The Change to Disney Genie+ that Should Never Have Been Needed

Plus Disneyland is Getting an All-New Must-Do Event in 2023

Disney Genie+ has an update that shouldn't have been necessary at all. Still, it will make your Disney vacation experience a little less stressful. This story, plus a brand new must-do party coming to Disneyland in 2023 and tempting new food items at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

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Genie+ Adds a Minor Improvement Allowing You to Modify Lightning Lane Selections

To make it easier to change plans on the fly, you can now modify Lightning Lane selections made with Disney Genie+ without having to cancel and rebook your selection.  This should have been included from day one and it's hard to believe it took this long to add, but at least it's there now.

To make a change select the three dots on your current Lightning Lane selection from the Tip Board or My Day tab of Disney Genie, and then select “Modify Plan” from the menu that appears.

After selecting “Modify Plan,” available Lightning Lane experiences from the same park will appear. You can adjust their arrival window to a different time from whatever is shown as available, or pick a new experience to replace your current Lightning Lane selection.

New Food to Try at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has some new dishes on its menus.

Starting at Maji Pool Bar there are new poolside snacks with an African twist. Shrimp Bakuli is a shrimp bowl inspired by the open-air food markets in Zanzibar. The bakuli includes chilled poached shrimp, pickled carrots, and Basmati rice with a soy-ginger dressing and berbere aïoli.

The Multigrain Tabbouleh is a plant-based bowl with salad, grains, fresh herbs, and grilled vegetables.

The Spiced Pork Nachos are topped with spiced pork, beans, herbed crema, and kachumbari. The pork vindaloo is prepared with paprika, garlic, tomato, vinegar, and a house-made spice blend.

The Short Rib Grilled Cheese has slow cooked short ribs with a house-made spice blend, tamarind, and red wine until tender. It's on buttery brioche bread with gouda cheese and pickled onions.

The Mara also has new items. There's a Marinated Sun-dried Tomato and Herbed Ricotta Flatbread with fresh herb ricotta, tomato sauce, four-cheese blend, and arugula.
 
There are three new bowls: The Chermoula-spiced Shrimp Bowl has grilled shrimp, pilau rice, kale slaw, cucumber-tomato salad, and chermoula sour cream. The Oak-grilled Chicken Bowl has marinated chicken thighs, slow-roasted over an oak fire.
 
Rounding out the new additions is the plant-based South African Vegetable Bowl, a perfect balance of curried vegetable stew, pilau rice, kale slaw, dried fruit achar, and avocado-tahini sauce.

At Jiko: The Cooking Place there's a new appetizer to try – Sweet Potato-Groundnut Soup. This soup features spiced groundnuts, finger lime, pickled red chilies, and sorrel. Groundnuts are actually peanuts.

Finally, to celebrate Avatar: The Way of Water, Animal Kingdom Lodge has a new signature cocktail at Boma: Flavors of Africa, Sanaa, and Victoria Falls Lounge. Way of Water is a blend of African Starr Rum, BACARDÍ Raspberry Rum, Bols Blue Curaçao, and lemonade garnished with a lotus flower and mint.

Disneyland After Dark Returns in 2023 with New Princess Nite Event and More

Disneyland After Dark events are returning in 2023 with two limited-time after-hours events including Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite, and the new Disneyland After Dark: Princess Nite.

Disneyland After Dark begins with a three-hour pre-party from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Disneyland park, then the private party runs from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., so you can ride some popular attractions after regular park hours. All event guests will get unlimited digital downloads of Disney PhotoPass photos taken during the party, plus commemorative keepsakes including a souvenir credential and event guide map.

Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite
January 31, February 2, 5, 7, 9, 14, 16, 2023 at Disneyland Park

Sweethearts’ Nite will take place on seven different “date nights” in Disneyland park:

• a special themed fireworks show 
• Dance at the Royal Ball hosted by Aladdin and Jasmine near “it’s a small world”
• Take a moonlit cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat with the sounds of a live jazz ensemble
• Relax to the sounds of island music from a Polynesian trio at The Tropical Hideaway
• Enjoy deliciously themed menu items available for purchase, created just for the event 
• Capture your moment with photo opportunities with darling Disney couples and spots inspired by romantic scenes from Disney films such as “Lady and the Tramp” and “The Little Mermaid/” 
• Enjoy pre-party admission to Disneyland park starting at 6:00 p.m., no park reservation required

Disneyland After Dark: Princess Nite
March 7 & 9, 2023, at Disneyland Park

This all-new first-ever event will feature the iconic characters who light the world with kindness, courage and a touch of magic. There will be shimmering décor, special photo opportunities, themed food and beverage offerings, commemorative keepsakes and characters galore.

• Receive a royal welcome at the Disneyland Train Station featuring Princess Minnie Mouse and Princess Daisy Duck with fanfare trumpeters 
• Enjoy an inspiring concert with Moana, Merida and more accompanied by live singers 
• Dance the night away at the high-energy, candy-themed dance party at Tomorrowland stage with Vanellope Von Schweetz
• Experience Tiana’s Southern hospitality and dance to jazz music in New Orleans Square
• Enjoy specialty menu items throughout Disneyland park, available for purchase 
• Picture yourself in photo backdrops inspired by Disney films like “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Princess Diaries” including unlimited Disney PhotoPass digital photo downloads from the party
• Pre-party admission to Disneyland park starting at 6:00 p.m., no theme park reservation required

Tickets are limited and available on Disneyland.com.

Disney Cruise Line will Return to Tropical Destinations in Early 2024

In early 2024, Disney Cruise Line is going back to the islands with itineraries to the Caribbean, Mexico, Bahamas and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Getaways from South Florida

• The Disney Dream will begin 2024 with an assortment of three- and four-night getaways to the Bahamas and five-night vacations to the western Caribbean.
• All sailings from Florida will include a stop at Castaway Cay.
  
  

Sailings from Central Florida 

• The Disney Wish will kick off 2024 with three- and four-night voyages to Nassau, Bahamas, and Castaway Cay departing from Port Canaveral, Florida, Disney Cruise Line’s home port located an hour from Walt Disney World Resort. 
• Also from Port Canaveral, the Disney Fantasy will continue seven-night sailings. Eastern Caribbean cruises will visit Tortola and St. Thomas, while western Caribbean itineraries will feature the ports of Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman; and Falmouth, Jamaica. Every Disney Fantasy sailing includes a stop at Castaway Cay, along with several days at sea.
  
  

Caribbean Adventures from Texas and Louisiana

• The Disney Magic will have two limited-time engagements in Galveston in early 2024. The ship will embark on Caribbean adventures ranging from four to six nights through the end of January. 
• New Orleans will welcome the Disney Magic back for a second consecutive year in February 2024 with four-, five- and seven-night cruises to the Caribbean. 
  
  

Mexican Escapes from California
After returning from its first season in Australia and New Zealand, the Disney Wonder will arrive in San Diego in March 2024 for three- to seven-night voyages to Mexico, including the Baja peninsula. You'll visit some of Mexico’s top destinations, including Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Eansenada, along with stops to Catalina Island off the California coast.

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Mike Belobradic and Amelia Belobradic