Egg Displays Bring Touch of Spring to Disney’s Yacht & Beach Clubs

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

March 14, 2024

 

When you talk about the gorgeous Easter Egg displays at Disney World, most people immediately think of the “Grand Cottage” and the dozens of fanciful chocolate eggs at Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  Often overlooked, though, are the no less spectacular egg designs at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Clubs, just a quick walk from EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance along Crescent Lake.

Disney’s egg displays are the creations of the dedicated artists wielding culinary paintbrushes behind the scenes.  The eggs are adorned with guests’ favorite Disney characters and movie themes, and are made of such short-lived supplies as modeling chocolate, fondant, Krispie rice, and cocoa butter paint. 

I’ve always been impressed with the amount of talent the culinary teams show off with these sculpted treasures, but I’m also amazed that the teams are willing to put as many hours as they do into bringing these fleeting creations to life.  By their very nature, the fragile quality of these eggs means they might not even be here in a few weeks as temperatures start to rise. And yet, the artists invest hundreds of hours into these delightful decorations.

The egg displays at the Yacht and Beach Clubs may be significantly smaller than the one at the Grand Floridian, but they are certainly just as interesting to look at.  The Yacht Club’s eggs this year are a bit more whimsical than the eggs at the other locations, and are themed to the Disney animated film, Moana.  Pua the pig; Tamatoa the crab (“Shiny”); and the Kakamora coconut tribe will bring a smile to your face.

At the Yacht Club’s adjoining sister resort, Disney’s Beach Club, the egg display will be paying tribute to the neighboring EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.   The Beach Club eggs show off Chip and Dale, doing a bit of gardening; a miniature of Flower & Garden’s teenage Groot topiary (making a mess of a vintage cassette tape); Tinker Bell’s fairy house; and butterflies landing on a giant chocolate egg, among others.

The eggs will be on display in the resort lobbies until April 1, 2024. There is no charge to view the exhibits. Get there before they melt!

 

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

 

Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at

https://raykeatingbooksandmore.com/shop/ols/products/disneyplanner. And please listen to the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating podcast. 

Gingerbread Display at Disney’s Beach Club

 by Beth Keating

Lifestyle

DisneyBizJournal.com

December 1, 2023

 

If you are awed by the creativity and absolute skill that it takes to create the gingerbread masterpieces at Disney World’s Resorts each year, you might want to keep your eyes peeled for a few special events coming up – Disney is offering pin signing opportunities with some of their pastry chefs. 

The first one was December 1, 2023, at the Beach Club, where the whimsical gingerbread carousel lives, and we discovered it quite by accident when we were gingerbread display hopping. Later in the month, the Contemporary will also be hosting a Pin Signing, but the date hadn’t been posted yet.  If you aren’t familiar with these pins, Disney releases a series of Resort specific pins each year, tied to the Resorts that are hosting gingerbread displays.  

For more than 20 years, Disney has been sharing amazing gingerbread displays, from the life-sized house used as a walk-up merchandise kiosk at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, to the new gingerbread lighthouse at the Yacht Club Resort.

At Disney’s Beach Club Resort, the display is a working holiday Carousel. The carousel changes themes each year, but it has been there for 22 years.  While it isn’t large enough for people to ride on, it does sport four carousel horses being ridden by some of your favorite characters.

This year’s theme is “DuckTales,” and the four horses are decorated with Donald Duck and his nephews, Huey, Duey, and Louie. You’ll need to find 22 hidden Mickeys throughout the spinning display, honoring the 22 years of the gingerbread carousel. This centerpiece of the Beach Club’s lobby took 432 pounds of honey, 1200 pounds of rye flour, 100 pounds of eggs, 25 pounds of spices, 10 pounds of simple syrup, 200 pounds of icing, 10 quarts of egg whites, 100 pounds of confectionary sugar, 50 pounds of dark chocolate, and 20 pounds of Grand Marnier to bake!

The carousel theme ties in to the “DuckTales World Showcase Adventure” game that you can entertain your family with at EPCOT. (It’s a scavenger hunt of sorts, where you follow clues to make things happen in the various pavilions, and solve mysteries… a fun diversion!)

The merry-go-round not only features the cute ducks, but a variety of Easter eggs to tie each galloping horse to one of EPCOT’s pavilions.  Look closely, and you’ll find a golf placard for the UK pavilion, butterflies decorated in the flags of the countries, and a guitar and a tiny piñata for the Mexico pavilion, among many others.

 

The Yacht and Beach Club Resorts do offer gingerbread goodies if you want to sample some holiday treats, but the holiday shop is located at the Beach Club side of the Resort, so you’ll have to head over there to indulge.  (You were going there to see the carousel anyway, so no problem, right?) The goodies are available from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

 

Some of the holiday treats available at this location include Signature Stollen Bread ($12.99); Lighthouse Fudge ($8.49); a Mickey Snowman Pop ($5.99); Crisped Rice Treats ($4.99); Peppermint Bark ($7.99); Gingerbread Shingles just like the ones on the creations! ($5.79); and Gluten-free Gingerbread Cookies ($5.79). Hot Chocolate Flights are also available.

At the Beach Club’s attached sister Resort, the Yacht Club, a quick stroll down the sidewalk will wow you with a brand new working gingerbread lighthouse, surrounded by a tiny snow village with a train chugging along.

Chef Michael and his team built the gingerbread lighthouse to ¼ scale of the Yacht Club’s lighthouse on Crescent Lake, and the light on top flashes, too!  The surrounding train town is filled with hidden Mickeys, and lots of moving parts.

While the Yacht Club has played host to the train village before, this is the first year to see the floor to ceiling sized lighthouse.

 

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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!

Christmas Work and Play at Walt Disney World

by Ray Keating

Lifestyle

DisneyBizJournal.com

December 24, 2022

 

As the old saying goes, if you enjoy your work, then it’s not really work at all. 

 

I’m fortunate in that I love what I do for a living, and while we all have good and bad days, my work is enjoyable – yes, even fun. I’m reminded of that when, on occasion, I wind up with my laptop at Walt Disney World to get some research and writing done. And it’s particularly nice during the Christmas holiday season.

So, the above video offers a few Christmas takes from the Magic Kingdom, as well as from a few spots where I enjoy opening the computer, that is, at Wilderness Lodge and the Yacht and Beach Club.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

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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, and 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? 

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• 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 Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. The latest in the series is Persecution: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel. Get the signed books here, or paperbacks and Kindle editions right here.

 

• 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. 

Ale & Compass: Good Seafood and a Top-Five Burger

 by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 15, 2022

 

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort offers a wonderful ambience. Oddly, though, the atmosphere at the Yacht Club’s Ale & Compass Restaurant doesn’t make the cut. Fortunately, the food does.

During a recent lunch, one diner’s appetizer selection was the Parker House rolls ($14.00), a row of five fluffy dinner rolls brushed with butter and served with a trio of delicious ramekins filled with sweet and smoky bacon jam, pub cheese, and citrus butter.  (One already was snagged off the plate by the time we took the photo!) This diner could have ordered a double helping of these little beauties and called it a meal.  The bacon jam was especially good, and we reserved a little bit of it to spread on our burger.

 

Also ordered was the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake ($15.00), drizzled with stone ground mustard cream and a brightly flavored lemon emulsion, all served over a bed of succotash and greens. While the entrée was called a “lump crab cake,” there were actually two cakes on our plate, and they were crispy on the outside, and densely packed with tender crab meat on the inside.

The third diner chose the Lobster and Corn Chowder ($12.00), with herbs and house-made oyster cracker. The chowder was smooth and creamy, combined with just the right amount of spice. Of course, the key is the lobster, and this chowder passed with flying colors, as it was nicely populated by ample-sized pieces of lobster meat.

 

Two of our diners requested the Bacon and Vermont Cheddar Burger ($20.00), served up with caramelized onion on a Parker House bun with applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, and herbed mayonnaise. These burgers make it onto our list of top five burgers at Disney (so far), with plenty of melty Vermont cheddar, and a nice soft bun. A round of applause to the chefs because they nailed it on the correct “doneness” that we’d requested on our burgers.

Our third diner ordered the Blackened Sustainable Fish Tacos ($17.00), a trio of soft flour tortillas plated with chilled cucumber slaw, avocado, and chipotle rémoulade. It was smoky, tangy and flavorful. The fish was tender, flaky and done just right. Plus, the slaw added some crunchiness.

The only complaint, in the end, was a serving problem being experienced on an increasing basis when out for a meal, that is, main plates being brought to the table immediately after the appetizers arrive. While it was not unusual to experience this in recent years at mid-tier chain restaurants, now it’s happening at some Disney restaurants that should be known for customer service. However, compared to the excellent food offerings, this amounts to a minor complaint.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant 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?

 

Two great ways to pre-order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbacks at 

https://raykeatingonline.com/products/cathedral and/or the Kindle edition at 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WYW2Q2V

 

Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book – The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/weeklyeconomist and/or the Kindle edition at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WKN81RG.

 

Get more out of 2022 with The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution! 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. 

 

Keating has three new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13^th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Again, get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story – grab it at Amazon.com or signed editions 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.

Construction Underway For Disney World’s Gingerbread Masterpieces

 by Beth Keating

News/Lifestyle

DisneyBizJournal.com

November 7, 2021

 

If you’ve ever struggled to help your kids put together the de rigueur gingerbread house for the holidays at home, and found yourself with off-center roofs and drippy icing, you’ll probably be even more impressed with the skill it takes to master the construction of a nearly 14-foot-high, life-sized version with thousands of gingerbread pieces.  

If you are interested, you can take a peek at the building process at three different Disney World locations as Disney’s pastry chefs engineer this year’s awesome gingerbread creations. The buildings take hundreds of hours to create.

 

The largest of the Disney gingerbread houses began construction this past week, and will officially “open” November 10, 2021, in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian.  (Since it is in the center of the Grand Floridian’s wide open lobby, you can get a look now while the preparations continue.) 

The house will be on display amidst the festive holiday decorations until January 1. Beautiful scrollwork and ornate porches, hidden Mickeys, heart shaped trim, and candy adornments join the subtle gold theme this year, underscoring the 50th anniversary of Disney’s “Most Magical Celebration.”  With the Grand Floridian’s piano player at work at the keys of a nearby grand piano, and the soaring ceilings and stunning chandeliers high above, a visit to the Grand Floridian’s gingerbread house makes for a magical holiday outing for the family. The display is open from 9:30 am – 9:00 pm daily.

In addition to the beauty of the house itself, you can step up to the built-in counter and purchase your own gingerbread goodies, right from the window of the gingerbread Victorian. The inside of the house is stocked with a myriad of holiday delights for guests to take home to sample. There are more than a dozen treats on the menu, including gingerbread men ($6.25); brownie tree pops ($6.50); gingerbread Mickey ears ($9.50); gingerbread men lollipops ($5.50), and even snowman donuts ($4.00).  Especially fun are the gingerbread “shingles” to take home from the house ($9.50).  (Is that too Hansel and Gretel? No?)

 

Speaking of shingles on the house… Did you ever wonder what it takes to pull off a full-sized gingerbread house creation?  According to Disney, they use:

 

         • 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

         • Tons of creativity 

         • Disney Magic and Pixie Dust

 

There are two other locations with gingerbread confections to add to your foodie tour as well. Over at Disney’s Beach Club, the gingerbread carousel has taken shape, and now spins its way around in the Beach Club lobby.  

On display from November 1 to January 2, this year’s carousel is “Little Mermaid” themed, with fun hand-painted characters and intricate details on the four horses themed to Ariel, Prince Eric, King Triton, and Ursula.  A fifth horse sits ground based, watched over by Sebastian and Flounder. Be sure to look for the tiny, gold hidden Mickey heads on each carousel horse.  Gold 50th anniversary logos adorn the trim at the top of the carousel, alongside sparkly Earidescent blue and white snowflakes.

Last but certainly no less amazing is the historical locations display at EPCOT’s “The American Adventure” rotunda. “The American Adventure Gingerbread Display” welcomes holiday visitors from November 26 - December 30. Buildings this year will include the Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and will be part of EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays.

 

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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. 

Go to https://raykeatingonline.com/products/disneyplanner2022.

 

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.