Top Ten Disney Dining Tips Straight From Disney Fans

I put out the call on Twitter and Facebook for everyone’s best Disney Dining advice (because you guys are the experts!!). A lot of the responses could be combined, conveniently, into what I think is one awesome Top Ten list:

TOP TEN: DINING TIPS FROM THE DISNEY EXPERTS

1. Make Reservations
This piece of advice was mentioned dozens of times: Make Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) no matter what…and make them early! We suggest you plan ahead and make dining reservations for your high priority meals 180 days ahead of your visit to Disney World and 60 days ahead of your visit to Disneyland. (To us, they’re all high priority, so we just make all of our reservations as soon as we can.)

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For those wondering if going to the parks during a traditionally slow season negates the need for ADRs, it doesn’t. The popular restaurants are always popular, and Disney’s “slow seasons” are getting shorter and shorter. Making reservations usually costs nothing, and can save you lots of time during your trip. Here’s a primer on how to make reservations for Disney Restaurants.

Of course, if you’re dead set against making advanced reservations, here are a few of our suggested restaurants you can still get into without an ADR.

Fluffy Omelet Brunch at Be Our Guest

2. Do Your Research
Lots of folks suggested that an important part of planning your Disney dining is doing research about the restaurants and dining options available. I couldn’t agree more. Check out restaurant reviews, learn from other Disney fans how they handled Dining planning for their vacations, read trip reports, and sift through the posts here on the Disney Food Blog. The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be to create a seamless Dining strategy that will be enjoyable for your whole family.

One great tip: take stock of the types of eaters you’re bringing with you; make sure you know if you need to plan for fussy eaters, specific eating schedules, food allergies or intolerance, or just plan likes and dislikes, then translate that into your research.

We have plenty of dining reviews right here on the Disney Food Blog, of course, but we also have some great reference information on choosing restaurants when you have special diets to consider. Check out our Disney Dining Reference Page or the “food allergies” section below for more.

3. Coordinate Dining with Park Hours, Early Theme Park Entry, and Extended Theme Park Hours
This is another research tip, and a great way to make your time at the Disney theme parks go much more smoothly. Disney World posts their park hours on their website six months in advance, and Disneyland posts park hours in advance as well. [Read more…]

Updated: Wishes Dessert Party Coming Back March 28th? Rumors…

By AJ 9 Comments

UPDATE 3/24/10:

Heard via reader email that a CM at Disney dining confirmed that the party would start up again on the 28th. (Note: We still consider it a rumor until Disney confirms via official channels.) Not sure if they’re booking yet, so keep on calling! 🙂
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Hearing on the message boards this morning that the hugely popular Wishes Dessert Party might be on its way back to the Magic Kingdom as soon as March 28th. When I called Disney Dining to confirm, I was told that the event will be returning to the Magic Kingdom soon, but that booking details were not available for release and I should call back in a week.

My best guess? For those of you headed to WDW in the next few weeks or months who want to book the Dessert Party, start calling every morning to see what you can find out.

Good luck!

In the meantime, check out our photos and info about the Wishes Dessert Party!

For more breaking Disney Food news, see our Disney Food News bulletin list.

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Epcot Dining Extended One Hour For Limited Time

By AJ 6 Comments

Headed to Disney World March 28th-April 10th and still haven’t gotten your Le Cellier reservation? You’ve just won the lottery today!!

Disney Parks Blog has announced it’s testing the idea of an extra hour of dining for three Epcot restaurants for a limited time:

Give it a try from March 28 through April 10, and let us know what you think — you can book your “extra hour” table at Coral Reef Restaurant, Garden Grill or Le Cellier.

Are you interested in taking advantage of this latest test? Let us know where you’re booking, and send a review when you get home! Can’t wait to hear the stories! Fingers crossed this becomes “Disney law!”

For more breaking news, visit our Disney Food News bulletin list.

Guest Review: Casey’s Corner

By AJ 22 Comments

A special thanks to Chef BigFatPanda for taking us into the Magic Kingdom with him for a meal at Casey’s Corner, a restaurant inspired by Ernest L. Thayer poem and Disney animated short, “Casey at the Bat!” Take it away, Chef!

Hello again, Chef BigFatPanda here with a review of Casey’s Corner in the Magic Kingdom! Facing Cinderella’s castle, Casey’s occupies the end left corner of Main Street. It’s fast food that can be summed up in one word “Hot Dogs”. Well, maybe that’s two words.

Atmosphere
Casey’s is reminiscent of a bygone era full of that “take me out to ballgame” feeling, which goes hand in hand with our American obsession with Hot Dogs (the word Frankfurter seems to be used less and less). The inside is decorated with baseball memorabilia on shelves, and a statue of [Read more…]

News: Italy Pizzeria, Cantina de San Angel Updates, & More

By AJ 9 Comments

Just wanted to share some news I heard recently from fellow blogger, Theme Park Mom. This is third-party info from someone “close to the source,” but I think it’s pretty exciting!

Cantina de San Angel Info
Mexico’s Cantina de San Angel, currently under demo and expansion in Epcot’s World Showcase, will re-emerge as a counter-service and table-service restaurant. But a bit of info that I didn’t know about is that the restaurant will be counter-service for lunch and half table-service, half counter-service, for dinner. (This will be helpful for those of you who, like me, are making up your Disney dining spreadsheets for your Food & Wine Festival trips!)

News on the Mysterious Imported Water
Also, word is that that mysterious “imported water” that will be used in the new Italy Pizzeria in Epcot will be trucked in from a location in the midwest where chemical analysis on the water has shown it to be extremely similar to the H2O found in Naples, Italy. I wonder where…

Diamond Horseshoe in WDW Open Temporarily
In Magic Kingdom food news, the Diamond Horseshoe will be open 3/27/10-4/7/10 from 5:00-9:00PM daily for an all-you-can-eat meal, including family-style platters of Saloon Salad (tossed mixed greens with strawberry vinaigrette dressing) and fare from the Ranchhand’s Feast (roasted turkey breast, carved beef and smoked pork loin with sides of seasonal vegetables, herb bread stuffing and macaroni and cheese). Sound familiar? Yep, this is basically an extension of Liberty Tree Tavern while the parks are mobbed for Spring Break. 🙂

Merchandise Coupons Available
Finally, through April 17th, 2010, when you dine at WDW quick service locations you’ll receive a coupon for 20% off merchandise at participating WDW locations*. (You must use your coupon between 9:00 AM to 12 PM to receive the discount.)

Participating locations:
* The Emporium or Mickey’s Star Traders at Magic Kingdom
* Mouse Gear at Epcot
* Mickey’s of Hollywood and Keystone Clothiers at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
* Island Mercantile at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
* World of Disney Store at Downtown Disney

Hat tip to WDWInfo.

Studio Catering Company Re-Opens With New Menu

By AJ 3 Comments

Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Studio Catering Company is open again and touting a completely new menu!

The quick-service restaurant opened today after a period of refurbishment and currently offers a menu of wraps and sandwiches, including: Pressed Tuscan Deli Sandiwich, Chicken Caesar Wrap, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (YUM!), Turkey Club, Grilled Vegetable Sandwich, and Greek Salad.

Disney’s posted menus, which you can see over on StudiosCentral.com.

Tony’s Town Square & the “Boo to You” Parade

By AJ 14 Comments

I’m so excited to talk about this experience. While Tony’s Town Square Restaurant‘s Italian fare is far from 5-star cuisine, the memories you can make there — if you’re savvy and just a little bit lucky — are second to none.

Atmosphere
The restaurant is located in the Exposition Hall right next to Disney World’s Train Station. You’ll remember from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp the restaurant upon which Tony’s is styled — in the alley behind it was where Lady and the Tramp shared their famous spaghetti dinner! And you’ll find several Lady and the Tramp references throughout the restaurant. (Check out this post from SamLand’s Disney Adventures for one very special tie-in!)

Lady and the Tramp Appear on Windows...

...And in Statues

They Even Appear on TV in the Lobby

The restaurant includes a plush lobby and three main dining areas: an indoor room with booths and tables, a “sunroom” that floods with light during the day, and [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: March 21, 2010

By AJ 6 Comments

Lots happening on the Disney news front this week as we mourn Fess Parker, a man known for deeply affecting both the Disney and Food communities with his careers. In case you haven’t seen it, Scott Joseph’s Orlando Restaurant Guide features a wonderful write-up of Mr. Joseph’s dinner with the late Fess Parker during the 1992 Walt Disney World Village Wine Festival.

Before we start the round-up, here’s a reminder of a couple of Disney food-related news items:

The Wine and Dine Half Marathon and Mickey Halloween Family Fun Run 5K details and registration information have been announced.
Napa Rose is holding a Wine Pairing Dinner this Wednesday, hosted by the Napa Valley Vintners. Click on the link for reservation information.

And now, on to the Round-Up:

Main Street Gazette allows me to breathe a sigh of relief that Artist Point seems to be regaining some of the culinary expertise I’ve found lacking in my recent trips. Absolutely gorgeous food here!

Magical Kingdoms Disney Blog has a review of Walt’s — An American Restaurant in Disneyland Resort Paris. Food pics here from the adult menu, teenagers menu, and kids menu, so go take a look!

Inside John’s Locker (John, of course, being Mr. Owner’s Locker himself) shares the story of Olivia Farnsworth, the namesake of Olivia’s in Disney’s Old Key West Resort.

Dining With the Mouse has posted some mouth-watering food photos from her several Disneyland trips over the past few months. Definitely getting me excited for my DL trip in a month!

MousePlanet reports that Disneyland Chefs will be participating in demo events at area Bloomingdales Department Stores the weekend of March 24-26.

Chip and Co has a lovely article reviewing Disney World’s Biergarten…with a pretty funny icebreaker story to boot!

Watch Me Eat takes us back to Tangierine Cafe this week! We just can’t get enough!

Tasty Chomps visits the Fife and Drum Tavern in Epcot’s World Showcase. (Note/Warning: very close-up photo of a Turkey Leg if you’ve never seen one…)

The Daily Disney has one of my favorite recipes this week: Pop Century’s Fried Chicken! (Also love this Mickey’s Premium Bar antenna topper that theme park ranger DeWayne Bevil found…)

Napa Rose Restaurant Special Event: March 24th, 2010

By AJ Leave a Comment

The Napa Valley Vintners are hosting a consumer appreciation night at the Napa Rose Private Dining Room in Disneyland’s Grand Californian Resort this Wednesday, March 24th. As far as I know, this event is open to anyone interested — see cost and RSVP info below. The Vintners will provide a unique selection of wines from dozens of Napa Valley wineries, while Napa Rose chefs will create perfect culinary accompaniments.

Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: Napa Rose Private Dining Room
To book: Please contact a Napa Rose Manager at 714-300-7170

Image: DL FB Fan Page

A Collection of Awesome Stuff

By AJ 10 Comments

Two of my favorite people sent me some very cool things recently, and I wanted to share them with you on this “freeform Saturday” post.

First of all, a beautiful food pic from James Chapman. This is Le Cellier‘s sausage and corn polenta appetizer, which is out of this world delicious. It’s just too pretty not to give it the spotlight. Thanks for Mickey-fying the plates, James — how did you know that Le Cellier’s butter balls are my favorite part of the meal?

Le Cellier Sausage and Corn Polenta Appetizer

And secondly, I wanted to share with you some “random observations” from Jeff Kocan‘s recent trip. They’re too witty not to print as-is:

Just random observations that I meant to bring up: [Read more…]

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