DDW does Disneyland! - 6/28 Complete w/ Grand Finale of WDW Food Photos!

[DonaldDoleWhip]

DDW!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE your DLR reviews so far. I am DYING to go to DLR. I already told dh that if we don't make it before, we are going for my 40th bday (which is getting very close )

Your pics are gorgeous. I can't wait to hear about the rest of your Napa Rose dinner. If we do that one, it might need to be sans kids. Sounds like a good night for them to explore Downtown Disney!

I'm so glad you're enjoying the report! Even though it's less food-centric than my past reports, this has been one of my favorites to write because of all the bonus things I have to say about DLR. There's so much to enjoy at both parks (I can't wait to start discussing Disneyland Park!), and I think a lot of WDW fans would enjoy the slight change of pace that DLR offers.

Napa Rose would be a great choice for just you and your DH. Carthay Circle would also be a good choice - the atmosphere is surprisingly formal and elegant for an in-park restaurant (but I think the food at Napa Rose is slightly better).

Napa Rose looks so gorgeous. I think I would have wanted the salmon trio as well. Unfortunately Napa Rose is not on my itenerary for the next trip (were doing Blue Bayou and Carthay Circle) but I may have to stop in the Grand Californian just to look around. Can't wait to hear about the main courses. -Amanda

Blue Bayou and Carthay are both good choices as well! Bayou for the atmosphere (that's the only thing I remember about our meal there on our last trip ) and Carthay for the complete package (food, service, setting).

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Our meal at Napa Rose was off to a great start. The salmon trio and the seared scallops were both tasty dishes, and although we were originally planning on ordering several appetizers, we decided to press our luck with main courses.

Upon learning that the Sustainable Fish of the Day was Wild Alaskan Halibut (one of her favorite types of fish), my mom quickly knew what she was getting. The halibut was served with Golden Almond Couscous, Grilled Tangerine Relish and Blood Orange Sauce.

She had no complaints. The fish itself was mild and perfectly cooked, and the accompaniments were full of flavor. In addition, the couscous provided a nice base to help cut some of the sweetness from the sauce and relish.

The halibut sounded great to me, but there was another dish I was equally willing to try: the Wild Striped Bass in a Manila Clam Sungold Tomato Broth with Braised Fresh Fennel and Spring Green Beans. This was another satisfying entrée, and it had less sweetness than the halibut dish. Instead, the clams added a briny touch (and some fishiness, but it wasn't overwhelming).

We also each had a glass of wine with our food, since it just seemed fitting at Napa Rose. Interesting fact - every server here is a certified sommelier (that's what our server told us).

Honestly, I can't tell you much about the wine. I just know my mom wanted red wine, so we tried one from Paarl (South Africa) and one from Monterey before settling on the latter. Honestly, I would've chosen a white wine (since I like white wine better and I've always heard that it pairs better with seafood), but what do I know - clearly I'm not a wine connoisseur.

Soon enough, it was time for dessert, and we were both in the mood for something sweet. Here's the dessert menu:

My mom went with the Warm Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake, served with Bailey's Coffee Ice Cream and Toasted Orange Essence. I didn't try this, but she loved it.

My dessert was an unusual choice for me - I got the Passion Fruit and Tahitian Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée, with Marinated Mango accented with Lime and Coconut Sorbet. Normally I don't opt for Disney crème brûlées, but the tropical flavor profiles sounded right up my alley.

It was another good choice. The custard itself was served on a crust, and the ripe mango added a refreshing sweetness.

The real star of this plate, however, might have been the coconut sorbet. Cleverly disguised as half of a baby coconut, the sorbet was actually surrounded by a thin chocolate coating! It was milky and light, and the tangy passion fruit seeds and crunchy coconut flakes added a burst of flavor. I want a much bigger portion of that coconut sorbet right now (with plenty of passion fruit on top).

We each ended our meal with a pot of flowering jasmine tea. Our server placed a sphere into each glass teapot, and then told us to wait a few minutes. Pretty soon, the sphere began to blossom right before our eyes! I loved the visual effect, and the tea was delightfully fragrant.

Overall, we had a great experience at Napa Rose. It's hard for me to rank Disney restaurants, but I'd probably include Napa Rose in my top three (slightly behind Artist Point and Jiko).

To wrap things up, here's one last picture from our table at Napa Rose.

 

[jedijill]

I'm skipping right to dessert! Both looked amazing! Love the coconut sorbet...what a whimsical presentation!

DDW, we've got to work on your wine appreciation now that you're legal. I started out with whites and have worked my palate up to full bodied reds now....Food is so much better with wine pairings!

BTW, you can buy those blooming teas at Teavana. They are very cool. www.teavana.com

Jill in CO

 

[Linda67]

Thanks so much for another wonderful review

Both of the entrees look stunning. I would almost certainly have ordered the Halibut

Love the presentation of the coconut sorbet!

If I'm lucky enough to get back to DL this year, you have convinced me to make a reservation at Napa Rose

 

[auntfrannie]

That looks like a fantastic meal at Napa Rose. Your dessert is calling me!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I'm skipping right to dessert! Both looked amazing! Love the coconut sorbet...what a whimsical presentation!

DDW, we've got to work on your wine appreciation now that you're legal. I started out with whites and have worked my palate up to full bodied reds now....Food is so much better with wine pairings!

BTW, you can buy those blooming teas at Teavana. They are very cool. www.teavana.com

Jill in CO

The coconut sorbet was a definite highlight for me! And you're right about wine - for now, I'm completely clueless on it.

Thanks for the info - it makes sense that Teavana would have the blooming tea, but I haven't been there in years (even though I live 10 minutes away from one)! It would be fun to stop by and find an interesting new blend.

Thanks so much for another wonderful review

Both of the entrees look stunning. I would almost certainly have ordered the Halibut

Love the presentation of the coconut sorbet!

If I'm lucky enough to get back to DL this year, you have convinced me to make a reservation at Napa Rose

The halibut was really good (as was the striped bass)! Napa Rose gets consistently solid reviews, so I'm sure you'd enjoy your meal there if you make it back to DL.

That looks like a fantastic meal at Napa Rose. Your dessert is calling me!

It was definitely a good dessert! So much more enjoyable than basic crème brûlée in a bowl, IMO.

 

[rachel09985]

What an interesting dessert choice! I am a huge huge fan of mango and creme brulee but I dislike passionfruit. Such a clever presentation on that coconut sorbet. I like how the creme brulee was served.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

What an interesting dessert choice! I am a huge huge fan of mango and creme brulee but I dislike passionfruit. Such a clever presentation on that coconut sorbet. I like how the creme brulee was served.

You might have liked that dessert, since the only part that tasted strongly of passion fruit to me was the fresh garnish on the coconut sorbet (I could've used even more passion fruit ). As you said, the presentation for both the crème brûlée and sorbet were really unique and clever.

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Yay I found it! So excited about all the DLR food! I can't wait to go!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Yay I found it! So excited about all the DLR food! I can't wait to go!

Hi Kristen! First of all, I hope you had an awesome time at WDW. And I'm glad you found this report - hopefully it'll get you even more psyched for your DL trip! Have you made any dining plans for DL yet?

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

After finishing up dinner and briefly stopping at the room, I headed downstairs to DCA. Here are some pics that I took while exploring the park at night.

Carthay Circle Theatre (it's such a beautiful icon at all times of day)

Cars Land (the neon lights and glowing rock work create a unique and vibrant atmosphere once the sun goes down)

Radiator Springs Racers looks like it would be so much fun at night.

However, I didn't get in line for RSR because I had other plans for the evening - it was time to see World of Color in person for the first time, and I wanted to be early to maximize my chances of having a great view.

About 40 minutes in advance, I arrived at Paradise Park with the blue FP I'd gotten earlier. After quickly glancing around the blue section, I noticed a clear path straight ahead to a waterfront viewing spot! This was exactly what I wanted, so I headed straight down and took in all of my surroundings.

Mickey's Fun Wheel

Toy Story Midway Mania, California Screamin', and Mickey's Fun Wheel

Eventually, the show began. Because I was so close to the water, I decided to put my camera and phone away so they wouldn't get wet. This is the only picture of the show I managed to take (it's from the introduction).

I really enjoyed World of Color. There are some things I'd change about it, but there were many moments that pleasantly surprised me (such as when The Old Mill appeared and ushered in the darker part of the show). The music during this segment is particularly cool - it's a haunting instrumental version of "Little April Showers" from Bambi.

After World of Color ends, the fountains perform a few more tricks during a brief post-show. If you stay to the end and look carefully, you'll see a single orange fountain take a bow and fade away. Many people think this fountain represents Little Squirt, a character (representing Walt Disney's spirit) that was cut from the show. I wish I had a picture of Little Squirt to show you, but hopefully these other post-show pics will do.

 

[emmysmommy]

What a great part II of your Napa Rose dinner review. I'm not even a big fish fan but your mom's halibut looked great! I just love the look of the blood orange sauce!! As much as your dessert looks awesome, especially that clever presentation of the coconut sorbet, I spied on the dessert menu a warm pineapple turnover - that sounds good too. Just glad you didn't try that "goaty" cheesecake!

All of your photos that night are fabulous! Great job capturing all the beautiful sights. I'm curious what you would change for the WoC show?? I love the UP part with the balloons. But my favorite is the Pirates of the Caribbean with all the lasers and pyrotechnics! I didn't know about Little Squirt. It made me go back and review my video of WoC but my camera lens was too wet at that point to see anything clearly. Again, great trivia!

I have the feeling I'm going to learn a whole lot more about these parks before you are done with your reviews!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

What a great part II of your Napa Rose dinner review. I'm not even a big fish fan but your mom's halibut looked great! I just love the look of the blood orange sauce!! As much as your dessert looks awesome, especially that clever presentation of the coconut sorbet, I spied on the dessert menu a warm pineapple turnover - that sounds good too. Just glad you didn't try that "goaty" cheesecake!

The halibut was very good! And since it tends to be a milder fish, you might have liked it because of the sides and blood orange sauce alone. Dessert was a tough choice - those pineapple turnovers probably would've been my second choice. No 'goaty' desserts for me right now

All of your photos that night are fabulous! Great job capturing all the beautiful sights. I'm curious what you would change for the WoC show?? I love the UP part with the balloons. But my favorite is the Pirates of the Caribbean with all the lasers and pyrotechnics! I didn't know about Little Squirt. It made me go back and review my video of WoC but my camera lens was too wet at that point to see anything clearly. Again, great trivia!

(I left this critique out of my main post so I don't 'spoil' too many details.) Personally, I think World of Color has a bit too much Pixar in it. Nemo, Wall-E, Toy Story 1 & 2, Up, Brave, and A Bug's Life - that's more than half of the Pixar library. Some of those scenes are great - I love the Wall-E segment, and the Up moment is short but sweet. Nemo, however, goes on a bit too long for me (I'd rather have another musical segment than Dory/Marlin bantering). Also, I think it's time for Brave to go. The segment itself is fun, but it doesn't have any creative transitions preceding or following it (like the clouds connecting Wall-E to Toy Story, the concept of flight connecting Up to Aladdin, or the storm connecting A Bug's Life to The Old Mill). As such, Brave feels disconnected from the rest of the show (which is accurate, since it was basically added to promote the movie). I'd love to see more Walt-era clips, since right now the only ones are The Old Mill (a cool but short scene) and then some very brief glimpses in the finale. Agreed on the Pirates segment, though - it's a clear crowd pleaser, and some of Captain Jack's lines help ease the tension as the show (literally) heats up.

Also, here's a YouTube video that shows the World of Color post-show. If you skip ahead to 2:29, you'll see Little Squirt take his bow.

I have the feeling I'm going to learn a whole lot more about these parks before you are done with your reviews!

I'm so happy to hear that you're actually learning little things from my report! I was honestly worried that it would be boring for you and everyone with more DLR experience.

 

[emmysmommy]

Now that you mention the absence of more of the Disney classics, that makes perfect sense... do they include Bambi and the rain drops scene or is that Fantasmic??

Thanks for sharing the YT clip... now I see. I like that.

Seriously, you know so much trivia and detail behind the Disney magic of all the parks. I just know if they shut down an attraction or something hard not to miss! I'm going to stay tuned to learn more.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Now that you mention the absence of more of the Disney classics, that makes perfect sense... do they include Bambi and the rain drops scene or is that Fantasmic??

Thanks for sharing the YT clip... now I see. I like that.

Seriously, you know so much trivia and detail behind the Disney magic of all the parks. I just know if they shut down an attraction or something hard not to miss! I'm going to stay tuned to learn more.

Bambi did appear in the "So Close" montage after Lion King (along with Dumbo and Lady and the Tramp), and to be fair, there are so many things I loved about the show that I didn't discuss in my first post. The intro is great, and the last few minutes of WOC are perfect, IMO. The Old Mill transitions seamlessly into the chaos of Pirates and Lion King, then comes the poignant "So Close" scene. The princess montage returns the mood to a positive one (and it also includes all three Walt-era princesses), and finally Tinker Bell appears to fill the entire lagoon with color - amazing. I wouldn't change the ending at all. There were also lots of scenes in the middle that I loved (especially Wall-E, Up, and Aladdin).

Agreed on the fountain - it's such a nice tribute, yet it's very easy to spot if you know what to look for.

I'm glad you're enjoying all the trivia! It'll never be useful anywhere else, so I might as well share it here.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

After leaving DCA, I walked over to the Disneyland Hotel to explore it for the first time. There doesn't seem to be much interest in the non-food updates, so I'll (try to) cut down on unrelated pics.

But let me just say this: the pool area here looks awesome.

Yep, the slides are monorail-themed!

The next day, we both headed to Disneyland. The park hasn't changed much since our last trip 5 years ago - it's still the same happy place I remembered.

We basically toured the park clockwise, so the first land we checked out was Adventureland.

DL's Adventureland land has a slightly different vibe than Magic Kingdom's Adventureland. MK's is a mixture of locales and architectural styles, including prominent sections based on the Middle East and the Spanish Caribbean. Disneyland's feels more cohesive to me, with a consistent jungle setting and a more defined time frame (the 1930's, according to several websites I've read).

There are some attractions that can be experienced in both versions of Adventureland, such as Jungle Cruise and the Enchanted Tiki Room.

The Disneyland version of Enchanted Tiki Room turns 50 on June 23rd!

Another thing - the snack stand selling Dole Whips and Dole Whip Floats is adjacent to the Enchanted Tiki Room, and you can bring your Dole Whips into the show!

I'll discuss Adventureland's headliner attraction soon. But first, it's time to take a look at Adventureland's most satisfying quick service location (on either coast).

No, not the fruit stand. It's a location that MK doesn't (but should) have: Bengal Barbecue.

If you're craving something savory and portable, look no further. This place has everything - tiger tails, veggies wrapped in bacon, wild animal heads...

...and the list doesn't end there (this place even has the popular jalapeño cheese-stuffed pretzel). It's a haven for savory snacks! For us, though, the jungle skewers are the clear stars here. Chicken, beef, and veggies are grilled and coated with flavorful sauces - the menu reminds me of 'Ohana, except the skewers here are à la carte and the quality is more consistent.

I actually didn't get anything here - this was a stop for my mom (since I had something else in mind for my lunch). Her first choice was the Chieftain Chicken Skewer in a Polynesian Sauce. She really enjoyed it, and I happily munched on the raw scallion garnish.

She also ordered the Safari Skewer, which is asparagus wrapped in bacon. That's right - bacon. wrapped. asparagus. I enjoyed this so much on my first DL trip - the wood-grilled flavor of the asparagus is perfect with the charred, meaty bacon. But since I stopped eating red meat and pork in January, that meant no safari skewer for me.

If you're interested, here's the AllEars menu for Bengal Barbecue.

Now that we've had something to eat, let's get back to Adventureland's headliner attraction. It's not Pirates here (but don't fret - Pirates is nearby in another great land ). Instead, the headliner attraction is Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Soon after entering the queue, you'll see a mysterious temple, surrounded by dense foliage.

A closer look at the Temple:

Soon enough, you're inside and walking down an impeccably designed (but long) queue. Here's the only picture I took while waiting inside. Between the South Asian setting and Indy theme, I think this attraction could fit nicely in either AK or Hollywood Studios!

As for the ride itself, it's awesome - one of my favorites in Disneyland Resort. Interestingly enough, the track layout is exactly the same as Dinosaur's layout in AK. However, I think Indy is a far better experience, from the queue to the details and storyline throughout.

Overall, DL's Adventureland feels small (like most of the park), but it's full of impressive content. I actually prefer it over MK's Adventureland (largely because of the cohesive theme, satisfying snack options, and amazing headliner attraction).

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

I loved the bacon wrapped asparagus at Bengal BBQ. I had three of them on our DLR trip and probably would have had more if the line wasn't always so darn long!

I definitely enjoy the non-food updates! Your pictures and insights are terrific!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I loved the bacon wrapped asparagus at Bengal BBQ. I had three of them on our DLR trip and probably would have had more if the line wasn't always so darn long!

I definitely enjoy the non-food updates! Your pictures and insights are terrific!

Thanks for that - it makes me happy to hear you enjoy the non-food tangents. This is definitely my least food-centric report yet, but I don't want the food to get completely overshadowed (since most of it was great!). The next update is from another land in DL, and there will be some bonus pics included.

As for Bengal Barbecue, I'm honestly regretting the fact that I didn't get anything there. It's such a great place for a snack, or even a meal (if you buy enough skewers at once!).

 

[rachel09985]

I love the non food pics! It is nice hearing Disneyland explained because I know nothing about it.

As for this bengal BBQ place, WOW! It looks sooo good! Bacon wrapped asparagus?? In a disney park!? Crazy! That looks so good.

Looks like I need to skip Disney World next year and go to Disneyland!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I love the non food pics! It is nice hearing Disneyland explained because I know nothing about it.

As for this bengal BBQ place, WOW! It looks sooo good! Bacon wrapped asparagus?? In a disney park!? Crazy! That looks so good.

Looks like I need to skip Disney World next year and go to Disneyland!

I'm really glad that you enjoy the non-food pics too. I've been worried that the extra info is either boring (to people who know DL already) or unnecessary (to people solely interested in the food), so it makes a difference hearing that you do like the bonus content.

As for Bengal Barbecue, agreed. I'm kind of surprised that they haven't replicated those skewers anywhere in WDW yet. At least for now, Bengal Barbecue is yet another reason to take the trip to DL (along with Indy, and that's just looking at Adventureland!).