Time sure flies. I can't believe it has already been over a whole month since I returned from Disney World- this blog post is long overdue! I was in Orlando for a full week and a lot of eating took place.
My excuse for going on this trip was WDW Marathon Weekend, where I ran the 5K and 10K races to make sure I would be at my hungriest. But more on the races another day! This post is all about food.
I spent a day at Magic Kingdom right before Star Wars Celebration 2017, but this was my first time really being able to explore WDW. I still didn't quite see or do or EAT everything I wanted (especially at Epcot!) but overall it was a pretty successful trip.
Dinner at 'Ohana (inside Disney's Polynesian Village Resort)
I'm not usually a big salad person, but I could not get enough of this one for some reason. Maybe the Lilikoi dressing? Salad (and delicious bread that I did not take a photo of) is followed up with lo mein noodles, gyoza, stir-fried veggies, and chicken wings. Finally, chicken, beef, and shrimp skewers - the latter being the highlight, in my opinion - are delivered to you at your table. They may not be so pretty but they are certainly tasty.
The real star of this dinner though? Definitely dessert.
Bread pudding with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Soooooooo good.
If you want to have dinner at 'Ohana (and I do recommend it!) you'll need to make reservations in advance, so do check that out sooner rather than later if you have a trip coming up. I've heard the character breakfast is a lot of fun too- there are no characters at dinner, if that's what you're looking for.
Need an adult beverage? You have to check out Trader Sam's at the Polynesian Resort. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it inside this trip, but I did snag a tasty Spikey Pineapple from the outside bar.
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop (inside Disney's Beach Club Resort)
Beaches & Cream is such a cute location, with amazing ice cream creations that make it a must-visit. This was my celebratory meal after completing my races, and I had my heart set on getting something ridiculous. But first, I put down some grilled cheese and tomato soup while I pondered which shake I should order.
It was a tough decision, and under normal circumstances I probably would have gone with the Mickey Confetti shake, but I decided to pick the shake that matched my medal. Naturally.
I was able to consume about 75% of the shake and a few bites of cupcake before I had to wave the white flag. You do get to take the plastic mason jar home though- they even clean it out for you! I appreciated that very much.
Finally, with my race days behind me, I was off to the parks!
Woody's Lunch Box (Hollywood Studios)
Ever since Toy Story Land opened last year, I have been dying to check it out and eat at Woody's Lunch Box. I'm going to have to go back during the day next time so I can try the S'more French Toast sandwich, but I went during an After Hours event so I could go on rides and do photo ops without long wait times and just enjoy the area with less people around! If it fits in your schedule and budget, I highly recommend looking into After Hours tickets for each of the individual parks within WDW.
I went with grilled cheese and tomato soup again- hey, it was actually surprisingly chilly in Orlando while I was there!- although this time I paired it with a Grown Up's Lemonade (cherry vodka and lemonade).
The item I wanted most from Woody's Lunch Box was one of their tarts. Unfortunately, the chocolate-hazelnut candied bacon option was sold out, so I went with raspberry.
It was fantastic. I should have had another. But I did end my night with a classic Mickey ice cream bar. (Did you know you can find Mickey bars at your grocery store now too??)
Breakfast at Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom)
One of my goals for this trip was to meet Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore and so I locked that in with the Crystal Palace character breakfast inside Magic Kingdom.
I don't know if it had more to do with the ambiance and my excitement at meeting Pooh & friends, but the food was also tasty, and this was possibly my favorite Disney breakfast I've had! Of course you can never go wrong with a Mickey waffle.
The hugs were great too.
Sunshine Tree Terrace (Magic Kingdom)
I experienced some Disney magic when the cast member working at Sunshine Tree Terrace complimented my Orange Bird shirt and asked me what I was planning to order. I assumed he was just getting it ready for me to purchase as I was next in line, but much to my surprise, next thing I knew he was handing me the delicious treat, saying "compliments of my friend the Orange Bird!"
The orange cream float is, I'm pretty sure, my #1 favorite Disney treat. And yes, I ate the entire thing.
Dinner at Coral Reef (Epcot)
I didn't end up with time to eat and/or drink around the world at Epcot, but I did get one neat dining experience. Coral Reef Restaurant offers you the opportunity to enjoy your meal while sharks and turtles and other beautiful sea creatures are swimming around you!
The food isn't mind-blowing (I had the shrimp and grits) and it is a little pricey, especially considering the small portions, but being essentially inside an aquarium is pretty cool. I would try to ask for a table closer to the windows next time, even if it means a longer wait. A+ for the environment, B for the menu.
Several treats at Animal Kingdom
My Animal Kingdom day started with a solid character breakfast at Tusker House. I needed another serving of Mickey waffles and had to try the Jungle Juice (I'm pretty sure it's POG juice??).
Outside of breakfast, there were two items on my must-consume list at Animal Kingdom. First was the Simba cupcake, a yellow cake with a ton of buttercream frosting- and I mean a TON. It was so sweet that I needed to find something savory to balance it out (I guess a cupcake isn't a substantial lunch on its own anyway) and I found mac & cheese with sweet chili shrimp. I enjoyed the two flavors separately but I'm not sure they were meant to be combined.
The second item was a beverage- the Night Blossom from Pongu Pongu inside Pandora. It's an apple and pear limeade with passion fruit boba that was truly refreshing.
When I saw the canteen, I couldn't resist it. THEN the cast member at the photo op for Mickey & Minnie suggested that I have them sign it for me and now it's one of my favorite souvenirs from the parks.
Goofy's Candy Co. (Disney Springs)
The purple treats had just hit, so I figured I couldn't leave without trying one! I found the purple cake pop, which was just as delightful as any other Disney cake pop.
As is my tradition, I had to bring home a candy apple. I should really update my tradition to bringing TWO candy apples home.
Looking back, I feel like I could have tried to squeeze in a few more food items. I didn't have a single churro? Or cupcake? I give myself an A- on effort. And next time, I'll focus on Epcot.
