| October 29, 2009 * Issue 9.44 |
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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: The British and Dream are Coming!
Travel Feature: Counting Down to Disney (Part 1)
Disney Feature: Flying Fish Cafe
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Disneyland Dole Whips, ,
Captain's Corner: Flippin' Fool
PassPorter PhotoPick: Magic Kingdom - Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Q and A: What is the dress code for Bistro de Paris?
Our
Sponsors: We Recommend...
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 Cool Links:
Stuff and Services
We encounter many Disney- and travel-related products and services. From among
those we try, a few are good enough to use ourselves and recommend to you:
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Owner's Locker - The Purple Place for Storing Your Vacation Stuff!
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
This week we have 4 news bulletins:
Disney Cruise Line Unveiling DCL has revealed the design of its newest ship, the Disney Dream, and has announced the sailing schedule for its 2011 inaugural sailing season. See From the Authors for their preliminary report!
Comments: 49
This updates page 029 of PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line guidebook
The Princess and the Frog Appearances Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from the upcoming movie The Princess and the Frog began making appearances at the Magic Kingdom on October 26, 2009. Tiana's Showboat Jubilee, a new show taking place in Liberty Square, is now showing three times daily.
Comments: 49
This updates page 121 of PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook
New Florida Resident Annual Pass Walt Disney World is now offering a new annual pass option to Florida residents -- the Weekday Select Pass. Good Monday-Friday, this pass will cost $169 for ages 10+ and $149 for ages 3-9. Blackout dates apply, proof of residency is required. Unlike the traditional Annual Pass, the Weekday Select pass does not include parking.
Comments: 49
This updates page 116 of PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook
Christmas Parade Taping at Magic Kingdom The Walt Disney World Christmas Parade, which airs on December 25, will be taping at the Magic Kingdom December 3-5, 2009. Tickets for reserved viewing are sold out.
Comments: 49
This updates page 259 of PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook
Tip: Need more news? Read, sort, and search all the PassPorter news bulletins at the PassPorter News Desk!
Our thanks to AllEars.net and MousePlanet.com from which we get some of our news leads.
Hear some news? Be a 'PassPorter Reporter' and send it to us!
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Disney Tips:
From Fellow
Readers
Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Send us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! And you never know -- your tip could even appear in a future edition of a PassPorter guidebook.
DISNEYLAND DOLE WHIPS
'At Disneyland, if the line for a Dole Whip is busy, step inside the queuing area of the Enchanted Tiki Room ... you can order it there and then exit the area. Usually the line in the queuing area is shorter.'
-- contributed by francene
 Save This Tip
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-- contributed by
Save This Tip
''
-- contributed by
Save This Tip
Want more Disney
tips? Look for the concierge bell icon in future newsletters and throughout the PassPorter.com site. When you see the bell, tap it to view and save the tip to your personal tip collection!
For Walt Disney World fans, we've collected 500 of the best tips submitted by readers over the past six years. All have been edited for accuracy and
categorized. For details, visit the PassPorter Disney 500 info
page or the PassPorter store. For Disney Cruise Line fans, we have an e-book with 250 cruiser tips, as
well as a special cruise line comparison section and seven customized packing lists. For information, visit the Disney Cruise Clues info
page.
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Captain's Corner:
Treasure Hunting Game
Play our fun and quirky treasure hunting game, hosted by
Captain Jack Skatt from our book, 'PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney
World.' The Captain makes a study of the delightful details -- sometimes hidden, sometimes in plain sight but often overlooked -- at Walt Disney
World and aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Using notes from his journals, he will lead you to this 'treasure' at Disney with clues, questions, photos, or
riddles. Your challenge is to discover the answer by searching your memory, visiting Disney, or even just looking really hard on the Internet. If you think
you've found the answer, e-mail it to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the first person to
correctly submit the FULL answer will
receive a free PassPorter enamel pin. (Please note: Players can win once every three months.)
Here is this week's journal entry:
"I don't spend all my time at the parks (ok, I do spend a lot of time there). When I can't be at the parks, I like to be looking at all things Disney-related online. So imagine my delight last night when I dropped by the front page of PassPorter.com and discovered the sneak peek of the 2010 edition. Wow, what fun -- I can flip the pages and everything. I'm a flippin' fool! And the photos are just divine. I particularly liked the photo of the little princess in front of Cinderella Castle ... what a walk to remember!
[Note: We discovered a problem in the PassPorter Photo Archive -- where Jack stores his photos -- as we were preparing his journal entry this week. Thus, don't bother looking in the PassPorter Photo Archive for the answer or attempting to post in there. But we hope to have the problems all fixed by next week! Thanks for your patience.]"
Who contributed the photo to the 2010 edition mentioned above?
For bonus credit, locate the photo in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!
Congratulations to Helene S. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Helene S. was the first person to
identify the answer to last week's clue as display case in Main Hall in Disney's Pop Century Resort. Bonus credit goes to SteveandDeb as the first person to locate the photo in our PassPorter Photo Archive. To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter.
Send your full answer to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced in a future
newsletter, along with the correct answer!
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PassPorter PhotoPick
Each issue we choose a special photo from the PassPorter Photo Archive which highlights something beautiful, interesting,
humorous, or timely at Disney or around the world. Here is this issue's PassPorter PhotoPick:
Magic Kingdom - Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Photo by chezp
(click the photo or link to see a larger photo with details)
You can nominate photos as a PassPorter PhotoPick by giving ratings in the PassPorter Photo Archive (you'll need to be logged in to do this). If you'd like to contribute your own photos to the Photo Archive and be considered as a PhotoPick, please read our Photo Upload Guidelines for details and benefits.
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. . . . . . . | Q and A: With Jennifer and
Dave
oysuchaheadache asks: "It's nearly time to start packing, and I've got one puzzlement. I've got shorts (or jeans) and polos and short-sleeved shirts for the parks, and button downs and khakis for the 'business casual' restaurants -- but what does one wear to Bistro de Paris? There's no consensus in the literature, so I'm not sure what to plan for that day at Epcot. Does anyone who's been there remember what people were actually wearing? I'm assuming neither evening gowns (with heels) nor cutoffs and tank tops (with flip-flops), but what's the correct in between alternative?"
Dave answers: "Bistro is the most expensive restaurant at Epcot and has the most formal atmosphere. Whenever we've been there, folks have dressed nicely - long slacks and shirts with open collars for the men, at least summer dresses for the women. I'd think, 'dinner in the south of France,' rather than 'dinner in Paris.' The dress code does leave some leeway on that, but regardless, folks are treating it as something a bit more than the typical park dining experience. Downstairs at Chefs de France things are definitely more casual. On the other hand, I wouldn't dress too formally, either. You're still in a park. I tend to wince when I see women walking long distances in spike heels, or men perspiring in sports jackets during the warmer months. T-shirts? I'd think in terms of French t-shirts, rather than American - the kind that look OK with a pair of linen trousers."
Did our message board members agree with Dave? To see other answers that Beautiful Mother received, check out the rest of the thread on the PassPorter Message Boards..
Have a question? Post questions at http://www.passporterboards.com -- and if you're
lucky, you may find that folks have already asked and answered the same question that's on your mind!
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Future Newsletters:
Want To See Your Name in Print?
PassPorter News is published weekly, and this means we're always in need of articles! We're on the lookout for guest columnists who want to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional writing experience is necessary, just a desire to share your experience with others! Not only is this a great way to give something back to the PassPorter community, but you get to see your name in 'print' and receive a $25 gift certificate for use at www.passporter.com.
For details and our article submission guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com. Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed! | . . . . . . . . . . .
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Our Sponsors:
We Recommend...
PassPorter only accepts advertising from services of the highest
quality -- we recommend these companies because we use them ourselves. Please support our sponsors and, in turn, support this newsletter! This week's sponsors
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Last Call! Join us for a very special Mouse Fan Reunion by Land!
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| | | From the Authors: The British and Dream are Coming!
Hi, {{user('firstname')}}!
Please excuse us, we're a bit out of breath! Yesterday (Thursday) Disney Cruise Line chose to unveil the first, close look at their newest ship, the Disney Dream. So we delayed this newsletter by half a day so we could review the information and give you a summary of Disney's news later in this letter. But before we get to that, we've got some news of our own!
New E-Book: PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holidaymakers
We're pleased to offer a "brit" different view of Walt Disney World with the debut of PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holiday Makers by Cheryl Pendry, one of our intrepid Featured Columnists for the PassPorter newsletter and co-author of our recently released Disney Vacation Club Guide e-book, too! This comprehensive, 260-page e-book covers every aspect of visiting Walt Disney World from the United Kingdom. It takes you through your entire visit, from the planning stages to working out the best way to get there and get around, with details about arriving in America, passports and immigration, duty-free allowances, driving in the States, and staying in touch while you're away.
As well as looking at all the Walt Disney World resorts, PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holiday Makers has details on some of the hotels most commonly featured in British holiday brochures for Lake Buena Vista, the International Drive area, Kissimmee, and Universal Orlando. PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holiday Makers also explores the other Orlando theme parks that British visitors head to, with detailed information on the attractions and dining options at Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Universal CityWalk, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, and Wet 'n Wild. Two of the most popular day trips from Orlando—Busch Gardens in Tampa and Kennedy Space Center in Cocoa—are covered, too. Among the e-book's other features are a look at the chain restaurants in Orlando, coverage of the shopping options around the area, and information on airport hotel and parking packages so you can start your holiday in a more relaxed frame of mind. Plus, handy clip-and-save currency conversion rate tables give you a guide to how much your pound might buy you in the States.
So how do you get a copy of PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holiday Makers ? The e-book is currently available as a regular membership benefit for members of PassPorter's Club (this is a great time to join!). On November 5, the new e-book will also go on sale at the PassPorter Store. Want a peek inside the e-book? You can browse a bit of it online at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/brits.asp.
Sneak Peek at PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2010
We've posted a cool sneak peek of PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2010 on the PassPorter.com front page. We're using a new technique for displaying the sample pages -- the pages actually flip! -- and we think you'll really enjoy it! Meantime, as we reported last week, the real books have been delayed on their way out of Hong Kong. The current estimated arrival at our warehouse is around Thanksgiving. Let's hope that schedule works out, because we'd really rather not feel like turkeys. If you've pre-ordered the new edition and are traveling in November or December of this year, contact us so that we can properly prioritize your shipment or change your order. We also thank all of you in advance for your loyalty and forbearance.
Note: For those viewing this newsletter online or in another Flash-friendly location, here's that sneak peek of the 2010 edition we mentioned above. Can't see it, go here to PassPorter.com's front page!
Disney Dream News!
Now, back to the Disney Dream! The new ship will be entering service in January 2011 and Disney Cruise Line has released the Dream's 2011 schedule of 3-, 4-, and 5-night Bahamian cruises. The first available date is January 26, 2011, a four-nighter. bookings for all 2011 sailings of the Dream start on November 2 for Gold and Platinum members of DCL's Castaway Club (five or more Disney cruises) and on November 9 for everyone else. The announcements began with a live webcast Thursday at 4:15pm and Disney simultaneously revealed the ship in great detail at the public Disney Cruise Line web site. Of course, the web site is open right now, and you can catch "on demand" rebroadcasts of the live webcast begining on Friday at 9:00am ET, also at the DCL site.
The headlines, are, of course, going to get lots of media coverage, oohs, and ahhs, so we won't repeat most of them here, and undoubtedly we'll have more info and commentary on these matters in PassPorter's DCL Forum at our message boards in the hours and days to come. But we can't keep completely silent.
Some of that "wow" factor focuses on items like AquaDuck, a "water coaster" that takes riders for a 765-foot raft ride through a large, clear tube starting on Deck 16, the very top of the aft smokestack, and ending on Deck 12. Like "Crush 'n' Gusher" at Typhoon Lagoon, powerful jets of water will be used at points to propel the raft, and at one point the ride loops out over the edge of the ship. Threre will be a 48-inch height restriction, but there will still be a Mickey slide at the Mickey Pool for the small fry.
Many of the ship's features and layout will be familiar to DCL fans, even though they may be on different decks. For example, the main lobby of the Walt Disney Theatre and the retail shops have been moved down to Deck 3 Forward, to join the Atrium Lobby, the Royal Palace dining room (similar to Lumiere's and Tritons), and Animator's Palate (moved from deck 4 to deck 3). The adult's-only nightclub area shares Deck 5 with the kids and teen clubs! A Virtual Tour on the DCL site lets you tour the ship deck by deck. The design clearly builds upon, rather than departs from, the design of the Magic and Wonder, from the staterooms to the theaters, kids clubs, adult entertainment district, pools, and dining venues. The style is generally Art Deco, in keeping with DCL tradition, but you'll be seeing more straight edges and fewer curves (perhaps due to the shift to a German shipyard from the Italian yard used for the Magic and Wonder), and some of the look is nearly Early '60s Retro.
Video technologies get a huge workout on the new ship. Most often mentioned are the virtual portholes in every inside stateroom. These large, round video screens are mounted on the queen bed's floor-to-ceiling headboard, and will be fed HD video from live cameras for a real-time look outside. For fun, they'll also mix in visits from animated friends like the starfish Peach from Finding Nemo. In the public spaces, it seems there'll be 103-inch HD video screens everywhere. In the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab kids clubs those screens will sometimes be used for interactive visits from Crush (as in "Turtle Talk with Crush" at Epcot and DCA) or Stitch (as in "Talk to Stitch" which debuted the technology at Disneyland's Innoventions). One cocktail lounge will have "windows" displaying changing scenes such as the New York skyline, and the hallways will feature smaller video ";paintings" that come to life and put on a show when guests come close. The biggest screen, as always, will overlook the family pool.
A new stage show, "Villains Tonight" is in the works for the Walt Disney Theatre on the Dream. For those who miss him since the closing of Hercules the Musical, Hades will be back monologuing in the new show. Both the Walt Disney Theatre and the Buena Vista movie theater will have balconies to handle the larger passenger load (up to 4,000 cruisers).
DCL has added some additional stateroom categories, but the basic approach to stateroom design and size is quite similar to the current ships, with popular features like the split bathrooms. One nice, small touch is that they've built the bedframes higher, so that there's even more room underneath for luggage storage, and kids sleeping in the upper bunk will find surprise artwork on display above their heads! Altogether, we've had an exciting day (and evening) poring over all the details. Now it's your turn!
PassPorter's Club
Update
- More than 1500 vacationers are now enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets, and super-sized photo archive images. Thank you for your continued support!
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In this issue, PassPorter Guest Contributor Nicole Courson shares information on Counting Down to Disney (Part 1). Then PassPorter Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry gives us a glimpse into Flying Fish Cafe. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Jennifer and Dave Marx
PassPorter Founders and
Authors
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Travel
Feature:
Counting Down to Disney (Part 1): What You Must Get Done
Nicole Courson, PassPorter Guest Contributor
Congratulations…you're going to Walt Disney World!
Whether you are celebrating your college graduation or planning the vacation of a lifetime with your kids and parents alike, this is a big deal and planning is key. It may seem as if once the hotel is booked and the tickets are purchased, the work is over, right? What can be left but packing a suitcase and boarding the plane?
Wrong!
There's so much to do! For the sake of keeping it straight, planning for Disney in our house can be divided into two basic categories: Must Get Done Stuff and Fun Stuff. With a little bit of looking at your calendar and some imagination, you might be able to check off more than one item on your "to-do" list at a time.
First, we'll cover the "Must Get Dones." These are the basics.
- Pick your plan. Your PassPorter will give a much more detailed and informative descriptions of this process, but basically you need to decide what you'd like to include on your trip. Want to pay for your meals ahead of time? Check out Disney's Dining Plans, with everything from a value-priced Quick-Service plan to the foodie's dream, Deluxe Dining. Or if you're planning to visit the water parks more than once, add it onto your ticket – you'll save money and time. Do you see yourself doing a park each day, or jumping from one to the other? The Park Hopper Option is something to think about.
- Book your trip. Whether you use a travel agent or book directly with Disney, be sure to be informed and clear about which resort you've chosen, the exact dates and how many rooms/guests there are. Also, be very clear with them about any special needs or preferences, such as proximity to pool, room with a view of the lake, etc.
- Make meal reservations. Whether you go with the Disney Dining Plan or not, you'll have to have advance dining reservations for all the sit-down restaurants on resort/park grounds. Don't make the mistake of thinking you'll just eat wherever – you really need to plan this. Believe it or not, Advanced Dining Reservations (ADR) are available 180 days out from your trip's start date. And if you'd like to book seats at Cinderella's Royal Table, you'd better do just that – those seats go fast!
- Make event reservations. Pretty much everything at Walt Disney World that's “extra-recreational" takes a reservation or ticket. If you're planning on attending Mickey's Christmas or Halloween celebrations, tickets will go on sale between six and three months away from your arrival date. Want to go parasailing around one of the lakes, see a Cirque du Soleil extravaganza over at Downtown Disney, or learn to surf at Blizzard Beach? Be sure to make reservations early.
- Make travel plans. Start perusing the airline deals well ahead of when you want to buy them – this gives you a chance to know when the best is time to get the lower prices for your airfare. Some airlines might run weekly specials and others might give you better rates for leaving on a Tuesday night rather than Wednesday morning. Once you've found the perfect flight, be sure to call back and tell Disney when you're arriving – every Disney resort guest receives complimentary Disney's Magical Express transportation to and from their hotel, and while it's a big hit for convenience and “fun" factors, it'll save you a bundle, too.
- Start a "to pack" list. Again, your PassPorter will be much more helpful with this, but the basics can be covered with my list of the four Ws: Who, Where, When and Weather. Just because it's Florida doesn't mean you won't need a parka in December – I can tell you that from experience and a serious dent in my parents' travel budget! Be sure to pack for daytime play and comfort, for those nicer restaurants in the evening, for chilly evenings on Main Street watching Wishes as well as early morning jaunts to the water parks. And make a second list of things like sunscreen, baby powder (chafing), extra batteries for the camera, ponchos (yes, it does rain in the happiest place on earth and the same ponchos at the dollar store here will cost you at least $5 there).
- Finalize your budget. No doubt you've been over it with a fine tooth comb a hundred times by now, but it can't hurt to revisit it. Remember the incidentals: tips ARE NOT included in meal plans, souvenirs for the kids (or the adults!) should be allotted for, and tipping your housekeeper (or mousekeeper) is recommended.
- Finalize your tour plan. Do not attempt to bamboozle your way willy-nilly through the parks with kids from sunup to sundown! It's not fun for anyone. Use your dining reservations to plan which days to visit which parks (if you didn't do it the other way around already). Be sure to plan downtime because everyone needs it. Whether it's lying around the pool mid-afternoon or going back to the resort early to let little ones play in the arcade while adults have a drink in the cantina, downtime in Walt Disney World is a must!
- Charge up your essentials. Two-way radios and cell phones are wonderful for keeping in contact when touring the parks, and those pesky handheld games your kids love can actually be handy when you're waiting in line for Space Mountain ... again! Got your camera, camcorder, MP3? Be sure to pack the chargers, too; all those necessities are nothing but paperweights after day two if you don't!
- Lastly -- relax! The minute you cross under the Walt Disney World sign, blast the radio or cheer with the little ones in the backseat because this is it -- you're finally there! Exhale and embrace every minute of it.
Now check out the the "Fun Stuff" article, with things you can do to help you count down the days until your Disney trip.
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About the Author: Nicole Courson lives in the magical kingdom of Pittsburgh, PA, with her two growing Mouseketeers and Prince Charming. They're planning their next trip to Walt Disney World in December of 2010 – this time, with Mike's family.
Questions, feedback, or
corrections about this article, or just want to give kudos to the author? Share a comment here or e-mail
us at news@passporter.com. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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Did You Know?
PassPorter's 2010 Editions in Pre-Order!
Don't forget to pre-order your 2010 edition of PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook. The new edition has 32 more pages, full color on beautiful glossy paper throughout the book, more than 500 gorgeous photos, and all the latest information. It's our best edition yet! Pre-order at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/2010/aspx | |
Disney Feature:
Flying Fish Cafe: Dining Review
Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
When it comes to dining, Walt Disney World offers perhaps one of the widest ranges of dining opportunities, outside of the world's major cities. It's one of the great draws for us, as we love exploring the different restaurants available, all with something unique. From dining with Mickey or Winnie the Pooh to enjoying superb views of fireworks or dining under the sea, there's literally something for everyone. As a fish lover, you'd imagine that one of my favorite restaurants on Disney property would be the Flying Fish Café, wouldn't you?
Although a number of Disney's signature restaurants are known for their excellent fish dishes, let's be honest, when it comes to the Flying Fish Cafe, the emphasis on their menu is highlighted in their very name. There are few restaurants that we visit where the fish choices easily outnumber the meat options, but this is one of them.
Therefore, it may come as a surprise to learn that our first visit to the Flying Fish Café in 2004 was far from magical. It probably didn't help that we arrived late, having been stranded waiting for a boat during a freak tropical storm, but the service was exceptionally slow that night, and although the food was good, to us, it was nothing outstanding and nowhere near as good as we had been expecting.
Disappointed, we avoided the restaurant for a number of years, but from hearing from people who had dined there, one thing shone through – that the Flying Fish Café always received glowing reports from diners. I don't think I ever read one review that was critical, which made us think that perhaps we had just hit it on a bad night, as it obviously has an excellent reputation with many.
Our recent return to the Flying Fish Cafe couldn't have been more different from our previous experience. We were seated almost at once, with a table close to the kitchen, so we could watch the chefs at work.
We were looked after by Tim, who must rank alongside Disney's best servers. He knew the menu back to front and was able to recommend choices that were perfect for us, after we described our tastes to him. Where we often need help is with wine selections. We tend to know what we like, but we've no idea whether the wine we like will go with the food we're choosing or not. Here, Tim came into his own and selected a superb Riesling that beautifully complimented all of our courses and we were only too delighted to go ahead and get a bottle to enjoy between the two of us.
He also did a wonderful job of timing our dinner superbly. We had told him when we first saw him that we wanted to be done to head into Epcot to see IllumiNations and he obviously kept that in mind. At no point did we feel rushed during the meal, but we did notice as it got towards the end, that we were ahead of other people that had been seated at the same time of us. In fact, we were finished with about 40 minutes to spare before the nightly show, which proved to be perfect timing.
Our table was perfect as well, near to where the chefs were creating our meals and, every so often, our attention would be grabbed by a flame exploding from the grill. When we had eaten here previously, we hadn't even realized that there was a show kitchen, so this was a real attraction for us. Somehow, I always admire chefs even more when they're cooking in front of the people who will eating those meals. To me, that takes even more confidence and is something I could never do. The last thing I want is people watching me when I'm cooking!
We were on the Deluxe Dining Plan for our meal at the Flying Fish Cafe, so price was no limit for us, which was a lovely feeling and certainly allowed me to relax a bit more during all our meals at signature restaurants. That probably explains why I started my meal with the Flying Fish artisanal cheeses. The five choices were largely unfamiliar to me and I'm a huge cheese connoisseur, so that said something. All were excellent and came with a range of different accompaniments, all of which fitted the cheese in question perfectly. I was also able to sample the Maine Lobster and Cinco Quesos (or five cheeses to you and me) quesadillas and those were just as good as my choice.
There was only one choice for me for the entree and that had to be the Chef's Thunder, a regularly changing dish, which is the restaurant's signature dish. On the day we visited it was pan roasted Florida day-boat Mahi Mahi, which came with a selection of vegetables. It was slightly too spicy for me to finish it, but all the same, the flavors from it were beautiful.
Sadly, even all the wonderful fish choices on the menu couldn't tempt my meat loving husband and he went for another signature dish, the char-crusted New York strip steak, although he did conclude that the best dishes here were the fish ones. Perhaps, bearing in mind the restaurant's name, that's no real surprise.
One thing that did surprise me – and very pleasantly – was the choice of desserts here. Recently I've found that a lot of menus at the Disney restaurants are becoming very similar and that's something I've noticed with the desserts in particular. Here, there was no such issue. I went for the trio of home-made sorbets, which blended together beautifully, while my husband went for the Study in Fall's Best Pears, which included a tiny, white chocolate mousse-filled baked pear, crisp pastry of French pear and dried cranberries, and a rustic red pear cobbler. Now how often do you see something like that on a Disney restaurant's menu these days? It seemed very appropriate, given that it was the Food and Wine Festival, which included a special display on pears this year at the American Adventure.
Although the bill wasn't a worry to us as we were on the Deluxe Dining Plan, for three courses and a bottle of wine, it came to $127. Yes, it's a lot of money, but it's also a wonderful experience and one that we'll be heading back to enjoy on our next visit to Walt Disney World.
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About the Author: Cheryl is the author of the new e-book, PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holidaymakers, as well as PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide: For Members and and Members-To-Be. Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to Disney, and they have made numerous visits to destinations across America and Europe. They recently completed their tour of every Disney theme park around the world, which culminated in their visit to Japan, including the Tokyo Disney Resort.
Questions, feedback, or
corrections about this article, or just want to give kudos to the author? Share a comment here or e-mail
us at news@passporter.com. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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