food IS a theme park
If you’ve been hoping for a reason to spend a little more time at Disney’s beautiful Beach Club Resort, you just may have one now! Martha’s Vineyard Lounge is hosting wine pairings on a few select dates.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Martha’s Vineyard Sign
Upcoming dates are [Read more…]
It might feel like 100 degrees where you are (it sure does here!) but let’s take a look at some awesome new finds that will make you the hit of your Fall entertaining schedule.
Can’t make it to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party? Bring the party home, then!
We’ve also found a couple of cute sale items to help you get a jump on your holiday shopping. And this weekend, you can take an additional 25% off Select Sales Merchandise with Promo Code Extra25. So be sure to check out all of the cool sale items on DisneyStore.com!
Let’s take a look!
Light up frightfully dark nights with this (surprisingly classy) Villains Light Up LED Candle featuring a glittering display of some of your favorite Disney baddies. It’s sure to be the hit of your Halloween party or porch decorations this All Hallow’s Eve! And since there’s no flame, the only scary thing about this centerpiece will be the characters.
Villains Light Up LED Candle
I can’t think of a better place to display that bounty of apples this Fall than this v. cool Evil Queen as Old Hag “Just One Bite” Bowl!
Evil Queen as Old Hag “Just One Bite” Bowl
Keep all of your spirits (ha!) from spoiling with the Haunted Mansion Bottle Stopper. Perfect for wine or liquor bottles…or use your lively imagination! The vintage style is sure to spark conversation.
Haunted Mansion Bottle Stopper
Haunted Mansion Drink Coasters
ward off evil water rings and entertain at the same time! Your friends will all be jealous. Well, the Disney fan ones will be, anyway.
Haunted Mansion Drink Coasters
And now, for one of the cutest [Read more…]
One of our favorite spots in all of Disneyland is Jolly Holiday Bakery. We never get tired of looking through their pastry cases for something new to delight us!
And right now, they’re stepping up their game with some new, limited-time offerings.
Jolly Holiday obviously has a Mary Poppins theme, and this adorable Spoonful of Sugar offers a lot of flavor AND visual interest in one bite!
The treat includes pâte à choux, chocolate caramel ganache, sprinkles, chocolate pastry cream, dark chocolate, white chocolate, a tiny penguin made from sugar, and marshmallows! Whew! That’s a LOT of detail!
Spoonful of Sugar
If you love the looks of this little guy, you better get to Disneyland quick — he’s only available August 22-31!
But there are several other pastries and desserts making a limited time appearance at Jolly Holiday Bakery. Look for these to stick around into September.
Get a load of this gorgeous Red Velvet Whoopie Pie!
Red Velvet Whoopie Pie
Recently, our Dining in Disneyland columnist Heather Sievers showed us some of the other delicious new treats that are available now through September at Jolly Holiday. We fell in love with the Mickey-Shaped French Macarons.
The Passionfruit Macaron is sweet with more sweet, but we love the sparkly embellishment on top.
Passionfruit French Macaroon
We much preferred the [Read more…]
If Fall and Halloween are your favorite Disney times of the year, you’re going to LOVE what we have to share!
Mickey Lantern!
We’ve seen hints that Disney will be offering some new premium enhancements to the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. This hard-ticketed, after-hours event takes place at Magic Kingdom on select evenings September through November. The party features trick or treating, your favorite characters dressed up in their Halloween costumes (so cute!), the Boo-To-You Parade (with the Headless Horseman!), and Happy HalloWishes Fireworks. It’s a whole lot of fun!
But if you’re looking for an extra special way to enjoy the holiday, you’ll want to check out this news!
Lady Tremaine and Friends
are taking over the Castle! Join her at [Read more…]
We are less than one month from the start of the 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival and it will be here before you know it!
Today, we are anticipating some of our favorite Special Events. While we love the Marketplace Booths and Low-Cost Demonstrations and Seminars, it’s fun to splurge once in a while on a few of the Special Events, culinary experiences that take place throughout the festival.
Much is made of wine — after all, this is a food and wine festival. But in recent years, Epcot has expanded its offerings to lovers of cocktails and beer as well.
The opportunity to try craft beers and brews from all around the globe is especially exciting. So let’s take a closer look today at one of the events that is especially geared toward beer lovers — The Italian Food and Beer Pairing Lunch.
I attended this event during its inaugural year
. While the food was delicious and the beer servings were generous, we were disappointed by the event format. It was basically a luncheon with none of the presentation or explanation that we’ve come to expect with these types of events.
We were anxious to try again though, and last year I was able to attend the event again.
Italian Beers and Bottles
We arrived at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria a little early for the event. That’s always a good idea so that you can scope out the venue — especially at a place that is still functioning as a regular restaurant while the event is going on. It’s not always easy to find the registration desk for the event versus the regular check-in line for the restaurant!
While I’ve had trouble with this particular distinction at Via Napoli before (they usually have people check in for the Food and Wine events at the regular check-in desk), on this visit they had the registration desk separate.
Arriving for the Event
That said, the sign was a little confusing. Apparently, it’s doing double-duty for both the Beer Pairings and the Wine Pairings. Our event included only beer; there isn’t a combo event, for those of you who are wondering. 🙂
We were greeted by one of the managers, who showed us to the area where the event would take place.
Via Napoli’s Manager Greeted Guests
We found our tables set with all of the glassware that we’d need for four courses. There was also fresh Bread with Olive Oil for dipping to get us started. Note that seating seemed to be assigned at this event. I’ve found that to be the case at more and more food and wine events these days.
The Table is Set
Individual menus made for handy references throughout the meal and great souvenirs after it was complete.
Place Setting
Before we got started, I had a few moments to acquaint myself with the other guests seated at my table (another good reason to arrive a bit early!). I also had a chance to look over the menu.
Menu — Click to Enlarge
It seems that the Italy Culinary team have gotten the memo; our event included [Read more…]
It’s never too early to start talking about holidays, and that’s especially true when it comes to Disney World planning.
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
Today, we’re bringing you early news of a few 2014 New Year’s Eve dining opportunities. And the good news is — you can book them today!
Keep in mind, however, that other NYE dining events are likely to be announced. So if you don’t like either of these options, hang tight. Your favorite may appear before it’s all said and done!
If you’ve ever spent Christmas week at Walt Disney World, you know that the crowds can be massive. Disney meets the need for expanded dining capacity by offering a few extra spots to dine. And back for 2014, guests can take advantage of a special dining event held at Epcot’s World ShowPlace.
World Showplace Pavilion in Epcot (Photo copyright Disney)
Fantasia 2014 is a dining event geared toward the whole family. Guests will enjoy scenes and songs from the Disney animated classic while they dine on a full buffet spread. The menu includes items with international flair:
You can book Fantasia 2014 between the hours of [Read more…]
We’re opening our Disney Food Blog Reader Mailbag for another great question from you today!
And wouldn’t you know it? Romance is in the air. Our reader would like to know:
What’s a good idea for a great date night dinner in Disneyland?
What a fun question! And we definitely have some good ideas for this one. But as we all know, budgets vary. Let’s look at several options:
Looking for an extra special evening? Napa Rose wins our vote for the best dining experience in all of Disneyland.
I Love the Napa Rose Outdoor Lounge Area
The award-winning restaurant, located in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, offers a warm, relaxed environment. But it’s the food that we absolutely love here.
Chef Andrew Sutton creates a market-inspired menu of seasonal favorites, focusing on the bounty that California offers. And you can pair your meal with their superb list of California wines to enhance each course.
For an extra special treat, reserve the Chef’s Counter, and enjoy watching the staff as they craft your dinner before your eyes.
Veal Filet with Apricot Chutney and Summer Vegetables Entree at the Chef’s Counter
Want a gourmet experience with a more relaxed vibe? Check out Steakhouse 55 Lounge in the Disneyland Hotel for delicious pub grub, inventive cocktails, and an atmosphere that is sheer Old Hollywood Glamour.
Dinner and a show? What could make for a better date?
If you’re looking for more than just dinner out, we love the World of Color Dinner Package at [Read more…]
If you plan to attend the Villains Unleashed special event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on August 23, be prepared to make room in your food budget for some delightfully evil dishes!
Villains Unleashed Comes to Disney Hollywood Studios on August 23
The culinary team has come up with some clever dishes that are sure to bring lots of cackles from guests. Or maybe evil laughs. Mwhahahahahaha! (Sorry. I couldn’t resist.)
We have a few pictures and descriptions for you today, and it all looks pretty awesome. Let’s check it out!
With more than 50 Disney Villains on hand to enjoy, no doubt you can party the night away with your favorite “baddie”. But what happens when all that merriment leads to a frightful appetite?
Disney has you covered — in themed style, of course. Check out these special Villain Hot Dogs, with images of Jafar and Maleficent branded right onto the buns! They appear to be some of our favorites, like the Pork Barbecue Coleslaw Dog and Macaroni and Cheese Truffle Dog from Fairfax Fare, dressed up for the occasion. Yum!
Villain Hot Dogs and Beverages
And who can resist scary drinks with gummy worms and candied pepper slices?? Specialty beverages — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike — will be available at various venues throughout the park.
And get a load of this gorgeous Maleficent Cupcake! The tasty treat features Dark Chocolate Cake, Blackberry Filling, and Blackberry Buttercream. We think it would make a great addition to our Disney Cupcake Gallery!
Maleficent Cupcake
And this tame little apple hides a secret — Witches Brew! With a whole serving of [Read more…]
It’s an exciting time to be a fan of Disney Food!
Our staff here at Disney Food Blog works hard to cover every facet of Disney Food — big and small. From reviews of every Disney restaurant to spotlights on snacks and beyond to special events like the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, we want to bring you all the latest!
But there’s so much to tell you that we can’t fit it all on the blog! And that’s where the Disney Food Blog Newsletter comes in handy.
We bring you issues twice each month, and each is packed with color photos, news, plus deals and offers.
And with the 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival and the Fall and Winter Holidays right around the corner, it pays to be in the loop!
We Love Special Holiday- Themed Goodies!
Don’t wait — sign up today and you’ll receive [Read more…]
Get ready for another festive Irish celebration at Raglan Road Irish Pub!
The popular restaurant is gearing up for host their 3rd Annual Great Irish Hooley August 29 through September 1 at Disney World’s Downtown Disney.
Come out over Labor Day Weekend and enjoy lots of Irish Hospitality. From music to dancing to FOOD, we have the details!
A “Hooley” is a traditional Irish celebration, and Raglan Road is doing their part to bring this taste of the Emerald Isle to Central Florida!
Raglan Road in Downtown Disney
The family-friendly party will include Irish music in many varied styles, interactive fun for the whole family, and, of course, great eats!
If it’s music you’re looking forward to, there will be lots to choose from.
The Brayzen Heads, a Raglan Road Favorite, Will Appear at the Great Irish Hooley Labor Day Weekend
If it’s dancing you’re after, you’re covered there, too! The whole family can participate in dance workshops, [Read more…]
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