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Guest Review: Tortuga Tavern in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

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Ahoy me hearties! Let’s welcome back Julie B. with a review of Tortuga Tavern in the Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland. Isn’t it fun when you find this place open?! And we love that Julie found the place empty. Wow.

If you’re like me, you can never get enough pirates! You love the ride, the movies, and the hilarious, charming Jack Sparrow (pardon me… Captain Jack Sparrow). But you may not know you can eat like a pirate too!

Tortuga Tavern Sign

Enter Tortuga Tavern! Formerly known as El Pirata Y El Perico, the restaurant was refurbished and updated a while back.

The menu is basically the same, but the restaurant was renamed to match the island of Tortuga known from the Pirates series.

Tortuga Tavern

Tortuga Tavern Code of Conduct

Atmosphere

Tortuga Tavern is a calmer retreat from the busy Pirates plaza. With outdoor and covered seating, you can get a little reprieve from the Florida heat.

It also offers a mild Caribbean theme mixed in with a pirate tavern.

Pirate Theme

Courtyard at Tortuga Tavern

Tortuga Tavern Outdoor Seating

The tables are all spread out and the [Read more…]

Snack Series: Pumpkin Pecan Tart at Art of Animation Resort’s Landscape of Flavors

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One of the most exciting new spots at Walt Disney World to open this year is Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, and I got to stay at AoA as it celebrated its very first holiday season! I couldn’t wait to see what new treats would be available, and I wasn’t disappointed when I found this little gem…

Pumpkin Pecan Tart

There in the ready-made case, I spied the Pumpkin Pecan Tart. I haven’t found this anywhere else on property, though it may be at the other value resorts (lemme know if you find it!).

Pumpkin Pecan Tart without the Cover

Opening the clam shell container, I could tell this would be fantastic! The topping looked like the best sticky, ooey-gooey pecan pie, and the thick crust looked perfect. Something else to note: see the white stuff? You think it’s whipped cream, right? So did I. But actually, it’s cream cheese frosting. The best condiment ever? I think so.

Cutting the tart in half finally revealed the creamy pumpkin custard that was beneath the pecan pie topping. This is like having two of your very favorite holiday pies all in one!

Pumpkin Pecan Tart -- Cross Section

The top half delivered, as it tasted just like it looked: the best part of a [Read more…]

Disney Dining Classic: Dole Whip Float at Magic Kingdom’s Aloha Isle

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With multiple trips to Walt Disney World in recent weeks, I had lots of new stuff to check out. But even while trying the new Pork Shank, Croque Monsieur, and new cupcakes in the Magic Kingdom, I knew I had to make room for a classic!

And really…is there a better way to start out a brand new year than with a Dole Whip?

The float version of the treat with pineapple soft serve and pineapple juice honestly has been one of my favorite treats since I started visiting Disney World as a kid!

New Aloha Isle location

New Aloha Isle location

You’ll find the refreshing treat at Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland, at the former Sunshine Tree Terrace (Aloha Isle and Sunshine Tree Terrace changed spots).

You can get the pineapple soft serve straight up, or get it in a float. To make the float, cast members start with

[Read more…]

News! Participating Restaurants for the 2013 Disney Dining Plans Updated

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Great news! Walt Disney World has now updated the 2013 Disney Dining Plan brochures with the completed list of participating restaurants.

Guests headed to Disney World in 2013 will want to check out the new information before planning their Advance Dining Reservations. These updates are effective January 1 – December 31, 2013.

To see changes to the overall 2013 Disney Dining Plan, click here!

New Restaurants on the 2013 Disney Dining Plan

Lots of new spots have opened in Disney World this year, and that means there are new restaurants on the list! Check out Be Our Guest Restaurant, Monsieur Paul Restaurant, and Splitsville with your DDP credits this year!

Interestingly, Gaston’s Tavern seems to be missing; however, this may be an oversight as we know from the Gaston’s Tavern Menu that there are DDP snack options available. We’ll watch for further updates.

See all 2013 Disney Dining Plan restaurants here!

Be Our Guest Bridge Entrance

2013 Disney Dining Plan Brochures

Quick-Service Disney Dining PlanStandard Disney Dining PlanDeluxe Disney Dining PlanPremium Disney Dining PlanPlatinum Disney Dining Plan [Read more…]

Top 10 Disney Dining News Stories of 2012

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2012 draws to a close today, and what a year it’s been!! Here at Disney Food Blog we’ve been following every bit of Disney Dining and Food News, and we’ve narrowed down the list to 10 amazing stories we’d like to share with you!

Check out The Top 10 Disney Food News Stories of 2012!

#1: Alcohol Served at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World

In a move that shocked most and delighted many, Disney announced that it would begin serving alcohol within the gates of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the first time in the park’s 41-year history.

Be Our Guest Restaurant Wine Menu -- click for larger image

At the brand new Be Our Guest Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland, guests are now able to indulge in their choice of several French and Belgian beers and wines!

According to Disney Imagineers, it was important to complement the French menu of the restaurant with an excellent beer and wine list.

Kronenberg Beer at Be Our Guest

However, while adult beverages are now being served in the shadow of Cinderella’s castle, they will only be available during Be Our Guest’s Table Service dinner and will not be available “to-go.” So you won’t see anyone strolling around with a cocktail or a glass of wine awaiting their turn on the teacups. 😉

#2: Starbucks Debuts in Disney Parks

It’s no secret that Disney has never been known for fantastic coffee — until now! In 2012 Disney and Starbucks announced a partnership to bring the iconic siren behind the main gates and into the parks.

Mickey and the Siren Unite

Starbucks has already opened its first stop in Disney California Adventure’s Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe and five more locations are planned in the near future.

Fans of the chain will welcome the first Walt Disney World Starbucks locations to the Main Street Bakery in Magic Kingdom and Fountain View Cafe in Epcot in 2013.

Starbucks Sign in Disney California Adventure

A location on Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. is planned for the Market House in late 2013.

#3: Citrus Swirl Returns to Sunshine Tree Terrace in the Magic Kingdom

You spoke, and Disney listened! One of the biggest stories of 2012 was the return of the Citrus Swirl to Magic Kingdom’s Sunshine Tree Terrace.

Citrus Swirl

This refreshing treat hearkens back to the early days of Magic Kingdom, when Disney and the Florida Citrus Commission partnered to have orange treats in the park. The original soft serve was a [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: December 30, 2012

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Hey all!! Happy last-round-up-of-2012!! Tomorrow we’ll have an awesome collection of our Top 10 Disney Food News Stories from 2012 — AND we’ll be sending out out Disney Food Blog Newsletter! Click here to sign up!

Limited Time Magic Cookie

Also, don’t forget that Disney’s newest promo — Limited Time Magic — will be starting in just a couple of days! Keep your eyes open for limited time events and special options while you’re in Disney World and Disneyland this year! Food-wise, look for specialty menus, limited edition eats, and more!

But since we’re still in 2012, let’s take a peek at the latest Disney Food News…

Disney Dining News

Scoop up some Disney Dining news over on our Disney Food News Pin Board!!

  • Gasparilla Grill & Games at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort will be re-opening soon as Gasparilla Island Grill.
  • An on-line ordering feature is being tested for Be Our Guest Restaurant’s lunch guests.
  • Walt Disney World has been named the “Best Gluten Free Vacation Destination” in the 3rd Annual Gluten Free Awards!
  • Starbucks in the Magic Kingdom is reportedly opening on May 18th after a lengthy refurbishment of the Main Street Bakery! Note that Disney refurbs often open late, so stay tuned for updated opening dates.
  • Disneyland pays tribute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue!
  • More News Year’s Eve options at Walt Disney World Announced!
  • Temporary bar kiosks will be set up in World Showcase for New Year’s Eve!
  • Menu changes have taken place at Carthay Circle restaurant in Disney California Adventure.

We’ve got additional food news, including restaurant closures, and LOTS more, on our Disney Food News Pin Board! Head over and check it out!

DFB Reader Finds

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 each Sunday!

Erin, our Disney Food for Families columnist, discovered fresh snickerdoodles, cider, and candy canes in the lobby of the Wilderness Lobby during her holiday vacation. We heard that the Polynesian was offering similar goodies to those lucky enough to be in WDW during the holidays!

Holiday Treats at the Wilderness Lodge

Our editor, Kim LaPaglia, spotted this new popcorn t-shirt ($23.95) featuring the original Disneyland popcorn box at Keystone Clothiers in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Popcorn T-shirt

MEGA SALE on our DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays e-Book!

Headed to Disney World during the holidays this year or next year? Take advantage of our lowest price ever on our best-selling DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2012 e-Book! This is an awesome time to start planning for next year’s trip!

With 230 pages of detailed information and multiple bonus extras, it WILL save you time and money during the busiest season in Walt Disney World! And whether you’re going this year, or getting a jump on planning for next year, don’t tackle the Disney holidays without it!

Take advantage of this deep savings sale NOW, with a discount for DFB readers. Get the 2012 guide today for our lowest price ever — $4 off the regular purchase price for the next 7 days! How? Use code GINGERBREAD at the check-out!

On to the Round-Up

Walt Disney World for Grown-Ups

visits Epcot’s Akershus Royal Banquet Hall for an adults-only princess meal.

Disney Parks Blog shares ideas for celebrating New Year’s Eve at Disney Quest, Bongos Cuban Cafe, Splitsville, Raglan Road, La Nouba, or Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney Orlando.

AND, they win a point in our book for looking at the roastie toasties at Disneyland’s popcorn carts.

Mouse on the Mind looks at some freebies at Old Key West resort, including [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland Review: Club 33 Dessert Buffet

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Although I do prefer the ambiance of dinner at Club 33, one thing that dinner doesn’t offer is the dessert buffet. The desserts are so pretty that I couldn’t resist sharing some photos of them! Note that the dessert buffet changes up regularly.

Lunchtime Dessert Buffet

Mini Cherry Pies

Fruit Torte

This one was a [Read more…]

Guest Review: Intermission Food Court Breakfast at All Star Music Resort

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Please welcome back guest author Sarah Gurung with a review of breakfast at the Intermission Food Court at the All-Star Music Resort!

Learn About:Intermission Food Court
Disney World Restaurants

As a longtime reader of the Disney Food Blog, I am excited to continue contributing to the site. My family started visiting Disney World before the value resorts existed, but when they were built, All-Star Music was the first that we called “home.”

During this visit, I traveled with my mother and my one-year-old daughter as well as my sister and her two-year-old daughter.

In my “real” (non-Disney) life, I eat vegetarian. While on vacation, I considerably loosened my self-imposed food restrictions and ate what sounded good. I will add details about vegetarian options where appropriate, because many are delicious.

Atmosphere

Intermission Food Court is located in Melody Hall, the resort’s main building for check-in, concierge, check-out, shopping, and dining. The food court is open from 7 am to midnight (breakfast ends at 11am), and food is counter service or grab-and-go.

Intermission Food Court Entrance

As one might expect, Intermission Food Court is a colorful and boisterous place. Upon entering, the food court counter and grab-and-go stations are to your left. The cashiers are straight ahead and serve as a buffer to the seating area. Beverage/utensil/topping bars are on the right.

Intermission Food Court

The seating area extends the full length of the right side of the room and is abundant. Even during busy times, we had no trouble locating a table.

Seating is a mixture of both booths and tables (large and small to accommodate different size parties) and is a wash of peach, purple, and turquoise. The carpet is dark and dotted with resort-appropriate stars.

Intermission Food Court Seating Area

One long wall in the seating area features a mural of [Read more…]

Fun Find: Japanese Food Cards in Epcot

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We just had an awesome review of some of the Epcot Japan pavilion’s more unique snacks, but today we’ve got something a bit different for you from the Mitsukoshi Department Store!

A while back, Heather and I were exploring the Japan pavilion when the idea struck that we must compile a portfolio of these fun, food-centric greeting cards and postcards!

Fruit Cards

First up, a few fruit-focused cards… the watermelon and pineapple ones have a little move-able, pull-out feature and wish the recipient “Happy Summer”! (Ah… seems so far away right now, doesn’t it?!)

Watermelon

Pineapple

This little monkey with a banana is kind of awesome. Must-share.

Banana

Tofu Cards

Next up — a whole series about what looks like relatively sad tofu cubes. Even the rock-star tofu cubes have a somewhat chagrined look on their faces. From my research, [Read more…]

Spotlight: Fun Disney Dinnerware by Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily, and Shag

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Welcome back Guest Author Amy Gagliardi with a fun article on Disney World 40th Anniversary Kitchen Dinnerware, still available at several shops in Disney World. What a great way to bring a little Disney back home with you!

From Chef Hunnel’s elegant and award winning meals at Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s Table to a simple cup of French Pressed Kona coffee at the Polynesian’s Kona Cafe, Walt Disney World visitors are surrounded by great tasting and visually appealing options. Much of the food experience is visual and what we see enhances our perception of how food tastes.

I am continually in the market for ways to bring the Disney Dining experience to my home. Those subtle and not so subtle reminders of where I am dreaming to be can help ease the transition period between one trip and the next. On a recent trip my son Peter scouted out a Santa and Mrs. Claus Mickey and Minnie salt and pepper shaker set for our holiday table.

Mickey and Minnie Salt and Pepper Shakers

And while he and my daughter Lily were perusing the Art of Disney Gift Shop at Epcot, they came upon the very popular Shag  Disney designer dishes and glassware celebrating the Walt Disney World 40th anniversary.

Dinner Plates By Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily

These packaged plates come in a boxed set of four.

Plate Set in Box

Many are familiar with artists Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily. Known separately and as a collaborative team they have worked on multiple Disney-related projects and have received national acclaim for their design of items celebrating the Disneyland 50th anniversary.

Their collaboration on these plates renders each colorful plate an artwork in itself, which takes inspiration from a 1970’s Walt Disney World preview map.

Castle Plate

Plate one, above, offers a view of a founding father, a bandleader Mickey, a can-can dancing girl, a musician, and a police officer. Each vignette occupies its own section of the plate with bright buildings and landmarks acting as backdrops to each character. Notice the red interior of the dancer’s skirt with a matching pink and red version of the Eiffel Tower behind her, and the Disney Skyway with gondolas running behind the castle.

Plate two is a less busy, but classic, view of the Magic kingdom. The central depiction of the Main Street Train Station and Ferry Boat bring [Read more…]

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