Welcome guest author Audrey B. with a review from Tokyo Disneyland!
When I recently had the opportunity to spend the day at the Tokyo Disney Resort, I was ecstatic but a bit apprehensive about the food situation.
food IS a theme park
By AJ 12 Comments
Welcome guest author Audrey B. with a review from Tokyo Disneyland!
When I recently had the opportunity to spend the day at the Tokyo Disney Resort, I was ecstatic but a bit apprehensive about the food situation.
By AJ 39 Comments
I’m gonna be honest. On my last few trips to La Hacienda de San Angel, the cost just wasn’t worth the experience.
But on this visit, things were a bit different. Maybe it’s because I ordered the things I was confident in, or maybe it’s because I had a killer window table and view of IllumiNations. Or maybe it was just the margaritas. (But I’m pretty sure it was the soup. More to come on that.)
But no matter how it happened, this was a night to remember! An expensive night to remember, but a night to remember nonetheless.
Wanna hear about it??
Start your adventure by heading into Epcot’s World Showcase and swing by the Mexico pavilion. Step up to the archway bearing this sign at the entrance, and you’ll have found the check-in podium. It’s hard to miss.
Once inside, you’ll receive a pager and take a seat in the waiting area if there’s one available. We were dining on a steamy day and would have appreciated a larger place to hang out. Our table wasn’t quite ready when we arrived, but that was probably due to the fact that we asked for a spot by the window.
We weren’t in a hurry, however. So taking a load off was kind of nice. We’d made a 7:30 reservation with the hopes of seeing the 9:00 fireworks, so we knew we had some time to kill. And we were seated soon enough.
One thing that La Hacienda got right straight from the beginning is the ambiance. Simply put, this is a gorgeous restaurant.
The soaring ceilings, heavy furniture, and warm-colored tile floors give a homey feeling to the spot, which totally makes sense. This is La Hacienda, after all. You’re dining in a residence-turned-restaurant. (For more of the backstory, you can see one of my earlier reviews.)
The whimsical hanging lights — both the punched metal star sconces and the paper lanterns — are just beautiful! As the light wanes, they become even more breathtaking, lighting the space with a candlelight-like glow.
Seating is a combination of booths and tables with chairs.
Booths line the center of the room, as you can see from an earlier pic. But some of my favorite booth seating is elevated and along the back wall. This is a cozy way to enjoy the view of World Showcase.
And speaking of the view…here it is! As I mentioned, we waiting for a little while to get this window-side table. And it was totally worth it. Check out our stellar [Read more…]
Editor’s Note: Sharon Stone has been removed from the 2014 line-up.
One of the highlights of Disney World’s holiday season is Epcot’s Candlelight Processional!
Although subject to change, the list of narrators is trickling in. And so far, we have two new celebrities — Sharon Stone and Ana Gasteyer — this year!
The Candlelight Processional will be performed three times each night from November 28 – December 30, 2014.
The popular show includes the telling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator who is accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra, and a choir composed of Disney cast members and guest choirs from around the country.
Seating for the Candlelight Processional is first-come, first-served, and you do need to get in line at least an hour in advance to get a seat. However, if you book a Candlelight Processional Dining Package, you have guaranteed seating as well as guaranteed VIP viewing of Epcot’s fireworks spectacular, IllumiNations, Reflections of Earth, after the show! All this in addition to a lunch or dinner meal at a select Epcot restaurant.
We’ll have more information on Dining Packages as soon as they become available.
The 2014 Narrator list is [Read more…]
We’re celebrating Christmas in July here on DFB! I know you’re all planning your holiday trips right now, so here’s a great suggestion for a holiday meal. Welcome back Catie Hiltz with a dinner review from the Magic Kingdom. This time, we’re visiting the Liberty Tree Tavern at Walt Disney World. This colonial setting is one of our favorites!
Back in the summer while we were planning our Christmas Walt Disney World trip, we were trying to come up with places to eat on Christmas Eve – and when Liberty Tree Tavern was suggested, I thought, of COURSE – that’s the perfect place to have dinner on Christmas Eve – not only would the menu of turkey and all the trimmings be perfect, but its location inside the Magic Kingdom is positively idyllic for celebrating the holiday!
After spending the afternoon in a crowded Magic Kingdom, we were more than ready for our 5:45PM dinner Advance Dining Reservation on Christmas Eve. So we headed over to Liberty Square around 5:30 and gave our name to the hostess.
Since we were early, we had some time to check the place out.
There was a beautiful Christmas tree in the lobby.
A coloring area was setup with cute Disney themed holiday coloring pages.
We admired the beautiful gingerbread display, and as usual – Disney didn’t skimp on the details, either. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy checking it out, and several people (like me!) snapped photos too.
Liberty Tree Tavern is a colonial themed restaurant, so the décor is pretty rustic — lots of wood and interesting artifacts hanging on the walls. Be sure to check out all the details here from the seven rooms themed to figures from the United States of America’s history!
And of course we had to check out the menu while waiting.
The restaurant serves an a la carte lunch, but dinner is an “all you care to enjoy” family style meal, which means they serve you platters of food tableside. And best of all, you can have seconds (or thirds!) of anything and everything.
The atmosphere in the waiting area was pretty loud and crowded, and there were people constantly streaming in and out, wanting to know if there were any open tables (there were not, so I was definitely grateful to have made my ADR’s in advance!).
We were seated about 10 minutes after our ADR time, and led to the George Washington room – a quaint little room where it was much quieter and easier to carry on a conversation than in the waiting area.
We were approached almost immediately upon being seated by our server, who inquired about allergies and took our drink order. He also scanned our Magic Bands (since we were on the Disney Dining Plan).
Upon sitting down, we were handed a menu detailing the night’s feast.
The drinks are served in cute Liberty Tree Tavern mugs.
Bread and the Declaration Salad were brought out first – fresh warm rolls served with sweet honey butter, and the salad was cold and crisp.
Normally the salad [Read more…]
UPDATE: Frozen Summer Fun
, originally scheduled through September 1st, has been extended through September 28, 2014! The Frozen Summer Fun Premium Package is available for booking for the following dates: September 5 – 7; September 12 – 14; September 19 – 21; and September 26 – 28, 2014.
There’s fun and refreshing news out of Arendelle — er, Disney World — today! We’re excited to bring Frozen fans word of a brand new experience highlighting their favorite Disney Film!
As we all know, Frozen has landed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the Summer in a big way. Starting Saturday, July 5 and running through Monday, September 1, guests will enjoy all kinds of ways to experience the magic of the movie.
But we’re most interested in the eats, of course! And so we can’t wait to check out the The Frozen Summer Fun Premium Package!
Available July 5 through September 1 (except for August 23), guests who purchase the package will have access to three of the new Frozen experiences. (UPDATE: This event has been extended! Please see updated dates at the top of this post.) After checking in at Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner beginning at 10:30 a.m., guests will enjoy refreshments and reserved viewing for Anna and Elsa’s Royal Welcome Procession at 11 a.m.! Sisters Elsa and Anna will arrive via horse drawn sleigh, accompanied by Kristoff and other citizens of Arendelle.
Next, guests can take advantage of [Read more…]
By Wendy 11 Comments
What is it with all the seriously cool kitchen stuff arriving on shelves at Disney World lately?
We were thrilled to see the new line of Princess and Villains mugs; and we were so excited for the opening of the Marketplace Co-op, which offers some awesome kitchenware paying homage to some of our favorite attractions and lands.
And then recently I happened across these Alice in Wonderland Dish Towels!
Each set features a pair of towels – the pictures I took show off both of the towels available in each set. The Alice in Wonderland and Queen of Hearts Set is similar the other sets in that they each have one thicker terry cloth-type towel and a lighter one that is more of a quilted style. And just look at the details on the Alice towel.
The Belle Dish Towel Set features a Belle towel, and also a tribute to the “Be Our Guest” number in the film – perfect for the kitchen!
With the new Maleficent movie (as well as the dragon’s showstopping, fire-breathing turn in the new Festival of Fantasy parade), we’re sure to be seeing a lot of this most notorious of Disney Villains. So it’s no surprise that there’s a Maleficent Dish Towel Set as well.
If you look closely at the damask-pattern towel, you’ll see the face of Maleficent appear.
Does your kitchen tend to produce more “Sweet” (Minnie) dishes…
… or “Spicy” [Read more…]
By AJ 5 Comments
It’s always so fun to flip through the fantastic photos that our members post on the Disney Food Blog Photo Extravaganza, our Flickr group. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, head over there! We think a virtual trip to Disney is a great way to take a break from your busy day. 🙂
And today, we are all about the tons of yummo breakfast options that you have at Walt Disney World! Let’s take a trip to some of our favorite Disney breakfast spots today for our latest installment in our Disney Food Pics of the Week Series!
Photographer: Ryesah
Yay for the words: “all you care to enjoy” and “Mickey Waffles”! You only need fun interaction with cool characters like Lilo, Stitch, and Mickey and Friends to make this character breakfast at ‘Ohana completely awesome!
Photographer: Nancy RK
Starting your day in Cinderella Castle for breakfast? Lucky you! We’ve had some [Read more…]
By Wendy 6 Comments
Animal Kingdom was chock full of surprises on a recent visit! While Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama debuted the Cotton Candy Carnival Cocktail, the Asia section’s Drinkwallah held a refreshing adult beverage find of its own: Coconut-Lychee Lemonade.
One of the reasons I was intrigued by this new drink (aside from the whole “Coconut Rum” thing, that is 😉 ) is that it gives us a reason to explore this unique location a little more.
Sure, it’s pretty much a small kiosk dedicated to its typically limited menu of frozen non-alcoholic beverages (Coke, Blue Raspberry, and Lemonade are the choices) and a few grab-and-go snacks.
But that’s exactly what makes the high level of detail in this small snack stop so impressive. Like many places in Animal Kingdom, you could stroll right past Drinkwallah without realizing it, since it blends in so well with its surroundings.
You can spot a few clues, however, as to what’s available inside…
… as well as what’s not :).
Should you decide to stop inside based on the promise of cold beverages on a hot day, you’ll find that this is where the details really kick in. Just about every inch is packed with a huge array of trinkets, photographs, and artwork.
I always like the detail of exposed electrical wires that you’ll find all over the Africa and Asia sections of Animal Kingdom.
Forgive the awkward angle of this shot of the Coke freezer, but I love the weathered look of it, and it at least gives you some idea as to how small this space is — I had just enough room to lean back and take this picture.
In fact, I took the majority of these pictures through the outdoor windows – feeling oddly like a Disney-detail paparazzo 😉 — since there is so little room to move inside.
The only thing that reminds you that you are in a theme park is the glow coming from the frozen drink machines themselves, and even they have been enhanced with unique fonts and topped off with materials marked by the “Anandapur Sheet Metal Company.”
Once you ‘re set with your drink or snack, you’ll do best to follow the posted advice.
It’s a great feeling to score a spot in this little building just behind Drinkwallah, equipped with a tall chair and – obviously – lots of shade.
But since that’s often already claimed, you can plan an escape to the lower garden.
What a lovely little space… There isn’t much in the way of seating here, with most opting to grab their cold drinks and continue towards Expedition Everest. But if you do have a few moments to enjoy the view, you can grab [Read more…]
By AJ 23 Comments
Can’t wait for lunch? Head over to The Lunching Pad with us!
You’ll find this snack stop in Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. And while it looks pretty unassuming, it’s a great place to enjoy Cream Cheese Pretzels, or even Mickey Soft Pretzels!
But in addition to some of our favorite soft pretzel snacks and carbonated frozen drinks, they’re also an outlet for those delicious and inventive Gourmet Hot Dogs that you’ll find around the resort.
Today, we’re taking a look at not one, not two, but three of these deluxe dogs for lunch. C’mon!
So, atmosphere at The Lunching Pad…well, what you see is pretty much what you get.
If you’ve been to Tomorrowland, you’ve seen the atmosphere of this spot. It’s really just a walk-up window.
There are a few tables scattered nearby, complete with those awesome, padded Tomorrowland seats.
And because The Lunching Pad is located beneath the PeopleMover and Astro-Orbiter, the overhang provides some much-welcomed shade when you stop here for a quick meal or snack.
But now that we’ve taken a (very quick!) tour around The Lunching Pad, let’s see about those dogs!
The menu at this snack stop is very small. You have a handful of frozen, carbonated beverages, which are so amazing on a hot day! And you can get them in plain cups or sport bottles. And as we mentioned before, this is also a good place to snag a soft pretzel.
But the star attractions here, if you’re looking for real sustenance, are the line up of over the top hot dogs.
Let’s just take a moment to admire them, shall we?
Today’s selections include, left to right, the BLT Hot Dog, the Coney Island Dog, and the Philly Cheese Steak Dog. [Editor’s Update: The Lunching Pad menu has been streamlined since the original writing of this post, and the Coney Island Dog is currently the only specialty hot dog available.]
We’ll start with the brand new-to-the-menu [Read more…]
By AJ 18 Comments
Ready for another fun project? Haha! I thought you might be!
Who doesn’t catch themselves daydreaming about their favorite Disney snacks? And one salty treat that you write to me about over and over are those amazing Soft Pretzels that you can get in the Germany Pavilion in Epcot!
These are the real deal — warm, salty, chewy, and perfect with a little mustard and a lot of beer!
Well, if you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at making them at home, now’s your chance!
I have a feeling that I know what I’ll be doing this weekend…
Epcot’s Germany Pavilion
Yield: 10 pretzels
Ingredients: [Read more…]