La Hacienda de San Angel Reservations Available After October 15th

A few more details have been released on La Hacienda de San Angel, opening mid-September in Walt Disney World’s Epcot.

Reservations will be available for dates after October 15th, and the dates from opening through October 15th will be a soft opening period (i.e. walk-up guests only).

The Disney Parks Blog caught up with Richard Debler, the president of San Angel Inn LLC, and Executive Chef Ernesto Zendejas, in charge of the big changes at the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot. Here are some of the new insights:

New “Flex-Space” Concept for Disney Dining
The space will be used as an air-conditioned dining room for La Cantina de San Angel next door during the day, and as a full-service restaurant after 4pm.

The Cuisine and Menu
Two taco specialists are being brought in from one of the best taquerias in Mexico to work with the La Hacienda team. Corn tortillas will be made fresh on the premises daily for La Hacienda and La Cantina (the counter-service restaurant next door). Tomato, chipotle and serrano, tomatillo, and mango salsas will be made fresh as well, and there will be unique flavors from different regions of Mexico represented, including cilantro and habenero flavors Southern Mexico.

Favorite La Hacienda de San Angel menu items include mini tacos, including [Read more…]

Review: Disneyland’s Cafe Orleans

By AJ 19 Comments

All right, all. I have to come clean. After trying many of the Disneyland restaurants — including some of the hoity-toity ‘spensive ones — I have come to the conclusion that Cafe Orleans is my favorite restaurant in the Disneyland Resort.

Atmosphere
Cafe Orleans (known as Creole Cafe until 1972) started out as a counter-service restaurant, but was refurbished into a table-service restaurant in 2006. The decor of the restaurant includes its famous stained-glass, which accents rich color choices and dark-wood walls and tables.

Indoor Seating Area

Famous Stained Glass Details

Indoor Seating Area

Currently, the Princess and the Frog overlay (hopefully temporary) gives the place [Read more…]

The Latest in Disney Food Fashion…

By AJ 11 Comments

For those who love Mickey Bars and Popcorn so much that they don’t just want to eat them…

…they also want to wear them!

Scratch and Sniff Mickey Bar Ear Hat

Scratch and Sniff Popcorn Ear Hat

And don’t forget that these ear hats don’t just look purdy…they [Read more…]

Epcot Via Napoli Media Preview…Review

By AJ 19 Comments

Thanks to Amanda Tinney of Disney Every Day for sending over her report of the Via Napoli media preview! For pics of the restaurant’s decor and atmosphere, check out our First Look! photos! Take it away, Amanda!

I don’t know about you, but for me and my family pizza is something that we order when there are no groceries in the house or we are crunched for time and don’t feel like cooking. It’s not something that we actively seek out, which is strange considering the fact that my hubby is Italian with a grandmother that came to the US from Sicily.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Grand Opening for Epcot’s newest dining experience, Via Napoli in World Showcase’s Italy Pavilion. Being the huge Disney fan that I am, I’m ashamed to admit that I may have never tried the new pizzeria if not invited to the event, but after sampling some of the cuisine, I will be back for sure.

Knowing that I would be writing this post for the Disney Food Blog I just HAD to take a sample of everything that was offered to me so that I could report directly to YOU the Disney [Read more…]

Sweet Starts: Belgian Waffle Preview for 2010 Epcot Food & Wine Festival

By AJ 10 Comments

The brand new Belgium Booth at the 2010 Epcot Food & Wine Festival will offer freshly baked waffles with berry compote and whipped cream paired with Godiva chocolate iced coffee.

Belgian Waffle From New Belgium Kiosk at F&W Festival

Head over to our Belgium Booth page to see a pic of the Godiva chocolate iced coffee!

The United States pavilion also showcases a delicious new dish this year: a sampling of heirloom tomatoes with Oregon blue cheese, red onions and fresh basil. Click here for photo: [Read more…]

Review: Pizzafari

By AJ 15 Comments

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a dearth of dining establishments. It’s true; we all know it. But what they DO have is…beautiful. While food-wise, Pizzafari could be thought of as leaving much to be desired, exploring the place itself almost makes up for it!

Atmosphere
You’ll find Pizzafari on the path to Africa — just take a left at Discovery Island! And once again, Animal Kingdom comes out on top when it comes to themeing and imagineering decor.

Very rarely will the decor in any corner of the Animal Kingdom be random. Over at Flame Tree Barbecue, you’ve got the intriguing-yet-gross-if-you-think-about-it predator and prey theme. Here at Pizzafari, the theme is a bit more understated, but no less intriguing: [Read more…]

2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival: Touring Strategies

By AJ 21 Comments

I’ve been contacted by a lot of folks asking what my plan is for touring the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival as well as what the best touring strategies might be for particular situations. I figured that covering it all in a blog post might be helpful to those planning their F&W trips — and for those who don’t need any help, it might still be fun to read!

In this post, we’ll discuss Touring Strategies for Solos and Groups of Adults, Ideas for Touring the Festival as a Family, and AJ’s Picks — basically the stuff I would do if I had a limitless bank account! 😉

Before we begin, here are the resources you’ll need to know what I’m talking about:
1. Check out the Festival Guide and Map here.
2. Our 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Index Page has links to all of the major areas of the festival, so feel free to peruse and get your bearings.

Here we go!

If You’re Touring the Food and Wine Festival Solo or With a Small Group of Adults…

There’s nothing like touring the incredible Food and Wine Festival with close friends or on a solo expedition! If you’re headed in as an adult(s)-only group, here’s a suggested itinerary for a day at the Festival:

Tokyo, Japan Booth

Rope Drop: Get a Ticket To Ride
Head into Epcot when it opens and jump on a few of your favorite rides while the queues are still manageable. The Food and Wine Festival doesn’t head into full swing until after the World Showcase opens at 11am and none of the special events begin before 10am, so you’ll have some time to get your Future World on before “digging in” to the Festival.

If there isn’t anything you’d like to ride, head over to the Festival Center (usually located in the Wonders of Life Pavilion in Future World) to browse the bookshop, check out the wines for sale, look at the [Read more…]

Disney World Free Dining in 2011 Announced

By AJ 13 Comments

Disney World Free Dining has been announced for the following dates in 2011:

Jan 1 – 5 • 9 – 13 • Jan 21 – Feb 3 • Feb 11 – 17 • Feb 25 – Mar 3 • May 27 – Jun 2 • Aug 19 – Sept 29

While there are many blackout dates, there’s certainly more free dining available than ever before. The booking window for these promotions is through December 20, 2010 — so get on the horn! Call (407) 939-7926 and ask for booking code NL7 to book your room reservations. Then it’s time to plan your Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations!

Like this year, those staying at mods, deluxes, and deluxe villas will get the standard dining plan. Those staying at values will get the quick service dining plan.

See DisneyWorld.com for details!

For information and links to updated menus from every Disney World Table Service restaurant, visit our Disney World Restaurants Guide.

Review: Flying Fish Cafe

By AJ 11 Comments

During April’s 5 Stars to Mickey Bars event, I was very grateful to have the opportunity to dine with some incredible women at the Disney World Boardwalk’s Flying Fish Cafe!

Atmosphere
Flying Fish Cafe has a whimsy about it that you don’t find at many of Disney World’s signature restaurants. The ocean-side carnival theme — including massive and colorful murals on the walls — fits well into the Disney World Boardwalk area. Even a few of the columns in the restaurant look like they’re covered in gold fish scales.

Flying Fish Cafe Tables and Murals

And the flying fish dangling via parachutes from [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: August 15, 2010

By AJ 7 Comments

It's Open It's Open!

But first…the news!

The Karamelle Kuche, or Caramel Kitchen, in Epcot’s Germany has a reported opening date!
Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will be expanding dining offerings during the summer and free dining seasons. This is your chance to see what some of those “never-open” counter service spots look like!
The Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts are introducing an annual Food and Wine Classic this year during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Check out the details for info on seminars and samplings as well as some great hotel rates.
Touring Plans tipped us off to a potential extension of Disney World Free Dining. Hopefully we’ll find out more soon.

AND… Disney Food Blog and WDW Foodie Fest t-shirts are now available! You can check them out over on www.Zazzle.com/DisneyFoodBlog. Remember, you can purchase any design on any size/style shirt, so feel free to mix and match. While the designs are different, the back of each shirt carries our acronym — DFB for Disney Food Blog — and tagline, “Food is a Theme Park!”

And now — on to the round-up!

Stuff From the Parks has a couple of posts showcasing photos from the Tahitian Terrace a la 1966 — check out Part I and Part II.

Pop Century Site explores unique food items at Disney’s Pop Century Resort.

Touring Plans‘ blogger Todd Perlmutter has a great homage to Saratoga Springs’ Turf Club Bar and Grill.

Chefs de France Mac and Cheese

Parkeology remembers the Disney Handwich (and scorns the up-and-coming copycats).

Theme Park Mom allowed yours truly to do a fun guest post on Character Meals in Disneyland! Thanks, Leigh!

Everything WDW has an in-depth review of Chefs de France in Epcot.

Pee Dee Foodie takes a look at the Main Street Confectionery in Walt Disney World.

Main St Gazette has pics of the Via Napoli bathrooms! (Oh, and the pizza, too. 🙂 )

Disney Parks Blog showcases their pastry creations (and pastry chefs!) in a cool video.

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