Walt Disney World Update – Genie’s Dark Magic & EPCOT’s Artistic Eats – MiceChat

Happy weekend! While the holidays have been the focus around the Walt Disney World resort for the past few months, the garland and trees are coming down and we’re getting ready to move into spring! Today we’re taking a look at the impact of Genie+ and sharing our thoughts on WDW’s virtual queuing, before getting rumbly in our tumbly while gawking at EPCOT’s Foodie Guide for this year’s Festival of the Arts… Let’s go!

Goodbye Virtual Queues… For Now?

As of January 10th, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will no longer host a virtual queuing system. The attraction will switch to a standard standby line and remain as an optional premium purchase for Lightning Lane.

This was the last attraction at WDW utilizing virtual queues, after Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance moved away from the system in September 2021. Remember, this used to be the only way to experience Rise at Hollywood Studios. Guests would set early alarms or race to the park by a certain time in hopes of securing a boarding group for the virtual queue. These boarding groups ran out very fast – often in a matter of seconds. The same was true for accessing Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure unless you were willing to pay an additional fee with Individual Lightning Lane. With a lottery-like distribution system, you’re bound to have dissatisfied guests who didn’t achieve a boarding group in time or those who were simply not in the know. That said, Disney has stated virtual queues have proven to be helpful with the launch of new attractions, so it’s possible that they may be used again in the future. 

For now, virtual queuing has been eliminated from Walt Disney World. If it ever returns to Walt Disney World, we believe it should only be used as a last resort when there is simply no more room in a standby queue to accommodate the line. 

But that’s not the only impact recent technology has been having at the resort. Let’s uncork some dark magic…

The Impact of Genie+ 

Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Lightning Lane have made it through the holidays, but not without grumblings of discontent from many guests. Over Thanksgiving, Disney received a lot of complaints about the lack of availability for Genie+ selections. The answer was to move selections from Individual Lightning Lane to Genie+ to give more options temporarily through the Christmas and New Year holidays. This left only one Individual Lightning Lane in each park. But did it solve the issue?

In some cases, yes; it added to the pool of availability. But the Genie+ selections for the most popular rides continued, and continue even now, to vanish within minutes or even seconds at the 7 AM opening window for booking them.

The biggest grumbles we continue to hear are not being able to select a return time, something you could do with FastPass+. Or only being able to reserve one attraction at a time, when you used to be able to schedule three with the old FastPass+.  Having to get up early, by 7 AM, on your vacation every day to schedule your Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane selections is not the ideal way to enjoy an expensive WDW vacation. And finally, utilizing Genie means having to be on your phone throughout the day to utilize all the new technology and services.

Attraction lines also are taking a hit, with longer wait times and queues spilling into the walkways. What used to be “Tier 1” rides for the FastPass+ system are now lines that are rarely under 60 minutes, and more often than not hover at 100+ minute waits.

It really makes us long for the early days of park reopenings when there was no skip-the-line option and queues moved consistently… the way they were originally designed. 

Have you visited the WDW parks recently? How was your experience with lines, Genie, and Lightning Lane?

Calling All Festival Foodies!

EPCOT’s 6th annual Festival of the Arts kicks off next week, and the menus look really fun! 15 Food Studios will feature returning favorites and soon-to-be hits. Boy, they sure know how to tease our appetites with these festival creations… and that Figment popcorn bucket with rainbow popcorn?! Please.

Time to start mocking up your must-try lists. Here are the yummy details to look forward to:

Pop Eats! (Near Port of Entry)

• • Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
  • Tomato Soup with Bacon, Apple, and Brie Grilled Cheese (New)
  • Almond Frangipane Cake layered with raspberry jam and Belgian chocolate
  • Pop’t Art: Modern-designed sugar cookie with chocolate-hazelnut filling
  • Figment Premium Popcorn Bucket with Rainbow Popcorn (Limit 2 per guest) (New)

• • Hazy IPA
  • Tomato Soup Can Bloody Mary

The Deconstructed Dish (Near Port of Entry)

• • Deconstructed BLT: Crispy pork belly, soft-poached egg, brioche, watercress espuma, and tomato jam
  • Deconstructed French Onion Soup: Beef broth ravioli, Gruyère espuma, onion bread pudding, and onion textures (New)
  • Deconstructed Key Lime Pie: Flexible Key lime curd, “Key lime” mousse, graham cracker cake, and meringues (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine – Green) (New)
  • Deconstructed Apple Pie à la Mode: Apple-cinnamon gelato, cinnamon apple cider, apple pie filling, and streusel (non-alcoholic) (New)
  • Brown Ale

Deco Delights (Near Port of Entry)

• Dulce Chocolate Mousse with chocolate crémeux and dark chocolate truffle (New)
• Decadent Valrhona Chocolate with dark chocolate mousse, chocolate brownie, and cassis mousse (New)
• Orange Mousse with lemon cake and raspberry meringues (New)
• Strawberry Blonde Nitro
• Vanilla Porter
• Milk Stout
• Neapolitan Beer Flight

The Craftsman’s Courtyard (near Disney Traders) (New)

• Cast Iron-roasted P.E.I. Mussels with Sautéed Tomatoes, Garlic, and Fresh Herbs (New)
• Cast Iron-seared Steelhead Trout with parsley salad, grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, and lemon aïoli (New)
• Wheat Beer
• Chardonnay
• Rosé
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Wine Flight

Refreshment Outpost

• Plant-based Bratwurst with spicy turmeric aïoli, coffee barbecue jackfruit, and slaw (Plant-based)
• Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Blue Raspberry Blonde Ale
• Nairobi Coffee Dark Beer
• Brown Ale

Pastoral Palate (Germany)

• Red Wine-braised Beef Short Rib with parsnip purée, broccolini, baby tomatoes, and aged balsamic
• Wild Boar Cassoulet with duck confit, ham hock, and wild boar sausage (New)
• Opera Cake: Almond joconde, coffee buttercream, and chocolate ganache
• Rosé Hard Cider
• Rosé Blonde Ale
• Frozen Rosé
• A Play on Rosé Flight
• Old Vine Rosé

The Artist’s Table (America)

• Beef Wellington: Mushroom duxelle, prosciutto, and puff pastry with red wine demi-glace and baby vegetables
• Pan-seared Scallops with vanilla-butternut squash purée, brown butter cauliflower purée, and lime foam (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine – Orange)
• Pistachio Cake with cherry mousse and morello cherries
• Sipping Chocolate Flight: White, milk, and dark chocolate (non-alcoholic)
• White Ale
• Amber Ale
• Brown Ale
• Pinot Noir
• Symphony in Chocolate Flight: Cream liqueurs paired with Sipping Chocolates
• Beer Flight

Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina (Morocco)

• Carrots Three Ways: Berbere-spiced grilled carrots, pickled carrots, and carrot ginger purée (Plant-based) (New)
• House-made Crispy Almond Phyllo Pockets with white chocolate pomegranate and milk chocolate orange (New)
• Chai Tea Mint Mimosa: Twinings of London Chai Tea with Key lime sparkling wine and mint
• Sangria Hard Cider
• Chai Hard Cider
• Berry Hard Cider
• Cider Flight

Vibrante & Vívido: Encanto Cocina (Between Morocco & France)

• House-made Chorizo and Potato Empanada with turmeric aïoli and annatto aïoli (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine – Yellow) (New)
• Spicy Ajiaco Soup with guajillo and árbol chili-spiced chicken, potato, avocado, corn, and crème fraîche (Gluten/Wheat Friendly) (New)
• Passion Fruit Mousse with Dragon Fruit Jam (Gluten/Wheat Friendly)
• Coconut and Passion Fruit Smoothie (non-alcoholic)
• Frozen Piña Colada
• Passion Fruit Daiquiri

Refreshment Port (Near Canada)

• Gnocchi Poutine with red wine-braised beef, cheese curds, basil, and burrata (New)
• Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Blood Orange Cosmo: Vodka with blood orange, cranberry, and lime (New)
• Hard Cider

Gourmet Landscapes (Canada)

• Blood Orange-braised Beet Carpaccio with mustard vinaigrette, pickled clamshell mushrooms, golden beets, and crostini (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine – Red) (Planted-based)(New)
• Roasted Bone Marrow with onion marmalade, pickled mushrooms, mache lettuce, and bone marrow snow (New)
• Wild Mushroom Risotto, Aged Parmesan, Truffle Shavings, and Zinfandel Reduction
• German Lager
• Cuvée Sparkling Wine
• Merlot
• Frozen Rusty Nail Cocktail

The Donut Box

• Vanilla Donut with strawberry sugar, strawberry ice cream, fresh strawberries, and strawberry gele (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine – Pink) (New)
• Inside Out Donut: Vanilla donut with Bavarian cream (New)
• Chocolate-dipped Donut with black and gold sugar sprinkles and chocolate buttercream (New)
• Rosé
• Cold Fashion Coffee Cocktail

L’Art de la Cuisine Française (France)

• Crème de Brie en Petit Pain: Warm creamy brie in a house-made bread bowl
• Croissant à la Truffe Noire d’Hiver: Black winter truffle croissant served warm
• Mousseline de Bisque de Homard Froide, Brioche Feuilletée à l’Aneth: Chilled lobster bisque mousse served with dill brioche (New)  
• Moelleux aux Noisettes et Chocolats Valrhona: Molten chocolate and hazelnut cake with pure origin Valrhona chocolates
• Frozen French Martini: Vodka, black raspberry liqueur, pineapple, orange, and grape juice with lemon-lime foam
• French Rosé Sparkling Wine
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Sparkling Chardonnay

El Artista Hambriento (Mexico)

• Huarache Verde: Cilantro huarache with cochinita pibil, fresh pineapple, and pickled onion (New)
• Carne Asada: Seared beef tenderloin, grilled queso fresco, refried beans, scallion, and ranchera salsa (New)
• Taco de Chocolate: Chocolate candy shell filled with Mexican chocolate mousse with a touch of chile topped with seasonal fruit (Gluten/Wheat Friendly)
• Mexican Craft Beer: Crafted with citrus notes and made with Mexican Caribbean seawater
• The Lily: Blanco tequila, violet essence Infusion, rose petal liqueur, cranberry, and lime juice
• Smoky Raspberry: Blanco tequila, rosemary-infused mezcal, ginger cordial, lime juice, and rosemary aroma

Goshiki (Japan)

• Chicken Kushiage: Breaded and fried chicken with yum yum sauce and vegetables (New)
• Sushi Donut: Donut-shaped sushi featuring salmon, tuna, shrimp, cucumber, and sesame seed over a decorated plate of wasabi aïoli, sriracha, and eel sauce
• Winter Ale
• Sake in a traditional personalized wooden cup
• Niseko Flurry: Sake, rum, white cranberry juice, blue curaçao, and lime juice (New)

The Painted Panda (China)

• General Tso’s Chicken Shumai
• Char Siu Pork Bun
• “Panda” Bubble Tea: Classic milk tea with black and white boba (non-alcoholic)
• Jasmine Draft Beer
• Eastern Dynasty: Vodka, light rum, strawberry syrup, piña colada mix, soda water, and magic boba pearls
• Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, triple sec, mango syrup, orange juice, and soda water
• Sea Butterfly: Butterfly pea flower-infused cocktail with vodka, light rum, lychee syrup, magic boba pearls

L’Arte di Mangiare (Italy)

• Arancini: Fried risotto balls stuffed with braised-beef and served with pomodoro sauce (New)
• Ravioli alla Boscaiola: Sweet sausage ravioli, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and creamy Parmesan sauce (New)
• Bomboloni: Chocolate-hazelnut Italian doughnut with powdered sugar (New)
• Peroni Pilsner
• Pinot Grigio
• Chianti
• Prosecco
• Red Sparkling Wine
• Moscato
• Italian White Sangria with Prosecco
• Italian Red Sangria with Cabernet Sauvignon
• Italian Margarita with Tequila and Limoncello
• Amaretto Bellini: Amaretto, White Peach Purée, and Prosecco
• Bergamotto: Rosolio Liqueur, Prosecco, and Olive

Funnel Cake

• Cherry Blossom Funnel Cake: Chocolate chip funnel cake topped with cherry ice cream, rainbow whipped cream, chocolate chips, and a maraschino cherry (New)

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company

• World Discovery (Near Mission: SPACE) – Mocha Masterpiece Cold Brew: A sweet creamy cold brew topped with whipped cream and chocolate puffs
• Canada – Colorful Canvas Cold Brew: A sweet creamy cold brew topped with whipped cream and fruity cereal
• World Showcase (Near Disney Traders) – Cinnamon Swirl Cold Brew: A sweet creamy cold brew topped with whipped cream and cinnamon squares
• The American Adventure – Rainbow Dreams Cold Brew: A sweet creamy cold crew topped with whipped cream and colorful marshmallow crunch

This year’s Festival of the Arts begins January 14th and runs through February 21st. Catch you there!

Let’s Hear From You

What are your thoughts on how Genie, Genie+, and Individual Lightning Lane are affecting operations at Walt Disney World parks? Did you see anything from the International Festival of the Arts food lineup that sounds good to you? Are you ready for the holidays to officially end or would you like to see the season extended even later next year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Catch Up with More WDW News

The holiday season is fading away, but there’s a lot to look forward to in 2022 at Walt Disney World.

Top New Rides and Attractions Coming to Walt Disney World in 2022

Are you visiting Walt Disney World soon? Magical Express has been discontinued – check out the best alternatives to get to Walt Disney World from Orlando Airport:

Disney’s Magical Express is Dead – 5 Best Alternatives to get to Walt Disney World!