We’re celebrating Pixar Fest now through August 4th at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, and now, we’re checking out the new food booths at Disney California Adventure!

One of the new booths is The Elemental Table, inspired by Pixar’s sleeper hit Elemental, and at this booth, you’ll find sweet and savory dishes along with a couple of margaritas! Let’s check it out!

Menu

The Elemental Table booth is serving up two food dishes and two drinks for Pixar Fest, and they’re ALL NEW!

First up, there is a plant-based “Smoked Fire Wood” BBQ-spiced IMPOSSIBLE Chicken with hot mustard sauce, pickles, and charred onions.

Next up you can indulge your sweet tooth with the Kol Nut Whoopie Cookie Pie featuring cake cookies baked with cocoa powder filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with crushed cinnamon candies.

Two margaritas are on the menu at the Elemental Table — the H2O-rita made with tequila, blue curaçao syrup, lychee nectar, yuja purée, and lime juice garnished with a rock candy stick and the Exothermic Margarita made with tequila, ancho chile liqueur, passion fruit nectar, lime & grapefruit juices, and agave nectar garnished with a rock candy stick.

Eats

The plant-based “Smoked Fire Wood” BBQ-spiced IMPOSSIBLE Chicken is made with hot mustard sauce, pickles, and charred onions for $8.50. 

This had some heat! We definitely felt a little bit of a kick to it. It wasn’t too spicy, but we thought it was the perfect amount. Our biggest gripe was that it was lukewarm when they served it to us. The combo of the mustard and pickles was one of our favorites, however, if you hate pickles this may not be the dish for you.

The BBQ flavor comes through from the coating on the strips, but we do have to warn you — the “chicken” tasted a bit salty to us.

Next up we tried the Kol Nut Whoopie Cookie Pie. This dessert is made with cake cookies baked with cocoa powder filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with crushed cinnamon candies — and it looks kinda like the rocks from the movie Elemental!

At first glance, we were just shocked at how RED this thing is! But we were even more shocked that it did not stain our teeth red. So don’t be scared by the looks of this thing, but it was delicious. The center was the highlight — the frosting was super smooth and creamy. The cookies are spongy but we want to warn you that the top “burnt” part gives it a slightly weird texture. It all works for us, but if you’re hesitant about weird textures keep that in mind.

It costs $7 and we’d probably go back to get this again!

Drinks

Moving on to the margaritas!

First up is the H2O-Rita ($17) with tequila, blue curaçao syrup, lychee nectar, yuja purée, and lime juice garnished with a rock candy stick. This margarita was a little confusing to us — we couldn’t quite put our finger on the taste. The first thing that came to mind was a Bath and Body Works product but not really in a bad way? It’s fruity and mildly floral somehow. It was good but something better was in store…

And next is the Exothermic Margarita ($17) with tequila, ancho chile liqueur, passion fruit nectar, lime & grapefruit juices, and agave nectar garnished with a rock candy stick. We saved the best for last because this was our favorite drink of the entire festival when we tried it! It’s really balanced — it’s mostly fruity with a tiny hint of spice. We mostly noticed the passion fruit flavor in this drink.

This is a must-grab for fruity drink fans! It’s hard to justify $17 for a drink, but if you’re gonna spend it, we recommend this one.

OVERALL

The items at the Elemental Table booth were pretty hit or miss…but the hits make it SO worth a stop. We loved the Exothermic Margarita especially, followed by the Kol Nut Whoopie Cookie Pie. If you’re in the mood for some tequila or a sweet treat, stop on by! We will say the IMPOSSIBLE Chicken dish was also pretty good but it’s not for everyone.

Stay tuned for more fun from this year’s Pixar Fest at Disneyland!

To see ALL the details about Pixar Fest 2024, CLICK HERE!

Are you making plans to attend this year’s Pixar Fest? Let us know in the comments!

The post REVIEW: The Elemental Table Food Booth at Pixar Fest in Disneyland first appeared on the disney food blog.

The PhotoPass Portrait Studio in Disney Springs has a new beachy photo op for the summer.

Disney PhotoPass Portrait Studio

The Portrait Studio is located between Marketplace Co-Op and Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. It’s accessible from outside and from inside Marketplace Co-Op.

The studio is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guests can get their photos taken in front of themed backdrops and green screens, then add the pictures to their PhotoPass account to purchase later or download with Memory Maker.

Summer Photo Op

The new photo op has guests stand on a sand-inspired floor. Behind them, white clouds appear to float over the ocean. In the center of the setup is a sand sculpture of Cinderella Castle.

The sculpture is surrounded by toy shovels, pails, and inflatable beach balls. There are more bucket-shaped sand sculptures on the ground.

There’s a large Minnie Mouse-inspired pool ring. More rings hang on a tall white chair.

The chair is also decorated with Mickey Mouse beach balls.

A stitch towel and 2024 towel hang below the chair.

A poster on the fake fence advertises Mickey’s Surf-O-Rama. Mickey is depicted with a surfboard in front of a radical wave.

There’s a Stitch plush in a tote bag sitting on top of a cooler.

The cooler is decorated with various themed surfing stickers. One is for WDW Surf Co. Another features Donald’s hat and reads “Surf 34” in reference to the year Donald debuted. Mickey is featured on most of the stickers.

Two surfboards feature Mickey’s Surf Co. logos. Ferns and palm trees are around the edge of the photo op to hide the regular walls.

Will you be visiting the PhotoPass Portrait Studio to get shots on the “beach” this summer?

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post New Beach-Themed Summer Photo Op at Disney Springs PhotoPass Studio appeared first on WDW News Today.

There’s a legitimate hack to getting your Yak & Yeti favorites WITHOUT having to wait in those notoriously long lines (seriously, we tested it)!

It’s no secret that Disney’s Animal Kingdom is home to some of our favorite restaurants to enjoy when we’re at Disney World, but we’re not always a fan of waiting around for our food. So where’s a good place to visit in the park that’s not going to keep you waiting? We’re about to blow your mind!

Most people don’t realize that one of the most sought-after spots to dine around the Asia section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom isn’t always the restaurant with the longest line. So when you walk up to Yak & Yeti Restaurant and find tons of folks already waiting for their reservation with no chance at a walk-up reservation, AND the line is as far as your eyes can see for Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe, you’re not ENTIRELY out of options (depending on when you’re visiting)!

It was tough due to its tricky schedule, but we recently stopped by the little-known Yak & Yeti Quality Beverages quick-service restaurant to see if trying to order a few of our favorites here was any faster. We were pleasantly surprised!

Atmosphere

This is truly a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of place. It’s pretty elusive because it’s not a restaurant that stays open all day, and you’ll need to be aware of its operating hours to visit unless luck is on your side and it’s open as you pass by.

When you walk up to the restaurant, you’ll notice right away that it’s mainly just a menu and serving window where the Cast Member will take your order AND present your food to you. They’re pretty quick, too, so we don’t recommend walking away and expecting it to be a while before they’re ready to hand your order over.

The plus side here is that there’s plenty of seating as long as it’s not terribly busy. You’ll want to keep in mind that this restaurant shares seating with Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe as well, so if you can plan to eat in the off times that might be less crowded for you.

There are also self-service utensils, napkins, and condiments nearby that you can grab until your belly is content to accompany your meal.

Seriously, you’ll forever find us here picking up sauces and more napkins!

Menu

The menu here isn’t as extensive as its sister location just around the corner at Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe, however it does have a few light bites like chicken fried rice, side pork egg rolls, a salad…

… and a few alcoholic and fountain soda beverage options.

Drinks

There’s one drink here we KNEW we should be after and it’s called the Yak Attack! This gem is a mango daiquiri made with Don Q Cristal Rum and wildberry flavors and will cost you $14 (but spoiler alert: you’ll be begging them to take your money for one of these)!

This is one of the tastiest alcoholic blended drinks we’ve ever had at Disney World and we’ve tried a TON! The wildberry in the bottom is very tasty and mixes incredibly well with the mango daiquiri. If you let the cherry float long enough in the drink though, you’ll get hints of it in the frozen drink’s taste, too!

This drink is delicious and not one to be overlooked! We loved that this wasn’t just another boring daiquiri and we were content with the cost for what this drink delivered in taste. Do yourself a favor and pick one up on your next visit (you can thank us later for that pro tip)!

Eats

While we knew we were stopping to try out the Yak Attack we had to grab something to snack on while we were here. Naturally, we decided to throw caution to the wind and make it a multi-course meal (you know, in the name of Disney World food research). So to accompany our Yak Attack we also ordered the Side Pork Egg Rolls which come as a serving of 2, a Mini Mango Pie, and a Cookies & Cream Parfait. Doesn’t this look like the lunch of theme park champions? We thought so, too!

To kick things off after sipping on our chilly frozen daiquiri we decided to put the Side Pork Egg Rolls to the test! These beauties will cost you $8 and look (and taste) exactly as they’re billed.

Each of the egg rolls has a crispy outer layer that’s not too greasy to turn you off from eating them already, but the surprise with these is just how packed they are with a whole array of FLAVOR on the inside! Once you bite through them they’re so soft, and you could cut them in half with a spoon or fork if you had to. The inside pork and veggies have a light Asian spice and you can tell they’ve been prepared with Asian spices and sauce, however, we did recognize that they could be a little dry for some folks.

If this is the case for you (or you’re just really looking to knock it out of the park on the flavor intensity), stop by one of the nearby condiment carts to grab some soy sauce to help them out a bit!

We decided to “treat” ourselves to not one but two desserts this visit so we opted to try out the Mini Mango Pie. This pie is a returning FAVORITE of ours which we’ve loved from the very first bite, and they’re still as good as ever. You can grab one for $8.49.

While the packaging has changed a bit over the years since they were first introduced to us (it was love at first bite, what can we say) the contents are still the same. The mango-flavored gooey pie is so tasty, and we actually preferred keeping ours out in the sun to melt just a little so it gave it a different texture than when it’s first served. The outer crust is more of a crumbled crust that just melts in your mouth with every bite, and now that we’re reminiscing on it we’re so tempted to run right out for another immediately.

But, these aren’t exclusive to Disney’s Animal Kingdom! If you find yourself craving one once you’re home you can often find them in your local Kroger or Publix supermarket to get you by until your next visit!

Alright, now that we’ve hit this sugar high we had to try to keep it going. So, last up on our list to try out was the Cookies & Cream Parfait. This treat was made of chilled, layered pudding, whipped cream, and cookie crumbles and cost us $8.49.

This was another GREAT option for a quick treat that wouldn’t get super messy on a hot day like an ice cream could! It had all the same makings of what you would ideally want in a cookies & cream treat between the layers of chocolate pudding and whipped cream, and when you dug down enough, you could even get to the final cookie crumble at the very bottom!

While we enjoyed it, it wasn’t our favorite. But in fairness, it had some stiff competition going up against our beloved mini mango pie. We could easily see this becoming a popular snack option for parents with little ones looking to treat them.

Overall

To be fair, while this place is tiny, it is mighty in what its small menu offers. It does its job effectively.

There are plenty of great options for a snack break, or combine a few like we did to make an entire quick meal.

Nosh or Not?

Make sure to time your next visit here just right if:

• You truly just want to grab a drink and maybe a light bite. The menu here isn’t very extensive at all.
• You want to beat that long line at the other two Yak & Yeti Restaurants. The lines can back up for Yak & Yeti Restaurant and Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe, resulting in a fairly lengthy wait. If you want to get in and out as quickly as possible, this is the best option of the 3!
• You HAVE to have the exclusive alcoholic drinks served here! Remember that INCREDIBLE Yak Attack drink is only served here or at the bar inside Yak & Yeti Restaurant. If you’re not looking to dine inside or have to step into the bar to grab your drink, this is your best option.

Keep breezing past those order window shutters if…

• You’re dying in the heat and NEED to be indoors for your meal. Unfortunately, there’s only covered seating available for this quick-service restaurant. If you’re looking for an indoor meal, this isn’t a restaurant to visit.
• You’re looking for some sharable entrees or snacks. Again, the menu here is really more light bites and small portioned snacks with a few beverage options and not anything more than that.
• You’re not a fan of animals surrounding you and your food while you’re eating. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is an incredible park, but there is true wildlife that surrounds you. While that might not be a bother when you DON’T have food in your hand (or your little one’s hands), that could change on a dime when there’s a hungry bird strolling the area waiting to sneak a bite. They don’t mean any harm, you’ve just made the food look too good to pass up!

We’ve eaten EVERYWHERE at Disney World and reviewed THOUSANDS of drinks, eats, treats, and snacks! Be sure to check out a few of our latest reviews below and stay tuned with us at DFB for more.

REVIEW: There’s a NEW Dole Whip Margarita in Disney World (and You’ll LOVE IT)

Do you prefer to visit Yak & Yeti Restaurant, Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe, or Yak & Yeti Quality Beverages when you visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Tell us all the reasons for your choice in the comments below!

The post REVIEW: You Can Get MANGO PIE in Disney World With NO WAIT first appeared on the disney food blog.

Summer is right around the corner and you know what that means — some hot months ahead in Disney World.

Disney World has some pretty hot and muggy summers but that doesn’t mean you have to go unequipped to handle the heat! We found some Amazon essentials that could save you during your next Disney World vacation!

These Amazon items could prove VERY useful this summer when you’re visiting Disney World. Let’s take a look!

Cooling Fans

What better way to cool down at Disney World than a cooling fan?

This AMACOOL Stroller Fan is battery-operated, has three speeds, and is rotatable. The best part is you can hook it onto a stroller and not even worry about holding it during a long park day!

View on Amazon

A different type of fan you could opt for is the Kbinter Personal Mini Fan.

This handheld fan comes with a rechargeable USB cable, three speeds, is compact, and, most importantly, is designed after Mickey ears! You can also get it in three different colors!

Buy on Amazon

We’re big advocates of neck fans and this is one of our favorites!

The JISULIFE Portable Neck Fan is perfect if you’re looking for a hands-free fan! It is rechargeable, built for comfort, and comes in five different colors.

View on Amazon

Cooling Towels

Cooling towels can be life savers during park days or during any strenuous physical activity!

The Sukeen 4-Pack Cooling Towels are soft, breathable, microfiber towels that come in a wide variety of colors. They provide an instant cool and are reusable.

Buy on Amazon

Bucket Hat

Want to beat the heat in style? How about a bucket hat?

This Mickey Mouse Bucket Hat comes in five different styles and three different sizes. This officially licensed red hat is adjustable and is perfect for blocking the sun’s UV rays.

View on Amazon

Water Bottle

You should always stay hydrated but it’s extra important when the weather is especially hot.

The Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle comes in TONS of different colors and a few different sizes. Sturdy, sleek, and effective, this water bottle is a fantastic park day accessory!

Buy on Amazon

Anti-Chafe Stick

Anti-chafe sticks are essential if you want to avoid a bad time in the Florida humidity.

Head to Amazon for the Megababe Thigh Rescue Anti-Chafe Stick! This anti-chafe stick provides thigh rescue with an aloe, pomegranate, and grapeseed oil recipe. We’re not joking, this friction-free essential can SAVE a vacation!

View on Amazon

We’re hoping your summer travels to Disney World are a blast and worry-free! Make sure you check back here at DFB for all the latest Disney World news, tips, merch recommendations, and more!

Find EVEN MORE essentials on our Amazon Storefront!

The post 5 Amazon Essentials to Survive the Heat in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.

Sure, “Anyone can cook” according to Ratatouille‘s Chef Gusteau… but can anyone cook quite like him?

That’s the question we’re asking as we visit Gusteau’s To-Go — one of six brand new Food Booths at Disney California Adventure that have hit the scene for Disneyland Resort’s Pixar Fest! These new booths join a whole lot of Pixar-inspired fun happening around the Resort, including special character meet-and-greets, dance parties, the Better Together Pixar Pals Celebration Parade, and more!

Let’s see what Chef Gusteau has cooked up for the Fest…

Menu

As an all-new Pixar Fest Booth, Gusteau’s To-Go presents a menu of all-new items inspired by the famed Chef in Pixar’s Ratatouille! Two dishes make up the food menu: Ratatouille Pizzetta and the Gusteau Macaron. They are joined by two cocktails: Le Critique Cognac Sidecar and the Little French Daiquiri.

So, has Chef Gusteau come up with a must-eat menu for Pixar Fest? Grab your fork and knife (and don’t forget to tuck in a cloth napkin) and get ready to find out with us in our review!

Eats

First, we have the Ratatouille Pizzetta for $8. It’s topped with mozzarella, eggplant, squash, zucchini, a drizzle of tomato sauce, and a wedge of French camembert. It’s so fun to see how this dish incorporates the ingredients inspired by Remy’s signature dish!

Okay, we’re going to be real here — this is just an elevated version of the Lunchables pizza — it’s even served cold. It’s fine, though, although there isn’t anything special about it. The toppings are fresh, although the sauce is pretty basic.

The “dessert course” here at Gusteau’s To-Go is the Gusteau Macaron, but of course! It costs $7.75. This macaron features a crème brûlée mousse with caramel center and features a charming image of the Chef himself.

Our reporter isn’t necessarily a huge fan of macarons, but still thinks this is one of the best we’ve had. It’s got that nice chewiness with the perfect combination of crème brûlée and caramel flavor. The center is nice and creamy.

Of course, what meal at Gusteau’s would be complete without a drink or two to pair with it?

Drinks

Two cocktails are featured at Gusteau’s To-Go, and we’re starting with Le Critique Cognac Sidecar, which costs $17. It’s somewhat rare to find cognac featured in a Festival cocktail if our recollection is correct, and this twist on the classic is also made with apricot liqueur, house-made fig syrup, strawberry purée, and lemon juice.

It’s topped with sparkling wine and garnished with a strawberry. So, what do we think Le Critique would have to say about it? Well, we think Le Critique would find it pretty tasty? It’s heavy on the strawberry flavor, which is nice. It also doesn’t taste super strong. This one is a people-pleaser.

Joining the Sidecar is the Little French Daiquiri for $17.00. Rum, French wine aperitif, pear nectar, cherry plum syrup, and lime juice come together in this beverage, which is garnished with a brûléed pear chip. (Ooh la la, it’s FANCY, no??)

It’s fancy, but flavor-wise, it’s a little bland. It has a light apple flavor and it’s refreshing and easy to drink. But it needs something more.

OVERALL

Overall, we think Chef Gusteau might be slightly appalled that this booth isn’t as good as it could be. Ratatouille on a cold Lunchables-style pizza? It’s not even an original thought, but who knows? Maybe Remy wasn’t around to help make the meals when this menu was decided upon. We will say the Le Critique Cognac Sidecar is worth visiting this booth for, though.

For now, we’re saying “Au revoir!” from Gusteau’s To-Go. But we’ve also checked out FIVE other Pixar Fest Food Booths, and you can find out everything you need to know about ALL the eats at Pixar Fest HERE!

Click HERE to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the FUN at Pixar Fest!

Are you going to Disney California Adventure during Pixar Fest? Tell us in the comments!

The post REVIEW: Gusteau’s To-Go Food Booth at Pixar Fest in Disneyland first appeared on the disney food blog.

While EPCOT may be best known for its selection of food and drinks, it also boasts some pretty thrilling rides including Test Track and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

We have been fans of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind since it first opened, but today we are answering a question that we hear a lot about the ride!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opened in EPCOT in May 2022 and has been thrilling riders ever since. This is a roller-coaster ride that takes you on an intergalactic adventure with the Guardians of the Galaxy. It is one of the longest indoor roller coasters ever built. The ride features rotating vehicles and lots of high-speed adventure. 

If you haven’t had a chance to experience Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind yet, we won’t be spoiling too much of the ride. But, if you don’t want to know anything about the ride, this is your warning. Spoilers that you don’t want to hear may await ahead.

While you are strapped into your starjumper, you will be able to enjoy some rocking tunes while you are saving the galaxy. Six different songs play on the ride, but you won’t know which track you will hear until you blast off. The song options are “September,” “Disco Inferno,” “Conga,” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “I Ran,” and “One Way or Another.” There is lots of debate regarding which song is the best, but what if you want a certain song? Disney said that you won’t know what song you are getting, but is that just what Disney is claiming? Is there a way to guarantee which song you will get while riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Are the Cast Members choosing the song you get?

While we hate to be the bearer of bad news, you won’t be able to guarantee which song you get. There is really no way to know which song you will be getting or to guarantee you will get a certain song. The Cast Members don’t get to choose the song, no matter how many different buttons they push or how nicely you ask them for a certain song.

The ride vehicles run the songs in a loop, but with two different sides for loading and unloading, numerous vehicles running, and the addition and removal of vehicles throughout the day, there is really no knowing which song will play on the vehicle next. We wish we had better news for you, but even when you have gotten “Disco Inferno” three times in a row, there isn’t a way to guarantee you won’t get it again on your next ride. That just means you need to ride it a couple of extra times so you can hear all the songs you want! 

Stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney news!

Check out the one thing you must eat at EVERY restaurant in EPCOT!

What is your favorite song on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Let us know in the comments!

The post Is There a Way to Guarantee Getting a Certain Song on EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? We Found Out! first appeared on the disney food blog.

We’re Disney Food Blog…of course, we’re going to talk about Disney World restaurants all the time.

If you’ve been following us for a while, you know we have some favorite restaurants, too, including Homecomin’ in Disney Springs, Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, did you know that only 10 Disney World restaurants had perfect inspections last month?

So, we do have to put this into perspective. Each Florida county health department runs inspections for restaurants all over the state, including Orange County and Osceola County, the two counties where Disney World resides. Routine inspections are performed to determine if the food and dining environment at Florida restaurants are safe. These inspections generally happen by surprise, meaning the restaurant doesn’t know when it’s going to happen.

According to The Orlando Sentinel, Disney World restaurants were among the 2,509 Florida restaurants inspected throughout the month of April 2024. Of that, 259 Florida restaurants received perfect inspections, including 10 Disney World restaurants.

Here are the 10 with perfect scores:

• Dahlia Lounge at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Maya Grill at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Refreshment Outpost at EPCOT
• Lotus Blossom Cafe at EPCOT
• Turtle Shack Pool Bar at Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Tortuga Tavern at Magic Kingdom

• The Mara at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Paddock Grill at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
• Spyglass Grill at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Grandstand Spirits at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort

Note that not EVERY restaurant in Florida is inspected each month, although each restaurant must have a minimum of two inspections per year. Granted, when a restaurant is inspected, most violations found are generally small and easily fixed, but a perfect score is a little rarer to see.

Stay tuned to DFB for more.

14 Million Reviewers Named the Top 100 Brunch Restaurants, and One Is Coming SOON to Disney World

What do you think about this news? Let us know in the comments!

The post FULL LIST of Disney World Restaurants With Perfect Inspections in April 2024 first appeared on the disney food blog.