Top 5 Disney Dining Plan Quick-Service Values for 2012

It’s time to re-visit our Top 5 Quick-Service 2012 Disney Dining Plan* Values! Last year, our choices were great bargains because they offered good portions and quality food — and they were less attractive when paying out-of-pocket!

Since then, prices and options have changed, so it’s time to re-evaluate for 2012!

Wolfgang Puck Express at Downtown Disney

While shopping at Downtown Disney, use your quick service credit at Wolfgang Puck Express! The Pennette Chicken Alfredo with peas, bacon and parmesan at $15 is very filling (an easy meal to split)!

Pennette Chicken Alfredo

Here are some other smart choices:
Spaghetti & Meatballs with tomato-basil-garlic sauce and fresh herbs $16; Oven Roasted Salmon served with fennel, tomatoes, arugula, roasted potatoes and horseradish cream $18; or the Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf accompanied by mashed potatoes, port wine sauce and crispy onion rings $15.

Quality and quantity make WPE the place at Downtown Disney to get the best value with your DDP credit!

Katsura Grill

We’re assuming that Katsura Grill, which opens TODAY at the Japan Pavilion in Epcot, is on the Dining Plan as a counter-service location. If we’re right, it will be a great value for a counter-service credit. (By the way, since it’s replacing the Yakitori House, we’re guessing that it will be on the Dining Plan; but we don’t know yet for sure!)

On the new menu the Sushi Combos, including the California Roll and the Spicy Tuna Roll, top out at $12.99, as does the Tonosama combo, with comes with teriyaki beef, chicken, and salmon. The Teriyaki Salmon is $11.99, while the [Read more…]

Fun, Food-Filled Holiday Activities at the WDW Swan and Dolphin Resort

By AJ Leave a Comment

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin celebrate the season with fun activities! From now through December 23rd, the resorts will offer a complete calendar of festivities, including some fun food-focused activities and displays!

Holiday Calendar - click image for larger version

Mrs. Claus’ Bake Shop
Call Room Service to have milk and cookies delivered during the classic holiday movies that run from 8:30-10 p.m. in your room!

Elf Tuck-In
On Christmas Eve, Santa’s Elves will tuck you in, read a story, and provide milk and cookies too! This package includes a plush toy, Santa’s Magic Key (for Santa to leave presents on Christmas Eve!), and a [Read more…]

Guest Review: Contempo Cafe’s Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake

By AJ 8 Comments

Learn About:Contempo Cafe

Disney World Restaurants

Welcome Lindsay D. with a guest review of a seasonal cupcake from the Contempo Cafe! Thanks Lindsay for sharing this festive cupcake with us!

As a self-appointed Walt Disney World tour reviewer, I spend a lot of time on property checking out both official and unofficial tours. I’m often accompanied by my reluctant sister. I’ve learned from experience that the best way to convince her to tour with me is with bribes – of the sweet variety.

A Dole Whip or Carrot Cake Cookie can keep her eye rolls and silent sighs at bay for a good 3-4 hours of touring.

Thankfully, when I found myself on the wrong end of an evil stare on our self-guided tour of holiday decorations, we were already at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Contempo Café cupcakes to the rescue! I had already given her the run down of confectionary options on our tour path, so she knew what to expect. What neither of us expected, however, were seasonal cupcakes.

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake with Candy Cane Sprinkles

Despite the immediate need for a [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland Review: The Yule Log

By Heather 1 Comment

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Yep, seasonal treats are already aplenty at The Disneyland Resort! And thank goodness, because I’ve been dying to try the Plaza Inn Yule Log Cake since I first learned about it on Guy Fieri’s Disney Holiday Special two years ago.

For whatever strange reason I didn’t get to it last year, so I vowed to myself that this year it would be my first treat of the season. On December 1st, just 3 days after it appeared in the parks, it was Yule Log time. I knew that Disneyland’s hot Yule Log spot was the Plaza Inn on Main Street, so on my recent visit, I went straight there.

Plaza Inn, Main St. USA

Specs

The Yule Log cake was easy to find; you practically run into it upon entering the restaurant. It’s on display in the center of the room at the salad/dessert station. There are, however, none for the taking; you must ask for it and it is taken out of a small refrigerator behind the glass.

Yule Log Display Cake

Yule Log Cake Display Side View

Now, the first thing I noticed was that the Yule Log cake this year is “Chocolate Chestnut.” As far as I know, the last few years the Yule Log has been [Read more…]

News! 2012 Opening for Ghirardelli Soda Fountain at Disney California Adventure

By Kim LaPaglia 2 Comments

As we reported way back in June, the Old Mission Tortilla Factory shuttered its doors to make way for the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop in Disney California Adventure.

It looks like this sweet location is set to open in late spring 2012 with delicious sundaes and free chocolate samples slated to please visitors to DCA! The recently released concept art gives us a sneak peek at the shop in its Pacific Wharf location!

Concept Art

What’s in store for your sweet tooth? On a recent visit to the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain in Downtown Disney Orlando, I indulged in The Gold Rush.

Gold Rush Sundae

This is a delectable Peanut Butter and Hot Fudge Sundae featuring vanilla ice cream with homemade hot fudge and melted peanut butter throughout the entire dish! You can get yours topped with [Read more…]

Review: Breakfast (and the new menu!) at Kouzzina

By AJ 11 Comments

Learn About:Kouzzina

Boardwalk Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

Since it opened, Kouzzina, by Cat Cora, has long been one of our favorite breakfast stops. We’ve reviewed it once before, but now there are brand new menu items to chat about!

And this is a two-part post! We’ll:
1. Chat about the new menu items, and
2. Welcome back guest author Melissa Sorrells Galley with her full review of a recent Kouzzina breakfast! She’s got a few menu updates in her review as well!

New Kouzzina Breakfast Menu Items

On my recent visit to Kouzzina, I noticed a couple of fun new menu items that I had to try! First up, the French Toast Baklava! This super-sweet breakfast extravaganza includes Grilled Fig and Anise country bread with honey, walnuts, and cinnamon along with Bacon or Chicken Sausage for $11.99.

We were extremely glad that we also ordered the new savory dish on the menu, because we really needed some salty to cut through the sweet in this dish. That said, this breakfast was phenomenal. By the way, it also includes an apple-y syrup! Talk about dessert for breakfast!

Baklava French Toast

Chicken Sausage

The second new item we ordered was the Breakfast Skillet with eggs, Pequillo peppers, Nueske’s bacon, onions, Greek cheese, and Sweet potato hash topped with arugula for $13.99. This was a wonderful dish and a great spin on your classic hearty breakfast. While the skillet isn’t “all you care to eat” like at Whispering Canyon Cafe, it’s definitely worth an order!

Breakfast Skillet

Now, check out the guest review below for even more updates to the Kouzzina menu!

Guest Review — Kouzzina Breakfast

Once again, thanks to Melissa Sorrells Galley for this great review of her breakfast at Kouzzina…

I love breakfast. It’s my favorite meal of the day. Pancakes, oatmeal, egg sandwiches or toast: you pretty much can’t go wrong. I love breakfast so much that [Read more…]

Disney Holiday Kitchen Goodies at Target!

By Heather 14 Comments

Browsing Target today, I came across a cute display of Mickey and friends holiday kitchenware by Zak! Designs. Prices range from just $2.99 for a small 8 oz cup to $14.99 for the largest item, the footed Mickey popcorn bowl.

Footed Mickey Popcorn Bowl

I think that popcorn bowl is my favorite, but here are a few other [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: December 4, 2011

By Kim LaPaglia Leave a Comment

Teriyaki and Orange Marinated Beef Fantasmic! Picnic Meal

Woah, Nellie! Was there ever Disney Food news this week!! Let’s get up to speed on everything that’s happening in the World, the Land, and elsewhere!

Up-To-Date Disney Food News

During the busy holiday season, picnic meals will be available as a Fantasmic dinner package!
The Pepper Market at Coronado Springs will be testing a breakfast and lunch buffet over the next month!
Japan’s Katsura Grill in Epcot will be opening this month with a great new menu!
Tables in Wonderland has announced two December events exclusive to members, including a fun Holiday Party in Epcot’s Norway!
Check out our holiday gift ideas for the Disney and/or foodie fans in your life!
Trail’s End Restaurant has a new baked potato bar on the dinner buffet.
Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store introduces the new Muppets “Rainbow Connection” Sundae.

Stop by our Disney Food News Pin Board, where Disney Food News is updated on a regular basis!

And don’t forget to follow along on our 2011 Holiday Dining page!

DFB Dining Adventures e-Book Now Available

Just a reminder that our brand new DFB Dining Adventures e-Book is now available! We’ve had lots of reader requests for pre-planned dining strategies that can be dropped right into your Disney World vacation plans, and we thought that was a pretty good idea, too! So we took it one step further and added some extra FUN!!

Don’t forget to use code “adventure” at check-out for $2 off!

And we’ve made your holiday gift-giving even easier by creating Disney Food Blog e-Book Gift Certificates! Use code “holiday” at check-out for some great discounts!

On to the Round-Up!

MiceChat.cominterviews a former Club 33 cast member

giving us an intimate glimpse into Disneyland’s exclusive restaurant!

WDW for Grown-Ups catches a game at the ESPN Club at the Boardwalk Resort.

Main Street Gazette asks a roundtable of experts where they find their favorite baked goods in WDW. See where yours truly would head for a sweet treat!

Momfluential looks at Disney’s holiday food offerings. She also got to hang out with our Dining in Disneyland columnist, Heather!

DisneyParks Blog shares a glimpse of a seasonal drink now being served at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel. Check out the awesome holiday decor too!

Picky Palate recreates the Chocolate Peanut Butter sandwiches from Disneyland. These delightful treats from Pooh Corner are giving me a rumbly in my tumbly!

The Earl of Sandwich family joins modern times with a retail business that we all know from its prominent Downtown Disney Orlando location! Thanks to Katie Bellairs for the heads-up.

Disney Food Holiday Gift Ideas, Part 2

By Kim LaPaglia 3 Comments

We have more Holiday Gift Ideas and none too soon. It’s officially December and the clock is ticking. So, let’s get to this week’s holiday gift ideas.

Each week, we’re sharing some fun gift-giving ideas for the Disney and/or food fans in your life. No need to get in a long queue — shopping online is so easy!

Ratatouille ”My Adventures” Personalized Book

Your child is the star in this personalized storybook featuring Remy! This book can commemorate your little chef’s skills or your visit to Les Chefs de France where dining with Remy is a house-specialty. Order your personalized book today!

Raglan Road Mugs

Raglan Road

is now offering online shopping! You’ll find Guinness apparel, Irish gifts, Raglan Gift Certificates, and more!

From the brand new Raglan Road Cafe Collection, these fine porcelain mugs were designed by Graham Knuttel and produced by Tipperary Crystal. There are four styles to choose from — or collect them all!

Raglan Road Cafe Mug

Minnie Mouse Kitchen Play Set

For those WDW guests that miss Minnie’s House in the Magic Kingdom’s Toon Town, this play set will bring back nostalgic memories of that precious cake baking in Minnie’s oven. Give your little chef their own kitchen! Active imaginations can cook up a world of tasty meals. The set includes [Read more…]

News! Epcot’s Katsura Grill Grand Opening and Menu Announced

By AJ 13 Comments

As reported in August, counter-service restaurant Yakitori House is being transformed into a new restaurant in the Japan Pavilion. The new Katsura Grill is set to open its doors on December 7, 2011, to Epcot visitors.

The Yakitori House in Epcot's Japan Pavilion

Taking inspiration from the Katsura Imperial Villa of western Kyoto, Katsura Grill will reflect the Japanese architecture and incredible gardens of this Imperial Family villa.

The menu will include [Read more…]

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