As I write this blog post, over 450 votes have been cast in the Walt Disney World Bakery Throw Down, and the runaway winner is…
Congratulations to the French Boulangerie Patisserie in Epcot on [Read more…]
food IS a theme park
By AJ 22 Comments
As I write this blog post, over 450 votes have been cast in the Walt Disney World Bakery Throw Down, and the runaway winner is…
Congratulations to the French Boulangerie Patisserie in Epcot on [Read more…]
By AJ 20 Comments
Welcome to the final post in our Walt Disney World Bakery Throw Down challenge! We’ve showcased four bakeries since mid-December, and today we proudly present Epcot’s Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe!
Atmosphere
Kringla Bakeri is located in the Norway pavilion of Epcot’s World Showcase. Walk through the door and you’ll find yourself in a quaint, Scandinavian kitchen — well, [Read more…]
By AJ 2 Comments
Before I launch into the round-up, here are a few quick reminders about some big food news reported this week:
Now, off we go to the round-up! Plenty of good Disney food writing this week, including some great news items:
StitchKingdom reports that the Cantina de San Angel refurbishment is underway.
WDWMagic has a photo gallery of the Cantina refurb walls, and also has photos of pizzeria construction in Italy.
WDWNewsToday shares photos of the Crystal Palace refurb and a dry Splash Mountain at Disney World!
Imaginerding has the second of two posts in its Restaurantosaurus Book Update.
Vintage Disneyland Tickets shares photos and info about a 1967 LP titled New Year’s Eve at Disneyland, presented by Pepsi-Cola.
MagicCityMayhem posted a twitpic of the new Give A Day. Get A Disney Day. souvenir popcorn buckets at Disney World. You can find Magic City Mayhem here.
The Disney Blog has new about the eggs at House of Blues Restaurants, including Downtown Disney Orlando.
Everything WDW considers the merits of the Disney Dining Plan.
Main St. Gazette visits WDW’s Cinderella’s Royal Table.
A Walt Disney World Career celebrates dining at 50% of WDW’s table service restaurants. I shall have to go add up my own experiences and see if I’m even close!
Orlando Sentinel’s Daily Disney shares the recipe for Tony’s Town Square’s Tomato Dip with Goat Cheese.
Finally, here’s one I missed a while back (sorry!). Magical Kingdoms Disney Blog shares a review of Free Dining in Disneyland Resort Paris.
Thanks for sharing all of your news, thoughts, and insights about Disney food! Have a great week!
By AJ 49 Comments
You know I like to get consensus before I post a “best of” post on the Disney Food Blog, but every once in a while I have to be completely, utterly biased…and one of those times is now.
Dessert is my thing. I love it. I look forward to it at the end of every meal in Disney World. I can’t get enough of it. And I’ll order it even when I’m not hungry just to take a few bites. As a result, I’ve tried quite a few of ’em, and want to share with you my very favorites.
By the way, I’d love to hear your favorites as well. In fact, please do comment with your favorite dessert so I don’t feel quite so guilty about monopolizing this post with all of mine.
Third Favorite Dessert in Disney World: Liberty Tree Tavern’s Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake
I’ll admit this stuff looks boring. Get it out of the box, heat it up, put a bunch of sauces on it, and serve. But, friends, I gotta tell ya… it’s spectacular. Order one all for yourself. Tell your kids they can get Mickey bars outside.
Second Favorite Dessert in Disney World: ‘Ohana Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
While I miss ‘Ohana’s potatoes, and I feel the meat is often overdone, and the service has been known to be unpredictable…the dessert is always, always [Read more…]
By AJ 15 Comments
Truly one of my favorite grab-and-go spots in Disney World, Starring Rolls is tiny, busy, and has some of the most delicious items I’ve ever tried, including the coveted Butterfinger Cupcake! While not technically a bakery, the shop rivals any of the other contestants with its rows of fresh and unique pastries and baked goods.
Atmosphere
Located on the corner of Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards, tucked back from the street, the Starring Rolls Bakery greets you with a bustling outdoor seating area.
Find your way inside the small bakery and, well, by this time I’m usually already in a queue line! Grab a plate and a tray right inside the door and take your time looking at the baked goods as you make your way to the registers.
The “theme” in the bakery is pretty thin, but the art deco design and flour bags on the baker’s rack would indicate that we’re somewhere in the 20’s, 30’s, and early 40’s — Hollywood’s heyday.
Once you’ve gathered your sweets, you’ll see across from the two main registers a menu with drinks, including coffee drinks and coffee syrups, liqueurs, and wines. Yep — they have some fancy bakeries here in Hollywood!
It’s in this area that you can also order sandwiches, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves…
Eats
You’ll find delectable baked goods, bagels, huge sandwiches, fudge, and more in this unassuming little bakery, and I suggest that you try a little bit of everything! It actually is quite a versatile place to find a quick bite, but if you’re going to sample those massive cupcakes, I recommend bringing a friend! Here are the photos you’ve been waiting for… [Read more…]
WDW Magic is reporting that while the Wishes Dessert Party at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom has ended its run, there’s hope that it will return in the Spring of this year.
To read more about the Wishes Dessert Party and to see photos and prices, see our other Wishes Dessert Party blog posts.
By AJ 8 Comments
Welcome to the third bakery in our Disney World Bakery Throw Down: The Boardwalk Bakery!
Atmosphere
Located on the Disney World Boardwalk, the Boardwalk Bakery is within walking distance of many of Disney World’s hotels and attractions. It’s a great place to take a break from a day in either Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Or just head downstairs from your hotel room at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas!
As you approach the bakery, the windows will remind you what’s available…
…and who’s responsible!
Along the windows, you’ll see several outdoor tables and chairs. Be sure to snag them quickly; this is the bakery’s only seating! Of course, you could always stroll along the boardwalk with your purchases and find seating along the way.
Head inside the double doors and you’ll be greeted by a small space bordered by baked goods and condiment counters. Look over the counter to your left, and you might see some Disney bakers making specialty items for one of the resorts, or even a wedding cake!
Eats
You’ll find options for any time of day on the Boardwalk Bakery menu, from breakfast baked goods to salads to sandwiches.
Refrigerators to your right will hold drinks, sandwiches, and salads:
The long glass display cases will be chock full of goodies and custom cakes:
And the bakers’ racks will be slowly filling up with freshly baked items:
While waiting for your order, take a peek at the wall behind those bakers’ racks to see the detailed images of baked goods painted on the tiles. As usual, Disney spares no expense when it comes to detail!
Also, take a few minutes to look beyond those counters and see some real bakers at work; this is one of the few places to see a real behind-the-scenes look at the type of baking that happens in Disney’s biggest, busiest, and most professional bakeries! I wasn’t kidding about that wedding cake I mentioned earlier — they really do make them here!
Vote For Your Favorite!
Thanks for joining us as we visited the third of the five Walt Disney World Bakeries we’re showcasing on the Throw Down! First was Magic Kingdom’s Main Street Bakery, second was Boulangerie Patisserie, and we’ll be highlighting the other two throughout the month.
You can vote for your favorite right here:
What's Your Favorite Bakery in Walt Disney World?
If you have a stand-out favorite bakery, weigh in with your comments via twitter, facebook, or email.
In January, I’ll post the results, along with any reader insights as to what makes those particular bakeries so special. If you have another bakery you like better, vote “other.” (I’d love to hear what the “others” are as well!)
By AJ 2 Comments
M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !
I want to wish everyone a happy, safe, Merry Christmas. And for this first Disney Food Blog Christmas post, I wanted to share a few more of the heartwarming stories I’ve received from readers. These are their own wonderful Disney food memories, shared in their own words. I received these in response to our first Chicken Soup For the Disney Foodie Soul post, which featured several WDW Moms Panelists.
E N J O Y ! H A P P Y H O L I D A Y S !
From Jackie via email
On our most recent trip of August 2009, we celebrated both my children’s birthdays at Disney World. For my ten year old, autistic son, who adores Winnie the Pooh and Friends, what better place than the Crystal Palace? For once, we felt like a ‘normal’ family when my son interacted with Winnie during his cake presentation. Andrew blew out his candles and went and gave Winnie a great big squeeze. The smile
on my son’s face was precious and during that special moment Andrew was with us in our world and out of his daily world of anxiety, fear and frustration. Only at Disney do we all relax and have a fantastic time. My son comes into his own and opens right up, enough so that his always has language bursts of development.
Thank you Disney for the peace and joy and progress we experience when visiting.
From Kristin via email
My favorite Disney Dining memory took place during the weekend of the surprise 60th birthday trip I took my mom on.
It was her FIRST trip to Disney World. Yes, at age 60! We enjoyed an early morning at Super Soap Weekend, but I had plans for her at the Magic Kingdom later that night. I planned a birthday dinner for her at 1900 Park Fare. I had let them know of her birthday ahead of time so she had a tiara to wear during dinner. Cinderella spent extra time with her and discussed her lovely tiara. After we had finished eating, Cinderella and our waitress delivered the mini-castle cake I had ordered before we left for the World. Mom was in tears as they delivered the beautiful little cake, perfect for the two of us to share. We sang happy birthday to her, and she said “This is truly the best birthday I’ve ever had!” Doesn’t get any better than that!
From Chris via email
My Disney memory didn’t happen at a signature restaurant, although I’ve had a lot of great meals at those. It happened at Pecos Bill’s. In 2007 we took a trip to Disney with my in-laws. My sister-in-law usually vacations at rustic yoga retreats, so Disney was way out of her comfort zone. To make her feel more at ease, she asked to do the cooking at our rental house. Daily, we returned from the parks to very
healthy, and okay, very boring meals. After a few days, I was dying for some real food. One night, she kindly watched our infant twins while my husband, older child and I went to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party where, away from the watchful gaze of my SIL, I made a beeline over to Pecos Bill’s for a pulled pork sandwich. Unfortunately, when I got out, the parade had started and my husband and son were across the street. At first I was disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to join them, but I soon realized what an advantage I had. It was my son’s first trip and the look on his face was priceless. If it hadn’t been for my pressing need for some pulled pork, I wouldn’t have seen his reactions. It ended up being a perfect moment.
And the sandwich wasn’t half bad either.
From The Lill Family via email
I would like to suggest for a very special occasion, a family dinner at Victoria & Albert’s Chef’s Table! You won’t find a better meal anywhere on property. Victoria & Albert’s is an AAA Five Diamond restaurant for a reason! The food and service is exceptional. Having dinner in the main dining room is wonderful as well. Dining at Victoria & Albert’s is an experience that you will always remember… and want to repeat!
From James via blog comment
Even for those who visit a Disney properties just one time, most families would say
that they have shared a lovely “magical memory” and that’s the magic of Disney. Many
of the cast members go well out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and to
“spread the pixie dust”, especially for children and those who are celebrating a
special occasion.Our own magical memory is watching Chloe at three years old walk in her first parade with the characters at ‘Ohana. I was following a ways behind with a video camera and at first she was very hesitant (her first time walking somewhere without mom or dad) but Eeyore moved in right behind her and helped her around the restaurant twice,and all the time encouraging her to shake the maracas and enjoy the parade. He was so nice and helpful to our daughter. Eeyore was my favorite character while growing up, and I’m so thankful that he made that moment special for not only her, but to us as well. 🙂
For more Holiday Disney Foodie fun, check out the compendium of Christmas posts from this season on the Disney Food Blog.
By AJ 41 Comments
UPDATE: Sadly, Disney has removed its hot cheese dispensers from its counter-service locations as of June 2015. You may still be able to order plastic cheese as a topping for your snacks from cast members directly.
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Since spending a year in Switzerland, my family’s traditional Christmas Eve dinner has been fondue. There’s just nothing better, in my opinion, than an entire meal centered on hot cheese and an accompanying carb.
So, while I’m at the in-law’s this year for Christmas Eve and therefore don’t get to partake in the fondue with Mom and Dad, I’ll post a food blog about another version of hot, melty cheese in honor of my family’s traditional meal.
What’s The Cheese?
If you’ve been following the Disney Food Blog, you know that one of my favorite Disney treats is a big plate of cheese fries; but you can’t find the gorgeous, bright yellow cheese just anywhere. This exalted condiment is the consistency of melted plastic, and the number of places to find it on property is shrinking.
Where’s The Cheese?
I used to find the hot cheese dispensers at every counter service spot — Casey’s, Electric Umbrella, Cosmic Ray’s, Pecos Bill’s, etc. Lately, I’ve only found the cheese at Casey’s and Pecos Bill’s in the park, but I have found it over at the All Stars and Pop Century food courts!
Here’s a quick primer:
Casey’s and Pecos Bill’s in the Magic Kingdom: Unlimited hot cheese can be self-served from dispensers in the fixin’s bars.
All Stars and Pop Century Food Courts: Get cheese fries. Ask for an extra cup of cheese if the amount of cheese on your fries is stingy (and…how could it not be?)
Why Do You Like The Cheese?
I have no idea. It’s not as good as the queso I’ve been sampling since moving to the southwest, and I truly have no idea what this stuff can possibly be made from. It doesn’t look like there are any natural products in there! But, for some strange reason, I’m addicted to that bright yellow delicousness.
If you agree, let me know. I’d love to hear from others who love this strange add-on.
If you’re against me, let me know that, too! How can you avoid the siren call of the hot cheese calling out for a dip from your fries?
By AJ 16 Comments
Welcome back to the Disney World Bakery Throw Down! Today we’re highlighting the second bakery in the Throw Down: the France pavilion’s Boulangerie Patisserie.
Atmosphere
The bakery, which specializes in breads and sweet pastries, is located toward the back of the France pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase. (Just follow your nose, and you’ll find it!) As you would expect from a World Showcase shop, it’s themed to look like a bakery native to a small French village. Welcoming window displays draw you inside, and bistro tables line the sidewalk outside.
Inside, you’re greeted by a lovely baker’s rack full of delicious-looking baked goods, baking paraphernalia, and a wide-open French cookbook, giving you the idea that the bakers are hard at work at the ovens.
Keep walking to your left, where your eyes are invited to take in rows and rows of sugary, frosted pastries and savory sandwiches and cheese. The bakery is set up with two identical showcases on either side of a long aisle. This lets twice as many people through at once, but you’ll often still encounter lines… this place is popular!
Eats
Before you take a look at any of my bakery eats photos, you must go over to Ryan Wilson’s Main Street Gazette post about the Boulangerie Patisserie. It’s headlined with one of the most tempting photos of the bakery’s goods I’ve ever seen…
Now that you’ve whet your appetite, here we go down the center aisle of the Boulangerie Patisserie! We start with a few savory items, such as those delicious cheese plates, quiche, rustic ham and cheese tartine, baguettes with jambon (ham) and fromage (cheese), and cheese-filled croissants.
From there, you hit the gorgeous pastries — cakes, pies, pain au chocolat, croissants, apple tarts, eclairs, cheesecake, napoleons, creme brulee, and more:
Once you reach the end of the showcases, you’re able to order a drink and pay for your items.
There is seating on the sidewalk outside and inside the marketplace outside of the France film:
If you can still walk with all of those baked goods in your belly, head out to the beautiful perfume shops on the other side of the pavilion, visit Belle and the Beast in Belle’s library, or head over to watch Impressions de France in the theater at back of the pavilion. Have a wonderful day in Epcot!
Vote For Your Favorite!
Thanks for joining us as we visited the second of the five Walt Disney Bakeries we’re showcasing on the Throw Down! The first bakery highlighted was the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street Bakery, and we’ll be highlighting the other three throughout the month.
You can vote for your favorite right here:
What's Your Favorite Bakery in Walt Disney World?
If you have a stand-out favorite bakery, weigh in with your comments via twitter, facebook, or email.
In January, I’ll post the results, along with any reader insights as to what makes those particular bakeries so special. If you have another bakery you like better, vote “other.” (I’d love to hear what the “others” are as well!)