It has been a long road to the completion of Disney Springs, from breaking the story that the project was happening way back in March of 2013, to the opening of Town Center this weekend in the space that once was the parking area for Pleasure Island. With just two days left to go, we take flight over the area just one more time to see the nearly finished product from above:
Dirk Wallen and myself both visited Disney Springs earlier this week and have plenty of photos to share of the ongoing construction as we prepare to visit Town Center for the first time this Sunday:
Work continues on the Edison
STK is looking just about ready to open
Disney Parks exclusive MetalEarth pieces are now available, featuring some icons from Star Tours
Two new windows appears at World of Disney this week
New walls are going up behind the old walls which will come down on Sunday
There are conflicting reports as to if the bus loop will open Sunday
These directories have been installed all around Disney Springs
The Coca-Cola Store
Work continues on Planet Hollywood
The new homes for Wetzel’s Pretzels and Haagen-Daas will open Sunday
A look towards the Town Center
Morimoto Asia – Street Food opened yesterday for a short period, you can read our review here
Savannah Bee and Filthy Rich will both open on Sunday, they were being stocked yesterday
Work continues on the Paddlefish
B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co. will be opening Sunday, but has been soft opening during the week at random
This area will open Sunday as well
Aristocrepes is nearing completion
The menu looks pretty good
The old bus loop might close Sunday, either way, its days are numbered
Another directory
Fun Finds got a new paint job recently
New Nautilus pin based on the Twenty-Eight and Main design
The poster glasses at Marketplace Co-Op were altered from the original designs
Civil War phone cases are available Marketplace Co-Op
The Lime Garage will open on Sunday
Excited to walk around these new buildings come Sunday
The Edison will be the last piece to open in 2017
Beginning May 20th, guests will have the option to choose from 3 new food booths at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
The offerings can be found around Echo Lake and are available for a limited time.
There are a lot of counter service restaurants at Walt Disney World, and over the years it seems they have slowly, yet surely been getting better at the fast-food game. Well, D-Luxe Burger, the latest offering to open with Town Center in Disney Springs this weekend easily offer one of, if not the best counter service hamburger at any theme park eatery on earth.
Nestled on the shoreline of Town Center, D-Luxe Burger is located in a rather unassuming building that just looks like an old ranch house.
The interior is themed to an abandoned ranch house, with a lot of the furniture and such representing recycled items from the old establishment. In story-line, the Glowing Oak Ranch was made into a burger restaurant after introducing a very popular hamburger at the fictional World’s Fair that was held on the West Side in 1950.
Every table is equipped with a roll of paper towels, which you will need to conquer the juicy burgers that await you.
Indoor seating is great on a hot day, but the patio is perfect for a cool evening.
Upon ordering, guests are handed a pager and they can go have a seat until their burgers are ready. Burgers are handed to guests in these big brown bags.
The burgers themselves come in these small “branded” boxes so you know which one is which.
OK, enough about the back story and interior, let’s run through these bad boys, shall we? First up is the chicken sandwich, or “Cluck Burger”. This is a healthy-sized grilled chicken burger, a wonderful option for those looking for an alternative, but not looking to get the vegetarian option. The garlic-herb sauce and avocado blend well with the giant chicken patty for a perfect combination. The burger buns here are magnificent. Made in-house, the buns are safe for peanut and tree-nut allergies. The restaurant also has a gluten-free bun available, as well as a lettuce wrap option on all sandwiches.
The Veggie Burger was by far the best one we’ve ever had a counter service establishment, one of the best vegetarian options overall at any quick serve. It was nice to have handmade veggie burger for a change as opposed to the frozen patties elsewhere. I personally love tzatziki sauce, but if you don’t you can always get it on the side or removed.
The “El Diablo” was my favorite, but as I’ve stated in many a review, I enjoy anything spicy. This had heat, but not enough to scare away anyone adverse to spice. The flavors blended well and the peppers were a nice touch. Every burger patty was sizable and cooked “medium”, which is a rarity for counter service options. They are by far the best counter service burger patties at any of the U.S. parks, that’s for sure.
The Barbecue Classic Burger has gouda, bacon, an onion ring, and barbecue sauce on it. This was probably my second favorite of all of the burgers at D-Luxe. It’s hard to go wrong with these ingredients and this one doesn’t.
The classic cheeseburger doesn’t have all of the frills of the others on the menu, but it’s perfect if you don’t like too many toppings getting in the way. This burger really allowed us to taste just how good the bun and burger are as there isn’t a whole lot more going on like on the other burgers. Even though it is plain compared to the others, it won’t disappoint.
The last one was the Southern Classic Burger, which is topped with two fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, and bacon.
I’m not the biggest fan of fried green tomatoes, but this was superb. They added a great flavor to the already phenomenal base of the house-made burger and bun. In total, I’m not sure there is one burger on this menu that I would not recommend. In fact, it was pretty hard to rank any over the others for this review, but that is why I make the big bucks…
The house-made fries were great too, but the 6 unique dipping sauces offered were what made them really special. I really enjoyed the curry ketchup, chipotle mayo, buffalo blue cheese, and horseradish sauces. The 3-mustard & honey and Garlic ranch did not sit as well with me, but I applaud the effort to do something special here.
The milkshakes… my goodness, the milkshakes. They were all unbelievably good. First off, we tried two of the alcoholic options, the first being the smoked bourbon. Chocolate and bourbon live side by side in harmony in this chocolate alcoholic shake.
The vanilla porter was just as good and the serving sizes on these are more than enough to fill you up. These might honestly be worth the trip to D-Luxe Burger alone.
The non-alcoholic shakes are just as good, if not even better. The cake shake tasted like cake flavored ice cream (just as you would expect it to). I don’t know how else to describe this, but it was wonderful.
The salted caramel shake was my favorite. Sweet and salty and magnificent and my top recommendation as far as the shakes here are concerned.
Fountain beverages are also available and I was even surprised by the selection here, offering a few options you can’t find at many Disney establishments, like Sprite Zero or Cherry Coke.
For dessert (because the shakes weren’t enough somehow), we had the red velvet burger macaroon. This thing was insane. It’s a great vacation photo to send to your friends at home, and it’s pretty tasty too, but I’m not sure I would need to order it again with so many good shakes on the menu.
D-Luxe Burger has everything going for it. That being said, service was a bit slow on the first day, but I’ll let that slide since it was the first time they were open and because the food was just so unbelievably good. All of the ingredients are fresh and perfectly prepared, the fries and dipping sauces are delectable, and the milkshakes are just about perfect. The pricing is on par with all other Disney counter service locations, but the quality here just far exceeds any burger anywhere else at the Vacation Kingdom of the World. This is exactly what Disney Springs needed: an affordable counter service option with amazing offerings. Too many guests just settle for Earl of Sandwich because there just isn’t anything else, but now there is somewhere else worth going (which I personally think blows Earl away). If you don’t visit D-Luxe Burger on your next trip to the Springs, you’re making a big mistake… perhaps even a D-Luxe one… I apologize for that joke, but you should eat here still.
Opening is set for late summer for Flying Fish restaurant at Disney’s Boardwalk – “Cafe” goes away as part of the name, and diners will be welcomed to a sophisticated, interior that still pays homage to the golden era of seaside boardwalks.
Chef Tim Majoras, who was has been on the Flying Fish team since 2011, takes the helm in the kitchen. Sustainable fish will be the star of the new menu, and Majoras’ new Fruits of the Sea appetizer features rock shrimp and clams from Florida, grouper cheek, mussels, a splash of Brandy and a rich lobster stock. The seafood is served over a generous dollop of velvety celery root puree with adds a depth of flavor to the dish.
Stig Jacobsen, general manager and sommelier at Flying Fish, says he is happy with expanded space for wine storage and is “finding gems” for a more in-depth wine list.
The interior features an all-new kitchen and dining room (with expanded space for private dining events), sparkling architectural accents, like golden-winged room panels and an impressive chandelier that mimics a school of flying fish swimming overhead. Next door, the new AbracadaBar lounge opens, taking the spot formerly occupied by the candy and ice-cream shop.
The new “curious cocktail lounge” combines the Golden Age of Magic with the magic of Disney storytelling, so look for whimsy in the design from the Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) team, who create stories in true Disney fashion. According to WDI, the lounge was once a secret stomping ground for famous touring magicians, local boardwalk illusionists and the loveliest magician’s assistants of the day. After every magic show, these prestidigitators would gather at the bar, where they’d conjure up new cocktails, swap magic tips and tricks, and often stay up all night attempting to “out-charm” each other with their extraordinary illusions.
According to BoardWalk lore, it was on just such an evening that every single magician in the lounge vanished into thin air, never seen again… And after sitting vacant for nearly 70 years, the secret magician’s lounge is now back in the spotlight.
AbracadaBar guests will get a special peek into the sophisticated social club, and while it’s rumored that the magicians who frequented the lounge vanished without a trace decades ago, their magic still remains strongly intact, and can be seen, heard, and even savored in the bar’s signature cocktails.
Today, we have a bit of an exclusive to share with you. Frozen Ever After is one of the most anticipated new attractions coming to Walt Disney World, but we haven’t seen much of what this ride will actually look like outside of some concept art. Well, that is about to change:
Above we see our very first look at what the scene where the boat plunges down a drop will now look like (you may remember this portion from the Maelstrom attraction). An audio animatronic Marshmallow and some projected Snowgies look on as the guest’s boat switches directions and heads down a waterfall.
Our second picture is of a Troll figure in one of the early scenes of the attraction. As you can see, these figures will have projected faces just like the Dwarfs in the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride at the Magic Kingdom.
Keep in mind that the photos above are of the attraction under construction and are not what the absolute finished product will look like. Also, our apologies for the quality of the photos, but they were obviously taken by a cell phone camera by someone inside of the active construction zone.
Pretty cool, huh? Our source says the attraction might be a little behind schedule, but Disney is still claiming that the Frozen ride at Epcot will open in June.
Along with the Town Center on Sunday, Disney’s latest escapade in baked goods was unleashed upon the world: Amorette’s Patisserie. Per Disney’s official description:
Classic and contemporary cakes and pastries are the stars in this high-end pastry shop where guests can watch pastry chefs decorate signature cakes in the on-stage finishing kitchen. Every item features boutique-style packaging, inspired by old-fashioned hatboxes, lending to the sophisticated feel of the location.
The shop has a rather pleasant interior.
Just like many of the new areas coming to Disney Springs, Amorette’s Patisserie also has an elaborate backstory. Established as one of the first shops in Town Center (circa 1900’s) and passed down through the generations, the patisserie is currently owned by artistic sisters Kara and Sara, where they pour great care into designing and creating the most unique and artistic pastries, since “Amorette” means “little love” in French.
There are a few pre-packaged desserts available as well.
Interestingly enough, the kitchen where the pastries are produced is upstairs, so this beautiful elevator is used to send the goods downstairs to the storefront.
All of the treats in the case are pretty much $8 each, which may sound high, but these are table service restaurant quality desserts, and in some cases far exceed many of those offerings around Walt Disney World in quality and taste. Not pictured are other items such as the cookies and macaroons, which are also available.
Once you pick out your pastries, they are placed on a tray and brought to the checkout area for you. You can choose to dine-in or take the desserts with you as well as there is a small dining area inside.
We started with the Avant Garde Chocolate Mousse and the 49th and Broadway Cheesecake. The chocolate mousse was fantastic, very rich and of a good portion size. The cheesecake was good as well, but definitely not the best cheesecake I’ve ever had (but probably better than any I’ve had at Disney World in fairness).
What I was most excited about after seeing the first press release was Amorette’s Hot Chocolate Ganache with Chantilly and Shaved Dark Chocolate. I must say, when I received the very tiny espresso-sized cup, I was a bit disappointed, especially at over $5. However, this stuff is fantastic. The whipped cream was very thick and almost hard to break through, but when it mixed with the hot chocolate, it was simply perfect. It’s hard to warrant this at the current price, but the taste makes one hell of an argument.
Everyone’s favorite had to be the Reflections in Memphis. This is a peanut butter mousse topped with fried bananas and bacon that is simply good enough for Elvis to rise from the dead for. We will be back just to have this again. Seriously.
They also serve a selection of Joffrey’s coffee beverages, as well as some champagne and sparkling wines.
The last dessert we had was the Dancing with Pavlova, which is a light raspberry crisp. It wasn’t bad, and if you like raspberry I assume this will be your favorite. It was kind of hard to eat as it is quite large and pretty solid, but otherwise fine.
The couple next to us had the Key Lime Tart and Strawberry Mousse and seemed to enjoy both thoroughly (and yes, we did ask permission to take a picture of their food).
Amorette’s produces a signature cake that will run you about $85.00 and they also take cake orders in advance as well.
The level of service we were provided was also second-to-none. The cast members who helped us both order and checkout were very knowledgeable and courteous, as you
Overall, I think this is a great addition to Disney Springs and a good alternative to both Sprinkles and Erin McKenna’s. Is it pricier? Yes, but the quality is what you would expect from the finest signature Disney table service restaurants but in a bakery format. I think this is going to be a real hot spot at Disney Springs in the years to come, and I expect to see see some new creations appear here regularly as the chef’s experiment with this new culinary playground they have been given.
Beginning May 21st, Trail’s End at Fort Wilderness will begin offering a weekend brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 7:30AM until 2:00PM. This brunch will feature the usual breakfast buffet plus some additions. Here’s the menu”
Buffet price is $23.00 for adults and $13.00 for children and all usual discounts will be accepted for this brunch offering.
Rivers of Light is delayed and Pandora: The World of AVATAR might be a year away, but Animal Kingdom is taking down one of it’s headlining attractions for 2 months this summer.
DINOSAUR will be closed July 25th until September 29th, 2016. The ride has seen a number of broken effects over the last few months, so it is expected these items will be fixed at this time before more attention is placed on the park next year with the opening of AVATAR. Other significant changes for the ride have been rumored over the last year or so, but it is unknown if any will be made during this closure.
Ample Hills Creamery opened this past weekend as the latest resident of Disney’s Boardwalk. The new specialty ice cream shop replaces the ESPN Yard Arcade and fills the void left by the closure of Seashore Sweets (which is now set to become part of the AbracadaBAR and Flying Fish). Ample Hills operates a location in Brooklyn, New York already making this just their second location, however, Ample Hills pre-packaged ice cream is now available across the country.
The menu is fairly straightforward: 16 flavors, large or small cups/cones, sundaes, and milkshakes.
Take a video tour of the interior and all of the ice cream flavors:
Some pre-packaged Ample Hills ice cream is also available.
The interior evokes feelings of the northeast amusement boardwalks in the 1920’s, but still has a lot of the Ample Hills personality evident.
Here’s the menu. Many of our readers have commented that Ample Hills is overpriced, but I’m not entirely sure I agree that these prices are crazy for a specialty ice cream shop at Walt Disney World. Comparably around the resort, Dole Whip is $4.19, soft-serve ice cream in a cup or cone is $3.69, and most items at Plaza Ice Cream are priced around $5 each. At $0.50-$3 more for specialty ice cream with a variety of toppings or even a specialty hand-made cone, I don’t think anything here is unreasonable, except for the milkshakes.
OK, let’s talk about what we ate: this is the Sally Sells Seashells ice cream (exclusive to Walt Disney World) with an M&M filled cone. The flavor was a little too orange-y for me, but the cone was pretty spectacular. I highly recommend a specialty cone no matter what flavor you decide upon for your ice cream.
Here’s butter pecan brittle and ooey gooey butter cake in a chocolate chip cone. Again, you are doing yourself a disservice if you don’t get one of these cones.
I also decided to try a milkshake, this one with the Chocolate Milk and Cookies flavor. The milkshake wasn’t very big for the price, but I was a big fan of the service provided. I have never been asked how thick I would like the milkshake to be made, but the server here asked and made it just to my liking. This flavor was also fantastic; nothing crazy but basically chocolate instead of vanilla with cookies and cream, which is pretty neat.
With all 16 flavors at the very least sampled, the resounding favorites were Chocolate Cookies and Cream, Peanut Butter Wins the Cup, and Butter Pecan Brittle. Malty Salty Pretzel Punch and the Sally Sells Seashells were a bit of a disappointment based on how the description sounded, but otherwise there wasn’t a flavor I necessarily thought was terrible.
Ample Hills is a good alternative in the Epcot Resort Area when Beaches and Cream is a little too crowded, but if I had to choose, I would still probably pick Beaches and Cream over Ample Hills. Regardless, it is a HUGE improvement over the pre-made Edy’s ice cream that was served at Seashore Sweets and a welcome addition to Disney’s Boardwalk.
Special thanks to Elizabeth Chatron for her assistance in this review.
