food IS a theme park
Read all about Boma at our Boma Restaurant and Menu Guide
For those of you who plan your Walt Disney World vacation around your gastronomical dreams, you may want to take note of the restaurants listed in this year’s 13th Annual Foodie Awards by the Orlando Sentinel.
Readers and critics chose these restaurants for their outstanding cuisine, and with five of the restaurants located within the WDW theme parks, you’ll need park admission and an Advance Dining Reservation to cast your vote for best meal. Check them out here! [Read more…]
Today, Chef Big Fat Panda’s DIY Disney Recipes column brings us a savory favorite from Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma! Take it away, Panda!
Hello Disney Food People! It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever. You look fantastic? Did you lose weight? I need to feed you something delicious, don’t I? Well, I have just the thing.
Today, I am going to recreate something from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma restaurant called “Coconut Curry Chicken Soup.” Some Disney recipes call it a stew, and it is a hybrid of sorts as I will explain.
Ingredients
I make no secret of my Italian heritage, but what many people don’t know is that among all the pasta and tomato sauce type dishes my mom prepared as I grew up, she also made curry. My mom had [Read more…]
Around here, we believe there’s no better restaurant recommendation than the one we get from another Disney fan. So, in our quest to provide the very best information about Disney restaurants, we’ve created the DFB Choice Awards!
Over 500 readers sent in their nominations, and thousands have voted for the top nominees to create this list of [Read more…]
I am SO excited!! Dessert!!!
Here’s the final post in our series based on the Food Network’s (very cool) show, The Best Thing I Ever Ate. As many of you know, due to some keen suggestions from readers we’re splitting our series up into different sections: breakfast, appetizers & side dishes, snacks & drinks, entrees (lunch & dinner), and desserts.
Today, we’re finallly taking a look at desserts! I’ve done my favorite brand of informal polling (i.e. posted questions on twitter and facebook 😉 ) to find out others’ experiences of the “Best Thing They Ever Ate” in Disney parks and resorts.
The following are the answers received from our readers about their favorite desserts! If your favorites aren’t here, please add them in the comments section below!
Yak and Yeti Cream Cheese and Pineapple Fried Won-tons: While I haven’t had the pleasure of trying these myself, you can bet Yak and Yeti is the first place I’m going when I arrive in September! (No kidding…it’s my first ADR…even before Liberty Tree Tavern lunch, and you guys KNOW how we feel about Liberty Tree Tavern lunch!)
Yak and Yeti Fried Cream Cheese Wontons.
Dole Whip: What better dessert [Read more…]
Here’s the next post in our series based on the Food Network’s (very cool) show, The Best Thing I Ever Ate. As many of you know, due to some keen suggestions from readers we’re splitting our series up into different sections: breakfast, appetizers & side dishes, snacks & drinks, entrees (lunch & dinner), and desserts.
Today, we’re taking a look at entrees! I’ve done my favorite brand of informal polling (i.e. posted questions on twitter and facebook 😉 ) to find out others’ experiences of the “Best Thing They Ever Ate” in Disney parks and resorts.
The following are the answers received from our readers about their favorite main courses and entrees! If your favorites aren’t here, please add them in the comments section below!
It’s no secret that Disney World does steak well. You’ve seen my votes for Five Best Steaks in Disney World, and a lot of these made the list in our poll as well! Here are the top contenders according to our facebook and twitter readers:
Mushroom Filet Mignon with White Truffle Butter Sauce and Micro Chevril.
We’ve just started a fun new series based on the Food Network’s (very cool) show, The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Due to some keen suggestions from readers, we’re splitting our series up into different sections: breakfast, appetizers & side dishes, snacks, entrees (lunch & dinner), and desserts & drinks.
Today, we’re taking a look at Appetizers and Side Dishes! I’ve done my favorite brand of informal polling (i.e. posted questions on twitter and facebook 😉 ) to find out others’ experiences of the “Best Thing They Ever Ate” as far as appetizers and side dishes at Disney.
Soups were by far the #1 mentioned appetizer/side when I reached out to facebook and twitter folks for their favorites.
Portobello Soup at Artist Point
One thing I haven’t been able to master is staying on a specialized diet plan in Disney World. Luckily, I have a few friends who
have been able to be diet plan superstars while on vacation, and they’ve agreed to share some of their secrets with you! This series will include information about vegetarian, vegan, and low-carb dining, as well as dining in Disney World after having weight loss surgery.
Today, we welcome guest author Christina Relacion again to the food blog. She’s been successful with the South Beach low-carb diet in Disney World and has some great tips and tricks!
Good vibes -- Posted in Disney's Hollywood Studios
Healthy dining at Walt Disney World. That sounds like an oxymoron. With fried foods, hamburgers and devilish desserts around every corner, it must be impossible. I’m always trying to watch my weight, and being a foodie, that can be hard with all the great choices at home and on the road, especially at a place like Walt Disney World.
Fruit at Boma in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Last year, I started on the South Beach Diet, a diet plan created by Arthur Agatston that helps you determine good carbs from bad carbs and good fats from bad fats. One of the first things I thought of when beginning the diet was: [Read more…]
OK, you’ve booked this Fall’s free dining package, and now you’re not so sure which table-service spots deserve the credit (pun intended!)? Below are my top picks for best value in the “one table-service credit” realm of Walt Disney World restaurants. And for more tips on where to apply those credits, check out the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2017 Second Edition!
For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, Disney World offers a vacation package add-on called the Disney Dining Plan. This works a lot like your meal plan when you were back in school — you pay a set price in exchange for a certain number of credits.
Each table-service restaurant meal in Disney World is worth a certain number of credits, the vast majority of them being worth one credit. In this post, I’m describing my picks for one-credit table-service restaurants that offer the most bang for the Dining Plan buck.
Yep, one of the most popular character meals on property is also a great value with the Dining Plan.
Chef Mickey’s
Chef Mickey’s, which offers your kiddos the opportunity to meet the entire fab five — Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, and Minnie (and sometimes Daisy!) — ranks at the top of the heap when it comes to character meal buffet pricing. Not to mention, the location is ideal: you’re just a monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom.
By the way, both breakfast and dinner are overpriced here, so feel free to use your dining credit for either!
This is one of Walt Disney World’s most popular restaurants — hands down — and its family style, Hawaiian-themed meals are only part of the reason. ‘Ohana also offers an incredible view of the Magic Kingdom Fireworks from its perch atop the Great Ceremonial House at the Polynesian Village Resort.
‘Ohana Bread Pudding
Breakfast at ‘Ohana features Mickey, Lilo, Stitch, and their friends in an all-you-care-to-enjoy Hawaiian masterpiece of a meal (including mini Mickey Waffles!). Dinner has no characters but does hold the hope for many guests for the chance to see those fireworks while digging into some incredible ‘Ohana Bread Pudding.
Price-wise, ‘Ohana is a bit more expensive than even Chef Mickey’s; coming in around $30 per adult, this is a great trade-in for a table-service credit.
(Tip: When you’re done with dinner, head down to Pineapple Lanai to trade in a snack credit for a Dole Whip!)
Another incredible buffet makes its way into our top five values list! Boma is located on the bottom floor of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House, and serves up African-themed cuisine straight from an African “marketplace”-inspired restaurant.
Boma’s Zebra Domes
While this place is pretty pricey for a buffet, it also offers the valuable asset of being located in one of Disney World’s most unique resort hotels — and you and your kids can benefit from that! By arriving a bit early for your meal, while there’s still daylight left, you’ll be able to head outside and gaze — up close — at the majestic animals of the savannas. Giraffe, zebra, Ankole cattle, flamingos, and more will be right there in front of you! And if you have questions, the Lodge has provided knowledgeable “interpreters,” who can help you to better understand not only the animals, but also the countries they’re from.
After dinner, head out to the African fire pit around 7:30pm for some authentic African storytelling as the sun goes down. Then, if you still haven’t had your fill, take part in the resort’s “night-vision goggle” experience, where you can watch the savanna animals up close to find out what they do once night falls!
Sounds like a pretty full evening to me — and all for the cost of one table-service credit.
Surprised by this one? Me, too. But the bottom line is that Coral Reef Restaurant 1.) is expensive, and 2.) has a giant aquarium for a wall. Let’s face it, kids love watching the fish (and sometimes dolphins!) swim around in that floor-to-ceiling aquarium.
Coral Reef, a Table Service Restaurant
And while this restaurant might not be worth the money to pay out of pocket, it is worth your one dining plan credit — if only to watch them freak out about how cool it is to eat at a restaurant inside an aquarium.
The food at Coral Reef hasn’t always knocked our socks off, but the menu has improved over the years so that it’s an enjoyable meal. The “chocolate wave” dessert remains a specialty.
Price-wise, dinner entrees run between $20-$30, and desserts all cost $8 apiece, so you’re likely going to save some money by using the dining plan here.
With more than 650 pages, the 2017 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining, Second Edition is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 20+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to get your copy of the 2017 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining, Second Edition E-book — and use code SAVE2017 for a 20% discount for a limited time!
Would love to hear your thoughts on the best value for a one-credit table-service meal. Have you stumbled across any deals lately? Let us know in the comments section below!
For more of our favorites, check out our Best Disney World Restaurants series!
This post is part of the DisMarks Disney Blog Carnival! If you’re a Disney fan, be sure to head over and check out all of the other fantastic Disney blogs in the carnival!
You’ve heard all about the Disney Birthday Treats that some restaurants share with their guests in celebration. Today we want to share with you a few fun treats that have been received by Disney honeymooners, which are often the same congratulatory treats given to those celebrating their Anniversaries, as well.
California Grill Honeymoon Presentation
As many of you know, my husband and I split our honeymoon between Disney World and Hawai’i last Fall, and there are several things to consider when planning a “DisneyMoon!” You can plan an official extravaganza with Disney Honeymoons, or you can keep the planning more personal. We did the latter, but were still able to celebrate “Disney-style” through the generosity of a few of our favorite Disney restaurants.
Restaurant Tips for Those Celebrating Honeymoons or Anniversaries
If you’re planning to commemorate your marriage in Walt Disney World, letting the restaurants in on your celebration is both free and easy, and it can really add to the festive atmosphere of your vacation. Consider these Dining Tips when you’re planning your Disney honeymoon or celebrating your anniversary: [Read more…]
It’s been a busy week, everyone! Just in case you missed them, here are a couple of headlines from the Disney Food Blog in the past few days: highlights from the Dinner:Impossible visit to Walt Disney World last week, and the options for foodies at the upcoming Epcot Flower and Garden Festival.
Also, check out Touring Plans for an analysis I did on whether Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ restaurants are a good value.
Scott Joseph’s Orlando Restaurant Guide reports that the preliminary list for the James Beard Award in the Best Chef Category includes Victoria and Albert’s Chef Scott Hunnel.
Orlando United shares some photos of WDW’s Crystal Palace with the refurb walls down.
DLRP Today reports that Disneyland Resort Paris’ Pizza Planet will become a Buzz Lightyear Buffet.
The Disney Chick takes you through the creation of one of my favorite Disney World desserts, Liberty Tree Tavern’s Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake.
DisneyShawn gives a peek into the imagineering of Mrs. Potts’ Cupboard and the Friar’s Nook in WDW’s Magic Kingdom.
Disney Parks Blog shares a dessert recipe from the Saratoga Springs’ Turf Club Restaurant.
AllEarsNet has a gorgeous photo-blog from Nine Dragons Restaurant in Epcot’s China.
Main Street Gazette writes about the Yakitori House in Epcot’s Japan.
DisUnplugged brings us to the Troubadour Tavern in Disneyland.
The Daily Disney from Orlando Sentinel shares a Coconut Curried Chicken Stew recipe from Boma at WDW’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Have a great week!
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