As consumers tighten their wallets amid increasing inflation rates, a surprising find by the parent company of two popular affordably-priced restaurant chains in the U.S. has revealed that wallets for those making even more money might be tightening.

That's because, according to Dine Brands, sales during three months this year grew by some 6% to 8% for customers in households making more than $75,000 a year.

It's unclear how Dine Brands CEO John Peyton got that data when he presented it recently.

But he suggested the jump in sales was because "guests that often dine at more expensive restaurants are finding Applebee's and IHOP because of their well-known value position."

As CNN reported, Applebees and IHOP saw sales drop, with customers in households making under $50,000 per year.

Sales overall for both companies have seen slight increases for stores open at least a year.

Both restaurants have increased menu prices this year as the United States deals with staffing shortages in the industry coupled with increased inflation.  

Peyton said, "at times like these when economics are tough for our guests, our brands have particular expertise." 

A woman was killed and two others were injured when a Denny's sign fell on their car in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, authorities said.

The incident happened Thursday afternoon as the area was reportedly dealing with high winds.

A witness said the wind blew the Denny's sign from its post, causing it to crush the car in the parking lot. The front of the vehicle's car was smashed.

A 72-year-old woman inside the vehicle was rushed to a hospital in Louisville in critical condition. However, she was later pronounced dead.

The two other individuals inside the car are expected to survive.

Police are investigating the incident.

A spokesperson for Denny's released the following statement:

"Denny's is aware of the incident that took place at our Elizabethtown location on Thursday. Safety is our top priority, and we are working with the authorities to better understand what led to this situation. Our thoughts are with all of those involved."

LOVELAND, Ohio —

A roadblock is on the way for one of the region’s most popular bike trails because a new bridge will take all summer to install.

The Loveland Bike Trail will be closed at a distance from downtown that takes about one minute to walk.

The bridge will be closed for most of March and will reopen, but will then close down again from May until October.

“I don't think it's going to make too many people happy. The timing is not what I would call the best,” said Loveland resident Julie Dolbier.

“That is very disappointing because that is the riding season,” said Diana Hodges-Batzka. “It just means we will be going to the other parts of this wonderful trail that Ohio has.”

That’s the concern. The trail is important to downtown Loveland businesses.

Now, people hitting the trail at Loveland can’t go north toward Morrow and Lebanon, which is the most popular route.

Loveland City Manager David Kennedy said the Ohio Department of Natural Resource’s plan was to replace the bridge in January, but supply chain issues pushed it back to the summer.

“They're doing the right thing, timing, it's not good. It's not good for our businesses, but I'm absolutely supportive of the project,” Kennedy said.

Business owners are remaining optimistic.

“You’re always tempted to think worse-case scenario, but I think, for the most part, if you’re committed to doing good work, people want to come and find you anyway,” said the owner of Narrow Path Brewing Company, Chad Powers.

If you've dined out during the pandemic, you've probably noticed your local restaurants are operating with reduced or even dramatically reduced staffing. The Omicron variant is adding to an already existing staffing problem for the restaurant industry.

"We knew that it just was one more wave, one big variant, one bad winter away from disaster for a lot of restaurants, and that reality is quickly settling in at bars and restaurants throughout the country," said Caroline Styne, co-founder of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. 

With food prices going up, along with the cost of just about everything, fewer customers have also been dining in at restaurants around the country. All of those challenges add to the already huge problem with staffing shortages in the restaurant industry, and some of those businesses say they're on the brink of closing permanently. 

"It could be the end of January. It could be into March or April. But, it's not very long," said Bret Csencsitz, managing partner at Gotham Bar and Grill. 

Restaurant Business Magazine cites the research firm Placer.ai, that reports restaurant visits for the week of Dec. 20 were more than 10% lower than the same time in 2019. And the National Restaurant Association in November said 77% of restaurants reported not having enough employees.

Some of those lucky enough to have enough workers say they're now having to pay them even when they're closed because the demand for labor is so high. 

"I have no business, but please come work for us and we'll pay you. You know that's not normal logic and business," said Michael Dorf, CEO of City Winery.

Businesses say the whiplash of COVID-19 surges are driving them into the ground, as owners struggle to keep their doors open. Industry advocates say these current problems will have an economic ripple effect throughout the country. 

"The financial hit to the country is huge when you lose restaurants to the neighborhood, to the community, and to the job market in general," Styne said. 

This story was originally published by Meg Hilling and Bianca Facchinei of Newsy.

As Ohio restaurants plan to reopen later this month, one restaurant is using shower curtains to create barriers between tables as it prepares to open its dining room.

The Twisted Citrus restaurant in North Canton, Ohio, will be among the restaurants that will begin welcoming customers into its dining room after in-person dining was suspended in March.

The curtains are being used to divide tables where it’s not possible to separate them by 6 feet.

“They will be disinfected after each seating. It's obviously not an ideal situation, but we are doing our best to comply with requirements placed upon us so that we can eventually reopen and get our employees back to work,” the restaurant said.

On Thursday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that indoor dining would be permitted on May 21. The governor called the reopening of dining rooms a “risk.”

“But it's also a risk if you don't move forward,” DeWine added. “We're on a dangerous road that has never been traveled before in Ohio and the danger is that we relax and stop taking precautions. All of us collectively control this. I ask you to take calculated risks and make good judgments. Continue social distancing, washing your hands, and wearing face coverings. If you aren't concerned with what happens to you, do it for others."

Ohio is requiring employees to wear face coverings and for businesses to conduct temperature screenings at the beginning of shifts.

Justin Boggs is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk.

Follow him on Twitter @jjboggs

or on

Facebook

.

INDIANAPOLIS — Steak 'n Shake

permanently closed 57 of its restaurants

nationwide during the first quarter of 2020 as its parent company attributed major financial losses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biglari Holdings Inc.

announced in its first-quarter report

that Steak 'n Shake's revenue plunged by $59 million compared to the same time period in 2019 as its restaurants were limited to accepting takeout, drive-thru and delivery orders.

"The COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse effect on our restaurant operations," Biglari said in its quarterly report.

The report said 51 of the Steak 'n Shake locations that closed were company-owned, while six were franchised. The closings decreased the number of Steak 'n Shake locations to 553 from 624 at this time last year.

The report also said 62 of Steak 'n Shake's 306 company-owned restaurants were temporarily closed as of March 31.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected our operations and financial results," the report said. "The COVID-19 pandemic could cause disruptions to our supply chain. Moreover, we cannot predict how the outbreak of COVID-19 will alter the future demand of our products."

Steak 'n' Shake

previously closed more than 100 restaurant locations

between January 2019 and August 2019.

This story was originally published by Daniel Bradley on

WRTV

in Indianapolis.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear gave an update Friday on COVID-19 cases and plans to reopen dining rooms across the commonwealth.

Watch a replay of the briefing in the player below:

Restaurants reopen Friday

Restaurants across Kentucky reopened at 33% dine-in capacity plus outdoor seating Friday. Restaurants have been instructed to limit parties to 10 or fewer guests, and to separate tables by at least six feet. Employees will be required to wear masks while interacting with customers.

The state also advises that restaurants use disposable menus, napkins, table cloths, disposable utensils and condiments when possible. Self-serve buffets and salad bars will also be closed if employees cannot offer buffet service.

Restaurants must also create mask policies for customers, which may include refusing to serve guests who aren't wearing a face mask while away from their table or around others.

For more guidelines for restaurants and customers, click here.

Beshear said bars will remain closed until July because it's harder to regulate social distancing inside bars than in restaurants, but bars can still operate as restaurants by offering food service at tables outside.

Additionally, the governor's restrictions on interstate travel expired Friday.

On Thursday, Beshear added new dates for reopening horse parks, auctions, large-group gatherings and more. See WCPO's timeline for the full list of event reopenings in Kentucky and around the Tri-State.

TIMELINE: Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana reopening plans

Voting in Kentucky's primary

Sec. of State Michael Adams unveiled a new web portal where Kentuckians can check their voter registration status and request absentee ballots for the primary elections.

There are four ways to vote in Kentucky: in-person on election day, June 23; in-person early voting before June 8; absentee by mail; and absentee ballots returned to your local elections board before election day.

Since the state is "not able" to mail ballots to everyone automatically, Sec. of State Michael Adams said those who want an absentee ballot to either mail back or return to local elections boards can visit GoVoteKy.com.

“It makes it easy to vote, and it makes it hard to cheat,” Adams said.

You can check your voter status and update your information at Elect.Ky.Gov. Both sites are mobile-friendly, Adams said.

The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, May 26. The deadline to request a primary absentee ballot is June 15.

MORE: Kentucky gets in line with mail-in voting

Case numbers and testing

Beshear reported five new virus-related deaths Friday, and there have been 391 virus-related deaths among 8,426 total positive COVID-19 cases statewide. NKY Health reported 1,065 total local cases and 57 virus-related deaths as of Thursday.

More than 3,000 people have recovered from coronavirus, and more than 171,338 people have been tested so far. Beshear said though 40 virus-related deaths have been reported in just three days, the numbers continue to show a "plateauing" of cases.

A free drive-thru COVID-19 testing site will remain open in Erlanger at 25 Atlantic Ave this week. You can call 1-800-737-7900 to schedule an appointment.

For a complete list of coronavirus testing sites in Kentucky, click here.

Childcare reopening in June

Cabinet of Health and Family Services Sec. Eric Friedlander announced Thursday that in-home daycare will be able to open June 8, with center-based licensed childcare resuming June 15.

Friedlander said daycares would have to follow new guidelines, including staggering playground time, eliminating centerwide family events and field trips, and using centralized pick up/drop off locations to reduce exposure.

All adults and children over age 5 are asked to wear masks in childcare centers, Friedlander said.

For more guidelines on childcare and resources for parents, click here.

Ky. to distribute $300M in CARES funds

City and county governments across Kentucky can apply for part of $300 million in CARES Act funding for coronavirus response starting Thursday.

To apply, local governments with COVID-19-related expenses from March 1, 2020 to Dec. 30, 2020 must complete an application with expense documentation. These expenses can include personal protective equipment, food delivery to nursing homes and vulnerable populations, necessary telework and communications improvements, and others.

“Local governments have been instrumental in the fight against COVID-19 and are a lifeline in our local communities,” Beshar said.

Local governments must apply with the expense documentation on DLG’s website. Funding will be allocated to governments based on population size.

The restaurant industry has been one of the hardest hit in the last two months.

“The numbers that have come in so far about restaurant closures and restaurant job losses, have been nothing short of staggering,” said Sean Kennedy with the National Restaurant Association.

According to the National Restaurant Association, 8 million employees in the industry have lost their jobs. Since the pandemic began, that’s three times more jobs loss than other industry. In addition to job loss, total losses in revenue for restaurants stand at $80 billion with projections that could go up to $240 billion.

“It’s painful trying to manage this business,” said Ryan Fletter. “We are easily down 50% and I feel like we are enormously successful for being down only 50%. I have two restaurants and the other one is suffering a 90% loss.”

Fletter is the owner of Barolo Grill and Chow Morso Osteria in Denver. Like the 60% of restaurants around the country that are open, the establishments have been surviving on take-out orders for food. However, both have also been able to sell to-go cocktails, since Colorado began a temporary allowance for this at the end of March.

With no longer having dine-in service, selling liquor to-go with food has become a critical source of revenue.

“Everything is lifeline right now,” said Fletter. “You take that away and it would be like standing on top of our head while we are underwater.”

Colorado is not the only state to allow restaurants this additional stream of revenue. Around the country, 45 states have begun allowing restaurants and bars to now sell to-go cocktails and other liquor.

“That has actually been a huge revenue generator,” said Kennedy.

The National Restaurant Association believes the revenue stream has become a lifeline for the industry, but it is still not enough.

“We are really at our most dangerous point right now, and it is why we need a federal solution from congress if restaurants are going to survive into the fall,” explained Kennedy.

Kennedy and the National Restaurant Association have proposed stimulus package ideas for restaurants that include tax breaks and grant money for restaurants, but there has been little talk in Congress about it being part of the next stimulus package. For now, restaurants are relying on what has always kept them alive, their customers.

“We hope that everyone will continue to reach out to their local restaurant and participate in whatever program they are doing, whether it is food or beverages or both,” said Fletter. “It’s why we are alive.”

COVINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky's Supreme Court stopped two lower courts Friday from nullifying Gov. Andy Beshear's pandemic executive orders for now.

At a hearing that took up most of Thursday, Attorney General Daniel Cameron asked the Boone County Circuit Court for a temporary injunction on Beshear’s executive actions during the pandemic, including his latest order on masks in public. A Scott County court had already granted a similar injunction.

The court granted the injunction late Thursday to allow daycare ratios to increase from 10 children to 15 for every teacher, and for restaurants to allow social distancing at 3 feet back-to-back.

But both injunctions were stayed Friday by an order from the Kentucky Supreme Court, which means all of the executive orders, including Beshear's mask mandate, will stay in effect.

"Given the need for a clear and consistent statewide public health policy and recognizing that the Kentucky legislature has expressly given the Governor broad executive powers in a public health emergency, the Court orders a stay of all orders of injunctive relief until such time as the various orders are properly before the Court with a full record of any evidence and pleadings considered by the lower courts," the order reads.

Cameron's challenge would have allowed restaurants to distance tables only three feet apart if guests sat back-to-back, but some restaurant owners in Covington were not totally comfortable with the idea. Now, they are relying on city programs to help expand outdoor seating into the streets to be able to serve more customers.

Starting Friday, the parking area on Seventh Street in Covington’s Duveneck Square will be shut down every night from 6 - 11 p.m. so nearby restaurants nearby can set up tables and chairs as a way to make up for the 50% capacity limit and social distancing orders for indoor dining in Kentucky. Similarly, Roebling Point will be closed to traffic to provide more space for properly-distanced outdoor dining.

Bill Whitlow, owner and general manager of Rich’s Proper Food and Drink, welcomes the extra outdoor space since it means he can bring back extra staff.

“This area has been growing massively, so I think people are going to continue to come down here as they continue to feel comfortable, and with more tables we’ll have more reception,” he said.

Whitlow’s main goal is making sure customers feel comfortable enough to come out and dine.

“They ask about spacing. They call and ask what precautions we’re taking. People are scared, but people want to get out and normalize,” he said.

That’s why Whitlow said even if the challenge to the governor’s order is soon upheld, he’s not going to change a thing about the precautions at his restaurant unless he’s sure it is safe.

“So we’re going to continue to wear our masks,” he said. “We’re going to continue to have spacing six feet between tables.”

Josh Rhodes, project manager for Recover Covington, said the “out of the box” idea is all about the economic survival of these local businesses.

“Restaurants are pretty excited to have the additional space,” Rhodes said. “This is all about their survival.”

Read the Kentucky Supreme Court's Friday order in the viewer below:

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BECAME THE BACKDROP FOR REAL HEADLINES. >> THERE ARE SO MANY EXCITING THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT WALT DISNEY WORLD OVER THE YEARS, IT IS HARD TO PICK ONE. >> WE HAVE PICKED THE TOP FIVE. DISNEY WORLD’S FIRST FOOTNOTE IN HISTORY CAME TWO YEARS AFTER IT OPEN,ED NOVEMBER 17, 1973. >> PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON WAS THERE SHORTLY AFTER WATERGATE AND WAS GIVING A SPEECH TO THE PRESS AT ONE OF THE BALLROOMS. THERE WAS A QUESTION AND ANSWER CTSEION AFTER AND HE BLURTED OUT -- >> I AM NOT A CROOK. >> AND THAT BECAME HUGE IN THE AMERICAN LEXICON AND A BIG POP CULTURE MOMENT. >> EVEN PEOPLE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT RICHAR NDIXON PROBAYBL KNOW "I AM NOT A CROOK." MOST PEOE,PL HOWEVER, DO TNO REALIZE THAT WAS UTTERED ON THE GROUNDS O WALT DISNEY WORLD. >> PEOPLE HAVE GOTO TKNOW -- >> YEARS LATER, IT WAS THE BACKDROP FOR HEADLINES AGAIN, AND A BREAKUP THAT ROCKED ROCK ' ’N’ ROLL IN DECEMBER OF 1974, THE END OF THE BEATLES. >> THE WRITING WAS ALREADY ON THE WALL BY THE LATE 1960’S. >> BOB THOMPSON IS A POP CULTURE EXPERT AND PROFESSOR AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY. HE SAYS THE BREAKUP OF THE BEATLES UNRAVELED OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT BY DECEERMB OF 1970 FOUR, PAUL, GEORGE AND RINGO HAD ALL SIGNED THE PAPERWORK DISSOLVING THE PARTNERSP.HI >> AND THEY ONLY NEED ONE MORE SIGNATURE, JOHN LENNON. WHERE DOES HE HAPPEN TO BE WHEN THE DOCUMENTATIONS ARRIVE? THE POLYNESIAN RESORT IN NONE OTHER THAN DISNEY WORLD. SO WHILE DISNEY WORLD DIDN’T CAUSE THE BREAKUP OF THE BEATLES, THE OFFICIAL LAST CHAPTER IN THE BREAKUP OF THE BEATLES ACTUALLY HAPPENED WIINTH SIGHT OF THE MAGIC KINGDOM. >> CELEBRATIONS,OT N BREAKUPS, ARE MORE DISNEY’S STYLE, SO LET’S GET THE PARTY STARTEDITH W OUR NEXT TOP MOMENT FROM 1987. >> I AM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD. >> WORDS THAT HAVE NOW BEEN FIVE UTTERED BY EVERYONE FROM MI SS AMERICA TO REALY ITTV STARS. IT ALL BEGAN IN EARNEST WITH SUPER BOWL 21 MVP QUARTERBACK PHIL SIMMS AFTER THE NEW YORK GIANTS BEAT E BUTHFFALO BIS.LL >> THE STORY GOES HEAS W PAID, SOME REPORTS SAY $50,000, OTHERS $75,000. >> WHEN I HRDEA HIM SAY THAT, I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO COLD. -- SO COOL. YOU KNOW, DISNEY WORLD MEA ANS LOT TO NOT ONLY ME, BUT YOUR KIDS AND THE WHOLE WORLD. >> THAT VERY NEXT YEAR, AHEAOFD SUPER BOWL 22 IN 1988 DOUG WILLIAMS, QUARTERBACK FOR WASHINGT,ON D.C.’S TEAM, WAS APPROACHED. >> THE NIGHT BEFORE, ONE OF THE LADIES WHO WORKED FOR DISNEYT A THE TIME CAMTOE ME AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WIN, YOU KNOW, YOU, WE WANT YOU TO YSA THIS. AFTER THE GAME, YOU KN,OW WALKING OFF THE GAME PEOPLE WAS AROUND ME. AND I HAD MY HELMET UP IN THE AIR. THE ONLY THING I WAS WORRIED ABOUT WAS THE FACT THAT WE WAS THE WORLD CHAMPION, AND NOTHING ELSE MATTERED, THEN I FELT SOMETHING HIT ME ON THE LEG. SHE WAS A SHT ORLADY. AND SHE SAID, HEY, DISNEY WORLD, DISNEY WORLD. AND I LOOKED DOWN, AND I JTUS TURNED AROUND AND SAID, HEY, I’M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD. >> IN 2020, DISNEY STEPPED BACK INTO THE SPORTS ARENA HELPING TO GIVE THE NBA A BUBBLE TO PLAY THEIR ASSEON AMID THE CODVI PANDEMIC. >> HAD WE KNOWN WT WHAWEREE ASKED TO DO AT THE TIME, I AM NOT SO SURE WE WOULD HAVE SAID WE COULD DO IT BECAUSEHE TREAS W SO MUCH UNKNOWN. WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW AT THAT TIME -- OR NO ONE DID -- HOW THE VIRUS WAS TRANSMITTED. >> FROM JULY THROUGH OCTOBER, 22 NBA TEAMS PLAYERS, COACHES AND STAFF LIVED, WORKED AND PLEDAY AT DISNEY WORLD’S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS, COMPLETING THE 2019-2020 REGULAR SEASON, THE NBA PLAYOFFS AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. >> THE SEASON IS OVER, THIS HISTORIC CHAMPIONSHIP. >> THE SEASON CONCLUDED WITH ZERO CASES OF COVID-19 IN THE BUBBLE. FARON KELLEY IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF DISNEY SPORTS. >> TREHE WAS A DOCUMENTARYN O ABOUT THE DAY SPORTS STOPPED. AND I WATCHED IT, AND IT HAD FOOTAGE FROM THE BUBBLE D ATAN WE DID HERE. AND AT THAT MOMENT, IT HIT ME THAT WE HAD REALLY -- WERE PART OF HISTORY. >> DISNEY’S NEXT DEFINING POP-CULTURE MOMENT HAS TO DO WITH A PRINCESS. NOT THE ONE FROM THIS CAST BLEUT A REAL-LIFE PRINCESS, POSSIBLY THE MOST FAMOUS WOMAN IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME. >> IN 1993, DIANA, PRINCESS DIANA BROUGHT HER TWO BOYS FOR THEIR FIRST VISIT TO THE UNITED STAT,ES AND OF COURSE, THEY WTEN TO DISNEY WORLD AS A FAMILY, THE THREE OF THEM. >> PRINCE WILLIAM WAS 11 AND HARRY WAS ONLY 8. THE INTERNATIONAL PAPARAZZI AT THE TIME, ANXIOUS TO GET A PICTURE OF THE ROYALS WHO WERE AT THE PARK SSLE THAN A ARYE AFTER PRINCESS DIANA AND PRINCE CHARLES ANNOUNCED THEIR SEPARATION. >> OTHER PAPERS ARE SPECULATING >> THE BUZZ AROUND THEIR VISIT, DOMINATED THE LOCAL NEWS TOO BACK THEN. >> IT WAS REALLY QUITE A THRILL. I>>T MADE A BIG IMPACT ON WALT DISNEY WORLD BECAUSE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD SAY IF THEY CAN HAVE SUCH A GOOD TIME, I WOULD GO THERE TOO. >> OF ALL THE FAMOUS VISITS TO DISNEY AND MOMENTS THAT HAVE UNFOLDED ALONG MAIN STREET, THERE SEEMS TO BE ONE THAT PEOP RLEEMEMBER BEST, THR EIOWN. >> MILLIONS OF IMPORNTTA EVENTS HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS AT DIEYSN WOR,LD BUT THE MAIN EVENTS WERE NOT RECORDED. THEY ARE EVENTS YOU HEAV TO LOOK INTO PEOPLE’S PHOTO ALBUMS. YOU HAVE TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR MEMORIES. A BIG STORY HAPPENS AT DISNEY WORLD EVYER DAYNOT, THE STORIES THEY GET REPORTED. FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD, IT IS THE BIGGEST, SOMETIMES HAPPIEST MEMORY OF THEIR LIFE. >> THAT IS WHAT 50 YEARS OF MAGIC IS ALL ABO

What you need to know: Disney Genie Service launches at Walt Disney World

Updated: 3:42 AM EDT Oct 20, 2021

Video above: Disney World's top five moments in pop-culture historyDisney Genie debuted at Walt Disney World Tuesday, and that means big changes for guests and all Disney fans.Disney Genie is a complimentary and convenient new digital service designed to create your best Disney day, according to Disney Parks Blog. The service is meant to make planning easier, provide more flexibility and better tools for those who visit Walt Disney World."Built right into the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps, Disney Genie service will maximize your park time, so you can have more fun," according to Disney Parks Blog.It includes a personalized itinerary feature that will "quickly and seamlessly" map out an entire day. From specific attractions, dining experiences and entertainment, to general interests like Disney princesses, villains, Pixar, Star Wars, thrill rides and more, all the user needs to do is tell Disney Genie what they want to do, and it will do the planning for them. Popular Genie features include:Get Itinerary Updates from Morning to NightFind Your Favorites at a GlanceEnjoy More Flexibility and FunUsers can create their own personal tip board to instantly see their favorites. It will display current and forecasted future wait times, helping guests predict when they might experience quicker entry to attractions.You can also join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant and more. Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort, choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability). This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service from Disneyland Resort, according to Disney Parks Blog.For more details on Disney Genie, click here.

Video above: Disney World's top five moments in pop-culture history

Disney Genie debuted at Walt Disney World Tuesday, and that means big changes for guests and all Disney fans.

Disney Genie is a complimentary and convenient new digital service designed to create your best Disney day, according to Disney Parks Blog.

The service is meant to make planning easier, provide more flexibility and better tools for those who visit Walt Disney World.

"Built right into the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps, Disney Genie service will maximize your park time, so you can have more fun," according to Disney Parks Blog.

It includes a personalized itinerary feature that will "quickly and seamlessly" map out an entire day. From specific attractions, dining experiences and entertainment, to general interests like Disney princesses, villains, Pixar, Star Wars, thrill rides and more, all the user needs to do is tell Disney Genie what they want to do, and it will do the planning for them.

Popular Genie features include:

• Get Itinerary Updates from Morning to Night
• Find Your Favorites at a Glance
• Enjoy More Flexibility and Fun

Users can create their own personal tip board to instantly see their favorites. It will display current and forecasted future wait times, helping guests predict when they might experience quicker entry to attractions.

You can also join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant and more.

Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort, choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability). This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service from Disneyland Resort, according to Disney Parks Blog.

For more details on Disney Genie, click here.