food IS a theme park
If you’ve not had the pleasure yet of spending an evening out at Three Bridges Bar, you’re truly missing out on something special. We’re huge fans of grabbing a quick bite to eat and taking in the evening sunset over the lake with some incredible views that get even better as the sun sets.
Sangria Flight
So when the opportunity presented itself for a nice evening out, taking in an alternate version of the atmosphere that Disney World has to offer, you didn’t have to twist our arms too much!
We are always on a mission seeking out NEW food in Disney World — which is why we keep a close eye on Disney World restaurant menus.
El Mercado de Coronado
So when we noticed some new menu items pop up at El Mercado de Coronado, the quick-service dining spot at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, we were intrigued. So we’re diving into some food there and bringing you along for the ride. Of course, we’re doing this for science, too, so we can get you an honest review. So let’s go!
Can you believe another fun week in Disney World has passed? Well, it has!
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Lunch Box Tart
This week has been especially fun for us because we got to meet our Villaintines PLUS we got to see a baby tiger. Seriously, BEST WEEK EVER. We even found our new favorite Disney World popcorn bucket — and it’s GORGEOUS. However, Disney World was changing up restaurant menus while we were having all that fun, so let’s see what’s been updated this week.
While a Disney World vacation is monetarily daunting, dining on a budget is certainly doable!
Coronado Springs
Suffice it to say — the dining options at Disney World are pretty eclectic. Home to several great table-service restaurants, Disney World offers something for every budget — including at the hotels! In fact, one of the cheapest sit-down dinners in all of Disney World can be found at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort!
Well, what a week, right?
Chicken & Donut
We’ve been busy trying some new snacks in Disney World, including an Up treat that sorta made us sad. But we were VERY happy with the Chicken and Donut combo we discovered in Disney Springs. We also had the opportunity to revisit one of our FAVORITE Disney World restaurants to try out some new menu items. While all that was going on, Disney World was busy changing up some restaurant menus, so let’s see what’s been updated.
As the winter of 2025 turns into spring and then summer, many are planning trips to Walt Disney World, and looking to take advantage of some of the limited-time discount offers currently available from the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”
Cinderella Castle
Two of the biggest current offers at the resort are the Save, Stay & Play offer, which is valid for arrivals most nights from February 26th to June 30th, and the Free Dining Plan offer, which is valid from May 27th to June 26th and again from July 7th to August 6th. The former offers savings of up to $200 a night (depending on resort level) when booking a “3-night, 2-day Walt Disney Travel Company room-and-ticket package at select Disney Resort hotels” while the latter offers a free Disney Dining Plan (the type of which depends on the level of hotel booked) to those who book a “non-discounted 3-night, 3-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at a select Disney Resorts Collection hotel and a theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option.” So, which of these offers is better? Well, that depends…
It’s going to be a big year for Disney, and one Disney World hotel is going to reap the rewards.
Coronado Springs
Disney World is going to undergo some serious changes over the next several years, and thanks to D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, we may learn more SOON! This August, Destination D23 is BACK at Disney World and one hotel in particular is going to be PACKED because of it.
It looks like 2025 is going to be a busy year in Disney World — y’all, it’s only January, and so much is already going on.
Bar RIVA at Disney’s Riviera Resort
Now, we’ve already told you ALL about the EPCOT Festival of the Arts (and you can read all our food booth reviews here), but we’ve also seen the phased closure of Dinoland, U.S.A. begin in Disney’s Animal Kingdom to make way for a new land, Pueblo Esperanza. There’s a ton of construction happening at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom, too. SO MUCH. But that’s not all. Disney World has been updating its restaurant menus, so we need to get you caught up on the menu changes that happened this week.
If you’re heading to Walt Disney World in February, be forewarned: The cheerleaders are coming. As has become par for the course during the second month of the year, a large group of cheerleaders and their families will be making their way to the resort for major cheerleading competitions, and they’re taking over some of Disney World’s busiest hotels.
©NHSCC
The 2025 National High School Cheerleading Championship and the 2025 NHSCC Game Day National Championship will be staged at Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from February 7th, 2025 through the 10th.
When you think about Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, chances are you probably don’t automatically assume you’d be able to find a ramen bar there… but right now, you can!
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
We had heard from Cast Members that a new ramen bar was coming to El Mercado del Coronado at this popular hotel, so of course, we had to go check it out for ourselves. Read our full review here!
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