Special Eats and Treats for Disneyland's 24 Hour Diamond Anniversary Celebration

Special Eats and Treats for Disneyland’s 24 Hour Diamond Anniversary Celebration

Are YOU kicking off the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration by spending a FULL 24 HOURS with Mickey and the gang in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure?!

©Disney

That’s right! The eagerly anticipated Diamond Anniversary Celebration officially begins this Friday, May 22nd, at 6 am — the same day Walt Disney World launches the “Coolest Summer Ever” with Magic Kingdom’s 24 hour day. Now, 24 hours may seem like a LOT of time… but when you see all the special treats created just for the occasion, you may find that 24 hours isn’t nearly enough!

And we would love it if YOU would help us all join in the fun! Are you attending the 24-hour celebration on either coast? If so, please feel welcome to send us any and all pictures — be they of food or just plain FUN — from your experience! Just let us know how you’d like to be credited on your pictures, and we’ll do our best to include as many as possible in our ongoing coverage this Friday! You can send pictures to us on twitter, Facebook, email us at [email protected], or @ us on instagram!

And now… back to the FOOD!! Special dishes and snacks will abound in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure throughout the celebration.

World of Color Dining Packages

Don’t forget that World of Color Dining Packages are available for the new “World of Color — Celebrate!” show. Unique to the 24-hour event are 2-course, prix fixe breakfast packages available from midnight to 1:45 am on May 23rd at Ariel’s Grotto (as a non-character meal) and Wine Country Trattoria, offering reserved viewing for a special 3 am World of Color show.

Ariel’s Grotto

Wine Country Trattoria

Though online it appears as though Dining Reservations are currently full, you never know when you might happen upon a cancellation.

Disneyland

There is a LOT of ground to cover for the all-around-the-park eats, so let’s start in Disneyland! The signature Disneyland Diamond Celebration Cupcake will be featured at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe.

Disneyland Diamond Anniversary Cupcake

The Diamond Anniversary Ice Cream Sandwich offers a cool twist on the celebratory treats with your choice of ice cream between two sugar cookies. Find it at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, alongside an Ice Cream Sundae served in a souvenir kitchen sink!

Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor

©Disney

Mickey Kitchen Sink Sundae from above — faucet close up

I wonder how many people will be lining up at the Stage Door Cafe for this Mocha Chip Funnel Cake?

©Disney

Plenty of savory dishes for longer term sustenance (you’re gonna need it!) will be [Read more…]

News! Chef Mickey’s Brunch to Begin May 31; Reservations Open May 22

By Brooke 11 Comments

Fans of Chef Mickey’s — get ready for a whole new meal option!

Learn About:Chef Mickey’s

Disney World Restaurants

The SUPER popular (and we are not even exaggerating a little there) character dining experience at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort has always offered breakfast and dinner. But now, it’s expanding to offer brunch daily!

Get ready to dial — Advance Dining Reservations will open on Friday, May 22. Seating for brunch at Chef Mickey’s will begin on Sunday, May 31.

But I think the really cool thing here is that this is brunch, rather than lunch. Fans of Chef Mickey’s breakfast spread can continue to dine on all of their favorites, like Mickey Waffles!

Mickey Waffles!

But the menu will also include lunch goodies such as soups and lots of salad options. In addition, look for Seafood Étouffée, Barbecued Ribs, and Baked Salmon. The sweets team will also feature [Read more…]

Review: Rebel Hangar — A Star Wars Lounge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

By Wendy 17 Comments

Welcome to the Rebel Hangar: A Star Wars Lounge Experience!

Rebel Hangar: A Star Wars Lounge Experience

In conjunction with Star Wars Weekends, an entire half of Backlot Express at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been completely transformed.

Entrance to Rebel Hangar

Backlot Express transformed into Rebel Hangar

From now through June 14th, instead of entering the standard theming of the movie production warehouse, guests will walk into a long-abandoned building that once served as a busy spaceport in the Sullust system.

The story of the Rebel Hangar printed in the menu

From 4:00 – 9:00 pm daily throughout the run of the Hangar, weary galactic travelers now have the opportunity to take a moment to relax and enjoy Star Wars-themed food among the “discarded remnants” from over 100 planets.

Rebel Hangar atmosphere

Our Advance Dining Reservation to hangout in the Hangar wasn’t until 8:50 pm — 10 minutes prior to the final seating. So I took some time during the day to check out the spot, arriving somewhere around 1:00 pm. That’s right — day guests coming in for the typical Counter Service menu at Backlot Express were able to enjoy much of the atmosphere, too!

Part of Backlot Express transformed

Backlot Express transformed

I, for one, was taken aback by the transformation. I hadn’t realized anything more could be tucked into Backlot Express, already so well-themed for its purposes. But lo and behold…

Rebel Hangar atmosphere

It was a blast spotting ways in which the typical Backlot “props” were incorporated into the Hangar theme.

Backlot props redecorated

You can see where “decay” has settled into this space in the many years since it last served its original purpose as a spaceport.

Decaying spaceport

“Discarded” helmet

It appears a graffiti artist has even taken advantage of the abandoned spot 😉 .

Graffiti wall

Hidden Mickey

Even the tabletops were [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: May 17, 2015

By Brooke Leave a Comment

With the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival wrapping up today, it’s onward to a fun-filled Summer — starting with Star Wars Weekends, kicking off right now!

But 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival news is also gearing up. And we’re excited to share the very first news about this year’s Low Cost Seminar lineup!

Read on to learn all about this week’s Disney Food News.

Disney Food News

There are a TON of newly announced Disney Springs eateries — and we have the details right here!
We’re sharing our first big news on the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival front: Allergy Friendly Culinary Demos at the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!
Collectible Dinoco Sippers are coming to Cars Land in Disney California Adventure.
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, an homage to the Indiana Jones franchise, will open in Disney Springs this Fall.
Looking for the perfect souvenir for your pets? Check out these Mickey Waffles and Ice Cream Bars made just for them! 😉
The winners for the Raglan Road Master Chef Contest have been announced!

Check out all the latest Disney Food News — even the stuff we don’t mention in posts on the blog! — on our Disney Food News Pin Board, including menu updates, restaurant closures, special events, and more!

We’ve got all the latest for you, so check it out before you go.

DFB Reader Finds

If you find a fun new food — or other edible awesomeness — in or about Disney, share a photo with us on facebook or twitter so we can add it to our DFB Reader Finds each Sunday!

Today we’re featuring Delicious Drinks!

@EponineAlways thinks the best way to start her morning is with a Tatooine specialty — Blue Milk! Perfect for the kickoff of Star Wars Weekends!

Blue Milk — Breakfast of Champions

We told you about the Pomegranate Margarita Reboot at La Cava del Tequila a while back and @MauiMickey702 snapped this beautiful pic. He says it’s much improved!

Yum — La Cava del Tequila’s NEW Pomegranate Margarita!

Do you have a favorite Disney Food find? Share your photos with us!

Deal of the Week: 2015-2016 Disney World Vacation Must-Have E-Book Sale!

Do you have a Walt Disney World Trip on the books for this year? Woohoo!! There’s nothing more exciting than counting down the days to your next Walt Disney World Trip!

But, even the most spontaneous Disney fan knows that planning ahead is the key to a stress-less vacay. And that mantra is absolutely true when it comes to dining.

If you really want to dine in the hottest restaurants, you pretty much have to plan ahead. Be spontaneous, of course. But get a couple Advance Dining Reservations in place.

But which ones?

That’s where Disney Food Blog comes in, because we are all about the planning!!

You already enjoy our reviews, news, and tips daily on our Blog. But did you know — that’s JUST the tip of the iceberg. Because we have lots more to share with you in our complete line of DFB Guides.

If you’re ready for a fun, easy way to personalize eating and drinking your way through Disney, then check out the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015 e-Book.
Fully updated for your 2015-2016 adventures, the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015 e-Book is an instantly downloadable PDF guide, featuring over 490 full-color pages of photographs, information, and advice about our favorite subject — Eating Your Way Through Disney! So you save time and money as you enjoy planning one of the most important parts of your trip. 😉

And to thank all of you for your support of DFB, we are offering extra savings on our most popular DFB Guide right now. Just enter promo code 2015 at checkout and you’ll save $4 off of our cover price of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015 e-Book!

But if you’d like to enjoy even more detail, check out another great offer.

DFB Everything Bundle SALE!

If you’d like even more great information, pictures, and tips, then the DFB Everything Bundle is the right fit for you.

And to get you ready for that next big trip, we are offering the DFB Everything Bundle for $15 off the already low price! It’s like getting an entire book for free. Just enter promo code Everything15 at checkout to take advantage of this offer.

The Everything Bundle includes, well, Everything! When you purchase this special bundle of DFB Guides, you’ll get it all: [Read more…]

News! The Edison, Sprinkles Cupcakes, and More Coming to Disney Springs

By AJ 19 Comments

More fantastic news coming out of Disney Springs today, all!! We’ve got confirmation on several other restaurants joining the line-up at the new and improved Downtown Disney location in Orlando!

While we’ll be covering each and every one of these as they open, here’s a sneak peek at what’s right around the corner for Disney Springs.

Disney Springs’ Town Center Coming Soon!

The Edison

Inspired by The Edison venue in Los Angeles, this lavish “Industrial Gothic” -style restaurant, bar and nighttime destination is themed to a 1920s-period power plant, recalling an exuberant era of invention and imagination. It will feature classic American food, craft cocktails, and live entertainment including cabaret and music.

Layout of the original The Edison location in LA. Copyright The Edison

Sprinkles

The world’s first cupcake bakery, as named by Food Network and others, serves up handcrafted cupcakes, slow churned ice cream and homemade cookies. I have a Sprinkles locally where I live, and I will never admit to ordering a dozen cupcakes for delivery even when I was home alone…so don’t even try.

These aren’t as good as my beloved Magnolia cupcakes in NYC, but they are a fantastic fill-in here in Dallas. I know they’ll be a hit in Disney Springs.

This is a photo from Sprinkles’ facebook page because cupcakes don’t last long enough in my house to be photographed.

Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza

Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza is a [Read more…]

News! Raglan Road Master Chef Contest Winners Announced

By Brooke Leave a Comment

Word is in — the five winning finalists have been chosen in the Raglan Road Master Chef Contest, sponsored by Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant!

Learn About:Raglan Road Irish Pub

Disney Springs
Disney World Restaurants

The home cooks were chosen from a very competitive field, according to Raglan Road Master Chef Kevin Dundon. “There were lots of entries, and it was difficult to choose just five winners,” Dundon said. “I was struck by the breadth of recipes that were so creatively demonstrated. I was also really impressed by the level of effort made by all the entrants. I’m looking forward to seeing our five winners at Dunbrody House.”

The five winners are:

Janice Epaillard of Mount Dora, Florida
Aaron Van Swearingen of Winter Park, Florida
Colleen Kerney of Orlando, Florida
Heather McBroom Walker of Scottsdale, Arizona
Linda Rohr of Darien, Connecticut

Finalists will fly from Orlando on May 21, arriving in Dublin on May 22. They’ll spend the first day of the visit in Ireland’s capital city — taking in sights and touring the Guinness Brewery, before enjoying dinner at the Michelin-Starred restaurant L’Ecrivain. The group will then journey to County Wexford, home of Ireland’s Hook Peninsula, where they’ll spend the rest of the trip at Dundon’s Dunbrody Country House Hotel.

Dunbrody Country House Hotel

The luxury hotel, located in an 1830s manor house, is also home to Chef Kevin’s Cookery School. There, the finalists will [Read more…]

Friday Happy Hour: Lava Flow at the Barefoot Pool Bar at Polynesian Village Resort

By Wendy 4 Comments

Well, wouldn’t you know it?

Learn About:Barefoot Pool Bar

Polynesian Resort
Disney World Restaurants

Right after I visited the Polynesian Village Resort’s Barefoot Pool Bar when it reopened along with the refurbished Lava Pool and I reported that the specialty drink menu hadn’t changed…

It changed.

Well, that’s not entirely true :). Everything you could previously purchase at the Barefoot Pool Bar is still available (that means the pool bar standards like the Captain’s Mai Tai and Banana Cabana). In fact, they’re all still prominently listed on the main menu.

Barefoot Pool Bar

Barefoot Pool Bar menu

But, lo and behold…. just days after my visit, I heard about some all-new (and if I understand correctly, mostly exclusive) drinks at the Barefoot Pool Bar!

You can spot the descriptions on a stand-up sign, and fans of the Polynesian will get a kick out of reading the well-themed drink names as much as the descriptions with titles like the Pago Pago Pain Killer, Niue Rita, Lava Flow, Tonga Tea, and Samoa Sunrise. Just click on the image below to enlarge and read the item descriptions. I love that the Samoa Sunrise features POG Juice!

Specialty Drink Menu

I didn’t see this menu at all on my previous visit, but whether that’s because they were not being served yet since the pool bar had just reopened or I’d missed the roving sign, I’m honestly not sure.

Ah, well… it’s here now, and so are we! So, let’s have a drink, shall we? We’ll go with [Read more…]

News! Allergy Friendly Culinary Demos at the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

By AJ 1 Comment

We have breaking news today about the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival — and the our first news of this year’s Low Cost Culinary Demonstrations and Seminars lineup!!

And stay tuned to the end of the post, because you could win a trip to Walt Disney World during this year’s event!

We all know that Disney is committed to serving guests with food allergies. Today, we’re learning that Mylan, the company that produces the EpiPen® (with which, if you have food allergies, you’re probably familiar), will be sponsoring the first ever culinary demonstrations at the Food and Wine Festival that are free of the top eight food allergens!

Living With Food Allergies Culinary Demonstrations at the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

The demos will be part of the EpiPen® On Location™ initiative, “a national call-to-action for those living with potentially life-threatening (severe) allergies and their caregivers to understand the importance of avoiding allergic triggers and having access to two epinephrine auto-injectors, such as EpiPen® (epinephrine injection) Auto-Injectors, at all times — whether at home, school, work or on vacation.”

Chef Amanda Freitag

These events are scheduled to take place at the Festival Center throughout the days of October 2-4. Chef and restaurant owner Amanda Freitag will prepare dishes free of the top eight allergens — milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. Chef Freitag lives with her own food allergy, and has become an EpiPen® On Location™ Ambassador, as she shares her own experience in a professional kitchen.

In addition, Auggie Maturo, who plays Auggie Matthews on the Disney Series Girl Meets World, will be on hand with his family to offer his best advice for navigating life with severe allergies.

Auggie Maturo from Disney’s “Girl Meets World”

We’ll share more information about these events soon! It’s possible that the culinary demonstrations with Chef Freitag will be part of the Low Cost Seminar and Demonstration line up that is such a popular part of the festival each year. As such, there will be a charge for these events.

Win a Trip to the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

To help spread awareness about the serious issue of food allergies, Mylan will give away a three-night/four-day vacation for four to visit the 2015 Epcot Food Wine Festival! Three grand prize winners will be awarded a vacation that includes: [Read more…]

Review: Green Tea Plum Slush at Joy of Tea in Epcot’s China Pavilion

By AJ 12 Comments

We’ve stopped by the Joy of Tea kiosk in Epcot’s China Pavilion several times…because it’s awesome.

Learn About:Joy of Tea

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

So you may know by now that it’s packed with much more than tea, despite the name. I mean, sure, you can absolutely grab an iced or hot tea depending on the weather or just your personal preference. But it’s also got a decent snack selection for such a small place (I love the Strawberry Red Bean Ice Cream), and an “appetizer sampler” of sorts with their Lucky Combo, which allows you to try all three hot snacks (BBQ Pork Buns, Curry Chicken Pockets, and Egg Rolls) along with a soft drink and some ice cream.

You’d think that would about cover it! But you’d be wrong ;). Because there is a whole slew of specialty drinks here including some adult beverages, which is what we’re trying out today.

Joy of Tea

You’ll spot the choices under “Alcoholic Beverages” (natch), and they include the Mango Gingerita, Canto Loopy, Peach Snap!, and Green Tea Plum Slush, in addition to beer and wine. (Oh, and don’t forget the Tipsy Ducks in Love.)

Joy of Tea menu

I went with the Green Tea Plum Slush with plum wine, since I know it’s a guest favorite at the park. I really enjoyed the Strawberry Oolong Tea Slush here many moons ago, so I had high hopes for this one. I mean, plum wine? Sure — sign me up! I love that stuff.

Unfortunately, those hopes were [Read more…]

Coming Soon! Dinoco Sippers to Debut This Month at Disney California Adventure

By Brooke 11 Comments

Just in time for Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary Celebration, add another must-have to your collectible list!

Cozy Cone Motel Dinoco Oil Can Sippers, ©Disney

Disney will roll out supa cute Oil Can Sippers during the [Read more…]

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