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EPCOT Festival of the Holidays

The “DFB Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book” Grand Launch!

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We’re thrilled to announce that the first mini-guide in our series is now available to purchase and download! And in honor of our grand launch, you can get the new mini-guide for 20% off the regular purchase price for the next 7 days — just use code MAGIC at the check-out! And don’t forget to keep your transaction number — it may provide a discount on upcoming Disney Food Blog products!

The Disney Food Blog Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book

The DFB Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book

will be the first of many mini-guides to be published on your favorite Disney food topics. We couldn’t fit this detailed information into our overview book, The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining, so we decided to create a new Mini-Guide series that covers specific information — like photos, reviews, and information about our favorite snacks — in great detail!

Why did we start with Magic Kingdom snacks? Because you asked us to! We received dozens of emails asking for more details about snacks, so we figured this would be the perfect place to begin!

And there’s no waiting to satisfy your snack cravings! We’ve made this mini-guide instantly downloadable. It’s a PDF guide with 85 pages of information and advice on over 70 delicious snacks that you can savor in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

Don’t Miss Out on the Best Snacks in the Magic Kingdom!

This mini-guide is guaranteed to help you better plan your snacks and treats in the Magic Kingdom, or your money back — we all know that treats at the Magic Kingdom are just as nostalgic as our first ride on Dumbo!

The DFB Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book includes: [Read more…]

Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages On Sale Now!

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The Candlelight Processional Dinner Package provides guests with a lunch or dinner meal at select Epcot restaurants and guaranteed seating to the popular Candlelight Processional holiday spectacular. Recently Disney’s added in a VIP viewing of IllumiNations, Reflections of Earth, to make this a really great deal!

At the event, the Christmas story is told by a celebrity narrator while a 50-piece orchestra and choir accompany the re-telling. The event is held on select nights from November 25 – December 30, 2011 in the American Gardens Theatre in Disney World’s Epcot.

Package Details

Does not include park admission. Includes your choice of an appetizer, entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage or 1 full buffet from the restaurant’s menu. Prices exclude tax and gratuity.

Disney Dining Plan
Standard and Deluxe Dining – 2 table service credits per person for any meal/restaurant
Premium and Platinum Dining – 1 table service credit per person for any meal/restaurant

Out-of-Pocket Costs
Biergarten
Lunch – Adult $32.99 Child $17.99
Dinner – Adult $50.99 Child $25.99

Nine Dragons
Lunch – Adult $38.99 Child $12.99
Dinner – Adult $49.99 Child $15.99

Restaurant Marrakesh
Lunch – Adult $38.99 Child $12.99
Dinner – Adult $49.99 Child $15.99

Rose and Crown
Lunch – Adult $38.99 Child $12.99
Dinner – Adult $49.99 Child $15.99

Via Napoli
Lunch – Adult $38.99 Child $12.99
Dinner – Adult $49.99 Child $15.99

San Angel Inn
Lunch – Adult $38.99 Child $12.99
Dinner – Adult $49.99 Child $15.99

Coral Reef
Lunch – Adult $51.99 Child $13.99
Dinner – Adult $64.99 Child $17.99

Teppan Edo
Lunch – Adult $51.99 Child $13.99
Dinner – Adult $64.99 Child $17.99

Tokyo Dining
Lunch – Adult $51.99 Child $13.99
Dinner – Adult $64.99 Child $17.99

Tutto Italia
Lunch – Adult $51.99 Child $13.99
Dinner – Adult $64.99 Child $17.99

Chefs de France
Lunch – Adult $51.99 Child $13.99
Dinner – Adult $64.99 Child $17.99

Garden Grill
Dinner – Adult $52.99 Child $26.99

Le Cellier
Lunch – Adult $53.99 Child $14.99

La Hacienda de San Angel
Lunch – Adult $64.99 Child $17.99

Narrators:

11/25 – 11/27: Mira Sorvino
11/28 – 12/01: Michael W. Smith
12/02 – 12/03: Whoopi Goldberg
12/04 – 12/06: TBA
12/07 – 12/09: Isabela Rossellini
12/10 – 12/12: Neil Patrick Harris
12/13- 12/14: TBA
12/16 – 12/18: TBA
12/19 – 12/21: Trace Adkins
12/22 – 12/24: Susan Lucci
12/25 – 12/27: Blair Underwood
12/28 – 12/30: Marlee Matlin with interpreter: Jack Jason

Instead of waiting in a loooonnng line (to get a leftover seat) for this memorable holiday tradition, book a package now. Call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463!

Thanks to Heidi M. at White Glove Destinations for the heads up

Guest Review: Coronado Springs Resort’s Pepper Market

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Learn About:Pepper Market Food Court
Disney World Restaurants

Bill Iadonisi returns with a colorful and impressive review of the Pepper Market at the Coronado Springs Resort. Take it away, Bill!

When guests vacation to Walt Disney World, they are looking forward to going on their favorite attractions, seeing World-Class shows and entertainment, and of course meeting the Disney Characters. A trip to Disney is an exciting adventure for all. But for many, the rides and attractions are just the tip of the iceberg.

I know that for myself, dining at Disney is a whole world of fun! With menu options from around the world and a huge diversity of food choices, the dining scene is a theme park unto itself.

Welcome!

While most guests hanker to dine in the parks, the resort venues are just as impressive. We know the classic restaurants such as Citricos, the California Grill and Jiko, but the resorts are also home to some of Walt Disney World’s “sleeper” restaurants.

These eateries are hidden gems with mostly low crowds, fantastic menus and easy access. Many times when the parks are booked, you can usually walk right in or have just a short wait before dining. Some of my favorites are the Kona Café and the Captain’s Grille. And here we will review; Coronado Springs Resort’s Pepper Market restaurant.

Atmosphere and Ordering Process

Pepper Market is an open food court located in the main building area of Coronado Springs Resort, called “El Centro.” It is a counter-service restaurant, although your drinks are brought to the table by a server.

But what makes this eatery special is its extensive menu and expansive dining area. Even during crowded times, you can usually find a table. It is themed after a south of the border-feel marketplace. Huge and airy, it is also very colorful, bright and gives the feeling of space versus claustrophobia — something we love in Disney restaurants.

Dining Area

As you make your way to the entrance, (next to Coronado’s table-service restaurant, the Maya Grill) you walk on terracotta tiles and past wrought iron fences adorned with green plants. Everything is vibrant and very colorful. It puts a smile on your face before you are even seated. At the entrance is a [Read more…]

Chefs and Beverage Presenters at the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

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The list of Visiting Chefs and Presenters has been announced for the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Are your faves on the list?

Visiting Chefs and Speakers include Cat Cora, the Food Network’s Iron Chef known for her Greek and American cooking. WDW guests love Kouzzina! You’ve seen Robert Irvine on several Food Network shows including 2011’s Restaurant: Impossible. Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern may shock picky palates with his Bizarre Foods but he’s also a huge fan of Walt Disney World! And Keegan Gerhard, host of multiple Food Network Challenges, will surely present something mouth-watering!

Visiting Chefs - click image for larger version

And the renowned Walt Disney World Chefs (insert huge applause!) include Chef Brian Piasecki, Chef de Cuisine at the California Grill! Chef TJ Sudiswa has wowed many guests dining on a Special Diet. Once at ‘Ohana, he’s now [Read more…]

NEWS! 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth Menus Announced

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We’re happy to share the great news that the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth Menus and the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth Map are now available!

Click to go to the Original PDF

As always, we have individual pages created for every single booth, including the menu and food photos of repeat items and even some brand new dishes!

Head over to our 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth Menus and Photos page and click on any country to see that region’s booth, menu, and even some food photos!! In the meantime, I’d love to share with you some of the brand new menu items at this year’s festival…

Craft Beers will have their own booth at the 2011 Food and Wine Festival

Some new additions to this year’s booths are:

Coq au Vin with Macaroni Gratin in France
Beef Empanada in Argentina (replacing last year’s cheese and corn empanada)
Grilled Shrimp in Australia
Seared Mahi Mahi and Feijoada in Brazil
Three brand new desserts at the Desserts & Champagne Booth
Goulash Suppe in Germany
Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey in Greece
Cappellini con Gamberi Piccanti (Cappellini Pasta with Spicy Shrimp) in Italy
Pork Kakuni in Japan
Rib Eye Tacos in Mexico
Harissa Chicken Roll in Morocco
Bunny Chow (Vegetable Curry served in a Bread Loaf) in South Africa
and Boolgogi BBQ Beef with steamed Rice and Kimchi in South Korea

Don’t forget to check out the menu items from the ALL NEW booths: Hawaii, Portugal, the Caribbean, and Scandinavia!

Bunny Chow will be a new menu item in South Africa this year

We hope you’ll take time to click through each individual booth page to check out what the booth will look like, what’s on the menu, and what some of the food items look like!

Also, don’t forget to check out our other 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Coverage; we work hard to make sure we have the most comprehensive coverage of the festival on the internet!

See you at the Festival!

BBQ Weekends at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

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Get ready for the debut of BBQ weekends at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek! Visitors to O-town will find themselves heapin’ helpings of BBQ while celebrating finger-lickin’ fun! Bonnet Creek, located within the gates of WDW property, boasts a 482-acre nature preserve, elegant rooms, and a Guerlain spa, which can be enjoyed between the scheduled barbecue events.

Get your brews and barbecue on August 5-7 and 12-14 as part of Bonnet Creek’s SummerBlast!

Miami Chef Michael Love

Chef Love, a BBQ pro and author of “Love In The Kitchen – Women Love Men Who Can Cook,” will join the festivities on August 5th and 6th.

Top Chef Finalist Howie “Bulldog” Kleinbert

Miami Chef and BBQ aficionado, Howie “Bulldog” Kleinbert of Top Chef fame, will host a summer barbecue at the Smokin’ Hot Barbecue Buffet on August 13th. Chef Kleinbert is the owner of Bulldog BBQ, which Bon Appetit magazine named one of the hottest new barbecue restaurants in the country.

BBQ Themed Events

The Smokin’ Hot BBQ Buffet

The Bonnet Creek Q Crew will be serving up beef brisket, pulled pork, side dishes, and a Dutch oven dessert. Join the sizzlin’ hot fun Friday from 3-9pm, Saturday from noon – 9pm, and Sunday from Noon – 3pm. BBQ plates will cost $12-$14 (depending on selections). A Kids’ plate, for children 12 and under, is priced at $8.

The “Beer-B-Q” Station
The Florida Beer Company (largest craft brewer in Florida) will be serving the latest ice-cold Florida brews for you to sample!

Florida Beer Company Brews

The Hilton lounges and Beech pool bar will bring an exceptional [Read more…]

Disney Food for Families: Counter Service Dining with the Adventurous Child

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Disney Food for Families columnist Erin Foster has a very adventurous eater in her family — her daughter, Josie! Here are some great suggestions for kids who want something a bit different than the standard kids’ meal fare!

I’ve written before about my finicky, fearful daughter Louisa who never met a chicken nugget she didn’t like.

As it turns out, her twin sister Josie has a completely opposite dining profile. Josie will try anything, loves exploring new foods, and craves variety to spice up her meals. An endless stream of pizza bores her. If you have an adventurous eater in your life, you’ll want to find options beyond the ubiquitous pizza, pasta, hot dogs, and nuggets.

Josie enjoying the meat of a giant bird

In recent years, Disney has done a somewhat better job of providing a range of healthy and innovative foods on their childrens’ menus. Here I’m going to focus on some of the out-of-the-pizza-box Walt Disney World children’s counter service meal and snack options for those looking to avoid the kid food basics while on the go.

Counter Service Dining with an Adventerous Child at Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

Columbia Harbor House

and Cosmic Ray’s offer mixed greens with chicken for [Read more…]

Bring “it’s a small world” Into Your Kitchen!

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Another fun cookbook is being released by Disney, and this one pays homage to the classic ride, it’s a small world! There are also two companion books available — a sticker activity book and an illustrated book about the happiest cruise that ever sailed!

Feed Our Small World: A Cookbook for Kids will be released on August 16, 2011, by Disney Press, along with a companion picture book. This hardcover cookbook will contain 64 pages of international recipes geared to ages 4-8, and the easy directions will be enhanced with cooking tips and colorful photos of each dish.

Your kitchen can become a magical wonderland filled with the sights and sounds of multi-cultural dishes such as French quiche, Indian chicken curry, Indonesian beef satay, and Scottish shortbread!

Waiting for the oven to preheat? Kids can read cultural facts that will fascinate them even before tasting their creations!

To order your copy, just click here.

For a companion gift, order Disney: It’s A Small World in hardcover. This book with awe-inspiring illustrations will highlight the [Read more…]

Review: Gasparilla Grill at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

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Learn About:Gasparilla Island Grill
Grand Floridian
Disney World Restaurants

Tucked into one of Disney World’s most iconic resort hotels — The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa — Gasparilla Grill is one of the only restaurants open 24 hours in Walt Disney World!

Atmosphere

Gasparilla Grill is the the counter service location at the Grand Floridian and is sandwiched between the Grand Floridian Cafe and the Grand Floridian Kids’ Club.

It offers both hot and cold (grab-and-go) items as well as bakery items and soft-serve ice cream.

Gasparilla Entrance

Gasparilla Food Area

You’ll find plenty of seating inside and outside. Outdoor seating has a fantastic view of [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: July 24, 2011

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Strawberry Lemonade at Enchanted Grove in Magic Kingdom

It’s been a sizzling hot week, so we hope you’re keeping cool! Maybe you have access to some delicious strawberry lemonade like the one to the right (in the Magic Kingdom). We’re counting down the days until we get our next fix of that stuff!

There’s lot of fun Disney food news this week as well as some awesome articles in the round-up, so let’s get started…

Disney Food News

Let’s review the latest news from this past week!

New Disney Food Blog Mini-Guide Just Around the Corner…

Just eeking out the final updates to the brand new Mini-Guide e-Book! (Thankfully, one of our fabulous columnists is in Disney World this week and has agreed to do a little extra recon for us!)

As you know, our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining e-Book covers a wealth of information about Disney World food. But after hitting 250 pages, we reserved some of the more detailed info for our upcoming series of Mini-Guides.

The first in the series will be the Disney Food Blog Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks, and it will be debuting very soon.

Detailed reviews, photos, prices, and snack-credit-worthiness of over 70 snacks in the Magic Kingdom are packed into this Mini-Guide, but, as always, we’ve included a few extras and bonus items as well!

We’ll have more information for you very soon; we can’t wait to hear what you think!

Here we go…On to the Round-Up!

Meet the World in Progressland

shares the fabulous views seen only from Club 33!

Disney Contemporary Fan Site compares the Grand Floridian’s Citricos with the Contemporary Resort’s California Grill. Which would you choose?

DisneyTouristBlog reviews Disneyland’s Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. Yee-Haw!

Main Street Gazette shares with us a canyon skillet at Whispering Canyon Cafe.

Kokocooks takes us along on their cupcake crawl in Disney World — inspired by our DFB challenge!

Disney Contests and Sweepstakes gives us the scoop on the Rainforest Cafe Orlando’s summer photo contest. Good luck!

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