food IS a theme park
The Grand Floridian Cafe in Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is known for its relatively understated decor (free of Disney characters and over-the-top styling) and its relaxing atmosphere. But there’s one thing here that’s not at all understated: the food!
Grand Floridian Cafe sign at entrance
Last fall, I shared the Lobster Thermidor and the Floridian Pancakes, both of which were fantastic, and just a couple of months ago we let you in on a little chicken-and-waffles hack.
In the pantheon of character meals at Walt Disney World, there’s only one where you can dine with big, fluffy friends straight out of the Hundred Acre Wood — and in a classic Magic Kingdom location: Crystal Palace!
Truth be told, we’ve had a bit of a roller coaster relationship with Crystal Palace over the years. Some visits have been good (like this lunch four years ago and like breakfast here back when you could get into the nearly-empty park!), and one was particularly awful (dinner at the end of the night = icky buffet remnants…I didn’t even do a post about it).
But the opportunity to dine with Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger is pretty much a Disney World rite of passage and something that every Disney fan should do at least once. And dining in the Crystal Palace — a gorgeous building that’s been a mainstay since Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 — is a lovely experience.
But what about the food — arguably the most important aspect of any restaurant? It’s standard, but acceptable on most visits, with breakfast having, perhaps, the most interesting options with Pooh’s Breakfast Lasagna and Puffed French Toast being crowd favorites. And so I returned recently, for lunch this time, to see how things are going.
Welcome to Crystal Palace!
Disneyland Resort
‘s Jolly Holiday Bakery and Cafe resides on Main Street, U.S.A., and offers yummy and iconic treats that can only be found here. And during Halloween Time, the bakery is slaying the Halloween treat game!
Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe
We love a good Disney food hack — especially when it combines a duo of our favorite things. And today we’ve got a combo brought to us by Disney Food Blog reader Michael over at @DisneyNumNums! Join us at the Grand Floridian Cafe — and bring your stretchy pants!
Grand Floridian Cafe sign at entrance
Why? Because Michael tells us that if you start with the Grand Floridian Cafe’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken…
Buttermilk Fried Chicken at Grand Floridian Cafe
…you can end up with some killer Chicken and Waffles — with a Mickey Waffle, no less!
Chicken and Waffles
What, what?! In order to make this happen, all you have to do is request a waffle instead of the Crispy Potatoes, Kale, and Bacon that the chicken usually comes with!
You’ll get a choice between a Belgian Waffle and the Mickey Waffle — and you get to keep that Sriracha-Honey Drizzle (and get more on the side, if you want!)!
Chicken and Waffles!
The server also brought hot maple syrup, butter, and ketchup — just in case you want to change things up a little! How fun is this?! Many thanks to Michael for sharing with us!
What’s your favorite Disney food hack? Share with us in the comments!
Disneyland’s Donut (Doughnut?) Cart
near Sleeping Beauty Castle is a must-do if you like unique donut concoctions. After all, this is where the so-called Dole Whip Donut took up residence a few weeks ago!
Dole Whip Donut
And it’s where we found the Matterhorn Macaroon Donut, too! This donut featured the iconic Disneyland Matterhorn Macaroon, and it was awesome!
When Ale & Compass Restaurant opened at Walt Disney World’s Yacht Club Resort last November, it received mixed reviews. The nautical and sparse decor appealed to some but made others feel the space was too stuffy.
The menus raised some eyebrows, with self-proclaimed New England-style options not appealing to, well, New Englanders. We gave it a bit of a tepid review for dinner, and we heard from lots of readers who missed the former Captain’s Grille breakfast buffet.
Dark Chocolate Waffles at Captain’s Grille
For one of those contentious topics, Ale & Compass offers a solution. A breakfast buffet is now available! (And we were told that it was due to popular demand from guests. So see? Sometimes your requests do make it all the way to the top!)
Ale & Compass Restaurant sign by the entrance
And the price is actually OK on this one!
We recently gave you a heads up that Disneyland Resort icon River Belle Terrace is now serving table service breakfast, and if you thought we’d miss a chance to review this offering, you were sorely mistaken. 😉
Disneyland correspondent Heather Sievers (@DiningInDisney) headed in and ordered everything on the menu — all for you!
River Belle Terrace
River Belle Terrace is a Disneyland icon for a reason: the dining location has been a fixture since the park’s opening, although its name has changed over the years. The current moniker has been in place since 1971, and the style and decor? Oh, just you wait!
The Disneyland Donut Cart has done it again! They’ve brought back the Dole Whip Donut!
Disneyland’s Dole Whip Donut
Toy Story Land is OPEN, y’all!
And it’s as awesome as we dreamed it would be! And if you’re one of the many, MANY people who are going to go for a Slinky Dog Dash and an Alien Swirling Saucer, you’re going to need to recharge your batteries at some point, as we TOYS say!
Enter Woody’s Lunch Box! This brand spankin’ new(ish) Quick Service spot is ca-razy fun, with clever details everywhere you look!
Woody’s Lunch Box
Purchasing the Disney Dining Plan (or scoring free DDP!) for your Walt Disney World vacation can mean real value for your vacation dining — but some uses of those Disney Dining Plan credits (officially called entitlements) are better than others.
Cinderella Castle Views
This time, it’s all about the one-credit table service Disney Dining Plan! We scour menus to try to find the monetary values, but we also consider food quality and the atmosphere in which guests dine. Because it doesn’t matter how much money you’re saving by using your credits if the restaurant’s environment and food are duds.
Easily one of the most spectacular restaurants in terms of decor and ambiance, Morimoto Asia in Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs also offers tremendous value. But the best part? The food is outstanding!
Orange Chicken
Dinner at Morimoto Asia is a signature affair and requires two DDP credits, but for 2018, lunch remains one credit — and it’s a credit very well spent! Some entrees here cost nearly $40, and there are plenty of options for alcoholic beverages if you’re looking to up your value even further.
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