Quick Tasty Meal at Contempo Café

 by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 9, 2024

 

I enjoy the vibe at and history of Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World. It’s also a great place to break open the laptop to get a little work done.

While doing some writing and editing on the next book last week, I discovered a pleasant surprise for a quick dinner at the Contempo Café.

 

I decided to try the Signature Rice Bowl with Grilled Shrimp ($14.99). It also can come with Chicken, Crispy Tofu or Braised Beef. But if shrimp is a choice, that’s where I’m headed, and the bowl offered a mix of cilantro-lime rice, black beans, corn, grilled peppers, onions and queso fresco.

It turned out to be a pretty good, convenient dinner. The bowl was an ample size, and the shrimp were nicely grilled. Beyond the shrimp, the onions and peppers stood out in a dish that was both smoky and a tad spicy. 

For a complete and balanced dinner, I, of course, added a Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums Cupcake ($6.79). It was a satisfying mix of rich chocolate cake, chocolate sprinkles, hidden cookie, and a light, almost-Boston-Cream-like icing.

 

Thumbs up for this quick dinner at the Contempo Café. 

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more.

 

Never miss any new book by Ray Keating by joining the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship with Ray Keating at

https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship.

 

Various books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. There are 19 books in the series now.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is at Amazon. 

 

• Order The Weekly Economist III: Another 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist, The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist, and The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist at Amazon.com.

 

• Signed editions of Ray’s books are at www.raykeatingbooksandmore.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Grand Floridian Gingerbread House Wows, But Isn’t Easy To Get To… And Stop By the Contemporary’s Gingerbread, Too

 by Beth Keating

Review/Lifestyle

DisneyBizJournal.com

December 11, 2023

 

For more than two decades, Disney World’s pastry chefs have been whipping up creative holiday visions like the gingerbread house at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. If it’s your first time stepping into the soaring atrium of the Grand Floridian to see the life-sized cottage, it’s a good probability your jaw will drop in awe.  For several years, we’ve been filling our holiday fêtes with a stop at the Grand to pick up some gingerbread goodies and visit the spectacular house.

This year, though, it wasn’t easy to visit.  We decided to make a festive event out of the trip, and had made reservations at the Grand Floridian Café to have lunch and see the gingerbread.  We pulled up to the guard booth at the Resort about half an hour before our dining reservation, were greeted warmly, then told to swing around, make a right at the stop sign and a left into the overflow parking at the next traffic light.  Then we had to walk across the street, down the long driveway, and up to the portico of the Resort.  We were given a dashboard certificate that granted us three hours of parking to see the house and have lunch.  Turns out that if we’d decided to opt for dessert with our lunch, we never would have made that three-hour window.

As expected, the Grand Floridian Café was a busy place, and our dining reservation ran twenty minutes behind schedule. (Lunch was very good, by the way.) We finished the meal and headed out to take a few pictures in the atrium in front of the enormous tree, then hopped on line to get our goodies at the gingerbread house.  The line was long, but it only took us about 25 minutes to make it to the front of the line.  Next, it was a quick stop upstairs at M. Mouse Mercantile to do a little Christmas shopping (didn’t even have time to hit up the other shops), and by then, our three hours were up.  We hustled back across the street to overflow parking, and moved out.  If we’d stayed at the café for dessert, we would not have remotely made it back to the car in under three hours.

  
Truthfully, if we had known ahead of time about the three-hour limit on parking, we probably would have skipped the dining reservation at Grand Floridian Café, and parked at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) and taken the monorail over to the Grand Floridian to see the gingerbread house.  Then we not only wouldn’t have been pressed for time, but we could have also taken the monorail to the Contemporary to see their gingerbread display.  It would have opened up a lot more dining opportunities at the Contemporary and the Polynesian as well, as both resorts are on the monorail line.

All that being said, we were still thrilled to visit the gingerbread house.  This is the 24th year for the life-sized cottage, and this year it came from the imagination of Pastry Chef de Cuisine Kristine Farmer and her team.  They spent over 500 hours baking gingerbread, and 480 hours decorating the house with 10,000 pieces of gingerbread.  An 85 pound, hand-painted chocolate Santa stands on the porch, or maybe he’s just searching for the 24 hidden Mickeys!

The culinary team used 1,050 pounds of honey; 140 pints of egg whites; 600 pounds of powdered sugar; 700 pounds of chocolate; 800 pounds of flour; 35 pounds of spices; and a bit of pixie dust to pull this house together!

If you’d like a special treat while you are visiting the Grand Floridian’s gingerbread house, or even a gift to take home for family and friends, the Grand Floridian will sell you your snacks right from the window of the gingerbread house.  The cottage is big enough for cast members to work inside, dishing out the goodies.  Among a multitude of items, this year’s sweets include dipped Mickey Gingerbread ears and gingerbread shingles ($11.50); Stollen Bread ($25.00); Brownie Christmas Tree Pops ($7.50); Peppermint Bark ($15.00); Gingersnap Cookies ($5.50); House-made Gingerbread Ornaments ($14.00); Create Your Own Gingerbread Ornament kits ($25.00);  Gingerbread Houses ($85.00); Peppermint Marshmallow Pops ($4.00); Gingerbread Cranberry Muffins ($4.50); Milk Chocolate Pecan Fudge ($9.00); and a Grand Floridian Gift Box featuring assorted treats ($60.00).

The Grand Floridian house will be available until January 1, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.  (Just make sure you make the right parking choices!)

If you are doing the “monorail gingerbread crawl,” and are heading to the Contemporary Resort, their Cinderella castle gingerbread display is now in its 12th year. Created by pastry chef Jeff Barnes and his 40 elves, this 17 feet tall, 25 feet wide, Mary Blair-inspired display will be shown off until January 6, 2024. It took twelve days to assemble the over 4,000 castle gingerbread bricks. (You thought you had it rough at your family gingerbread competition!)

You’ll need to head up to the fourth floor to see this gingerbread creation, which honors the Disney100 celebration. The Contemporary’s tableau was made with 612 pounds of sugar, 439 jars of honey, 1012 pounds of flour, 112 pounds of gingerbread spice, 51 pounds of chocolate, 67 pounds of modeling chocolate, 88 pounds of rolled fondant, 43 pounds of Royal icing, 512 eggs, and 12 gallons of milk.

  
And instead of hidden Mickeys on this backdrop, you’ll be hunting for 12 five-legged goats hidden in the artwork.  What?  You don’t know about the five-legged goat?  It’s a tribute to the five-legged goat that Mary Blair herself placed in the giant mosaic in the Grand Canyon Concourse at the Contemporary.  (Some say it’s there to make the statement that nothing is ever perfect.  Either way, we think it’s fun, and a challenge to locate this special goat in the tiles on the Concourse wall.)

Disney’s Contemporary Resort also has a selection of special treats for purchase, among them Gingerbread Castle “Bricks” ($6.50); Paint Your Own Cookie boxes ($25.00); Christmas Tree Butter Cookies ($5.29); Gingerbread Loafs ($5.29); Pistachio Linzer Cookies ($6.29); and 5-Legged Goat Cookies that are Gluten Friendly ($5.49).

  
We hope you and your friends and family have a great time exploring the gingerbread treats in the Magic Kingdom Resort area.

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

 

Support the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1724143. Subscribe at the $8 or $10 level, and get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. Remain a supporter and you'll get a FREE BOOK by Ray Keating every six months going forward. Thanks!

Unusual Breakfast at Steakhouse 71 is “Culinary Genius”

 by Beth Keating and Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 16, 2023

 

We’ve been to Steakhouse 71 at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort before. In fact, we were there just after they opened post-renovations from the former “The Wave… Of Contemporary American Flavors.” As the hot new restaurant debuting in town, we couldn’t get anywhere near dinner reservations at the time. We could, however, get early morning breakfast reservations, so we decided to give it a try. 

And we liked it. (Check out the DisneyBizJournal review here.) But despite that fact, we still hadn’t returned for breakfast since that original visit. We have hit up the Steakhouse 71 Lounge a few times for the best-burger-at-Disney-World Stack Burger, however. (See DisneyBizJournal’s take on Disney World lounges here.)  This week, we decided to give the spot another go for the early morning hours, and oddly, still didn’t really end up with “breakfast foods.”

It was in the 8:00 a.m. hour, eyes barely open, when we were seated at the table in this modern-spin-on-mid-century décor dining room. But rather than the more typical eggs, pancakes, oatmeal or fruit plate offered on the menu at Steakhouse 71 (okay, there was espresso involved… we aren’t complete savages), we opted for the Florida Eggs Benedict ($19.00).  While that sounds breakfast-y, it was actually a crab-cake-based dish.  

 

Yes, I said crab cake. For breakfast.  You know, that savory, seafood delight that one usually scarfs up for dinner?  And it was AWESOME!  What a way to start the day!

 

The entrée included two-poached eggs atop a crab cake with Hollandaise sauce, all perched on Canadian bacon and a toasted English muffin.  A scoop of breakfast potatoes added a few more carbs to fuel the day. It was, as Shawn and Gus have proclaimed on Psych, one of our all-time favorite TV shows, “a flavor seizure.”

 

The crab cakes were of ample size (always a question when it comes to crab cakes), and the crab wasn’t minced, but instead offered in plump pieces. The breading on the cakes nicely served the crab, rather than dominating it. All of that would have been enough, but combining the crab cakes with poached eggs (done perfectly), Canadian bacon, and on an English muffin turned out to be culinary genius. Yes, this is a highly recommended breakfast.

Steakhouse 71 serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Then they reopen for dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.   (If you don’t feel the need for dining table space, you can squeeze in a visit to the even more casual Steakhouse 71 Lounge, which stays open from noon straight through until 11:00 p.m.)

Named for the year Disney’s Contemporary Resort first opened, you enter Steakhouse 71 through a long hallway adorned with black and white photos of the construction of Walt Disney World, setting the stage for this tribute to Walt and to the park’s founding.  Many of the dishes at Steakhouse 71 are inspired by some of Walt’s (and Lillian’s) favorites, including Walt’s Prime Rib Hash ($18.00), also available for breakfast.  Seasonal pancakes ($15.00), omelets ($17.00), and a unique take on avocado toast ($13.00), served on a toasted sourdough bread with onion jam, are some of the other selections up for grabs.

 

If you are heading to the Magic Kingdom, you may discover that Steakhouse 71 is a great way to start your visit with Mickey, whether you make breakfast a sweet, or even a savory, choice. It’s just a quick monorail ride away. And don’t pass up the crab cakes when beginning your day.

 

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

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are their own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right? 

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. Here are 18 books in the series now with the latest being Under the Golden Dome: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel and For Better, For Worse: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

• Order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle editions and paperbacks via Amazon here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  –  signed books  or at  Amazon.

 

•  Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know is available at  Amazon  in paperback or for the Kindle edition, and signed books at  www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Welcome to Steakhouse 71 – One of Disney’s Newest Eateries

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

November 23, 2021

 

One of the most highly sought after dining reservations right now at Disney World in Florida is Steakhouse 71, the new eatery that moved into the former location of “The Wave… of American Flavors” at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.  The Wave closed in July before the site underwent renovations.

In fact, the buzz for this new restaurant has been so hot that after days of trying to lock in a dinner reservation, the only seats we could book turned out to be breakfast reservations nearly three weeks out. It turns out that the buzz is well deserved.

 

Opening on October 1, 2021 (the kick-off for the 50^th Anniversary of Disney World), the new casual sit-down dining location takes its name from the opening year of the Magic Kingdom (1971), with a subtle tip of the hat to the well-loved Steakhouse 55 at Disneyland in California. Its home is on the first floor of the Contemporary, one of Disney World’s original hotels.

Like many other locations around the Disney Parks, Steakhouse 71 is offering a few specialty dishes to honor the 50th Anniversary celebrations this year. One of the special offerings at Steakhouse 71 is Walt’s Prime Rib Hash ($17.00), and two of our diners opted to try what was reportedly among Walt Disney’s favorite foods.   Made with seared prime rib, fried potatoes, caramelized onions and peppers topped with a fried egg, it’s a disservice to call this “hash.” The word doesn’t come close to doing justice for this flavorful dish. The prime rib was tender, and the seasoning tied together the entire dish.

Another diner opted for the Steakhouse 71 Seasonal Pancakes ($14.00), which on this day was a set of delicious pumpkin pancakes. (The selection, as the name implies, will change with the seasons, but this choice was a worthy contender.)  

 

Served with either bacon, pork sausage, or chicken sausage, the pancakes had a decorative drizzle of icing and a set of candied pecans centered on the top.  The pancakes themselves had a hint of sweetness, and definitely did not have the stereotypical cinnamon and nutmeg laced flavor that generally permeates pumpkin anything this time of year. Rather, the pancakes were delicate and fluffy, offering just a hint of “autumn” without being overpowering.  The surprise accent to the meal was the syrup, which was a coffee infused syrup with the coffee notes on the backend to finish the syrup. Totally unexpected, and a very nice accompaniment to the pancakes’ light pumpkin flavor.

The restaurant was open and airy, despite the fact that as an interior restaurant, there are no windows to the outside world.  In undertaking the remodel, Disney made sure the new restaurant was considerably lighter in atmosphere than its dimly lit predecessor, something that had been a common complaint among previous diners in the space.  Steakhouse 71 has windows, of a sort, in the middle of the restaurant, looking into the bar area (which you are welcome to visit without needing reservations, as a first come-first served locale.) And with a very odd piece of commentary, the dining chairs were likely the most comfortable restaurant seating we recall having in a long time!

 

The entry to the restaurant, which many remember as a “tunnel” leading into the reception area, is now brighter as well, and offers a bit of a time capsule into the early beginnings of the Magic Kingdom via oversized black and white photos of the construction process.

The service was wonderful at Steakhouse 71, with many of the staff coming over to the new digs from The Wave, including our waiter for the morning, who’d been at The Wave for five years.  He was friendly and welcoming, offering helpful descriptions of the entrees, making sure we got our breakfasts in a timely manner so we could get over to the parks.

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

 

For You and a Great Christmas Gift! The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution is here! It combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more. Also, “The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution” comes with a handy spiral binding for easy use. 

Chef Mickey’s Set to Return December 16

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

October 8, 2020

 

Just in time for the holiday season, Chef Mickey will be back in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for guests at his namesake restaurant.  Beginning December 16, the gang will be whipping up some all new – and tasty looking entrées – at Chef Mickey’s restaurant.

 

Formerly a character buffet, the meal will now be a sit-down event, and cast members will bring all-you-care-to-eat dishes to your table, serving family style. There will be traditional breakfast favorites, but the exciting news is that Disney, perhaps inspired by the recent success of the changed menu at Hollywood Studios’ “Hollywood & Vine Minnie’s Halloween Dine,” is offering up several new specialty plates at Chef Mickey’s. 

Photo: Disney Parks Blog

Guest will be able to enjoy Mickey’s “Celebration” Pancake, featuring whipped cream, celebration sprinkles, and shimmering pixie dust; “Loaded” Potato-Cheese Casserole topped with smoked bacon crumbles and chives; or Goofy’s Banana Bread French Toast, a banana bread baked in orange-scented French toast batter, and topped with Espresso-mascarpone cream, toasted bananas and chocolate crumbles.

 

Chef Mickey’s new character appearances will be in keeping with the current safely-distanced format seen throughout other locations. Mickey and friends will still make guest appearances, but they will not stop at your table for individual autographs and hugs. They’ll be there to smile, wave and interact as they parade through the restaurant, dressed in their chef’s best.

 

As was previously the case at Hollywood & Vine, the food at the buffet at Chef Mickey’s often took a back seat to the character interactions. Chef Mickey’s, located in the cavernous atrium of the Contemporary Resort, with the monorail gliding by overhead, was/is sort of a rite of passage and must-do for many Disney guests.  But it was undeniably loud with its soaring, open ceilings, and the atmosphere was sometimes raucous. Periodic napkin waving and singing with the characters would break out throughout the meal, and you’d have to keep a close eye on where the characters were in the room so you wouldn’t be up at the buffet when Mickey or Minnie showed up at your table. You didn’t want to miss your chance at those iconic photos with the Fab 5 – that’s why you were paying premium prices at Chef Mickey’s, after all. 

 

Over at Hollywood & Vine, the new tableside service with its upgraded entrées has gotten rave reviews from recent guests since its reopening. Hopefully, Chef Mickey’s will experience the same boost with its new menu. (Will Goofy’s Banana Bread French Toast become a cult favorite like Kona Café’s Tonga Toast?)

Photo: Disney Parks Blog

Reservations for Chef Mickey’s Family Feast character breakfast will begin October 17. Disney Resort hotel guests can make reservations up to 60 days in advance (plus the length of their stay - up to 10 days.) The cost is $42 per adult and $27 per child, plus tax and gratuity.

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Disney Spreads Out Opening Dates for Additional Resort Hotels

by Beth Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 23, 2020

Some of Disney’s Vacation Club properties, such as Bay Lake Tower and Copper Creek Villas,  as well as Fort Wilderness, officially began welcoming guests yesterday (June 22). Others, such as Disney’s Vero Beach Resort in Florida and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort in South Carolina began saying “Welcome Home” on June 15. The Swan and Dolphin opens its doors to travelers July 29, and will also serve as home base for a variety of major league soccer players during July’s MLS tournaments. And the Grand Floridian, Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, and the Yacht Club will all be playing host to the NBA players and their entourages, with their games beginning on July 31. 

Courtesy of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort Media

Disney also has announced opening dates for additional Disney Resort hotels over a wide spread set of calendar dates. (Guests should note that, as in all things Disney during COVID recuperation, these dates are subject to change and guests’ reservations could still be modified to other Disney Resort hotels if needed, depending on the timing of your stay and resort capacities.) Here are the most recent releases:

June 22 – Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts, including:

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village

Disney’s Beach Club Villas

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas

Disney’s Old Key West Resort

Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

Disney’s Riviera Resort

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort

The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

Also opened on June 22: Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

July 10

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

July 29

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

August 12

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

August 24

Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts

September 21

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

October 1

Disney’s BoardWalk Resort

October 14

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Contact cast members at the Disney Reservations line for assistance at (407) 939-1936 (U.S.) if your arrivals conflict with the above opening dates. (Disney Vacation Club members should call Member Services at (800) 800-9800.)

Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom open on July 11, and Epcot and Hollywood Studios open on July 15. The modified Epcot Food and Wine Festival will also begin right away on July 15.

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See related...

“Making Reservations for Entry Into the Parks: Our Experience”

 

“Disney Opens New Reservation System for Theme Park Entry”

“Disney Cancels Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and H2O Glow Nights; Makes Changes to Food and Wine Festival; Park Hopping Suspended”

“Dining Reservations Now Available for Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Guests”

“Hong Kong Disneyland Reopening Announced”

“Disneyland in California Reopening Announced”

“Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Set To Reopen July 29”

“Disney Experience Updated: Parks Reopening and What It Will Look Like”

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.