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Disney World Free Dining in 2011 Announced

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.

Disney World Free Dining Extension Into 2011

By AJ 4 Comments

UPDATE: WDW Free Dining 2011 has been announced! Click here for details!

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Len Testa over at the Touring Plans Blog is reporting the possibility of Disney World’s Free Dining promotion being extended into September 2011.

…[the] discount is an extension of free dining, through September 2011. This comes with a considerable number of blackout dates, including Spring Break, Easter and most of Summer 2011.

If the discount comes to pass, it will be announced this Monday, August 16th.

Touring Plans isn’t often wrong about things like this, so I’d set your alarm for “early” on Monday just in case.

Note: According to Mousesavers.com, 2011 Free Dining is already available for guests from the UK.

There are two other potential discounts in the rumor mill; read more about them on Touring Plans.

Magic Kingdom Expands Restaurant Capacity During Free Dining in Disney World

By AJ 5 Comments

As we saw last year, several rarely (if ever) open restaurants will be serving steadily through the weeks when Disney World is offering its free dining promotion. Here are the details:

Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe Will Offer a Table-Service Buffet on Sunday Evenings
From 5:30pm to 9pm on Sundays, beginning August 22nd and running through September, Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe will offer a dinner buffet for guests. Pricing currently stands at: Adult: $37.28, Child: $19.17. The menu for the buffet will include beef and pasta dishes, vegetables, fried rice, rolls, and desserts. Booking is available on the DisneyWorld.com site.

Also, the Tomorrowland Terrace “Noodle Station” has changed up its menu to serve American classic fare (burgers and sandwiches, chicken nuggets, salads, etc.) for lunch and will switch to its Asian menu after 4pm.

El Pirata Y el Perico Restaurante Will Be Open for Lunch
This Adventureland location serving quick-service Mexican cuisine will be open for lunch from August 15th through September 4th, 2010.

Diamond Horseshoe Will be Open for Dinner
This Frontierland eatery will extend its hours through dinner time (5-9pm) from August 15th through the 28th, and from September 19th through October 2nd, serving a table-service style turkey dinner akin to what you’ll get at Liberty Tree Tavern next door (via WDWMagic; booking for September/October dates not available on Disney site at time of this writing). Counter-service lunch will still be available at the Diamond Horseshoe from 11am-3pm serving sandwiches and other grab and go items.

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!

Disney Food Post Round-Up: May 23, 2010

By AJ 3 Comments

More Disney Food News than you can shake a stick at this week, folks. Here’s our weekly news round-up to start off:

Belgium, Singapore, and South Korea join the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Marketplaces
Disney adds new events to the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival schedule, including a 3D Dessert Party…

Hacienda de San Angel (the new name of Cantina de San Angel) and Via Napoli come out with exciting news, new cast member costumes, photos, and tastings this week!
Disney’s Newest Patent: Does This Mean the End of Refillable Mugs in Disney World?

Whew! Are you all news-ed up? Me, too. Now on to the Disney Food stories of the week from around the web. Sit back, relax, and enjoy…

DF 82 shares the trip of a lifetime, to Club 33, in a two-part post: Part I, Part II

Parkeology has a very cool look at an outdoor cafe in Epcot’s France, which isn’t quite as outdoor as it used to be…

Designing Disney shows us the imagineering behind Victoria’s Home Style Restaurant in Disneyland Resort Paris.

At About.com: Theme Parks, my good friend and theme park guru Arthur Levine showcases his video about some great Disney World restaurants.

The DVC Life hashes out the fair/unfair conundrum regarding DVC members and free dining.

Kati’s Kupcakes showcases her newest Disney-themed sweet treat: Princess Cupcakes. But if Tinkerbell is your favorite, check out…

Disney Everyday, where you’ll find the creation of a Tinkerbell cake and cupcakes!

disUnplugged shares a trip to Disneyland’s Downtown Disney restaurant, Catal, for breakfast.

Chip and Co discusses grocery delivery to WDW resort hotels, while the Disney Parks Blog gives details on grocery delivery offered for DVC members.

Also, Disney Parks Blog shares the secret to making their Minnie Mouse caramel apples:

Finally — don’t forget, this is your last full week to enjoy Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival! You can see our ever-evolving coverage along with a full schedule of events on our Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival Info Page.

Disney Food Post Round-Up: May 9, 2010

By AJ 1 Comment

Welcome to the Disney Food Post Round-Up! The big news this week: FREE DINING! Yep, it’s been announced. Check out the details for 2010 Disney World Free Dining Promotion right here. AND, if you’re in a humorous mood, check out my tongue-in-cheek “pros and cons of free dining in Disney World,” which I wrote up last year!

Also, I’m home from a wonderful week exploring Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival and will continue posting coverage of the event throughout the month, but you can check out information about the Festival and my posts to date here! Now — on to the round-up!

Cakewrecks has an awesome series of Star Wars cakes in honor of Star Wars day. (BTW, don’t forget to check out the latest Star Wars Weekends info over at Studios Central!)

Family Rambling has a great recap of her weekend eating around Walt Disney World!

Playground Magazine has a Q&A with managing editor Jenny Fauser, who discusses great tips for Dining in Disney World.

Main Street Gazette visits the Main Street Confectionery in Disney World! (Note: Main Street Gazette and Disney Food Blog will be blogging about “mirror image” locations in Disney World and Disneyland throughout the month of May, so stay tuned! Click the following link to see my corresponding piece for this week about Disneyland’s Candy Palace.)

Babes in Disneyland has everything you ever wanted to know about Disneyland Corn Dogs!

Theme Park Insider poses some interesting answers to the question, “What would you do to help make theme park food better [read: healthier] for visitors?”

Tikiman Pages has some favorite recipes from the Polynesian Resort! (Sorry, Tikiman! Hadn’t seen this page before or I would have posted it sooner!)

Vintage Disneyland Tickets has a 1969 train menu from the Union Pacific Railroad Streamlined “Domeliner” service to Los Angeles, which features Disneyland on its front and back covers! (OK, argue if you want that this isn’t “Disney food,” but it’s cool and you know it.)

Disney Every Day has a Sushi review at California Grill in Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Chip and Co has a review of Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

The Orlando Sentinel brings us a blast from the past — a Lau Lau Clams recipe originally from the Papeete Bay Verandah’s dinner buffet! (Thanks to George Taylor from Imaginerding.com for the tip!)

And if that’s not enough reading for you, be sure to check out the DisMarks Disney Blog Carnival 3rd edition! There’s tons of great Disney articles from both new and veteran Disney bloggers. 🙂

Disney Food Post Round-Up: May 2, 2010

By AJ 3 Comments

Our Goodies at the Wishes Dessert Party

We’re nearing the end of our whirlwind Disney World and Disneyland back-to-back trips, and there’s lots of news and info to share! Here are a few of the main items:

And now, on to the round-up! The first batch of links are from some colleagues of mine who attended the recent “From 5 Stars to Mickey Bars!” Disney World dining event with me.

What Now?!?!?, a fun blog written by Disney World Moms Panelist, Kathie F., showcases some shots from our Disney dinner at Flying Fish Cafe. Be sure to scroll through her other posts from our WDW weekend, too!

About.com: Theme Parks shares a photo gallery and review of Walt Disney World’s Sanaa Restaurant.

Chef Druck Musings has an awesome article covering some great counter-service finds in Epcot’s World Showcase.

Haute Travels reviews Todd English’s bluezoo.

Live and Learn has a fun break-down of what happened during our culinary weekend, as well as a hat tip to some great blogs and publications.

Studios Central tells us why NOT to book the Fantasmic Dinner Package.

GrubGrade shares the latest about Burger King’s Whiplash Whopper, created to commemorate Disney’s Iron Man 2.

Babes in Disneyland has some fun facts about Disneyland dining.

Passport To Dreams Old and New shares a piece about Ben Franklin, a mysterious Disney World portrait, the Hall of Presidents, and Liberty Tree Tavern.

Chip and Co has a fun look at creme brulee in Disney World.

Scott Joseph Orlando brings us to Victoria and Albert’s Queen Victoria Room.

2010 Free Dining for Visa Cardholders

By AJ 6 Comments

The time is nigh!!!

Disney has announced that Visa cardholders booking a full-price vacation package can get free dining for check-in dates between 8/15 and 10/2, 2010. Here are the details:

You must book three consecutive nights in a Disney hotel and purchase at least a 2-day theme park ticket using your Disney Visa Rewards card.
Guests of value resorts get the quick-service dining plan, while those in moderate, deluxe, and villas get the regular dining plan.
The regular dining can also be upgraded to the deluxe plan for $30 per adult and $10 per child per night, or $40 and $12 for those staying in a value resort.

Learn more about the Disney World Dining Plans on our Disney World Dining Plans reference page.

Disney Food Post Round-Up: April 25, 2010

By AJ 2 Comments

New truffles in WDW

As you know, I’m reporting from Disney World this weekend, and from Disneyland next week! Here are some of the latest news items:

Rumors are flying about Free Dining in Disney World this Fall
Eat to the Beat Concerts were announced for the 2010 Epcot Food & Wine Festival!
Dine With an Imagineer is now being offered at Flying Fish Cafe on Disney’s Boardwalk.
Here are some fun pics of new food products and other highlights from the trip in Disney World so far.

Now — on to the round-up!

OC Register preps me for the best dishes to sample at Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival next week!

Main Street Gazette shares a love of Frozen Sunshine at Beaches and Cream!

DisneyGeek has some great shots from the Food and Wine Festival in Disneyland in his Disneyland photo round-up this week.

The LA Times Travel Blog features videos of John and Nancy Lasseter talking wine and the Lasseter Winery at this past weekend’s California Food & Wine Festival opening. Here’s one to whet your appetite:

The Disney Chick makes Fettucini Alfredo from Epcot’s Tutto Italia!

Babes in Disneyland posts about special dietary needs in Disneyland.

Disunplugged visits Napa Rose and chats with Guy Fieri at the California Food & Wine Festival.

Disney Parks spots Tina Fey at the Sci-Fi Dine-In!

Free Dining in Disney World: Rumors!

By AJ 4 Comments

Our friends over at Touring Plans are hearing wacky rumors about Disney World Discounts, which include dining plans, coming round the bend!

We know that Disney has offered “free dining” in the Fall for a couple of years now, and this might be 2010’s version:

We’ve heard it will appear for Disney Visa cardholders around April 29, and the general public May 2. Travel dates should begin around August 15 …

We’re hearing conflicting details about the dining offer itself. Two sources says the offer will be scaled back (one says “drastically”) from last year. … However, one other source thinks the free dining offer will be the same as last year’s

Reports are coming in that some Disney Visa Cardholders are getting emails and pin codes for free Quick Service dining plan with Magic Your Way packages between March 14th and October 2nd. Others are saying they’ve been able to book free Quick Service dining plan with travel dates starting in June.

Go to Touring Plans to read the full post and get more info…

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