Though it may not initially seem like it, Disney parks have truly come into their own in recent years as a real food lover’s paradise. If you count yourself as one of the many who love eating their way around the Disney parks and resorts, there are some big changes taking effect right now you should know about.
For January’s dining update, a much-requested princess-themed food item debuts for a limited time at the Magic Kingdom, a Disney resort eatery closes its doors forever, plus a new feature debuts inside My Disney Experience that should help those on Disney Dining Plan get the most out of the program!
1. Celebrate Soulfully menus revealed, and will include Tiana’s Famous Beignets
From February 1st to March 1st, 2024, the Walt Disney World resort will be hosting its Celebrate Soulfully event in honor of Black History Month. And while there will be plenty of limited-time bites on offer across the resort (which you can check out here) princess fans will definitely want to head to the Magic Kingdom to sample “Tiana’s Famous Beignets” at Golden Oak Outpost.
This iconic dessert is described as “light, sweet, and fluffy beignets with strawberry dipping sauce,” and will only be available at this location during the Celebrate Soulfully event. However, perhaps once Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens later this year, these iconic treats will make an appearance somewhere else…
2. New Tiana-themed restaurant rumored to be coming to Fantasyland
Rumors are currently circulating about a retheme happening at the Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Cafe restaurant that would tie it to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, creating a New Orleans mini-district inside of Frontierland.
Just to clarify, nothing has been confirmed yet, but if this does happen we’d imagine that Disney would be bringing the fictional Tiana’s Palace fictional restaurant to life in this location, where guests could get New Orleans-inspired dishes like gumbo and the aforementioned beignets.
3. Big River Grille and Brewing Works now permanently closed
The Big River Grille & Brewing Works restaurant at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort officially closed at the end of operations earlier this month on January 21, 2024. Unfortunately there don’t seem to be plans yet for a replacement, but Disney has said that they will be bringing in food trucks every afternoon to provide guests at this resort with additional lunch options.
4. Blue Ribbon Corn Dog confirmed to be opening later this year at BoardWalk Resort
And speaking of the BoardWalk resort, it looks like we may be getting closer to the opening of Blue Ribbon Corn Dog at this location. First announced in 2023, this snack stand, which already has a West Coast location at Disneyland, serves up both traditional corn dogs as well as more interesting twists on the handheld food item, including a “pickle dog” and a Latin-inspired “Mexican Street Corn dog.”
This new location is set to replace the former “BoardWalk to Go” area, which has been under refurbishment for several months, and is now set to reopen as Blue Ribbon Corn Dog later this year.
5. New feature added to My Disney Experience for Disney Dining Plan users
Disney Dining Plan users who order ahead using the My Disney Experience app may notice a new feature, which rolled out earlier this month that will help them get the most out of their entitlements.
At the top of the “My Order” screen dining plan users may notice a new “Don’t Miss Out” option that reminds guests about what is included with their plan and encourages them to add beverages, desserts, and other parts of their entitlements that they might have originally missed with their order.
