Downtown Disney | the disney food blog

WDW Downtown Disney: Goodbye McDonald’s, Hello Pollo Campero

pollocampero

According to the Orlando Sentinel, McDonald’s is pulling out of the Disney World entertainment district, Downtown Disney.

The McDonald’s restaurant at Walt Disney World’s shopping-and-dining district will close April 30, Disney said this afternoon.

This is the part of the fall-out from the end of the Disney/McDonald’s exclusive sponsorship agreement, which terminated in 2004.

“Our alliance partners are ever-changing and this shift in our relationship with McDonald’s reflects the dynamic nature of the sponsorship business,” Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said.

The replacement restaurant, Pollo Campero, is a Latin chicken fast-food chain. Business Wire is reporting that the chain is joining forces with franchisee Levy Campero to provide a new concept restaurant in Downtown Disney based on Pollo Campero’s standard family-style Latin dining coupled with new fresh, healthy menu additions, like chef-made salads, sandwiches, fruits, and healthy snacks as well as vegetarian, gluten-free, sugar-free, low-sodium or organic offerings.

Pollo Campero is scheduled to open in Fall 2010.

Hidden Mickeys in Disney Restaurants

By AJ 4 Comments

The research for this blog began when I noticed a hidden Mickey tucked into a chair at Boma during my Animal Kingdom Lodge Culinary Tour; it’s been all downhill from there! Of course, thanks to all of the Facebook fans and twitter followers who responded to my call for “food-related hidden Mickeys” back in October!

Where possible (and if necessary), I’ve tried to include a photo of the Mickey and a photo of the surrounding area so that it’s easier to find. Not possible with all, unfortunately…

Here we go:

Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom
This was one of my earlier findings, and it’s definitely one of my favorites. You can find it on one of the decorative wooden racks in the lobby of Liberty Tree Tavern — it’s to the right and toward the back as you walk into the lobby.

Blueberry Hidden Mickey at Liberty Tree Tavern

Decorative Rack Containing Blueberry Hidden Mickey

Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Ah, the original! I’m not sure if this even qualifies as “hidden,” but I liked it! Some chairs have it, and some chairs don’t — cross your fingers that you get a good one!

Boma Hidden Mickey in Chair

TRex in Downtown Disney
One of Disney’s newer restaurants (stay tuned for my review, coming soon!), TRex includes a moving (yep–moving) Octopus Bar. Look closely at the tentacles, and you’ll see what I saw…

Tentacle Hidden Mickey at TRex

A Wider Shot of the Octopus Bar for Context

Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club Resort
My Dad found this one, but was assured that it’s authentic! It was also mentioned on facebook (Thanks, Kristina!) as a fan favorite! Look up and to the right as you enter the restaurant to see this onion ring hidden Mickey in the decorative border.

Onion Ring Hidden Mickey at Beaches and Cream

Context Shot for Beaches and Cream Hidden Mickey

Goofy’s Candy Company in Downtown Disney
OK, this isn’t technically a restaurant, but you can get some pretty good noms here anyway! NOTE: You can also spot this hidden Mickey in the decor around the Goofy’s Candy Company section of MouseGears in Epcot! (Psst…look closely and you’ll see even more hidden characters…)

Hidden Mickey at Goofy's Candy Company

The Rest of the Hidden Characters at Goofy's Candy Company

Reader Favorites
Thanks again to those who answered the call! Here are some reader-suggested food-related hidden Mickeys!

@aryssabrooke from Twitter
At Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot, you can see how they make Mickey shaped pumpkins and watermelons.

@ArmandNoUsagi from Twitter
I have to say my favorite is at Teppan Edo, When the chef makes a Mickey volcano out of an onion.

Allison Palmer-Gleicher from Facebook
The bread Mickey head in Tony’s — over by the Lady and the Tramp picture behind the fountain.

Tinker Kell from Facebook
My favorite one is on the dog statue near the check-in desk at Mama Melrose’s.

Calling All Hidden Mickey Spotters!
I know for a fact that I haven’t seen nearly all of the Disney dining hidden Mickeys, so I hope you can help me out! Contact me via twitter, facebook, or email with a photo or remembrance of your favorite food-related hidden Mickey, and I’ll add it to this blog. The blog itself will be placed (with great honor) in the special posts section in the right-hand column so that you can keep tabs on the updates.

Disney + Food + Technology = :-D

By AJ 8 Comments

Disney’s been sampling how technology can enhance theme park dining for years. One of my earliest memories is stopping at the Epcot WorldKey under the golf ball to make dinner reservations via the talking head on the screen.

Today, Disney’s continuing to make progress in the information age. The recently launched online Advanced Dining Reservations system and the following tech-y installments are good examples.

Computerized Ordering
You’ll recall a previous post on the Food Blog about the Contemporary Resort Contempo Cafe’s new computerized ordering system. It resembles the made-to-order (“MTO”) ordering system from my favorite gas station chain, Sheetz, and I thought it was fantastic when I got the chance to use it for the first time in February.

As it turns out, Disney’s been adding these ordering systems in several spots throughout the parks and resorts. I’ve got some photos from Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in the Magic Kingdom and Captain Cook’s quick service restaurant in the Polynesian Resort, as well as the Contempo Cafe photos.

Contempo Cafe Ordering System Instructions

Contempo Cafe Ordering Computer Stations

Contempo Cafe Ordering Screen

Computers for Ordering at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe

Computer Order Screen at Captain Cooks

Captain Cooks Order Screen

Online Ordering
One tech advancement I’m very excited about is Wolfgang Puck Express’ online ordering system. While this isn’t a “Disney innovation,” it is a way to take advantage of technology when dining at Downtown Disney.

If you’re planning on heading to Wolfgang Puck Express in Downtown Disney’s Marketplace, simply visit their online ordering website in advance. No need to log in, just click on “browse menu” and set a date, then make your choices — even substitutions — online.

Wolfgang Puck Express in Downtown Disney

Online Ordering advertisement at Wolfgang Puck Express

Even if you’re headed to Disney World in a few days, you can pre-order what you’d like for lunch when you arrive and have it waiting for you at Downtown Disney as soon as you land at MCO. Brilliant.

Where have you seen technology at work?
If you’ve experienced online or computerized ordering, or have a comment about another dining technology at work, I’d love to hear your story! Contact me via the email form button above!

Dining Alone in Disney

By AJ 7 Comments

I’m honored to bring you a guest post by one of my favorite travel bloggers, Gray at SoloFriendly.com. Thanks again, Gray, for sharing your insights and tips on dining alone in Disney World!

Counter Seating at Wolfgang Puck

Many travelers, even those who are excited by the prospect of enjoying some alone time at Disney World, get queasy at the thought of having to eat alone. This, despite the fact that Disney has fabulous restaurants and legendary customer service.

Don’t be nervous just because you’re a “party of one”! I have eaten alone in many restaurants in Disney World and 99.9% of the time have received the most exemplary service. Go ahead and eat at Quick Service restaurants if you’re on a budget, but don’t cheat yourself out of the wonderful table service restaurants if you can afford it. A delicious sit-down meal prepared by one of Disney’s talented chefs will certainly enhance any solo trip to the World.

To overcome any solo dining jitters, you need a distraction. This could be recording your day’s experiences in a journal, catching up on a good book, or flipping through the photos you took on your digital camera. Disney even builds in some nice distractions for us solos, you just have to look for them. Here are some suggestions for getting the most out of solo dining at Disney World:

Have your table service meal during a less crowded time. This could mean eating at an off hour.
Chefs de France Window Tables

Chefs de France, for instance, is far more enjoyable when there are fewer guests in the dining room. It’s quieter and more peaceful, and the odds of scoring a table by the window (for people-watching) are greatly enhanced.

Resort restaurants tend to be less crowded during lunch, when everyone is at the parks. I had a wonderful meal at Sanaa on my last trip, right around noon, and I was only one of maybe three tables of diners in the whole restaurant. Again, you have a greater chance of scoring a good seat this way, but you also feel less conspicuous.
Eat at a restaurant with bar or counter seating. If you are a social person, this affords you the opportunity to interact with other diners.
Todd English's bluezoo Restaurant

One of my favorite meals at Disney World was at Wolfgang Puck Cafe in Downtown Disney, when I sat at the counter in front of the chef’s station and had a lively and friendly chat with the chef while he prepared meals.

Other great restaurants with bartop dining include
Bluezoo at the Dolphin resort (a wonderfully grown-up restaurant), the House of Blues in Downtown Disney, Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Flying Fish Cafe on the Boardwalk.
Enjoy a dinner show. You have many options at Disney World for dinnertime entertainment, including the Spirit of Aloha Show at the Polynesian Resort, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue at Fort Wilderness, as well as smaller-scale entertainment such as watching a movie at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater or belly dancers at the Restaurant Marrakesh.
Go for a great view. The Disney Food Blog recently highlighted the best restaurants for watching the Wishes and Illuminations fireworks shows during dinner; those are great choices.
Relax with the show at the Coral Reef Aquarium

You could also grab a water-view window at one of the Downtown Disney restaurants or dine at the Coral Reef Restaurant, where you can gaze upon a living coral reef with 85 species of tropical fish swimming around. (For a more peaceful experience at the Coral Reef, try lunch here, when it’s less crowded; and don’t sit right next to the aquarium, or you’ll find children constantly bumping into you as they run up to press their faces against the glass.)

As with anything, practice makes perfect. The more you dine out alone, the more comfortable and enjoyable it becomes.

From the Editor: Thanks again, Gray! DFB readers, if you’re interested in more info about solo dining in Disney, stay tuned for the next post in the Walt Disney World Moms Panel Mini-Series where the moms chime in on their choices for meals if spending a day blissfully alone at Disney World!

Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: October 4th, 2009

By AJ Leave a Comment

Eat here

I hope you’re staying up to date on the goings-on at the 2009 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival on our index page! This week, we looked at the newest booths — Rio and Bangkok, the Taste of Puglia Seminars, and the Pruem Wine-Tasting Seminar.

But while I’ve been covering the Festival, there have been some other great food posts from around the globe. Check out these great sites and their “tasty” posts!

The Daily Mickey takes a look at Quick Service Restaurants in the Magic Kingdom.

Orange County Register reports that a new bar is opening in Anaheim’s Downtown Disney. Stop by for a Margarita!

The Disney Chick has compiled her list of tested Disney recipes, including Princess Cake from Akershus and Dulce de Leche.

All Ears’ Jack Spence reviews Epcot’s Bistro de Paris and includes some wonderful photographs!

DF ’82 discusses Au Chalet de la Marionette in Disneyland Parc, Paris.

The Daily Loaf gives some basics on the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

The W.E.D. Page steps back in time to review the Diamond Horseshoe Revue.

Main Street Gazette analyzes the lives and times of the Dinoland USA students based on their treatment of Restaurantosaurus.

Finally, join Lou Mongello as he interviews Gary Vaynerchuk from WineLibrary.tv at Epcot’s World Showcase.

Olivia’s at Old Key West Resort

By AJ 14 Comments

Tucked into the beautiful dock-side Turtle Krawl district at Disney World’s Old Key West Resort is Olivia’s restaurant. This relaxed table-service spot is probably one of the more underrated dining spots in Disney World.

One of the Photo Walls at Olivia's

The atmosphere is right-off-the-beach — casual and classic Florida keys. The walls are covered with memorabilia, including sections dedicated to the Old Key West Resort’s Disney Vacation Club family album. After all, Old Key West was Disney’s premier Vacation Club property and has quite a family tree by now!

Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can stroll in anytime for a bite. And although you can make advanced dining reservations for Olivia’s, you may not need them during less busy seasons at Disney World.

Dining Table and Photo Wall

Olivia's Has a Relaxed, Casual Atmosphere

Olivia's Menu

The menu is just as casual as the decor, and there are some delicious options to try. For breakfast, consider the Banana Bread French Toast with Bahamian Banana Rum Butter Sauce and Vanilla Whipped Cream; for lunch, consider the Key West Salmon Salad; and for dinner, try the crab cakes and pork chop with barbecue sauce and cheddar grits!

Crab Cake Appetizer

Mixed Greens Salad

Grilled Pork Chop with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce and Smoked Cheddar Grits

Finish off your meal with a yummy dessert. My mom’s favorite is the Key Lime Tart!

Key Lime Tart

Key Lime Tart on the Inside

And, after your meal, take a few minutes to wander around the grounds of this beautiful resort, or jump on the next boat for Downtown Disney — the Disney Transportation boat will bring you to Disney World’s shopping and entertainment district in no time! Have a great time!

Disney Food Weekly Round-Up: September 6th

By AJ Leave a Comment

Animal Kingdom eat here

It’s so much fun to see all the food posts each week. There are some great photos this week, too!

Also, just a reminder that the Lucky Fortune Cookery opened in Disney’s California Adventure on the 4th! Head over and check it out — there have been some cool menu changes!

Now, on to the Round-Up!

LoadedCouchPotatoes review La Cava del Tequila, complete with amazing photos!

Main Street Gazette walks us through his re-creation of 50’s Prime Time Cafe meatloaf! Again, lots of photos for you visual learners!

Disney and More guides us through the re-imagineering of the Theme Building Encounter Restaurant at Los Angeles airport. This is some concept art you’ll want to see. Absolutely incredible stuff.

Progress City USA remembers the Melvin the Moose Breakfast Show from Fort Wilderness.

Home by the Sea reviews Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort. Some really beautiful food shots here!

TouringPlans takes an end-of-summer look at the two “lounges” of the Polynesian Resort Tambu Lounge and Barefoot Pool Bar. Nothing like summer by the sea!

Orlando Sentinel reminds us that there will be trick or treating this halloween — for free! — at Disney World’s Downtown Disney!

Have a great week and Labor Day holiday everyone! Enjoy these amazing blogs, and be sure to let me know when you come across a good Disney food post this week!

Best Disney World Restaurants for Vegetarians

By AJ 21 Comments

Boma Open Kitchen

This is a tough blog post, as people define “Vegetarian” in so many different ways! To try to give you the most up-to-date and tested information, I’ve included readers’ top picks for table-service and counter-service locations and rounded out the post with some great feedback from travel-blogger SoloFriendly, who’s got some great ideas for meat-free Disney World dishes. Finally, I’ve listed a few other resources for you to check out if you’re doing Disney as a vegetarian or a vegan.

Reader Picks: Table-Service
Boma
Boma, Jambo House, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Boma was the landslide winner among food blog readers who chimed in about Vegetarian options. It’s a buffet, which automatically offers a wide variety of choices; but with an emphasis on African soups, hummus, salads, and grain-based dishes, it’s a great option for meat-free eating.

Reader Comment from Beth via facebook:
Hubby is vegetarian when out thanks to being Kosher at home. His favorite was Boma since there was so much to pick from. The staff there was amazing to walk around and tell everything that was safe if you requested it.

Sanaa, Kidani Village, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

One of the newer restaurants in Disney World, Sanaa has another African- and Asian- themed menu (dinner menu) on which every section has at least one (and usually many) mouth-watering vegetarian selections.

While I loved my meal there, I’ll quote SoloFriendly’s helpful comments:

Sanaa Spinach and Paneer Cheese

They’ve got a lot of very creative menu items that are vegetarian, so if I was really sick of salads and wanted something totally different, I’d go here. They offer all sorts of wonderful breads and vegetarian accompaniments, more than one vegetarian appetizer (paneer cheese, roasted cauliflower, and potato and pea samosas) and entree, unusual salad choices, and a vegetarian soup. There is no doubt in my mind I could have a very filling and delicious meal here without eating meat. In fact, I could do so more than once without repeating the same dish twice. (By the way, here’s SoloFriendly’s Sanaa Review)

Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Downtown Disney

This well-known Downtown Disney restaurant features several meatless choices, including creative salads, vegetarian pasta dishes, and yummy flatbreads/pizzas. The most famous item, however, is the butternut-squash soup! Here’s the dinner menu, and for some photos, SoloFriendly’s Wolfgang Puck Cafe review.

Reader Comment from Jennifer via facebook:
Wofgang Puck’s. Between sushi, salmon, margherita pizza, and [pumpkin] ravioli, you have many options.

Tusker House Buffet

Tusker House, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Coming highly recommended by readers (and me!), Tusker House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets in the Animal Kingdom theme park. Vegetarian options abound at all meals, and servers will gladly show you which items are vegetarian. This gives a quick list of some items that are routinely available on the lunch/dinner buffets, including Hummus and baba ghanoush, Jollaf rice, Pearl couscous with sweet basil essence, Spiced tandoori tofu, and Tunisian couscous salad.

Vegetarian Quiche and Coconut Sweet Potato Casserole

Reader Comment from Erwin via facebook:
For ease of locating things, Tusker House. Last time we were there, the server pointed out that (facing the buffet from the dining room) everything to the left of the dessert island was vegetarian, with the obvious exception of the meats on the deli board. Everything to the right was not, which included the Israeli couscous side dish (probably made with chicken broth).

Reader Picks: Counter-Service

Tangierine Cafe

Tangierine Cafe, Morocco Pavilion, Epcot’s World Showcase
Another multi-vote winner, Tangierine Cafe offers numerous wraps and side dishes that are, or can be made, vegetarian. Check out SoloFriendly’s photo-packed review of her Vegetable Platter dinner, which includes “falafel bread, olive salad, hummus, lentil salad, tabouleh, and a tangierine couscous salad,” at the cafe.

Reader Comment from @jobber99 via twitter, recalling his favorite veggie meal at Tangierine Cafe: Falafel with hummus, pita, rice, taboueh, and baklava.

Sunshine Seasons

Sunshine Seasons, The Land, Epcot’s Future World
Sunshine Seasons always tops best counter-service lists, and this is no exception. The food-court-style restaurant offers different stations for different types of food, including Asian Cuisine-inspired foods, Soup and Salads, Sandwiches, Grilled items, and Desserts.

Sunshine Seasons Asian Cuisine Station

In addition to the standard vegetarian fare (soups and salads) at Sunshine Seasons, you can find grilled vegetable sandwiches and other vegetarian entrees.

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
Cosmic Ray’s is truly a favorite among vegetarians for its (actually quite good!) veggie burgers and vegetable wraps. Perhaps the out-of-this-world (sorry. had to do it.) burger fixin’s bar will sway your decision… .

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe

Other reader suggestions included: Garden Grill (dish suggestion: tofu veggie noodles), Columbia Harbour House (dish suggestion: lighthouse sandwich), Yak and Yeti (make a meal of the veggie side dishes), Starring Rolls Cafe (dish suggestion: Veggie Wrap), Mama Melrose’s, Coral Reef (dish suggestion: Wild Mushroom Lasagna), Coronado Springs’ Pepper Market, California Grill, Chef Mickey’s, Kona Cafe, and The Hollywood Brown Derby. We’d love to hear your suggestions; contact Disney Food Blog via facebook, twitter, or email.

Cosmic Ray’s Condiment Bar

If these suggestions don’t strike your fancy, remember that Disney offers a whole website page about special dining options as well as phone numbers and email addresses to connect with dining personnel before your trip. This is a great way to get information and request special dining options for your vacation. Disney is very accommodating when it comes to ensuring your dining experience is a good one; it just may take a bit of pre-planning. Also, if you’re already in a restaurant and don’t see anything for you on the menu, mention to your server that you’d like to hear more about Vegetarian and Vegan options. Many Disney World Chefs are more than willing to put together a delectable dish just for you — even on short notice!

Disney Contact Information for Special Diet Considerations
General Disney Special Diets Contact: [email protected], or 407-824-5967
Animal Kingdom: [email protected], or 407-938-3288
Hollywood Studios: [email protected], or 407-560-3551
Epcot: [email protected], or 407-560-6395
Magic Kingdom: [email protected], or 407-824-5967
(thanks to WDWinfo)

Other Helpful Links, Books, and Tips
Helpful grid of Vegetarian and Vegan items in Disney World Parks: While this does not include all restaurants and dining locations (and no resort options), it’s still a VERY helpful guide for those visiting the parks.
Vegetarian Walt Disney World and Greater Orlando (2000): One of the only dining guides for vegetarians in Disney World
Vegetarian Walt Disney World and Greater Orlando, Second Edition (2003)
Website and Book Updates For Vegetarian Walt Disney World and Greater Orlando

As a disclaimer, in this blog post “Vegetarian” pretty much means the ingredients are “meat-free;” the qualification does not pertain to how or where the dishes are cooked, and does not take into consideration inclusion of eggs/dairy.

Check out the other “Best Disney World Restaurants” in our series!

Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: Part II

By admin Leave a Comment

Here’s the second in this week’s Round-Up series! Thanks to everyone out there covering such great Disney Food topics!

Main Street Gazette bids farewell to Spoodles: Main Street Gazette designer Eric Hoffman provides a tribute to Spoodles and memories of his family’s most recent meal there.

Scott Joseph discusses Party for the Senses changes and Paradiso 37: Legendary food critic Scott Joseph gives his view on this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival Party for the Senses updates as well as his review of Paradiso 37.

The Orange County Register analyzes Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue menu changes in Disneyland: Scroll down through the article to catch the info about the barbecue. It follows some other interesting info about Disneyland’s recent changes and construction.

SoloFriendly recaps her trip to Tangierine Cafe: SoloFriendly reviews the very popular counter service restaurant in World Showcase’s Morocco pavilion — and explains why the name has that weird spelling!

StitchKingdom shares the new Cap’n Jack’s All-Day Menu: WDW’s Downtown Disney has added Cap’n Jack’s to its list of all-day eateries.

Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: Part I

By admin Leave a Comment

There were so many good food posts this week that we’re splitting the blog into two parts! We’ll cover the first half of the round-up today, and the second tomorrow. Onward!

etckt discusses Dining Options at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: A hearty look at restaurants in the studios, complete with etckt’s remarkable photography.

The Orlando Sentinel notes some suggestions for Cheap Eats in Disney World: Good budgeting and money-saving tips from readers, including my favorite: eat a late breakfast and schedule a late lunch to take advantage of restaurants’ lower prices.

SoloFriendly reviews the WDW Downtown Disney’s Planet Hollywood: SoloFriendly contributes two reviews this weekend (one today, one tomorrow). Here, see inside the giant globe that is Planet Hollywood!

Main Street Gazette posts a new look at Victoria and Albert’s: The Grand Floridian’s (and Disney World’s) flagship restaurant is known for its precision…until today!