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Travel Eats: my most magical bites at Walt Disney World

Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.

Mickey Mouse pretzel from a stand in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland
Mickey Mouse pretzel from a stand in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland

I spent my first full week of 2014 on vacation in Walt Disney World with my family – including my 6-year-old niece and 3-year-old nephew, who were especially caught up in the magic of Disney. While it was a blast to see shows, go on rides, and otherwise get in touch with my inner child, I was just as interested in the culinary landscape (let’s face it, Disney World might as well be its own city). Here’s the best of what I ate and drank in 7 days across 4 Disney parks.

Magic Kingdom

Due to its popularity with the kids (and adults) in our party, we spent more time in this park than any of the others. From a luscious, beautifully plated dessert at Cinderella’s castle – in the company of princesses! – to a Thanksgiving-style feast at a patriotic tavern, I was impressed by our fantasy-infused meals. I knew I’d be in for an extravagant week when “grabbing a hot dog” on Main Street to make it time for the electric parade resulted in a behemoth dog smothered in so much pulled pork and coleslaw that I could barely pick it up to eat it. Other Main Street treats included a dessert-like latte (at a cleverly disguised Starbucks) and a Mickey rice-krispie treat made fresh at the confectionery.

Cinderella’s Royal Table, Fantasyland

"The Clock Strikes Twelve" chocolate mousse, Cinderella's Royal Table in Magic Kingdom
“The Clock Strikes Twelve” with white and dark chocolate, Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom

Casey’s Corner, Main Street

Barbecue slaw dog, Casey's Corner in Magic Kingdom
Barbecue slaw dog with pulled pork, coleslaw, and barbecue sauce, Casey’s Corner

Liberty Tree Tavern, Liberty Square

Thanksgiving-style dinner with a meat and stuffing platter, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese, green beans, and (my favorite) spiced winter vegetables, Liberty Tree Tavern
Family-style Thanksgiving dinner, Liberty Tree Tavern
Johnny Appleseed cake, Liberty Tree Tavern
Johnny Appleseed’s Cake filled with apples and Craisins and topped with ice cream, Liberty Tree Tavern

Main Street Bakery, Main Street

Caramel flan latte, Main Street Bakery's Starbucks in Magic Kingdom
Caramel flan latte, Main Street Bakery

Main Street Confectionery, Main Street

Peanut butter-chocolate rice-krispie treat, Main Street Confectionery in Magic Kingdom
Peanut butter-chocolate rice-krispie treat, Main Street Confectionery

Epcot

Going into the trip, I was most excited to sample the international fare at Epcot’s World Showcase. Mexico proved a reliable option for creative (and strong) margaritas with caramelized pineapple and ginger or jalapeño and cucumber at La Cava del Tequila. I also loved the spicy shrimp in chile sauce at the adjacent restaurant, San Angel Inn. France also didn’t disappoint, with stunning pastries by day and perfectly cooked duck confit by night.

La Cava del Tequila, Mexico

Pineapple margarita, Cava de Tequila in Epcot's Mexico
Pineapple margarita, La Cava del Tequila
Jalapeño margarita, Cava de Tequila
Jalapeño margarita, La Cava del Tequila

San Angel Inn Restaurante, Mexico

Camarones, San Angel Inn Restaurante in Epcot's Mexico
Camarones a la Diabla with poblano rice, yuca puree, and cascabel chile sauce, San Angel Inn Restaurante

Les Halles Boulangerie & Pâtisserie, France

Pain au chocolate, Les Halles
Pain au chocolate, Les Halles Boulangerie & Pâtisserie

Chefs de France, France

Gruyere macaroni gratin, Chefs de France in Epcot's France
Macaroni baked with cream and Gruyère cheese, Chefs de France
Duck, Chefs de France in Epcot's France
Duck breast and leg confit with cherries, sweet potato puree, and patty pan squash, Chefs de France

Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios held my favorite dining atmosphere – next to the castle, that is – at the charming 50’s Prime Time Café, complete with TV reels, furniture, and decor from that era. From “Dad’s Liquor Cabinet” came electric lemonade with a neon-light ice cube (and yes, I took the cube home for future glowing beverages); it paired nicely with comforting meatloaf and onion rings with zesty horseradish sauce. I also felt transported to the Golden Age at the Brown Derby, imagining stars that dined on the same Cobb salad at the original Hollywood restaurant. I adored the mushroom and bleu cheese napoleon appetizer here as well. And this park was also where I attempted to conquer a jumbo turkey leg – I couldn’t finish it, but enjoyed each smoky bite.

50’s Prime Time Café

Dad's Electric Lemonade, 50's Prime Time Café in Hollywood Studios
Dad’s Electric Lemonade with with rum, vodka, blue curaçao, sweet-and-sour, and sprite, 50’s Prime Time Café
Onion rings with horseradish sauce, 50s Prime Time Café
Beer-battered onion rings and horseradish sauce, 50s Prime Time Café
Meatloaf (with extra horseradish sauce), 50s Prime Time Café
Cousin Ann’s traditional meatloaf (with extra horseradish sauce), 50s Prime Time Café

Hollywood Brown Derby

Napoleon, Hollywood Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios
Crispy phyllo napoleon of bleu affinée, wild mushroom duxelles, grilled portobello, golden chanterelles, and fig reduction, Hollywood Brown Derby
Cobb salad, Hollywood Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios
“Our Famous” Cobb salad with finely chopped greens, turkey breast, bacon, egg, tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, chives, and Cobb dressing, Hollywood Brown Derby

Fairfax Fare

Jumbo turkey leg, Fairfax Fare in Hollywood Studios
Jumbo turkey leg, Fairfax Fare in Hollywood Studios

Animal Kingdom

With only one whirlwind day at Animal Kingdom, there wasn’t a lot of time for dining. I knew I wanted to try something from the Africa area, and the mild chicken curry with rice and pita turned out to be an excellent, filling snack. The best sip of the day was frozen mango rum lemonade, unfortunately shared and slurped too quickly to get a photo.

Chicken curry from stand in Animal Kingdom's Harambe, Africa
Chicken curry from stand in Animal Kingdom’s Harambe, Africa

And, even though it’s technically not inside Disney World, I have to gloat a tiny bit about enjoying a piña colada at the resort’s poolside bar on Polar Vortex Sunday…

Poolside piña colada
Poolside piña colada

For a comprehensive guide to all things Disney dining, check out Disney Food Blog; I found it to be a very helpful resource before and during the trip.

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