Tag Archives: Dining

Feb 9 2016

Same Day Dining Reservations At Jungle Skipper Canteen In Magic Kingdom

Skipper Canteen 17

Exciting news, hungry Jungle Cruise fans! For a limited time, same day dining reservations will be accepted at the new Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom. From February 12 through February 27, guests will be able to make lunch or dinner reservations the very same day. All you will need to do is visit JungleSkipperCanteen.com or call 407-993-1933. This is a great opportunity to check out the newest restaurant in Magic Kingdom without having to plan six months in advance!

If you aren’t familiar with the place, this brand new table service restaurant located in Adventureland features tropical décor, exotic cuisine, and is hosted by your favorite Jungle Cruise skippers.

There are three dining rooms in this 222 seat restaurant:

  • The crew’s colonial-era Mess Hall
  • The Jungle Room – former family parlor of Dr. Albert Falls himself
  • S.E.A. Room—a once-secret meeting place for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers

The menu is an adventurous one:

  • Skipper Canteen 16Dr. Falls’ Signature Grilled Steak, a strip loin marinated in sofrito and served with yuca planks, avocado and house-made chimichurri
  • Rice Noodle Bowl with an Asian pho broth with choice of chicken, duck breast or tofu served with jalapeños and mix of fresh herbs
  • Trader Sam’s Head-on Shrimp, with sustainable, local, farm-raised shrimp tossed in a chili-garlic sauce and served with Chinese broccoli and choice of five-grain or white rice
  • Coconut Bar with Pineapple-Basil Compote and Vanilla Cream – a vanilla chiffon cake with coconut and lime topped with white chocolate ganache
  • Kungaloosh! – African-inspired chocolate cake is served with caramelized bananas and cashew-caramel ice cream topped with coffee dust

Skipper Canteen 11And for the little skippers in your party:

  • Junior Skip’s Special Mac and Cheese is inspired by an Egyptian dish with ground beef, pasta, Béchamel Sauce and house-made cheese gratin, served with broccoli
  • Amazon Annie’s House-made Arepas with slow-cooked beef, black beans and queso fresco served with yuca planks
  • Sizzling Savanna Grilled Flank Steak with steamed broccoli and fingerling potatoes
  • Smiley’s Little Croc of Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Kids Volcano! – gooey chocolate cake with caramel lava and exploding chocolate rocks

Two non-alcoholic specialties will be served:

  • The Punch Line Punch – tropical fruit juice and mango puree (also available with a spiced rim for an extra zinger)
  • The Schweitzer Slush – frozen apple juice and passion fruit topped with bursting green apple boba balls

Skipper’s Canteen is open daily at 11:00am – closing time varies depending on park hours. Hope you enjoy it!

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Do you love the Jungle Cruise? Do you plan to try the Skipper Canteen?
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Jan 14 2016

The Ganachery In Disney Springs

Ganachery 4

The Cure For Common Chocolate!

With New Year’s Day (and those pesky resolutions) behind us and Valentine’s Day on the horizon, you know what I’ve been thinking about? Chocolate, of course! If you love chocolate as much as I do, I’ve got some fantastic news for you. In December, a brand new shop opened in Disney Springs – The Ganachery – aka heaven on earth for those of us addicted to the sweet dark goodness!

Ganachery 9And as with all things Disney, they have once again gone above and beyond with the details. This is not just your typical candy shop. “We like to tell a story, because when guests arrive they want to feel like it’s a real place,” says Imagineer Theron Skees. “Our cast members will bring our story to life and make our guests feel part of it.”

“It’s a fresh take on an old apothecary,” says Skees. Bottles, scales and other props inspired by drugstores of another era adorn the little shop. The walls are even painted the colors of chocolate and caramel. “The theming carries through right down to the packaging,” says Skees. “Traditional Apothecary labels are ‘blocked’ with spaces for weights, measurements and descriptions, so we were inspired by that idea and made it more modern for the elegant chocolate bars and chocolate boxes.” Thus the clever tagline, “the cure for common chocolate.”

But the real star of the show here is the custom-blended ganache, created with Disney’s special recipe of rich dark melted chocolate and cream, that is then covered in a chocolate waterfall to create 16 delicious flavors. “The trend in the United States is dark chocolate, and The Ganachery uses a bold, 65 percent dark chocolate made with a touch of vanilla for a beautiful balance of fruitiness and acidity,” explains Disney Pastry Chef Stefan Riemer.

If your mouth isn’t already watering, check out this video for more details!

Open daily at 10:00am, The Ganachery is located in The Landing at Disney Springs across from Paradiso 37. I plan to check this place out during my next trip, and I’ll be sure to let you know what I thought. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it! 😉

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Have you tried The Ganachery yet?
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Jan 6 2016

Tiffins To Open In Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tiffins 1

With the new additions coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this spring including Rivers of Light and the nighttime version of Kilimanjaro Safari, it was only a matter of time until Disney realized they would need more dining experiences to accommodate the evening crowds. Although Animal Kingdom has some of the better quick service options on property and more have been updated and added recently, the park is still lacking a bit in its table service choices. While Tusker House, Yak & Yeti, and the family friendly Rainforest Café are all solid selections, the capacity isn’t enough for a park full of hungry guests looking for a nice place to sit down and relax after a busy day touring. Just in time and slated to open this year along with the new nighttime experiences, a signature dining restaurant is coming to the park.

Tiffins will be open for lunch and dinner and will offer water views from both indoor and outdoor seating. Expect the menu to be exotic and diverse as it is being inspired by destinations used in the creation of the park itself. While no prices have been released yet, if it is typical of most signature dining at the resort, bring money! Meals generally range $30 – $60 per adult not including alcohol, tax, or gratuity. This is purely a guess, but with Rivers of Light being a hot new ticket when this place opens, I wouldn’t be shocked to see some sort of Rivers of Light Dining Package being offered as well.

Oh and what the heck is a Tiffin, you ask? Well, according to Disney: “Tiffin” is an Indian English word for a midday meal or a type of container used to carry food while traveling. Disney doesn’t overlook a single detail!

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Are you looking forward to more dining in Animal Kingdom?
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Jan 4 2016

Minnie’s Silver Screen Dine At Hollywood & Vine

Hollywood & Vine

Hooray for Hollywood!

Are you a fan of the Academy Awards? For the last few years, several of my friends and I have made a point to watch all of the films nominated for Best Picture, have lengthy discussions and debates about what we liked and what we didn’t, and of course, make our predictions of which one will win the coveted title. It’s our version of a Book Club except it is for movie lovers that don’t have time for reading much anymore. My Best Picture prediction has been spot on the last two years, and I’m hoping for the trifecta in 2016. Keeping my fingers crossed anyway!

If you happen to be visiting Disney World this Academy Award season like myself, not only can you catch one of the nominated films at the AMC theatre in Disney Springs, but Disney is offering a fun-for-the-whole-family character dining experience to help you enjoy the glamour of Hollywood – Minnie’s Silver Screen Dine at Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Here’s everything you need to know courtesy of Disney:

Minnie Mouse and her friends celebrate the magic of the movies and glamour of Hollywood with an epic feast at the new Minnie’s Silver Screen Dine at Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The all new character dining experience is hosted by Minnie and her pals and begins just in time for Academy Awards season.

Minnie's Holiday Dine 2Dinner guests will walk the red carpet and get ready for their close-up with some of the biggest stars of the silver screen. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy will all be there and dressed in their designer best. Mickey will greet guests and pose with them for photographs in the midst of the glitz and glamour before escorting them into the dinner party, where guests get the chance to meet Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy as they enjoy classic cuisine, themed to old Hollywood. This new party at Walt Disney World Resort is filled with dazzling décor, a sweeping musical score, award-winning food, activities and more.

Minnie’s Silver Screen Dine runs from January 4 through March 20, 2016. The cost is $46.99 per adult and $27.99 per child (ages 3 – 9), or one dining table service credit on the Disney Dining Plan. There is also a Fantasmic! Dining Package available that includes the character meal plus special VIP seating for Fantasmic! Prices for this package are $53.99 for adults and $42.99 for children. All prices exclude tax and gratuity. Reservations are available by clicking here or by calling 407-WDW-DINE. Make reservations now, remember seating is limited!

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Dec 29 2015

Thirsty River Bar And Trek Snacks In Animal Kingdom

Thirsty River Bar 1

Looking for a fun, new place to try while touring Animal Kingdom? Well, you are in luck. The Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks is now open! This brand new quick service spot located at the foot of Expedition Everest features a wide variety of unique foods and drinks for guests to enjoy. Here’s the scoop courtesy of Disney:

Thirsty River Bar 2Guests trekking through Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park will enjoy the new Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks. This adventurous food and beverage location rests near the foot of Expedition Everest and treats guests to an assortment of exotic drinks and eats.

The Trek Snacks menu varies throughout the day, with delicious pastries in the morning and more substantial bites such as sushi and sandwiches in the afternoon and evening. Breakfast pastries include assorted muffins and Danish, croissants and an indulgent chocolate twist. Healthful snacks offered include fresh fruit, crudité and hummus, edamame and an Asian noodle salad.

The Thirsty River Bar represents the type of cultural collision that has become a hallmark of the villages that serve as base camps for Everest trekkers. This must-stop location for climbers returning from their ascent features themed specialty cocktails, such as the Khumbu Icefall,  Himalayan Ghost and Durbar Margarita. Non-alcoholic beverages also are available, including the tropical-flavored Flying Yak and the Pink Lotus.

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Have you tried Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks?
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