WDWNT: The Magazine – A Gluten & Dairy Free Epcot Illuminations Dessert Party

WDWNT on October 29, 2013

On October 13, 2013, a gluten and dairy-free IllumiNations dessert party was held at Rue De Paris, near the France Pavilion in Epcot.

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This event was sponsored by Gluten Free and Dairy Free at WDW. Tickets were $50 per person and included admission into the event, giveaways, goody bags, and more.

Goody bags

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An all-you-care-to-eat special diets related buffet was available, as well. I have to admit that at first I was a little cautious about spending the money for my ticket. I do not personally have any dietary restrictions, and how good can a bunch of gluten and dairy-free desserts really be? Once I took a closer look at the menu, however, I knew I had to give this party a try.

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Chocolate drops were the texture of brownies…delicious!

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Asian Green Tea and Ginger Glazed Mini Donuts

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French Apple Cocotte was basically like a warm apple cobbler and non-dairy whip made from rice milk

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The absolute, hands down crowd favorite, however, were these fabulous All American Chocolate Bacon Whoopie Pies! They were fantastic!

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Having access to a private IllumiNations viewing area made for an amazing end to a wonderful evening.

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This was the second annual event of its kind. Next year if there is a third annual event, and you are able to make it, I highly recommend that you do so! The desserts made a believer out of me. Just because it’s gluten and dairy-free does not mean it has to be taste free.

Germany Pavilion at Epcot Gets New Flavors & Major Menu Changes

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Most people think of knockwurst and sauerkraut at the mention of  “German food,”  but with a nod to healthier eating, Chef Wade Camerer at the Biergarten Restaurant has introduced  a few new flavors for this Autumn season. Starting September 1st, the Germany Pavilion will be featuring bright seasonal vegetables and fruits, soups and has added a few new dishes to the menu at both the Biergarten Restaurant and the quick-service restaurant, Sommerfest. Sommerfest will be introducing a new dish called currywurst, which is a tasty sliced sausage topped with a savory curry ketchup, served with a paprika potato chip.

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In addition to the currywurst, Sommerfest will also be serving  a grilled leberkaese, or German meatloaf Reuben, served with sauerkraut and Swiss cheese.

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Lastly, Sommerfest is catering to kids with the favorite,  Nudel Gratin, or mac and cheese. All of these new featured dishes at Sommerfest are on the Dining Plan.

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Chef Camerer says that Epcot Executive Chef Jens Dahlmannn, a native of Germany, as well as sous chef Hans Groeger, have both been an inspiration and benchmarks for authenticity. They have made it their mission to serve original tastes of Germany. “Guests often think of German food as one style,” says Dahlmann. “We want to show the diversity of cuisine from Germany’s many regions.” In the Biergarten Restaurant, the buffet serves up many dishes from across the country. From Bavaria to Rhineland, the buffet offers samplings such as leberkäse (meatloaf) with sweet mustard and potato dumplings. Chef Camerer says that for the Autumn season, the veggies will switch to carrots, parsnips, Swiss chard, and he’s adding a cheese course with German cheeses and pretzel bread croutons. He’s also adding a selection of smoked meats to the buffet, including smoke hams and liverwurst. Chef Dahlmann also requested his childhood favorite, chicken fricassee, be added to the buffet lineup, a true comfort food with chicken, mushrooms and peas in a creamy sauce served over rice.

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Using authentic ingredients in the dishes, like pickles imported from Germany, and serving freshly-made apple strudel, makes dining at the Biergarten Restaurant a genuine experience for their guests.

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You will be needing to loosen your lederhosen after trying all of these new flavors at the new German Pavilion! Which new dish will you try?      

The California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Re-Opens September 9th

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Disney’s Contemporary Resort announces the Grand Re-Opening date for the California Grill – September 9th! Guests will be able to call for reservations starting August 26th.

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The California Grill’s metamorphosis comes with a new look for the dining room, complete with a modern California design and a decor with fresh colors of oranges and yellows. Artwork adorns the walls; artwork by Disney Legend Mary Blair will please guests and Disney fans alike. Her artwork designs are even incorporated into the carpets!

In the lobby, an impressive wine display houses 1,600 bottles of wine. In the dining room, two new communal tables, with seating for 10, will be positioned at the north end of the dining room for optimal fireworks viewing.

And as before, the fantastic views of the Magic Kingdom will still dazzle guests nightly. In addition to the giant windows along the outer walls of the restaurant, there are now two outdoor fireworks viewing areas  – one on the northwest side, and another new deck on the southwest side.

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Seasonal ingredients will be the highlight on the new menu, as well as flat breads cooked in the wood-burning oven. Chef Piasecki will also be using the ovens for entrees such as baked prawns with charred lemon and savory meatballs with orzo.

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But don’t fret, your longtime favorites, such as the Grilled Pork Tenderloin, has been transformed into Pork Two Ways – grilled tenderloin and  pork belly, with goat cheese polenta and mushrooms. Another favorite, the oak-fired filet of beef, makes a return, accompanied with heirloom tomato risotto, marinated tomatoes and basil.

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At the new sushi bar, the new omakase menu includes 12 courses of seafood —  and all courses are the chef’s choice! Each night, guests will be surprised with the sushi chef’s heavenly creations.  The sushi menu may also feature ama ebi (sweet shrimp) tempura, lobster sashimi, crunchy Japanese bone marrow with sesame beef tartare and red onion marmalade, and spicy-crusted oysters.

To accompany these tempting entrees, guests can choose from 250 choices of wines, 10 types of sake, and 8 varieties of craft beers and ciders. The California Grill, of course, still has its own unique signature cocktail list that are only available on site.

The restaurant opens daily at 5 p.m. For reservations, visit www.disneyworld.com/dine or call 407-WDW-DINE (3463).

Will you be there for the Grand Re-Opening?

Fresh Updates Can Now be Found at Harbour Galley in Disneyland Park

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Welcome to a new improved menu at the Harbour Galley, located on the waterfront in Critter Country in Disneyland park. Known for its refreshingly different quick service options, now there’s more new items to try!

One new option on the menu is a classic lobster roll, which looks pretty delicious.

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Along with the Roast Beef Salad, you can now also choose a Shrimp Cobb Salad.

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As far as the baked potatoes go, the Bacon & Sour Cream Stuffed Baked Potato will remain as is.  The Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Baked Potato is now replaced by a Shrimp Salad Stuffed Baked Potato, with cucumbers, tomato and frisee. And the Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Baked Potato now has the addition of Creamy Coleslaw atop the Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce.

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Served in fresh-made Sourdough Bread Bowls, the popular Clam Chowder and Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soups will remain on the menu.

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So the menu now boasts three soups, two salads, a lobster roll, and three baked potatoes, along with fresh cut fruit, as well as the Mickey Kid’s Power Pack, loaded with string cheese, yogurt, apple slices, whole grain crackers and drink choice.

Harbour Galley at Disneyland Park now has a little something for everyone!

Images courtesy of the Walt Disney Company.

Dirk Wallen’s 8/28/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Epcot and Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort on Thursday and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

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The food court at All-Star Sports is closed for major renovations through December

You can catch a shuttle to the other All-Stars while this is going on

The arcade has been closed to become a temporary food court of sorts

At least guests have an option at their hotel

A number of pre-packaged options

Plenty of seats available

These new pieces have been installed in the lobby at each All-Star Resort. It’s expected they will interact with MagicBands at some point


Moving over to Epcot, the Cool Wash was closed for a few days for changes you’ll see in a later report…

Still doesn’t make them open this thing…

The new restrooms at the American Adventure are nearing completion

Work continues on Spice Road Table in Morocco

The new stage for Mo’ Rockin’ was completed and has opened on the left side of the pavilion

IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR FOOD & WINE!!!

Prep work is well underway

REVIEW: Garden Kiosk Opens at Animal Kingdom to Assist Guests with Allergies

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

With up to 15 million Americans having food allergies, Walt Disney World has responded with several options for guests traveling to the resorts. The newest resource for guests with dietary restrictions is the Garden Kiosk, which recently opened at the Animal Kingdom Park.

On a recent trip to Walt Disney World, I decided to stop by the Garden Kiosk and see what food options they have available to guests. While the Garden Kiosk was difficult to find, and not all Cast Members knew where to direct me, I did finally locate the Garden Kiosk near the exit to the “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” attraction and the Adventurer’s Outpost.

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While visiting the Garden Kiosk, I was able to chat with the Cast Member behind the counter. She mentioned that the Garden Kiosk has three main objectives:

First, the kiosk sells pre-packaged snacks, drinks, and fruit that are allergen-free. Guests can also use their Snack Points from the Disney Dining Plan at the Garden Kiosk.

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Second, guests can check with the Garden Kiosk for menu ingredients from all of the restaurants at the Animal Kingdom. Behind the counter of the kiosk, the Cast Member has several giant binders with which to refer. Guests can visit the kiosk with questions, and the Cast Member can look in the binders for the restaurant, the dish, the ingredients in that dish, and any allergens that could potentially problems for guests with dietary restrictions. The Garden Kiosk also provides a pamphlet with a listing of menu choices and allergen-free options.

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Third, the Garden Kiosk’s aim is to provide Quick-Service options for guests with dietary restrictions. Guest with advanced dining reservations at Table Service Restaurants can contact the Walt Disney World Special Diets department and alert them to the guest’s dietary restrictions and have alternate menu choices available when they arrive to their reservation. For Quick-Service dining, it’s not that easy to know where to eat when a guest has a dietary restriction. The Garden Kiosk hopes to guide guests with those Quick-Service menu choices while still keeping with their dietary needs.

While I visited the Garden Kiosk, a guest came to the counter to ask about the ingredients in cotton candy at one of the snack carts. Her granddaughter had a gluten-allergy and she wanted to make sure there wasn’t any ingredients in the cotton candy that would cause an allergic reaction. The Cast Member checked the reference binders, made sure there wasn’t any allergens in the snack, and assured the woman that it was a safe choice for her granddaughter.

The Garden Kiosk is a pilot program. If guests respond well to the Garden Kiosk at Animal Kingdom, there may be more kiosks installed in other parks at Walt Disney World.

Do you have a food allergy? What has been your experience with dining within the Walt Disney World resorts? Will you visit the Garden Kiosk?

PHOTOS: FountainView at Epcot Re-Opens as Starbucks Location

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

FountainView at Epcot re-opened yesterday after several months of remodeling for the Starbucks takeover. Let’s take a look at this new location:

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The exterior keeps the round shape, but looks very different

At night, the signage is a different color depending on where you are looking at it from

Yes, there is a big Starbucks logo in Epcot…

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The menu is identical to the Main Street location, offering 4 breakfast sandwiches, assorted pastries, and drinks

The inside looks really sharp and has a feel very much like current Spaceship Earth or Test Track

An assortment of Starbucks products here as well

Overall, there is nothing really special about this location, but we think it looks really nice. Now the question is when is Starbucks coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom and where will they be going?

The Food Truck Craze Is Coming to Downtown Disney

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Calling all Walt Disney World Foodies!  Food trucks are all the rage these days, and now they are coming to Downtown Disney. These trucks will be rolling in later this Autumn.

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Chef James Kleinschmidt and Downtown Disney Area Manager for Food & Beverage, Matt Fisher, have been working together with the Walt Disney World Food & Beverage partners on the food truck concept. According to these two, there will be four food trucks, each truck to represent the essence of a different Disney Park.

The food trucks are:

“Enchanted Fare” — this food truck will serve favorites from Disney Parks; for example, Croque Monsieur from Magic Kingdom Park, Glass Noodle Salad from Hong Kong Disneyland and Hand-Dipped Corn Dogs from Disneyland Park.

“The World Showcase of Flavors” – this food truck is will include feature menu items from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, such as Grass-Fed Beef Sliders, Pierogies with Kielbasa and Lobster Rolls.

“Superstar Catering” — Meatballs will be the “star” of this food truck! A variety of meatball dishes, like the Lamb Meatball Flatbread with Tzatziki, will be showcased on this truck’s menu.

“Namaste Café” — this food truck will infuse a mix of spices into their menu items, such as Butter Chicken, Slow-Cooked Beef Short Ribs and Tandori Spiced Shrimp.

Are you a fan of the food truck craze? From which Downtown Disney food truck will you be sampling?

A Look at the the MyMagic+ Touch-To-Pay System at Table Service Restaurants

WDWNT on August 7, 2013

Since MyMagic+ and MagicBands were announced (and even when they were just rumored), many of us have wondered exactly how they would work in every aspect of a Walt Disney World vacation. Over the last few months, we have seen the system operate with FastPass+ for attractions, order ahead dining at counter service locations, and even touch-to-pay at stores. One thing we are now just seeing for the first time is exactly how the system will work at the many table service restaurants around WDW.

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Last night I saw one of these devices in action at Olivia’s at Old Key West. I can only assume with the current MyMagic+ testing going on, this is at most, if not all of the table service restaurants at Disney World right now. It is essentially an iPod touch with a giant device hooked onto the back of it.

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So, this is the device that will be used at every restaurant to utilize touch-to-pay with hard tickets and MagicBand ticket media. How will the process work? Well, here is what your server should say when you show up with your MagicBand and are using the Disney Dining Plan:

Hello! Welcome to ___________! My name is ____________ and I will be taking great care of you this evening. I see you are on the dining plan. That’s Wonderful! If you’ll kindly touch your MagicBand and enter your PIN, I’ll be able to preview your plan information. This will help me to better guide you through your dining experience.

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This will be done to avoid guest and server confusion regarding the dining plan. The server will then need to touch your MagicBand again at the end of the meal. That might go something like this:

I see some MagicBands at the table this evening. If you plan to use your band for payment this evening, I can capture the touch now if you like. Thank you! I will bring back your receipt for signature.

If the guest enters an invalid pin, a blue Mickey icon will appear on the screen for the cast member. Three invalid pin entries may require you to use alternative payment.

The process seems like it may simplify the process a little bit for those on the dining plan at least… split checks are a whole other story for another post…

If you don’t have the dining plan, you will only have to tap your band should your credit card be attached to your account and you choose to use that as a payment method. There has been no word yet on if Tables in Wonderland or Annual Pass dining discounts will use this system or still have to entered manually. If you are paying with cash or a card not attached to your MagicBand, this process will not apply to you.

So, what do you think? Would this make it easier or harder for you to pay at a table service restaurant?

Dessert Menu Revealed for the Revamped California Grill

WDWNT on August 7, 2013

Parting is such sweet sorrow, but the California Grill’s grand reopening will be much sweeter! Guests have been missing the California Grill for months now, but the re-opening date is close approaching (rumored to be around August 25th).

Pastry Chef Jeff Barnes gave a preview of a few of the new desserts for the California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The new dessert menu will feature several new additions that Chef Barnes and his artistic team have been creating.

“You’re going to see a big change with some new concepts. This is our chance to create a new menu with a fresh infusion of California, and it’s coming together nicely,” says Chef Jeff, stating that the new theme of the menu is “artful and playful.”

New to the California Grill menu is a dessert trio with a Coke float, strawberry sundae and caramel corn sundae, “too good and tempting to have such great flavors on one plate,” Chef Barnes says.

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The chocolate pudding cake is made with a 70% Dark Chocolate from Belgium

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Banana fritters, dusted with sugar, are served with chocolate and marshmallows

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And don’t forget the Lemon Meringue Cheesecake! Served with fresh fruit, it’s light and refreshing

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Keep checking with wdwnt.com for more details about the California Grill’s grand reopening date; we will be sure to update you as more information becomes available.