If you’ve grown to love Joffrey’s Coffee at the Disney Parks, your morning coffee routine is about to get Disney-fied!
What’s New in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World: May 7, 2018
There’s always something new happening in Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs, and this week is no exception! We’ve got menu changes, new merchandise, construction updates, and extras! Join us to see What’s New!
Disney Springs New Menus & Eats
is serving up sweet treats, including Coca-Cola Cake and Coca-Cola Brownies! Yes, we will embrace the Treat Yourself mantra!
[Read more…]
Adorable Snowman Now OPEN in Disney California Adventure! YOU HAVE TO SEE!!
If you’ve been wondering if the Abominable Snowman’s snow cones from Monsters, Inc., are really lemon (or not!), wait no longer! Because the now Adorable Snowman has opened his counter service windows on Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Park! (HUGE thanks to @StephRPowers for these awesome photos!)
Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats is one of the first of many highly anticipated openings to happen on the reimagined pier, and we’re excited to bring you the menu and a peek at one of the most amazing items on it!
News! A la Carte Menus at Pepper Market in Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Recent changes at Pepper Market at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort have resulted in brand new lunch and dinner menus at the food court.
Over the past several months, Pepper Market has gone through a series of menu changes. Prior to December 2011, the counter service spot offered a unique cafeteria-style experience, allowing guests to select their meal from a wide array of items. In early 2012, the restaurant switched to a buffet service; and on January 1, 2013, the new a la carte menu went into effect.
While the restaurant’s popular all-day buffet (and never-ending burritos) is gone, the meal is still a Quick Service credit on the Disney Dining Plan, and the lunch and dinner menus are varied and interesting.
Guests can still expect a healthy assortment of Mexican- and American-inspired dishes, including the popular burrito with steak, rice, and beans … and a lot of delicious cheese sauce!
Here’s a peek at the new, a la carte breakfast and dinner menus (lunch is still [Read more…]
How MyMagic+ Will Affect Disney Dining
Planning your Disney World vacation is about to change—big time. While making your Advance Dining Reservations 180 days in advance will still be important, MyMagic+ is going to make it easier to pre-plan your trip and maybe even save your Disney dollars at the same time!
We’ve outlined the basics of the new Walt Disney World Resort technology below, followed by a healthy dose of Disney dining tips for making the most of the new system — including how it will change your Disney Dining planning, and how you might save money using MyMagic+!!
MyMagic+: The Basics
This past week, MyMagic+ — a new, tech-savvy planning process for your Disney vacation — officially rolled out across the Walt Disney World resort. Relying on RFID technology, this will create a “more immersive, more seamless and more personal experience” for guests, according to Disney Parks Blog.
A major piece of the MyMagic+ puzzle is the new My Disney Experience website and mobile app, which help guests plan their trip. The interactive tools allow guests to log in to book advanced dining reservations and ride times for popular attractions as well as parade and fireworks viewing locations with FastPass+. They’ll also make it easy to change those plans on the fly from any smartphone or Guest Relations kiosk.
All of that MyMagic+ data—including ride and meals times—will be encoded onto the new must-have Disney accessory: the MagicBand. These high-tech bracelets will replace the Key to the World card, becoming a room key, theme park ticket, PhotoPass card, FastPass and charge account in one.
Right now, guests saying at WDW resort hotels, Annual Passholders, and those who purchase PhotoPass will automatically receive a complimentary standard MagicBand. Upgraded wristbands, decorated with characters, will also be available for an additional fee.
Guests who stay off property will receive an RFID-enabled card, which will act as a park ticket, charge account and FastPass+ ticket, but they will have to purchase a MagicBand separately.
The new technologies will likely have a significant impact on your dining strategy, so we’ve put together a quick primer on how to make the most of MyMagic+:
Pay and Go
The most immediate and obvious impact of the MagicBand will be the ability to pay for snacks and quick service meals with the flick of a wrist.
Literally tap the RFID bracelet (or card for non-resort guests) against the sensor at the register to settle the bill on purchases of $50 or less quickly and efficiently. No more digging around for the Key to the World!
Schedule Your WHOLE Day
With the current system, FastPass dictates your return window based on how many FastPasses have already been distributed. On some days, it’s possible to arrive at Soarin’ at 9:30 a.m. only to be locked into a 6:35-7:35 p.m. return time. That presents a problem for those [Read more…]
UPDATED With Wine and Beer Menus: News! Be Our Guest Restaurant to Serve Beer and Wine in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
Interesting news coming out of the Magic Kingdom today about Be Our Guest Restaurant!
Sadly, I’m on vacation (yay!) and couldn’t be at the Be Our Guest Restaurant Media Event happening right now (boo!); but thanks to social media we’re getting great info to share with you!
Magic Kingdom Park No Longer “Dry”
According to several of our friends at the event, the big news is that Disney’s Magic Kingdom will now be serving alcohol for the first time ever.
Located in a *formerly* “dry” park where no alcohol was served (based on Walt’s wishes for Disneyland Park, where alcohol is only served at the private Club 33), Be Our Guest Restaurant will be serving alcoholic beer and wine for their guests.
According to Stuart McGuire, Beverage Director, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, “As part of the overall theming, we wanted to offer wine that enhances the guest experience and complements the French-inspired cuisine.”
Be Our Guest Restaurant Wine Menu
“The wines focus primarily on France’s famous wine-growing regions, including Champagne, Alsace, Loire, Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux,” says McGuire. Check out the full Be Our Guest Restaurant Wine and Beer Menu.
Be Our Guest Restaurant Beer Menu
According to McGuire, “We’ll also offer the leading French beer, Kronenbourg 1664. And, staying in the general region, we’ll also offer Belgian beers.” We love that they’ll have some Chimay [Read more…]
First Look!: Magic Kingdom’s Cheshire Cafe Photos and Menu
We got some fun pics yesterday from Jacquie Symonds over on Google+ of the brand new Cheshire Cafe (the new name for the Enchanted Grove) in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom!
This change brings the counter-service kiosk’s theme into the fold of the Alice in Wonderland area of Fantasyland, which makes sense since it’s located right next to the Teacups ride! Let’s take a look at the changes between the old Enchanted Grove and the new Cheshire Cafe!
Signage
We’ve changed here from the fruity display of the Enchanted Grove, featuring Chip and Dale (or chipmunks of some variety), to the Cheshire Cat logo on a sign that looks like it’s being held onto the structure with vines! Minute Maid is still sponsoring the booth.
Outside Appearance
The structure of the kiosk hasn’t changed much, but you can see that there is a new design on the front and side wainscoting and the accent color has changed from aqua to a [Read more…]
La Hacienda de San Angel Reservations Available After October 15th
A few more details have been released on La Hacienda de San Angel, opening mid-September in Walt Disney World’s Epcot.
Reservations will be available for dates after October 15th, and the dates from opening through October 15th will be a soft opening period (i.e. walk-up guests only).
The Disney Parks Blog caught up with Richard Debler, the president of San Angel Inn LLC, and Executive Chef Ernesto Zendejas, in charge of the big changes at the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot. Here are some of the new insights:
New “Flex-Space” Concept for Disney Dining
The space will be used as an air-conditioned dining room for La Cantina de San Angel next door during the day, and as a full-service restaurant after 4pm.
The Cuisine and Menu
Two taco specialists are being brought in from one of the best taquerias in Mexico to work with the La Hacienda team. Corn tortillas will be made fresh on the premises daily for La Hacienda and La Cantina (the counter-service restaurant next door). Tomato, chipotle and serrano, tomatillo, and mango salsas will be made fresh as well, and there will be unique flavors from different regions of Mexico represented, including cilantro and habenero flavors Southern Mexico.
Favorite La Hacienda de San Angel menu items include mini tacos, including [Read more…]
2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Preview
Since I’m not based in Florida, I asked my great friend and colleague (and Disney World Moms Panelist) Suzannah DiMarzio of ZannaLand, to attend the Tables in Wonderland preview of the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival in my place. She kindly obliged and put together this fantastic review of the evening! Of course, for all the latest information and breaking news, check out our 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival pages. Take it away, Zanna!
On July 8, 2010, I was given the amazing opportunity to be a special reporter for the Disney Food Blog and experience the Tables in Wonderland Food & Wine Festival Sneak Preview. This was the third Tables in Wonderland special event I’ve attended and the experience was, as always, uncompromisingly good. Here is a rundown of the evening’s service, all of which were previews for upcoming dishes at Epcot’s 15th Annual International Food & Wine Festival:
Arrival
The event took place in the retired Wonders of Life pavilion. It had been quite some time since I’d been inside, so it was really cool to see the building still there (though it could really use some pressure washing on the outside!) and most of the inside still intact. Of course it was sad not seeing the big Cranium Command sign, the cool exercise bikes that showed Main Street, USA, on the TV screens as you pedaled, and Body Wars.
We were escorted backstage through an area next to Body Wars at the old Frontiers exhibit (still there for the most part). We ascended in a beautiful, mirrored elevator to the second floor and what used to be the VIP Lounge when Wonders of Life was functioning with a sponsor.
Passed Appetizers
The moment we stepped off the elevator and found our place card with table location on it, we were given our first wine selection: Paul Cheneau “Lady” Blanc de Blanc Cava from Spain. It was a lovely sparkling wine that came in a beautiful bottle.
Soon servers came around with our reception selections: Roasted Corn and Cheese Empanada from the Argentina kiosk;
Lettuce Wraps with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw from the new kid on the block, South Korea; [Read more…]
Updates to Animal Kingdom Picnic in the Park
Picnic in the Park in its original format stopped being offered in 2010. After, a grab-and-go option was offered from Beastly Bazaar in Discovery Island. The Grab and Go meal came with a reusable bag. Meal choices for two ($17.99), three ($24.99) or four ($32.99) persons. Meals included: choice of sandwiches, chips, desserts, plus a bottled water. Guests with the Disney Dining Plan could use quick-service credits.
Beastly Bazaar closed in August 2012. Therefore, we are unsure if the grab and go picnic option was moved to another merchandise location. Stay tuned for more information.
2010 Info:
Hey all! Thanks to reader Nancy Toby, we’ve got updates to the Picnic in the Park situation:
Currently, Picnic in the Park is available to anyone via a grab-and-go area in the Beastly Bazaar in Discovery Island.
According to the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, “guests may purchase a picnic for a group of 2, 4, or 6 people and select a non-alcoholic beverage, a choice of sandwich, chips, and dessert. The sandwich choices include Turkey Focaccia; Ham and Salami on Ciabatta; Tuna on Pita; Vegetarian Wrap; and Chicken Caesar Wrap.”
Click this link to read our review of the original Picnic in the Park.