food IS a theme park
March was a BIG month of news for Disney World and lots of news can sometimes make for surprises!
Walt Disney World
From dining changes to health measure updates and more, let’s take a look at the four most unexpected things that happened in Disney World in March!
Buckle up, folks. Disney decided to choose this week to keep surprising us! OVER AND OVER.
Magic Kingdom
Pretty much every day this week had at least one surprise. From ride testing to restaurant news to a permanent dinner show closure, we’re feeling the unexpected vibe this week. So come along as we recap everything you might not know!
Disney World sometimes closes rides, attractions, and restaurants for changes and scheduled maintenance.
Walt Disney World Railroad
We keep track of the refurbishments schedule and let you know every week what’s going to be closed in the parks and hotels. But now that a new year isn’t too far away (first of all, how did that happen so fast??) we’re taking a look at everything that’s going to be closed in Disney World in 2022. Some of these closures are on the calendar already, and others have just been announced as happening sometime in the year. And some spots on the list have not reopened yet from the Resort’s temporary 2020 closure. It’s a LONG list, so buckle up!
If you ask us, trips to Disney World are pretty great — but what if we could make them even better?
Magic Kingdom
You’ve probably heard us talk about how to upgrade your Disney trip (like with a fireworks dessert party!). BUT, many of these upgrades can be costly! A Disney trip is super expensive on its own, but you still might be able to fit a few surprisingly inexpensive upgrades into your budget.
We’ve got a super fun list of 50 Disney World upgrades for under $50 that could add a LOT of EXTRA to your next Disney trip for…not a lot extra. 😉
Happy Memorial Day Weekend, everyone!!
Starbucks Signage on Main Street Bakery Window
It was AWESOME sharing the adventures of so many DFB readers on Friday as they braved the crowds for 24 hours in the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, and Disney California Adventure during the Monstrous Summer Kick-Off! You can see some of the yummy Monstrous treats that were served here!
But now that Summer has begun, we’ve got more to look forward to, like the opening of Starbucks on Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, and the opening of the new Ice Cream and Gelato shop in Epcot’s France! Looking forward to bringing you all the details!
Get the scoop on this week’s food news!
Of course, there’s more! Check out all the latest Disney Food News — even the stuff we don’t mention in posts on the blog! — on our Disney Food News Pin Board, including a new Southwest Chicken Salad at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe.
If you find a fun new food — or other edible awesomeness — in or from Disney, share a photo with us on facebook or twitter so we can add it to our DFB Reader Finds each Sunday!
As we gear up for summer, we’re sharing ice cream cookie sandwiches. Check out this beauty tweeted from Reader Tim R. Tim had just three words to say “these…rule…all…”! 😉 WE agree!!
Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich!
Reader Patrick M. shared a delicious find! He said via Facebook, “All Star Movies has taken the ice cream cookie sandwich to a whole new level. The picture isn’t the best, but there are three, yes three, scoops of ice cream.” WOW!
Three Scoop Ice Cream Sandwich!
We hope everyone enjoys delicious treats this holiday weekend!
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Studios Central
puts an end to the expensive restaurant debate!
Walt Disney World for Grown Ups features frozen Cokes!
Mickey Fix gears up for summer with this adorable Mickey and Minnie Mouse cooler tote!
Main Street Gazette features Star Wars snacks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Will you choose the Dark Side?
Disney Hipster Blog enjoys Quinoa Potato Cake at Le Cellier in Epcot.
All Ears features Disney World Publishing Worldwide’s announcement for a diabetes-focused series for children. Hooray Mickey!
Deadline features an apology from Disney for gluten-intolerant jokes on the show “Jessie”.
You’ll find south seas flavors at the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show featured at Disney’s Polynesian Resort! And we’ve heard about a few menu updates!
The Luau-style feast offers all-you-care-to-eat goodies along with a Hawaiian themed dinner show on the stage in front of you.
We got word recently of some menu changes and updates, which don’t sound half-bad! Here are the deets… [Read more…]
Um…how cool are these Darth Vader s’mores?! I know I just posted about the Darth candy mold (and other super fun Star Wars and Marvel gift ideas) on Friday, but I couldn’t help showing it off again!
Darth Vader S'mores
So, in Disney Food News this week we were pleasantly surprised to discover updates to Walt Disney World’s standard bar menu found at the watering holes and restaurants throughout the parks and resorts.
We’ve also got my personal review of the new Frozen Beer in Epcot’s Japan pavilion. But there’s more to Disney than drinks… check it out!
Disney World has new adult beverages, plus seasonal treats!
We’ve got additional food news (including a souvenir stein at Sleepy Hollow, new name for Fresh A-Peel in Downtown Disney, new Le Cellier dessert item, new menu item at Sci-Fi, restaurant closure updates, and LOTS more) on our Disney Food News Pin Board!
The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2012 is our comprehensive, 300-page e-book packed with Disney Dining tips for your next vacation. Wondering if the book will help with your upcoming trip? Check out our latest review!
We’d like to thank Richard Bernato at WDW Radio for the glowing review:
I bet that no one, in or out of Walt Disney World has researched and constructed such a study as her Guide to Walt Disney World Dining.
There is virtually no aspect about Disney Dining, planning for it, paying for it, and oh by the way enjoying it, that you will be unable to find in the guide. And having the book for its advice and information will certainly be a major contributor to you and your family’s very happy and satisfying vacation.
You can read the rest of the review here, and don’t miss the DISCOUNT with code WDW Radio!
Learn more about the DFB Guide here!
If you find a fun new food in or from Disney, share a photo with us so we can add it to our DFB Reader Finds!
This week, our colleagues at Disney Hipsters shared this spooky pic of a skeleton brownie at The Mara in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! I haven’t seen this one anywhere else!
Skeleton Brownie at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
The 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival is still going strong, and we’re updating our coverage daily with World Showcase booth and special event reviews, new photos, and other Festival updates!
Rose Margarita, The Opening Cocktail at Tequila Lunch
Here’s some of the latest…
Find all of the latest Epcot Food and Wine Festival News and Reviews here,
and stay tuned for our take on several seminars and events around the festival.
David Lebovitz
shares his perspective on Disneyland Paris eats (including some long-awaited macarons)!
Daveland takes a look at vintage photos of coffee locations in Disneyland before there was Starbucks.
Disney History Institute visits backstage at the vintage Golden Horseshoe in Disneyland.
AKL Resort orders room service at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Main Street Gazette re-visits the 2012 Epcot Food & Wine Festival with an at-home recipe for Frozen Jim Beam Red Stag Lemonade.
Eating (and Drinking) Around the World visits the 2012 Food & Wine Classic at the WDW Swan and Dolphin.
Disney Parks Blog takes us on a behind the scenes look at the Haunted Mansion’s gingerbread house in Disneyland.
More new food-related vinylmations have been released (or announced), and we can’t wait to share them with you!
Drum roll please… The Kitchen Kabaret Vinylmation set that we reported on back in September has now been released.
Broccoli Vinylmation is one of Six in the Kitchen Kabaret Vinylmation Set
The 6-piece set is being sold at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland D-Street locations as well as few select in-park shops, retailing for $99.95. I’m not at the parks this week, so I’ll have to wait until the mailman brings me my set to show you up-close-and-personal photos of these vinyl veggies.
But to keep your hunger at bay, I do have a few foodie Vinylmation pictures for you to snack on.
For all you lovebirds out there, disneystore.com is has been offering the Vinylmation version of a box of chocolates.
This is an open-box edition, so in this case, you do know what you’re going to get. This 3″ figure sells for $16.95 on DisneyStore.com.
Box of Chocolates Front
Box of Chocolate, Back
While not a depiction of actual eats, the Park 7 Vinylmation series feature a fire dancer from the Spirit of Aloha dinner show at the Polynesian.
I’m thinking that if the merchandise artists wanted to make this one more realistic, they would have given [Read more…]
Kids can be caught off guard by some of the themed elements at Disney restaurants. Erin Foster’s next Disney Food for Families column describes what restaurants might pose a problem and how to cope.
Wooly Mammoth
When my daughter Louisa was four years old, she was already a veteran of several Disney trips. These trips included at least a dozen character meals, dinner at the raucous Whispering Canyon Cafe, and even the foot-stomping Hoop Dee Doo Revue.
She handled all these experiences with kiddie aplomb, so it never occurred to me that we would ever have any problems at Disney restaurants. I was shocked when we got to the Animal Kingdom’s Rainforest Cafe and mid-appetizer, Louisa had a full-on, quivering-lip meltdown.
As it turns out, we had been seated directly next to the life-sized, chest-thumping, screeching, audio-animatronic gorilla. In her preschooler mind’s eye, that gorilla was inches away and effectively alive. She was terrified. My husband ended up getting his meal and hers packed to go; they left the rest of the family and went back to finish eating in the hotel room.
I later learned that, of course, she had company in experiencing sensory overload at the Rainforest Cafe and that there are several other WDW restaurants that have the potential to unsettle [Read more…]
Thanks to Jo at Magical Kingdoms for putting together this review of the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Disney World’s Polynesian Resort!
Having experienced the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Disney’s Polynesian Resort on our honeymoon trip a few years back, when we got the free Disney dining plan for our October/November trip, we knew that we had to revisit. The dinner show takes 2 table service credits, so we skipped a TS dinner one day, which really wasn’t a [Read more…]
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