food IS a theme park
The BIG GAME is almost here. We’re of course talking about Super Bowl Sunday!! There’s only one little problem, though: you’re in Walt Disney World. Now, normally, that would be all kinds of awesome. But when it’s Super Bowl Sunday, we’re betting that there will be lots of you looking to find a TV in time to catch the game.
Football field at Disney[‘s All-Star Sports Resort
A wonderful holiday tradition has returned to select Disney World Resorts. It’s time to feast your eyes on the larger-than-life Gingerbread Displays. Let’s take a tour, it’s Gingerbread time!!
Every year, I look forward to seeing the Gingerbread Carousel found at the Beach Club Resort right next to Disney World’s Epcot. Stop by to see the new horses making their way around the Merry-Go-Round!
Gingerbread Carousel at the Beach Club
The horses this year were crafted in dark chocolate. [Read more…]
Happy 45th Anniversary, Walt Disney World!
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
And Happy Anniversary to Disney World Annual Passholders, who can take part in the celebration by enjoying some brand new discounts at select dining and merchandise locations around Disney World for the anniversary year! [Read more…]
We know, we know… Back-to-School time is fast approaching (and in some spots, it’s already arrived!). But the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer aren’t quite over just yet, so we’ve still got some summer celebrating to do!
And, hey, the coming of Fall isn’t so bad, anyway. Not when we’ve got our very favorite autumnal event coming to the first stop on our tour in a matter of weeks. That’s why we’re kicking things off at Epcot to see What’s New!
The 2016 Epcot Food & Wine Festival will be here before we know it! Sure signs of its return are starting to appear around the park…
Epcot Food & Wine Festival Coming SOON!!
… as in, like, literal signs 😉 . Even the Miniature Train display in the Germany Pavilion has received its annual decorations!
Train Display in Germany
Train Display in Germany
Have you checked out the full list of Booth Menus to start strategizing your noshing plans yet?! It’s never too soon… the Festival starts on September 14th! [Read more…]
We get a lot of questions from readers here at DFB asking if the Disney Dining Plan is a good deal. One part of answering this question is doing the cut and dry calculations based upon a restaurant’s offerings. But the other part is determining if the restaurant is a good fit for your family. (For example, if Yachtsman Steakhouse offers a great bang for your buck when using the Dining Plan, but you’re a family of vegetarians, it probably isn’t the best choice! ;-D)
We were curious to determine which Disney Signature Restaurants offered the best deal or value pricewise — but also could be recommended by the experts here at DFB for atmosphere and food quality.
Here are our picks for the restaurants that offer the best value for your 2-credit Disney Dining Plan slots.
All over the World, it’s GINGERBREAD TIME!!! It’s a wonderful holiday tradition to feast your eyes on the larger-than-life Gingerbread Displays at several Deluxe Disney World Resorts before you feast your tummy on all the festive treats available during your visit!
Disney World Gingerbread House Tour
We’re going to take you on a visit to the major Gingerbread hot spots in Disney World, and we’ll start our Gingerbread tour at the Epcot area resorts…
My personal favorite is the Gingerbread Carousel found at the Beach Club. I always love to spot the new horses each year making their way on the Merry-Go-Round!
Beach Club Gingerbread Carousel
We’d love to introduce you to this year’s team of horses… here’s Julia! [Read more…]
New Year’s Eve celebrations aren’t hard to come by when you’re ringing in the New Year in Disney World!
New Year’s Eve Toast
Maybe you’ll be welcoming 2016 with a special showing of Wishes at the Magic Kingdom or Illuminations at Epcot. And, of course, every year there are extra admission-required events also available for guests to choose from.
We shared some of the special holiday happenings taking place on December 31st at locations like Monsieur Paul, Le Cellier, and California Grill in a previous post. But for those looking for an extra-big splurge… the Countdown to Midnight might be just the thing to add to your celebration.
The Yacht & Beach Club Convention Center will be the setting for this special event, which Disney is billing as a Progressive “3-in-1” Party featuring food and cocktails, as well as live entertainment and music.
The celebration begins at 8:00 PM (with check-in starting at 7:30 PM). First, take a walk down nostalgia lane while enjoying an “interactive comedy reunion at the Adventurer’s Club” (after stopping for a cocktail, beer, or wine at an open bar). Second, Club Live will set the stage for dancing to a live 9-piece band. Third, Club Vinyl will feature a 7-piece band playing jazzed-up versions of music from today in a “Preservation Hall” setting.
Additionally, special guest star Vanessa Williams has joined the lineup as the event’s headliner.
A View at Disney’s Yacht Club
Buffet and dessert stations and drinks are included with admission. And just before midnight, it will be time to put on a New Year’s Eve hat or tiara for the big countdown into 2016. Once the clock strikes twelve, a balloon drop and confetti blast will welcome the New Year, along with a champagne toast using your keepsake glass. [Read more…]
It’s here — we are officially 181 days out from Christmas!! Woohoo! Have you started your shopping yet?
Ha — me neither. But I do know that if I have any hope of scoring advance dining reservations for the uber busy holiday season at Walt Disney World, I need to be ready to book as soon as those lines open up tomorrow.
But how do I fit everything in that I want to do? By planning ahead, of course. And we want to help you do the same.
And that’s why we write the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays. Because I want your holiday visit to the ‘World to be nothing less than spectacular.
And when you pre-order the 2015 DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays right now, you’ll receive the 2014 edition immediately, for free.
Don’t forget — you have three ways to save on the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays Guide. Check our our 180 Days ‘Til Christmas Sale to learn more!
But hurry — our sale on this popular guide ends tomorrow at midnight!
Today, let’s explore
Fun news for those of you visiting Disney World this week!
Slow Food Orlando is sponsoring Eat Local Week in The City Beautiful — and it’s happening right now!
While the event showcases eating, drinking, and shopping local throughout the Central Florida Region, there are opportunities to celebrate local growers and producers by dining in some of our favorite Disney Restaurants.
Enjoy menus featuring locally-sourced ingredients all this week, showcasing ingredients from Florida farms, ranches, and fisheries.
And the list of participating Disney restaurants includes some of our tried and true favorites. Choose from The Wave…of American Flavors or California Grill in Disney’s Contemporary Resort. We’ve enjoyed delicious seasonal dishes in both.
A Beautiful View and the Season’s Best Flavors at California Grill
At Disney’s Grand Floridian, dine slow-food style at the beautiful Citricos. Or hop over to Disney’s BoardWalk for dinner at Flying Fish Cafe — hands down, one of my absolute favorite spots! (Read our latest review of Flying Fish here.)
The Flying Fish Cafe is Always an Excellent Choice, Especially for Seafood, Like Their Killer Crabcakes
But we aren’t finished! Yachtsman Steakhouse, known for perfectly prepared steaks and seasonally-inspired sides, will also be participating. Finally, end your Eat Local tour at [Read more…]
Today, we have a real treat for you. It’s time to highlight a special dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse.
This signature dining spot, located at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, offers up a full array of classic steakhouse fare. But you’ll also find innovative dishes with an emphasis on using seasonal ingredients.
While we often find our favorites still on the menu during a visit, we can always count on some surprises. We had the pleasure of dining there with some friends on a recent trip, and I just had to share with you a glimpse of our special meal.
I always enjoy a visit to Yachtsman Steakhouse. (Check out this dinner review of a full meal we enjoyed here recently.) While the atmosphere isn’t particularly inspired, we’ve had some truly amazing meals here!
A quick look at the menu will show you what I mean about the combination of steakhouse-classics-meets-seasonally-inspired fare. And notice the emphasis on Charcuterie — something we’re seeing in other signature restaurants like California Grill as well.
Menu — Click to Enlarge
But even though it’s tough to make a choice from all of those steaks, we were after just one thing: the 32 Ounce Porterhouse for Two.
After we placed our order, we were surprised with an Amuse Bouche — this Savory Mickey Waffle! This had to be just about the most adorable started to a meal, ever. The Sweet Potato Waffle was delicious, and I loved all of the little touches on the plate.
An Amuse Bouche Featuring a Savory Mickey Waffle
Soon, however, we were ready to dig into the main course — that beautiful Porterhouse! It’s presented tableside already cut into pieces. I thought this was a great touch, and made sharing a much neater situation.
You can see that the meat was cooked to the medium rare temperature that we requested. In fact, it was a little on the rare side. The dry-aging process lends complexity and depth to the flavor and makes the meat very tender.
The steak comes with plenty more to share as well, including the Trio of Classic Steakhouse Sides: creamed spinach, mushrooms, and onions.
32 Ounce Porterhouse for Two with Trio of Classic Steakhouse Sides
And I couldn’t help but order the killer [Read more…]
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