food IS a theme park
We brought you to the first day of Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays LIVE here on DFB, and today, we’ve got even more details about one of the Festival’s new experiences: the Cookie Stroll!
2018 Cookie Stroll
Epcot’s World Showcase at Walt Disney World
is home to so many interesting restaurants serving high-quality food from around the (actual) world that it can be hard to decide which to choose.
And frankly, Nine Dragons in the China Pavilion has been one that we’ve decided to skip much of the time. The setting is lovely and worth exploring, but in the past, the food has been lackluster, no better than most of the Americanized Chinese restaurants found in strip malls around the country.
But we give second chances (and third and fourth and fifth) here at the DFB, so I made a reservation and hoped for something to love in this table service spot. And while I won’t say Nine Dragons has clawed its way up too far in the rankings of table service restaurants at Epcot, I will say that my most recent visit was the best I’ve had here.
While I encourage you to take that with a grain of salt, I also want to acknowledge that plenty of you do enjoy eating here, and I will always cling to optimism that even the least palatable of Walt Disney World dining locations will be in a constant state of flux, striving for better.
But let’s start with what we already love about Nine Dragons: its magical decor and warm atmosphere.
Welcome to Nine Dragons!
lovers, brace yourselves: a new collection of grand and miraculous Minnie ears is arriving at Walt Disney World soon.
United Kingdom Ears © Disney
From World Showcase pavilions to colorful walls, you’ll find something to delight both your inner world traveler and time traveler. Ready to see the collection!?
What’s better than a home cooked holiday meal? A holiday meal at Walt Disney World!
Nearly every restaurant in Disney World features a turkey-based or holiday meal on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. But Disney features special holiday meals at select restaurants throughout Walt Disney World on these holidays every year as well. Disney just announced this year’s list of participating restaurants, so let’s take a look!
All You Care to Enjoy Skillet at Whispering Canyon Cafe
Today we’re bringing you a guest review from our DFB pal Jennifer Elliott, who attended the new Rose & Crown Tea Experience in Epcot’s World Showcase! This weekend, I had the privilege to attend The Rose & Crown’s brand new Tea Experience. It began promptly at 9:45 am, so make sure to allow plenty of time to walk to the United Kingdom Pavilion.
Tea Experience at Rose & Crown Pub and Dining Room
Cue the waterworks (and not for the usual reason!)! After months of speculation on the interwebs, Disney Parks Blog confirmed today that Epcot’s beloved IllumiNations Fireworks Spectacular is coming to an end!
IllumiNations, Reflections of Earth
When Spice Road Table opened its doors in the Morocco Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase way back in 2014, we loved the small plates concept and the stellar location.
But while Spice Road Table has a lot going for it, it’s remained a little less of a crowd favorite than, say, Via Napoli or Rose and Crown. This is probably owing to its slightly more unusual cuisine, which includes dishes that highlight the flavors of the Mediterranean.
The thing is, those dishes are actually really promising! Stand-outs from the Small Plates menu include Fried Calamari and Spicy Garlic Shrimp — two seafood dishes that are really stand-outs for their flavor and execution.
And this is one location where vegetarians (or those who like to incorporate non-meat dishes into their diets!) can get some unique eats (read: not salads!). There are no fewer than four vegetable dishes on the small plates menu, which means there are actual decisions to be made and veggies to be shared!
Welcome to Spice Road Table!
Join me as we journey on the Spice Road!
You know your friends at the DFB recommend making Advance Dining Reservations before you depart for your fabulous Walt Disney World vacation — 180 days ahead of time, if you want to be sure to snag your must-have table service reservations.
But what if you’re planning to spend time at Epcot during the International Food and Wine Festival? Do you need ADRs if you’ll be noshing around the World Showcase?
2017 Epcot Food and Wine
Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival
is a fabulous opportunity to eat lots of great food and to drink lots of great drinks. And while we know we’ll be putting some of our returning favorites on our must-eat list — we also make a second list: New Stuff We Can’t Wait to Try! (Yeah, we’re all about lists here at DFB!)
2018 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
And this is that list — including a few items we got the chance to sample recently!
The new Guinness Bailey’s Shake from the Ireland booth got us all kinds of excited when we saw it on the menu! We were expecting a frozen, creamy drink with a powerful hit of Guinness and Baileys — and that’s just what we got when we tried it during a preview! PLUS it comes with the glass! We can’t wait to try it again!
Guinness Baileys Shake
The Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar is brand new this year, and the offerings sound incredible! Mimosas include varieties like the Tropical Mimosa and the Madras Mimosa (which we have tried!), and there’s a tasty-sounding, kid-friendly drink called Frozen Apple Pie!
Madras Mimosa
But aside from those intriguing drinks, the Mimosa Bar is also serving up pastries like an Almond Croissant and a Cheese Danish with Sweet Icing! One of each, please! [Read more…]
Rose & Crown Pub and Dining Room
is a favorite of many Walt Disney World guests — and it’s easy to see why.
The charm of this table service restaurant is apparent from the curb, as the facades of the United Kingdom in Epcot’s World Showcase blend from one architectural era to the next. And inside the doors? The charm continues.
But all the charm in the world doesn’t mean a thing if the food isn’t good — and here, it’s good. Almost across the board, we’ve enjoyed our visits to Rose & Crown, no matter whether we dined in the Dining Room or in the Rose & Crown Pub that’s adjacent to the restaurant proper.
On our last visit, we tried a Battered Bangers and Mash dish in the pub, but on this most recent visit, we were in the mood for the Dining Room — and those entrees!
Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room
Rose & Crown impresses from the jump, with the exteriors heavy and classic. We love the dark green window casings of the Rose & Crown Pub.
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