We must have been on Santa’s nice list, because we got a special present at EPCOT yesterday. At one time, long before the appearance of Leave a Legacy at Epcot, there was a fountain topped with three “crystal” pylons that had a delightfully 80-style futuristic vibe. Time took its toll, and eventually these pylons were removed for many years, although the fountain itself remained. With the reimagining of the entrance area at EPCOT, work began on the fountain, and eventually it was seen that new pylons were being added back to the fountain area. Yesterday the walls and scrims came down, and we got our look at the revamped fountain. Simply put, it is beautiful by day and stunningly gorgeous by night. Our exceptional photographer (interviewer with the ever-popular tiny mic) Ivonne was at Epcot yesterday to photograph this area in all its new glory.
Are you excited to see this back at Epcot? Let us know what you think about it in the comments.
So you’re spending Christmas Day at Walt Disney World, but you don’t have a Christmas dinner reservation. Granted, it’s not the best situation to be in; but hey, Walt Disney World isn’t called the place where dreams come true for nothing!
Even though the most wonderful day of the year is only a few days away, there are still Disney World restaurants serving up traditional Christmas meals that still have reservations available for Christmas Day. There are also a few other places on property to check out that don’t require a reservation at all! Let’s take a look.
1. Raglan Road
Outdoor Seating at Raglan Road Disney Springs
This Disney Springs restaurant has long been a favorite among Disney World regulars and locals; and at the time of writing, Raglan Road still had a surprising number of open tables for Christmas Day for its equally extensive Christmas menu!
Guests dining at Raglan Road for a Christmas Day meal will enjoy butter and herb-roasted turkey with sides ranging from roast garlic mashed potatoes to honey-glazed carrots to bacon-braised Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauces, a sausage and walnut stuffing, and more. For adults, this meal is priced at $28.95; and for kids, it’s $14.
Raglan Road is also offering the pub’s regular menu plus live performances kicking off at 4:30 p.m.!
2. Rainforest Cafe
For a traditional Christmas menu in a non-traditional setting, Rainforest Cafe is offering a Christmas Day meal at both their Disney Springs and Disney’s Animal Kingdom locations doubling your chances for a reservation! Note: You don’t need a park ticket or park pass reservation to enjoy Rainforest Cafe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Be sure to bring a dino-sized appetite for baked ham, roasted turkey, gravy, green beans and cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing, and more for $25.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids.
3. T-REX
Remember Christmas pasts, and I do mean WAY in the past, at T-REX at Disney Springs!
On Christmas Day, T-REX is serving roasted sliced turkey and ham, along with cornbread stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, gravy, and more for $29.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids.
With dining rooms that come alive with dinos and meteor showers, T-REX is sure to be a Christmas dinner experience you and your kids won’t soon forget.
4. Wine Bar George
Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites at Wine Bar George
This Disney Springs location is a hidden gem known for more than just wine. It’s surprisingly family-friendly and, most importantly, it still has quite a few open tables available for Christmas Day.
Speaking of which, on Christmas Day Wine Bar George is serving up Filet Mignon for $46, Chilean Sea Bass for $36, and a White Chocolate Cheesecake (with peppermint bark!) for $8. Guests can still order a few of their standard menu staples during the holidays too, such as Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites, the house-made meatball, and smoked salmon.
Even if you can’t secure a dining reservation for Christmas Day, there are still options to ensure you and yours enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner at Walt Disney World.
5. Disney Resort Quick Service Locations
Christmas Cookies at Contempo Cafe
Many of the quick service locations at the various Disney World Resorts offer a traditional Christmas dinner plate. Consider checking out Contempo Cafe at Disney’s Contemporary Resort or Captain Cook’s at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, as these two locations are known for their quality and festive treats. Plus, what better setting than a Disney Deluxe Resort to enjoy Christmas Day?
6. P&J’s Southern Takeout
Looking for a laidback, homecooked-style Christmas meal? P&J’s Southern Takeout at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is offering house-smoked turkey, green beans, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, and orange-cranberry sauce on Christmas Day! The full-sized entree is priced at $14.49 while the kid-sized meal is $10.99.
7. Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
This annual EPCOT festival offers samplings of holiday dishes from both the United States and around the world complete with festive treats. For a traditional Christmas meal, the American Holiday Table booth serves turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce for $5.75! There’s also a turkey and waffle snack at the Waffles booth, a maple Buche de Noel at the Yukon Holiday Kitchen, and potato latkes a L’Chaim.
NOTE: Keep in mind you will need a park pass reservation for EPCOT on Christmas Day to enjoy these options.
Are you spending Christmas Day at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments!
Filed Under: Dining, Walt Disney World (FL), Christmas at Disney World, Christmas Dinner at Disney World, Christmas Meal, disney christmas, disney dining reservations, Disney Springs, disney world, disney world restaurants, Epcot, International Festival of the Holidays, Raglan Road, Rainforest Cafe, Rainforest Cafe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, T-Rex, walt disney world, Wine Bar George
You may have heard the news that the Morocco Pavilion is now under Disney management. Prior to this change the pavilion was operated by a third party designated by the Kingdom of Morocco. You can read more about the change here. Right now we’re going to focus on how this change will impact your taste buds.
Spice Road Table has reopened, under Disney management. The biggest change is there are no entrees on the menu; everything is small plates. Additionally, there are no reservations available at Spice Road Table. Everything is walk-in seating. With the lovely waterfront, outdoor dining, this is a great option for a relaxing meal or to just grab a cocktail and something on which to nibble.
Spice Road Table Outdoor Seating
Chrissy on our team, and Gigi our junior researcher, stopped in this weekend to try it out. Here’s what they ordered.
Pomegranate-Chili Crispy Cauliflower with Red Pepper Aleppo Sauce – $11.00
Hummus Fries with Citrus Chipotle and Preserved Lemon – $10.00
Up first, the Pomegranate-Chili Crispy Cauliflower was a surprise hit. It’s hard to think of another vegetable that has gone from zero to hero the way cauliflower has. It’s on every menu at every restaurant as a plant-based star. With chili in the description you might think this dish would be spicy, but instead it was very flavorful. Even Gigi loved it!
Hummus Fries
The Hummus Fries are a staple of the Morocco Pavilion, and did not disappoint. The texture was crunchy, and thanks to the hummus, this dish was filling. They were a little dry, but the flavor made up for it.
If you’re not sure what to get or if you’re only going to get one plate, the Spice Road Table Sampler is the way to go. Chrissy reports that although she is not a fan of lamb, the lamb kefta was quite good. These three tastes are a great way to experience some of the traditional food of the region.
Spice Road Table Sampler
The Dessert Platter is another great way to sample the tastes of Morocco. There were three pastries, and each was light, sweet, but not overly sugary. This is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without having something heavy. Get this platter with the Moroccan Mint Tea Service and unwind by the water.
Dessert SamplerPomegranate Mimosa
Spice Road Table has a selection of beers and wines from the region, as well as some interesting cocktails. Or you can keep it simple with a Pomegranate Mimosa, bursting with a balance of sweet and tart. A great way to toast the beautiful views and exotic atmosphere.
Our readers give Spice Road Table an 89% thumbs up rating and it is ranked 43 out of 106 table service restaurants at Walt Disney World. With it being walk-in only this is a fantastic choice if you want an impromptu meal or light bite, or even just a place to sit down and grab a drink.
Have you ever dined at Spice Road Table? What do you think of these changes?
One of the special traits about Disney Springs is the mix of local Orlando businesses that have a presence here. For these local businesses it must feel like being called to the big leagues. Two local Orlando businesses have gotten that call, joining other locals already at Springs. One is open now, and one opens tomorrow.
Wondermade Pop-Up Shop at Disney Springs
Wondermade Marshmallows just opened its own pop-up shop at Disney Springs, in front of Paddlefish restaurant. This cozy kiosks offers some of Wondermade’s signature flavored marshmallows including Birthday Cake, S’Mores, Bourbon, and more. Wondermade Marshmallows was started by a husband and wife, and it is still family-run. They have a wholesale branch now and have an adorable shop in historic downtown Sanford – with some of the best ice cream in all of Central Florida.
Wondermade Pop Up Shop at Disney SpringsWondermade Pop Up Shop at Disney SpringsWondermade Pop-Up Shop at Disney Springs
More sweets are coming to Disney Springs. On our visit today we noticed some employees out front of Gideon’s Bakehouse. They indicated training was happening today and they intend to open tomorrow. Gideon’s Bakehouse has its original location in East End Market just outside of downtown Orlando. East End Market is a fantastic destination if you’re ever looking to explore one of Orlando’s best local neighborhoods. The cookies and cakes offered at Gideon’s are intense! They are dense and made with rich ingredients. Their signature cookies were offered at Polite Pig for quite some time, and it is exciting to see them get their own storefront, in a prominent location in The Landing.
Gideon’s Bakehouse Disney Springs Opening SoonGideon’s Bakehouse Disney Springs Opening Soon
Two other local businesses that have had a residence in Disney Springs are still going strong. One such business is 4 Rivers, which is a very successful BBQ restaurant that has grown into a large chain across Florida and beyond. 4 Rivers has a cantina-style food truck, which was located at the Marketplace, but has moved to the Food Truck Park at West Side.
4 Rivers Cantina Food TruckPolite Pig Exterior Disney Springs
The Polite Pig is one of the top-rated restaurants at Disney Springs. It is a concept from some of Orlando’s best known restaurateurs, James and Julie Petrakis, chefs and owners of The Ravenous Pig, Cask & Larder, and Swine & Sons in Winter Park. If you ever get the chance to explore Winter Park, it is one of Orlando’s most-loved areas with lots of great dining.
Polite Pig Disney Springs Indoor Outdoor BarPolite Pig Disney SpringsPolite Pig Butcher’s BoardPolite Pig Butcher’s Board
During our visit today we figured we’d toast the local love, and had lunch at The Polite Pig. Our research team sunk their teeth into the Butcher Board. This big platter comes with Pork Shoulder, Smoked Chicken, Brisket, and BBQ Cheddar Sausage with Slaw, House Pickles, two Cornbreads and a choice of two Sides. For $39.00 it is not a bad deal considering it works out to $20.00 a person, and you get more than enough food for two people, plus you get to try a lot of different flavors. Our team enjoyed the brisket the most and recommends substituting the ribs and asking for more brisket isntead. It was one of the most satisfying and delicious meals our team has had in a while, and they dine at Walt Disney World quite a bit.
Are you excited about either of these local businesses? What’s your favorite spot at Disney Springs?
Filed Under: Dining, Disney Springs, News, Shopping, disney desserts, disney springs dining, gideon’s bake house disney springs, wondermade marshmallows disney springs
Pizza is a serious business; and if the Boardwalk Pizza Window has taught us anything, it’s that not all pizzas are created equal. But with over 200 places to grab a meal at the most magical place on earth, how do you know where to find the best pizza pie?
Today I’m breaking down the top three Walt Disney World restaurants known for serving up delicious pizzas according to your reader and user rankings. Let’s take a look and see if you agree!
EPCOT’s Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria serves up Neopolitan pizza made from ingredients imported from Southern Italy and cooked in wood-burning ovens named after Italy’s active volcanoes! Expect traditional pizzas like the Margherita and Pepperoni to white pizzas like the San Gennaro. The best of the best just might be the Carciofi topped with artichokes and truffle oil.
Lines 2.0 app Rating: 89%
Lines 2.0 app Ranking: #20 of 106 in WDW
Price: Lunch and Dinner $4.00 to $49.00 for adults and $9.50 to $11.50 for kids.
This popular Disney Springs location allows guests to build their own pizza with over 40 toppings and sauces and watch it baked in 90 seconds. It’s fast, customizable, affordable, and it offers fresh quality ingredients. In addition to build-your-own pizzas, guests can also order signature pizzas like the Red Vine, White Top, Meat Eater, and Art Lover.
Touring Plans Rating: 93%
Touring Plans Ranking: #19 of 106 in WDW
Price: Lunch and Dinner $7.45 to $13.95 for adults and $2.50 to $13.95 for kids.
California Grill
California Grill is a signature restaurant located on the 15th floor of the Contemporary Resort and known for its views of the Magic Kingdom. While this location is known for fine fare ranging from steak to seafood, California Grill also serves up artisanal pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven and with house-made pepperoni! But keep in mind, this particular dining destination is only open for dinner.
Touring Plans Rating: 93%
Touring Plans Ranking: #12 out of 106 at WDW
Price: Lunch and Dinner $36 to $65 for adults and $11.00 to $19.00 per child
What’s your favorite place for pizza at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments!
Filed Under: Dining, Walt Disney World (FL), Best Pizza at Disney World, Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, Blaze Pizza, California Grill, Contemporary Resort, disney dining, Disney Springs, disney world, Disney World Pizza, Epcot, Pizza at Disney World, Via Napoli, walt disney world
For a traditional Christmas menu in a non-traditional setting, Rainforest Cafe is offering a Christmas Day meal at both their Disney Springs and Disney’s Animal Kingdom locations doubling your chances for a reservation! Note: You don’t need a park ticket or park pass reservation to enjoy Rainforest Cafe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
