Tag Archives: Contemporary

Aug 6 2016

Countdown To Midnight New Year’s Eve Party

Ring in 2017 in Style

Walt Disney World is a perfect place to ring in the New Year. There are many magical ways to celebrate including the huge Countdown To Midnight bash at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

Countdown To Midnight

This festive party will be held on December 31, 2016 at the Convention Center at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Check in for the event will begin at 7:00pm, the party will start at 8:00pm, and continue until 1:00am. Admission is $225 per person and includes tax and gratuity.

According to Disney…Guests can ring in 2017 in the Fantasia Ballroom by dancing to music spanning from the ’60s to today, and trying “best-of-the-best” bites and wine pairings from California Grill, Flying Fish, Cítricos and Narcoossee’s. Guests can also enjoy the group Alter Ego as they perform their extravagant music- and dance-filled revue, then stroll outside to catch a unique musical act playing songs of today with a retro twist. The event will be highlighted with Magic Kingdom Park fireworks viewing and a champagne toast. There will also be themed photo backdrops and props to help you capture the memories of the evening and receive a souvenir to commemorate the night. Plus complimentary transportation will be provided for select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Important Info

Disney World New YearsHere are some important things to know about Countdown To Midnight:

  • In order to consume alcohol at the event, guests must be 21 years of age or older, and present a valid government issued photo id.
  • Additional information regarding transportation and parking will be provided to event Guests in the coming months.
  • Guests who do not cancel their reservation within 48 hours of the event will forfeit the entire ticket price.
  • All menu items and event experiences are subject to change without notice.

If you are thinking of attending Countdown To Midnight, please remember tickets are limited and will sell quickly. To purchase tickets, please click here or call 407-939-3463.

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Will you be visiting Walt Disney World for New Year’s Eve?
Will you be attending Countdown To Midnight? Please leave a comment!

Dec 22 2015

Sunday Brunch At California Grill

CA Grill Brunch

A new breakfast option will soon be on the horizon. Beginning February 7, 2016, guests can enjoy a delicious Sunday Brunch being served at California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. What’s this new dining experience all about, you ask? Well, here’s the scoop courtesy of Disney:

California Grill atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort soars to new heights with ‘Brunch at the Top,’ a new Sunday dining experience beginning February 7, 2016. For the first time, guests can enjoy the beautiful daytime skyline of Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot and Disney resort hotels from the magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows at the California Grill restaurant while savoring a brunch of fresh, market-driven cuisine.

CA Grill Brunch 6‘Brunch at the Top’ is an immersive dining experience where guests can interact with the culinary team in the open show kitchen while sampling charcuterie, sushi and market-inspired salads.

The culinary adventure begins with an assortment of house-made breakfast pastries delivered to the table, including caramel apple Monkey bread and Tillamook Cheddar biscuits.

Guests will then visit the show kitchen for an assortment of small tastes, such as house-smoked orange honey ham, deviled Lake Meadow Naturals eggs, shrimp and grits with Gulf White Shrimp,  grilled flat iron steak with soft poached eggs, and hardwood cooked salmon.

Then guests choose their next course, delivered tableside:

  • Pan-Fried Buttermilk Organic Chicken Cutlet with Haricots Verts, Toasted Almonds, Frisée, Beurre Noisette;
  • Sweet Potato Pancakes with Caramelized Heirloom Apples, Dried Cranberry and Raisin Compote, Vanilla
  • Custard, Warm Canadian Maple Syrup;
  • Shrimp and Grits, Gulf White Shrimp with Tillamook Cheddar Grits, Spicy Tomato Broth,
    Espellette-Spiced Tomato Ragout;
  • Poached Lobster Benedict with Butter-Poached Tail, Two Soft-Poached Eggs, Honey Ham,
    Yuzu Hollandaise, Marble Potato Hash;
  • Chef’s Frittata with Three Lake Meadow Farms Eggs, Florida Heirloom Tomatoes, Roasted Poblanos, Chorizo, Creamy Goat Cheese, Marble Potato Hash;
  • Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Soft Poached Eggs, Chimichurri, Marble Potato Hash and Charred Red Onion.

The brunch concludes with an assortment of sweet mini-desserts, macarons and chocolate truffles. The decadent multi-course meal includes an over-the-top Bloody Mary Bar, cocktails and craft brews, as well as a signature brunch cocktail and faux “mimosas” for kids.

Brunch will be served each Sunday from 10:00am -1:00pm for $80, $48 ages 3 to 11. Reservations can be made by calling 407-WDW-DINE or online by clicking here. Guests are asked to adhere to a dress code when dining at California Grill; click here for more details.

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Will you be giving the “Brunch at the Top” a try?
Please leave a comment!

Aug 26 2015

Disney Family Culinary Adventure

Family Culinary Adventure

Are you someone that looks forward to Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival all year? Are your favorite channels The Food Network and The Cooking Channel? Well, if you consider yourself a foodie or a wannabe chef, you’ve got to check out the newest backstage offering at Disney World – The Disney Family Culinary Adventure! Here’s the scoop courtesy of Disney:

Ever wonder how to make a buttery pasta noodle or fork-tender filet mignon? The new “Disney Family Culinary Adventure” at Disney’s Contemporary Resort whisks guests backstage for a fun, interactive evening that includes plenty of time with the Disney chefs, hands-on cooking and a festive, five-course dinner with beer and wine served in the kitchen by the professional catering staff.

Family Culinary Adventure 2Aimed at guests 9 and older, the evening starts at 5 p.m. with a friendly introduction to the massive catering kitchen. A maximum of 30 guests put on aprons, hats and gloves and are divided into five cooking groups. And every station has a wow technique, from the ease of making homemade butter (equal parts buttermilk and heavy cream) to a fresh pasta with just three ingredients.

“We want to show them the tricks of the trade,” says Chef Frank Brough. “It’s a guided experience but they do everything from making cheese and butter to rolling out pasta and breaking down a whole beef tenderloin.”

Family Culinary Adventure 4The five stations:

  • Garde manger, is the French term for food produced in the cold kitchen, where guests learn how to make farmer cheese, from-scratch butter, and how to plate a gourmet salad.
  • Sushi, with sushi chefs teaching the art of rolling sushi and sashimi. (This station may rotate with other culinary ideas.)
  • Boucherie, or butcher station, where guests learn how to trim a beef tenderloin to make the perfect filet mignon.
  • Pasta, with just three ingredients (semolina, olive oil and egg), guests learn to make tender noodles from scratch, along with fresh basil pesto.
  • Patisserie, or bakery, where guests get to play with chocolate, mousse and other sweet endings.

Once the food prep is complete, guests move freely about the big kitchen to chat with the chefs – no culinary question goes unanswered. It takes about an hour for all the prep work, then everyone is seated at a long table in the center of the kitchen to enjoy the five-course meal they’ve just prepared. (Vegetarian, vegan and selections for guests with allergies are options for dinner.)

Family Culinary Adventure 3Lights are dimmed, background music plays, and a toast begins the special meal, where each course is served with wine and beer. At the meal’s end a special molecular gastronomy demonstration wows guests (we’ll keep that a secret), and they receive a special toque (chef’s hat) to take home, along with a Disney cookbook signed by the chefs. A Disney PhotoPass photographer will be on hand to capture photos of the group during the experience, and the photos will be available to view and purchase on DisneyPhotoPass.com.

“We really want them to leave the kitchen with ideas for a spectacular dinner party that they can do at home without opening a can or reaching for something frozen,” says Chef Brough.

The program is planned two evenings a week (days vary), starting at 5 pm. Cost is $175 plus tax, $125 plus tax for ages 9 to 12. (Younger guests may have their own cooking station.) Complimentary transportation is provided for Walt Disney Resort hotel guests. To book or for more information, call 407-WDW-PLAY.

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Do you enjoy cooking? Will you try the new adventure?
Please leave a comment!

May 18 2015

Chef Mickey’s Brunch Begins May 31, 2015

Chef Mickeys

Soon there will be another place to grab lunch with some of your favorite characters at Disney World. On May 31, Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort will begin serving brunch in addition to their normal breakfast and dinner buffets. The brunch menu will include breakfast favorites, soups, salads, veggies, antipasto, barbecue ribs, chicken, an ice cream bar, assorted bakery items, and more. Brunch will be served from 11:30am – 2:30pm each day and can be enjoyed while you visit with Mickey and the gang. Reservations will open up Friday, May 22 and can be made online or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Excited about Chef Mickey’s Brunch? Are you booking a reservation?
Please leave a comment!

Nov 20 2014

Disney World News – Frozen Gingerbread Castle

Frozen Gingerbread Castle

Frozen Gingerbread CastleIt’s that wonderful time of year again when Disney goes all out decorating every square inch of the resort for the holidays. We aren’t just talking Osborne Family Lights and Frozen transformed Cinderella Castle friends, every resort hotel is also included in the festivities. This year at the Contemporary Resort, guests are being treated to an all-new Gingerbread Holiday Ice Castle on the 4th floor Grand Canyon Concourse inspired by Disney’s animated hit Frozen. This 17 foot tall masterpiece is embellished with snowflakes, sugar and chocolate-coated trees. And, of course, it wouldn’t be complete without our favorite characters Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven. There is also an Ice Castle Kiosk where you can purchase Frozen themed merchandise, build-your-own snowman marshmallow kits, Frozen ice desserts and gingerbread treats.

Thinking about making your own Frozen Gingerbread Castle? Here’s what they used:

  • 423 lbs. of chocolate
  • 514 lbs. of flour
  • 212 eggs
  • 67 lbs. of spices
  • 35 lbs. of sugar syrup
  • 311 lbs. of honey
  • 222 lbs. of icing
  • 1,500 gingerbread shingles

Check out this fun time-lapse video of the Gingerbread Castle being assembled:

If you get the chance to see this masterpiece in person this year,
be sure to look for the 14 “hidden Olafs” in the display.
Happy Holidays!

(photos and video courtesy of Disney)