Disney Raised the Price for Genie+ but that Won't Fix the Problem: Here's Why
Plus Great New Food Items at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
Why Disney's price increase for Genie+ doesn't go far enough to fix the problem with Lightning Lane, plus great new food at Walt Disney World Resort hotels, the return of Fantasmic at Disney World and everything Christmas and holidays coming to Disneyland.
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Disney Genie+ will now cost you more at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort
To manage demand for Disney Genie+, Disney is has switched to a variable pricing model, but in our opinion the price still is not high enough to curb demand.
At Disneyland Resort, Disney Genie+ now costs $25 per day when purchased in advance as an add-on with a new ticket or vacation packages. Single-day purchases through the Disneyland app will start at $25 per day, and may vary by date, based on demand. WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure at Disney’s California Adventure Park is now part of Disney Genie+.
At Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Genie+ will also vary in price based on the date you're visiting. Prices may be lower on less busy days and higher during peak periods like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Prices are expected to range between $15 and $22 per day.
Some Great New Food is Now Available at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Enchanted Rose has some great new editions. These include a charcuterie board, artisanal cheese selection, and hummus with tapenade, smoked paprika, and grilled pita bread. The Smoked Trout and Crab Dip features salmon roe, chive oil, and sesame seed lavosh combined into an elegant tasty dish.
If you like caviar, this includes Siberian caviar, an egg yolk spread, crème fraiche, caper berries and brioche. Lastly, the Seasonal Flatbread is topped with artichoke, fig, ricotta, roasted garlic and watercress.
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Boatwright’s Dining Hall has expanded to include more authentic Cajun and Southern flavors to the menu.
The Lowcountry Seafood Boil is a classic filled with shrimp, mussels, and Andouille sausage with corn on the cob and potatoes simmered in a spicy Cajun brother (it comes with a toasted baguette). The slow-roasted Blackened Prime Rib is topped with Cajun butter and served with classic mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
The Taste of the Bayou is an all-you-care-to-enjoy platter with hickory-smoked pork ribs, crispy Cajun chicken, smoked sausage, barbecued beef brisket, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, roasted corn with Cajun butter, and seasonal vegetables.
For a plant-based offering, try the Harvest Red Beans and Rice. This features red beans simmered with plant-based sausage, peppers, onions, and celery served over rice along with cornbread.
For dessert you can choose between the Southern Cheesecake (a classic vanilla cheesecake with a bourbon-caramel sauce garnished with pecan-praline brittle), the plant-based Peach-Blackberry Cobbler (a classic peach and blackberry cobbler topped with blackberry sorbet), or the Mississippi Mud Crème Brûlée (a milk chocolate crème brûlée with a sablé breton cookie and fresh fruit).
For the little ones, try the Row Row Oar Your Boat Sundae and Cookies and Milk featuring two house-made chocolate chip cookies.
Rounding out all of these new offerings is a new cocktail – the Big Easy Whisky Sour. This drink combines Maker’s Mark Bourbon, lemon juice, and pure cane sugar with a float of Fess Parker Big Easy Red Blend.
At the River Roost Lounge they have a new plant-based dish and a signature drink. The Spinach and Artichoke Dip is a creamy new dip served with Cajun-dusted cornbread crostini. The French 75 is a fizzy cocktail made with Argyle Sparkling Brut, Hendricks Gin, fresh lemon juice and pure cane sugar.
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
The Scat Cat’s Club – Lounge has a plant-based Sassy Sassagoula Sliders dish. This trio features BBQ jack fruit with slaw and fried pickles, fried green tomatoes with giardiniera and pepper jelly, and a ‘fish’ cake with spicy rémoulade and arugula.
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Bar Riva has a new Burrata Salad with heirloom tomatoes, fresh pesto and focaccia bread. The Salmon with Orzo is a seared salmon with Pomodroccio tapenade and lemon orzo. The Mushroom Arancini features risotto, mushrooms, cheese, and truffles with a house-made marinara.
For dessert, the Molten Chocolate Cake is a new edition. It's a warm chocolate cake with a molten center, topped with a raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries.
The Riviera also has a new signature sweet. The Riviera Signature Cookie bakes together semi-sweet chocolate chips, ground oats, California walnuts, toasted pistachios, dried cherries and flake sea salt. You'll this one at Primo Piatto.
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
The Belle Vue Lounge has new signature cocktails and mocktails. The Orange Blossom Manhattan has made its debut at the resort. A holiday fan favorite, this beverage fits nicely within the year-round ambiance of Belle Vue Lounge. The Sparkling Hibiscus features Sorel Hibiscus Liqueur and sparkling grapefruit. The Agave Garden is a mocktail featuring Lyre’s Agave Reserve and passion fruit green tea.
Fantasmic! Returns to Disney's Hollywood Studios on November 3, 2022 at Walt Disney World
Disney has announced the date of November 3, 2022 as the return of Fantasmic! to Disney’s Hollywood Studios -- including a brand new sequence in the show.
More Merry Magic Coming This Holiday Season to Disneyland Resort
The holiday season festivities at Disneyland Resort take place between November 11, 2022 and January 8, 2023. Here are some additional details of what's in store.
At Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure Park, holiday festivities include Christmas, Navidad, Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day. New for 2022, Tina and The Sounds of Celebration perform holiday tunes with an uplifting repertoire of salsa, merengue, cumbia and rock Latino. Returning acts include the Mariachi Divas, Mostly Kosher, Blue13 Dance Company, Phat Cat Swinger and The Mistletoes, and the Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party returns.
Be sure to catch the character celebration “Mickey’s Happy Holidays” and the magically merry rhythms of the Holiday Toy Drummers performing throughout the day in Disney California Adventure Park.
“World of Color – Season of Light” at Disney California Adventure Park and “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade and “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks will be on select evenings at Disneyland Park.
With MagicBand+ you'll be able to light up your Disneyland holiday experience in an all-new way this year. MagicBand+ will come alive with vibrations and colorful holiday lights during the nighttime spectaculars of “World of Color – Season of Light” and “Believe… in Holiday Magic” fireworks.
Direct from the North Pole you can mingle with Santa Claus as he visits various locations throughout the Disneyland Resort including Critter Country in Disneyland Park, Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in Disney California Adventure Park and at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.
Eat, drink and be merry at the Festive Foods Marketplace in Disney California Adventure Park, with a seasonal smorgasbord of multicultural cuisine across nine different kiosks. Visions of Sugar Plums is an all-new added marketplace where you will find sweet and savory bites.
And don’t forget, the Disney Festival of Holidays Sip and Savor Pass is a terrific way to sample your way through the day. The pass provides eight easy tabs that you can redeem for select food and non-alcoholic beverages at participating Festive Foods Marketplace kiosks and dining locations.
Seasonal sweets and treats are always on the list throughout the Disneyland Resort.
Disney California Adventure Park:
Grizzly Peak Churro Peppermint Churro – Churro coated with crushed candy canes, drizzled with chocolate and vanilla sauce
Lamplight Lounge Peppermint Donuts – Hot cocoa-dusted donuts with toasted marshmallow crème and peppermint-chocolate dipping sauce
Festive Foods Marketplace Merry Mashups Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese – Esquites-style mac & cheese with carnitas, salsa macha, spiced puffed rice, freeze-dried corn and chopped cilantro
Smokejumpers Grill Loaded Latkes -Traditional Latkes loaded with smoked brisket, topped with dairy-free horseradish cream and scallions
Sonoma Terrace Mistletoe Mule – A holiday take on a classic mule cocktail with cranberry juice and agave, garnished with a sprig of rosemary and a Cape cranberry
Disneyland Park:
Red Rose Taverne Holiday Grey Stuff – Traditional Grey Stuff with a holiday twist
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa:
GCH Holiday Cart – Poinsettia Cookie
To commemorate Diwali at the Disneyland Hotel, The Coffee House is featuring an Indian chai Archisha Tea on the menu through January 9, 2023.
Woody and Buzz Lightyear will be lending a hand with a holiday popcorn bucket, available for a limited time at select popcorn carts in Disney California Adventure Park, while supplies last.
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their pals will don their holiday finest and newest fashions in Town Square at Disneyland Park. These festive new looks reflect this year’s warm, vintage-inspired holiday celebration. In classic red and green, their holiday attire was designed in wintry textures and patterns such as velvet, chenille, herringbone and plaid, and accented with gold for a touch of sparkle.
Returning this year is Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour, where this specially guided journey of Disneyland Park tells stories of Walt Disney and gives unique facts of how Disneyland celebrates the season, followed by setting sail on “it’s a small world” Holiday. The 2.5 hour walking tour ends on Main Street, U.S.A., with a reserved viewing area of “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade where you will receive delicious holiday treats and a commemorative pin. For more information, pricing and reservations, visit Disneyland.com.