food IS a theme park
Okay, we just realized something. Hocus Pocus 2 releases on Disney+ NEXT MONTH!
©Disney
We are SO ready, too! We’re prepping our favorite Hocus Pocus recipes, downloading Hocus Pocus-themed wallpaper, and sharing our favorite Hocus Pocus quotes (“Ohhh look, another glorious morning… makes me SICK!” But now we have a way to enjoy Hocus Pocus…for breakfast?!?!?!
While some folks have gone full speed ahead in developing their culinary skills over the last few months, the rest of us have embraced the cereal diet.
©General Mills
With the new ‘Baby Yoda’ cereal coming to grocery stores, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and look back on six Disney cereals that we wish were still around! ‘The Child’ is hardly the first Disney character to grace the cover of a cereal box!
The Main Street Plaza Ice Cream Parlor is a Magic Kingdom landmark.
Located at the end of Main Street, USA, right before the turn-off into Tomorrowland, this place is an ice cream lover’s dream.
We love it so much, we recently created a Video Review so even when we’re miles away, we can still imagine we’re dipping into a hand-scooped sundae or enjoying an ice cream cookie sandwich.
But there’s more than just ice cream on the menu these days. Now that the Magic Kingdom opening show has been moved into the park itself, there’s plenty of time for milling about and noshing on breakfast before the rides officially open.
So the Ice Cream Parlor has graciously stepped in to add some morning fare to its standard list of eats. The additions include a long-awaited treat in the Magic Kingdom; and a sweet and tasty “event” that’s really more dessert than breakfast. But we never judge!
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
Variety is the name of the game at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. There are several permanent flavors from which to choose as well as an occasional specialty flavor that rotates in and out of the line-up. [Read more…]
Today, we’re getting a hearty start to our day with breakfast at Captain’s Grille!
I’ve long considered Captain’s Grille to be a hidden gem at Walt Disney World. Located at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, this place isn’t much to look at (pretty boring, in fact), but they really do have some great food and there always seems to be a table available.
I love heading here for a quiet, delicious lunch, or for a full breakfast spread. Similar to The Wave…of American Flavors at the Contemporary, at breakfast you can choose from the buffet or order from the a la carte menu.
The decor of Captain’s Grille is consistent with the rest of the Yacht Club Resort. You won’t find anything outlandish in this corner of Disney, just lots of blond wood and boaty details — stripes, stars, compass-type stuff, anchors…you know the deal.
Captain’s Grille Seating
The space is open with lots of light from overhead chandeliers and recessed light above as well as windows onto the lobby and grounds. The whole effect gives the room an airy feel. Seating is comprised of large padded chairs and booths. It’s fairly typical to find a sparsely populated dining room, so I’ve always considered the space to be roomy and comfortable.
The Main Seating Area
In the main seating area around the ceiling you’ll spy these porthole-type windows, which give you the feeling that you’re enjoying your meal below deck.
Porthole Window Detail
Shadow boxes feature interesting items, like this grouping of vintage keys.
Decor
While there aren’t tons of decorative details here, what you will find is pretty interesting. The three-dimensional sailing scenes are some of my favorite touches, and are a whimsical way to bring the theme into focus.
A Ship Sailing the Ocean Blue
Ocean Scenes
Now that we’ve had a look around, let’s explore the breakfast options.
Starting your day off with a [Read more…]
It’s been a while since I’ve slept in a camper, cabin, or tent, but that doesn’t stop me from loving Trail’s End Restaurant!
Located at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, the down-home spot is one of my favorites for many reasons — but delicious food and reasonable prices top the list.
While I love lunch and dinner at Trail’s End, I hadn’t visited for breakfast before, so I decided it was time to do just that on a recent trip.
Getting to Trail’s End is half the adventure. It’s located waaaay at the back of the resort, in the area known as the Settlement.
Now, wait. To be fair, adventure is kind of a generous word. It’s actually kind of a pain to get here. Maybe that’s why I like it so much — it’s rarely too packed!
If you’re coming here via bus from a theme park, or via your own car, you’ll park way up at the front of Fort Wilderness and have to take some internal buses to get back to the Settlement. That’s why I prefer to get to Trail’s End and the other Fort Wilderness restaurants via boat from Magic Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge, or the Contemporary — much less intensive on the travel end, and more enjoyable as well.
On this morning we took the bus, so we had some sight-seeing to do on our way from the bus stop back to Trail’s End… .
Welcome to the Settlement!
It’s not uncommon to see horses at Fort Wilderness, where there are carriage and wagon rides available.
Ft. Wilderness Activities
Pioneer Hall shares space with our destination. I love this place! It looks like a giant log cabin. The surrounding by tall pines and live oaks dripping in Spanish moss really give it the feeling of a pioneer settlement.
Pioneer Hall
Pioneer Hall is home to several popular destinations at Fort Wilderness. You’ll find Mickey’s Backyard BBQ close by. But it’s also where you’ll head for an evening of down home fun at the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue!
Pioneer Hall -- Up Close
Just past the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue venue, you’ll find our destination for the morning — Trail’s End table-service restaurant. This location shares [Read more…]
Mention that you’re looking for a breakfast restaurant during a stay at Walt Disney World, and you are bound to be met with this piece of advice: “You MUST go to Boma.”
It’s true! This buffet restaurant is among the most favorite options for lovers of Disney food, myself included. We’ve even named it as one of our most favorite Disney brunch destinations!
But even though dinner offers an amazing spread, your Disney friends will tell you that breakfast is the “can’t miss” meal here.
It was a shock to me when I realized that I had never actually reviewed this all-important meal on the blog! Time to remedy that right now!
Boma is located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. You’ll find it below the lobby on the ground floor, adjacent to other AKL restaurants The Mara and Jiko.
There’s one pretty important distinction that sets Boma apart from other very popular buffets at Disney. Many of the others are primarily character dining experiences. But you won’t find any characters at Boma. That’s an important detail to keep in mind when planning your advance dining reservations.
Boma Background Information
“Boma” is actually an African term for a fence made of sticks that forms a safe enclosure for gathering. Throughout the entrance of the restaurant, you see the stick fence motif captured in different materials.
Here, Imagineers used wrought iron to line the bridged walkway leading into the space.
Entrance to Boma
Beautiful statuary decorates the low wall that separates the buffet from the seating area.
Statuary and Decor
Ceilings are lined with large pieces of [Read more…]
We are heading to the quaint New England shore today for a breakfast buffet at Cape May Cafe!
The expansive restaurant, located at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, is a favorite among guests for a couple of reasons: 1.) You get to see Minnie, Donald, and Goofy in their BATHING SUITS! SO FUN! (OK, that sounds weird as I read it over, but you know what I mean, right?), 2.) It’s slightly easier to get an advance dining reservation here than at one of the other, more well-known character breakfasts, like Chef Mickey’s or Crystal Palace.
We hadn’t been back to Cape May for breakfast in quite a while, so on a recent trip, we headed over one morning pre-park with AJ’s Mom and AJ’s Dad to see what was new.
You enjoy the same open, airy feeling at Cape May that you sense throughout the rest of the Beach Club Resort. The stick-style architecture (I totally learned that from Samantha Brown back when she was doing “Great Hotels” on the Travel Channel…remember?) brings to mind Victorian beach house themes.
Entrance
Check in at the podium, and soon you’ll be making your way to one of two dining rooms — a large main room, or a smaller one adjacent to the restaurant’s entrance. I much prefer the large main dining room since it has a lot more to look at and has slightly easier access to the buffet. 😉
Check In Area
The palette is pastel, and vintage-style beach umbrellas and chairs adorn the space to drive home the seaside feeling. The colorful carpet depicts beach umbrellas, too.
Seating
Seating is comfortable, with a mixture of [Read more…]
Editor’s Note: With the opening of Trolley Car Cafe, Fairfax Fare is no longer serving breakfast.
Breakfast time!!! Today we are at Fairfax Fare in Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a quick nosh.
One of my favorite things to do when I’m in Disney World is combine exercise with research, so while I was on a morning walk on the BoardWalk during a recent trip, I headed in to the Studios to scrounge up some breakfast.
Since Fairfax Fare is one of the only quick service locations for a hot breakfast in the Studios — and it’s fairly close to the front of the park — it seemed like a good choice! Let’s see how it goes…
Fairfax Fare is located in the Sunset Ranch Market area of Hollywood Studios. This super convenient spot is at a crossroads of sorts between Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster. It’s the perfect place to await your fastpass time!
The counter service location, like all of the Sunset Ranch Market stops, is a tiny walk up counter, and features a small menu.
Fairfax Fare -- Outside
Seating for Fairfax Fare is shared with other Sunset Ranch Market locations, and is made up of outdoor pavilions and tables with umbrellas. I prefer the pavilions, since they’re fitted with fans overhead.
Seating Pavilion for Fairfax Fare
Much of the seating is covered, although the early morning sun does tend to spill in anyway. It’s perfectly fine though for a quick stop.
We’ve stopped by Fairfax Fare recently for a review of some seriously good gourmet hot dogs. But this time, we were visiting a bit earlier in the day.
If you’d like to sample their breakfast menu though, you’d better get here early. Like most of the park breakfast spots, they only serve the meal until 10:30am! (Yup; I was rushing to get here on time!)
Breakfast Menu -- Click to Enlarge
Among other options, you can choose from [Read more…]
Disney Food for Families columnist Erin Foster weighs in on Cars 2 Merchandise!
Back on Valentine’s Day, I was lucky enough to attend a D23 member event in New York City in conjunction with the annual Toy Fair. Attendees witnessed the unveiling of the range of toys that would be licensed for the June 24 Cars 2 film release. At the event, Disney Consumer Products Senior Vice President of Global Toys (cool title, eh?), Vince Klaseus, announced that Cars 2 would have more branded toys than any previous Disney/Pixar [Read more…]
Our Dining in Disneyland columnist, Heather Sievers, shares breakfast with her family — and a guest! — at White Water Snacks in Disney’s Grand Californian Resort.
Looking for a tasty, quick, and affordable breakfast while staying at the Disneyland Resort? Head over to White Water Snacks at the Grand Californian and you won’t be disappointed. My family stays at the Disneyland Resort a few times a year, and when we do, we always have at least one breakfast at White Water Snacks.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is very casual; it’s walk up with no table service. You can order hot or cold meals, you pay the cashier, you’re given a number, and when your meal is ready, they bring it out. Although the restaurant is located on [Read more…]
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