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August 18, 2026

Disney's Biggest Fan Weekend Kicks Off — and a Monster Sushi Bar Is Coming

D23 Day Legends cavalcade heading down Main Street at Disneyland

Parks news

Disney's Biggest Fan Weekend in Two Years Just Kicked Off at Disneyland

D23 Day turned Disneyland into a Legends reunion — a 23-character cavalcade down Main Street, free commemorative ear hats, and live entertainment running nearly to midnight. Plus two more stories worth your attention: a newly surfaced Disney patent that fakes hills on flat ride track, and the full tracklist for The Music of EPCOT vinyl.

Read the full digest →

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Concept art for the Monstropolis land coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney dining

Monstropolis Is Getting a Sushi Bar Run by a Monster

Disney's D23 reveal confirmed two restaurants for the new Monsters, Inc. land at Hollywood Studios: Harryhausen's, a sit-down room built around an animatronic tentacled sushi chef and billed as "unlike anything else" at Walt Disney World, plus casual Archie's Scare Pig Pizza. Parts of the land open in 2027.

See what's on the menu →
Disney Cruise Line ship sailing at sea

Cruise planning

Disney Cruise Gratuities Explained: How Much to Tip and Who Gets It

DCL recommends about $16 per guest, per night in standard staterooms — split among your server, assistant server, head server, and stateroom host, and charged automatically unless you prepay. Here's the full per-role breakdown, plus the 18% that's already baked into every bar and spa tab.

Get the tipping breakdown →

Also This Week

The Six-Week Dinner Deal Every Disney Guest Should Know — Visit Orlando's Magical Dining runs August 14–September 30: three-course dinners for $40 or $60 at 180+ Central Florida restaurants, including spots near Disney.

Magic Kingdom Tips for First Timers: What to Know Before You Go — How long the entrance really takes, which must-do rides to hit first, and the rope-drop and Lightning Lane moves that save first-timers hours.

27 Spooky Bites We'd Hit at Disney Springs This Fall — Our seven standout stops from Disney Springs' 2026 Halloween food lineup — a curated crawl worth building an evening around, most debuting August 11.

Disney World With Toddlers: A Realistic Itinerary That Works — A 3-day plan built around naps, a rest day, Rider Switch, and Baby Care Centers — designed to survive the parks with little ones in tow.

Evergreen Guides

Genie+ vs Lightning Lane

Lightning Lane tiers explained

DCL Concierge benefits

Best time to visit Disney World 2026

Universal Express Pass cost 2026

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