food IS a theme park
has long been one of our favorite spots to check out rotating cupcakes. Located at the BoardWalk Inn and Villas, this counter service location is conveniently located for an afternoon break from both Epcot and Hollywood Studios (and it’s near Ample Hills Creamery, which we love!)
Boardwalk Bakery
It’s no secret we love Contempo Cafe. Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World — and just a monorail stop away from the Magic Kingdom — Contempo Cafe is a quick service spot that consistently serves some of our favorite fast eats. We’ve long craved the Pot Roast here, but with flatbreads and burgers and desserts galore, you and your crew can’t go wrong.
Contempo Cafe Entrance
On this visit, everything was totally awesome. It makes for some great eating and some fun blogging, if I’m being honest. First up: the Contempo Smokehouse Burger. This beauty (yup, a burger can be beautiful) is an Angus Chuck Burger topped with Smoked Bacon Marmalade, Cheddar Cheese, and a huge Onion Ring. There’s a Brioche Bun holding it all together, too.
When it comes to getting a great steak at Walt Disney World, there’s no shortage of intriguing options, including our current favorite steak on property: the Wagyu Beef at Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs.
And when you visit a steakhouse in the World, you enter with certain expectations for mind-blowing excellence. Today we visit Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club Resort. Will it live up to expectations?
Yachtsman Steakhouse has a solid reputation as a place to get a reliable steak with tasty sides (and awesome pull-apart onion bread…). Located in the subtly elegant Yacht Club, with its nostalgic lobby smell and clean, nautical lines, Yachtsman is a convenient out-of-park place to grab a meal, being proximal to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
We’ve enjoyed our visits here in the past, including the Porterhouse for Two and a delightful Boneless Ribeye. Would this visit be as successful as those in the past?
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
The Mara in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is seriously one of my favorites, y’all!
Mara Bakery
The Mara
Polynesian Village Resort
is a relaxing tropical getaway — with some great dining and drinking to boot! And since it’s on the Resort Monorail Loop, it’s easy to stop in any time of the day or night on your way to or from Magic Kingdom.
Polynesian Village Resort
You know how sometimes we tell you about a slightly out-of-the-way place and say it’s totally worth the effort to get there? This will not be one of those times. Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grille is located adjacent to (the stupendously awesome) Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts and offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and a small menu of snacks for hungry swimmers (and any hungry passersby).
Hurricane Hanna’s
The style of this outdoor bar is slightly nautical, with clean lines and neat hanging lanterns. There’s seating at the bar, which is covered and provides some shade.
Bar Seating
We love to check out all the newest info, grub, and fun at the Disney Parks, and today we’re coming at you hard from Pop Century! There are only a couple of things to report from here — but, man! They are BIG!
Pop Century Resort
Pool bars don’t get a lot of love in the Disney food world, probably because they aren’t really what you’d call “destination dining.”
Obviously, they’re more of a convenience for when you’re… well, by the pool at your Resort! You’re not going to go out of your way to visit one, but you sure are glad that they’re around the pool when you are. Because there’s hungry… and then there’s I’ve-been-swimming-all-day hungry.
But that’s kind of a shame, because some pool bars have some pretty decent food (and great drinks)! The Oasis Bar & Grill Pool Bar at the Polynesian Village Resort really stepped up the game, for example, with items like great Kahlua Pork Sliders. And the Uzima Springs Pool Bar at Animal Kingdom Lodge serves flatbreads (including a unique Braai Chicken Flatbread) that’ll satisfy any sudden carb craving. And then Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge took “pool bar” to the next level.
Cabana Bar and Beach Club at Disney World’s Dolphin Hotel (it’s convenient to the Swan, too) is one such under-celebrated pool bar. Cabana even made an appearance at the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic in October with their Double Fried Chicken! But my WOW here at Cabana was the aioli — there are tons of them and they are amazing. If you’re like me and love your dipping sauces, read on.
Cabana Bar and Beach Club
Cabana Bar and Beach Club (not to be confused with Banana Cabana at Caribbean Beach Resort or Cabanas on board the Disney Cruise Line ships) boasts a surprisingly huge menu (several pages long!). You’ll want to start with the Cocktails, which are cleverly named… and generously poured. 😉 [Read more…]
Friends, the 2017 Grand Floridian Gingerbread House is complete, and it’s as grand as ever!
2017 Grand Floridian Gingerbread House
Seriously, the amazing Cast Members/cookie engineers/pastry chefs/magicians have outdone themselves again! The chimney is ready for Santa, the shingles are delightfully snowy, and the attention to detail is everywhere.
Side view
Gingerbread displays at Walt Disney World
have become such an exciting part of the holiday celebrations that guests can literally plan an entire day around seeing them all. (We even include some tips on how to do so in our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Holidays!)
2016 Grand Floridian Gingerbread Store
And it is not hard to see why! Gingerbread is done bigger and better at the Disney Resorts, with literally HUNDREDS of pounds of ingredients being shaped and engineered — you might even say “imagineered” — in unbelievable ways that you just have to see with your own eyes! [Read more…]
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