News! Menu Refresh for Studio Catering Co. at Disney's Hollywood Studios

News! Menu Refresh for Studio Catering Co. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Tucked between the “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” play area and its neighboring waterhole, High Octane Refreshments, Studio Catering Co. is just your basic quick stop with plenty of seats along with lots of shade and high-powered fans for hot Florida days.

Learn About:Studio Catering Co.

Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney World Restaurants

We’ve enjoyed the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich here in the past, but really, Studio Catering Co. has never been particularly known for any signature items or “must-do dining.”

However, the menu has been given a bit of a revamp, and some of the items seem to have some definite potential! Nearly the entire menu has been refreshed, and while some items bear a resemblance to previous bites here, a couple are all new.

For instance, the new Pulled Beef Brisket Sandwich features braised beef brisket, Muenster cheese, arugula and horseradish sauce served on a ciabatta roll.

Braised Pulled Brisket Sandwich

Fans of the previous Toasted Tuscan may enjoy the Deli Sandwich, which is [Read more…]

Coming Soon! Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Resort

By AJ 17 Comments

UPDATE: News today from Disney states that Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto should be opening officially in late April.

As Disney fans and DFB readers know well by now, plenty of changes have come to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort over the past several months of major resort-wide refurbishment.

New Tiki Statue in Lobby

For Disney food fans, perhaps none of the openings have met with as much anticipation as the eagerly awaited Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto! All sorts of signs (some of them literal!) are pointing to its imminent opening!

Updated Dining Sign with Trader Sam’s

Updated Dining Location Direction Sign with Trader Sam’s

Of course, no sign is more telling than the one on the door to the Grotto itself…

Trader Sam’s door sign

Other signs are less obvious, but bring to mind the nautical theme that we’ve been told to expect for the east coast version of Trader Sam’s, influenced by 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Guests can now see the painting below and oars lining the hallway that starts at Captain Cook’s on the ground floor of the Great Ceremonial House and leads to Trader Sam’s.

Submarine Grotto Painting

Oars lining the wall

Oar on the wall

So, what else do we know? So far, at least five adult beverages will be unique to the Disney World location, including the Castaway Crush, Polynesian Pearl, Tahitian Torch, and the Dark & Tropical Stormy. As is the case at its [Read more…]

2015-2016 Disney World Vacation Must-Have E-Book Sale!

By Kim LaPaglia 2 Comments

OK — so 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 when you’ll be back in the ‘World!

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.

I know, I know. It’s hard to know what you’ll want to do in 3, 6, or even 12 months down the road. But knowledge is power!

And when you know all about your choices, you can turn a great trip into a fantastic one!

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

But which ones?

That’s where Disney Food Blog comes in! 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.

Want to see the last petal drop at Be Our Guest Restaurant? Planning ahead is key!

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.

The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015

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 — Disney foooood! 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 today. 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!

Want even more great information, pictures, and tips? Then the DFB Everything Bundle may be just 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…]

What’s New Around Walt Disney World: March 26th, 2015

By Wendy 2 Comments

I’m not sure what it feels like in your neck of the woods, but the calendar says it’s officially SPRING! And the season is ON at Walt Disney World, with new food items to help feed those spring break crowds (did somebody say “Grilled Cheese”?), as well as an egg-stra special Easter display at the Grand Floridian Resort.

But that’s not all! There’s much more in store… so let’s hop to it, as we take another trip around the World to see What’s New!

MAGIC KINGDOM

Be Our Guest Breakfast

Hey, has anyone heard of some little dive by the name of Be Our Guest Restaurant? 😉

Be Our Guest in the First Light of Morning

Well, in case you didn’t know about the Advance Dining Reservations heard ‘round the World, the popular restaurant is now open for BREAKFAST! Huge hits on the all-new prix fixe menu include the Open-Face Bacon and Egg Sandwich and the Croissant Doughnut.

Open-Face Bacon and Egg Sandwich

Croissant Doughnut and fresh fruit

You can read our Opening Day Everything on the Menu review HERE!

Sweet Treat Makeovers

Not sure how long this gem will be around, but the Cinderella Coach Apple celebrating the recently released live-action “Cinderella” film sure is a beauty!

Cinderella Coach Apple

You can find it for a limited time at the Main Street Confectionery and Big Top Treats. (Keep an eye out at spots outside of Magic Kingdom like Goofy’s Candy Company and Sweet Spells, too!) A few of the Krispy Treats have joined in on the fun, as well…

Cinderella Coach Apples and Krispy Treats

Snack Location Switcheroos

Looking for your favorite Dole Whip or Citrus Swirl over in Adventureland?

Citrus Swirl at Sunshine Tree Terrace

Well, the homes for these beloved snacks have changed places. You see, Sunshine Tree Terrace — home of the Citrus Swirl — is now located where Aloha Isle used to be. And Aloha Isle, boasting its signature Dole Whip? It’s now located where Sunshine Tree Terrace used to be.

New Aloha Isle location

New Sunshine Tree Terrace location

Confused? Fret not — you can read all about it here! Rumor has it that this all has something to do with a new restaurant on the horizon for Adventureland. (And what’s this we’re hearing about a possible Jungle Cruise theme?!) Time will surely tell!

Speaking of location changes… If you’re hoping to enjoy a Jumbo Turkey Leg in Magic Kingdom, they’ll be available at Cool Ship in Tomorrowland starting TODAY.

Cool Ship area

Walt Disney World Turkey Leg

This temporary move will allow for [Read more…]

News! 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Eat to the Beat Concert Schedule Preliminary Dates

By AJ 23 Comments

Here we goooooo, Epcot Food and Wine Festival Fans!

We’ve got the first word on a few Eat to the Beat concert line-up listings ALREADY for 2015!

For those of you who may not know, Eat to the Beat is an Epcot concert series that takes place during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, running this year from September 25-November 16. The series features musical acts from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s each year, and concerts take place throughout most evenings of the Festival.

Since this partial list is preliminary, be sure to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for additions and/or changes to the schedule! We will bring you all the latest news first!

Eat to the Beat concerts are performed three times per evening, so you have three chances each night to see your favorites — 5:30PM, 6:45PM, and 8:00PM!

2015 Eat to the Beat Concert Line Up!

Note that this schedule is subject to change

October 2-4 – Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas
October 10-11 – 38 Special
October 19-21 – Air Supply

Taking in an Eat to the Beat Concert is a great way to unwind and continue the fun of the Food and Wine Festival into the evening.

All concerts take place in the American Gardens Theater at Epcot’s America Pavilion. Concerts are free — included in the price of your Epcot admission!

Many folks plan [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland: Frozen Fun Food at Disney California Adventure

By Heather 10 Comments

Frozen Fun

has taken over the Backlot area of Disney California Adventure, and with it come some pretty tasty snacks. Let’s head inside of Olaf’s Snow Fest and see what Arendelle has to offer.

Olaf’s Snow Fest

The lighting inside of Olaf’s Snow Fest is very pink, so it made for a tough photo spot. Adorable nonetheless though! A snack area in the corner is set up so that visitors to Arendelle can recharge after playing in the snow. Although there is only one spot to order, the area is organized to look like separate food booths with different offerings.

Arendelle Eats

The menu is set up in the center of the snack area.

Snow Fest Menu Board

On my recent visit, I tried just about everything they had to offer!

Arendelle Offerings

The first [Read more…]

Raglan Road Irish Pub Wants to Send YOU to Ireland with Their Master Chef Contest!

By AJ 8 Comments

One thing is certain: Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant knows how to celebrate!

Learn About:Raglan Road Irish Pub

Disney Springs
Disney World Restaurants

We recently enjoyed sampling some of Raglan Road’s new menu items. And today, we’ve got some news for you about how they plan to celebrate their upcoming Tenth Anniversary!

The restaurant, located in Downtown Disney Orlando (soon to be Disney Springs), will mark their Tenth Anniversary in October. And to celebrate, they’re hosting a Master Chef Contest that could land YOU in Ireland!

Now through April 21st, amateur cooks are invited to submit “a video featuring an original three-course menu of appetizer, entrée and dessert worthy of the restaurant’s 10th anniversary celebration.”

Raglan Road’s Master Chef Kevin Dundon will judge entries and choose five finalists on April 28.

Finalists will all win an all-expenses-paid trip to Ireland! They’ll fly to the Emerald Isle on May 21 and stay at [Read more…]

Review: Gourmet Grilled Cheese at Epcot’s Taste Track

By Brooke 39 Comments

Today, we’re grabbing lunch from a pop up seasonal spot in Epcot! And this one involves Grilled Cheese!!

You know these kiosks…often you’ll find them closed (and sometimes not even there!) if you’re lucky enough to visit during less busy times of the year.

Epcot!

But since we’re smack dab in the middle of Spring Break, we’re seeing lots of extra food around the Parks to help feed the hungry crowds and minimize wait times at regular Counter Service and Table Service Locations.

Thanks to readers Daniel Wanderman and Megan McQuillan‎ for letting me know recently that we needed to get over to Epcot’s Taste Track to check out an incredible menu of Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. I can’t wait to show you these!

Atmosphere

If you’re looking for Taste Track, hang a right as you’re facing Test Track, and head back toward Future World. If the kiosk is serving, this is where you’ll find it.

Taste Track

You won’t find much in the way of seating — as in tables and chairs — but there are the same highboy tables that you see scattered around World Showcase, especially during the Flower and Garden and Food and Wine Festivals.

Tables Near Taste Track

More Tables

There are also some benches shaded by umbrellas situated a short walk away. And there are a few low planters with walls that conveniently double as both benches and tables.

For a landmark to get your bearings, Cool Wash is directly behind you if you’re facing the Taste Track kiosk.

Cool Wash, Across from the Taste Track Kiosk

Everything on the menu sounded pretty fantastic and we were excited to sample a range of things. Let’s check out what we chose.

Eats

For such a small booth, there’s a surprisingly diverse menu offered here!

With three different Gourmet Grilled Cheese Selections, plus Soup and Salad options, this could be a stop for the whole family. There are also some fantastic Craft Beer Selections. Because Grilled Cheese and Beer.

Taste Track Menu — Click to Enlarge

I thought the Kids’ Meal option of Grilled Cheese on Goldfish Honey Wheat Bread was fun, too. I tried to snap a pic from the family behind me; alas, they must have been hungry because they snatched it too quick. 🙂

When it came down to it, my friend and I decided to sample all three of the “grown up” options. We began with the [Read more…]

News! Jungle Cruise Restaurant May Be Coming to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

By AJ 29 Comments

We first brought you news that a new restaurant was coming to Adventureland a while back.

And today, there’s more buzz that the rumor may be fact!

Jungle Cruise Eats? Sign Me UP!!!

The folks over at Orlando Weekly and WDW News Today have been reporting on some GREAT news for Adventureland Fans! While initial reports we were hearing firsthand indicated that a new restaurant would be a New Orleans-themed, a la Princess and the Frog…it may be that something EVEN BETTER is coming instead. Because the area just may actually be themed after the Jungle Cruise!

Do You Think Any of the Specialties from the Crew Mess will Make It to the Skipper's Cantina Menu??

Do You Think Any of the Specialties from the Crew Mess will Make It to the Menu??

The whole thing would take place at the old Adventureland Veranda, which served as a restaurant for years — with Kikkoman as a corporate sponsor. Here’s an awesome photo by Widen Your World that shows the old signage.

Old Adventureland Terrace Sign, Courtesy of

Old Adventureland Veranda Sign, Courtesy of Omniluxe.net

But most recently, the veranda has been used as a character Meet and Greet with Tinkerbell and her Fairy Friends. (Tink and Co. have since flitted over to the Main Street Theater, where you can catch them, along with Mickey and other characters, for aaaaaalllll of your photo op needs.) These days, you’ll frequently spy Peter Pan and Wendy here.

But now, it would seem that this new opening is definitely linked to the switcheroo we told you about last week, when Aloha Isle and Sunshine Tree Terrace swapped real estate (and treats). You can find all of your favorite Dole Whip Delicacies at the new Aloha Isle location, while the new Sunshine Tree Terrace continues to offer Citrus Swirls (and it’s pretty busy there, too, if our trip through the area the other day is any indication.)

But back to the restaurant. The backstory for the new spot may include a retreat for Jungle Cruise skippers, or even a secondary source of income for them!

After a Day of Dodging These Guys, It Will Be Great to Kick Back and Grab Some Grub!

Do you think we’ll be able to dine while viewing the backside of water?

Perhaps the spot will be similar to Be Our Guest Restaurant, in that it will offer counter service lunch (or quick service, more accurately) and table service dinner.

So another great question — will any of the fun drinks that we associate with the now defunct Adventurer’s Club, or Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian (I’m counting the days ’til it opens later this month!!!) OR Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar be on the menu?

Schweitzer Falls — a non-alcoholic drink at Trader Sam’s Tiki Bar

After all, Disney broke the long-standing tradition of no alcohol in Magic Kingdom with the inclusion of beer and wine on the Be Our Guest Dinner Menu. We’ll anxiously await the answer to this one. 🙂

Wonder if Trader Sam Will Be a Frequent Visitor?

While we look for answers to the many, many, MANY questions this news brings up, if the rumors are true we anticipate the new restaurant could open as early as late 2015.

Are you as excited as I am about this HUGE rumor/news out of Magic Kingdom today?? Leave a comment and tell me if you think it’s a good idea…

Source: Orlando Weekly, WDW News Today, WDW Theme Parks

FULL “Everything On The Menu” Review: Breakfast at Magic Kingdom’s Be Our Guest Restaurant

By Wendy 82 Comments

The long-awaited moment has arrived…

Learn About:Be Our Guest Restaurant -- Breakfast

Magic Kingdom
Disney World Restaurants

So, in the (slightly paraphrased) words of Lumiere, “Now, we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair, as Be Our Guest Restaurant proudly presents… your Breakfast!”

Since the day Be Our Guest Restaurant opened as part of New Fantasyland in November of 2012, it seems to have only picked up steam. To say that its initial offerings of a Table Service Dinner and Counter Service Lunch have been successful would be an enormous understatement. The popularity and demand for meals at Be Our Guest have led to a third offering for the day, which is the new meal and experience that we’re here to review now: Breakfast at Be Our Guest Restaurant!

UPDATE: Please note that as of June 2015, the original test phase of breakfast at Be Our Guest Restaurant has been extended and Advance Dining Reservations are available for breakfast through October 3, 2015.

Be Our Guest sign

Before we step inside, though, it’s worth exploring the outside grounds a bit, since that’s where you check in for your Advance Dining Reservation. But mostly, it’s just a neat hour to be in New Fantasyland and experience some of the quiet among the earliest breakfast arrivals.

Quiet New Fantasyland

With the Daylight Savings Time change being so recent, the sun had not been out long before my friends and I arrived for check in, so the natural light in the area was especially beautiful.

Beast’s Castle

Gargoyles in the morning

But it’s also the indoor themeing of this restaurant that makes it so special, so let’s step once more into the Beast’s Castle…

Entrance to Be Our Guest

Atmosphere

We’ve taken one or two (or three) tours around Be Our Guest Restaurant before, but it’s undeniable that the exceptional theming has been the top draw for guests hoping to dine here. And since, as with lunch, you get to choose where you sit for breakfast, you’ll want to give each of the three rooms consideration before your visit.

I don’t know which of the rooms has been most in demand since Be Our Guest opened. I’m guessing that it might be the Ballroom, since it so perfectly captures the scene where Belle and Beast dance together in the film, and is complete with elegant seating, stunning chandeliers, and falling snow.

The Ballroom

Dancing Snow Outside of Be Our Guest Ballroom

Ballroom Tables

Chandelier

Many guests, though, are eager to dine in the West Wing: the place Belle was forbidden to go due to the presence of the Enchanted Rose.

The West Wing

Enchanted Rose

Aside from the magically falling rose petals, amazing special effects in this room include the sound of periodic thunderstorms, simultaneously revealing glimpses of the Beast in the portrait of the prince.

Prince - Beast portrait at Be Our Guest Restaurant West Wing

Portrait of the Prince

A Glimpse of the Beast

While the third room, the Rose Gallery, isn’t open for dinner, it IS open for both breakfast lunch. The highlight is the [Read more…]

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