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The Top 3 Burgers at Walt Disney World in 2020

Researching the Walt Disney World theme parks every day makes our team hungry. One of the staples of theme park food is the hamburger. We’ve had quite a few this year and thought it would be fun to recap some of our favorites.

Note, these are all quick service burgers. Generally the burgers served at any table service restaurant will be better quality, but there are still some gems to be found at counter service locations.

  • Angus Bacon Cheeseburger at The Sand Bar
  • Backlot Burger at Backlot Express
  • Plant-Based Burger at Beaches and Cream
  • Honorable Mention: Turkey Holiday Burger at D-Luxe Burger

The Top 3 Burgers at Walt Disney World in 2020
The Top 3 Burgers at Walt Disney World in 2020

It’s hard to wholeheartedly recommend The Sand Bar at Disney’s Contemporary Resort considering there are more interesting options on the monorail loop, like Caption Cook’s at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Gasparilla Island Grill at Disney’s Grand Floridian. However, with the Contemporary being right next door to Magic Kingdom, it is a convenient place to have a nice break.

The Angus Bacon Cheeseburger, is served with a generous amount of French fries. This burger is better quality than the standard cheeseburgers served inside Magic Kingdom. Priced at $12.99, which is pretty standard for a Disney quick service cheeseburger, this Angus Bacon Cheeseburger is a better value than the standard burgers inside the parks because of the quality.

The Top 3 Burgers at Walt Disney World in 2020
Backlot Burger at Backlot Express

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios you can take a step back in time at Backlot Express, which has not changed too much since the park’s opening year. The Backlot Burger is a specialty burger that offers so much more than the standard Disney quick service burger. This something extra is indicated in the price of $13.99, but the serving is pretty large and the 1/3 lb. Angus beef burger is loaded with barbecued pulled pork, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickle. The brioche bun holds this big pile of tasty food together, and you can have apple slices or fries as the side.

The Top 3 Burgers at Walt Disney World in 2020
Plant-Based Burger at Beaches and Cream

This next burger is delicious, even if you’re not that into plant-based options. The Plant-Based Burger at Beaches and Cream, at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, is one of the most flavorful burgers we tried this year. The plant-based mayo and the balsamic-onion jam elevate this plant-based burger. The sweetness of the onion jam is addicting. The plant-based mayo is a little tangy and adds a little bit of creaminess. The multigrain bun is flavorful and fluffy, and solidifies this burger as one of the best plant-based burgers at Walt Disney World.

The Top 3 Burgers at Walt Disney World in 2020
Holiday Turkey Burger and Eggnog Shake at D-Luxe Burger

This last burger is only available during the holiday season, but it is included as an Honorable Mention in this list because it showcases the great seasonal items that are available at D-Luxe Burger. If you enjoy checking out seasonal or new flavors at Disney Springs, D-Luxe Burger should be on your list. The Holiday Turkey Burger is a Turkey Burger patty topped with Bacon-Cranberry Jam, Butternut Squash Risotto Cake, Lettuce, and Tomato. Both the Bacon-Cranberry Jam and the Butternut Squash Risotto Cake elevate this burger to gourmet status, the flavor and quality is high. Our team was tempted to harass the cooks for the recipe of the Butternut Squash Risotto Cake. Here’s hoping this holly jolly burger is back on the menu next holiday season.

Did you visit Walt Disney World this year? What’s the best burger you had?

The Top 3 Burgers at Walt Disney World in 2020

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Filed Under: Dining, kids, Resorts, Trip Planning, disney best restaurants, disney burger, disney cheeseburger, disney dining, Disney Springs

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REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs

Everyone is raving about the cookies from Gideon’s Bakehouse. But what about their incredible cake slices? Our team had the sweet job of selecting three different slices of cakes to test out. We had a tough time deciding which we like better, the cake or the cookies. Read on and maybe you can decide for yourself.

REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Cakes on Display at Gideon’s Bakehouse

This local bakery’s original location at East End Market opened in 2016, and usually sells out of its specialty cookies and cake slices on weekends and special occasions. Now at Disney Springs, Gideon’s Bakehouse has a larger interior and a more elaborately themed space. Gideon’s Bakehouse likes to say they were established in 1898. The story goes they purchased what they thought was an old family cookbook, but instead uncovered a diary of a boy named Gideon who dreamed of having his own bakery.

REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Gideon’s Bakehouse Interior
REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Inside Gideon’s Bakehouse
REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Gideon’s Bakehouse Cookies on Display

Gideon’s original location and the branding on its website and packaging is inspired by the Victorian era, with some macabre undertones. This new Disney Springs space takes that theme to the next level. This is Disney property after all. Fans of The Haunted Mansion as well as the world of Harry Potter will enjoy the atmosphere.

Now, let’s get to the cakes. Every day Gideon’s presents a new selection of cake slices. Some of staple flavors, and others are fun experiments for the staff. Currently, the Disney Springs location does not offer entire cakes for pre-order, which is only available at the original East End Market location. Here’s the three flavors cake slices our team picked up and devoured at home:

  • True Red Velvet
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter
  • Special Double Frosted Caramel Mocha Chocolate Cake

We’ll start with the True Red Velvet as it is one of the few standard flavors. This cake is a beacon of hope for Red Velvet cake lovers. Nowadays Red Velvet tends to be chocolate cake with red food dye. But that’s not what Red Velvet is meant to be. This True Red Velvet is dense buttermilk cake with rich cream cheese frosting. The candied walnuts add a delightful crunch. This is truly a special cake and one that makes Gideon’s Bakehouse standout even more than it already does.

REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
True Red Velvet Cake Slice at Gideon’s Bakehouse
REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
True Red Velvet Cake Slice at Gideon’s Bakehouse

The Chocolate Peanut Butter is a comfort food classic. Dense chocolate cake is enrobed in thick, sugary peanut butter frosting. It’s a simple cake, but it is executed near perfection. The True Red Velvet is our favorite between these two, but anyone who loves the pairing of chocolate and peanut butter will find this cake irresistible.

REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Peanut Butter Cake Slice at Gideon’s Bakehouse
REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Peanut Butter Cake Slice at Gideon’s Bakehouse

Finally, we picked up a special slice that is described as “we were just having some fun with this one.” The Double Frosted Caramel Mocha Chocolate Cake is a delightful surprise. The chocolate and coffee flavor dance together without overpowering each other. The caramel adds a lovely sweetness and is a nice touch without taking over. If Gideon’s other special, just-for-fun slices are as good as this one we’re ready and willing to try them all.

REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Double Frosted Caramel Mocha Cake Slice at Gideon’s Bakehouse
REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Double Frosted Caramel Mocha Cake Slice at Gideon’s Bakehouse

In case you missed it, we wrote about the cookies we purchased on opening day at Gideon’s, and we even weighed them.

Are you excited about Gideon’s Bakehouse? Which cake slice sounds best to you?

REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs

The post REVIEW – Don’t Forget About Cake Slices at Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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Filed Under: Disney Springs, Snacks, disney cakes, disney desserts, disney dining

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Top 3 Disney World Tips That Everyone Forgets About

Planning your Walt Disney World vacation can feel overwhelming. Are you making the most of your trip? Is there something you’re forgetting? There’s lots to know, and we aim to make our website and Lines app as helpful as possible. In that spirit here are three tips for visiting Walt Disney World that practically everyone forgets about.

  1. Merchandise Pick-up / Delivery
  2. Adults can order from kid’s menu
  3. The park doesn’t actually close at closing time

Disney’s Merchandise Pick-up / Delivery

This first tip you may not want to share with your kids. If you’ve ever said, “no we can’t buy that, we don’t want to carry it around all day,” this one’s for you. At most Disney theme park merchandise shops you can send your purchase to the front of the park to pick up at the end of your day. This service is free, and it was suspended during the initial reopening on the parks, but it is now back in service.

When you’re checking out, ask the Cast Member about the Merchandise Pick-Up option. Usually they need just 2-3 hours to ensure your purchase makes it to the park exit. Be sure to double check on if you have enough time, and ask about the exact location for picking up your merchandise. At EPCOT you will need to know if you will exit at the front of the park or at International Gateway.

The other free option is for your purchase to be sent to your Disney resort hotel. Not all hotels on Disney property participate, so be sure to double check with the Cast Member. You will need to provide your room number. The purchase will be sent overnight and available for pick up the next day at your resort’s merchandise shop. This service cannot be done for delivery on the day you check out of your hotel.

Top 3 Disney World Tips That Everyone Forgets About
Hester’s and Chester’s Dinoland USA Merchandise

Adults can order from the kid’s menu

If you’re not too hungry, or you’re trying to save a little money at Walt Disney World, you can order from the kid’s menu. This mainly pertains to quick service dining locations. At table service restaurants it may be a little trickier. Thanks to Mobile Ordering you can easily order from the kids menu and simply pick up your order when it is ready. Disney does have the basics of children’s eating habits like chicken nuggets, burgers, and pizza, but they also have some creative, healthy options too. Be sure to explore!

Top 3 Disney World Tips That Everyone Forgets About
Kid’s Finger Food at Geyser Point

There’s also a great snack pack available at select quick service locations which provides a decent amount of snacks that can keep you going throughout the day.

The park doesn’t actually close at closing time

Each park’s published closing time indicates a few things. First, no more guests will be admitted into the park at that point. Second, no additional guests will be allowed entrance into any of the queues for the attractions. Most quick service locations and many shops will close at closing time or just before. However, if you are already in line, you can remain in line. So, yes, if you’ve got five minutes until the park closes and you jump into a line with a 45 minute wait, for example, you’ll be able to continue in line and ride the ride.

Top 3 Disney World Tips That Everyone Forgets About
Tomorrowland at Night October 2020

You can also dine past closing time. Many table service restaurants will have timeslots available all the way until just before closing time. There’s also been cases when we’ve found timeslots for right after park closing, say 15 minutes. You use our Reservation Finder to help secure a reservation at popular spots and popular timeslots.

Enjoying a meal that goes beyond the published park closing time will not only satisfy your hunger, but will give you a chance to stroll through the park with less people–an enchanting way to end your day. Merchandise shops at the front of the park are open for about an hour past closing as well, in case you need those last-minute mementos.

There’s plenty more tips where these came from. Let us know in the comments if you’d like to see more tips like these.

Top 3 Disney World Tips That Everyone Forgets About

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REVIEW! Disney World’s BoardWalk Bakery’s Fourth of July Cupcake is a STUNNER!

While you might be starting your Fourth of July festivities with your family and friends, the Disney Resorts have been calling us with all their holiday treats!

REVIEW! Disney World’s BoardWalk Bakery’s Fourth of July Cupcake is a STUNNER!

BoardWalk Inn

While we’ve already seen a patriotic cupcake trio, a firework blondie pop, and a raspberry cream cheese-filled cupcake, the BoardWalk Bakery has baked up MULTIPLE Fourth of July treats (and we’re trying them all for you)!

The Fourth of July Cupcake at the BoardWalk Inn is not only adorable (just LOOK at that pinwheel!!), but it’s got two treats in one too! The chocolate cake is topped with vanilla buttercream, sprinkles, and a fondant pinwheel that even Minnie Mouse would love. But, the best part is that there is a cheesecake filling on the inside of the cupcake that makes the treat doubly sweet!

REVIEW! Disney World’s BoardWalk Bakery’s Fourth of July Cupcake is a STUNNER!

Fourth of July Cupcake

Although the cake is moist and there is plenty of buttercream, the cheesecake filling holds most of the weight of the cupcake. The filling adds a bit of creaminess to the treat (we could honestly eat a cup of that filling!). While we are big fans of the marshmallow creme from the Contempo Cafe’s Fourth of July Cupcake, the cheesecake has officially become our number one filling from today!

REVIEW! Disney World’s BoardWalk Bakery’s Fourth of July Cupcake is a STUNNER!

Fourth of July Cupcake

You can get the Fourth of July Cupcake for $5.99 at the BoardWalk Bakery, along with the rest of the festive treats being featured today (but more on those in a few minutes!).

REVIEW! Disney World’s BoardWalk Bakery’s Fourth of July Cupcake is a STUNNER!

Fourth of July Treats

We’ll be giving you our full review on these other Fourth of July snacks soon! Happy Fourth of July and happy snacking, everybody!

Which of BoardWalk Bakery’s treats looks the best for you? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Boardwalk Inn and Villas, disney dining tips, Disney News, disney parks, disney resorts, Featured, Snacks, Walt Disney World, Boardwalk Bakery, boardwalk inn resort, Disney, disney cupcakes, disney dining, disney hotels, disney news, disney snacks, disney treats, disney’s boardwalk inn resort, Fourth of July, Fourth of July Cupcake

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REVIEW! A Cupcake With ALL the Red, White, and Blue Frosting (and a Favorite Got a Patriotic Makeover!) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

It’s been a cupcake crawl ALL over the Disney Resorts today for the Fourth of July!

REVIEW! A Cupcake With ALL the Red, White, and Blue Frosting (and a Favorite Got a Patriotic Makeover!) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

Contempo Cafe

We’ve already seen a cupcake trio at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and an AMAZING treat with a raspberry cream center (!!!) at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. And, our next snack on the list is perfect for all those frosting fans out there!

The Fourth of July Cupcake is making a fabulously festive appearance at the Contempo Cafe in Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Although last year’s Fourth of July treat combined red velvet cake and berries, this year’s is the PERFECT choice for a dessert that your whole family will enjoy!

REVIEW! A Cupcake With ALL the Red, White, and Blue Frosting (and a Favorite Got a Patriotic Makeover!) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

Fourth of July Cupcake

Surprise, surprise — it’s VERY red, white, and blue!  The chocolate cupcake is filled with marshmallow creme and topped with red, white, and blue buttercream, along with patriotic sprinkles and fondant stars. The cake on this treat is just SO GOOD. It’s very moist, which pairs extremely well with the fluffiness of the marshmallow creme.

REVIEW! A Cupcake With ALL the Red, White, and Blue Frosting (and a Favorite Got a Patriotic Makeover!) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

Fourth of July Cupcake

But, the main star of the Fourth of July Cupcake is all that frosting. The treat is piled high with so much buttercream (and ya’ll already know how much we love frosting). The Fourth of July Cupcake at the Contempo Cafe is a great holiday pick for the other frosting fans out there or someone who loves really cute cupcakes for $5.99! Heads up though — that potent dye might show on your teeth for a bit after, so maybe grab a water to help wash it down!

REVIEW! A Cupcake With ALL the Red, White, and Blue Frosting (and a Favorite Got a Patriotic Makeover!) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

Fourth of July Cupcake

While we were at the bakery, we also spotted that our beloved Peanut Butter Pie has received a Fourth of July makeover too!

REVIEW! A Cupcake With ALL the Red, White, and Blue Frosting (and a Favorite Got a Patriotic Makeover!) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

Fourth of July Peanut Butter Pie

The top of the treat is currently featuring some of the same patriotic sprinkles and red, white, and blue drizzle to go with all that peanut butter goodness for $4.79.

REVIEW! A Cupcake With ALL the Red, White, and Blue Frosting (and a Favorite Got a Patriotic Makeover!) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

Fourth of July Peanut Butter Pie

Forget applied pie, our DFB reporter stated that there there’s nothing “as American as peanut butter pie” this Fourth of July (and we couldn’t agree more)! We LOVE this treat any day, but seeing it all dolled up for the Fourth was a nice surprise!

REVIEW! A Cupcake With ALL the Red, White, and Blue Frosting (and a Favorite Got a Patriotic Makeover!) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

Fourth of July Peanut Butter Pie

But wait, there’s MORE! We’ve got even more red, white, and blue goodies we’re reviewing today so stay tuned! And, we can’t wait to see what other new snacks will be making their way into the parks next week too. Happy Fourth of July, friends!!

What Fourth of July treat do you want to try the most in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Contemporary Resort, Disney News, disney parks, disney resorts, Featured, Snacks, Walt Disney World, Contempo Cafe, Disney, disney dessert, disney dining, disney hotels, disney news, disney snacks, disney treats, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Fourth of July, Fourth of July Cupcake, fourth of july peanut butter pie, peanut butter pie