A Blog About Disney Stuff

One of the treasures you can uncover at Disney Springs is Amorette’s Patisserrie. The lovely interior has an art nouveau inspiration, and you can enjoy delicious desserts and cakes here year-round. We love visiting this French-inspired bakery at Disney Springs, especially when there are new seasonal treats to enjoy.

Pumpkin Crème Brulee – $7.00

What a picture perfect petite treat! Anyone who loves fall flavors is sure to fall in love with this pumpkin creme brulee. Warm pumpkin spices mingle with dreamy creme with a crispy sugar shell on top. For the price this is a good value.

Pumpkin Minnie Mousse Dessert –  $9.00

For something with a little more character the Pumpkin Minnie Mousse is a fun Disney-themed dessert packed with pumpkin flavor. If you just can’t get enough pumpkin spice this treat is for you.

Cookies and Cream Halloween Black Candle Petit Cake – $16.00

If you’ve had your fill of pumpkin spice already, or just not a fan, the Halloween Black Candle Petite Cake is going to draw you in like a moth to a flame. Multiple layers of cake make this a tiny, but tall cake. Cookies and cream flavors offer a nice break from the pumpkin flavored everything, while the festive exterior still gets you in the spooky spirit.

Our readers give Amorette’s a 94% thumbs up rating and rank it 13 out of 41 similar options at Walt Disney World. Besides a lovely interior there are tables and chairs, with umbrellas just outside. Mobile ordering is not available at this location, and sometimes the line can get a little long as patrons often have a hard time deciding among all the beautiful creations.

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Do you have a favorite treat at Amorette’s? Let us know!

The post REVIEW: Prepare to Fall in Love with These NEW Autumn Treats at Amorette’s appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Disney Springs, Snacks, disney desserts, disney halloween, disney springs halloween

Nowadays there’s such a lack of new stuff inside the Walt Disney World theme parks that we get excited over the little things. New prizes at the Dino-Rama Fossil Fun Games debuted this week, and we were way too excited about them. But, they are adorable, so it’s warranted. Our field team recently visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom with the hopes of winning one of the prizes, and to explore the park.

There are five midway games, Comet Crashers, Bronto Score, Whack-A-Packycephalosaur, Mammoth Marathon, and Fossil Fueler. Due to COVID restrictions, only Comet Crashes and Bronto Score are currently open, however more games will be added as cleaning protocols are determined. Each one is themed to the campy, bright lights and gaudy decor of Dino-Rama. It’s hard to resist the energy and excitement. Then when you see the prices, your excitement may become extinct.

Each game costs 1 voucher per player with packages as follows:

• 1 game, $5.00
• 3 games, $10.00 ($3.33 per game)
• 5 games, $15.00 ($3.00 per game)
• 7 games, $20.00 ($2.86 per game)
• 10 games, $30.00 ($3.00 per game)

Our field team representative attempted Comet Crashers, which involves tossing tiny “comet” balls into moving cups. No prize was won and so our field representative headed to the rest of the park. After enjoying a stroll through Animal Kingdom, she decided to revisit Dino-Rama. Using a brilliant new strategy she stood by the basketball game and found someone who is good at it, and got them to win one for her. Score! What an adorable little Triceratops!

What does one do after winning a cute little dino plush? Why get a yummy, boozy Dole whip, of course. The King’s Cooler from Tamu Tamu Refreshments at Harambe (Africa). Tamu Tamu Refreshments has earned a 95% thumbs up and is ranked #8 out of 107 dining options at Walt Disney World.

The King’s Cooler arrived to Animal Kingdom last year in honor of the live action “The Lion King.” It has continued its reign since. It is a generous serving of pineapple Dole whip topped with strawberry, watermelon, and coconut-flavor syrups and a shot of your choice of either Parrot Bay Coconut Rum or Plantation Dark Rum. This is definitely a very fruity treat.

For $10.00 you may want to get a specialty cocktail at Thirsty River Bar or Nomad Lounge for a few bucks more. But, for Dole whip fans the King’s Cooler is worth a try. You can also get it without the rum, known as Simba Sunset for $5.49 (a regular Dole whip is $4.99).

Another slow day in the park presented low wait times throughout the park. Looking back on Monday’s wait times, the highest average wait times were about 25 minutes for Flight of Passage and Navi’i River Journey.

Have you ever played the midway games at Dino-Rama? Are you a fan of Dole whip? What do you want us to try at Disney’s Animal Kingdom next? Let us know in the comments.

 

The post New Dino Prizes and Boozy Dole Whip Await at Disney’s Animal Kingdom appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Dos and Don’ts, Drinking, In the Parks, Snacks, disney dinosaur, disney dole whip, disney drinks, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

This week Getting to Know Universal covers the pizza joint Red Oven Pizza Bakery! Located next to Starbucks in CityWalk, Red Oven opened in 2014 as the first addition in a massive CityWalk refresh project. Unlike typical theme park pizza, Red Oven features artisanal pizzas with fresh ingredients cooked in a high-temperature oven for a crisp crust.

Quick Glance

• Location: CityWalk
• Cuisine: Pizzas and salads
• Service: Counter service
• Price: $10-$15 per entree
• Universal Dining Plan Accepted: Yes
• Touring Plans Rating: 3 1/2 stars, 90% reader approval
• Seating: Outdoor, covered

The Experience

Universal embraced the Neapolitan pizza and quick service trends of the 2010s with Red Oven Pizza Bakery. Red Oven features a large, covered outdoor seating area with views into a large pizza oven. Inside houses a small ordering space that is surrounded by a modern pizza preparation area and bar. Guests place their orders at the counter and receive a buzzer and choose their seats outside. Team Members deliver silverware, napkins, condiments, and entrees to the tables.

The decorations and theme are minimal but modern, featuring Roma tomato cans, bottles of wine, and white tile. Outside tables and chairs are wooden with bright highlights of red.

The Food & Drink

Red Oven is similar to Blaze at Disney Springs and offers fresh, quick personal pizzas. Unlike Blaze there is no pizza assembly line, guests order from a set of red and white sauce pies – do not worry, modifications are allowed. Pizza options range from the classic cheese and pepperoni to rapini and roasted chicken.

If you are unfamiliar with Neapolitan pizzas, they feature crispy, airy crusts, chewy but firm dough, and well-balanced ingredients. Compare this to a typical theme park pizza that has the mouthfeel and taste of soggy cardboard covered in congealed cheese. Needless to say, Red Oven is a step above nearly all theme park pizza and easily matches the quality at Via Napoli. Ceasar, arugula, and Caprese salads are also available.

What pairs better with pizza than beer? Red Oven offers bottle selections plus draft beer, including Peroni from Italy. Fountain drinks, bottled water (including San Pellegrino), and red and white wine are also available.

The Opinion

Red Oven Pizza Bakery gets thumbs up from Touring Plans, the community, and me. The pizzas are perfectly sized, feature fresh ingredients, and stand heads and shoulders above typical theme park pizza. Out of the fast-food options in CityWalk, Red Oven is the best. If Red Oven sounds great but you wish for something more upscale, visit Vivo Italian Kitchen next door.

Have you been to Red Oven Pizza Bakery? What is your go-to meal? Let us know in the comments.

The post Getting to Know Universal – Red Oven Pizza Bakery appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: CityWalk, Dining, Universal Orlando Resort, citywalk, Red Oven Pizza Bakery

When you’re visiting Walt Disney World, the question isn’t if it will rain, but rather when it will. Once you encounter the inevitable downpour, you have three possible ways to protect yourself: a poncho, an umbrella, or a rain jacket/coat.

Many guests have strong opinions about which is the optimal form of rain protections, but truth is, there are the pros and cons of each.

UMBRELLA

PROS:

• Can potentially protect more than one person.
• Can protect bags you’re carrying.
• When wet, can be clipped to the outside of bag to facilitate drying.
• Many are compact and easy to carry.
• Can be used as a parasol for sun protection. (Important in Florida heat.)
• Keeps your face dry. Important for guests wearing glasses and for guests wearing masks during the pandemic.
• Easy to share with others.

CONS:

• Ineffective during heavy wind.
• Could poke/bump other guests in crowded walkways.
• Must fold/unfold when going in and out of spaces.
• Larger/sturdier models may be heavy.
• Unlikely to fit into a pocket.
• Likely leaves your legs exposed to water.
• Keeps a hand occupied – thus making that hand unavailable for carrying packages or holding onto a child.

PONCHO

PROS:

• Lightweight.
• Many can be folded to be compact.
• Can be used as a blanket to cover a chilly child.
• Can be used as a tarp to cover a stroller or mobility device.
• Can be used as a blanket to sit on wet grass (for example in the Magic Kingdom hub) or on hot pavement (for example when waiting for a parade). [Note, during the pandemic parades are on hiatus.]
• Useful for protection on water-intensive rides such as Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids.

CONS:

• Disposable ponchos are not environmentally friendly.
• Difficult to get a good fit. Hoods often fall off, particularly with less expensive options.
• Once the shower has ended, what do you do with a big wet poncho?
• Must be removed for some indoor rides (Rise of the Resistance, for example). Repeated over-the-head on and off could leave you damp.
• Possibly difficult to re-fold.

RAIN JACKET

PROS:

• Can get accurate fit. Hood will usually stay up.
• Adds a layer to trap heat (good in cold weather).
• May have pockets to help you store other items.
• Some models are long enough to cover your legs.

CONS:

• Leaves bags/backpacks exposed to rain.
• Adds a layer to trap heat (bad in warm weather).
• Shorter models leave legs and derriere exposed to rain.
• Difficult to share with other members of your party if you’re not the same size.

Personally, I was a poncho girl for many years, mostly because of the versatility of being able to use it as a stroller cover, but once my children were out of their stroller years, I moved on, primarily due to two issues – 1) Walking around with a wet poncho after a soaking just got too gross. 2) I rarely wear ponchos in the non-Disney world, so it seemed impractical to buy them only for vacations.

I’ve transitioned to mostly carrying a small umbrella. It’s usually enough to keep me dry until I can get somewhere indoors to wait out a passing shower. I also bring a larger raincoat, similar to the LL Bean Women’s Trail model, that I’ll wear if rain is expected all day.

What’s your Disney World rain gear strategy?

The post Disney World in the Rain: Poncho vs. Umbrella vs. Jacket appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), packing, poncho, raincoat, umbrella