Food...the one thing many people don't associate with a Disney visit, but should. (Part 1)

When you think you are a Die-Hard Disney fan, but then learn that there are Disney Podcasts, Disney YouTube channels, Disney Fan Websites, and even a Disney FOOD BLOG, you realize you have only scratched the surface of being a true fan. At the advice of a good friend and fellow Disney Travel Agent, I began to listen, watch and read. The most compelling centralized and passionate theme turned out NOT to be the RIDES or SHOWS...but the FOOD!!!! Who has time to devote to tasting the food? Who can go to each restaurant, quick service place, snack stand at every park? Turns out...many people.

So, I took mental notes and began to do my own tasting research. This trip I had the expert taste buds of my sixteen-year old daughter and her best friend. So, we got lots of yummy things!!! Here are some things we learned about, tasted, can't wait to share:

The Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse from Satu'li Canteen

DO NOT FORGET ANIMAL KINGDOM!!!!!

Probably the best surprises we had were from Animal Kingdom. Specifically, Satu'li Canteen in Pandora is AMAZING. This picture is of the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mouse with a Passion Fruit topping. It looks small, and it isn't large, but it was plenty and very satisfying. To say it was delicious is to not give it the accolades it deserves!!! My daughter and her friend got the Chocolate Cake, pictured in the slide show at the end of this section. Again...TO DIE FOR, (in their words).

As for the meal options, again, amazing. I chose the beef and chicken options with the Sweet Potato Hash. My daughter got the Cheeseburger pods and her friend got the same as me, except she only got the chicken. The meat tasted like it had been sitting in the most delicious marinade for at least 24 hour and just off the grill. The Sweet Potato Hash was also good, although, next time, I think I'll try the rice. You have the option of three sauces. I went with the one recommended by the Cast Member who took our order, Creamy Herb Dressing. It was the bomb!!! This meal was well-rounded and quite filling! This was what we had for dinner our first day, so we could save our Table-Service points for our last day! :)

In addition to Satu'li Canteen, Animal Kingdom offers several Table-Service and Quick-Service options, along with the kiosks around the park. Don't discount those kiosks. One thing I learned at EPCOT is that there is an occasional exclusive item at some kiosks! (More on that from the EPCOT blog).

Our favorite snack/Quick-Service at Animal Kingdom was Flame Tree Barbecue on Discovery Island, near the bridge to Dinoland. My daughter's friend had been here just a couple months earlier with the High School band and was anxious to return for a specific item, which we all tried. It was Baked Macaroni and Cheese and Pulled Pork served with an onion ring and cole slaw.

We had the choice of the slaw on top or on the side. When I say that it was satisfying and delicious, I am not lying. It was like home-made comfort food right there in the park! It doesn't look pretty, as seen here in the picture, but it was really good.

A note for everyone, (because I don't remember if I have mentioned this before): Every Quick-service or kiosk that serves SODA FOUNTAIN drinks will give you a free cup of ice water. All you have to do is ask! During this last trip, I watched a man pay WAY TOO MUCH MONEY for 10 bottles of water. I didn't want to say anything in front of the poor cast member working the window, (it's not her fault), so I may have stalked the large family and finally stopped them about 50 yards away. It is always a little iffy when I stop someone in the middle of the park, but when I give them a helpful pointer, they are very thankful. Any way, I pulled the man aside, told him I was behind him when he ordered the bottles of water and then asked if he knew that they can get UNLIMITED glasses of ice water from places that sold soda fountain drinks. He did not, but was thrilled to know. Except that my daughter hates it when I do things like this, it was an awesome feeling to help them.

LET'S VENTURE OVER TO MAGIC KINGDOM

I am not going to try to list or review all the food selections available at the Magic Kingdom. But I do want discuss some new items and some that I have learned about but haven't gotten to yet.

First, Peter Pan's Float!!!! Yep. You read that correctly. It debuted 12 days ago and can be purchased in Fantasyland at "Storybook Treats." It is located just across from the Seven Dwarfs Mine ride.

This yummy refreshingness is comprised of Sprite, Key Lime Ice Cream and a Chocolate feather, (yep, the feather is red). On the hot day that I got this, it was like tasting heaven. It was light and cool. The feather is a cute touch, but I ate it right at the beginning, thinking the chocolate taste would not be so great with the lime. At first, I took a sip and then decided to mix it all up. And YUM!!!! The only thing, quite honestly, is that I was really thirsty for plain water when I was done. But, since I was right there, I ordered a free cup of ice water to go and was ready!!!

I do want to tell you about a Quick-Service place that, I believe, gets very little attention. I am not sure if it is because, when entering the park, it is just past the end of main street or if it is because it is near the Crystal Palace and not really in a designated "land," but, until I did lots of research, I never even noticed it. I KNOW I went by it many times. It is just across from the Christmas store where I collect a new ornament, (or 2 or 3), per visit, but I'd never paid it any mind. It is called "SLEEP HOLLOW." When my family and I go in December, if you decide to go, too, you can find me there...A LOT!!!!

Menu items served at Sleep Hollow include a Fruit waffle with Hazelnut spread, (basically...a Nutella/fruit waffle), Chicken and waffles, and other savory snacks. According to the link I just found, they do not honor the Dining Plan here...and that is definitely something I will have to look at. In my preliminary research, it seems that it is true...sadly.

OF COURSE THERE ARE SOME AWESOME CHARACTER-INTERACTION MEALS at the Magic Kingdom!!!

My personal favorite is Cinderella's Castle. This particular event takes 2 Table Service credits, so plan accordingly. The meal includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert...all ordered off of the menu, not prefix. While we ate, at like 10 minute intervals, a Disney princess's arrival was announced. She would walk in, smile, bow and then make her rounds to each table. If you have never interacted with any characters, you are missing out on some amazing magic! The cast

members who portray any character go through extensive training. Besides having to write the specific character's signature EXACTLY as every other cast member, they have to use the same voice the character would use, refer to familiar experiences that the character has had in the movies, and, above all, not break character. My daughter showed Cinderella a picture on her cell phone, and Cinderella jumped back as if the phone were some sort of sorcery! It was priceless.

This picture is, obviously, of Snow White! We had very late dinner reservations and the table next to us had 3 very young kids. When Snow White left us and went to their table, the kids were tired and grumpy. Snow White didn't skip a beat. She said, "You know, when Grumpy is tired, he is even GRUMPIER. I understand how you feel right now. And if SLEEPY were here, he'd invite you back to sleep in his bed. They're such nice dwarfs!." That perked the kids up! It was..shall we say...Magical.

My daughter's favorite Magic Kingdom Character dining experience is the Crystal Palace. This is at the Castle-end of Main Street...to the left, if you are looking at the castle from Main Street. The meal is a buffet and there is something for everyone...and plenty of it. The desserts are so cute that my daughter posted a picture of them on Instagram.

The Crystal Palace is where you will encounter Pooh and pals. Well...Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore. (No Roo or Owl). Again, the interactions of these characters are amazing. They can't talk...but they do communicate.

And that, my friends, is where I will stop. If I am getting listless, I cannot imagine reading this. I'm sorry!

I haven't said this lately, but, please, please...respond. If you have questions, I'll find answers. If you have suggestions, PLEASE share them. I would love this to be a conversation, as opposed to me just reporting. :)