food IS a theme park
Pixar, Pixar, Pixar: you’re keeping us busy here at the DFB! With the fabulous grand opening of Pixar Pier at Disneyland Resort and the barely-out-of-the-box Toy Story Land that just opened at Walt Disney World, we’re on Pixar overload (and WE LOVE IT).
Heading to the Incredicoaster
Rose & Crown Pub and Dining Room
is a favorite of many Walt Disney World guests — and it’s easy to see why.
The charm of this table service restaurant is apparent from the curb, as the facades of the United Kingdom in Epcot’s World Showcase blend from one architectural era to the next. And inside the doors? The charm continues.
But all the charm in the world doesn’t mean a thing if the food isn’t good — and here, it’s good. Almost across the board, we’ve enjoyed our visits to Rose & Crown, no matter whether we dined in the Dining Room or in the Rose & Crown Pub that’s adjacent to the restaurant proper.
On our last visit, we tried a Battered Bangers and Mash dish in the pub, but on this most recent visit, we were in the mood for the Dining Room — and those entrees!
Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room
Rose & Crown impresses from the jump, with the exteriors heavy and classic. We love the dark green window casings of the Rose & Crown Pub.
If you’re one of the many, MANY people who are taking in all the sights of Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’re going to need to recharge your batteries at some point, as we TOYS say! Enter Woody’s Lunch Box! This Quick Service spot is ca-razy fun, with clever details everywhere you look.
Woody’s Lunch Box
We’ve tried EVERYTHING on the menu, and a few things more than once (hello TOTCHOS ?), but unless you’ve got a bottomless stomach (or several TSL visits planned!), you’ll need to narrow that menu down to the MUST EATS. So here ya go, cowboys and cowgirls — the Five Things You HAVE to Eat in Toy Story Land!
Deciding where to dine in the World Showcase at Walt Disney World’s Epcot is no easy feat.
And the France Pavilion makes a strong case for itself — as well it should, representing a country whose cuisine is legendary. The dining options in France cover all the bases. Monsieur Paul features signature dining upstairs in the Pavilion, while Les Chefs de France offers table service in true Parisian bistro fashion.
Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles serves up quick service eats like a Jambon Beurre Sandwich and soups — plus stunning pastries. And if you want a frozen treat, L’Artisan des Glaces offers sorbet and ice cream in lovely flavors.
We enjoy all of the dining options in France, but on my most recent visit, I stopped into Les Chefs de France for a table service meal full of French favorites! Does Les Chefs de France live up to the lofty expectations its pedigree belies?
Les Chefs de France
Les Chefs de France is located front and center on the street level of the France Pavilion. You’ll spot the deep red awning over the entrance and the classic French architecture that lets you know you are, indeed, stepping into une autre pays.
Pixar is firing on all cylinders on both coasts — at Pixar Pier and Pixar Fest in Disneyland Resort and with the impending grand opening of Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World! (We’ve had a blast there at the Media Preview today!) Even the Resorts in Walt Disney World are getting in on the action.
Remember that amazing Toy Story themed mousse brownie we highlighted a few days ago? That was the first of the most adorable set of Toy Story Goodies we’ve seen this side of Andy’s Backyard!
New Pixar Ball Chocolate Mousse Brownie at Roaring Fork
Enter Beach Club Marketplace and its completely adorable, utterly delicious, ridiculously awesome Toy Story Cookie Dough Cake Pops!!
Toy Story Cookie Dough Cake Pops
Yup, you read that correctly: Cookie. Dough. Cake. Pops. And they are so good. First of all, we love the designs: the iconic cloud wallpaper (spot that Hidden Mickey!), the Pixar Ball, and Woody’s plaid shirt and sheriff’s badge! [Read more…]
Among the outstanding dining experiences in Epcot’s France Pavilion at Walt Disney World is a L’Artisan des Glaces, the pavilion’s quick service ice cream and sorbet spot.
This charming little (and we do mean little) shop used to be France’s pastry shop Boulangerie Patisserie, which was replaced, relocated, and renamed Boulangerie Patisserie Les Halles about five years ago.
L’Artisan des Glaces in Epcot’s France Pavilion
But what L’Artisan des Glaces lacks in space, it more than makes up for in quality.
Purchasing the Disney Dining Plan (or scoring free DDP!) for your Walt Disney World vacation can mean real value for your vacation dining — but some uses of those Disney Dining Plan credits (officially called entitlements) are better than others.
Cinderella Castle Views
This time, it’s all about the one-credit table service Disney Dining Plan! We scour menus to try to find the monetary values, but we also consider food quality and the atmosphere in which guests dine. Because it doesn’t matter how much money you’re saving by using your credits if the restaurant’s environment and food are duds.
Easily one of the most spectacular restaurants in terms of decor and ambiance, Morimoto Asia in Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs also offers tremendous value. But the best part? The food is outstanding!
Orange Chicken
Dinner at Morimoto Asia is a signature affair and requires two DDP credits, but for 2018, lunch remains one credit — and it’s a credit very well spent! Some entrees here cost nearly $40, and there are plenty of options for alcoholic beverages if you’re looking to up your value even further.
at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios is set to open on June 30, and with just days to go before the big reveal, it’s now on the map!
Toy Story Land as seen on My Disney Experience! ©DisneyParksBlog
That’s right: the handy My Disney Experience app we’ve all come to know and love has added Walt Disney World’s newest land — with a note that it’s “Opening June 30, 2018”.
is the last sweets spot standing at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios after the closure of both Starring Rolls and Sweet Spells in the past year, but happily Trolley Car has adopted several of our favorite desserts.
Trolley Car Cafe
It’s no secret we love Contempo Cafe. Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World — and just a monorail stop away from the Magic Kingdom — Contempo Cafe is a quick service spot that consistently serves some of our favorite fast eats. We’ve long craved the Pot Roast here, but with flatbreads and burgers and desserts galore, you and your crew can’t go wrong.
Contempo Cafe Entrance
On this visit, everything was totally awesome. It makes for some great eating and some fun blogging, if I’m being honest. First up: the Contempo Smokehouse Burger. This beauty (yup, a burger can be beautiful) is an Angus Chuck Burger topped with Smoked Bacon Marmalade, Cheddar Cheese, and a huge Onion Ring. There’s a Brioche Bun holding it all together, too.
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