Disneyland’s “Fantasmic!” To Return, Dragonless, in 2024

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 28, 2023

 

Back in April, stunned Disneyland guests hastily evacuated the area during a performance of “Fantasmic!” as the Maleficent dragon animatronic caught fire, erupting in towering flames. Fortunately, no one was injured, and Disneyland announced that the nighttime show would be suspended indefinitely (with posted messages halting the show at least through Labor Day).

Courtesy of the Disneyland website

Now, Disney has announced, “With the goal of delivering the best possible show for our guests, performances of Fantasmic! are currently paused until Spring 2024.”

 

Unfortunately, the fierce some 45-foot high dragon will be missing from the much-loved spectacular when it returns. The newly updated “Fantasmic!” will instead feature new special effects and a new climactic scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent, as Mickey dreams that he is the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and battles various Disney villains.

 

While guests await the revamped show, Disneyland will be offering “Queenie and the Jambalaya Jazz Band” on the Rivers of America.  They’ll treat listeners to musical performances several times a night as they float down the river on a New Orleans-themed raft.   Disney is also planning additional entertainment offerings in the interim.

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Get Your Diploma at Sangria University at Coronado Springs

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 27, 2023

 

Between my husband, my kids, and myself, we have a total of 14 diplomas under our belts. What we didn’t have was a diploma from Sangria University at Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Disney’s Coronado Springs. We set out to remedy that situation a few weekends ago. And it was a blast!

Three Bridges Bar and Grill is one of our favorite haunts at Disney World, and it serves as your open-air classroom for this interactive, 90-minute workshop. Three Bridges is located in the center of Lago Dorado at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, with beautiful views of the lake and a cool breeze coming through the venue.

Sangria University is relatively inexpensive on the Disney scale, with a $59.00 fee for each participant.  (While the class is designed for those 21 and over, kids are welcome and will get a non-alcoholic version of the set-up, but the kids will pay full price. Sooooo, probably best to find an alternate activity for them. They aren’t going to find the lesson nearly as interesting as you will.)   

 

The $59.00 “tuition” might seem a little pricey at first, but considering that your starter flight is the same flight that is on the regular Three Bridges evening menu for $22.00, and you also get a plate of the house-made guac and chips (which usually runs $12.00 on the bar’s menu), and you also get the fixings for creating your own personalized libation, the class is a pretty good deal. Plus, it is enormously fun.

When you check in at Three Bridges for your class, you’ll be escorted to your preassigned table, where you’ll find your supplies for Sangria University already set-up for you, including your flight of sangria, ingredients for your custom sangria, and snacks. When everyone has arrived, your “Sangria Professor” will take over, sharing the history of sangria and imparting some fun lessons on the beverage creation process, and teaching you about the different flavor profiles, alcohols, and their origins in your included sangria flight.  (With a little tie-in to Disney history as well!)

In case you don’t know much about sangria heading into the class, you’ll start out enjoying a selection of varied choices that your “Sangria Professor” will walk through with you, describing their compositions and pedigrees along the way.  There are four sangrias in the curated flight offered on the Three Bridges restaurant menu, and you’ll receive all four of those selections during your class, including:

 

• Espumoso (Sparkling) Sangria: Freixenet Blanc de Blancs Brut Cava, Peach Liqueur, and Lemon.

• Blanco (White) Sangria: Macabeo Wine, Torres Magdala Naranjas del Mediterráneo, St. Germain Elderflower, Passion Fruit, and Lemon.

• Rosado (Rosé) Sangria: Garnacha Rosé Wine, Cruzan Mango Rum, SKYY Infusions Citrus Vodka, and Desert Pear

• Tinto (Red) Sangria: Garnacha Wine, Torres Magdala Naranjas del Mediterráneo, and Orange.

 

Next, they will turn you loose to create a custom drink infused with your own preferences.  And that’s where the fun really begins.  You’ll choose the wine and liquors you would like to add to your personal sangria, and in addition to the provided (free) choices, you’ll have an opportunity to include other premium liquors, starting at $5.00. You’ll add a few fruit embellishments, too. You can design your drink at your leisure, adding and enhancing as you see fit.

 

My husband and I both started with Rosé wine, but while I added an included apricot brandy, he opted to scale up to vanilla vodka and mango rum for the small additional charge.  It was nice, but still lacking a little something, so he added the provided strawberry puree and fresh strawberries, and declared it a lovely, sweet summertime libation.  I started with just my Rosé and apricot brandy, and added a bit of fruit, a little at a time. And with each addition, the drink became a completely different flavor.  

The oranges went in first. The drink had a very strong citrusy scent, and it was still light without being overly sweet.  Next went in the raspberries, which made the drink prettier, but didn’t change the flavor at all.  There was a shot glass of lemonade among the supplies on the table, so we thought, “Why not?”  and added the lemonade. It brightened the glass, and we thought it was a good selection, and a drink we’d enjoy making again.  The lemonade mellowed the citrus out a bit.  About halfway through the glass, though, we decided to add the strawberry puree, and the drink really came together, with a completely different taste yet again.  This time is was fruity and sweeter, and a perfect summer afternoon treat.  We liked the final iteration of the drink, and decided to stop there.

 

At the end of the session, after you’ve created and sampled your own special drink, you’ll receive your “Certificate of Mastery” declaring you a “Sangria Sommelier,” plus a few printed sangria flight recipes to take home. Go ahead and frame your certificate if you’d like, and see how many people pick it out amongst the other diplomas on the wall!

 

Sangria University is a popular event, and is offered at Coronado Springs on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m., and books up quickly. We were able to reserve our spots about six weeks out from our class. You pay for your seat in advance, and can register on the My Disney Experience app, or on the Disney website on the Enchanting Extras reservations page.

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

Add Some Tropical Flair From Disney to Your Summer Dinners

 by Beth Keating

Lifestyle

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 25, 2023

 

Back when we were less knowledgeable Disney travelers, we spent a vacation at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort…. with a small toddler…. who was still in a stroller… and we were assigned a second floor room.  And those of you who know where I’m going with this are busy slapping your foreheads right now, while others are wondering, “So what’s the problem?”

The problem is that Caribbean Beach does not have elevators, which we were clueless about until we’d checked in. So, coming back from the parks after fireworks, with a stroller and a sleeping child, meant either waking the child up (gasp!), or trying to finagle our way up the stairs, each of us balancing a section of the stroller with the sleeping child still in it, park bags and shopping bags akimbo (admittedly, not a good idea either!).  We liked Caribbean Beach enough to go back again, but not until the kids were older (much older), and we consider it a primo spot now that it is on the Skyliner route.  (And that pool is fabulous – one of the most fun on Disney property!)

We were flipping through our ancient copy of Cooking With Mickey: Gourmet Mickey Cookbook Vol. II recently reflecting on how many of the restaurants (and even Disney-MGM Studios) no longer exist. As we turned pages, we found ourselves laughing over such stories as our Caribbean Beach stroller quandary.  We came across this recipe for Jamaican Buns from the “Cinnamon Bay Bakery” at Caribbean Beach, part of their old food court. (In case you’ve never been to Caribbean Beach, each of the room sections is named after a different Caribbean island, hence the reference to “Jamaica.” Aruba, Barbados, Martinique, and Trinidad make up the rest of the distinct island designations.)

 

These buns are a bit of a quick bread, no yeast needed, and have a sweetness to them from the raisins and shredded coconut, and a little tang from the lemon zest.  They are a yummy tropical treat for summer by the pool. Or just dinner. Enjoy as you reminisce about your favorite pool at Caribbean Beach!

Just a cooking note from us:  These “buns” were delicious, but ours came out looking more like thick cookies than a traditional “bun.”  I chose to use the butter version rather than the shortening, so I’m not sure if it was the water content in our butter or not, but there was quite a bit of “spread” on our buns, even though they were originally piled high with the ice cream scoop.  Nonetheless, we loved the flavor – they just didn’t come out with the bun shape we were expecting.  The recipe also makes a lot – we got nearly 30 buns from our attempt.

 

Jamaican Buns From Caribbean Beach

 

3 ½ cups flour

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon rind (or 1 tablespoon lemon extract)

1 cup butter or shortening

3 eggs

¾ cup milk

1 cup raisins

1 ¼ cups shredded coconut

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon rinds.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly in texture. Beat eggs with milk and add to flour mixture. Blend until just moistened. Do not overmix. Add raisins and coconut and mix again, just enough to incorporate. Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, portion dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Brush the tops of each bun with beaten egg whites and sprinkle with sugar.

 

Bake for about 25 minutes. Buns should be golden brown and firm to touch.

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

“For Better, For Worse: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story” by DisneyBizJournal's Ray Keating Filled with Action and Reflection

 18th Installment in Series Featuring a Former CIA Operative Turned Pastor

 

For Better, For Worse: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is an action-packed, thought-provoking page-turner from Ray Keating. This is his nineteenth work of fiction, and the 18th book in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. 

 

What’s For Better, For Worse about? From Finland to California, the tension builds and the action never falters. Pastor Stephen Grant arrives on the West Coast to officiate at the wedding of two friends. But the past reaches out to disrupt the festivities. Can Grant and his former CIA colleagues stop an attack by a team of killers sent by a powerful figure bent on revenge?

 

Ray Keating says, “It’s my hope that For Better, For Worse provides plenty of action in a shorter story, along with digging a bit into the characters and their relationships. Plus, this story also says a thing or two about marriage and what it’s all about in the end. That’s a lot to pack into a tale of less than 100 pages, but I hope readers find it entertaining and interesting.”

 

The first Facebook review of For Better, For Worse said: “Outstanding story. It's impressive how much you managed to cram, if that's the right word, into such a slender book. I really enjoyed it.”

 

For good measure, Ray Keating received the following message from a reader on Facebook: “I'm not generally into short stories, but I like yours!”

 

Kirkus Reviews has called Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant “an engaging and multifaceted character” and “a consistently entertaining hero.” Lutheran Book Review calls Keating “the master of the theological thriller.”

 

Matthew Heise, author of The Gates of Hell: An Untold Story of Faith and Perseverance in the Early Soviet Union, said, “Check out Ray's novels… They are action-filled and deeply thought out. His Stephen Grant is Jack Ryan in Lutheran clerical garb!”

 

In an article titled “If James Bond Became a Pastor” covering Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers/mysteries series, author and columnist Gene Veith noted, “Mr. Keating knows how to tell an exciting story. And these books, like the James Bond novels, are ridiculously entertaining.”

 

Paperbacks and the Kindle edition of For Better, For Worse are available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CB4XS5SD, and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com. All 18 books in the series are at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SW8HB34?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tukn.

 

Review copies, and author interviews and appearances are available upon request. 

 

Contact: Ray Keating

E-mail: raykeating@keatingreports.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PastorStephenGrantNovels and https://www.facebook.com/AllianceofSaintMichael

Twitter: @KeatingNovels

RayKeatingOnline.com

 

About the Author 

 

Ray Keating is a novelist, an economist, a nonfiction author, a podcaster, a columnist, and an entrepreneur. 

 

At this point, Keating has penned 18 Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries (with more on the way) – Warrior Monk, followed by Root of All Evil?, An Advent for Religious Liberty, The River, Murderer’s Row, Wine Into Water, Lionhearts, Reagan Country, Heroes and Villains, Shifting Sands, Deep Rough, The Traitor, Vatican Shadows, Past Lives, What’s Lost?, Persecution, Under the Golden Dome, and For Better, For Worse. He also has begun the Alliance of Saint Michael series, with Cathedral. 

 

Among recent nonfiction books are The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution, The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist, The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist, Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York and Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

In addition, Keating is the editor/publisher/columnist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and hosts three podcasts. He was a columnist with RealClearMarkets.com, and a former weekly newspaper columnist for Newsday, Long Island Business News, and the New York City Tribune. His work has appeared in many periodicals, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, New York Post, Los Angeles Daily News, The Boston Globe, National Review, The Washington Times, Investor’s Business Daily, New York Daily News, Detroit Free Press, Chicago Tribune, TheHill.com, Touchstone magazine, Townhall.com, and Cincinnati Enquirer. 

 

Disney Parks Competition? New Theme Park Coming to Oklahoma

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 22, 2023

 

Walt Disney challenged his Imagineers to complete Disneyland in a single year.  Construction crews are doing double time at Universal’s EPIC Universe to meet a projected 2025 opening.  Disney’s EPCOT renovations have taken… okay, we won’t go there.  

Courtesy of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

But in northeast Oklahoma, American Heartland leadership is gearing up to ambitiously create a new 1,000 acre, $2 billion entertainment destination called American Heartland Theme Park and Resort in just about three years.

  
Expected to open in phases, the new theme park will start with a large scale RV park with cabins in the spring of 2025, followed by a 125-acre theme park, about the size of Magic Kingdom, launching in 2026, with a variety of “rides, live shows, family attractions, waterways as well as restaurant quality food and beverage offerings.” There is also a 300-room hotel and indoor water park planned, as well as a film and television studio.

 

“We are thrilled to make Oklahoma the home of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort,” American Heartland CEO Larry Wilhite said. “At the crossroads of the heartland, Oklahoma is an attractive location for a family entertainment destination. The state’s business friendly approach and innovative partnership efforts have helped make this possible. We look forward to bringing unforgettable generational experiences to Oklahoma.”

Courtesy of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

The Americana-centered park will have six different lands, themed to Great Plains, Bayou Bay, Big Timber Falls, Stony Point Harbor, Liberty Village and Electropolis. American Heartland Founder and Chief Creative Officer Gene Bicknell added, “There is so much to celebrate about our country: its landscapes, its cultures and most importantly, its people. No matter where you’re from, you’ll feel right at home at American Heartland.”

 

Opening ahead of the theme park section will be the Three Ponies RV Park and Campground, designed by Oklahoma architects ADG Blatt. It will be the largest campground in the central United States, with 750 RV spaces and 300 cabins, plus a variety of amenities.

Courtesy of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

In case you are worried that this endeavor is being led by a bunch of novices and won’t take flight, it is being developed by American Heartland, an affiliate of Mansion Entertainment Group, the leading performing arts, animation and studio brand in the entertainment hub of Branson, Missouri. Design firms included in the project are THG, FORREC and Cuningham, whose work has included projects for Six Flags, Dollywood, Disney Parks and Universal Studios. And if that wasn’t enough, there will be more than 500 cumulative years of theme park experience in the form of a design team that has more than 20 veteran Disney Parks and Walt Disney Imagineers. 

Steve Hedrick, Executive Producer Project Development, leads the talent. Hedrick has 22 years of experience as a WDE Disney executive, but 40 years in the theme park industry overall. His team includes:

   

• John Sorenson - WDI Land Planner (30 years)
• Tom Turley - DLI Ops Planning & Development (45 years)
• Don Hilsen - WDI Ride Engineer  (30 years)
• John Polk - WDI Special Effects (20 years)
• Tim Kirk - WDI Concept Artist (35 years)
• Annette Crump - WDI Planner/Scheduler (11 years)
• Andy Burden – WDE/DLI Technical Design (12 years)
• Rick Allen – WDW Operations (43 years)
• Craig Hodges – WDW Operations (42 years)
• Dave Vermeulen – Disneyland International (40 years)
• Ted Carlsson – Disneyland/WDI VP of Technical Design (35 years)
• Scott Sinclair – Disneyland & WDI Theme Park Designer (20 years)
• Ronnie Rodriquez – Disney Creative Entertainment (35 years)
• Reggie Jarrett – Disney Entertainment (35 years)

 

American Heartland will be located on Route 66 near I-44 in Vinita, just west of Grand Lake, Oklahoma, and the company anticipates providing more than 4,000 jobs to local residents as they attract more than 4.9 million guests to the new park each year, including two million out-of-state visitors.

Courtesy of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

“Mansion Entertainment Group is on the verge of becoming the most powerful entity in family entertainment, with its unparalleled expertise across film, television, animation, music, theatre, and family immersive entertainment experiences,” boasted Wilhite. “With a commitment to producing high-quality, wholesome content that the entire family can enjoy, Mansion Entertainment Group has carved a niche for itself in the entertainment industry. Its impressive roster of talents, cutting-edge technology, and innovative storytelling techniques are a testament to its dedication to delivering exceptional entertainment experiences that leave a lasting impact on audiences.”

 

If you think a visit to American Heartland may be in your future, they are setting up a VIP email list for future news about the park and its various offerings.  You can sign up at American Heartland Theme Park and Resort.

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

Visit Orlando’s “Magical Dining” Returns for 18th Year; Four Disney Restaurants Included

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 21, 2023

 

Inflation has your dining budget in a tailspin…. Disney costs are creeping ever upward.... But you still want to eat somewhere special on your vacation. If you are heading to Florida this fall, we just might have a fun way for you to beat those higher prices. Plus, you get to try a restaurant you might have overlooked in the past.

From August 18 through October 1, 2023, Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining program will be returning for its 18th year, and at least 115 Orlando area restaurants will be participating in this year’s food fest.  (More continue to be added.)  Four of the Magical Dining restaurants are on Disney property, but nearly a dozen others are “close by,” depending on your transportation access.

 

What is Magical Dining, you ask?  It’s a great program that offers diners the opportunity to choose from a limited, three-course prix fixe menu at participating restaurants at a discounted price.  And don’t worry about not liking the pared-down options.  It’s a source of pride amongst the chefs to showcase some of their best entrées, and you will always have at least a few selections to choose from.  (Plus, you can peek at the menus ahead of time.) The three-course dinner includes the choice of an appetizer, entree and dessert from the restaurant’s “Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining” offerings. Just ask your server for the specially curated menu.

 

This year, the program will be offering two separate pricing tiers for diners, to open up a greater variety of restaurant choices, one at a $40 tier and the other at $60 (plus tax and gratuity).   There are even a few Michelin Guide honorees on the list, including BACÁN ($60 menu, Wave Hotel, Lake Nona); The Ravenous Pig ($40 menu, in Winter Park, and also the sister restaurant to Disney Spring’s The Polite Pig); and The Pinery ($40 menu, Lake Ivanhoe).

  
Looking to stay overnight?  Some of the local hotels are also offering special rates via Visit Orlando’s Magical Nights.

 

And as a special bonus, part of your dining costs will go to support local charities.  One dollar from each $40 menu, and two dollars from each $60 menu will be donated to The Lifeboat Project. The Apopka-based Lifeboat Project raises awareness about human trafficking and provides support and trauma recovery to trafficking victims.  Additional donations will also be awarded to six other local nonprofits in Orange County. Magical Dining has raised more than $2 million for Orlando area organizations during its existence. 

 

The four “on Disney property” restaurants participating this year include JALEO at Disney Springs ($40 menu); STK (Valid - 10/3) ($60 menu, Disney Springs);  Il Mulino New York Trattoria ($40 menu, Walt Disney World Swan Resort); and Amare at Swan Reserve ($40 menu, Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Resort).

Other nearby “Disney area” restaurants include deep blu Seafood & Grille ($60 menu, Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek); LakeHouse ($40 menu, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, located next to Walt Disney World); The Venetian Chop House ($60 menu, Caribe Royale Hotel on World Center Drive); Lakeside Bar and Grill ($40 menu, Celebration); Unreserved Food Bazaar ($40 menu, JW Marriott Bonnet Creek); Zeta Asia and La Luce (both $40 menus at Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek); and Benihana - Lake Buena Vista ($40 menu, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista on Hotel Plaza Boulevard).

 

If you have a car or want to take advantage of Uber or Lyft, there are dozens of other participating restaurants a short drive away from Disney, including a few near I-Drive and Universal Studios, such as The Kitchen ($40 menu, at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando.)

Menus are available for preview at OrlandoMagicalDining.com, with additional menus and hotel deals being added as the kick-off date gets closer. Menus can be searched based on pricing tier, location and cuisine, plus vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.  (Reservations are definitely recommended for the more popular venues, but walk-ins may also be available.)

The menus for the four Disney-property eateries include:

 

JALEO AT DISNEY SPRINGS ($40 Menu)

 

STARTER:

 

Traditional pan con tomate

- toasted slices of crispy bread brushed with fresh tomato

Croquetas de poll

- traditional chicken fritters

Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos con Queso Caña de Cabra

- seared piquillo peppers filled with goat cheese

 

APPETIZERS (Second Course)

 

Espinacas a la Catalana

sautéed spinach with pine nuts, raisins and apples

Empedrat de Montgetes

traditional catalan bean salad with tomatoes, olives and sherry dressing

Ensalada Verde

mixed greens with tomatoes, onions and olives with sherry dressing

MAIN COURSE

 

Chorizo Casero con Puré de Patatas al Aceite de Oliva

house-made traditional chorizo with olive oil mashed potatoes

Pollo con Pisto Manchego

josper grilled chicken thigh with a traditional vegetable stew

Gambas al Ajillo

the very, very famous tapa of shrimp sautéed with garlic

Tortilla de patatas

spanish omelet with potato and onions

 

DESSERT

 

Flan al Estilo Tradicional de Mamá Marisa con Espuma de Crema Catalana

a classic Spanish custard with ‘espuma’ of catalan cream and oranges

Pan con chocolate

chocolate custard with caramelized bread, olive oil and brioche ice cream

Sorbetes Caseros

one big scoop of the daily sorbet flavors

 

UPGRADES & ENHANCEMENTS

Upgrade third course for Carne Asada for $9

Upgrade third course for Veggie Paella for $9

 

STK at DISNEY Springs (VALID - 10/3) ($60 Menu)

 

APPETIZERS

 

Burrata

marinated beetroot, pickled red onions, basil oil, crunchy sourdough

Tuna Tartare

hass avocado, taro chips, soy-honey emulsion

LIL’ BRGS

wagyu beef, special sauce, sesame seed bun

 

MAIN COURSE

 

Steakhouse Skirt 8oz

confit fingerling, Parmesan gremolata, chimichurri sauce

Maple Rubbed Salmon

pickled cherry tomatoes, piquillo broccolini, olive dressing

Mushroom & Truffle Tagliatelle (Risotto)

Vegetarian

pecorino, braised mushrooms, baby spinach, shaved black truffle

 

DESSERT

 

Apple Pie

cinnamon crumble, maple creme fraiche, salted caramel ice cream

Cheesecake

raspberry coulis, berries

Chocolate Cake

chocolate ganache sauce

 

UPGRADES & ENHANCEMENTS

FILET 6oz + $12

AUSTRALIAN WAGYU FLAT IRON 8oz + $19

RIBEY FILETY 10oz + $23

RIBEYE 12oz + $16

 

IL MULINO NEW YORK TRATTORIA at WDW Swan Resort ($40 Menu)

 

APPETIZERS

 

Insalata Trattoria

local farmers greens, radish, red onion, feta cheese, Marcona almonds, sundried tomato vinaigrette, toasted focaccia croutons

Minestrone

vegetable soup with orecchiette and pesto

Insalate Caesar

the classic Il Mulino Caesar salad

 

MAIN COURSE

 

Rigatoni con Fungi

rigatoni pasta with wild mushrooms, italian cherry peppers, garlic and truffle oil

Pollo Scarpariello

hand cut chicken with garlic, white wine, wild mushrooms, and spicy cherry peppers

Ravioli al Formaggio

ricotta cheese filled ravioli with tomato basil sauce, Parmesan cheese and parsley

 

DESSERT

 

Torta di Cioccolati

flourless chocolate cake, whipped cream zabaglione

Tiramisu

layered espresso and coffee liqueur infused lady fingers coated with mascarpone cream

Frutti di Bosco con Zabaglione

mixed berries served with whipped cream and zabaglione cream

 

AMARE AT SWAN RESERVE AT WDW Swan Reserve ($40 Menu)

 

APPETIZERS

 

Chargrilled Pepper Crostino

chargrilled crostino topped with marinated grilled bell peppers, parsley, grated manchego cheese

Mediterranean Dips

grilled pita bread served with red pepper muhammara dip, garlic toum yogurt dip, mint chermoula dip

Taverna Salad

local organic greens, red onions, kalamata olives, cucumbers, marinated artichoke hearts, black pepper honey vinaigrette

 

MAIN COURSE

 

Grilled Souvlaki

your choice of two grilled tender chicken or angus beef skewers, with crispy potatoes, tabbouleh, pesto, harissa spiced hummus, and warm pita bread

Romesco Chicken

fennel marinated roasted chicken breast, paprikash style braised thigh, house made pappardelle pasta, organic vegetables, cauliflower puree, roasted red pepper and walnut romesco sauce

La Margherita

tomato basil, tuscan olive oil, ricotta and provolone cheeses

 

DESSERT

 

Amaro Flavored Sokolatina

layered flourless chocolate sponge cake, dark chocolate mousse, chocolate sauce

Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

rich custard of greek styled yogurt, cream cheese, seasonal berries, hand pressed golden graham crust

Pistachio Caragli

baked crispy sweetened filo, sicilian pistachio, organic gallberry honey syrup, sour amarena cherries

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.