Review: Downtown Disney's Italian Ice Stand and NEW! Taco Truck

Review: Downtown Disney’s Italian Ice Stand and NEW! Taco Truck

It’s time to take a quick trip to Downtown Disney in Disney World to check out a great way to cool your jets while you’re in Orlando this Summer!

Downtown Disney Italian Ice Stand

You may walk right past this kiosk in Downtown Disney, but it’s worth stopping during those hot Florida days! The Italian Ice stand is located near the middle of Downtown Disney’s West Side between the Characters in Flight Attraction and the bridge to Pleasure Island.

Italian Ice!

They offer six different flavors of Italian ice in three different sizes. Don’t you just love when a treat is fat free AND delicious?!

Italian Ice Menu.

On our visit, we sampled the Tie Dye, which was a mixture of three different flavors — Blue Raspberry, Lemonade, and Lime.

Italian Ice Tubs.

Not only was this very pretty — the ice had [Read more…]

News! Disney Dining Plan Price Increase

By AJ 42 Comments

News on the Disney Dining Plan front! Disney has increased the cost of the Quick Service, Standard, and Deluxe Disney Dining Plans for all rack rate bookings made on or after June 17, 2013.

I’ve called Disney reservations about four times trying to get exact costs, but I keep getting different answers. The only consistent info is that, yes, the prices are higher than they were earlier this year. So please note that your mileage may vary within a few cents of the pricing listed below.

We’ve also heard that Disney may do away with seasonal pricing, but all of the reservations agents I spoke to still quoted me seasonal prices (i.e. the plans will cost more during busier times at the parks).

Disney Dining Plan Prices

Here’s what you can expect for Dining Plan costs going forward. Remember that seasonal pricing may vary by a dollar or two.

Quick-Service Dining Plan
$39.64 per night ages 10 and up (no seasonal pricing)
$15.75 per night age 3 to 9 (no seasonal pricing)
(Increase from earlier 2013 pricing of $37.58 and [Read more…]

Review: Breakfast Cone and Pear of Dice Soda at Cars Land’s Cozy Cone Motel

By AJ 14 Comments

I was SO excited to try this new Breakfast Cone at Disney California Adventure’s Cozy Cone Motel, and I can’t wait to tell you about it!

This super-themed snack stop comes to you straight from the animated feature Cars, and it figures prominently into the landscape of the park’s newest area, Cars Land.

Cozy Cone Sign

I headed over to the popular spot one sunny morning to try out something we hadn’t seen here on Disney Food Blog firsthand yet — the Breakfast Cones! Time to see if they lived up to my expectations!

Atmosphere

If you are a fan of the Disney Pixar film Cars, then you are going to love Cars Land. Everywhere you turn, you feel like you’ve wandered into the movie. And nowhere is that more apparent than at the Cozy Cone Motel.

And look! Mater is parked out front of the office, waiting for Sally! (And check out the taillight coneflowers in the garden. 🙂 )

The Cozy Cone Motel in Disney California Adventure Cars Land

Have a peek through the windows to look around the office before moving on. You’ll see lots of thoughtful details from the movie, and you’ll even catch a glimpse of another Pixar hero — Buzz Lightyear — peeking from under a pylon.

Buzz Lightyear Peeking Out From Below a Cone

Beyond the front office building, where guest cars would check in to the motel in the movie, you find the various cones, which serve as rooms for tired travelers heading down Route 66. In Cars Land, rather than providing lodging, the cones serve snacks!

The different cones feature different snacks. Head to Cone #1 for [Read more…]

News! 2014 Disney World Free Dining Packages for United Kingdom Residents

By Kim LaPaglia 18 Comments

United Kingdom residents — we have GREAT news! Now’s the time to start planning your 2014 holiday to the Walt Disney World Resort. When you book a selected Walt Disney World holiday, you’ll receive free dining for your family!!

Disney Deal

Disney is offering a less restrictive Free Dining deal to United Kingdom residents, PLUS you’ll receive a $200 Disney Gift Card and 14 park days for the price of 7. However you’ll need to book prior to July 1, 2013, for select arrival between January 1 – April 8 and April 27 – November 30, 2014.

If you stay at a selected Disney Hotel for a minimum of 5 nights, you’ll benefit from these three magical offers:

1. FREE Disney Dining for your whole party throughout your entire stay at Walt Disney World.

2. FREE $200 Disney Spending Money.

3. Disney’s 14-Day Ultimate Ticket which includes unlimited entry to ALL six parks for a price of a Disney’s 7-Day Ultimate ticket.

PLUS save 35% on your accommodation by staying at Disney’s Old Key West Resort or Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa in a studio room.

Who doesn't want unlimited free Mickey waffles??

This offer is available on participating Disney Moderate, Deluxe Villa or Deluxe Resort hotel stays plus tickets.

Bookings must include 5 nights minimum stay at a Walt Disney World Hotel plus Disney’s 14 Day Ultimate Tickets for the whole party traveling to receive “14 day tickets for the [Read more…]

DIY Disney Recipe: Nebraska Corn Chowder from Storytellers Cafe

By Kim LaPaglia 16 Comments

This week, guest chef Carol returns with one of my FAVORITE recipes! This time she cooks up the Corn Chowder from the Storytellers Café at the Grand Californian in the Disneyland Resort!

So, I’d never been to Disneyland California until just recently! I know, I know, but please hear me out before you judge! I grew up in Central Florida…in Walt Disney World’s backyard.

But recently, I made my first trip to Disneyland! It was just like the commercials…you know with all the families making memories together! We were there with my husband’s family including our two cute, adorable li’l nieces! I couldn’t wait to wear those fun Family Reunion pins.

The first thing I did when I found out we were going was make my foodie list…of course! I also dug into my Disney cookbooks to start making fun dishes at home to get us excited about the trip.

I was excited to find several fun recipes from Disneyland California in my Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs cookbook. The Storytellers Cafe Corn Chowder definitely caught my eye, since my grocery store is full of fresh, sweet corn right now. The recipe is served fresh every day in the Storytellers Café at Disneyland’s Grand Californian Resort, and it’s been on the menu since the restaurant opened.

Storyteller's Cafe Corn Chowder -- as served in the restaurant

This recipe is super easy to make and can be ready to serve the same night you make it! So, let’s get started:

Ingredients

This is a great one to make during the Summer when you’ve got all kinds of fresh sweet corn at the farmers’ markets and grocery stores!

Corn Chowder Ingredients.

-4 ears fresh corn, unshucked
-2 slices bacon, diced
-1 tbsp diced onion
-1 tsp chopped garlic
-1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
-4 cups chicken stock
-6 tbsp butter [Read more…]

DFB Podcast Episode 15: Unique Disney Snacks!

By AJ 5 Comments

Howdy, Disney food aficionados! Exciting news today for all you hungry commuters, walkers, runners, gym-goers, Disney summer road-trippers, and other assorted podcast listeners!

The DFB Podcast is back with another great show! The 15th episode of our DFB Podcast is now up and ready for downloading!

In this episode, AJ and Brad cover the latest Disney food news and discuss unique snack finds at each Disneyland and Walt Disney World theme park. We also answer a couple of great listener questions, and reveal the answer to our Episode 14 trivia question (and stump ya with a new trivia question)!

Here’s the Podcast page for Episode 15. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes, [Read more…]

My New Favorite Disney Pastry: Lemon Meringue Tart at BoardWalk Bakery

By AJ 28 Comments

OK…I’ve been patiently waiting to share this with you and I just couldn’t wait any longer!!

The NEW Boardwalk Bakery -- three times the size of the old one!

My hands-down FAVORITE new treat at the newly refurbished Boardwalk Bakery is… .

This incredible Lemon Meringue Tart!!

Lemon Meringue Tart

I know. It looks totally innocuous, right? Maybe even a little too fancy? A substantial shortbread crust encases bright lemon curd. (LEMON CURD!!!!) Just a small amount of meringue garnishes the tart.

And I have to tell you… they have achieved lemon curd perfection with a strong (strong enough for me, which is saying something!!) [Read more…]

Disney Recipe: Clam Chowder from Disney World’s Liberty Tree Tavern

By AJ 6 Comments

UPDATE:

Thanks to reader Elizabeth for calling our attention to an error in the recipe! We consulted one of our favorite Mickey Cookbooks to bring you the correct details!

One of my husband’s fa-vor-ite dishes in Disney World is this super creamy clam chowder from Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom!

Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom

It’s a New England style clam chowder, which means it’s made with milk and ends up creamy instead of brothy in the end. This delicious goodie has been a staple on the Liberty Tree Tavern menu for years, and it’s a guest favorite.

Clam Chowder from Liberty Tree Tavern

But here’s a DFB Tip: don’t have time for a long lunch? Head on over to Columbia Harbour House nearby to get a similarly delicious chowder fix, counter-service style!

Let’s get cookin’…

New England Clam Chowder

Liberty Tree Tavern, Magic KingdomIngredients (Makes 6 Servings):

1/2 cup celery, diced small
1/2 cup onions, diced small [Read more…]

Review: Dinner at Boma in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

By AJ 33 Comments

Boma…Flavors of Africa

is a tried-and-true Disney fan destination.

Learn About:Boma

Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney World Restaurants

Many guests number it among their must-have advance dining reservations for it’s fun atmosphere, unique menu, and cult favorite dishes.

On a recent visit to Walt Disney World, we had the pleasure of eating at Boma not once — but twice…in the SAME DAY! Yep — we had breakfast and Boma AND dinner at Boma!

While I’ll be sharing the details of our Boma breakfast in a later post, today we’re taking a look at the rockin’ spread available for dinner.

Atmosphere

Located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boma is just one of three incredible restaurants at this resort — it’s a true food-lovers haven here.

Boma Sign

You’ll find Boma on the ground floor beneath the lobby level, adjacent to both The Mara and Jiko. (Sanaa is located in nearby Kidani Village.) And while The Mara is the resort’s counter service location, Jiko is a signature restaurant, and Sanaa features a table service fusion of flavors, Boma serves as the resort’s buffet offering.

But while many Disney buffets are more about character interaction than cuisine, a trip to Boma is all about the food. A sign in Animal Kingdom’s lobby provides a little background on the meaning of the restaurant’s name — and encourages you to make your ADR for Boma well in advance!

Boma Background Information

The term boma loosely refers to a fence fashioned of sticks, and you’ll see this motif throughout the restaurant’s interior. A wrought-iron version of a boma borders either side of the wide, winding path into the restaurant.

Walkway into Boma

Here, the fence borders a low wall separating the seating area from the [Read more…]

New! Strawberry and Cream Cupcake Debuts at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

By AJ 15 Comments

While hanging out in Disney’s Hollywood Studios last week, we were super psyched to see a brand new Disney cupcake that has debuted for the Summer in the park — the Strawberry and Cream Cupcake!

We first stumbled upon it while in line for lunch at Rosie’s All-American Cafe and there’s no way we could pass it up.

Just in Time for Summer -- Strawberry and Cream Cupcake

The CM taking my order let us know that the brand new cupcake had made its appearance only the day before, and that it was delish. As usual at the Studios, the seasonal offering is available in other spots as well.

I spied it at Backlot Express, and it was also available alongside other famous Hollywood Studios cupcakes like the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake and the Butterfinger Cupcake at Starring Rolls.

Strawberry and Cream Cupcake at Starring Rolls

Of course, it was a [Read more…]

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