The One Thing That Will Fix Disney Genie+

Plus the best new food items for summer at Walt Disney World and more Disney travel news

There are a ton of brand new must-try food and treats coming to Walt Disney World this summer, plus what is up with Genie+ and how will these changes really affect your vacation? These stories and more Disney travel news.

Listen to the Disney Travel News Podcast

There's an Easy Way to Fix Disney Genie+ Once and for All

For Walt Disney World, starting June 8, Disney Genie+ will only be offered for purchase through the My Disney Experience app on the day of visit – no more advance purchase options for 2022 and 2023. 

This means that, moving forward, whether guests have an Annual Pass, multi- or single-day ticket, they will now purchase Disney Genie+ on the day of their visit via the My Disney Experience app, one day at a time, subject to availability.

If you already a tickets or a Disney Genie+ purchase for dates 2022, that won't change (and you can still add one in advance up until June 8). You can start booking 2023 vacations as of June 8 as well.

Disney also announced that early theme park entry Disney Resort hotel guests will continue for visits throughout all of 2023.

Newest Disney Disney Food and Treats Hitting Walt Disney World this Summer

Magic Kingdom Park

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant: 

• New appetizers - Tony’s Garlic Bread or the Toy Box Tomato Salad. 
• New entrées - Oven-roasted Shrimp Scampi, Butcher’s Steak, Orecchiette with Spicy Italian Sausage, and Penne with Chicken al Forno. 
• New desserts - Tiramisù Cannoli, Italian Strawberry Shortcake, Tony’s Spumoni Tart, or Mandarincello Custard

EPCOT

Sunshine Seasons has new pizza rolls! Two versions: Cheese Pizza Roll and Pepperoni Pizza Roll.
Disney Springs

Marketplace Snacks has new Mickey and Friends Mickey-Shaped Bubble Waffle Sundaes. 

• Mickey Waffle Sundae featuring vanilla soft-serve, hot fudge, cookie crumbles, and white chocolate crisp pearls. 
• Minnie Waffle Sundae with vanilla soft-serve, strawberry topping, sliced strawberries, and white chocolate crisp pearls.
• Donald's Waffle Sundae made with vanilla soft-serve, lemon curd, and blueberries. 
• Goofy’s Peanut Waffle Sundae has vanilla and chocolate soft-serve with hot fudge, peanuts, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, M&M’s Minis, and a cherry on top.
• Pluto’s Waffle Sundae has chocolate soft-serve, chocolate-covered pretzels, peanut butter sauce, and milk chocolate crisp pearls. 

So why was Daisy left off of this list?

Disney Resort Hotels

Plant-based Mickey-shaped Frittata featuring tomato, spinach, onions, and “mozzarella” served with potatoes and mixed fruit.

The IMPOSSIBLE Burger serves up an IMPOSSIBLE patty topped with Carolina-style barbecued jackfruit, pickled slaw and “cheddar” served with french fries. 

These two items available through June 7 at the Intermission Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, World Premiere Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, End Zone Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, Everything POP Shopping & Dining at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Centertown Market at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Riverside Mill Food Court at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, and Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort has the return of fan favorites to Grand Floridian Cafe. The Reuben is back for brunch, accompanied by coleslaw and steak fries. Chicken and Waffles with hand-breaded chicken breast and malted waffle with a sriracha-honey drizzle is also back.

For dinner, the Café Meatloaf is a house-made turkey meatloaf with smashed red bliss potatoes, broccolini, and mushroom gravy, while the Shrimp and Grits feature jumbo shrimp with chorizo and fennel perfectly paired with a deliciously creamy, mascarpone cheese grits. The Caramelized Onion Soup Gratin makes a comeback for brunch and dinner.

Gasparilla Island Grill has The Cheshire Cat Wildberry Mousse with swirls of wildberry mousse, berry compote, and cake crumbles topped with a white chocolate Cheshire Cat. If you love Orange Bird, the Orange Bird Cake Pop is a must-try! This is a yellow cake pop swirled with citrus-scented buttercream to look like this iconic character. If you like ice cream, the Brownie Crispy Cone is an ice cream cone filled with caramel-swirled brownie topped with a crisped rice treat, white chocolate drizzle, and sprinkles.

Are you a Key Lime fan? Good’s Food to Go at Disney’s Old Key West Resort has a Key Lime Pie Swirl - a DOLE Whip lime and vanilla soft-serve swirl topped with graham cracker crumbs.

Harmony Barber Shop is Reopening July 31 in Disney's Magic Kingdom Park

Harmony Barber Shop is reopening on July 31. While any haircut is pretty cool here, the “My First Haircut” experience is making its return as stylists prepare to shower young guests with magic and extra special pixie dust for the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration to commemorate the first haircut milestone.

A limited number of reservations for this timeless experience will be bookable in the My Disney Experience app as of June 28. Walk-in appointments for haircuts will be accepted based on availability.

On a related note, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will also be reopening later this year at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Dates are still to be announced.

California Grill has a New Plant-based Menu

The Florida Peach and Raspberry Salad highlight some of Florida’s fresh, bright, and flavorful ingredients  featuring grilled and fresh peaches, raspberry variations, steel-cut oat granola tart, red onion, and a whipped raspberry vinaigrette.

The house-made Vegetable Dumplings are made with a Doenjang miso-cola onion sauce, radish, crispy garlic-chili oil, and pickled lotus root. 

For entrees, there's a House-made Bucatini Cacio e Pepe, a fresh take on spring flavors with sunflower, allium, crispy sunchokes, charred green onions, toasted onions, and a sunflower seed-ramp pistou along with delicious house-made bucatini topped with a luxurious cashew cream sauce. 

The other new plant-based entrée is the Peas and Carrots Risotto with heirloom carrots, English peas, green garlic, confit onion, and sweet carrot foam. 

And for dessert, the Peanut and Banana Torte is a twist on the classic PB&J. It combines shortbread, peanut ganache, miso-caramel, nut crumbles, and caramelized bananas.

A spin on the “Banana Fritters” that were featured at the restaurant back in 2013, the Lavender Sugar Donuts is a special 50th Anniversary item that is now home on the plant-based menu, featuring some updated fresh ingredients in season. It has a coconut frozen dessert, blueberry gin jam, and pistachio crumble. And not to mention the presentation is beautiful!

2022 Eat to the Beat Concert Series Line-up at EPCOT

The Eat to the Beat Concert Series is ready to rock the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.

Here is the 2022 line-up for which musical acts are playing Eat to the Beat at Epcot:

• July 14-15 – Baha Men
• July 16-18 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
• July 29-30 – Taylor Dayne
• July 31-August 1 – Tiffany
• August 5-8 – Joey Fatone & Friends
• August 12-13 – The Devon Allman Project
• August 14-15 – Christopher Cross
• August 19-20 – Journey former Lead Vocalist Steve Augeri
• August 21-22 – Air Supply
• September 2-3 – Southern Avenue
• September 4-5 – Kris Allen & David Cook
• September 9-10 – Hoobastank (NEW)
• September 16-17 – Los Amigos Invisibles (NEW)
• September 23-24 – BBMak
• September 30-October 1 – Stokley (NEW)
• October 2-3 – Sheila E.
• October 7-8 – Mark Wills
• October 9-10 – 38 Special
• October 23-24 – Billy Ocean
• October 28-31 – Hanson
• November 4-7 – Boyz II Men

Beginning May 24, you can secure a spot at the show by reserving an Eat to the Beat Dining Package available Friday-Monday. Find out more by visiting TasteEPCOT.com. 

The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival runs July 14 through November 19

Disney Cruise Line Returns to Alaska

This summer, the Disney Wonder will once again visit ports of call in Alaska departing from the Port of Vancouver. 
 
The Disney Wonder will sail to Alaska for the 2022 and 2023 summer seasons to explore the region’s breathtaking views, glaciers and wildlife. Most of the seven-night cruises will visit Dawes Glacier, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.
 
Walt Disney World Refurbishments Update – Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

The Congress Park and Treehouse Villas pools at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will be closed early October through early December 2022. High Rock Springs Pool, The Paddock Pool and The Grandstand leisure pool will remain open and available throughout this refurbishment.

New Disney Art Display & Store Coming to Orlando

If you're wondering what the new larger-than-life outdoor art display is on the I-4/International Drive corridor in Orlando, the building is a new Walt Disney World Store that combines merchandise, ticket sales and a first-ever interactive Disney Vacation Club Virtual Discovery Station. Opening May 31, this one-stop shop will give visitors to Central Florida a convenient way to purchase commemorative souvenirs, park tickets and explore Disney Vacation Club membership.

With floor-to-ceiling screens, The Disney Vacation Club Virtual Discovery Station can transport guests to our theme parks, resorts and cruise destinations around the world via first-person virtual tours, photo galleries and videos.

Thank You for Listening to The Disney Travel News Podcast

Thank you for joining us at 1923 Main Street, Amelia and I hope that you enjoyed the show. If you did, we would be very grateful if you could rate, review and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcast player. A brief review about what you liked most about an episode truly helps to keep the show going by exposing it to new listeners. We look forward to continue producing new episodes and the latest Disney travel news on our Disney podcast each week.

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Mike Belobradic and Amelia Belobradic