Archive for July, 2009

No Disney vacation would be complete without ice cream and we’ve compiled a short list of favorite frozen snacks.

• Step into the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor in the Magic Kingdom for an old-fashioned cone, ice cream float, or our favorite, the Plaza Ice Cream Sundae.  You can watch them making the waffle bowls that will be filled with all the fixings for a perfect sundae including hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry.  Just down Main Street there’s a small side “street” with tables and chairs at the back; seldom busy and the perfect spot to enjoy your treat. 

• Don’t forget the classic – Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar.  Every Disney  vacation should include a minimum daily requirement of this traditional favorite.  With its hard chocolate shell and creamy vanilla center, it’s the quintessential taste of Disney.

• At Downtown Disney, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain offers a fabulous selection of cones, shakes, and floats, and an irresistible menu of specialty sundaes including the Cable Car and Haight AshBerry.  Bring a few friends and dive into the eight-scoop Earthquake.

• We don’t know if it’s the best ice cream sundae ever, but it’s definitely the best place ever to enjoy that sundae; The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant.  Cool ice cream, cool cars, cool vintage movie clips – does it get any better than this?

• We’ve saved the best for last; yes kids, it’s the Kitchen Sink!  With eight scoops of ice cream, an entire can of whipped cream, and every cookie, cake, sauce, and sprinkled topping that’s available, this is not for the faint of heart.  Don’t expect to indulge without an  audience, either, as announcements will be made to alert  everyone in the place to your group’s gluttony.

Most people seeing the kids and their fathers galloping around the lobby at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge would be surprised to learn that they are having dinner.  It’s the delightful Whispering Canyon Café where fun is at the top of the menu.  Diners can expect the same type of basic, hearty foods as are found in neighboring Ft. Wilderness – barbeque, cornbread, and mashed potatoes are popular fare in this neck of the woods.  The big draw here is the interaction with the servers.  Men in particular seem to be the butt of jokes, much to the delight of the children.

Here are some of the ways to elicit a response:

• Chew gum
• Wear a piece of clothing from Universal or Sea World
• Ask for a drink refill
• Mention spending the day at a non-Disney attraction
• Tell your server who’s birthday or anniversary it is
• Have a male member of your group ask where the restrooms are
• Challenge your server to a gun fight
• Ask where you can buy some chewing gum at Walt Disney World
• Complain that your straw is too short
• Ask for ketchup
• Drop a utensil and ask for another one

The décor is rustic with chunky furniture, lazy-susans on the tables and wagon-wheel lighting fixtures. Down-home table settings include jelly jars and bandanas.  The main dining room is open to the magnificent lobby and tables closest the lobby side offer a pleasant view of the comings and goings.

Review: “Whispering” Canyon is a tongue-in-cheek name for this raucous restaurant.  Guests staying at the Lodge are often awakened by the early-morning greeting, “COOOOME AAAAND GEEET IIIT,” complete with triangle accompaniment and delivered by a server obviously chosen for her vocal talents.  In fact, after complaints from the poor souls trying to sleep in the rooms surrounding the lobby, management made the decision to open for breakfast at a slightly later hour.

Food is simple and plentiful, with “Canyon Skillets” at every meal offering the dine-till-you-drop option.  This is a restaurant that’s not for the shy, or anyone looking for a peaceful meal, but lunch is generally quieter than breakfast or dinner.  Those preferring a less “participatory” experience might request seating in the smaller dining room at the back of the restaurant.   Keep in mind that experiences will vary and not every server will be at the top of his game every day.   Make the decision to go with a happy heart and if your server isn’t as enthusiastic as you were hoping for, then enjoy the antics around you.  There’s always at least one table of diners who don’t know about the “theming” and they are fun to watch.

Menus
breakfast
lunch
dinner
dessert

Whispering Canyon Cafe

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

Breakfast 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Lunch 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Dinner 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Photo by Candis Davis

I recently finished reading a book about an enormous building project; one that turned a somewhat desolate area into a wonderland.  Different sections of the huge park offered such an extraordinary variety of displays, shows, dining venues and recreation that it attracted visitors from all over the globe. 

People came both to be educated and entertained.  In one area, cultures from around the world were showcased;  in another, an amazing new amusement ride, different from anything ever seen before.  There were shows featuring popular personalities and an endless array of dining possibilities. 

The  grounds were glorious with beautiful landscaping and ongoing maintenance to keep them spotless.  Small boats glided across bodies of water, carrying delighted passengers from place to place.  Extravagant white buildings sparkled in the sunlight.  The forward-thinking planners utilized an infrastructure that featured advanced transportation, sanitary, and waste-handling systems.  Everyone who visited agreed that it was like stepping into another, more perfect world.  

It was the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893.  Thousands of men had worked to make real what many thought would never be more than a dream.  Amongst them was a carpenter named Elias Disney, who told many stories about his work in that magical place; stories that were not lost on his young son, Walt.

Yes, we’re talking boomerang Formica and giant wooden wall cutlery; turquoise televisions showing black and white clips from 50’s sitcoms; copper jello molds and ceramic cookie jars.  Step back into mid-century America and enjoy mom’s cooking at the chrome kitchen table.  For kids, it’s a peek through the venetian blinds at the way life used to be.

The menu features familiar favorites like pot roast, meatloaf, and milkshakes.  The dessert selections with pictures of each item are loaded into vintage Viewmasters, to be passed around the table.

It’s an interactive dining experience, with servers in the roles of “Uncle Dale,” or “Cousin Tilly.”  Guests are “family” and good manners are key, with a price to pay for failing to join the clean-plate club or putting elbows on the table.  Diners may find themselves being fed their green beans with an airplane spoon, reciting “I’m a Little Teapot,” or standing in a corner.  Enjoy down-to-earth food seasoned with kitsch and garnished with fun.

Review: This is truly a delightful restaurant with basic, reliable food and a unique service style.  The level of interaction is dependent upon the individual server, with some being more playful than others.  I’ve found them generally to be very sensitive to guests’ personalities, seeming to know just how far to go, but overall, it’s probably not the ideal choice for the exceptionally shy.  Those who have the best time are the ones most willing to enter into the spirit of the storyline.

Menus
lunch
dinner
dessert

50′s Prime Time Cafe

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Lunch 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Dinner 4:00 p.m. to park closing

Park admission required

A small slice of yesterday, this scene immediately sweeps us away to a simpler and sweeter place.  KLondike5320 reminds us of a time when operators answered, “Number, please!”  From the wonderful vintage vehicle to the classic pumps and pitch-perfect lettering, it’s all here.  Next time you enter Disney’s Hollywood Studios, take some time to visit Oscar’s Super Service.

I came across an interesting tidbit recently about the construction and maintenance of the rides at the Disney Parks.  An expert in the field stated that Disney never compromises on maintenance since safety is their primary concern, and their program is the best in the industry.

It seems that they have stricter parameters for construction as well, often specifying stronger and thicker dimensions for structural parts than those suggested by the manufacturers. 

There are always risks with mechanical devices, and given the hundreds of millions of individual ride experiences annually at Disney destinations, the safety record is quite amazing.  We take a far greater chance driving our cars to the airport or getting on a plane, than boarding Mission:Space for a ride to the stars!

Some of the most interesting accommodations on the Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wonder and Disney Magic are the category 7 staterooms featuring the Navigator’s Verandah. Rather than the more common open balconies, these are enclosed and private with a large open-air porthole.  The porthole is round on Disney Magic, and oval on Disney Wonder.

They are inviting and cozy with touches of teak, nautical maps and accessories; even a little built-in bench.  They’re perfect for the sailor who  may not be fond of heights  but enjoys the fresh air, as well as those on a budget since this category offers the pleasures of a walk-out area at a lower price.  These staterooms sleep up to three in a queen or two twin beds plus a single convertible sofa.  For cruises during the hot summer months, the enclosure provides welcome protection from the sun, and the additional privacy can be appreciated all year-round.

If you are looking for uniquely personal service at Walt Disney World, head for the fourteenth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort.  There are two concierge floors at this resort:  the twelfth floor Atrium Club, and the fourteenth floor Tower Club.  The Tower Club has an entirely different ambience from its busy and far larger cousin two levels below.  Because it is the only accommodation floor which is completely closed off from the concourse, it is a calm and secluded oasis.

There are only sixteen units on the entire floor, so each guest is assured of exceptional individual attention from the dedicated concierge staff.  There are no extended waits to speak with a staff member about a dining reservation; you won’t have to fight long lines during the food service periods.  You are part of an elite and fortunate few who will also enjoy the most spectacular view of the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks to be found, outside of the park.  All balconies are party-sized, much deeper than those of the rooms below, and feature chairs, tables, and chaises longues.  Upstairs at the California Grill, dozens of diners will be jostling for sightlines on the crowded balcony, but you can stretch out on your chaise, petit fours and a glass of champagne in hand, and enjoy the show!

With such a small number of units available, reservations are often difficult to come by, particularly during the busier holiday seasons.  Available accommodations include eleven one- and two-bedroom suites, two king-bed rooms, and only three of the standard queen-bed rooms.  If the Tower Club at Disney’s Contemporary Resort sounds like the perfect “home” for your next Walt Disney World vacation, be sure to make your plans early.

It was this wonderful photo that first caught our attention, and it illustrates what we love most about the work of Vanessa Guzan.  She uses her camera like a butterfly net to capture and hold something small; something modest; something often overlooked; then present it for everyone to appreciate.  Vanessa, thank you!