Review: The Crew's Cup Lounge at Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Review: The Crew’s Cup Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

We are stopping into The Crew’s Cup Lounge for a light bite!

Located in Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, The Crew’s Cup Lounge is a wonderful little spot to take a breather and beat the heat for a bit. In fact, if you’re ever looking for me and I’m not wandering the parks with my camera, I’ll most likely be in a Disney resort lounge somewhere hiding in the blessed coolness.

This spot has a surprisingly awesome menu (dinner’s pretty darn fancy, even), a great staff, and a relaxed atmosphere. I headed in for lunch on a recent trip after arriving from the airport famished!

Atmosphere

The Crew’s Cup Lounge is tucked into the hallway between Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts. It’s easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention.

Crew’s Cup Lounge Sign

See what I mean? There’s no flash here, folks. It almost feels like a private club. And that definitely enhances the relaxing atmosphere.

Entrance

Step inside and you’re surrounded by the same decor you see elsewhere in the resort — lots of light-stained wood everywhere, from floor to ceiling.

You’ll find comfortable seating throughout the fairly small space. The wooden chairs are generous and cushioned, making them perfect for lingering.

More Seating

The bar is tucked into one corner of the room.

Bar Seating

Since there’s no outside light here, surroundings are a bit more dim than they are in lobby area; but it’s by no means dark. You’ll have no trouble reading your menus. 🙂

But while you’re looking up at the lights, check out the brass surround depicting — what else? — rowing. The rowers are sculling along a smooth river, their perfect reflections mirrored in the water below. Don’t you love the detail? Well, we aren’t finished yet!

Lighting and Decor Detail

Check out the racing shell suspended from the ceiling! That big “window” is a view of the Yachtsman Steakhouse meat cutting room; the Crew’s Cup is often a waiting area for those awaiting their table at the restaurant.

A Comfortable Place to Relax

Rain slickers hang from [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: September 7, 2014

By Kim LaPaglia Leave a Comment

Fall is in the air at Walt Disney World where the Magic Kingdom has transformed into a Not-So-Scary setting for the annual Halloween parties.

Candy Corn Cotton Candy

Not only do we love the decor, we are quite fond of the special food and beverages that have begun to materialize.

Click below for all the details on this week’s Disney Food News!

Disney Food News

Check out the exclusive treats and drinks you can expect to see at this year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom!
Epcot’s France is debuting several new dishes at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival
Signs of autumn are upon us all as we travel to all four Parks in Disney World to see What’s New!
Pizzafari in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom debuted three new items on the breakfast menu. We’re trying the Breakfast Burrito, Breakfast Croissant, and Ancient Grain Hot Cereal.
Disney World’s Beach Club Resort announces wine pairings on select dates at Martha’s Vineyard Lounge.

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 restaurant closures, Rix Lounge Party at the Coronado Springs Resort, and more!

DFB Reader Finds

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

This week we’re sharing desserts from Disney’s Vero Beach Resort! Facebook Friend Margaret tempts our appetites with these gorgeous desserts — French Style Vanilla Cheesecake and Triple Chocolate Semifreddo!

French Style Vanilla Cheesecake

Triple Chocolate Semifreddo

What’s your Favorite Find? Send it in!

The DFB Guide to the 2014 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book

Pick up your copy of the DFB Guide to the 2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival e-Book!

The DFB Guide to the 2014 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book features all the info you need to know before you attend the Food and Wine Festival this year, from what’s NEW this year to touring strategies — and a new section with top tips on how to use MyMagic+ at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

As always, we’ve made this guide instantly downloadable for your convenience, and easily installed on your mobile devices. It’s a PDF guide with over 220 pages of detailed information about the Festival as well as photographs and customized bonus items to help you get the best experience possible. On a budget? Find out how to make those dollars (or Disney Dining Plan snack credits) stretch all around World Showcase. And we have a fully updated FAQ section that answers questions you didn’t even know you had!

Bonus Items

The DFB Guide to the 2014 Epcot Food & Wine Festival includes customized bonus items that go above and beyond any other Food & Wine Festival coverage currently available. These include:

A full, daily schedule of events for every day of the festival
A printable World Showcase Booth Menu Checklist that you can use to plan, and easily bring with you to the festival
Themed World Showcase booth crawls (there’s even one for the kids!)
Food and Wine Festival customized Touring Strategies for One Day visits, Budget-Conscious visits, visits with kids, and more
A chapter dedicated to all [Read more…]

First Look! France Kiosk Updates Escargot and More at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

By AJ 8 Comments

The France pavilion in Epcot has been churning out some incredible new additions to the disney food arena over the past few years. From chocolate macaron ice cream sandwiches to ice cream martinis, frangipane and brioche ice cream sandwiches, there’s always more to sample in this corner of World Showcase.

The true flavor of France!

And they’re not stopping for a second when it comes to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival menu! We’re excited to share exclusively with our readers the first photos of some brand new dishes coming to the France Kiosk this year — including a new take on escargot…

France Marketplace Booth

Epcot France 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Menu

The Epcot France Kiosk menu this year offers some guest favorites, and a few twists on old standbys.

Tartelette aux escargots: Escargot tart with garlic, spinach, bacon and parmesan
Gratin de crozet de savoie: Wheat pasta gratin with mushrooms and Gruyere cheese
Boeuf bourguignon: Braised short ribs in cabernet with mashed potatoes
Crème brûlée caramel fleur de sel: Sea salt caramel crème brûlée topped with caramelized sugar

The Tartelette aux Escargots is shaking up the tried and true France menu. For years, guests could expect and anticipate their snails tucked inside little buttery-garlicky rolls, like this:

Escargots Persillade en Brioche in France

But this year, a Tartlette featuring spinach, garlic, bacon and parmesan will serve as the escargot dish on the menu! Taste testers have [Read more…]

2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth Preview: Greece and Puerto Rico

By AJ 3 Comments

We are just a couple of weeks from the start of the most wonderful time of the year! The 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival gets underway on September 19!

Today, we’re bringing you another preview of some of the Marketplace Booths that will be featured at this year’s festival.

It’s hard to figure out just which one of the more than 25 kiosks is our favorite. We love trying returning classics and brand new dishes every year.

Come check out what’s new and what’s returning at the Greece and Puerto Rico Marketplace Booths.

Greece Marketplace Booth

Night and day, it’s never surprising to see loooooong lines at the Greece Marketplace Booth. This exotic spot has been a favorite for as long as it’s been around.

Greece Marketplace Booth

But a few years back, it cemented its claim to fame when they introduced a simple dish — Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey. It’s a favorite, and it’s returning again this year.

2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Greece Booth Menu

Vegetarian Moussaka
Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey (gluten free)
Chicken gyro with tzatziki Sauce
Spanakopita
Domaine Skouras Moscofilero
Domaine Siglas Assyrtiko/Athiri
Alpha Estate Axia Syrah-Xinomavro
Tzatziki Martini featuring Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka and BOLS Natural Yoghurt Liqueur

Throughout the Food and Wine Festival, we continue to see a commitment on Disney’s part to offer inventive and delicious vegetarian dishes. Brand new for 2014, the Greece Marketplace will offer a classic dish — Moussaka! But this version is vegetarian, made with soy as a meat replacement. We tried it at the Food and Wine Festival Preview dinner, and it won rave reviews.

Vegetarian Moussaka

The dish was surprisingly hearty and full of bold flavor.

But our real reason for trip after trip to the Greece Booth is the super simple [Read more…]

Disneyland DIY Recipe: Red’s Apple Freeze From the Cozy Cone Motel

By AJ 9 Comments

It’s September! Yay for cooler temperatures, right??

Well…maybe not quite yet. But we’re all dreaming of Fall flavors, even if the mercury is still registering in the 80/90 (or higher) range.

If I were in Disney California Adventure, I’d just mosey on over to Cozy Cone Motel and grab a cold one at Cone Number 4. 🙂

Cozy Cone Motel!

Nah. I’m not talking about that kinda cold one. I have something even better! (Well. I think so, anyway.) It’s Red’s Apple Freeze to the Rescue!

LeFou's Brew at Gaston's Tavern (topped with Passion fruit and Mango foam)

Red’s Apple Freeze…or LeFou’s Brew — Whichever Your Prefer!

But since I am not, in fact, anywhere near Disneyland (sigh), I’ll have to make do and make my own. And we can SO do that.

It looks a little like beer, doesn’t it? But this is a frosty beverage even the littlest in your company can enjoy. This concoction combines sweet and tart — no-sugar-added frozen apple juice flavored slightly with marshmallow, and topped by a creamy, passion-fruit froth. Yep. It sounds weird. But it works!

(And yes…you Walt Disney World Lovers…feel free to call it Le Fou’s Brew and dream that you’re in Gaston’s Tavern if you’d like. Same difference. 🙂 )

Wanna know how to make it at home? Give this handy recipe a go!

Red’s Apple Freeze

Makes 3-4 Servings

Foam Topping Ingredients:
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream, cold
4 tablespoons Mango Nectar/Juice
4 tablespoons Passionfruit Juice
3 tablespoons Sugar

Apple Slush Ingredients:

[Read more…]

Review: Fruit Plate with Honey Yogurt at Flame Tree Barbecue in Disney’s Animal Kingdom

By Wendy 10 Comments

Trying to get your recommended daily servings of fruits and veggies while touring the parks?

Learn About:Flame Tree Barbecue

Animal Kingdom
Disney World Restaurants

We’re spotlighting something that can help… with half of that goal, anyway ;)! We’re visiting Flame Tree Barbecue in Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the Fruit Plate with Honey Yogurt.

Flame Tree Barbecue is known for its hearty offerings with a menu focused on barbecue, naturally. Featured items include Ribs & Chicken and Pork Sandwiches. And ever since Trilo-Bites changed its menu, Flame Tree is THE place in Animal Kingdom to grab a Jumbo Turkey Leg. So the Fruit Plate stands out by being unique among the barbecue offerings.

We’ve always liked the Fresh Fruit Salad that you can find at Tamu Tamu Refreshments and Bradley Falls during the warmer months – so much so that we’ve yet to give the Flame Tree Fruit Plate its due. Let’s have a look!

Flame Tree Barbecue sign

The menu description says “Seasonal Fruit served with Honey Yogurt.” For my visit, the fruits served happened to match the picture on the menu: honeydew, watermelon, grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, and orange.

Flame Tree Menu

While it doesn’t have the same visual impact as the Fresh Fruit Salad, it’s not bad in its own right!

Fruit Plate

Fruit Plate close-up

It’s just a [Read more…]

News! Halloween Treats Return to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

By AJ 11 Comments

Ready for Fall?

It may be 100 degrees where you are (it certainly still is here!), but we’ll soon be picking out our costumes for another fun Halloween experience at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (yep — the first night of this yearly event was Sept. 1st)!

And with fun character interactions, the Boo-to-You Parade (complete with Headless Horseman), the Happy HalloWishes Fireworks Spectacular, and lots of trick or treating, there’s never a dull moment!

But save a little room for some extra special treats. Because throughout Magic Kingdom, you’ll want to take advantage of snacks and goodies that are exclusive to the party!

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Snacks and Treats

Cupcakes, Ice Cream, or Spooky Sips?

Whichever you prefer, you’re sure to find something to tempt you at the party this year!

And as is often the case, we’re gonna start with the Cupcake Lineup! This Candy Corn Cupcake is awesome, and we can’t wait to dive in.

Candy Corn Cupcake at Main Street Bakery

But if you like your cupcake a little more, say, undead, there’s a Mummy version, too! Check out those eery eyes!

Mummy Cupcake

Find both — and it gives me great joy to write this — at the Main Street Bakery!

In New Fantasyland, stop by Gaston’s Tavern for this spirited Ghost Cupcake. The cute little Fondant Ghost is suspended on a top of fluffy Marshmallow Frosting dusted with Chocolate Crumbs.

Whooooooo…Ghost Cupcake!

But you know where I’ll be — at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor scoring one of my favorite treats — a Hand Made Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich!

We Love Special Holiday- Themed Goodies!

Hand Made Ice Cream Cookie Sammy Dressed Up for the Holidays

The Spiced Pumpkin Waffle Sundae combines freshly-baked waffles with soft-serve ice cream. And they smell incredible! This is definitely one we’ll be enjoying again this year.

Spiced Pumpkin Waffle Sundae

Storybook Treats always features seasonally-colored Soft Serve. Expect to see the Candy Corn Cone back once more. And there’s an extra treat inside the Cone — it’s filled with [Read more…]

What’s New Around Disney World: September 4th, 2014

By Wendy 8 Comments

We’re staring down the last of the dog days of summer as Disney World gears up for Fall… Join us on a tour around all four east coast Parks as we check out What’s New!

MAGIC KINGDOM

Fall Fun

With September upon us everyone is anticipating autumn and special seasonal events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (currently underway) and the 2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (more on that a little later in the post :). So it’s not surprising to see Magic Kingdom all decked out for the occasion!

Magic Kingdom autumn decorations

(Love seeing this sign pop up [Read more…]

Review: Lemon Blast Cupcake at Epcot’s Sunshine Seasons

By AJ 11 Comments

You know how we love our big, over-the-top cupcakes here at the DFB.

Learn About:Sunshine Seasons

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

We take ‘em filled with cream cheese, topped with Darth Vader, sprinkled with edible glitter, and any and all combinations of the above!

Cupcakes tend to take some of the top spots in any Disney World bakery case, so typically they aren’t remotely hard to spot.

But there is a little cupcake gem that really hasn’t received its proper due… The Lemon Blast Cupcake can only be found in the Sunshine Seasons bakery case in Epcot’s Future World, and more often than not, it’s hidden on the bottom shelf, well below the croissants, cookies, and muffins.

Here is a small batch, just waiting to be discovered like the “Charlie in the Box” on the Island of Misfit Toys…

Lemon Blast cupcake on the bottom of the case

Lemon Blast cupcake on the very bottom of the case

(By the way, the Lemon Blast Cupcake is $4.49 and a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan.)

One of our rad readers (thanks, Jessica!) reminded us of this one, and it’s high time to give the Lemon Blast Cupcake a little DFB love!

Aside from the zig-zaggy, criss-cross-y pattern of lemon (!) drizzled over the top, the rest of the cupcake is pretty basic… or so it seems. Vanilla frosting covers a yellow cupcake base.

Lemon Blast Cupcake

Frosting and lemon closeup

Before we find out what’s inside, take a look at this…

Lemon Cupcake Topping

Weird, right? The piped lemon gel topping is a little stringy and a little sticky. So be warned. 😉 I’m not sure how I feel about it. Physically it’s kind of gross, but it tasted fine. So, there ya go.

So what is inside, anyway? A [Read more…]

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