We’re sending our courageous (and hopefully hungry) readers on another crawl.
Not surprisingly, this one is all about cheese! 😉 (You asked for it…and we thought it was an AWESOME idea!!) The best part? You’ll visit mostly counter-service and/or grab ‘n go locations on this cheese crawl, so no Advance Dining Reservations required! (Of course, if you want table-service cheese options, check out our Disney World Cheese Plates here!)
Some of you have attempted the 2011 Disney cupcake crawl and the 2012 Disney cupcake crawl and now it’s time to tackle another DFB favorite…
The Disney Food Blog’s “Walt Disney World Cheese Crawl” Strategy
Gear up for tasting cheese selections on menus all over Walt Disney World. Your challenge is to sample these sweet and savory items, hopefully in a single Disney World vacation.
Follow the crawl step by step, or opt to select the items that you find most appetizing. You’ve reached the Cheese finish line when you’ve visited at least seven locations and sampled at least seven different cheese items.
Remember that Disney World menus have a way of changing, so if you need to substitute out new options for the ones below, we won’t deduct any points! Depending on your level of tolerance, you may want to split this crawl up over a couple of days. Either way, we won’t judge!
Tutto Gusto Cheese
Some of these items can be purchased for a Disney Dining Plan snack credit, so save up those snacks!
EPCOT: Cheese required = 2
Depart your hotel for a morning in Epcot’s Future World. At 11am, make your way to World Showcase! Your first stop is the Rose & Crown pub in Canada.
Rose & Crown Pub
Rose & Crown pub in United Kingdom is an awesome spot to hang with friends over drinks and apps. Be sure to say hi to Carl for us!
- Cheese Plate: Here’s an updated cheese plate with layers of flavors. Which cheese will be your favorite — Cotswolds Cheddar, an aged
Irish Cheddar, or Stilton blue?
Three Cheese Plate -- Cotswolds Cheddar - Aged Irish cheddar - Stilton
Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar
Tutto Gusto opened this year in the Italy pavilion. Offering a quaint wine cellar atmosphere, don’t bypass it on your cheese crawl.
- Take a look inside the beautiful Tutto Gusto, then order some incredible cheeses and meats!
Tutto Gusto Cheeses and Meat
Boulangerie Patisserie
Many visitors stop in this bakery for the eclairs and other French treats, however I especially love the cheese plate. Take a leisurely stroll back to Boulangerie Patisserie in Epcot’s France pavilion. This location has a cheese plate to-go!
Note that this location will be part of the France expansion and renovations.
- Cheese Plate: Savory cheese from a counter-service restaurant Grab a plate for your World Showcase stroll.
Cheese Plate
Of course, if you want a little tequila with your cheese…
La Cava del Tequila
La Cava is the best place in the World to get yerself some queso and margaritas, my friends!
- Chips and Queso: Incredibly smooth and lightly spicy white queso is the way to go at this fun tequila joint.
Chips and Queso at La Cava del Tequila
You didn’t think we’d by-pass those cheesy pretzels did you? Our next stop is in the American Adventure pavilion.
Fife & Drum Tavern
Fife & Drum has unique counter-service treats served from a small kiosk. Take your cheese-y pretzel to the shaded tables by the Liberty Inn.
- Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Pretzel: If you like savory in your theme park treat, choose this option. It’s spicy, but the kick is mild.
- Cream Cheese Pretzel: A subtle cream cheese sweetness is found inside this pretzel!
Jalapeno Cheese Pretzel
Sweet Cream Cheese Pretzel
DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: Cheese Required = 1
From Epcot, take a boat to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for an afternoon snack (you’re still hungry…right?).
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been creating some mouth-watering Starring Rolls goodies!
Starring Rolls Cafe
One of our favorite Disney cupcake meccas – Starring Rolls Cafe – continues to create memorable treats. Visit this stop early as it closes at 4pm!
If you are starting a new day, we think cupcakes for breakfast are perfectly suitable!
- Red Velvet Cheesecake: Dig in and find the dollop of cheesecake, it’s the perfect tangy taste in the midst of red velvet sweetness!
Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcake
BOARDWALK INN: Cheese required = 1
Walk or boat from Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the Boardwalk resort. Your destination is the Boardwalk Bakery.
Boardwalk Bakery
A quaint stop along Crescent Lake is the nostalgic Boardwalk Bakery, modeled on turn-of-the-last-century sweet stops. You’ll find a wide array of unique bakery items here! Take your treat to an outdoor table to enjoy the view of the Lake.
- Cheesecake Brownie: Super-rich and large enough to share, the cheesecake brownie blends two of our favorite comfort foods – cheesecake and chocolate!
Boardwalk Bakery Cheesecake Brownie
WILDERNESS LODGE RESORT: Cheese required = 1
Wilderness Lodge’s Territory Lounge makes a relaxing stop before heading to the Magic Kingdom. Take the bus from the BoardWalk Inn to the Magic Kingdom, then boat over to the Wilderness Lodge.
Territory Lounge
Sink into a cozy chair at this lounge in the midst of the charming Wilderness Lodge Resort. It makes a convenient and relaxing cheese stop on your way to or from the Magic Kingdom.
- Sharp Cheddar Beer Fondue: Brought to the table in a cast-iron pot, the fondue is accompanied by sourdough, pretzel bread, Granny Smith Apples, and dried apricots. Thick and creamy!
Bread in Sharp Cheddar Beer Fondue
MAGIC KINGDOM: Cheese required = 1
Take a boat from the Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom. At Cosmic Ray’s and Pecos Bill, we love the chili cheese fries or fries with plastic cheese. Stop at one of these locations for fries and then top yours at the fabulous toppings bar.
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
Cosmic Ray’s is a galactically-good counter-service restaurant in Tomorrowland.
- Chili Cheese Fries: Crispy, salty, tasty fries dipped (or soaked ;-)) in plastic-y cheese makes a great side dish with a meal or just possibly a filling snack. These fries take top honors!
Chili Cheese Fries
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
Pecos Bill is nestled in Frontierland.
- Cheese Fries: With or without chili, these fries at Pecos Bill are delicious. Fun!
Dipping French Fry in Plastic Cheese!
POP CENTURY RESORT: Cheese required = 1
Take the bus to the Pop Century resort from the Magic Kingdom where you’ll find a groovy cheesecake for an evening snack.
Everything Pop Food Court
Everything Pop is a modern day food court with some Mom ‘n Pop diner menu items.
- Tie-Dye Cheesecake: Wild in color, the construction is actually simple – cheesecake atop a red velvet cake.
tie dye cheesecake
Are You Ready for the Challenge?
We highly recommend taking on this crawl with family members or friends — sharing allows lots of memorable taste-testing without the full caloric content! 😉
Let us know how it goes, and if you have other great options to add to our Cheese Crawl!!
Have you attempted one of our Disney food crawls? Any plans to tackle this challenge? We want to hear from you about what you’d like us to feature in our next crawl!
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“Rose and Crown Pub in Canada.”
Might want to go ahead and fix that one. 😉
Omg taking on this challenge next week!
Oh AJ.. when I saw the title of this post I got so excited.. but I have to admit my excitement faded as I read on. Maybe you could call me a cheese snob, but I wouldn’t consider a piece of cheesecake or even (gasp) plastic cheese worthy of a cheese crawl. Are there no cheese plates in Hollywood Studios?!? Sorry to be such a bummer on this post.. and I might attempt the beginning portion of the cheese crawl on my upcoming trip. Don’t worry though, I still love you AJ and DFB. 😉
I was on board until you started talking cheesecake–just not a fan.
Disney and Beyond — Done! Luckily we got it right in the next paragraph.
Jenn — Yay!! Wish I could join in with ya!!
Marci — Luckily I’m an equal opportunity cheese eater! I think including all kinds of cheeses makes this a unique and interesting crawl — one I’d love to do! Those who aren’t interested in the sweet stuff can skip it and still get a great variety of awesome cheese options.
Raelynn — feel free to skip the sweet stuff 😉 We don’t judge around here. 😉
Any excuse to eat the Boardwalk Bakery Cheesecake Brownie is a win! But, if you need to eat “real” cheese grab the Tomato and Mozzarella sandwich at the Bakery and follow up with the brownie. At least that’s what I do!
And I have to agree with AJ, the plastic “cheese” might be the best in WDW 😉
Jason.. I’ve had that tomato mozzarella sandwich at the boardwalk bakery and yum! It was delish! Great option for the boardwalk!
I. Love. This. Must do it!
This is such a GREAT idea. I could cry that I didn’t think of it myself. I’m in lactose heaven reading this!
AJ, I am surprised you didn’t mention the vintage cheese dip at Cooke’s of Dublin! 🙂
Are there outside tables at Territory Lounge? We are arriving late(8pm-ish) to the WL at the end of the month and would love to try the fondue as a snack after our travels. I there are , could the Electric Water Pageant or fireworks be seen? Thanks!
I think of this movie line every time I hear the word cheese: Spasm! Spasm! Oh, God, here it comes… lactose intolerance!
tinkymurph — Nope 🙁 No outdoor tables.
Jason — We’ll have have a plastic cheese and cheesecake brownie meet!
Elizabeth — Lemme know how it goes! Too bad we didn’t have it done for your August trip!
Erin — Ha ha! I’m sure you gave me the original idea!
Caryn — Oh no!! (Love that movie!)
Theresa — YES!! We’ll have to add that! Great idea! 🙂
Please tell me that Cheddar Beer Fondue is still on menu at Territory Lounge? Staying at Wilderness Lodge in Feb … thinking we need that fondue. Cheese plate at Rose and Crown is to die for.
I am a lover of artisanal cheeses and of fine cheeses generally, so I suppose I qualify as a cheese snob of sorts. Nonetheless, I think it’s great fun to include such delicacies as tie dye cheesecake and cheese fries with “plastic” cheese in the cheese crawl! For all that I love the superb food that is available throughout the Disney parks, it’s also good to remember that these are, indeed, primarily theme park destinations and theme park food (amusement park, carnival, fair, circus food) is a fun and an important part of our national culture. Yes, I do love a good Stilton (give me Stilton and port on Christmas Day and leave me alone, please), but I also love that gloppy orange cheese-substance made entirely of artificial ingredients oozing over a paper tray of french fries!
Challenge accepted! 2013, April or summer. Does it have to be one day? Also can you make a non table service version?
I Love that it is creative enough to include ‘cheese’ fries & cakes what a neat idea to get different flavors on a crawl. An entire day of blue & brie & I’d die. 🙂 I’m just missing a good cheese curd.
We leave in 15 days… Challenge accepted!
Ohmigosh I love this! I can’t wait to try it. Count me in as another cheese snob who appreciates a few clever alternatives.
Marcellina, there’s an antipasto platter at Mama Melrose’s that promises cheeses. Also, Hollywood Brown Derby has this: Brie, Midnight Moon, and Prosciutto Cake with Tête de Moine Petals, and an Olive Roasted Vegetable Salad. I haven’t tried either one, but I can’t imagine that Brown Derby dish could be anything but mouth-watering.
Smile and say “Cheese” everyone!
Thank, AJ, you for the Epcot cheese crawl!! We are always looking for fun ’round the world on those trips when it is not F&W festival. Might even try it on a weekend during F&W. 😉
I am a fan of the cheese plates at the signature dining restaurants as well–especially Flying Fish Cafe!
I am sharing this with my brother, who recently returned from his honeymoon at Disney World and loves cheese more than anyone I’ve ever met. I think you just gave him a reason to plan his next visit.
Can’t wait to try all these wonderful cheeses (including yummy plastic cheese) in November! My 11 yr old son is a complete cheese snob. He LOVES all cheeses, with the exception of Swiss. He says, “Mom, it smells like feet!” I have to agree with that!
Awesome! Best crawl ever! I’ll be bellying up to the cheese bar in January!
In MK, however, I may have to have my plastic cheese with a side of Casey’s corn dog nuggets…;)
If I integrate this into my beer crawl, will I die a slow death or a quick one?
I love you, DFB. Time to go to Orlando, I think.
I have to agree with marcellina – I was super excited when I started reading the post, but I don’t think I’ll be doing the cheese pretzel or any of the fake cheese dip. I am, however, super crazy excited to try the cheese in the new Tutto Gusto wine cellar.
I am adding this to my list of things to do if I get on the Disney college program! I love cheese – it ranks up there with bacon for me. Maybe even above bacon!
Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge has an amazing cheese plate. When I visited about four years ago it included Humboldt Fog, which is one of the best cheeses anyone makes anywhere.
Yatchman lovely cheese plate. Citricos too and narcossee. Oh, don’t forget jiko!!!!! There is also a nice plate at the garden tea at grand flo. I do love my cheeses.
A cheese crawl?! I can get behind that any day! On our last vacation, I did my own cheese crawl of sorts: I ordered at least one cheese plate every day of our trip. It made me oh so very happy. 🙂
We’re going to Disney in March and I can’t wait to eat my way around the parks and resorts. We love Narcossee. The desserts and cheeses look fantastic! I can’t wait to try out the Bakery on Main Street.