Spice Road Table – WDWNT Archive

REVIEW: Spice Road Table Soft Opens at Epcot

WDWNT on February 18, 2014

This past weekend the Spice Road Table soft opened at the Morocco pavilion in Epcot. There is no official opening date yet and in the meantime no discounts are being accepted (this includes Cast, Tables in Wonderland, Annual Pass, ext.). The restaurant is located right along World Showcase Lagoon giving it stunning views of the park and a new viewing location for Illuminations. The menu for Spice Road Table is tapas style, featuring classic Mediterranean dishes. Also well the restaurant has a selection of beers, wines, speciality drinks and desserts. Spice Road Table currently does not accept reservations making it a perfect spur of the moment dining choice.

The decor at Spice Road Table is simply stunning. Imagineering once again did an excellent job. Upon walking in, you see a beautiful bar. To the left is the outdoor seating and the indoor seating is on the right.

Let’s take a look at what the menu offers for Spice Road Table…

Pictured above is the Hummus and Imported Olives. This dish was a table favorite the hummus was so smooth and creamy with no aftertaste that you commonly find with the hummus you can buy in the grocery store.

Above is the Mediterranean Omelet this was a surprisingly good dish. It’s basically your standard omelet that is stacked on top of potatoes and topped with a thick tomato sauce. I thought it would make a perfect breakfast dish, it was odd to have the omelet mixed with items that were more traditional dinner items.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp – the name says it all! It wasn’t as spicy as I was expecting and it sure was loaded with garlic.

The Moroccan Merguez Sausage was by far the spiciest dish we tried out. So if you love spicy this is the dish to try out.

For those of you who have allergies Spice Road Table is happy to accommodate. I have a dairy allergy and the chef came out and I could actually have 7 out of the 10 items. Items that were deemed unsafe, the chicken roll, lamb slider and calamari. Another important note is that ALL the bread served at Spice Road Table contained dairy. Unfortunately, on this trip we didn’t get to desserts so I am unsure if any of those items are safe.

Overall, it was great to try out the new dishes at Spice Road Table but no dish was a run away hit with me. The food was okay but once you factor in the prices and portions it has me in no rush to be returning to this location.

Joe Hogarty’s 9/18/13 WDW (Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot) Photo Report

WDWNT on October 29, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Joe Hogarty Visited the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios last week and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

Castle Dreamlights are already being installed

Princesses are gone from Town Square Theater, now it is just Mickey

Pluto has an umbrella!

As always, so does Mary Poppins

Moving over to Epcot

The new restrooms at the American Adventure have opened

A new water fountain was installed as well

The new restrooms are really nice

They have Dyson Airblades

Mirrors by the doorway

We can start to see Spice Road Table taking shape in Morocco

The restaurant has an interesting look

The new stage for Mo’ Rockin’

Pooh and Tigger meeting guests at International Gateway while their U.K. home is being refurbished

Moving over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is already being installed

Frozen billboards up in the Animation Courtyard

Banners are up for Toy Story of Terror in the Animation Courtyard

Another Frozen billboard on Mickey Avenue

Dirk Wallen’s 8/11-12/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen recently visited three of the Walt Disney World theme parks and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip. With all the D23 Expo coverage we’ve been dealing with, it has taken a while to get to this report, but better late than never, so let’s take a look:

No more Lone Ranger preview… it’s not really playing at many theaters anymore…

MuppetVision 3-D is closed for refurbishment

Sofia the first debuted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios recently

She has a nice backdrop for her meet and greet

Disney Infinity billboards are up at the Backlot Tour

Also, the 1-2-3 Mickey Mouse has been decorated to celebrate Planes…

At Epcot, work continues on adding more of the new turnstiles

FastPass+ entrance at Spaceship Earth

This food cart behind Spaceship Earth has finally opened!

No more tarps up on Fountain View and signage has been installed

FastPass+ at Turtle Talk with Crush

Work continues on Spice Road Table in Morocco

Moving to the Magic Kingdom, Halloween merchandise has been released across property

Haunted Mansion singing bust ornaments

The shirt is the same design from last year, but says 2013

Light-up popcorn bucket

During a recent refurbishment, new boats were installed at Pirates of the Caribbean

They look great and don’t bottom out, but they have been getting guests a lot more wet than the old boats and make a horrible squeaking noise when they bump into each other…

The Magic Kingdom now sells the most expensive fruit ever… let’s end with this…

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:

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

Tom Corless’ 6/5-6/15/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

This photo report may be a bit late, but I figured it was better lat than never. I have been all over the Walt Disney World parks the last few days and I have taken a lot of photos, so let’s look at what is new and noteworthy at the Vacation Kingdom of the World:

A ton of new merchandise has been released at Disney’s Polynesian Resort

Window decal

Magnet

Mug

Shot-glass… I mean toothpick holder

I really like the artwork a lot

Moving to the Magic Kingdom, there are some new hats for sale in the Emporium

Those are… different…

There is now a trading box just for Park Starz Vinylmation at Frontierland Trading Outpost

A strange wall up in Liberty Square, somewhat near the Haunted Mansion

The canopy was recently replaced in the Haunted Mansion queue

Some work is taking place on the second level of Grizzly Hall, so the Country Bear Jamboree sign is down

You can now get a frozen root beer slush at Pecos Bill’s

More importantly, you can get it in a Lone Ranger boot-shaped cup!

It’s actually quite big

Tarps are down at Princess Fairytale Hall, but we still can’t see much…

Work continues on the much-anticipated Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train attraction

A section on the back of the mountain is out from behind walls

It serves as stroller parking for Under The Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

Triton’s Treasures looks like it might open very soon

The path to Storybook Circus from Mermaid is now officially open all the time

There is stroller parking for Ariel’s Grotto as well

A look at the other side of the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train

Moving to Epcot, that new food cart that never opened has now been ripped down again…

I’m not really sure what the deal is with this kiosk and if it will ever actually open

One of the escalators in The Land is being repaired

The Mickey made of hops is growing in nicely at Living with the Land

With the escalator broken, the backstage area near Soarin’ is being used to exit guests out of the bottom floor of The Land

Cool

It dumps guests out by the Imagination! restrooms

There are some cool attraction poster magnets being sold now

Some new iPhone 5 cases have been released, including Oswald

New Grumpy case for the iPhone 4S

“Mine!” case for the iPhone 5

New Mickey case for the iPhone 5

There was a new Star Tours case for the iPhone 4S and 5 out at Tatooine Traders a few days ago, but last we checked it had sold out for the 5

Staying at Studios, FastPass+ signage about to go up at Disney Junior

Some props and costumes from Oz: The Great and Powerful are now on display at the AFI Showcase

There is a wacky souvenir cup that comes in two sizes now available at Backlot Express….

The Monsters University topiary from the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival has found its way to the front of Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the Monstrous Summer

Going back to Epct, they have changed the tarps for Spice Road Table in Morocco to photo tarps that blend in

Work continues on the new, larger restrooms at the American Adventure

There are some cool Summer Vacation shirts now on sale

Going back to the Magic Kingdom, the FastPass+ entrance at “it’s a small world” is ready to go

The normal entrance now has a stand-by entrance sign

A more recent look at the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train

A metal wall has risen where the track appeared over the construction walls in the back of the mountain

You can now purchase your own Gaston’s Tavern sign at Bonjour Village Gifts

Dirk Wallen’s 7/10-12/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot last week and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

Work continues on the Villas at the Grand Floridian as we approach the opening in October

Things are still a bit of a mess right now

Moving to the Magic Kingdom, the post for the Hall of Champions sign is walled

Cinderella’s fountain is still roped off from guests… we think some Brazilian tourists tried to bathe in it…

Still nothing to see over at Princess Fairytale Hall

FastPass+ has been testing a lot at the Magic Kingdom

A look at the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train construction

A look at the backside along with Triton’s Treasures

This portion where the track makes a wide turn and dives underground looks exciting!

Moving over to Animal Kingdom, work continues on the new Festival of the Lion King theater

The walls now have some themed signage

You can see the crane from various places in Africa

On Kilimanjaro Safaris, the Addax are still in place…

But they are still trying to re-introduce the Zebras

So the Zebras may make a full-time return soon… or not

Work has been completed on the FastPass+ queue at Finding Nemo: the Musical

Heading over to Epcot, another round of turnstile conversions has begun

FountainView is still preparing to be the next Starbucks location in the fall

Walls are still up around what should have been a new food cart months ago…

The FastPAss+ signage is up and running at Journey Into Imagination with Figment

Signs also went up at the Seas with Nemo and Friends

Work continues on Spice Road Table in Morocco

We can see construction going vertical now

Dirk Wallen’s 4/23/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on June 4, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Downtown Disney, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom last week and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

The Rainforest Cafe volcano is done

Tons of Marvel stuff in Once Upon a Toy

They also now have the Star Wars Droid Factory

Over at Epcot, work continues on turing Fountain View into a Starbucks location

The old Character Spot is still closed… at this point I’m starting to think it will become Starbucks seating…

Tarps are down at Mission: Space and the facade looks great

Tarps are up where Spice Road Table will be going in Morocco

A temporary stage up for Mo’ Rockin’

The waterfall at Maelstrom is being worked on again for some reason

Moving to Animal Kingdom, the Anandapur Ice Cream truck is gone

Work continues on the new home for Festival of the Lion King in Africa

Dirk Wallen’s 5/25/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on June 4, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Saturday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip:

Work continues on turning FountainView into a Starbucks location

The Epcot Character Spot is expected to return to its original location next week, but it looks like the entrance is moving over here

The Flower and Garden Festival is over…

No more butterflies…

The Lion King display was still up

Goodbye Oz…

Radiator Springs has been wiped from existence

The Monsters University display is gone

No visible progress on Spice Road Table in Morocco yet

At the Studios, the KODAK logo is gone from the film in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids play area

A large Etch-A-Sketch was installed in the Toy Story Mania queue recently. We expect this to interact with guests at some point soon…

Dirk Wallen’s 4/5-7/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on April 24, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen has been all-over the Walt Disney World Resort as of late and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

While most of the new parking lot at the Grand Floridian Villas is open, some is still closed to accommodate construction