Speculation: Disney's Aulani Restaurants & New Saratoga Springs Quick-Service

Speculation: Disney’s Aulani Restaurants & New Saratoga Springs Quick-Service

There are a few new, yet-to-be-named restaurants that we get to start speculating about. These include the two restaurants at Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawai’i, and the new quick-service dining location scheduled to open with the upgraded Paddock Pool at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort. All are set to open in 2011.

Aulani Restaurants
According to several articles posted about Disney’s new Aulani Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Oahu, Hawai’i, the resort will have two restaurants. I haven’t found any [Read more…]

Epcot Italy Pizzeria: Naples 45 Menu

By AJ 21 Comments

New York's Naples 45

WDWNewsToday is reporting that the Epcot pizzeria currently under construction will be another Patina Restaurant Group “Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria.” (See Construction Pics here.)

This is a chain restaurant with its original location in New York City (on 45th St., which is where the name “Naples 45” was born), and another location in Disneyland’s Downtown Disney.

Both the Disneyland and New York City locations are table-service, and the menu includes a wide variety of appetizers, soups and salads, fish and meat dishes, and pizzas. No word on whether the Disney World location will be table-service, counter-service, or both.

Here are the New York restaurant’s menus — no idea if they’ll be the same, but I bet they’ll translate at least some of these dishes to the WDW location:
Naples 45 Breakfast Menu (note — the World Showcase location means breakfast might not be served in the Disney World Naples 45)
Naples 45 Lunch Menu
Naples 45 Dinner Menu
Naples 45 Dessert Menu

New Cantina de San Angel Construction Pics: Mid-January 2010

By AJ 4 Comments

Construction is fully underway at Cantina de San Angel for its transformation into a brand new 400-seat, waterside restaurant that includes both table service and quick-service options. The restaurant, located across from the pyramid in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion, will go from 3,500 square feet to 12,000 square feet.

The Cantina is bundled up tightly and there’s very little to see, says Erin Foster, who was recently in Disney World and snapped some photos.

Fingers are crossed that the Cantina will be ready for action by the time the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival rolls around!

Pictures are below: [Read more…]

Sci-Fi Dine-In

By AJ 19 Comments

I wanted to give you more construction pics for today, but DH said you’d prefer some food porn, so here we go! We’re headed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Sci-Fi Dine-In! Sci-Fi Dine-in in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a quintessential Disney experience. It’s imagineering and restauranteur-ing at its collaborative best: drive-in movies and good eats mixed together on a big ol’ sound stage in the middle of a theme park! The next time you bring someone new to Disney World and want to knock their socks off with something they’ve never seen before, book a reservation here. Atmosphere You’ll enter through what looks like a movie theater entrance, but find yourself here, in a soundstage-esque reservation area. The floors are concrete and you’re surrounded by [Read more…]

Pop Century’s Everything Pop Food Court

By AJ 28 Comments

There’s a brand new resort fan site for those of us who love Disney’s Pop Century Resort: PopCenturySite.com! We’re using a few of those photos today for a little review of one of my favorite food courts in Disney World: Everything Pop! But these photos aren’t even close to the end of the stash — check out the site’s image galleries for hundreds more photos, including dining pics with detailed menus.

Atmosphere
Pop Century’s Everything Pop food court is definitely worth a visit, even if you aren’t staying there — no kidding. The food is good, the decor is fun, and they have those groovy sit-down video game things. You know what I’m talking about, right? Here. These ones [Read more…]

New Epcot Italy Pizzeria Construction Pics: Mid-January 2010

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As you know, the creators of Italy’s Tutto Italia, Patina Restaurant Group, are in the process of adding a pizzeria to the World Showcase pavilion. (See the proposed name and potential sample menus here.)

To date, thoughts are that the pizzeria might be an extension of Tutto, as there doesn’t seem to be much of an “entrance” to the pizzeria. Here are thoughts from Erin Foster, who was recently in WDW and sent back some photos:

The construction in Italy is very out in the open. The workers have full view of the guests and vice versa. I wonder why there is no giant privacy screen like usual. There are no signs indicating to guests what the construction will be. Also no immediately apparent means of accessing the construction from the park. Perhaps this will be through the lobby of Tutto Italia?

Possibly, the stone wall around the construction will be taken down once construction is completed; it all remains to be seen! The area set aside for the construction is much bigger than the original Italy restaurant, however, so I, for one, and hoping there’s a ride involved in the construction as well…

View From Front of Pavilion

[Read more…]

Interview: Disney D23 Expo and F&W Festival Artist Tim Rogerson

By AJ 5 Comments

I’ve been excited about this interview for a few months, and I know that Disney foodies, historians, art-lovers, and fans of all types are going to love it.

Tim Rogerson With a Favorite Piece -- Over the Top

Tim Rogerson is a Disney artist and the creator of the official artwork for both the Epcot Food & Wine Festival and Disney’s D23 Expo. You’ve seen him on the Disney Food Blog before, back in September, when I was reporting from the F&W Festival. I wanted to write a full post about his work, but figured you’d rather hear it directly from him, if possible!

Introducing…Tim Rogerson!
I think this is one of the best ways to introduce Tim — a super-speed video of him painting the official D23 artwork from the 2009 Expo (very cool music, by the way…):

Tim has been a Disney fan since birth — his father was an Entertainment Director at Walt Disney World and an avid Disney collector. After studying at the Ringling School of Art & Design, Tim worked with Disney, Universal Studios, and Warner Bros. His many honors include being named Official Artist of the 2006 Winter Olympics, Official Artist of the Disney D23 Expo, and Official Artist of the Epcot Food & Wine Festival in 2009 and 2010. You can find his work at galleries all around the world, and purchase it through Collectors Editions and Disney Fine Art.

In His Own Words
In the interview, we discussed Tim’s artistic inspiration, his work for Disney, and what’s coming down the pike (including the official artwork for the 2010 Food & Wine Festival!). You can scroll down to the end of the post to find out [Read more…]

Disney Food Round-Up: January 17, 2010

By AJ 2 Comments

It’s been QUITE a Disney Food week, wouldn’t you say? Here are some top round-up links from our little blog, followed by the best from the rest of the web. Bon Appetite…

DISNEY FOOD BLOG ROUND-UP — Just a reminder of our favorite news items covered this week here on Disney Food Blog:

A bunch of Magic Kingdom and Crystal Palace refurb pics await you
Take a peek at some amazing photos from a special event dinner inside the Great Movie Ride
Scope out the brand new Latin menu at Epcot’s Refreshment Port
Tables in Wonderland has added to its discount list several new restaurants in Epcot, the Swan and Dolphin Resorts, and Downtown Disney.
News out of Victoria and Albert’s: A new Victoria and Albert website and Queen Victoria’s Room Menu

THE BEST FROM THE REST OF THE WEB: NEWSWDWMagic

reports that WDW’s Sunshine Tree Terrace will be closed for refurb from January 17th through February 12th of this year.

BizJournals has some more updated info on the Cantina de San Angel refurb in Epcot.

The Disney Blog has news of some Valentine’s Day Dining Options in Disney World.

DLP.info reports that Disneyland Paris’ California Grill restaurant will be a buffet from January 10th through February 4th, 2010, due to refurb at the restaurant next door.

StitchKingdom has exclusive pics of Disney World’s new 3D Mickey Ears, including two for the foodies representing a Mickey Bar and a Popcorn container.

THE BEST FROM THE REST OF THE WEB: STORIES

Daveland went to Disney World and got himself some amazing pics. In his trip report photo blogs, you’ll see incredible shots of Victoria and Albert’s (trip report Part I), Liberty Tree Tavern (plus the characters!) (trip report Part II), and Hoop Dee Doo Revue (trip report Part III).

WDWforGrownups found a fun photo of a Mickey-shaped hamburger bun from DLRP.

The Disney Chick cooked up a couple of dishes for your recipe books: Mango Mousse from the Epcot Food & Wine Festival, and Shrimp and Proscuitto Penne Pasta from the Grand Floridian.

Imaginerding has the third book update from Restaurantosaurus in Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland (really fun posts, in case you haven’t made it over there yet…).

Scroll down this CakeWrecks post to see an awesome Disney Cast Member wedding cake — the CMs’ Miis are wearing Mickey hats! (Don’t worry; it’ll make sense when you see it.)

Meet the World has this historical essay post on Disneyland’s Lunching Pad.

Disney History Institute tells a fascinating story about the Christmas packages Walt Disney sent to the hundreds of children on his list and includes a photo of what went into the Christmas boxes in 1945. Trust me, it’s about food; and if you’re a Donald Duck fan, you’ll need to read this one.

StudiosCentral visits 50’s Prime Time Cafe and comments on location, decor, and why it “fits” at DHS.

DisneyGeek has some pics from his D23 Magic and Merriment trip, including some great shots of the WDW Diamond Horseshoe (keep going through the pages…this is only the beginning) and a very detailed set of pics from his tour of the Cinderella Castle Suite. The index page for the photo set is here. (I know the Castle Suite isn’t about food…but it IS very cool, so you’ll have to forgive me for mentioning it…).

The Angel Forever has some fantastic food photos over on her blog this week!

DISUnplugged has two great stories: one about a family planning to eat their way around Disneyland this year, and another highlighting photos from Friday’s Tables in Wonderland Great Movie Ride dinner (sadly, the latter doesn’t have any food photos, but the descriptions and scene shot photos are awesome).

Crystal Palace and Magic Kingdom Refurb Pics: 1/16

By AJ 4 Comments

Just got an infusion of Crystal Palace and Magic Kingdom refurb pics in the ol’ email box from some friends at WDWforGrownups.com. Hopefully will have more Disney dining refurb photos from another good friend who’s in WDW this week, so stay tuned!!

Crystal Palace Refurb: Everything shrouded and boarded up, so there’s not too much to see, but clearly there’s “big doin’s” going on!

Crystal Palace is shrouded in mystery...

Close Up

Another Angle

Directions for Baby Center have been Posted

Bridge Between CP and Liberty Square: Looks like the bridge is under renovation as well. Our source mentioned that he saw them working on a bridge over near the moat where the Electric Water Pageant floats are kept [Read more…]

Et le gagnant est…

By AJ 22 Comments

As I write this blog post, over 450 votes have been cast in the Walt Disney World Bakery Throw Down, and the runaway winner is…

Congratulations to the French Boulangerie Patisserie in Epcot on [Read more…]

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