Some of the most beautiful visuals we shared on the Disney Parks Blog this week were snapped at Disney resorts, where chefs and cast members have put on some truly amazing displays of elaborately decorated Easter eggs.
Click through the Instagram gallery above to see all the "hippity hoppity" shots!
Guests lucky enough to be spending Easter weekend at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawai'i are in for a treat. On Easter Sunday, young hotel guests are invited to participate in the first annual Aulani Spring Egg-stravaganza!
The Hālāwai Lawn will transform into a field of hidden eggs from 9:30 to 11 a.m. DVC members will get a head start at 9 a.m. Keiki will be encouraged to gather as many eggs as they can carry and turn them into prizes! No reservations are necessary, just bring your 'ohana!
Now that's egg-citing. See you out there!
In honor of Women's History Month, the Disneyland Resort Line, a magazine published exclusively for Disneyland Resort cast members, recently featured stories of legendary women who have helped shape the Disneyland Resort. I wanted to share a few of these extraordinary stories with Disney Parks Blog readers.
Below is an excerpt of Leota Toombs Thomas' story. I will share others in the weeks to follow!
Leota "Lee" Toombs Thomas started her career in 1940 at the Walt Disney Studios' Ink and Paint department, where she met and married lead animator Harvey Toombs. She left to raise their two children but returned in 1962 to join the team of Imagineers working on Disneyland Park.
Lee joined Harriet Burns, Joyce Carlson and Glendra von Kessel to create many of the models and final pieces for such attractions as Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion and Country Bear Jamboree, just to name a few. After working on attractions and shows at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland, Lee came to work at the WDI Show Quality Service department at Disneyland, where she trained many of the artisans and designers in the Staff, Paint and Sign shops. She had worked with the original art directors, like Marc Davis, Mary Blair and John Hench, and could teach the new Imagineers about their styles and the nuances that made the scenes and characters work.
One of the many young Imagineers she trained was, in fact, her own daughter, Kim Irvine, who would later become art director for Disneyland Park. "I started my career in the Model Shop in 1970, training with a big influx of young Imagineers that were being mentored by the originals," Kim said. "It was a unique situation to be trained by your mom! She was a wonderful teacher and friend. Anyone who knew her loved her, and many Imagineers owe some of their success to her for passing on the tribal knowledge that is so important to our product."
Lee, who passed away in 1991, "always laughed that out of all the things that she had designed and created in her career, the one she is best known for is Madame Leota," Kim said, referring to the face in the crystal ball at the Haunted Mansion. "But I am grateful, as I walk through New Orleans Square in the early hours of the morning, I can hear that sweet little voice of hers echoing 'Hurry back!' She would have liked that."
Oooooooooh – everyone's favorite Aliens from Disney•Pixar's "Toy Story" will be invading Disneyland Resort for Pixar Fest, and we are eternally grateful! For the duration of the festival, Redd Rockett's Pizza Port in Disneyland park will transform into Alien Pizza Planet – "A Better Place." The Aliens have sourced the finest ingredients from across the universe to deliver fresh, hot pizzas that are out of this world. A specialty of their home planet Pepperonia is a special pepperoni pizza topped with green peppers and mushrooms. They'll also be cooking up a hearty cheeseburger pizza with ketchup, yellow mustard and pizza sauce on a sesame seed crust and topped with cheese, caramelized onions, diced tomatoes, slider patties, a house-made burger sauce, and pickles.
If you're as excited as I am for this fun-filled re-imagination of Redd Rockett's Pizza Port, stay tuned for more details on the deliciously cheesy menu.
This exciting transformation is just one of the many offerings coming as part of Pixar Fest at the Disneyland Resort, which will run from April 13 through September 3. The festival will span both Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park, bringing not only creatively-themed food, but also a new fireworks show, "Together Forever—A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular," the return of the "Paint the Night" parade and much more!
Less than three years after Disneyland park opened its gates and the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad made its first Grand Circle Tour, guests were invited to take in the vast valley of the South Rim with the debut of the Grand Canyon Diorama.
During the grand opening ceremony on March 31, 1958, Walt Disney himself piloted the engine through the tunnel to view the 306-foot-long diorama which, at the time, was described as the longest diorama in the world. Featuring artwork from scenic artist Delmer Yoakum and set to the sounds of Ferde Grofé's "Grand Canyon Suite," the realistic diorama can only be seen aboard the Disneyland Railroad.
Last summer, both the Grand Canyon Diorama and Primeval World (which debuted in 1966) were carefully restored to their original splendor, with a bit of new magic added to both!
Star Wars: Galactic Nights, the one-night special event, will return to Disney's Hollywood Studios on May 27.
In case you aren't familiar, Star Wars: Galactic Nights is a thrilling Star Wars-themed event held after park hours from 7 p.m.-midnight. It celebrates the entire Star Wars saga with out-of-this-world entertainment, special photo opportunities, event-exclusive merchandise and F&B, and encounters with rarely seen characters that guests can only experience during Star Wars: Galactic Nights.
Here's what you'll find this year:
Park access and all activities will be exclusive to Star Wars: Galactic Nights ticket holders.
Tickets are now available at all Walt Disney World ticket locations and are priced at $129 for adults and $124 for children ages 3-9 (discounts available for annual passholders and Disney Vacation Club members). Tickets can also be purchased online at Disneyworld.com/galacticnights.
Tonight's "After Dark" series features a terrific pic of a resplendent Enchanted Storybook Castle – the largest Disney castle ever constructed at a Disney Park – at Shanghai Disneyland.
Highlighted with golden spires and a Renaissance-style entrance on the exterior, Enchanted Storybook Castle also features four magnificent mosaics depict the tales of Tiana, Merida, Rapunzel, Elsa and Anna, plus an illuminated marquee that reveals motifs attributed to Belle, Cinderella and Snow White.
Have you visited Shanghai Disneyland? What was your favorite part? Tell us in the comments section below!
This past weekend, the Disneyland Resort horses participated in the annual Swallows Day Parade in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., a picturesque town located just south of the Disneyland Resort.
This year marked the 60th anniversary of the parade, which commemorates the day cliff-dwelling swallows return to the city from their winter home in Argentina. San Juan Capistrano is also known for its robust equestrian community, so the Circle D cast members (both two-legged and four-legged) felt right at home.
Disneyland Resort horses, Brother and Chief, were this year's featured participants, along with Disney Ambassadors Alexa Garcia and Nozomi Fukumoto (all the way from Tokyo Disney Resort). Spring was definitely in the air as the horses were decorated with colorful flowers for their strut through the town.
Easter is here and our pastry chefs have once again outdone themselves with their beautiful Easter egg displays and bunny-themed cupcakes. We even have a few Easter brunch offerings to share with you. Here's everything you need to know about all of the Easter offerings this year at Walt Disney World Resort!
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Easter Egg Displays and Special Easter Treats
This year marks the 7th Annual Easter Egg Display at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, which is designed and hand-decorated by the Grand Floridian Bakery Team. This beautiful display of chocolate eggs will be on display through April 9 in the resort lobby. Each egg is ornamented with edible products such as modeling chocolate, fondant, sugar floral royal icing, colored cocoa butter, and sculpted sugar art pieces.
Boma – Flavors of Africa at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge will be featuring their chocolate Easter egg display March 30–April 1. This display includes eggs inspired by Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge as well as eggs inspired by "Up," "Moana," "Peter Pan," and more!
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In the 1st floor lobby of Disney's Contemporary Resort, you'll find a magical array of Easter eggs inspired by some of Disney's most popular animated classics such as "Beauty and the Beast," "Alice in Wonderland," "Jungle Book," "Lilo & Stitch," and more. And if you look closely, you might even find the signatures of your favorite Disney pals! This year marks the 6th anniversary of this amazing Easter egg display, designed by the Contemporary Bakery Team. These adorable chocolate eggs will be on display through April 4.
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At Disney's Beach Club Resort, a beautiful chocolate Easter egg display will be located in the resort lobby through April 3. And for the first time ever, you can purchase custom Mickey and Minnie chocolate eggs to take home with you. These special eggs will be available for purchase through April 1.
Now, if you're looking for some more tasty Easter treats, we've got a few special cupcakes that you'll want to know about. At Epcot, you'll find Easter cupcakes at Fountain View and Sunshine Seasons. Fountain View's cupcake will be available on March 30–April 2. This chocolate cupcake has a marshmallow filling and is topped with buttercream icing. Sunshine Seasons' cupcake features an adorable fondant bunny with buttercream, cookies and cream crumble, and jelly beans all on top of a vanilla cupcake, and will only be available on April 1.
At Disney's Hollywood Studios, you'll find another bunny-themed vanilla cupcake through April 2. This Springtime Cupcake comes with raspberry filling and is topped with buttercream frosting and white chocolate bunny ears. It will be served at The Trolley Car Café, Rosie's All-American Café, Fairfax Fare, and ABC Commissary.
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Creature Comforts at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park will be serving up an Easter Cupcake on April 1. This vanilla cupcake is filled with key lime curd and is topped with coconut buttercream and cute little fondant eggs.
Intermission Food Court at Disney's All-Star Music Resort will feature a Marshmallow Chick Cupcake through April 8. This yellow cupcake is filled with marshmallow ganache and topped with marshmallow grass and a marshmallow chick!
Easter Brunch Offerings
Also at Intermission Food Court, an Easter Brunch Buffet will be offered from 9am-2pm on April 1. The buffet will feature an array of delicious items such as red velvet pancakes, fresh fruit and pastries, spinach salad with bacon vinaigrette, sweet potato casserole, cooked-to-order omelets, brown sugar-glazed ham with orange blossom honey mustard sauce and much more!
Over at Boatwright's Dining Hall at Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, you can partake in an Easter brunch on April 1, available from 10am-2pm. This brunch will feature southern cuisine such as eggs benedict with crab, southern shrimp and grits, and Nashville hot chicken on a honey biscuit, as well as special Bloody Marys and Mimosas.
There will also be an Easter brunch at Ale & Compass Restaurant at Disney's Yacht Club Resort from 7:30am-2pm on April 1. This brunch will include All-You-Care-To-Enjoy items such as assorted flatbreads, seasonal salads, and house-baked pastries and spreads as well as a choice of entrée with a specialty mimosa or non-alcoholic beverage.
All three of these Easter brunch dining experiences require no reservations, and will only be available on April 1, 2018.
So hop on down to Walt Disney World Resort for Easter this year to check out these adorable and delicious offerings!
For me, one of the great privileges of working here is the chance to meet so many extraordinarily creative, intelligent and inspirational cast members – including our incredible Imagineers, who are the the creative force that imagines, designs and builds all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions and cruise ships worldwide.
Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting 25 of the country's top female journalists at the Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) Campus in Glendale, California. Members of the Online News Association's Women's Leadership Accelerator Program took time from a week-long event at the USC Annenberg School of Journalism to tour of the campus.
The visit included a panel of some of our top creative executives, who discussed the art, passion and creativity of storytelling in a way that captures the hearts of our guests around the world. The panel was moderated by our own Disneyland PR Director Michele Himmelberg, who was also an award-winning journalist. Panelists included:
The Imagineers discussed their unique work at WDI and how it impacts our guests every day. Take a look at the video below for more, and stay tuned on the Disney Parks Blog to see updates on the exciting projects our Imagineers are bringing to life at Disney Parks.
Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland park just completed a refurbishment in which the horse-drawn streetcar track was replaced in its entirety for the first time. I am happy to report that this work has been completed, adding new brickwork along the length of this already lovely street.
As we have previously shared, the pieces of original track remaining prior to this refurbishment were salvaged and preserved, and the previously updated pieces of track were being recycled. And today we are excited to welcome back our four-legged cast members, the Disneyland Resort horses, to Main Street, U.S.A.!
National Women's History Month has flown by and this is the final post in the series highlighting our fabulous Disney Women of Food & Beverage.
Although each of the women profiled are confident and self-assured, it only took two words to jar them out of their comfort zone – photo shoot! But as they gathered together for their photo sessions armed with "fun props," their apprehension slipped away and conversations were punctuated with laughter.
We had the privilege to work with two wonderful photographers, Matt Stroshane and David Nguyen, who made it a fun experience for everyone. As both Matt and David have daughters, I thought it would be interesting to hear what they have to say about these 22 women we have profiled and what advice they have for their own daughters. I have included "mini" profiles on them also – so you can see the talent behind the photos.
In one of the first posts, I wrote that narrowing down to only 22 cast members to highlight in this series was extremely difficult as the depth of talent at every level is truly impressive … and I meant every word. So, congratulations to the featured Disney Women of Food & Beverage and to the over 22,000 Cast Members in Food & Beverage at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort that create the magic each and every day.
Cheers!
Demetria Foundoukis
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Years in the Food & Beverage Industry: 34 years and counting
Year Started with Disney: 1992
Current Role: Executive Chef, Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort
Education/Accomplishments: New York Restaurant School; Disney Partners in Excellence, Court of Master Sommeliers – Introductory Sommelier Diploma Level One; Shanghai Disneyland Resort Opening Team
Delicious Details: Loves everything about the beach; her yiayia's (grandmother's) spanakopita recipe has been passed down generations; enjoys experimenting with flavors from different cultures to bring them together in a dish; worked in her father's butcher shop as a teenager; cooked at the White House with Chef Cat Cora for Greek Independence Day Celebration; her mother is her biggest inspiration and larger-than-life fan; described as passionate, persistent, and outgoing.
What advice would you give young women wanting to get into the food and beverage industry?
Be strong in your passions for this business. This craft takes many years to learn. Live in the now, absorb everything about food, experience it, and be prepared to work hard. This will produce some amazing, gratifying results.
Bridget Sherren
Hometown: Collegeville, Pa.
Years in the Food & Beverage Industry: 35 years
Year Started with Disney: 1988
Current Role: Proprietor, Food & Beverage and Merchandise at Disney's Art of Animation Resort, Walt Disney World Resort
Education/Accomplishments: Montgomery County Community College; State of Pennsylvania Certified Firefighter; Court of Master Sommeliers – Advanced Sommelier Diploma Level Three; Certified LEAN Sic Sigma; Shanghai Disneyland Resort Opening Team
Delicious Details: A German Riesling is a must for any wine list; huge NASCAR fan; raised four boys; known for hospitality, service and managing a world-class beverage program; grandfather and father are her biggest inspirations; passionate about teaching the art of selflessness in service; enjoys boating on the St. Johns River scouting for wildlife; described as guest-centric, cast-focused, and someone with outlandish ideas.
What advice would you give young women wanting to get into the food and beverage industry?
Make yourself an expert. Put in the time. You will reap great rewards and doors will open for travel, career, and meeting people from all over the world. You will be richer for it.
Gloria Tae
Hometown: Born in Seoul, South Korea but grew up in La Crescenta, Calf.
Years in the Food & Beverage Industry: 27 years
Year Started with Disney: 2001
Current Role: Chef de Cuisine, Napa Rose, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa; Disneyland Resort
Education/Accomplishments: No formal culinary training – fortunate to work under chefs willing to share their knowledge and expertise.
Delicious Details: Passionate about creating magical moments through food and hospitality; a sharp knife is her favorite kitchen gadget; known for her creativity and mentoring; Sriracha and kimchee are always in her fridge; culinary style is "seasonal wine country"; a bit of a nerd; could not give up caffeine; described as inspiring, hard-working, and reliable.
What advice would you give young women wanting to get into the food and beverage industry?
Learn the difference between being compassionate and intolerant. Learn when to have a soft touch and when to stand your ground.
Marianne Hunnel
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Years in the Food & Beverage Industry: Over 40 years
Year Started with Disney: 1989
Current Role: Content Development Manager, Park Event Operations, Walt Disney World Resort (develops programming for all Epcot Festivals)
Education/Accomplishments: Culinary Program, Joliet Junior College; Business Degree, University of Phoenix; Court of Master Sommeliers – Introductory Sommelier Diploma Level One; Cicerone® Program Certified Beer Server Level One; Spirits Diploma program; Certified Executive Chef with the American Culinary Federation; ACF Culinarian Award Central Florida Chapter
Delicious Details: Loves boating with her husband and Sandy Sue, their doggie daughter; culinary indulgence is charcuterie and Champagne; attended dress design school in Chicago; loves to bake; her family, friends, and colleagues inspire her; highlight was working with Julia Child at the 1997 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival; described as creative, passionate, and a teacher.
What advice would you give young women wanting to get into the food and beverage industry?
Believe in yourself, and be true to yourself. People will come and go in your life and provide you with lots of feedback – good and not so pleasant. At the end of the day you have to live with the decisions that you make so make sure that whatever you do, personally and professionally, comes from the heart. If you are not waking up each day looking forward to the day and what it will bring and how you can make a difference you may want to reconsider how you are spending the precious time that you have.
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Hey there! This is Alex Dunlap, Food & Beverage Communications Coordinator for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Public Relations, and I just had to add one more amazing woman to our Disney Women of Food & Beverage List – Karen McClintock. She's known as the "Mom" to many of our Food & Beverage Cast Members, and has represented Disney dining with pride, humility, and magic for 26 years. She started her Disney Career with Disney's Food & Wine Society, the foundation for the current annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. She collaborates on all the popular Disney Cookbooks, orchestrates Disney dining content for print, radio, television and social media, and plays an integral role in the next generation of Disney restaurants. She's a mentor, a friend, and an inspiration to everyone to everyone who meets her.
Without further ado, here is the final profile of her Disney Women of Food & Beverage series.
Karen McClintock
Hometown: Grew up in Urbandale, Iowa and moved to Boulder, Colo.
Years in Food & Beverage: 26 years
Year Started with Disney: 1992
Current Role: Manager, Communications, Public Relations, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Education/Accomplishments: Undergraduate, University of Colorado; Master of Science in Management, Regis University–Denver
Delicious Details: Was brought into the Disney Family with the help of her two sisters who also worked for the company; a foodie at work AND at home; her favorite pastime is sharing good conversation and laughs with family and friends; on the weekends you may find her shopping for antiques, supporting local Winter Garden Festivals or reading a good murder-mystery with a hot cup of tea; loves a good glass of red wine; adored by her two children; described as professional, fun-loving, passionate, and supportive – all qualities that have helped her become one of the most important key players within the Disney Food & Beverage community.
What advice would you give young women wanting to get into the food and beverage industry?
Explore all opportunities. Not all positions will be a perfect fit but you will learn something and grow from all of the different roles, leaders, and partners. Work with integrity. Laugh. Have balance in your life – your family and friends are your foundation. Enjoy the ride.
About the Photographers:
Matt Stroshane
Hometown: Ashland, WI
Education: University of Miami
Years as a Photographer: 18 years
Year Started with Disney: 2011
Current Role: Photographer, Yellow Shoes, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Three Words to Describe the Photo Shoot with the Disney Women of Food & Beverage: Inspirational, humbling, and fun
What advice would you give your young daughter regarding her career/life aspirations?
I am so fortunate to have a career where I get to work with and learn from so many talented, enthusiastic, and dedicated women – women I can tell my daughter about as she discovers her own ambitions. My wife and I encourage her to be open to new people, experiences, and possibilities when thinking about her future. And we try to lead by example, showing her that work is more fulfilling when you have a passion for your career.
David Nguyen
Hometown: Long Beach, Calif.
Education: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Years as a Photographer: 20 years – 3 years with Disney Food & Beverage
Year Started with Disney: 2007
Current Role: Food & Beverage Operation Integration Specialist, Disneyland Resort
Three Words to Describe the Photo Shoot with the Disney Women of Food & Beverage:
Energetic
Adaptable
Thoughtful
What advice would you give your young daughter regarding her career/life aspirations?
Don't be afraid to follow your curiosities down those rabbit holes! Never stop asking questions and never stop learning. You have a distinct set of skills and talents, cultivated through education and unique experiences—so invest in yourself, capitalize on your strengths, and build upon your weaknesses. Expand your horizons through trying new things, volunteering, and making bold decisions. Be confident in your decisions, work hard, do it well, and embrace setbacks as learning opportunities to grow yourself. And don't compare yourself to others, rather, consider how far you've come. Set your own goals and celebrate the progress you've made and, whenever possible, work smarter, not harder. Wake up every day to doing what you love and have a purpose fueled by passion that will motivate you to strive to be your best self. Truly understand your own personality, needs, and aspirations to create the life you want, and live a life that makes you happy!
Our Disney Doodles series explores what a Disney character may do or see first if they had the chance to visit a Disney theme park.
This week, artist Ashley Taylor imagines buddies Hiro and Baymax heading to Epcot for some fun. According to her, the twosome would head to a place where they could test out the latest tech.
"Innoventions is the perfect place for Baymax and Hiro to hang out," she said. "I'll bet Hiro could have his own exhibit with all of his creations and inventions!"
It is true that good things come in small packages—especially when you are talking about a delicious medium-rare beef tenderloin slider. What could be better? How about topping it with garlic chimichurri and pickled onions? COUNT ME IN!
Our chefs at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival at the Disneyland Resort show us how easy it is to make their popular Beef Tenderloin Sliders with Garlic Chimichurri and Pickled Onions, served at the Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo Marketplace, at home. These little bundles of joy strike the perfect balance of the buttery tenderness of beef tenderloin, acidity from pickled onions and the garlicky goodness from chimichurri.
Be sure to check out all the great eats and special events at the Disney California Food & Wine Festival through April 12. Enjoy the video and recipe below!
Beef Tenderloin Sliders with Garlic Chimichurri and Pickled Onions
Makes 10 sliders
PICKLED ONIONS
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
BEEF TENDERLOIN SLIDERS
FOR PICKLED ONION:
FOR CHIMICHURRI SAUCE:
FOR BEEF TENDERLOIN SLIDERS:
TO SERVE:
What to drink? Try a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This full-bodied red wine has aromas and flavors of black cherry and blackberry with mint, tobacco and baking spices.
This April, guests can step into spring with stylish new accessories and apparel from Disney Parks containing a perfect color for the season – millennial pink!
A millennial pink headband will first debut exclusively at World of Disney in Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort this Sunday.
Additional locations at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts will carry the sequined headband starting in mid-April.
"We experiment with popular color trends when designing merchandise for Disney Parks," explained Jeanne Lewis from the headwear development team. "With its soft, blush hue, millennial pink is one of the hottest colors in the market, making the new headband an on-trend, must-have item for springtime visits."
Jeanne was the driving force behind the wildly popular rose gold headband introduced last fall, which inspired apparel, jewelry and even tasty treats created especially for Disney Parks. The new sequin-filled headband gives a nod to the rose gold-dusted original, while setting the stage for additional color-trend headbands arriving later this year.
In mid-April, the headband will be joined by another beloved apparel item at Disney Parks, a new millennial pink Spirit Jersey.
"We know Guests enjoy creating fashionable looks using products designed to complement each other. We closely aligned the launch of [Spirit Jerseys] with the headband so Guests could make fun outfits for spring," said women's apparel merchandiser Angelique Vu.
These 100% cotton, pullover tops have theme park logos printed on the front. Pink glitter puff ink lettering of the respective Disney Resort destination is emblazoned across the back of these long sleeve shirts.
Guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort have one additional millennial pink accessory to complete any outfit—a retail MagicBand 2 currently available in select merchandise locations.
With the innovation of MagicBand 2, guests can use this MagicBand and others to unlock the magic of a Disney vacation—from skipping the front desk and going directly to your resort room, effortless theme-park entry, to FastPass+ redemption and Disney PhotoPass association.
While the retail MagicBand is currently available online, look for the millennial pink headband and Spirit Jerseys to be added to ShopDisney.com and Shop Disney Parks at a future date this spring.
Olivia Farnsworth, legendary founder of Olivia's Café at Disney's Old Key West Resort, is among the inspirations behind a weekly wine-tasting experience that'll begin serving Disney Vacation Club Members at the restaurant on April 15 as part of Membership Magic.
According to our friends at Walt Disney Imagineering, "Olivia Farnsworth is 60 going on 20. She arrived in Conch Flats [the setting of Disney's Old Key West Resort] longer ago than you'll get her to talk about … moved into a small cottage along Turtle Krawl, turned on her stove and changed everything around here for the 'batter.' Upwind from downtown, Olivia's cooking was a hard secret to keep. Dinner traffic boomed. Soon, she began doubling recipes, then double-doubling, then triple-doubling until the math got ugly. She pulled up more chairs, added more tables and sat people on the porch until the floor plan got all cattywhumpus. Finally, to the town's great relief, Olivia made it official, cinched up her apron and hung out her shingle."
The new Disney Vacation Club wine-tasting experience at Disney's Old Key West Resort, scheduled to accommodate as many as 20 Members (ages 21 or older) each Sunday (excluding holidays) from 3-4 p.m. at Olivia's Cafe, will further explore the legend of Olivia Farnsworth and the resort that surrounds her namesake restaurant, all while Members enjoy a sampling of wines accompanied by bite-sized foods. The price of $30 a person includes tax and gratuity.
Call Member Services for more details or reservations.
As a part of Membership Extras, an incidental benefit, these Member benefits are subject to change, availability or termination and may require a fee. Membership Extras are available with eligible ownership interests. Visit http://disneyvacationclub.com/memextraspolicy for more information.
Returning this year to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is the Florida Fresh Outdoor Kitchen, inspired by the fresh and amazing food that we have here in the Sunshine State!
Located between the Morocco and France pavilions, Florida Fresh features a delicious carne guisada with a black bean cake and cilantro-lime sour cream; a spicy blackened shrimp and cheddar cheese grits with brown gravy and local sweet corn relish as well as a key lime tart with toasted meringue to satisfy all of those sweet and savory cravings.
If you're looking for something refreshing on a sunny day, you can enjoy fantastic beverages like a key lime sparkling wine from Florida Orange Groves Winery (St. Petersburg, FL); a quat seasonal fruit ale from Tampa Bay Brewing Company (Tampa, FL); a monarch milk stout from First Magnitude Brewing Co. (Gainesville, FL) and a watermelon cucumber slushy with Tamiami Florida Gin, among other options.
Just talking about this makes me hungry! If you can't get to Epcot fast enough, here's the deliciosa recipe for the carne guisada that you can make right at home:
Serves 4
BLACK BEAN CAKES
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 small white onion, diced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium green pepper, diced
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 chipotle peppers, chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 cups corn flour
FOR CARNE ASADA
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound cooked beef brisket, shredded
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
TOMATO RELISH
2 medium red tomatoes, diced
1/4 small red onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
CILANTRO SOUR CREAM
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
GARNISH
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
FOR BLACK BEAN CAKE:
FOR CARNE ASADA:
FOR TOMATO RELISH:
FOR CILANTRO SOUR CREAM:
TO SERVE:
The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival runs now through May 28. For more information, check out epcotinspring.com.
With so much spring fun already in store at Disney Springs, consider this the cherry (festival) on top! Taking place at Morimoto Asia through April 15, 2018, the Sakura Festival celebrates the arrival of spring with a special focus on cherry blossoms. Featuring ticketed events, menu specials and Instagram-worthy décor, the venue will showcase the pink blooms of the famed Japanese Sakura.
Though the festival kicked-off on March 15, there are still four more opportunities to take part in an over-the-top Morimoto experience. While they all sound incredible, the Ramen Tasting is calling my name. (Seriously. Have you ever tried their Tonkotsu Ramen? If just might change your life!) Here's a look at what's still to come:
If you're not able to get tickets to any of the above offerings, you can certainly enjoy special drinks, appetizers and desserts, all available for a limited-time. On the menu: locally-brewed Crooked Can Sakura Kolsh, Cherry Blossom Martini, Blue Cherry Cocktail, Chilled Panacea Oysters, and a Sakura and Peach Bavarian Dessert. With more than two weeks to go, you've got plenty of time to try everything!
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Planning to join the festivities? そこであなたに会えたらいいですね！(That's "I hope to see you there!" in Japanese.) In the meantime, get full details here.
