy cane. Since you could easily get something like this at just about any soft serve shop (though you might need to BYOCC), we'd say skip this one, but it's not bad so we'll allow it to stay on the nice list. Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee - $4.00 (Non-alcoholic beverage) Chocolate Peppermint Shake - $4.75 With Twinings Peppermint Cheer Tea (Non-alcoholic) Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee - $12.50 With Choice of Liqueur: Baileys Original Irish Cream Hot Cocoa with Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream - $15.50 or Grand Mariner Chocolate Peppermint Shake - $12.00 Twinings Peppermint Cheer Tea and whipped cream vodka Deschutes Brewery Jubelale - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) (New) Southern Tier Brewing Co. 2XMAS Ale - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Wicked Weed Brewing Hop Cocoa Porter - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Beer Flight - $10.25 Return to menu ⬆ Mele Kalikimaka Holiday Kitchen Kālua Pork (Nice List) - $6.00 With Okinawa sweet potatoes and mango salad  This has been one of our favorites in years past, and while we still liked it this year, it's gone a bit downhill. The Kālua pork is still tender, juicy and delicious and it is well paired with the sweet mango salsa. Unfortunately, the Okinawa sweet potato is on the bland side this year and it used to be infused with a Ruch coconut oil flavor that was our favorite part of the dish. It's still good and hopefully we just caught it on an off day. Lomi Lomi Salmon (Nice List) - $6.50 With tomatoes, onions, salmon roe, yuzu-mayonnaise, and yuca chips  The flavors here are bright, citrusy and fresh. The chips add a nice crunch and the yuzu mayonnaise adds some richness. Erick loved how fresh the salmon tasted and said the dish reminded him of a Mexican ceviche. 🍪 Coffee Mocha Cookie (Naughty List) - $3.25 Topped with coffee-infused buttercream, cocoa nibs, and chocolate-covered espresso beans (New) We love the flavor of the cookie itself, but it's very dry. While the buttercream helps, it tastes like frosting mixed with instant coffee, which - to be fair - is probably exactly what it is. More chocolate would have helped to mask the instant coffee flavor. While it wasn't terrible, it wasn't a favorite of this year's cookie stroll. Melon Breeze - $14.00 DOLE Pineapple Juice, lime juice, melon liqueur, and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum The Bruery 5 Golden Rings - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) (New) Florida Orange Groves Winery Pineapple Sparkling Wine - $12.50 Return to menu ⬆ Nochebuena Cocina Plant-based Chorizo Tamal with cotija and spicy red chile sauce (Nice List) - $5.50 (Plant-based) This returning tamal was one of our favorites last year and we loved it again this year. If you didn't know it was plant-based, you probably wouldn't guess it. Our favorite is the zippy, slightly spicy sauce on top. Our only gripe this year was that the masa was a bit undercooked, but it was still delicious. Pastelón (Nice List) - $5.75 Sofrito-marinated beef with sweet plantains and olives We were prepared to not like this because it looked like it had been sitting under a heat lamp since Halloween, but it surprised us. Even though it clearly wasn't fresh, it was still delicious. The first flavor is the sweetness of the plantain, followed by the richly seasoned ground beef and olives. Salty, sweet, a little spice and a little briny from the olives, this has all of our favorite flavor combos. 🍪 Cinnamon-spiced Chocolate Crinkle Cookie (Nice List) - $3.25 We love how soft and chewy the center of this cookie was this year. The cinnamon is very subtle and the chocolate is more of a cocoa powder flavor. While we wish it had more actual chocolate flavor, we still enjoyed it with our morning cup of coffee. Ponche Navideño (Nice List) - $4.00 Christmas punch with apple, pears, guava, oranges, dried hibiscus, brown sugar, tamarind, cinnamon sticks, and cloves served warm (Non-alcoholic beverage) Left Hand Brewing Co. Mexican Hot Chocolate Milk Stout - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) (New) If you've never had ponche, it is quite similar to apple cider, though it tends to be a bit sweeter and takes on the flavors of the other fruits that are added in - in this case, orange and pear were the most prominent. There's a little cinnamon and the whole thing is sweetened with sugar cane which makes it sweet, but not cloying like a punch made with granulated white sugar. Return to menu ⬆ Chestnuts & Good Cheer Holiday Kitchen Cinnamon-glazed Almonds (Nice List) - $6.00 These are the same cinnamon-sugar coated nuts that are served warm all-year-round in the parks, though you are typically limited to almonds so it is a nice treat to have pecans and cashews added to the mix. We eat these all the time in the parks and they are definitely among our favorite Disney World treats, though we think we like the pecans best of all. Cinnamon-glazed Cashews (Nice List) - $6.00 See review for almonds above. Cinnamon-glazed Pecans (Nice List) - $6.00 See review for almonds above. Fire-roasted Chestnuts (Nice List) - $6.25 The main event at Chestnuts & Good Cheer is - of course - chestnuts roasting on an open fire. You can see them roasting these fresh to order and they are delicious this year. They are coated with a buttery cinnamon, salt and sugar coating, so you'll want to give them a taste before you even crack the shell. Inside you're rewarded with a warm, soft and subtly sweet nut that tastes like Christmas. Eggnog - $4.00 (Non-alcoholic beverage) Eggnog with Cordial (Nice List) - $11.50 With choice of cordial: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Mozart Chocolate Liqueur, or Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey It never occurred to us to add chocolate to eggnog, but we should have known this would be delicious because chocolate makes pretty much everything delicious. The eggnog is thick and rich and would hold up well to any of the liqueurs on offer, but we can vouch for the Mozart chocolate. It's like a cocktail mashup of chocolate milk and eggnog and it's as good as it sounds. Southern Tier Brewing Co. Chestnut Praline Imperial Ale - $5.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (12 oz) Return to menu ⬆ Sunshine Seasons 🍪 Peanut Butter Cookie Made with Red & Green M&M’S Milk Chocolate Minis Return to menu ⬆ Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company Merry Mint Cookie Latte (Nice List) - $6.49 A festive blend of espresso, toasted marshmallow syrup, peppermint syrup, dark chocolate sauce, and milk topped with peppermint whipped cream and chocolate cookie crumbs (Non-alcoholic) (New) Since this was pictured as an iced coffee drink, we went with that - but we think it would be even better hot. The mint in this one is not as harsh as the traditional peppermint mocha – it's more like a butter mint flavor. There are even little meltaway butter mint candies mixed in. We'll definitely be getting this again (and trying it hot). Spirited Merry Mint Cookie Latte (Nice List) - $14.99 with Baileys Original Irish Cream This version is smaller than the non-alcoholic variety. We tried ours hot, though it wasn't as hot as a normal latte since the Bailey's cools it off a bit. The main difference in flavor aside from the taste of the Irish Cream is that is makes the drink noticeably sweeter. If you prefer your coffee less sweet, you may want to stick to the original (though that version is pretty sweet, too). Return to menu ⬆ We'll have a brand new video coming soon all about this year's Festival of the Holidays, but you can watch our video from last year right now, including our full reviews of some of these food items:

Disney has announced all of the special holiday treats that will be available at Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and we're already making our must-try list and checking it twice. We've included our reviews of things we tried last year and we'll be updating this post as we try things this year, so bookmark this page! Main Street Bakery Letter To Santa (Nice List) Flourless chocolate cake, hot cocoa mousse, and marshmallow topped with chocolate pieces (Party Only) We tried this treat last year and loved it. Not only was it tasty, it was the most adorable treat at the party. The flourless cake was dense and rich and the mousse wasn't simply chocolate - it truly tasted like hot cocoa. This one is indulgent and fun and deserving of a spot on your Disney holiday vacation Instagram feed. Mickey-shaped Cinnamon Roll (Naughty List) with holiday-themed icing (All Day) This is the same cinnamon roll you can get all year at Main Street Bakery. On the plus side, it's huge. On the downside, it's a pretty basic cinnamon roll that is often a bit dry and we don't find the addition of some sprinkles to be enough incentive to put this on our list above other items that are truly unique to the season. Plaza Ice Cream Parlor Gingerbread Milk Shake (Nice List) Vanilla ice cream, gingerbread syrup, and ginger snap crumbles topped with whipped cream and a chocolate piece (New) (Party Only) The gingerbread flavor was very mild, but just enough to bring some holiday cheer to what is otherwise a great vanilla milkshake. The gingersnap crumbles sink into the shake and add some delightfully crunchy surprises as you sip. The decorative gingerbread man on top is made from milk chocolate and is pretty decent quality for a decorative element. Peppermint Brownie Sundae (Nice List) House-baked brownie topped with peppermint ice cream, hot fudge, and chocolate granola with candy cane pieces (All Day) We loved this treat last year, mainly because the peppermint ice cream is so good. It was surprisingly creamy and rich, which we didn't expect from something peppermint flavored. The brownie was the same as you get on brownie sundaes around the parks, though it was very fresh and a little on the fudgy/chewy side, which is our favorite kind of brownie. Peppermint Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich Peppermint ice cream sandwiched between two oatmeal-peppermint chip cookies and rolled in candy cane pieces (Party Only) The Plaza Restaurant Gingerbread Milk Shake (Nice List) Vanilla ice cream, gingerbread syrup, and ginger snap crumbles topped with whipped cream and a chocolate piece (New) (All Day) Find our full review above in Plaza Ice Cream Parlor section. S’mores Cake (Nice List) Chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, toasted marshmallow mousse, and sugar snowflakes (New) (All Day) Flavorwise, the chocolate cake itself is a fairly standard-issue devil's food cake, but it is moist and fluffy. The stars of the show are the layers of ganache and marshmallow mousse. The ganache has a rich chocolate flavor that pairs beautifully with the marshmallow mousse, which really does taste a bit like toasted marshmallow. While we missed the graham cracker (not sure how you can call this "s'mores" without graham cracker), it is still a lovely treat if you're craving a solid slice of chocolate cake. Casey’s Corner Holiday Dinner Hot Dog (Naughty List) All-beef hot dog with turkey and gravy, fried onions, and cranberry sauce (New) (Party Only) It's surprising how a hot dog with so many toppings could be seriously lacking in the flavor department. The gravy, turkey and fried onions were crying out for some kind of seasoning. Perhaps Disney was concerned about making things too salty since the hot dog is a sodium bomb in itself, but salt is what brings out the flavor in trurkey, gravy and even fried onions. The cranberry sauce was very sweet, but not terribly tart. The best part of this was the hot dog itself, but you can get that at Casey's Corner all year long. Holiday Dinner Loaded French Fries (Naughty List) French fries with turkey and gravy, fried onions, and cranberry sauce (New) (Party Only) This had the same problem as the hot dog, which is unsurprising since it features the same underwhelming toppings. If you're in the mood for some festive fries that are exclusive to the party, we'd recommend the delicious Carne Asada version over at Pecos Bill. Candy Cane Tart (Nice List) Chocolate tart filled with peppermint ganache topped with festive meringue (Party Only) How you feel about this dessert will depend entirely on whether you enjoy the combination of peppermint and chocolate. If the Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks is your go-to holiday beverage, you'll love this treat. As with the tart at Pecos Bill, this one features a dense, super-chocolatey base with a crips crust that is topped with a light and pillowy topping, but this topping is infused with peppermint and it is bold. Black Currant and Mint Lemonade (Nice List) (New) (Non-alcoholic) (Party Only) This is a variation of the mint julep frozen lemonade that often appears on the Casey's Corner menu, though the black currant adds a bit of fruitiness and its a welcome addition. The combination is very sweet and the mint flavor is subtle. It tastes more like an herby mint flavor than a liquified candy cane. Even though we liked it, we couldn't finish it because it becomes a bit cloying after a while, so you might want to grab an extra cup or two and share it. Main Street Snacks Festive Pretzel Jumbo pretzel with chocolate-hazelnut drizzle, caramel sauce, TWIX Cookie Bar Pieces, and festive sprinkles (New) (Party Only) Hot Cocoa Churro (Naughty List) Churro rolled in Hot Cocoa Powder by Joffrey’s Coffee and topped with marshmallows and peppermint candy pieces (New) (All Day) Our churro may be an outlier, but it was beyond stale - it was more like it dry-rotted. The texture was like leather with a crunchy outer shell. Had this been a freshly prepared churro, it may have been good. There was no cinnamon flavor we could detect - just the hot cocoa mix and candy cane pieces. On the plus side, the mini marshmallows tasted fresh. Red Velvet Christmas Wreath Doughnut (Naughty List) Red velvet doughnut topped with buttercream and holiday sprinkles (All Day) This one didn't really have us saying ho-ho-ho last year. More like ho-hum. We prefer cream cheese icing over buttercream as that's typically our favorite part of any red velvet treat. Also, ours was a bit stale and dry when we had it, but that could have just been timing. Gingerbread Cola (Naughty List) Coca-Cola served with gingerbread syrup (New) (Non-alcoholic) (Party Only) We both had the exact same reaction after our first sip: it tastes like coke mixed with medicine. When gingerbread syrup gets mixed with something like milk, it is a comforting holiday treat. Without the creaminess of the dairy, it tastes very harsh, overly sweet and medicinal. We much prefer plain, old-fashioned Coca-Cola. Popcorn Cart near Cinderella Castle Hot Cocoa Churro (Naughty List) Churro rolled in Hot Cocoa Powder by Joffrey’s Coffee and topped with marshmallows and peppermint candy pieces (New) (All Day) Find our full review above in Main Street Snacks section. Red Velvet Christmas Wreath Doughnut (Naughty List) Red velvet doughnut topped with buttercream and holiday sprinkles (All Day) Find our full review above in Main Street Snacks section. Gingerbread Cola (Naughty List) Coca-Cola served with gingerbread syrup (New) (Non-alcoholic) (Party Only) Find our full review above in Main Street Snacks section. Aloha Isle Holiday Pineapple-Orange-Guava Juice Float Pineapple-orange-guava juice, coconut soft-serve, and a spiced pineapple tree pop (Non-alcoholic) (Party Only Until 11:00 PM) Cranberry Citrus Float Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry and fruity boba pearls topped with DOLE Whip (Non-alcoholic) (Party Only Until 11:00 PM) Golden Oak Outpost Holiday Chicken Nugget Platter Crispy chicken nuggets with sage butter and cranberry barbecue glaze served with mashed potatoes and corn (New) (Party Only) Festive Beignets Light and fluffy beignets dusted with blue sugar cookie dust and served with cookie butter icing (New) (Party Only) Fried Ice Cream Christmas Tree Peppermint ice cream rolled in cereal topped with green cookie butter whipped cream and festive sprinkles (New) (Party Only) Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café Carne Asada Loaded Fries (Nice List) Seasoned french fries with carne asada, chipotle queso, caramelized onion, avocado salsa verde, and queso fresco (New) (Party Only Until 11:00 PM) These are absolutely covered in fresh cilantro, which can be polarizing, but we loved it. We also learned that none of the party items this year can be customized (at least not at Pecos Bill), so those who are cilantro-averse may want to skip this one. The carne asada is well-seasoned, tender and juicy and it's cooked with grilled onions that pack a lot of flavor. Although the fries are just the standard Disney World fries, they make a great base for this dish that's a deliciously cheesy and salty treat. Cheese and Chile Tamale (Naughty List) Served ‘Christmas-style’ with mild red chile and green chile-pumpkin seed sauces, citrus-chipotle chicken, cilantro rice, pinto beans, and queso fresco (Party Only Until 11:00 PM) While the tamale isn't terrible, it also isn't anything to write Santa about either. It's a bit on the bland side and the red chile and green pumpkin seed sauces can't save it. On the plus side, this is a TON of food and easy to share if you've got a hungry crew. The beans and rice are the same that are served all day and both are pretty standard issue. If you decide to try this one, grab some hot sauce to give it some extra kick. Chocolate Eggnog Tart (Nice List) Chocolate tart topped with eggnog mousse and chocolate antlers (Party Only Until 11:00 PM) Aside from being adorable, this tart features tons of bold chocolate flavor. The eggnog mousse is more subtle, but we really enjoyed the way it balanced the dense chocolate with a light and creamy topping. The crust is pleasantly crunchy and also has a hint of saltiness that plays well with the other flavors. Salted Caramel Horchata (Nice List) (New) (Non-alcoholic) (Party Only Until 11:00 PM) While it doesn't have a strong horchata flavor, it's still sweet, creamy and delicious. The main flavor here is the salted caramel with just a hint of cinnamon coming through from the horchata base. While it's not on our must-try list, it's good and if you're in the mood for some caramel-flavored milk, you'll enjoy this one. Sleepy Hollow Orange Chicken Tenders Fried chicken tenders with orange-soy glaze, glass noodles, green onions, and crispy garlic (New) (Party Only) Szechuan Cauliflower Spicy breaded cauliflower tossed in szechuan-soy glaze (New) (Party Only) Brownie Peppermint Bark with peppermint candy pieces (New) (Party Only) Holiday Red Velvet Waffle Sundae Mickey-shaped red velvet waffle topped with M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, peppermint ice cream, and hot fudge (Party Only) Milk and Cookies Mousse Brown sugar cookie cake topped with chocolate chip cookie dough mousse, milk mousse, and chocolate chip cookies (Party Only) Liberty Square Market Brownie Peppermint Bark with peppermint candy pieces (New) (All Day Until 8:30 PM) Columbia Harbour House Gingerbread Cake (Nice List) Gingerbread chiffon cake with cream cheese frosting, dulce ganache, and a chocolate piece (New) (All Day Until 5PM) It's a shame this is only available until 5PM because it is one of our favorite treats! The cake is moist and delicate with just a hint of gingerbread flavor. It's definitely playing the supporting role here because the star is the cream cheese frosting: it is rich, creamy and decadent. On top, you'll find the same adorable chocolate gingerbread decoration from the Gingerbread Milk Shake, along with some crunchy pearls and a gingerbread spiced ganache to add a little punch of holiday cheer. This one is worth making a bee-line for right after you enter the party (or grabbing all day on your non-party Magic Kingdom visit). Pinocchio Village Haus Baked Brie Flatbread (Nice List) Brie-cheese spread, mango chutney, green apples, arugula, almonds, and a honey drizzle (New) (Party Only Until 9:30 PM) The brie cheese topping is rich and is balanced by the sweet jam and crunchy almonds. The arugula pairs well since it cuts the richness of everything else and adds a little peppery flavor. Lasagna Flatbread (Nice List) Italian sausage, meatballs, five cheese mix, ricotta cheese, and pesto (New) (Party Only Until 9:30 PM) We really enjoyed this one. There was a lot of the ricotta mixture, which is well seasoned with Italian herbs and salt. The Italian sausage pairs well with everything and even though the flatbread and sauce are pretty basic, the rest elevates it. Black Forest Parfait (Naughty List) Flourless chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and cherry chantilly topped with brandy-cherry compote and chocolate popping candies (New) (Party Only Until 9:30 PM) Although the mousse was rich and flavorful, the flourless chocalote cake tasted more like crushed cookies that had become soggy from the moisture of everything around them. While we didn't taste any brandy in the cherries, they were very tart. The Friar’s Nook Holiday Pot Roast Hot Dog All-beef hot dog topped with braised pot roast, Swiss fondue, horseradish mustard, and crispy onions (New) (Party Only) Italian Beef Tots (Nice List) Tots topped with braised beef, cheese curds, zesty giardiniera, and red wine gravy (Party Only) This one is a LOT of food and we really enjoyed it. The beef tastes like pot roast and the zesty giardinara has a pickled flavor that cuts the richness of the rest of the dish and makes for a tasty and filling treat that is also perfect to share. Sugar Cookie Hand Pie Sugar cookie dough wrapped in a flaky crust with icing and festive sprinkles (New) (Party Only) Toasted Marshmallow-Panna Cotta Tart with graham cracker ganache macaron (New) (Party Only) Eggnog Shake Eggnog soft-serve with ginger snap crumbles topped with whipped cream and festive sprinkles (New) (All Day) Storybook Treats Sugar Plum-Vanilla Soft-serve Sundae Sugar plum-vanilla soft-serve swirl dipped in celebration cake cone dip topped with marshmallows and almonds (New) (All Day) Pretzel Cart in Storybook Circus Festive Pretzel Jumbo pretzel with chocolate-hazelnut drizzle, caramel sauce, TWIX Cookie Bar Pieces, and festive sprinkles (New) (Party Only) Hot Cocoa Churro (Naughty List) Churro rolled in Hot Cocoa Powder by Joffrey’s Coffee and topped with marshmallows and peppermint candy pieces (New) (All Day)   Find our full review above in Main Street Snacks section. Santa Belt Buckle Pistachio mousse with a dark chocolate truffle center and a chocolate buckle (Party Only) Cheshire Café Whoopie Pie Chocolate cake sandwiched with marshmallow mint buttercream (New) (Plant-based) (All Day) Cherry Cordial Cold Brew (Nice List) Joffrey’s Cold Brew topped with cherry whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and chocolate curls (New) (Non-alcoholic) (All Day) We were pleasantly surprised by this one. It is pictured as plain black cold brew with the cherry whipped cream on top, but ours was mixed with milk or half and half and you could taste a touch of sweetness and subtle cherry flavor throughout. The main flavors were the chocolate and cold brew, which we enjoyed. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café Holiday Pot Roast Melt Slow-cooked beef on thick toast with cheddar, provolone, and beef gravy (Party Only) Holiday Turkey Burger Turkey burger topped with traditional stuffing, provolone, and cranberry chutney on a brioche bun (Party Only) Christmas Cookie Cake Roll Christmas cookie roll with buttercream topped with festive holiday sprinkles (Party Only) Peppermint Éclair Éclair with white chocolate peppermint mousse and chocolate pieces (Party Only) Christmas Punch Cranberry and citrus punch with amaretto syrup and Seagram’s Ginger Ale (New) (Non-alcoholic) (Party Only) Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies Lump of Coal In Your Stocking Cookies and cream shake topped with whipped cream, cookies and cream crumbles, and a chocolate doughnut hole (New) (Party Only) Smoky Chocolate Brownie Sundae (Nice List) House-baked brownie topped with smoky chocolate soft-serve covered in chocolate cone dip topped with marshmallows and festive sprinkles (New) (Party Only) These were the best brownies we have had in a sundae at Walt Disney World. They tasted like they were fresh from the oven - still warm and fudge-like on the inside. The chocolate soft-serve had a subtle smokiness the we also really enjoyed. The mini marshmallows reminded us of the ones you get in cereal. They were pleasantly crunchy and sweet. Although we wished the "chocolate cone dip" were hot fudge instead, we did enjoy the added crunch from the chocolate shell it creates. Whoopie Pie Chocolate cake sandwiched with marshmallow mint buttercream (New) (Plant-based) (Party Only) Cherry Cordial Cold Brew (Nice List) Joffrey’s Cold Brew topped with cherry whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and chocolate curls (New) (Non-alcoholic) (Party Only) See our full review above in the Cheshire Cafe section. For our complete guide to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in 2024 – including all character locations, free treats and more – check out our Ultimate Guide:

We are very sad to share the news that the final project Jim Henson worked on before he passed away will soon be shuttered to make way for the new Monsters Inc. Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios. While no specific date has been provided in the announcement from Disney , Muppet*Vision 3D will close and the Muppets will move down the road to Sunset Boulevard to take over Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. While it had been rumored for some time that the Muppets may replace Aerosmith, it is very sad to learn that they will be leaving Grand Avenue. Prior to his death, Jim Henson and Disney had planned an entire Muppets-themed land in Grand Avenue with multiple attractions. Presently, you can enjoy Muppets theming in PizzeRizzo and the exteriors along Grand Avenue, but the Stage One company store has been shuttered for quite some time and is only rarely used for special event merchandise offerings. There is also no date given for the closure of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, but it will likely be a lengthy refurbishment to turn it into the signature Muppets attraction at Walt Disney World. As soon as we have more details, we will share them with you. In the meantime, we are going to go enjoy Muppet*Vision 3D as many times as we can before it's gone for good. Let us know what you think about this news in the comments below.

We hope everyone is having a happy and safe Halloween no matter where you're celebrating. But for those of you who WISH you were celebrating at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, we've got a little treat for you. On a recent visit, we staked out the perfect spot and created this ULTIMATE Boo-to-You parade video. Even though we edited it down to less than seven minutes, it includes all your favorite characters and floats – and the iconic soundtrack. We hope you enjoy it – and as always, keep thinking happy thoughts out there!

We noticed a new seasonal muffin was available at Trek Snacks this morning on a quick visit to Animal Kingdom and we are very glad we decided to give it a whirl. The Pumpkin Muffin is available for $4.29 and features a swirl of cream cheese and a cheesecake-like filling that is wonderfully rich and delicious. The muffin itself is the best we've yet had at Walt Disney World – very moist and full of warm fall spices. We checked around a few spots where you can often find grab and go items like muffins, but the only place that had these this morning was Trek Snacks, which is attached to Thirsty River Bar near Expedition Everest. Although it's unclear how long this delightfully indulgent treat will be sticking around, we'd highly recommend it if you can catch it before it's gone.

Disney just announced the newest member of the Lightning Lane family: Lightning Lane Premier Pass, plus we've got a brand new video packed with all of our best tips for Lightning Lane Multi Pass. Lightning Lane Premier Pass This fancy new version of Lightning Lane will allow you to access ALL of the Lightning Lanes in a single park without bothering to book return times or plan out your day – just hop in the line and go. Here are the details at a glance: • Includes access to BOTH Multi Pass and Single Pass Lightning Lanes without making reservations • As of now, the service will not allow park hopping • Guests with Premier Pass can access each attraction's Lightning Lane only ONCE per day • Quantities will be very limited and will initially only be available to Deluxe Resort guests • Deluxe Resort guests may purchase 7 days in advance of their visit • Service begins October 30 and there will be no advance purchase for the launch day • Prices are per person, per day and fluctuate based on anticipated crowd levels • Animal Kingdom prices will initially range from $129 - $199 • Epcot will range from $169 - $249 • Hollywood Studios comes in at $269 - $349 • Magic Kingdom will initially range from $329 all the way up to a whopping $449 • This service will also roll out at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim on October 23 Disney will continue to offer Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass and no changes have been announced to those services. Save Yourself a Small Fortune with Our Latest Multi Pass Tips While it certainly is nice to be able to waltz into any Lightning Lane you choose, you can use our latest tips and tricks to book those Lightning Lanes yourself without breaking the bank. We are excited to announce that we have packed ALL of our best information into one brand new video: Our 27 Best Tips and Tricks for Lightning Lane Multi Pass .

Disney has announced a flurry of dates for the closing of multiple attractions at Walt Disney World and also postponed the opening of the newest show coming to Hollywood Studios. Check below to see if your favorite attraction is likely to be available on your next visit: Big Thunder Mountain CLOSING DATE: JANUARY 6, 2025 REOPENING: 2026 It has been an open secret for quite some time that this iconic Magic Kingdom attraction would be closing during the construction of the upcoming Frontierland expansion. We have heard that the track is due to be completely replaced, though the announcement of the closing date on Disney's website also states that it "will reopen with a little bit of new magic in 2026." We hope this means the addition of the fun dynamite effects that were added to the Disneyland version of the attraction, but we'll have a long wait to find out. If you're visiting in 2025 or early 2026, it looks like the "wildest ride in the wilderness" will not be on your Magic Kingdom to-do list. Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama CLOSING DATE: JANUARY 12, 2025 NEW ATTRACTIONS COMING: 2027 While we don't yet have a hard date for the closure of DINOSAUR, The Boneyard or the dining areas near the Dino Institite like Restaurantosaurus, we do now know when Chester & Hester's beloved roadside attraction will become a relic of the past. The last day to enjoy TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games and Chester & Hester's Dinosaur Treasures will be January 12. All of Dinoland USA will eventually close to make way for Pueblo Esperanza, the newest themed land at Animal Kingdom that is inspired by the tropical regions of the Americas and will feature attractions related to Indiana Jones and Encanto. The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure OPENING DATE POSTPONED TO 2025 The show that has been announced to replace The Voyage of the Little Mermaid in Hollywood Studios (which never reopened after the pandemic) is going to have to wait a bit longer to set sail. Originally slated to open this fall, it has now been delayed until 2025. We're very excited to see this new show that Disney has teased will feature brand new puppets and effects. The delay is especially surprising since they already began casting the show earlier this year. We are definitely going to be sad to say farewell for more than a year to one of our favorite Disney World attractions – a visit to Magic Kingdom will not be the same without a spin around Big Thunder. Hopefully the thrill of seeing Ursula cast her spell in a new show at Hollywood Studios will lift our spirits and make the delay worth the wait.

Disney has officially announced that they will close Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Disney Springs on Wednesday, October 9 at 2:00 pm. Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios will close an hour earlier at 1:00 pm. It is likely that the parks will remain closed on Thursday and re-open on Friday, though these details have not been finalized. The Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for Thursday has been officially canceled; however, and guests will automatically receive a full refund for their tickets. Other than Ft. Wilderness, the cabins at Wilderness Lodge and the treehouse villas at Saratoga Springs, all resorts will remain operational throughout the storm to take care of the guests currently visiting Walt Disney World resort. Historically, Disney has provided special activities including character meet and greets at the various resorts to keep spirits high while the winds and rain prevent people from venturing outside. Although they tend to work very long hours during these emergency situations, Cast Members working these shifts are provided housing at the resort to keep everyone safe through the storm. Typhoon Lagoon and the mini golf courses will be closed Wednesday and do not yet have an official reopening timeline. The water parks take longer to reopen due to the difficulty of cleaning the wave pool and lazy river of all the debris from the storm. This also tends to involve long hours for the Cast Members at these parks and everyone typically pitches in with the cleanup effort regardless of their normal role. If you are at Disney World during this period, please stay safe and give an extra thank you to the Cast Members you encounter. Not only are they working long and strenuous hours to keep everyone comfortable and safe, they are also often separated from their loved ones and concerned about the safety of their home, family and friends.

There is sadly no Kenya booth this year, but we are pleased to report that they bulked up the offerings at the neighboring Refreshment Outpost. This is usually the spot where you’ll find plant-based options, but with the absence of Kenya, Disney added some meat and dairy to the menu. Thankfully, there’s still a delightful vegan treat on offer, as well. 👍 IMPOSSIBLE Spicy Sausage with piri  piri peppers and onions, and piri piri aïoli ($6.50) This is one of our favorite plant-based treats at the festival. The peppers and onions have a tangy flavor that compliments the spiciness. It tastes like they are lightly pickled. The piri piri aöli brings more heat and the sausage itself is also loaded with spices. It’s juicy and flavorful and the bun holds up well to the avalanche of toppings. If you love bold and unique flavors – and you don’t mind a little heat – give this vegan treat a whirl. 👍 Curried Chicken and South African  Boerewors Sausage Stew with chickpeas and potatoes served in a bread bowl ($5.75) This hearty, delicious dish is very filling and an excellent value at only $5.75. It reminds us of one of the wonderful stews you’d find on the buffet at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma or Tusker House at Animal Kingdom. This was loaded with meat and bold African spices and the bread bowl soaks up the comforting flavor of the curried stew making this a delightful treat from the first bite to the last. 👍 Chocolate Amarula Mousse with white chocolate ($6.50) If you’ve ever had the legendary Zebra Domes at Animal Kingdom Lodge, this is essentially a giant version of those, but with the addition of a layer of chocolate cake inside. In addition to that cake, you’ll find a crunchy cookie at the base topped with a mound of Amarula liqueur-infused mousse and a white chocolate coating. This is good, but it’s not as good as the original Zebra Dome it is based on. If you can’t make it to Animal Kingdom Lodge, this is a great way to try this treat, but you’re better off getting the real deal.

Once a reliable festival favorite, the food booth in Mexico has been a bit more hit-and-miss lately and Food & Wine unfortunately continues that trend. It's still worth a stop for the delicious flauta, but you'll probably want to grab dessert somewhere else. 👍 Flauta de Barbacoa ($8.00) The barbacoa was juicy, bold and flavorful and our clearly came straight from the fryer. The tortilla was hot, fresh and crunchy. The salsa verde was bright and mildly spiced and the queso fresco and crema Mexicana added an extra punch of salty creaminess. This is the best of the booth and worth making a stop for. 😐 Tostada de Camarones ($7.75) The biggest flavor here is the chipotle aïoli, though we wish there was more mango to add some sweetness to balance it. As it is, the mango gets lost. Also, the fried shrimp tasted like it had been frozen. With so much wonderfully fresh shrimp at this festival, this dish is just so-so 👎 Pan de Elote ($6.00) The corn cake by itself is fine – nothing to write home about, but it’s decent. Unfortunately, the chocolate sauce ruins it. If they had used a good quality Mexican-style chocolate that was infused with cinnamon, it may have been passable, but this tastes like straight-up Hershey’s syrup. We did like the addition of the Tajin seasoning, but the queso fresco got a bit lost in the cheap chocolate flavor. Want to discover more flavors from this year's festival? You can find a listing of all of our Epcot Food and Wine Festival reviews on the blog with this handy link , or just watch our video with reviews of ALL the food here:

You'll find both India and China at the China pavilion for Food & Wine, though there were only a few items we'd recommend between the two of them. At the China booth, you'll find Chinese cuisine that is about on par with a middle of the road Chinese restaurant you might find back home (but a slight step up from the one in the middle of your local mall). At the India booth, you'll find some more interesting and tasty options. 😐 Pan-fried Chicken Dumplings with sweet-and-spicy sauce ($5.50) These dumplings return year after year and they always make us think of the samples from the frozen section at Costco. They’re not terrible, but they aren’t any better than you’d find pretty much anywhere. The sweet soy sauce is very nice, but not enough to elevate the ho-hum dumplings. 👍 Crispy Duck Bao Bun with hoisin  sauce ($8.25) The duck on this bao bun is wonderfully smoky – it almost tastes like bacon. The bun itself is pillowy and soft and the simple addition of a fresh cucumber slice and sweet hoisin sauce provides the perfect balance to the smoky, salty and rich duck. Our only complaint is that this one is very small for the price. 👎 Shanghai Scallion Noodles with shrimp ($8.50) This was one of the worst dishes we had at the festival. The noodles were bland and overcooked and the shrimp was soggy and chewy. If you decide you still want to give it a whirl, pack some sauce to jazz this one up. Though we didn't try it yet this year, India offers one of our all-time favorite festival drinks: the Mango Lassi with Sōmrus Chai Cream Liqueur. It’s sweet, creamy and loaded with boozy spice flavors from the liqueur. Thankfully, there’s also a delightful vegan samosa to pair it with this year. 👍 Potato and Pea Samosa with  coriander-lime cream ($5.50) These samosas were fresh, crispy and filled with flavor. We especially loved the vegan coriander-lime cream that really brightened up the flavor of the spiced potato and pea filling. Each samosa is a very good size, so these are a perfect snack to share. 😐 Chicken Tikka Masala with fennel-spiced yogurt and naan ($6.25) While we always enjoy the bold flavors of tikka masala, this was an altogether average rendition of the classic Indian entree. The chicken and heavily spiced sauce were fine, but the rice was basic and not nearly as good as the jasmine-scented version you’d likely find at your local Indian restaurant. The biggest disappointment was the naan. This did not taste freshly prepared, it wasn’t warm and it was pretty dry. Want to discover more flavors from this year's festival? You can find a listing of all of our Epcot Food and Wine Festival reviews on the blog with this handy link , or just watch our video with reviews of ALL the food here: