Epcot Food and Wine Festival Sneak Peek: South Korea and Belgium Marketplaces With Food Pics!

That’s right — sneak peek food photos from an event that’s still three months away!

Mock Up of 2010 Food and Wine Festival Garden Decor in Epcot

Since I’m not based in Florida, I asked my great friend and colleague (and Disney World Moms Panelist) Suzannah DiMarzio of Zannaland, to attend Thursday night’s Tables in Wonderland preview of the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival in my place. She kindly obliged, and now we’ve got some fantastic Sneak Peek pictures of what’s new at the Festival!

I’ll be posting Suzannah’s full write-up of the event on Monday, but here’s a little Sneak Peek of the Sneak Peek! 😉 I couldn’t help myself — I had to post these pictures of what the newest International Marketplace booths, South Korea and Belgium, would be like, along with their menus and pics of [Read more…]

Check Out the 6th Edition of the Disney Blog Carnival!

By AJ Leave a Comment

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Congratulations to DisMarks for posting the Sixth Edition of the Disney Blog Carnival!

For those of you who enjoyed the first , second, third, and fourth, and fifth carnivals, the sixth has now been published!

This time around, 35 (!!!) Disney-related articles covering a range of topics have been included. There are posts about the Food and Wine Festival (yay!) and the Wonders of Life Pavilion, a compendium of Animal Kingdom Lodge Music, Caribbean Beach Resort’s Pirate Room Pros and Cons, fun activities outside the theme parks, and more! 🙂

Just head over to DisMarks to see dozens of articles about Disney from your favorite new and veteran Disney bloggers 🙂

I think it’s
[Read more…]

Disney’s Grape Getaway

By AJ Leave a Comment

A brand new addition to the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival is this exclusive, 4-night, 3-day vacation package that will get you up front and personal with incredible food and wine.

The Grape Getaway will be offered from October 24th-27th, 2010, and will be limited to only 100 people.

See pricing and booking details on our Disney’s Grape Getaway page!

Grape Getaway Details

Click here for more information about the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival events.

Late-Night Snacks at Captain Cook’s

By AJ 22 Comments

UPDATE: Dole Whip is no longer being served at Captain Cook’s, is no longer self-serve, and is no longer available 24 hours a day. You’ll now find Dole Whip at the Pineapple Lanai in Disney’s Polynesian Village in addition to Aloha Isle at the Magic Kingdom. You can also find Dole Whip available intermittently at Animal Kingdom’s Tamu Tamu Refreshments, and at Epcot during some special events. On the upside, you can also get a Dole Whip Float at Pineapple Lanai!

Here’s the scenario: Wishes just ended. Everyone’s streaming out of the parks. The line at the Plaza Ice Cream parlor is a million miles long. You’re starving.

I have the answer!

This gem of the Polynesian Resort, right across Seven Seas Lagoon from the Magic Kingdom, has a surprising array of delicious options for munching — even later at night. Just grab the boat or the resort monorail from the Magic Kingdom over to the Polynesian and head to this little counter service spot located right next to the Volcano Pool and the Polynesian beach.

Once you get inside, head over to one of the fancy-schmancy little ordering screens to choose your poison (I have heard great things about the [Read more…]

Epcot’s Via Napoli Menu

By AJ 23 Comments

Disneyland's Naples Pepperoni Pizza -- Sister Restaurant to Via Napoli

Update: This restaurant is now in soft opening! See full Via Napoli menu here.

Thanks to Pam Brandon and the Disney Parks Blog, we now know that Via Napoli will be opening early — next month! — and we have a good idea of the menu for the upcoming Via Napoli in Epcot’s Italy pavilion!

Appetizers will include:

Sicilian eggplant with olives and raisins
arancini (fried saffron risotto balls) with meat ragù, mozzarella and pomodoro sauce
corn-crusted fried calamari
minestrone with basil pesto
A shareable plate of arancini, mozzarella, calamari, portobella mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini and carciofi (artichokes) is also available

Main course salads

will include:

Manzo (filet of beef) with greens, red onion, gorgonzola, apple and cucumber with a red wine-mustard vinaigrette
chopped salad with lemon chicken, greens, cantaloupe, cucumber, red pepper, green beans, onions, almonds and pasta crisps with honey-citrus vinaigrette
calamari with arugula, carrots and fennel with orange vinaigrette

Pasta dishes

will include:

candele (long, tube-shaped pasta) with sausage ragù
linguine with seafood; malfadine (ribbon pasta) with guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon) and pomodoro sauce
lasagna verde

The Wood-fired pizzas, which is what Disney is hoping the restaurant is known for, will be made with caputo flour imported from Southern Italy, San Marzano tomatoes, handmade mozzarella, and water from a local spring just like in Italy’s Campania region. The 10-inch, 20-inch or 1/2 meter-sized pies will come in a dozen choices, from a simple pizza Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil to carciofi with artichoke, potato, pecorino cheese, prosciutto and cantaloupe.

Also available will be Piatti alla Parmigiana, which are dishes topped with Parmesan and mozzarella gratinée. These will include veal, chicken, and eggplant.

Finally, the desserts! These will include:

tiramisù
zeppole di ricotta (ricotta cheese-fried dough, whipped cream and chocolate sauce);
apple cake with almond sorbetti
vanilla gelato with almond cookies and amarena cherries

The pictures I’ve linked to in this post are what we sampled at Naples in Disneyland, a restaurant also run by The Patina Group. You can see the full review of Naples here.

To see more of our coverage of Via Napoli, along with specifics about the restaurant’s interior decor, three massive pizza ovens, and more, check out this page for links.

As always, check out the Disney Parks Blog for further info on Via Napoli.

Play and Dine at Hollywood and Vine

By AJ 14 Comments

When it’s time to break bread with giant, plush Playhouse Disney characters, it’s time to go Play and Dine at Hollywood and Vine.

That’s right folks, this is your opportunity to make your kids’ favorite TV stars come to life…and eat breakfast, too!

Atmosphere
Hollywood & Vine is located in the beautiful Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. Shades of mauve and aluminum chairs are the most descriptive decor, but there are some great photos of old Hollywood, along with some pretty fantastic murals [Read more…]

Popcorn Personalities

By AJ 14 Comments

Popcorn is a staple in Disney parks, and while the buttery, salty treat is always a pleasure, Disneyland has a few personalities who make it especially so.

Tour through the Disneyland popcorn carts to see a few hardworking Cast Members churning the popcorn and making sure it’s extra special. Of course, they’re all dressed appropriately based on the “land” where they’re working — Walt wouldn’t have it any other way.

Main Street USA

Main Street Popcorn Man

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland Popcorn Kiosk

The Rocketeer Popcorn Man

There are more… [Read more…]

Disney World Free Dining Extended Through December 21, 2010

By AJ 11 Comments

Yay! The 2010 Free Dining promotion has again been extended into December.

Specs

You must book a full-price WDW vacation package, checking in *most nights* on these dates: August 15 – October 7, 2010, October 22-October 28, 2010, November 12-18, 2010, November 27 – December 2, 2010 and December 10-21, 2010.
You must stay at least three consecutive nights at an official Walt Disney World hotel (i.e., a hotel that is owned and operated by Walt Disney World) and at least a 2-day theme park ticket.
If you stay in a Value Resort: You’ll receive the Magic Your way Plus Quick Service Dining package for the price of a standard Magic Your Way package. You can upgrade to the regular Dining Plan for $10 per adult per night and $2 per child (age 3-9) per night, or you can upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan for $40 per adult per night and $12 per child per night.
If you stay in a Moderate, Deluxe, or Villas Resort: You’ll receive the Magic Your Way Plus Dining package for the price of a standard Magic Your Way package. You can upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan for $30 per adult per night and $10 per child per night most nights. Upgrade cost if you’re staying between December 17-21 is $25 per adult per night and $9 per child per night.
This offer must be booked by August 14, 2010, and the number of packages is limited (so book fast!)
Note: As long as you check in during a dedicated free dining period, you will have free dining throughout your stay — even if your stay extends into a black-out period.

To learn more about Disney World’s Dining Plans, check out our Disney World Dining Plans reference page!

To learn more about how to make dining reservations in Walt Disney World, check out our Advanced Dining Reservations reference page!

Guest Review: Tusker House Lunch With Finding Nemo Package

By AJ 6 Comments

UPDATE

: When Tusker House switched to a character meal for lunch in 2011, the Finding Nemo Package seating was discontinued. As always, things change often in Disney, so be sure to ask your reservations agent for details.
__________________________
I am so pleased to bring you this post by guest author Michele (also known as @MyMuse18 on the twitter) all about Animal Kingdom’s Tusker House Finding Nemo package (i.e. — book lunch at Tusker House and get reserved seating at the Finding Nemo Musical. Take it away, Michele!

After my fun-filled Backstage Safari tour, a Hidden Mickey hunt through Camp Minnie-Mickey, and strolling through Asia, it was time for my dining reservation at Tusker House! By making a reservation between 1:00-1:45pm specifically, I also received a reserved seating voucher for the 3:15 showing of “Finding Nemo: The Musical.”

I checked in at the outdoor podium and had just enough time to watch a dance lesson. One of the dancers even posed for me!

Dance Lesson at Tusker House

A Dancer Poses for Michele

After watching all this dancing excitement, I went into the waiting area behind Tusker House and [Read more…]

The Five Best Steaks in Disney World

By AJ 69 Comments

Have you ever wondered what the best steaks in Disney World are? Well, you’re in the right place!

The Boathouse steak, served medium-rare

If you’re all about some great beef, there are some unique and incredibly tasty options in Disney World — you just have to know here to look. Just note that this post isn’t about the best steakhouses in Disney World — that’s another post altogether!

[Read more…]

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