reservations | the disney food blog

FULL REVIEW: Pixar Fest Afternoon Tea in Disneyland Hotel

When Disneyland Resort introduced a brand new Pixar Fest Afternoon Tea a couple of weeks ago, we were chomping at the bit to learn more — and to get in on that tea and sandwiches action! The Pixar Fest Afternoon Tea is a part of the on-going (and delicious!) Pixar Fest, so guests can reserve tea through September 3, when the festival ends.

We were there on DAY 1 to enjoy it, so let’s head over to Steakhouse 55 and enjoy afternoon tea!

Steakhouse 55 Located Inside the Disneyland Hotel

The cost of the Pixar Fest Afternoon Tea is $52-$65 per adult and $35 per child, and its location at Steakhouse 55 raised our expectations. We’d already had a great experience at Steakhouse 55 for regular old afternoon tea. Imagine what would happen when they Pixar-fied it!

[Read more…]

Possible Details and Dates for the 2017 Disney World Free Dining Offer

By AJ 21 Comments

It’s that time of year again – time to start placing your bets on when the 2017 Free Disney Dining Plan will be announced. We all know how popular free dining has become in recent years and we’re betting that this year won’t be any different!

Mickey Waffles!

If you’re not familiar, the Disney free dining offer includes a free Disney Dining Plan with the purchase of a Walt Disney World Resort hotel and ticket package. The “free” part of the name pulls you in, just remember that you’ll be paying full price for your resort hotel room when you book free dining.

In the past, free dining was announced for less crowded (non-peak) times during the year – late summer, early fall, and early winter (before the holiday season). But let’s be honest, there’s really no such thing as a non-peak season anymore. So we’re expecting this year’s free Disney Dining dates will include more summer dates, in addition to the usual fall and early-winter (non-holiday) dates.

[Read more…]

Review: Lunch at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Including Testing of New Service Style)

By AJ 24 Comments

Velkommen til Akershus!

Learn About:
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall — Princess Storybook Restaurant

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

Today we’re visiting Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot’s Norway! This Pavilion has certainly seen its fair share of changes over the past year or so, primarily due to the influence of all things “Frozen.” The biggest headline of them all, of course, was the closing of the Maelstrom attraction in October 2014 (prompting a memorial Maelstrom Margarita at La Cava del Tequila in the neighboring Mexico Pavilion) to make way for “Frozen Ever After,” anticipated for a 2016 opening.

But that’s not the only change. We learned that Akershus — best known as being home to the Princess Storybook Dining character meal — had undergone a test alteration of its own. Typically featuring a cold buffet (Norwegian Koldtbord) along with hot breakfast, lunch, or dinner entrees served at your table, a test run recently brought about a new service style to Akershus. While it remains an All-You-Care-to-Eat option, the cold buffet was closed and several of the previous options are now brought to the table and served family style as part of a trial run at this popular restaurant.

This test has since ended, but we were told that it’s now up to guest feedback as to whether it comes back permanently.

Akershus Sign

Let’s head back inside the fortress walls to see what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what we think about this proposed update to the serving style at Akershus! [Read more…]

News! California Grill Reservations Now Available on Certain Dates in Fall 2013

By AJ 33 Comments

For those (like me!) who have eagerly been awaiting the news about booking a reservation for the post-refurbishment California Grill restaurant in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, we’ve got a few new details for you!

Snagging a Table by the Window at California Grill is an Absolute Must!

While there’s no solid date for California Grill to re-open yet, reservations ARE currently available on November 18th. The reservations agent I spoke to said that booking times were also available after this date. (This means that for the next couple of days, you’ll need to have a Disney resort reservation and be calling at exactly 180 days out, using your opportunity to book 10 days after your check-in date in order to make a reservation.)

It’s my guess that they cannot open reservations earlier in the year until they have the final opening date set, but that they’ll be coming soon!

Availability is always subject to change, but I wanted to be sure those of you eager to book were made aware of every last detail. As is often the case with new reservations opening up, your experience could be different (you can see in the comments that some folks have not been able to book) — but keep calling [Read more…]

Be Our Guest Restaurant Reservation Information and Issues

By AJ 78 Comments

3:00pm UPDATE: We’re being told by readers that at this point, reservations made for Be Our Guest via the automated system that do not have a credit card guarantee will not be cancelled (thank goodness). It’s still a roller coaster ride, my friends. I was told this morning that they would be cancelled, but many readers have written to let me know that the tune seems to have changed this afternoon. Call to be sure, but it looks like we’re out of the weeds.
_____________

Well, what a morning it’s been! For those of you who have battled the phone lines as I have, I feel your pain. Here are a few learnings and warnings from this morning…also some action steps:

Automated Booking Service and Credit Card Numbers

For those who booked reservations for Be Our Guest Restaurant through the automated booking service this morning (i.e. you did NOT speak to an actual human being), these reservations have not been held with a credit card guarantee and may be cancelled today due to a glitch. You will need to call back on the dining line today and modify your reservation, adding a credit card number guarantee.

My personal experience: I booked via the automated line and ended up battling busy signals for over an hour before finally getting back through to the system. The dining reservation agent I spoke to put me through to the Dining Help line. The Dining Help line agent added my credit card number to the reservations and gave me new confirmation numbers.

If you do this, continue to confirm your reservations today and tomorrow as a precaution.

Current State of Reservations

Currently, I’ve heard nothing negative about reservations that were booked through an actual agent today. Those should still be in place.

For those of us still trying to get reservations, from what I can tell many Disney dining and reservations lines are still busy, and many dates in [Read more…]

La Hacienda de San Angel Reservations Available After October 15th

By AJ 11 Comments

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…]

Changes to Disney World’s Online Dining Reservation System

By AJ 19 Comments

Disney World recently announced a few changes to the online dining reservations system launched last Spring. To book, head over to the DisneyWorld.com website.

Most Noticeable Changes

The front page is now segmented into different dining experiences, including Signature Dining (which cost 2 dining credits on the Disney Dining Plan and are more costly than other restaurants), Character Dining, Most Popular Restaurants, Dinner Shows, and Special Experiences (like the Fantasmic Dinner Package).
The top of the front page now offers you the chance to search for restaurants based on cuisine type, dining experience, location, or restaurant name.
The front page is now a quick-search where you can input dates and times needed without going to the actual reservation page for the individual restaurants. (This is probably the best and most useful improvement, IMHO.)

Here’s a screen shot of the new quick-search system: