food IS a theme park
Don’t worry, the word “Magic” is safe and sound!
©Natacha Rafalski and Walt Disney Imagineering via Instagram
You may be used to Disney words like “rope drop” and “Disneybounding”, but don’t expect to see Disney adopt a very popular “M-Word” into its dictionary!
Disney CEO Bob Iger has a couple of very important jobs right now. One is restructuring the Walt Disney Company. Another (and this one’s a biggie) is to find someone good to take his spot. OH, and he needs to do all of this within two years.
©D23
Alright, Disney CEO Bob Iger has got to be under some serious pressure right now! Many Disney fans were excited when he returned to the company in November 2022, but keep in mind that Iger only agreed to two years in this role. This only leaves Disney fans and stakeholders to wonder… who is going to take his place?
Pixar’s Lightyear excited fans around the world in the months leading up to its release. Trailers seemed to tease this spinoff as a glimpse into Buzz Lightyear’s past, so many expected it to be about the beloved character from Toy Story.
©Pixar
However, the movie wasn’t like that at all. Millions of Disney fans were unsatisfied with this story because of the lack of connection between this story and the classic Toy Story characters. Ultimately, the movie was a bit of a flop compared to other Pixar films. Why? What went wrong? Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter recently explained.
Many have wondered about the future of Disney since several major changes have taken place in the last few months.
Disney World
One of those changes is the upcoming hiring freeze that former CEO Bob Chapek announced in early November. We found out later that month that Bob Iger planned to continue with the freeze, but we hadn’t heard anything since. Now, Iger has commented on the upcoming freeze and what it means for the company and its employees.
It’s a great time to be a Star Wars fan. We’ve got Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Galactic Starcruiser, and the Hyperspace Lounge on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Wish!
©Disney
We’ve got more seasons of existing Star Wars series to look forward to, as well as NEW shows coming to Disney+! Plus we’ve got Speaking of new shows, we’ve got some behind-the-scenes details to share with you about the upcoming Rogue One prequel series, Andor!
When you think of a superhero, who comes to mind?
BAYMAX!
Maybe it’s Thor or Iron Man, or maybe even your mom or dad. But, chances are you don’t think of a large, inflatable robot who more or less acts like a child. But, there are some folks who would like that to change. BAYMAX! is the newest original animated series to come to Disney+, and follows the lovable companion as he redefines what it means to be a superhero. We got to hear from the team behind BAYMAX! and are sharing the details right here!
Listen, we love going to Disney World with our families, but sometimes it can be downright STRESSFUL.
Magic Kingdom
Planning for a big group of people on its own can be challenging, but add in the fact that you’re all related and you know how to get under each others’ skin…and you’ve got a cocktail for disaster. 😂 So if you’re looking for some reasons to present against another family Disney trip, we’ve got you covered!
If you’ve been to any Disney park, chances are good that you’ve seen the beautiful confection counters inside different sweets shops.
Looks delicious!
Elaborately decorated treats like caramel apples, fudge, rice krispy treats, cookies, and more are displayed in these windows for guests to purchase. You’ll usually find different treats for sale, depending on the season or other events going on. But how do the incredible confections get to these counters in the first place? Disney just released an interview with a pastry chef at Disneyland Paris that gives us all an inside look at everything that has to happen for the treats to make it to you. [Read more…]
Can healthy kids’ menus also be fun and interesting?
Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Steve Richard, executive chef of Downtown Disney’s Portobello Trattoria in Walt Disney World. Portobello and its sister restaurants, Fulton’s Crab House and Wolfgang Puck Cafe, have debuted some brand new children’s menus that aim for healthy as well as fun.
Since healthier — and more grown-up — kids’ eats is a growing trend among Disney-area restaurants (for example, check out the kids’ menu at the new Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom), I was interested to hear all the new menus and the impetus behind them.
continues to offer freshly-prepared rustic Italian fare, with an emphasis on slow cooking and local ingredients. And the family-friendly atmosphere provides a cozy-yet-refined alternative where families with children can relax.
Portobello
Though I’ve seen some negative reviews for Portobello, my experiences here have pretty positive. And the new kids’ menu focuses on freshness and whole foods, without sacrificing kid pleasers, like pizza.
It seems that choice really was the driving motivation for the recent updates to the menus at all three restaurants. “We wanted to offer choices,” said Chef Steve. “People are on vacation and they might be inclined to be indulgent. With all the menus, we feel it’s important to offer healthy choices as well.”
Portobello Dining Room Seating
The choices emphasize a balance between indulgence and smarter eating. “We think the best approach is to offer healthy meals for kids as well as something that mimics the adult dining experience,” he explained.
“We are trying to offer things that are indulgent, like the option to have an ice cream sundae made with locally-made gelato at Portobello. But then we also have grilled meats and fresh fruits, as opposed to things we normally see on children’s menus.”
Chef Steve and his team have also included fresher choices for beverages, like 100% juice options and low-fat milk.
Portobello Kids' Menu -- Click to Enlarge
has retained many of their classic dishes, while offering a new flair featuring sustainably and responsibly harvested [Read more…]
Just one more week until the Second Annual Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic, which will take place Friday, October 7, and Saturday, October 8, 2011.
Check out loads of new menu photos and information here!
We’ve interviewed one of the head honchos (and Riesling Rendevous seminar teacher!) to give you a sneak peek into this year’s event — which has tripled in size!
As Assistant Director of Food & Beverage for the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, Luciano is part of the leadership team responsible for planning and overseeing the execution of the Food & Wine Classic.
This year, look for 26 beverage booths and more than 11 food booths, including a new addition from the Garden Grove!
garden grove jumbo lump crab cake slider
The pastry booth alone will have eight to ten items to nosh on!
When guests requested more spirits, Cocktail 101 seminars were devised.
In these 15-minute seminars, you’ll learn how [Read more…]
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