Specialty Treats at Amorette’s in Disney Springs

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 19, 2021

 

There’s an old saying that calories inside the Walt Disney gates magically don’t count… And besides, you’re on vacation, so you aren’t eating as rigidly as you would at home anyway. That being said, among my guilty indulgences at Disney are Mickey Bars, and just about anything at Amorette’s Patisserie in Disney Springs.

 

The glass bakery cases at Amorette’s are filled with in-house created deliciousness, from Crème Brûlée to petit cakes, to Éclairs and Crêpes. You can even watch the pastry artists at work, which is always interesting. But among the most fun creations are their themed desserts. Over the course of several days, we tried two of the specially designed, limited time confections.

Right now, Disney is basking in the sweet success of its WandaVision Disney+ series, and Amorette’s has picked up the challenge. And it was quite the challenge for us to get our hands on one of the little nuggets. Amorette’s has invented a miniature television cake, complete with an edible scene from the past week’s WandaVision show.  It took three trips to Amorette’s to finally be able to tune-in to the goody – they were sold out each time we went.  Even at 2:00 in the afternoon, they were down to just two TV sets left for the day when we finally captured our prize!

 

The television is just over four inches long, coated in chocolate ganache, with an edible paper scene on the front. There have been different scenes from each of the WandaVision decades released each week as the new episode airs on Disney+, and ours was from the ‘90s “Halloween” episode. Each cake lasts only one week before the next episode, and hence the next week’s TV, is released with the new Friday WandaVision episode. Early versions of the TVs were in black and white reflecting the 50s era, while more modern eras have been “colorized.”

 

Inside, the petit cake is a combination of light and dark cakes, and white and dark chocolate mousse.  The cakes were light and airy, and the rest of the TV was super sweet. We couldn’t agree on the flavor of the darker cake, however. It was reddish in tint, but didn’t taste like the typical red velvet cake. It didn’t quite come off as chocolate, either. Maybe because the chocolate ganache was so sweet, the cake came across more delicately.  $20.00 is a bit steep for a dessert, but the cake was large enough that we split it three ways, so it seemed a much more reasonable indulgence for a late afternoon pick-me-up, and was so sweet you probably couldn’t have eaten it by yourself anyway.

Next on the dessert menu was the Soul petit cake, themed to the recent Disney/Pixar movie and coinciding with the Celebrate Soulfully events currently going on in Disney Springs, including some top-notch live music at night. The Soul cake was beautifully decorated with music notes and the face of jazz musician Joe Gardner, the protagonist at the center of the animated film.  The chocolate chiffon cake was filled with chocolate and raspberry mousse, with a bold layer of raspberry fruit, and little white chocolate crispy pearls. It was coated in a sweet blue ganache with white trim.  The cake again was $20.00, and was more than adequate to split three ways.

 

We didn’t try it, but there was also a limited time Princess Tiana petit cake with a similar flavor make-up as the Soul cake. 

 

Amorette’s is always coming up with new holiday and themed creations. If you are interested in the Soul cake or the WandaVision TV, you’d better hurry, because their days are limited.

 

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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!

 

Top 10 Reasons To Be Fascinated by the Disney Business – Podcast Edition!

 by Ray Keating

Commentary/Podcast

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 18, 2021

 

Everyone loves a Top 10 list, right? I know I do. Therefore, I have served up my Top 10 reasons to be fascinated by the business of the Walt Disney Company.

In this podcast edition of an earlier column, I touch on what sucked me in about Walt Disney, the company he started and built, and select aspects of Disney that have touched my life in various ways. 

 

In the end, this Top 10 gets at the whys for starting up DisneyBizJournal.com website. 

 

Or, to put it another way: What does Ray love about Disney?

 

Tune in here, or by clicking the above picture. Enjoy!

 

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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?

 

Keating’s new book Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

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!

 

2022 Disney World Vacations Now Open for Booking

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 17, 2021

 

If you’ve been putting off scheduling your magical Disney World vacation in the hopes that it might be a “whole new world” post-pandemic, now may be the time to start planning for that long-awaited trip. 

Disney has just opened up bookings for vacations through 2022.  Guests can begin booking “room only” reservations, or vacation packages (hotel with theme park tickets), for arrivals from January 1st, 2022, through the end of June 2022. “Tickets only” can be purchased for visits through the end of 2022. Vacation packages can be booked at a “500 days out” date, so the arrival date for booking availability will be constantly changing to accommodate that check-in date schedule.

 

Unfortunately, the Disney Dining Plan is not yet available for 2022.  (And as a reminder, the Magical Express transportation service will be discontinued at the end of 2021.)

 

Not all the Disney hotels are available to book at this time, as some resorts remain closed.  You can check availability on the Disney World website here.

 

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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!

 

 

 

Happy Anniversary, Sorcerer Radio!

 by Beth Keating

Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 16, 2021

 

Congratulations to Sorcerer Radio, the Disney-focused online radio station, celebrating their 20th Anniversary on February 16!

We discovered the volunteer-run Sorcerer Radio a number of years ago, and it gives us a daily fix of our favorite Disney tunes, from the music loops at the entrances and pavilions at the parks and resorts; to ride narrations; to songs in various genres and styles from favorite Disney films and movies; and even the “non-Disney music” played at the resort pools and water parks. They’ve accumulated more than 48 hours of Disney Parks audio!

 

In celebration of two decades of broadcasting, the station will be debuting their sixth official channel today, called “Rope Drop.”  It joins the previous stations Sorcerer Radio Stream, Atmospheres, Spa Day, Seasons, and Mocha. They also carry a number of shows and podcasts that will bring you Disney news as well as discussions from Rebel Force Radio, Mighty Marvel Geeks, Disney Trip Tips, and the SRN Top Ten Countdown.  You can even offer up your favorite selections for the lunchtime request hour.

 

We listen in at srsounds.com, but there are a number of ways to log on using various mobile apps, or even with the help of your favorite Alexa, Apple TV, ROKU, and Google home devices. (See the complete list of options here.)

 

Happy Anniversary, Disney friends!  Thanks for the music.  Keep those tunes coming!

 

__________

 

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!

 

Chicken Guy! Definitely Resides in Flavortown

 by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 15, 2021

 

On his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy Fieri likes to talk about “Flavortown,” which is a place “where fun and food meet in perfect harmony,” according to the Food Network. Well, located firmly in Flavortown is Disney Spring’s Chicken Guy!

 

Chicken Guy! is the creation of Fieri and restaurateur Robert Earl. They currently have four locations, including in the Disney Springs restaurant.

In the midst of a crazy schedule, we placed our order online. Unfortunately, rather than just picking up the order and moving along, our family did wind up having to wait alongside the rather sizable Disney Springs crowd (despite the ongoing pandemic).

 

Nonetheless, the food was a delight. 

 

The chicken tenders rated as “very good” with the Keating family, including being impressed by our sauce selections – Donkey Sauce, which is a mayo-roasted-garlic-mustard-Worcestershire-lemon mix, and Sweet Sriracha BBQ Sauce, a combination of roasted red chili puree, tomato, onion, molasses and brown sugar.

 

As for the chicken sandwiches, again, our choices were delicious. The chicken was thick and moist with a nice breading. The CG Classic, featuring cheddar cheese, special sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles, was top-notch, with the sauce ramping up the flavor. Meanwhile, the Big Bite B.L.A.T. chicken sandwich, offering smoked bacon, lettuce, avocado crema, tomatoes and buttermilk ranch, also served up a nice hint of sweetness.

 

Finally, the side of Mac Daddy Mac ‘N’ Cheese made for some nice comfort food. Firm macaroni and creamy cheese sauce made me long for more – yes, even though I also had one of those sandwiches. (No judging, please!)

 

There’s a heck of a lot more to try on the next visit, and that definitely will include the “shareable side” of “Loaded Mac Daddy Mac ‘N’ Cheese,” which adds chopped crispy or grilled chicken, bacon and green onions. Thankfully, I take “shareable” as a suggestion, not a requirement.

 

For good measure, the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ chicken sandwich and one of the shakes – perhaps the Apple Cinnamon Cereal Shake or the Strawberry Shake (always a biggie with me) – will be ordered from the menu. I’ll let you know how that next gastronomic visit to Chicken Guy! goes.

 

__________

 

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?

 

Keating’s new book Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

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!

 

 

Get Caught Up on the Pastor Stephen Grant Thrillers/Mysteries from DisneyBizJournal's Ray Keating

 

Are you caught up on all of the Pastor Stephen Grant adventures written by DisneyBizJournal's own Ray Keating? Paperbacks and Kindle editions at Amazon via https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P1S5R26 and signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

 

Ideas for Romance at Disney World from … Whom?!

 by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 12, 2021

 

Hey, I get the idea that Walt Disney World is a great place to go to with your significant other, including for some romance. After all, my wife and I did spend our honeymoon at Walt Disney World.

 

But given that Valentine’s Day is upon us, what about some ideas for romantic spots and things to do at Disney World? After all, many of us guys need all the help we can get.

Well, obviously, the two people to turn to for such insights would be WDW Radio podcast host Lou Mongello and his guest, Tim “Bananas” Foster from Celebrations Magazine.

 

Wait. What? Who?

 

No offense to Lou and Tim, but among the many talents of these two Disney experts, being aficionados of all things romantic might seem like a bit of a stretch, to be generous. At least that’s what I thought. But tuning in to Episode #619 of the WDW Radio podcast titled “Top Ten Romantic Places, Spaces, and Things to Do in Walt Disney World,” I was pleasantly surprised.

 

If you’re unaware, these two guys have rocked some great “Top Ten” Disney episodes of this podcast over the years, and they actually ace this one. So, if you’re looking for some good ideas for romantic spots and things to do at Walt Disney World, listen to Lou and Tim.

 

Who would have thought it? Yep, life is full of surprises.

 

__________

 

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?

 

Keating’s new book Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

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!

 

 

Disney Streaming Gains Highlight Company Earnings Call

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 11, 2021

 

The Walt Disney Company’s earnings announcement today included a big gain in Disney+ subscriptions during the first quarter 2021, which ended on January 2, 2021.

Specifically, Disney+ subscriptions hit 94.9 million at the end of the first quarter, which was up by 21.2 million versus the previous quarter. A year earlier, Disney+ subscriptions were at 26.5 million.

 

For good measure, Hulu subscriptions were up 2.8 million subscribers versus the previous quarter, hitting 39.4 million, and ESPN+ increased by 1.8 million in the quarter, reaching 12.1 million. At the same point last year, Hulu subscriptions were at 30.4 million and ESPN+ at 6.6 million.

 

So, tallying up these three streaming services, subscriptions came in at 146.4 million at the close of the first quarter, versus 120.6 million in the previous quarter and 63.5 million last year.

 

Disney CEO Bob Chapek reiterated the commitment to its direct-to-consumer business, declaring that Disney was operating a “DTC first business model.” Given that reality, the earnings statement offered the following on DTC:

 

Direct-to-Consumer revenues for the quarter increased 73% to $3.5 billion and operating loss decreased from $1.1 billion to $466 million. The decrease in operating loss was due to improved results at Hulu, and to a lesser extent, at Disney+ and ESPN+. 

 

The increase at Hulu was due to subscriber growth and increased advertising revenues driven by higher impressions, partially offset by an increase in programming and production costs due to higher subscriber-based fees for programming the live television service. 

 

The improvement at Disney+ was driven by an increase in subscribers, partially offset by higher programming and production cost amortization and increased marketing and technology costs. The increases in subscribers and costs reflected the ongoing expansion of Disney+ including launching in additional markets. The current quarter included three months of Disney+ operations whereas the prior- year quarter included two months. 

 

Higher results at ESPN+ were driven by subscriber growth, partially offset by higher sports programming costs. 

 

On the parks front, it was noted during the call that the open Disney theme parks are operating at 35 percent capacity.

 

As for overall earnings, Disney beat expectations for the first quarter. While analysts largely expected an earnings-per-share (EPS) loss for a third quarter in a row, Disney actually managed a positive EPS of $0.32. Again, while that was down markedly from the same time last year, which was pre-pandemic, it was an unexpected profit.

 

__________

 

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?

 

Keating’s new book Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

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!

 

First Review of New Book - PAST LIVES - from DisneyBizJournal's Ray Keating

 

Grab the latest thriller/mystery from Ray Keating, who is the editor, publisher and columnist at DisneyBizJournal.com. 

 

Pre-Order PAST LIVES: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT SHORT STORY for the Kindle at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RWLBJ6F. From the pages of his journal, Grant tells of threats, murder and puzzling people from his past. Signed paperbacks at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/pastlives

Broadway Touring Version of Disney’s Frozen Comes to Orlando – Next Year

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 11, 2021

 

The Broadway season in Orlando has been postponed once again.

 

The Orlando theatre scene hoped to return to filled shows in April, following a more than year-long closure due to COVID. Instead, performers will not be returning to the stage until September. 

According to a February 10 report in the Orlando Sentinel, “Broadway Across America, Florida Theatrical Association and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will alert subscribers via email today that the next touring Broadway show to come to Orlando will kick off the 2021-22 season in late September — after a gap of 18 months.”

 

Among the shows slated for the new line-up is Disney’s Frozen, but the highly anticipated return of Hamilton and Wicked are still in the negotiation stage.  Frozen will lift its curtain in Orlando from February 24-March 6, 2022, having permanently closed on Broadway following COVID.

The Dr. Phillips Center had been looking forward to an expanded season in 2020-2021, with 14 weeks of Broadway touring shows, when COVID brought an abrupt halt to theatre productions. Broadway shows in New York are still on hiatus as well, with continued suspension of all ticket sales for Broadway shows in New York City until May 30, 2021. However, many New York shows will not open at least until the fall, with some leaning toward spring 2022.

While additional shows may be added to the Broadway in Orlando program, pending scheduling logistics, the current 2021-22 season lineup of Broadway touring shows in Orlando includes:

 

• Hadestown: Sept. 21-26, 2021

 
• Tootsie: Nov. 2-7, 2021

• The Prom: Dec. 7-12, 2021

  
• Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations: Jan. 25-30, 2022

  
• Frozen: Feb. 24-March 6, 2022

  
• Cats: March 29-April 3, 2022

  
• Jesus Christ Superstar: June 7-12, 2022

  

For more information and tickets, go to broadwayorlando.com.

 

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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!