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Monthly Archives: May 2015

Star Wars Weekends – Disney’s Hollywood Studios

29 Friday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Activities, Walt Disney Tour/Special Event, Walt Disney World

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disney, Hollywood Studios, Star Wars Weekends, wdw

Chewbacca

Chewbacca

I love Star Wars weekends. My birthday almost coincides exactly with the original Star Wars release date, pretty cool! I’ll be celebrating at Hollywood Studios. There is a lot I want to see this year that I haven’t seen, plus there are some new things this year, like the Star Wars Rebel Hangar. I want to see Ewoks gosh darnit!

The special Star Wars themed fireworks and pre-fireworks show are amazing. The special dining events at Sci-Fi Drive In and Hollywood & Vine look fun. I was hoping to reserve a special VIP package this year, but it looks like the one I wanted is booked up. I’ll have to try to get a reservation in earlier next year.

May the force be with you!

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Main Street Bakery’s Cinnamon Buns

27 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Bakeries, Desserts, Walt Disney World

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Best Cinnamon Bun Ever, disney, Gaston's Tavern, magic kingdom, Magic Kingdom Bakery, Main Street Bakery, wdw

Main Street Bakery Cinnamon Buns

Main Street Bakery Cinnamon Buns

I really miss Main Street Bakery’s Cinnamon Buns. They were hands down the best cinnamon buns I’ve ever had in my life. For those of you who never had one, believe me, they were amazing.

When they replaced Main Street Bakery with a Starbucks franchise, I was hoping it would have been a hybrid, where they kept the original offerings of Disney’s bakery, but added Starbucks coffee. However, that is completely not the case. The Starbucks at Disney are 99.9% Starbucks, 0.01% Disney. At best you will find a couple cupcakes with Oreo “ears” to make it look like Mickey and you can pay with a Disney gift card, pretty sad. For anyone who used to go to the Main Street Bakery you can’t help but feel a little bit sad at losing the real Main Street Bakery.

The cinnamon buns at Gaston’s Tavern pale in comparison. They are not even worth eating in my opinion. They are too dry, they are not as soft and puffy (the original Main Street Bakery Cinnamon Bun was similar to a hot Krispy Kreme donut in CB form), the Gaston version is covered in maple icing, rather than plain vanilla icing, and they aren’t nearly as fresh as they were at Main Street Bakery, where they were constantly swapping out Cinnamon Buns and bringing fresh trays about every 5 minutes. I don’t even know how Disney can even think the Gaston’s version is acceptable.

I wonder if anyone else misses the pre-Starbucks Main Street Bakery…

Kids aren’t the only ones who get cranky at Disney!

26 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Walt Disney World

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Animal Kingdom, disney, disney meltdown, Disney World, Fast Passes, Hollywood Studios, Magic Bands, magic kingdom, wdw

Angry Donald Kids aren’t the only ones who get cranky at Disney!

Although, I can usually handle quite a bit of stress before going ballistic, and perhaps most of you can handle the stress as well; but not everyone can, being at Disney with someone who gets super stressed can be a challenge. Knowing what sets them off can sometimes help, but even then, you can’t always prevent or accommodate someone in every situation.

It can happen to anyone, we all have a little Angry Donald Duck in us that sometimes gets out. There are a lot of things going on, a lot of people, and a lot of stressors – crowds, lines, noise, throngs of people, being bumped into by strollers, disappointment of missing a show or ride or character meeting, mix-ups with your reservations, Magic Band hassles, and a lot more. To top it all off, low-blood sugar and being hangry (combination of hungry and angry) can be a problem.

First of all, if a meltdown does happen, try to stay as calm as possible, it’s no use to also get angry. Try to handle the situation logically. For people who don’t like crowds, try to work around it by using the FastPass+ system and reserve your rides in advance. Try to take time away from crowds, less popular rides are great for chilling out, like the Carousel of Progress, the Enchanted Tiki Room, the People Mover, or Tom Sawyer’s Island. Mid-day is a nice time to head back to the hotel and use the pool or take a rest.

I highly recommend checking out the Sorcerer’s of The Magic Kingdom game (see the Firehouse on Mainstreet or podium at the back of the Christmas shop) and also the Pirate Recruitment center to play A Pirate’s Adventure. These are interactive games that allow you to battle villains or find pirate treasure. Avoid peak times and lines when possible.

Extra Magic Hours can be a real boon to those who use it, you can sometimes get many rides and attractions done in much less time. For those who hate noise, be sure to carry earplugs, this will help with fireworks noise and other things than can bother those in your group.

If you are with anyone with special dietary needs or hypoglycemia (low-blood sugar) try to make sure to schedule meals and snacks. It would be great to carry around protein bars, or other appropriate snacks in case of emergency. My husband suffers from bouts of low-blood sugar, and it comes on quite suddenly and it is very difficult to manage when someone is feeling ill.

When staying at Disney, a lot of places close, and there is not many food options after 10pm. If we are staying on property, we have to make sure to bring or buy something to eat for later after the restaurants close.

For a lot of the other things that are out of your control, like reservation problems, Magic Band issues, etc. try to set a good example for others, a lot of times people will feed off each others emotions, if one person gets angry it causes others to be angry as well, if you can manage to play off set backs as being “not a big deal” others should follow.

Hopefully your next trip to Walt Disney World is magical one.

Whispering Canyon Cafe – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

24 Sunday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Restaurants, Walt Disney World

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Country Food, Dinner Skillet, disney, Disney Dining Plan, Family Style Dinner, wdw, Whispering Canyon Cafe

Salad

Salad

Organic Mixed Greens Salad – Washington State apples, candied pecans, Rogue Blue Cheese, and apple cider vinaigrette $6.99

Quinoa Cakes

Quinoa Cakes

Skillet-Fired Red Quinoa Cakes – with Edamame Salsa, Organic Greens (substituted Mashed Potatoes) and cucumber yogurt $18.49

Chicken Dinner

Chicken Dinner

Roasted Chicken Platter – with mashed yukon gold potatoes, seasonal vegetables and baked beans $21.99

Whispering Canyon Cafe has some great food, I especially love their mashed potatoes! Even though they changed the recipe a while back (they used to have more herbs and butter and just looked like smashed potatoes), they still are some of the best mashed potatoes at Disney.

If you are really hungry, I suggest getting the dinner skillet. Everything is excellent, I don’t eat much red meat, but their chicken is awesome, and I usually make an exception and eat some of their Western-style Sausage.

All – You – Care – to – Eat, with Family Style Mixed Greens tossed in an Apple Vinaigrette dressing and fresh-baked cornbread, Slow-Smoked Pork Ribs, Barbecued Pulled Pork, Roasted Chicken, Oak-roasted Beef Strip Loin and Western-style Sausage, served with Seasonal Farm Fresh Vegetables, Mashed Yukon Potatoes, Cowboy-style Baked Beans, and Corn on the Cob.

(Pricing varies) $29.99-33.99 per person

Karamell-Küche – Germany Pavilion – Epcot

21 Thursday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Bakeries, Desserts, Walt Disney World

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Caramel Kitchen, Desserts, disney, Disney Snack Credit, epcot, Epcot Bakeries, Epcot Specialty shop, Germany, Karamell Kuche, wdw, Werther's Caramels

Karamell Kuche

Karamell-Küche

Karamell-Küche is located in the Germany Pavilion in Epcot. The shop is specializes in caramel treats, all hand crafted, dipped apples and fruits, caramel and chocolate confections, freshly made caramel popcorn, caramel cookies, and more. The shop is basically a Werther’s store, I think it is the only freestanding Werther’s store in the world! You can purchase all manner of prepackaged Werther’s products. I love their caramels, which thankfully you can buy at most grocery stores. But if you happen to be at Epcot, you should stop by this special bakery and pick up something fresh from the bakery case to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Lump Crab Cake – Martha’s Vineyard Lounge at Disney’s Beach Club Resort

20 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Bars & Lounges, Restaurants, Walt Disney World

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Beach Club, Beach Club Bar, Crab Cakes, disney, Disney Crab Cakes, Lump Crab Cake, Martha's Vineyard Lounge, wdw

Lump Crab Cake

Lump Crab Cake

Martha’s Vineyard Lounge – Disney’s Beach Club

Lump Crab Cake – corn succotash and house-made tartar sauce with capers $11.49

This dish was very rich, the tartar sauce went well with the crab cake. The succotash was good, just a tad bit on the salty side. Overall, this was really good. I would recommend sharing one.
I was hoping to get a nice fresh salad, I was hoping they had one, but they have a very limited menu here. They used to have seafood tacos which were awesome, but the bartender said they changed their menu back around Superbowl, and added wings and gourmet potato chips instead…meh…

Best Calamari at Walt Disney World…drum roll please!

19 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Restaurants, Walt Disney World

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Tags

Best Calamari at Disney, disney, epcot, Mama Melrose, Seafood, Tony's Town Square, Tutto Gusto, Tutto Italia, Via Napoli, WDW Disney Dining

Tutto Italia Calamari

Tutto Italia (Tutto Gusto) Calamari

I know some people get bent out of shape if you say “Best” instead of “favorite”, but if you have found better calamari at Disney then I’d love to hear about it – because I haven’t. I’ve had calamari from at least 4 different places, Mama Melrose, Tony’s Town Square, Via Napoli, and Kouzzina immediately come to mind, and they didn’t quite compare to the calamari at Tutto Italia/Tutto Gusto (at Tutto Gusto you can order off the Tutto Italia menu). Although Via Napoli would be my runner up choice.

The calamari served here is always fantastic. The picture just doesn’t do it justice.
Here is why I think it is the best.

1) Not dried out. Some places deep fry it so much that the calamari gets dried out. These pieces are not dried out, they are thicker in cut and cooked just right, and an added bonus – no tentacles (I know some people like them).

2) Excellent breading and seasoning. Most places have awful breading or no flavor, I like the breading they use here.

3) Not greasy. Many places serve calamari that is too greasy.

4) Finally, their sauce is excellent and tastes fresh. Note: If you do not like red pepper flakes, you should let them know when you order, they sprinkle a little in the sauce as a garnish.

The only negative thing I could even possibly say is that it is expensive, although the online menu says $16, I believe the last time we were here for dinner our bill said $22 for this plate of calamari. I’m not sure why it seems like we were overcharged, or perhaps the menu online is incorrect. If I happen to come across the receipt, I’ll double-check it and update my post.

But in any case, I prefer quality over quantity.

Dinner at The Wave – Disney’s Contemporary Resort

17 Sunday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Bars & Lounges, Restaurants, Walt Disney World

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Bay Lake Tower, BLT Restaurant, Contemporary Resort, disney, Disney Dining, Disney Restaurant, Disney's Contemporary Resort, The Wave, The Wave Lounge, wdw

Fish Tacos - The Wave

Fish Tacos – The Wave

Sustainable Fish Taco – soft flour tortillas, and apple-jicama slaw $10.99

Grilled Peach Salad - The Wave

Grilled Peach Salad – The Wave

This was a seasonal item, that is no longer on the current menu.
Grilled Peach Salad, organic greens, citrus vinaigrette. $10.49

Vegetarian Stew - The Wave

Vegetarian Stew – The Wave

Curry Vegetarian Stew – with butternut squash, organic beans, asparagus, Pink Lady apples, locally sourced vegetables and Jade rice $17.49

The Wave is located in the ground floor of the Disney Contemporary Resort. The theme of the restaurant is that specialize in organically grown, sustainable, and locally sourced food. It is one of the better table service places to eat at Disney. If you are considering dining here, I would recommend taking a look at their menu online, they change their menu seasonally.

Personally, I prefer to bar hop and eat in The Wave’s Lounge, since they offer the Fish Tacos and that is my favorite item on the menu. Although it isn’t really one of my favorite places to eat, partly due to the lack of Disney theming and limited selection, we do eat at occasionally when we are in the Magic Kingdom and Monorail Resort area.

Oh Boy, Aunt Bee’s Mayberry Cookbook!

15 Friday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Books, Cooking, TV Shows

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Andy Griffith Show, Aunt Bee, Cookbooks, Cooking

Aunt Bee's Mayberry Cookbook

Aunt Bee’s Mayberry Cookbook

I’m so glad I bought a copy of Aunt Bee’s Mayberry Cookbook for my book collection. This book is packed with recipes, such a variety too. There are approximately 300 recipes in this book. Used copies on Amazon starting at just $0.01 plus shipping – which is a great deal.

The Andy Griffith show was full of lots of good episodes, good characters, silly comedy, and so much cooking. I remember being so interested in everything Aunt Bee was cooking. Didn’t it seem like she was always cooking?! She made it seem so easy. I can’t wait to make something from this book.

It’s full of menus ideas, recipes, dialogue from the show scripts, songs and whimsical things, show photos. It’s awesome, perfect for any fan of the show.

Epcot Legacy Monument

13 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by mydisneyblog in Walt Disney World

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disney, Disney Legacy, Epcot Legacy, Epcot Monument, Leave a Legacy, mk, wdw

At the entrance of Epcot, there are a series of granite monuments, many of them have steel plates mounted on them, and many of them don’t. These were installed in 1999. On these steel plates are small etched portraits of guests who purchased a legacy engraving. Disney stopped offering the “Leave a Legacy” program in 2007. Since then, there haven’t been any new additions (etchings).

I have mixed feelings about this whole installation, on one hand I feel like it should all be removed, it’s outdated, and this installation wasn’t original to Epcot. It reminds me of a modern graveyard or a memorial. Since 1999, who knows how many people on those little steel etchings have died. On the other hand, if I had my own etching, perhaps I wouldn’t want it removed, and would probably think it was cool. I don’t want to be insensitive to those who do have legacies there. Perhaps they can move all the steel plates to another area where there are empty walls to fill, there is plenty of wall space around.

It’s just a really strange installation, I’m sure Disney thought it was a good idea at the time. Now that they removed the Sorcerer’s hat at Hollywood Studios, I’m wondering if they have plans to remove this eyesore as well. At Magic Kingdom they have thousands of carved brick pavers which are incorporated to the walkways around the entrance of the park, I like this approach better. Currently, there are no active programs where you can leave your mark at WDW.

Is it just me, or does anyone else have any opinions about this?

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