Disney Dining

 

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — With drinks like the Antioxidant Cocktail, entrées such as whole-wheat linguine with clams, rock shrimp and fresh thyme in chunky tomato broth, and crispy almond-raisin “baklava” for dessert, The Wave brings a surge of new dining ideas to Walt Disney World Resort.

Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the new restaurant is “bold cooking inspired by fresh markets,” said Dieter Hannig, vice president of new concepts for Walt Disney World Food & Beverage. “America is more and more a melting pot, and The Wave features American cooking with world flavors.”

Guests enter the stylish new space on the first floor of the hotel through a brushed steel arch “tunnel” into The Wave’s lounge, one of the largest at Walt Disney World Resort. The sleek, serene décor is earthy browns and golds, with frosted glass lamps for soft ambient light and a copper-colored metal ceiling. Banquettes and booths line the perimeter of the dining room, and wooden tables are set with white linen napkins. A large central table is draped in sheer fabric in purples and golds.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the 220-seat restaurant takes casual dining into the health-conscious 21st century. The classic American breakfast menu includes plenty of egg creations, but guests also can make their own Wave muesli or sip a Beta Berry Smoothie with raspberry puree and non-fat yogurt blended with Odwalla Berries GoMega (a great source of Omega-3). The Pure Sunshine breakfast cocktail features organic vodka and orange juice topped with Vitamin Energy Drink. Coffee is organic Colombian (fair trade and “Smithsonian-certified bird-friendly”) and teas are whole leaf Pyramid bags in flavors from chamomile blossoms to monsoon chai.

At lunch, light eaters might enjoy lettuce wraps with sautéed lamb and bay scallops, or a lump crab cake with crispy papaya slaw. Entrées include oversized salads and a vegetarian sandwich with grilled tofu, roasted veggies and herb goat cheese on multi-grain bread, but guests also can chow down on an Angus chuck burger with cheese and Applewood smoked bacon, or a classic grilled Reuben.

The dinner menu offers a delicious spin on comfort classics such as pan-seared Alaskan black cod with corn and edamame (soybean) stew with cilantro chutney; braised lamb shank with bulgur lentil stew and red wine sauce, and a nouvelle chicken pot pie with thyme pastry. Sides at both lunch and dinner include braised greens and roasted sweet potatoes and carrots.

“Lots of stocks, lots of broths and seasonal ingredients keep the menu well balanced,” said Chef Frank Brough. “We are sourcing ingredients locally and regionally to create fresh flavors, and our fresh catch of the day features sustainable seafood.”

Desserts continue the theme with a dozen choices for mixing and matching three mini-favorites for one price. From chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache, to yogurt sorbet with blueberry compote and coconut panna cotta with passion fruit, guests can indulge their sweet tooth without a big hit in calories. Or go overboard with a dessert cocktail like the Mudslide martini: Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla vodka, Kahlúa and vanilla ice cream.

Wine ‘With a Twist,’ Innovative Spirits Menu

The wine program, with only screw cap wines, is cutting-edge and supports sustainable agriculture, says Master Sommelier John Blazon, manager of wine sales and standards for Walt Disney World Resort.

“The surge in the use of the screw cap is nothing short of a revolution in wine packaging,” says Blazon. Industry experts say that the screw cap is the most significant technical evolution in the wine industry since the glass bottle was introduced 250 years ago.

And the options for screw cap wine are growing, said Blazon. The Wave serves no California wines (California Grill on the resort’s 15th floor has a corner on the California market), but instead focuses on bright-style New World wines from the Southern Hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Sparkling wines from Tasmania, Rieslings from South Australia, floral New Wave whites from Argentina and pinot noirs from New Zealand are among the interesting choices, with 50 available by the glass. A flight of 3-ounce samplings and dessert wines, ports and sherries round out the wine list.

For beer fans, certified organic ales from Orlando Brewing are on the menu. Produced in Orlando, these handcrafted ales use only American-grown certified-organic barley malt. Three Orlando Brewery ales are available on tap, including Blonde Ale, Pale Ale and Blackwater Dry Porter. Also on the menu is gluten-free Redbridge lager.

Trendy cocktails are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Start the day with a Pomegranate Splash (vodka, pomegranate liqueur, cranberry juice and soda water) or the Ultimate Bloody Mary (organic vodka, Bloody Mary mix and a dash of red chili sauce).

“Natural and flavorful are the buzzwords for cocktails,” said Stuart McGuire, director of beverage sales and standards for Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. The Pure-tini mixes organic vodka with organic mango and passion fruit liqueur. The Antioxidant Cocktail features wild berry vodka, black raspberry liqueur, açai juice with agave, lychee, aloe juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

The Wave is part of a revitalization at Disney’s Contemporary Resort that includes a makeover of the hotel’s fourth floor with a new game arcade and new quick-service eatery for salads and sandwiches (replacing Concourse Steakhouse). The popular Chef Mickey’s restaurant and the monorail station anchor that family-friendly area.

© 2008 Disney

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 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Fine cuisine and wines from some of the best “foodie” cities in the world will take a bow at the 13th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 26 through Nov. 9 at Walt Disney World Resort.

Epcot guests can explore these “Cities in Wonderland” — from trendy Cork, Ireland, to the melting pot of Cape Town, South Africa — around the World Showcase promenade while also discovering blissful bites at international and regional marketplaces brimming with exotic flavors and comfort foods. The six-week festival will showcase tastes from countries on six continents.

More than 25 international marketplaces will serve tapas-sized portions of regional specialties at $2-to-$5 each, and recommended wines and beers make perfect pairings at each kiosk. New festival flavors explore the culinary wonders of Lyon, France; Marrakesh, Morocco; Shanghai, China; Bologna, Italy; Tokyo and Mexico City. Exhibits along the promenade also will showcase entertainment and traditional crafts of several countries.

Daily complimentary wine and beer tastings serve up sips from around the world, and culinary demonstrations dish up featured taste treats. A series of special culinary programs features a lineup of renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers participating in elegant dinners, luncheons, seminars and wine schools.

“We wanted to take our guests on a grand gustatory expedition,” says Nora Carey, festival manager. “The cities that we’ll feature are known for great dining experiences, and the ‘Cities in Wonderland’ theme will inspire our guests to enjoy great food and wine in a fresh new way.”

The Epcot festival continues to grow dramatically, attracting a diverse audience of more than one million guests each fall — from wine connoisseurs and epicures to neophytes wishing to boost their wine IQs. Beer aficionados can raise their steins at several tasting locations, including Germany’s Biergarten, which specialize in brews from light to dark.

Musical entertainment pairs perfectly with culinary fun during the nightly Eat to the Beat! concert series featuring a varied lineup of classic rock, soul, R&B, oldies, jazz and funk hit-makers. Concerts are performed three times each evening at America Gardens Theatre along the World Showcase lagoon. New acts to appear include Kool & The Gang, Spyro Gyra, En Vogue and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. David Sanborn, Jon Secada and Otis Day and the Knights are among returning crowd-pleasing acts.

Other festival highlights include:

The Festival Welcome Center, with a Champagne and Wine Bar, complimentary wine seminars and book signings, and festival keepsakes including exclusive festival pins and an official festival cookbook.

Some 250 Disney chefs and guest chefs conducting culinary demonstrations and hosting elegant dinners and tasting events. Guest chefs are now being signed for the event; last year’s lineup included Cat Cora, Alan Wong, Jeff Henderson, Roy Yamaguchi, Todd English, G. Garvin, Suvir Saran, Warren Brown and many others.

The weekly Party for the Senses grand tasting event featuring tempting tastes from eminent chefs, more than 70 wines and beers and live entertainment.Festival guests also can enjoy new Epcot experiences including the re-launched Spaceship Earth attraction in Future World, with narration by Oscar winner Dame Judi Dench, new scenes, sets and costumes, updated Audio-Animatronics figures, plus a touch-screen interactive ride sequence. In the World Showcase, there’s a new restaurant at the Italy pavilion, Tutto Italia, with cuisine from different regions of Italy. And the Japan pavilion just introduced its new Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo restaurants. Mexico’s new tequila bar is perfect for cool sips on a warm autumn evening.

Included with Epcot Admission:

Wine and beer seminars, cooking demonstrations, special book signings at the Festival Center, Eat to the Beat! concerts, culinary and cultural exhibits, and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.

Special Programming by Reservation:

The weekly Party for the Senses grand tasting, Food and Wine Pairings at select Epcot restaurants, Regional Feasts, Epcot Wine Schools, Cheese Tastings, Sweet Sundays, and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate admission.

Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs. Festival details are available at the Web site: disneyworld.com/food.

Disney Special Events EPCOT food and wine festival

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Pastry chefs throughout Walt Disney World Resort make things a little sweeter with deliciously decorative displays and sugar shacks made of yummy ingredients during the winter holidays. These candy-decked dwellings adorn the lobbies at various Walt Disney World resort hotels beginning in November. On the menu this holiday season at Walt Disney World Resort:

Disney’s Beach Club Resort

A fully detailed, life-sized carousel in the resort’s lobby is created from a recipe that uses gingerbread, chocolate, sugar paste and tons of enthusiasm, energy and talent. Guests who wish to take home a treat of their own can buy small gingerbread houses from the Beach Club Marketplace. Pastry chefs give demonstrations on select days to provide guests with tips on creating a gingerbread invention at home.

Carousel fun fact: seven “hidden Mickeys” can be found on the carousel.

Ingredient fun facts:
36 lbs. of honey
96 lbs. of bread flour
100 pints of eggs
10 lbs. of spices
10 quarts of simple syrup
100 lbs. of icing
50 lbs. of dark chocolate
10 quarts of egg whites
100 lbs. of confectioner sugar

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Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

The lobby of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort becomes home to a delectable scene in motion: A miniature New England-style train races through a sugary rock mountain surrounded by a candy-coated model village in this don’t-miss edible display. One lucky guest will be chosen daily to meet Chef Stefan Riemer for treats and a photo during “The Year of a Million Dreams” celebration at Walt Disney World Resort.

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Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

The lobby of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is a “Home for the Holidays” scene with an artfully crafted miniature train made of gingerbread and chocolate. Walt Disney World pastry chefs also create small souvenir gingerbread houses which are offered for sale at the BoardWalk Bakery.

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Disney’s Contemporary Resort

A holiday toy shop made of sugar and chocolate, featuring Pinocchio himself, is the sweet spot for guests to purchase treats and toys on the first floor of the tower building.

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Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Opening to guests Nov. 19 is a gingerbread house large enough that it doubles as a real bake shop in the Grand Floridian lobby. Featuring gingerbread using a classic Austrian recipe, the bake shop offers freshly baked items such as cookies and gingerbread ornaments. Other homemade items for sale include Stollen Bread, chocolate peppermint bark, lollipops and special Grand Floridian logo boxes filled with truffles. Demonstrations of how to decorate a gingerbread house take place in front of the Gingerbread House six days a week.

Gingerbread house fun fact: Chefs spend 400 hours baking the gingerbread and 160 hours decorating the house.

Structure Composition:
16 feet high
17 feet wide
> 1,000 board feet of trim
60 sheets of plywood
40 window panes
80 square feet of retail space
100 square feet of display
10,000 pieces of gingerbread used>

Gingerbread Ingredients:
1,050 lbs. honey
600 lbs. powdered sugar
35 lbs. spices
800 lbs. flour
140 pints egg whites
180 lbs. apricot glaze

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American Adventure at Epcot

Santa’s Gingerbread Bake Shop at Liberty Inn at American Adventure enchants guests of all ages. Guests peer inside the life-sized gingerbread house at goodies galore. The giant structure, made entirely of gingerbread, cookies and icing, features more than 800 pounds of sugar and more than 1,000 eggs. Inside the bake shop, Christmas cookies and hot and cold beverages, as well as souvenir gingerbread recipe cards, may be purchased. Opens in late November.

© 2007 Disney

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Because I think these are one of the best little desserts in Walt Disney World, I thought I would post a few pictures of this perfect little treat.  Found at many counter service restaurants (this one in particular was purchased at Cosmic Ray’s in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom) this chocolate cake tastes just like Mom’s signature recipe.  It’s very sweet and hits the spot on those days you need a little extra sugar rush to get you through that 10th time on Space Mountain.  Plus, it’s also part of the Disney Dining Plan so you can use your snack credit for it as well!

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Hello everyone!

I finally got around to posting the pictures of the Boma buffet from our September trip.  You can check it out by clicking here:

http://www.diningindisney.com/animal-kingdom-lodge-boma-flavors-of-africa/

Just a quick story about our dinner at Boma (which was back at the end of September.)  We arrived for our 4:40pm advanced reservations about 20-minutes early and there was a little bit of a crowd already waiting so I had to stand in a short line to get checked in.  We ended up waiting for about 10-15 minutes before they actually opened up the restaurant so I was able to walk through and get some pictures of the untouched buffet!  (before all the hungry crowds jumped on it.) 

Of all the times we’ve eaten at Boma we never experienced buffet lines like this before.  At one point, while waiting for 15-20 minutes in line for the Spit Fired Prime Rib, I looked back and counted 40 people in line!  It stretched from the right side of the restaurant near the Prime Rib table all the way back to about mid-way through the dining area.  Mind you this was a Sunday night, but holy cow was that a long time to wait in.  It was like the “Perfect Storm” of buffets because as the night went on the crowds dispersed from the Prime Rib area and slowly moved to the dessert tables like a Hurricane moving up the East Coast.  Everyone must have been eating the same things at the same time as you could see the lines forming at the next logical area of the buffet. It moved from salads, to soups, then to meats, then finally over to the coveted dessert bar.  It was almost like a herd of cattle gradually moving from one area of the buffet to another as the night went on! Sure enough towards the end of dinner we looked back and the lines were building at the dessert bar!!  OH NO!  I will not lose out on Zebra Domes without a fight!  My wife immediately dispatched me to the dessert area with orders to stand in line and not come back until I had enough desserts for both of us (well, she was much nicer about it than that but I’m in BUFFET BATTLE mode so that’s what it felt like!)  I immediately walked very briskly (and yes, I contemplated running through the crowds of women and children but figured I would look like a nut and would end up knocking over a few tables which wouldn’t go over too well with the staff) to grab a plate of whatever I could get my hands on.  I was in luck……..I ended up getting some tasty treats including the zebra domes, cookies, yummy fruit tartlets and a very good Peach Crumble. Success!

Looking back I’m not sure if it was the mere thought of getting to an empty dessert bar (which I now know is a near impossibility in Walt Disney World) or whether I was just locked in the moment of feeling like I was in a Buffet Battle with hundreds of other hungry people (a battle I was NOT going to lose.) But it was one crazy night at the buffet which felt more like a Hot Dog eating competition with Takeru Kobayashi to eat as much as you can as fast as you can so you don’t miss out on the Zebra Domes at the dessert bar!

I can’t be the only one who feels this way……..hmmmm……or am I ??

Bottom line is that Boma still takes the cake in my book for best buffet in Walt Disney World.  Long lines or not.

Enjoy the pictures and try not to salivate on your computer keyboard too much! 

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The new chef for Jiko - The Cooking Place, the featured restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, has been announced. Chef Brian Piasecki has previously been head chef at another top Disney World restaurant, Le Cellier at Epcot.

Arguably one of the best restaurants in EPCOT, Le Cellier is very popular for their outstanding steaks and probably the best Cheese Soup you’ll find anywhere. Let’s see if Chef Brian can take his success to the next level at an already successful and popular JIKO in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Read more HERE.

Technorati Tags: Jiko, Animal Kingdom Lodge, EPCOT, Le Cellier

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Largest Single-Site Purveyor of Wine in the World:
Disney’s Wide World of Wine

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — As baby boomers — the first generation to grow up with Disney theme parks — return to Walt Disney World Resort, they’re demanding a new level of sophistication, especially in the realm of dining.

In the past 10 years, world-class restaurants have been introduced — California Grill, Flying Fish Cafe, Cítricos, Artist Point, Jiko-The Cooking Place, and with each new dining room, wine choices have increased dramatically.

“We’re always listening to our guests,” said John Blazon, manager of Wine Sales and Standards, “what’s selling, what’s not, what should we add?” And as the largest single-site purveyor of wine in the world, it’s pretty easy to spot trends, from up-and-coming vintners to the rise in single-serving bottles. “We’re always learning,” Blazon continued.

Blazon and his team start with a solid list of 250 wines that’s updated annually, 65 percent New World (from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) and 35 percent Old World (from Spain, France, Germany and Italy). At a resort with more than 300 places to dine — more than most cities — that scrutinized list insures quality and consistency in pricing no matter where guests are dining, said Blazon.

Then, select “fine dining” restaurants in both theme parks and resorts have the latitude to expand and refine the core list. For instance, Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has a wine list that’s exclusively from the Pacific Northwest, while Jiko-The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers only wines from South Africa — the largest South African wine program for any one site in the United States. Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa can add favorites to accompany seafood, while the sommelier at Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort looks for first-rate pairings for beef. AAA Five-Diamond winner Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has 700 selections on the menu and 4,200 bottles in its cellar.

And with wine such an integral part of the Disney dining experience, Walt Disney World Resort has more sommeliers than any other company in the world, according to the Court of Master Sommeliers, the governing board for certification.

“The certification has sparked an entire culture in our company,” said Blazon. “Our sommeliers are friendly, passionate and listen to our guests so they can recommend creative choices for matching wine with food.”

More than 625 sommeliers have been awarded the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory Certificate at Walt Disney World Resort, with more than 300 sommeliers currently in restaurants. Walt Disney World Resort has one master sommelier, John Blazon, and one advanced sommelier, Bridget Sherren.

Beyond wine, Walt Disney World Resort also offers a two-day seminar to cast members — the first of its kind for a major company — focusing on distilled spirits and cordials and covering history, production, food pairings and more. A written exam and “Disney Spirits Diploma” completes the class.

© 2007 Disney

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Here are some great Walt Disney World Fun Food Facts!

Take your pick. . . There are over 300 places to dine across Walt Disney World Resort. And that’s not counting the portable food carts. In all, more than 6,000 different food items are available.

Someone’s in the kitchen . . . There are more than 350 chefs on staff at Walt Disney World Resort.

Serving the wine . . . More than 625 sommeliers have been awarded the Court of Master Sommelier Introductory Certificate at Walt Disney World Resort, with more than 300 sommeliers currently in restaurants.

Light as air . . . 10,000 dessert soufflés a year come out of the oven at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

You say tomato . . . California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort serves 70 pounds of vine-ripened tomatoes every night during “tomato season,” July through November.

Green thumb . . . More than 30 tons of fruits and vegetables grown at The Land pavilion at Epcot are served in Walt Disney World restaurants.

It’s a toss-up . . . 31,000 Cobb salads are tossed every year at The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney-MGM Studios. The original recipe for the dressing, created in 1926, still tops the salads.

Thatsa pasta . . . Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano at Disney-MGM Studios serves 720 pounds of pasta every day.

Finger food . . .Over 1.6 million turkey drumsticks are devoured every year in the four Walt Disney World theme parks.

Warm beer . . . At United Kingdom Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room in Epcot World Showcase, a specially designed ale warmer can heat your Guinness to 55 degrees, the temperature favored by Brits.

Keeping cool . . . Over 2.6 million chocolate-covered Mickey Mouse ice cream bars are sold every year at Walt Disney World Resort.

Just like mom’s . . . At least 125 orders of meat loaf and mashed potatoes are requested every day at the 50’s Prime Time Cafe at Disney-MGM Studios.

Say cheese . . . More than 40 varieties of cheese are used by Disney theme park and resort chefs.

Afternoon tea . . . The formal afternoon respite is celebrated daily at Garden View Lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Crazy for popcorn . . . 322,000 pounds of popcorn are popped every year at Walt Disney World Resort — that’s 5 million bags of buttery kernels.

More than 400,000 pounds . . . of unused, prepared food is donated annually through the Disney Harvest program to feed the homeless of Central Florida.

26.2 miles . . . of bratwurst are served every 60 days at the Biergarten restaurant in the Germany pavilion at Epcot. That, by the way, is the length of a marathon.

Don’t spit the seeds . . . More than a million pounds of watermelon are served every year at Walt Disney World Resort.

© 2007 Disney

Disney Food Facts

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It’s that time of the year where the leaves are changing and the air is getting a little chilly (at least up North where I am) and it just feels like Halloween.  And what would Halloween be without PUMPKINS! 

 A few weeks ago we were fortunate to be at Walt Disney World where we saw some of the HUGE pumpkins being grown in the “Living With The Land” attraction.  These are grown in the Production Greenhouse section of The Land where a lot of different vegetables are grown for use in the Garden Grill Restaurant just upstairs as well as many other EPCOT restaurants. I have no idea what these weighed however they were some of the biggest pumpkins I’ve seen. In addition they’re also growing the Mickey shaped pumkins in the hanging molds which are really neat (see picture below.)

So, in honor of the season, I wanted to post a Disney recipe with this tasty ingredient that you can make right in your own home. This recipe comes from the restaurant BOMA in the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  It’s a PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE recipe that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.  Here’s how you do it:

Pumpkin Cheesecake (Boma, Animal Kingdom Lodge)

Yields (1) cheesecake

1 2/3 lb Cream Cheese
5/8 tsp Coriander
5 oz Sugar
5/8 tsp Ginger
3 Eggs
1 ½ oz Heavy Cream
1 tsp Orange Zest
1 ½ oz Sour Cream
1 tsp Lemon Zest
5/8 lb Pumpkin Puree (canned is fine)
1/8 tsp Ground Cinnamon
4 Tbl Bourbon Whiskey
¼ tsp Fresh Ground Nutmeg
5/8 tsp Cloves
5/8 tsp Anise Seed

Crust Topping
½ lb Graham Cracker Crumbs
¼ oz Black Sesame Seeds
4 oz Melted Butter
4 oz Heavy Cream
2 oz Sugar

Prepare graham cracker crust by mixing graham cracker crumbs, melted, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle into the bottom of the round flexipan mold. Set aside.

Prepare cheesecake mix by creaming sugar, zests and cream cheese.

Add all the spices, then the rest of the ingredients, while constantly scraping to make sure there are no lumps.

Pour the cheesecake mix in the pan all the way to the top. Set the flexipan mold on a sheet pan and bake in a hot water bath at 275° for about an hour. Place in freezer to cool and then un-mold.

Sprinkle black sesame seeds on a sheet pan and bake at 350° until golden brown.

Whip heavy cream with sugar until stiff peaks. Pipe small dollops of whipped cream on cheesecake. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

That’s all there is to it! 

Happy Halloween everyone!

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Per a press release from Disney:

“Two new themed restaurants. Walt Disney World guests will have two new restaurants to choose from when they visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney.  The restaurants will be operated by Landry’s Restaurants, which operates the Rainforest Cafés at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney. 

This November, guests who travel to the land of Asia in Disney’s Animal Kingdom will get a real taste of that exotic part of the world with Yak & Yeti Restaurant. Inspired by the western Himalayan foothills in India and Nepal, this Asian-fusion establishment will offer table-service dining and a full-service bar, as well as quick-service food and beer-garden options, and retail offerings from Pan-Asia ranging from silk purses, incense and saris to fine teapots. It will seat 250 inside for table-service dining and 350 in a quick-service courtyard.

Later in 2008, Downtown Disney guests will be able to dine face to face with a dinosaur at T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover, which combines table-service dining and retail in an interactive prehistoric environment built around water, fire and ice.”

 More to come on these two restaurants over the coming days as more information is being released!!

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Living in Pennsylvania, we’re always trying to find a way to ‘get our fix’ since we live so far away from Walt Disney World.  Luckily we’re within a few hours drive to some very nice amusement parks including Dorney Park, Knoebels, Great Adventure (NJ) and one of our favorites Hersheypark.  We decided a few weeks ago that we wanted to visit Hersheypark as we wanted to see what they call “Hersheypark in the Dark” which is their Halloween celebration.  Knowing how much we loved going to Walt Disney World during their “Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party” we thought it would be a good way to again, ‘get our fix.’

 You’re probably wondering where this is going since this site is all about Disney Dining.  Well, I’m here to officially announce that DINING IN DISNEY IS NOT EXPENSIVE when it comes to counter service meals.  Why do I say that?  Well, let me tell you about our experience this past weekend in Hersheypark. 

We’re wandering around Hersheypark on Saturday evening (which just so happened to be the first night of Hersheypark in the Dark) with what seemed to be endless crowds of thousands of people.  Every single ride had HUGE lines (except for the kiddie rides which thankfully were very short making our 2-year old daughter very happy) so we decided to grab a bite to eat.  Just like the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, you have your pick of many different fast food type stands serving everything from pizza and hamburgers to chicken fingers, wraps and sandwiches.  But, what we came to find out was that while it was cheaper to get in the door at Hersheypark (as compared to the any of the WDW parks) it was certainly not cheaper to eat at the counter service restaurants. 

 Now, let me preface this by saying that we did not visit every counter service restaurant and that this information is strictly from the places we stopped at to tryand eat (again, we were fighting tens of thousands of people that night since it was the first night of Hersheypark in the Dark.)  To start off, if you wanted a Hamburger or Chicken Fingers or something similar you normally had to pay for your entree item first and then add side items and drinks for an additional cost.  So, for example, if you wanted a hamburger, fries and soda you had to first buy the hamburger which was about $5.25 and then if you wanted the fries and soda it was an extra $4.95.  So your total was $10.20 just for that meal!  Most of the entree items ranged from $5.00 to $7.00 so you were paying anywhere from $10-12.00 for your meal and the portions were no where near the size you would get in Walt Disney World.  Compare this to a typical 1/4-pound cheeseburger meal with french fries and a medium soda in the Magic Kingdom (which would run you about $8.00 and would be a larger portion) you’ll see that Disney has the better counter service deals from a portion and price standpoint.

Now, I’m not writing this to bash Hersheypark but rather I’m writing this to make a point that Disney is not as expensive as many people may think.  It certainly costs quite a bit more to get in Disney’s doors (and I could also argue that Disney is giving you more for your money but I won’t go there) but the food quality and price is very much better than what you’ll find at many comparable amusement parks.  I’ll take a counter service meal at Pecos Bill’s in Frontierland (Magic Kingdom) every time knowing what I just saw this weekend! 

Feel free to comment about your local amusement parks!

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — People can eat themselves out of house and home, eat until they can’t take another bite, or eat to their heart’s content. But eating around the world? It’s a thought that might make even the greatest gourmand wince. Eating around the world is a much easier task if “the world” is Walt Disney World Resort, home to at least 60 theme park and resort table-service restaurants.At the Vacation Kingdom’s 22 sit-down theme park restaurants, guests can find a wide range of fare and flair, from sushi at Tokyo Dining at Epcot to meat loaf at the 50’s Prime Time Cafe at Disney-MGM Studios.

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Fantasy Fare at Magic Kingdom

Meeting Cinderella in her royal castle is a dream come true at Cinderella’s Royal Table, which specializes in prime rib and other feasts fit for royalty.

Lady and the Tramp fall in love over a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs from Tony’s restaurant in the animated classic, “Lady and the Tramp.” Magic Kingdom guests will fall in love with the innovative pasta and seafood specialties at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, themed after the movie restaurant.

Liberty Tree Tavern is an authentic re-creation of a colonial inn. A family-style dinner menu delivers large portions of entrees and side dishes to the table. Popular Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, greet guests at dinner only. Lunch is a la carte.

Gigantic ice cream sundaes and all-American foods such as deli-style sandwiches and burgers make up the menu of The Plaza Restaurant on Main Street.

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Disney Restaurants Theme Park Restaurants Walt Disney World

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One of the more popular food stops during a trip to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom has to be the Main Street Confectionery which is located just past the circle on the right side as you start down famed Main Street USA. Conveniently located on the corner as you head towards Cinderella’s Castle, this is a candy shop to beat all candy shops.

If the bright colors and urge to appease your sweet tooth doesn’t draw you in then the sweet aromas of chocolate and freshly baked fudge emanating from the store surely will. In this delectable shop you’ll find everything from cookies, candy and fudge to Disney themed rice krispie treats and all sorts of candied apples. The selection is second to none and everyone in your party is sure to find something they’ll like. You really feel like you’re in a turn-of-the-century hometown confectionery when you walk in the corner door, maybe one like Walt Disney himself visited back in his younger years in Marceline, MO. It’s a place that can’t be missed on your next visit so next time you’re strolling down Main Street do yourself a favor and stop in for some good old fashioned Disney treats.

(Check out these pictures of the Main Street Confectionery!)

Disney Park Food Magic Kingdom Main Street Confectionery Main Street USA Walt Disney World

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Just wanted to post some pictures I took on September 25th of the progress they’re making on the new Yak and Yeti Restaurant in the Animal Kingdom. Kind of tough to take good pictures as they have the “great wall of Disney makeovers” that makes it tough (unless you’re 7-foot tall and have long arms.)

Looks like things are moving along quite nicely. I heard a lot of scraping noises and saw some workers doing a lot of the cosmetic work on the outside of the buildings to give them the old distressed look so it’s looking good. Can’t say much for the inside as I couldn’t see anything.

All signs are pointing to a November 2007 opening so we’ll see how things go.

animal kingdom Disney Restaurants yak and yeti restaurant

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Click Here to see the menus for the 12th Annual EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival!

Disney Special Events EPCOT food and wine festival

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