Review: Bubble Milk Tea at Epcot's Joy of Tea | the disney food blog

Review: Bubble Milk Tea at Epcot’s Joy of Tea

We have a fun treat for you at the China Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase!

Learn About:Joy of Tea

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

Let’s face it: Disney World is hot. With the exception of a few weeks out of the year, you’re going to be craving a refreshing drink as a mid-day treat. And Epcot’s Joy of Tea has just the thing for you!

We’re big fans of this snack stop. For such a tiny booth, it has a pretty extensive menu! The egg rolls and curry chicken pockets are tasty little snacks that will hold you over until your next meal while you explore the World Showcase.

And, most importantly, they have a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (including the fan favorite Tipsy Ducks in Love!).

Today, we’ll check out the Bubble Milk Tea!

Joy of Tea menu — click to enlarge

[Read more…]

COUNTDOWN! One Week ‘Til the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

By AJ 2 Comments

There’s only ONE WEEK left until we kick off the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival. It’s coming up SO FAST! So as we continue to cross off the days until it’s underway, we want to offer you some special savings on the DFB Guides!

For all the fun we have bringing you the latest news about Disney Food, we’re passionate about one thing especially: making sure that every visit you make to Walt Disney World is as great as it can possibly be.

DFB Guide to the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

The DFB Guide to the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival was written to give you everything you need to know in one handy volume (and we mean EVERYTHING).

With more than 250 pages and tons of bonus items, it offers all of the information that you need to make the most of your Festival visit. Learn more about the DFB Guide to the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival here. And during our Countdown to the Festival Sale, we’re offering this popular DFB Guide for 30% off! Just use code COUNTDOWN at the checkout to save on this must-have Food and Wine Fest companion.

[Read more…]

Guest Review: Brunch at the Top at California Grill in Disney’s Contemporary Resort

By Kim LaPaglia 26 Comments

Guest Author AM Appleby returns to share her California Grill Brunch at the Top experience at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Brunch is offered every Sunday from 10AM – 1PM. Cost is $80 for adults and $48 for kids ages 3-11.

Learn About:California Grill

Disney World Restaurants

California Grill, located atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort, is well known for fine dining and spectacular views. A divine spot for sushi, steak, and fabulous cocktails, the restaurant began serving brunch in February for the first time in its 20-year history.

Considering the reputation of California Grill, I didn’t even glance at the menu before booking an Advance Dining Reservation. I thought brunch would be top notch, and had high hopes that I wouldn’t be disappointed.

Atmosphere

Upon arriving at the Contemporary Resort, we were directed to Valet Parking where a Cast Member was waiting to greet us. After a quick trip to the second floor check-in desk we were whisked away in a private elevator to the 15th floor. We walked towards the abundant light streaming in through the enormous windows, admiring the view beyond, and were given complimentary mimosas (and a children’s mimosa — or “faux-mosa” for my seven-year-old daughter) at the bar.

Complimentary Mimosas

The spacious room was fairly quiet, with charming music being played on piano and double bass. [Read more…]

News (Updated): Ultimate VIP Tour Experience for the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Now Available

By AJ 3 Comments

It’s SO CLOSE now, my friends…

The 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival begins September 14th!

That means the Ultimate VIP Tour Experience for the Epcot Food & Wine Festival is bookable now! Similar to the 2015 Package, Walt Disney World passholders, DVC Members, and Chase Disney Visa Cardholders can book the Ultimate VIP Tour Experience for a 15% discount!

As in years past, the Ultimate VIP Tour Experience for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival offers a combination of VIP experiences, special events, and terrific opportunities to learn from Disney Chefs and other Festival notables.

Your special Food and Wine Festival experience lasts ALL DAY LONG, and includes all of the following:

Your day begins with the Wonders Retreat at the Festival Center, where you’ll enjoy a celebrity chef hosted brunch from the best seats in the house.
After a break and a brief time to shop, you’ll return to the VIP Lounge for a hosted beverage demonstration featuring acclaimed wines, spirits and craft beers from around the world.
Next, you’ll venture to the Norway Pavilion to set sail on the newest attraction in the World Showcase—Frozen Ever After.
Then, it’s time to explore the Global Marketplaces! Disney Chefs will greet you and introduce you to the endless selection of bites and beverages while you taste 3 of the Festival’s most popular pairings.
Your next stop will be at the newly reimagined attraction, Soarin’ Around the World.
Afterwards, a certified Cicerone will lead you through a sampling of the Festival’s signature craft beers. Another delectable chef’s pairing will follow.
Post pairing, you’ll head to the America Garden Theatre to savor a glass of champagne and then rock out to the Eat to the Beat Concert Series from your priority seats.
When the concert comes to a close, you’ll have time to explore the Festival on your own.
If you choose to stay through the end of the day, you can watch IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth from a reserved location.

More details:

The 7-hour experience begins at 9:00 AM on the following Fridays: September 16, 23, 30; October 7, 14, 21, 28; and November 4, 11, 2016.
The cost of The Ultimate Day at Epcot International Food & Wine Festival experience is $399 per Guest, plus tax.
A 15% discount is available for Disney Vacation Club Members, Annual Passholders, and Disney Chase Visa Cardmembers.
See artists performing during the Eat to the Beat Concert Series.
View celebrity chefs who will be presenting at the What’s Cookin’ With… brunch during the Wonders Retreat. (See our list of who will be appearing each week on our Food and Wine Festival Special Events Page)
Theme park admission is required and is not included with the cost of the VIP Tour.

For reservations, please call (407) WDW-TOUR or (407) 939-8687.

Please note that terms and inclusions in the package are, of course, subject to change.

Ready to Plan for Your Epcot Food and Wine Festival Trip?

The DFB Guide to the 2016 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book is now available! This 250+-page guide to the Festival offers insider tips and advice as well as all of the details you need to know to plan your best Festival visit ever.

Your purchase includes several bonus items as well — including a full daily schedule of events at the Festival and a printable World Showcase Booth Menu Checklist to carry with you as you Eat around the World!

Order your 2016 edition today! Don’t miss a moment of the fun!

Use code Chefs at check-out for a 20% off the cover price!

News! Tickets Released for Live Tapings of The Chew at Epcot

By Wendy 71 Comments

Editor’s Note:

This post was written in 2016, and as of 7/2/17, tickets for the 2017 Chew tapings at Epcot have not been released. We will let you know as soon as they are in a separate post. However, read through this post for helpful tips on how to obtain tickets. Good Luck!

The Cast of ABC TV’s “The Chew” is returning to the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

Just like last year — they will be recording episodes of the show LIVE from Epcot from October 5th through 7th!

Interested in attending a taping? If so, you’ve gotta act fast. Tickets have been released, and if last year’s ticket release is any indication, they will be snatched up faster than you can say, “The Chew!”

In case you missed our little primer, here are the steps to nab your tix!

Get Tickets to See The Chew Live Taping at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

Step 1:

Go directly to abc.go.com/shows/the-chew.

Step 2: From there, click on the Get Tickets box on the bottom right to Attend a Taping of The Chew.

©ABC.com

Step 3: Select your preferred DATE from the scroll that appears above the ticket options. [Read more…]

Review: Lunch at Contempo Cafe in Disney’s Contemporary Resort

By AJ 17 Comments

On my recent family trip to Walt Disney World, we decided that a visit to the Contempo Cafe was in order.

Learn About:Contempo Cafe

Disney World Restaurants

Because guess what?

When it comes to visiting Walt Disney World for vacation, we’re like any other family: we like to mix it up with a combo of table service and counter service restaurants. It keeps things interesting, but it saves us a little money, too. And of course, it’s all for the sake of research! 😀

Besides, some of my favorite foods at Disney World can be found at counter service spots. It’s not a trip to Disney World without visits to favorites like Captain Cook’s at the Polynesian, Restaurantosaurus at Animal Kingdom, Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie in Epcot’s France, and many others.

It may not be super-themed, but in my opinion, Contempo Cafe in Disney’s Contemporary Resort holds its own against any of these. Let’s check it out.

Atmosphere

You may have passed Contempo Cafe dozens of times without even knowing it — especially if you’re fond of riding the monorail to Magic Kingdom (and really, who isn’t).

Monorail!!

It’s located right next to the wildly popular Chef Mickey’s on the Grand Canyon Concourse in Disney’s Contemporary Resort Hotel. [Read more…]

Exclusive Treats Return to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in Disney World

By Brooke 14 Comments

Little Ghouls and Goblins (and the not so little ones too) — take note! The annual celebration of all things Halloween, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, has kicked off at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. And we’re excited to see a couple of brand new treats for 2016!

Halloween at Disney!

At Gaston’s Tavern, we’re looking forward to digging into a new cupcake — Enchanted Pumpkin Spice!

Enchanted Pumpkin Spice Cupcake at Gaston's Tavern © Disney

It’s just one of the specialty cupcakes that you can enjoy exclusively during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Look for the return of other favorites, like the Chocolate Worms and Dirt Cupcake and the Spider Cupcake — this year, in Vanilla — at Main Street Bakery as well. [Read more…]

SAVE 30% Off Everything in the DFB Store With Our Labor Day Sale!

By AJ Leave a Comment

NOW is the TIME!!! The kids are back at school, there’s the promise of a nip of Fall in the air….and YOU’RE READY TO PLAN A DISNEY TRIP, RIGHT?!?

Well, just in time, we wanted to pass some special savings onto you!

Save 30% Off of Everything in the DFB Store. EVERY. THING.

We are celebrating Labor Day with a little something for everyone — 30% off of EVERYTHING in the DFB Store! Just use code 30SALE at check out!

We have a wide range of individual Guides and money-saving Bundles to meet your every Walt Disney World food planning need. Let’s take a closer look!

DFB Guides

The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining covers every single facet of Walt Disney World Dining. From restaurants, to snacks, to using the Disney Dining Plan — it’s all there, and it takes us more than 500 pages to give you all the details! And our companion Snack Guides and Special Event Guides go even deeper, providing details on virtually every snack available in the Parks of Walt Disney World.

Today, we offer a full family of DFB Guides to help you plan your trip. Our Guides include:

The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining, 2016 Edition
DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks
DFB Guide to Epcot Snacks
DFB Guide to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios Snacks
2016 DFB Guide to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
A pre-order of the 2016 DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays, with the 2015 edition available for FREE as an immediate download
DFB Dining Adventures

Each Guide is updated annually to ensure you have the very latest information! And today, you can receive any or all of these invaluable e-books for 30% off with code 30SALE at check out! And don’t forget to check out our Money-Saving Bundles — More Stuff for Less Dough! They’re all 30% off, too!!!

(Pssst — These are 100% backed by a MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE for any reason at all! So your safe to buy!) As always, thank you SO MUCH for your support of the DFB Team!

What NOT to Do at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

By AJ 19 Comments

If you’ve been hanging around here much at all, then you know that we love the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

And what’s not to love?? In 2016, we’ll have two full months to Dine Around the Promenade at Marketplace Booths, take in Special Events and Demos, and generally soak up this culinary immersion.

So we focus a lot on things you Must Try! (Grown up frozen drinks!!) and things that you Can’t Miss! (Parisian Breakfast!!) But what about the “Don’ts”?

With 20 years of Food and Wine Festival experience under our belts, we think we know a thing or two about having a good time at F&W. 😉 So today, allow us to share our list for the Mistakes We’d Like to Help You to Avoid as you plan your visit to this year’s Festival!

Put on your stretchy pants and comfy shoes, and get your DFB Food and Wine Tray ready. Time to head in!

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute to Book Events

There’s a reason that we tell you to be on the phone first thing bright and early on the day that Special Events, including Seminars and Demonstrations, open. These events sell out quickly — especially the ones featuring celebrity chefs.

All isn’t lost, though, if you didn’t book the second the phone lines opened. You will be able to book some events, especially the Low-Cost daily seminars and demos, right up to the time of the event.

Wine View Lounge Cheese Station at Party for the Senses

Still, it’s best to plan ahead. So if you haven’t already done so, call now and square away those reservations. It’s one less thing you’ll need to worry about when you arrive. [Read more…]

Review: 10-Gallon Challenge Sundae at Whispering Canyon Cafe in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

By AJ and the DFB Team 25 Comments

We are back at Wilderness Lodge’s Whispering Canyon Cafe, and this time it’s just for dessert! It seems like we were just visiting this favorite fun spot of ours for dinner but after hearing rumors about a new GIGANTIC dessert we had to make our way back… .

Making its sort-of debut is the…drumroll please…10-Gallon Challenge!

Ten Gallon Challenge!

Why sort-of? This item hasn’t made the official menu yet and will most likely be in a testing phase for the next few months. But don’t let that stop your party from ordering it for now. Just consider it to be a secret menu item!

[Read more…]

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