food IS a theme park
DFB Reader Wendy Hofmann sent us this mini-review of an exquisite pineapple cupcake all the way from Disney’s Aulani resort in Hawai’i. Aloha!
We are on vacation at Aulani this week, and found this delicious cupcake that needs to be added to the Disney Food Blog’s cupcake crawl, even if it’s 5000+ miles away from WDW!
This is the pineapple macadamia nut cupcake from Mama’s Snack Shack.
Pineapple Macadamia Nut Cupcake
It’s pineapple cake, filled with [Read more…]
It’s here!! We are absolutely thrilled to share the Grand Launch of the Disney Food Blog Guide to Epcot Snacks e-Book, 2015-16 Edition!
Use Your Snack Credits Wisely!
We’ve updated our detailed snack guide to help you find the best eats (and treats!) in Walt Disney World’s Epcot. You’ll see some of your old favorites as well as some snacks that you might have missed. This edition includes over 300 Epcot snacks, and over 50 NEW snacks!
The DFB Guide to Epcot Snacks e-Book
is created to supplement our massive Disney Food Blog Guide to Walt Disney World Dining e-Book. Here you’ll find in-depth information, photos, and reviews about iconic and new-to-you Epcot snacks — in great detail!
There is absolutely no waiting to satisfy your snack cravings! This guide is an instantly downloadable PDF guide with 350 pages of information and advice on over 300 delicious snacks that you can savor in Disney World’s Epcot. Download your copy right now, and start planning!
This guide is guaranteed to help you better plan your snacks and treats in Epcot, or your money back — [Read more…]
Here we are — right in the middle of the lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer! The crowds and the heat are up at Disney.
We Bid Goodbye to Plastic Cheese at Counter Service Locations
And so’s the fun! With lots of new spots opening, like Vivoli Gelateria in Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs) and new experiences to try (Frozen Summer Fun, anyone?), there’s never a dull moment.
But we’ve also seen some crazy big news this week — at least in terms of Disney Foods with a Cult Following. That’s right — I’m lookin’ at YOU, Plastic Cheese.
We won’t keep you in suspense any longer. Let’s take a look around at what we’ve covered, and then see all the food fun that’s happening around the interwebs this week.
It’s here — we are officially 181 days out from Christmas!! Woohoo! Have you started your shopping yet?
Ha — me neither. But I do know that if I have any hope of scoring advance dining reservations for the uber busy holiday season at Walt Disney World, I need to be ready to book as soon as those lines open up tomorrow.
But how do I fit everything in that I want to do? By planning ahead, of course. And we want to help you do the same.
And that’s why we write the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays. Because I want your holiday visit to the ‘World to be nothing less than spectacular.
And when you pre-order the 2015 DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays right now, you’ll receive the 2014 edition immediately, for free.
Don’t forget — you have three ways to save on the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays Guide. Check our our 180 Days ‘Til Christmas Sale to learn more!
But hurry — our sale on this popular guide ends tomorrow at midnight!
Today, let’s explore
The 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival will be here before you know it! Mark your calendars for September 25-November 16, 2015!
That’s more than seven full weeks to enjoy all that this incredible event has to offer. And there is so much to do and see!
I’ve often thought through the years that it would be great to stick around for the entire Food and Wine Festival and take in every special event, cooking demonstration, and Eat to the Beat Concert. But we both know that’s not gonna happen. Who has that kind of time, right?
Well, here’s the good news. Even if you’re short on time, you can still enjoy so much of what the festival has to offer by planning ahead.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll take a look at some of the Touring Strategies featured in the DFB Guide to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. And don’t forget — when you pre-order the 2015 Guide, you’ll receive the 2014 immediately for free, so you can get started planning right away!
Today, we’ll get started by discussing how to make the most of the festival when you only have one day to enjoy it!
Even if you only have one day to spend at the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival, you can still make the most of your time. Plan to arrive early — a day where there are morning Extra Magic Hours would be ideal. And then head to the Festival Center when it opens at 9:00AM.
Festival Center
Here, you can browse the shops and pick up your free [Read more…]
You know how I love finding out about new eats and treats all over Disney World and Disneyland, right?
Well, I can tell you it has been keeping me pretty busy lately! We’re talking Caramel Sticks in Disneyland’s Candy Palace, and Baked Lobster Mac and Cheese at the Beastly Kiosk in Disney’s Animal Kingdom (oh, and umm… poop candy at the new Zuri’s Sweets Shop, while we’re at it). We’ve got two new flavors of ice cream over at L’Artisan des Glaces, and… the list goes on and on!
And it’s super fun — it really is. But eating NEW things all the time means that I never have time — or stomach space — for my old favorites. Well, today I wanted to re-try two of my favorite snacks over at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in Norway’s Epcot. After all, they’ve both gone through some changes since we last reviewed them, so they ARE technically “new” in some ways!
Kringla Bakeri og Kafe sign
So recently I stopped back in for [Read more…]
For all you breakfast-lovers, we’ve got some Animal Kingdom updates for ya.
While guests to Disney’s Animal Kingdom have been able to enjoy an assortment of breakfast items at Pizzafari (a convenient stop on a trek toward Africa!), the breakfast offerings have been discontinued as of June 17, 2015.
With the opening of the Animal Kingdom Starbucks on Discovery Island last week, Pizzafari has returned to an 11:00AM opening time.
For other breakfast options in Animal Kingdom, stop by Starbucks and Kusafiri Bakery.
Was Pizzafari a breakfast stop for you? Let us know in the comments below!
Ever since Cars Land opened in 2012 in Disney California Adventure, it’s been an absolute must-visit every time I go to check out the west coast side of things.
Cars Land Entrance
Thanks to Flo’s V-8 Cafe and and the Cozy Cone Motel’s assortment of all things that can possibly be served up in a cone, it’s as much a fun snack stop as it is an attraction destination.
Flo’s V-8 Cafe in Disney California Adventure
So you can imagine how exicted I was to stumble upon this ENTIRE merchandise line dedicated not just to Cars Land, but with items specific to Flo’s AND the Cozy Cone Motel! This stuff is SO GREAT.
The first thing to catch my eye was this adorable pink Flo’s V-8 Cafe cardigan.
Flo’s V-8 Café cardigan
And this cool Flo’s V-8 Cafe tote!
Flo’s V-8 Café tote
You know I’m always gonna hone in on the kitchen goods, and there’s a-plenty! I love these mugs…
Flo’s V-8 Café Mugs
Flo is featured on these placemats, too (“She’s Fin-tastic!”).
Flo Placemat
The Flo’s V-8 Cafe logo is all over these oven mitts and potholders.
Flo’s V-8 oven mitts and potholders
And the Motarama Girls (Flo herself included) have a whole [Read more…]
A new premium culinary experience — the Family Culinary Adventure — is coming to Walt Disney World, and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Members now have an early opportunity to book the first dates. Learn some tricks of the trade from Disney Chefs!
Chef Albert Youngman (l) and Executive Chef Jens Dahlmann
Guests and all members of their families ages 9 and up can enjoy a [Read more…]
Time to head on over to Artist Point in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge!
OK, so I’ve had a couple of really good meals here in the past couple of years, and they almost made up for the less-than-stellar meals I’d had at this Signature Restaurant in the years prior.
But, based on my last visit, Artist Point may be on the way back down the ladder when it comes to my recommended fancy dining spots in Disney World. Let’s take a look… .
If you’ve ever visited Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, then you are familiar with the decor here. Enter into the lobby of the hotel, and you are transported to Pacific Northwest hideaway. Lots of Arts and Crafts touches echo that sentiment, and Artist Point refines the aesthetic.
Glass Sign at the Entrance
Where natural wood and stone and warm hues dominate most of the resort, here, you see a lighter touch. Walls are painted a warm white, and woodwork has been whitewashed. The overall feel is much less “lodge-y” and rustic than the rest of the resort — more of a “wide open spaces” kind of vibe.
Seating
Seating is comfortable, with high-backed, generously padded chairs. The views here are normally quite lovely, as the windows look out over the grounds and the lake.
Beautiful View
I say “normally” because the evening I visited, all of the windows were blocked by a frosted film, presumably to block the view of the construction taking place below. While I understand that it was necessary, it was kind of a bummer to be seated by a window with no view. (But I still wanted you to see the view, so I’m sharing pics from a previous visit.)
View
Murals reside high above the dining room, and depict sweeping panoramas of national parklands. They are the work of celebrated artist Thomas Moran, well known for his “larger-than-life interpretations of the West during the late 1800s.”
Mural
The colors are gorgeous!
Mural
Smaller paintings also cover the walls, and are inspired by the work of Albert Bierstadt, who sketched landscapes of the Shoshone Indian country in 1859.
Overall, the restaurant is subdued and understated under its soaring ceilings, and I absolutely love the expansive view of Bay Lake (when you can see them).
Because Artist Point is a signature restaurant at Disney, you can expect that the menu will change here frequently — sometimes daily or weekly. I checked, and several of the items that we ordered aren’t on the menu right now. Still, you may see them again in the future, and they certainly still give you an idea of the type of food served here.
Appetizers Menu — Click to Enlarge
The menu theme is Pacific Northwest, so you usually see a mix of seafood and some interesting game meats. There’s normally a buffalo and/or venison option, and you’re likely to encounter some Pan-Asian influences.
Entrees Menu — Click to Enlarge
We began the evening with a customary Bread Basket, served with Butter sprinkled with Black Salt. These were standard, but quite good.
Bread and Butter
I decided to begin my dinner my customary bowl of [Read more…]
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