food IS a theme park
2026 is nearly here, and if you’re anything like us, you’re planning to start off this new year in a GREAT way.
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Maybe you’ve got some goals you’re really hoping to accomplish, or you’re working towards a Disney trip or runDisney race. Regardless of what your goals are this year, there are some truly awesome Disney finds online to help you start things off on the right foot (unless your goal is to spend less money…then this might cause a bit of a problem)!
Free? Did we hear the word free? Believe it or not, it IS possible to get certain things in Disney World for free, but you’ve gotta know how.
The character waffle meal!
And no, we don’t mean by complaining to Cast Members and getting things for free, that’s not how we roll. Dining in Disney World is sometimes one of the most expensive parts of a trip, so if you know you’ll be traveling with kids, it’ll be a BIG DEAL when we tell you that there’s a way your kiddos can eat for FREE in Disney World in 2026!
Happy 2026! Can you believe we’re already here? We feel like 2025 just began!
Happy New Year from Disney World!
The holiday season is one of Disney World’s most popular times of year, beginning with holiday offerings like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights, as well as all the seasonal treats and events that you can experience, but New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are also incredibly popular. Who doesn’t want to spend the first day of the new year in Disney World? We stopped into Magic Kingdom to see just how many people had the same idea, and let’s just say, we weren’t expecting this.
There was a lot happening in the parks yesterday for New Year’s Eve, but something totally shocking was announced for Disney Springs out of the blue as well.
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Disney Springs is home to many amazing restaurants and stores, most of them independently owned instead of being owned by Disney. So, sometimes these stores make choices that Disney has no say in, and that’s exactly what’s happening here. Yesterday, it was announced that EVERY Sprinkles cupcake location ANYWHERE would be closed for good on January 1st, and we’ve just confirmed that’s true in Disney Springs.
2026 is going to be full of LOTS of construction for Disney World, and that goes for multiple parks, hotels, and beyond.
Cinderella Castle
Magic Kingdom has TWO lands under construction, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has one entire land incoming, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is about to undergo a massive retheme, Animal Kingdom‘s DinoLand to Tropical Americas really ramps up, multiple hotels have construction projects in progress, and we can’t wait for LEVEL99 to arrive in Disney Springs. Despite all that, there’s a NEW construction project happening on Main Street, U.S.A. that may just take the top spot for 2026, because Cinderella Castle is being repainted!
Things are changing almost every day in Disney World, but that’s why we’re here to help you keep track of it all and have the best vacation possible!
Zootopia: Better Zoogether! Lightning Lane
Lightning Lane rules are notorious for changing time and time again, but that’s why we pay VERY close attention to all those rules so you know exactly what to expect when you’re booking yours for your upcoming trip. If you’re heading to Disney World soon and are planning to book tons of Lightning Lanes to skip those long lines, these are the THREE rules you need to know!
Buying your first Loungefly sounds like it would be easy, but it actually takes more thought than you may think.
Loungefly Wall
You’ve gotta think about what design you like, as well as other questions like, do you want side pockets? Do you want a flat front pocket or a front pocket that sticks out? There are SO many designs out there, it’s hard to find one that is perfect and really feels like you. For me, I’ve got ONE Loungefly bag that I love deeply since it really feels like it combines my love of Disney and books, so when my friend asked me for recommendations for her first Loungefly, I knew this was a big deal and that I could only send her the BEST suggestions!
When you hop on Amazon to find something, anything, you’re basically opening yourself up to being distracted by things that maaaaaybe you didn’t need (wait…is that just us?).
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While we’re looking for what we need, whether it’s for an upcoming trip, a gift for a friend or family member, or maybe just something to treat yourself, there’s always that little section that shows you things that you may be interested in otherwise. It’s because of THAT section that we’ve come across two different things that we consider to be gems — one because it’s actually helpful, and the other because it makes our souls happy.
Calling all Muppet fans! The time is NOW to go shopping with that holiday money you have, because there are some new Loungefly bags online that are about to be SUPER tempting.
©Disney
How do we know? Well, because we saw these new bags online and had members of our team who were adding them to their carts before they could think twice (oops). If you’re not prepared to spend money on them right away, we suggest throwing your card away from you right now so you’re not too tempted (but even with doing that…good luck).
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are right around the corner, and these are two of the BUSIEST days of the entire year in the Disney World parks.
Magic Kingdom Crowds on New Year’s Day 2024
Not only does that mean you may be shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of people you don’t know (and will likely never see again), but it’s possible on BOTH of these days that the parks will reach capacity (especially Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios since they all have their own special New Year’s Eve shows, and some even have special snacks). Even if you have a ticket or park pass reservation, you may not be able to enter a park if it’s at capacity. You don’t need to wait to find out at the gate, though — there’s one number you can call to see if the parks are full BEFORE you arrive!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
