We're Still Hungry! A DDW July Getaway - 8/5 Complete!

[Linda67]

Thanks for all the great AoA photos, we are staying in the Little Mermaid section next year

 

[emmysmommy]

Thanks for the photo tour of AoA! What a great idea to bus over there and check it out. Plus they have a food court right? That's cool that they tried to incorporate pride rock into the theming... agree, not so much to scale!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Art of Animation looks awesome, and I can't wait to stay there! I'm really looking forward to seeing the Lion King and Little Mermaid areas completed since those are two of my all-time favorite movies!

 

[MrsB1228]

Thanks so much for posting the AoA photos, it looks amazing! I'm looking forward to reading your impressions of the food court as they're trying to be a little more unique in their offerings compared to the other resorts.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

I can't wait to see AoA ... we will definitely be taking a ride over to check it out. I debating staying there our last night but just couldn't justify the cost when in reality we will only be in the room for a few hours!

Looking foward to your take on the food court!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Thanks for all the great AoA photos, we are staying in the Little Mermaid section next year

Great choice! The resort looks like such a fun place to be (and I haven't even gotten to the best part yet).

Thanks for the photo tour of AoA! What a great idea to bus over there and check it out. Plus they have a food court right? That's cool that they tried to incorporate pride rock into the theming... agree, not so much to scale!

Yep, they have a food court, and my review is coming up very soon! It's very odd about the scale of Pride Rock, but I guess this was their only solution (to avoid a mountain that's too big or characters that are too small).

Art of Animation looks awesome, and I can't wait to stay there! I'm really looking forward to seeing the Lion King and Little Mermaid areas completed since those are two of my all-time favorite movies!

I'm also excited to see the completed resort! The Nemo and Cars sections are full of fun details from the movies, so I'm hoping that the Lion King and Little Mermaid sections are just as cool!

Thanks so much for posting the AoA photos, it looks amazing! I'm looking forward to reading your impressions of the food court as they're trying to be a little more unique in their offerings compared to the other resorts.

Your impression of the food court would be right!

I can't wait to see AoA ... we will definitely be taking a ride over to check it out. I debating staying there our last night but just couldn't justify the cost when in reality we will only be in the room for a few hours!

Looking foward to your take on the food court!

Understandable - the suites at AoA cost a lot (even compared to some deluxe resort rooms). But I definitely recommend visiting - I spent nearly an hour and a half exploring the open parts of the resort!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Okay, so the reason why I have "Landscape(s)" in the title is because this restaurant seems to have two names. When you enter the restaurant through the Ink and Paint Shop, you'll see that the restaurant's name is "Landscape of Flavors".

But then when you check your receipt, you'll notice that the name has suddenly changed to "Landscapes of Flavors".

I don't know which is right, because both make sense to me. As you walk through the seating areas, you'll see paintings on the wall depicting a variety of landscapes, from the hidden troves (*treasures untold*) in The Little Mermaid...

To the stunning beauty of Africa, as shown in The Lion King.

The lighting fixtures also add to each seating area's unique vibe. Not surprisingly, Lion King and Little Mermaid were my favorites.

This is a neat detail outside a door to the kitchen, instead of "Cast Members Only"

After soaking up some of the great details, it was finally time to sample the food. I think of this place as "Sunshine Seasons 2.0", because the similarities are striking. Sunshine Seasons features fresh, flavorful foods and a ton of variety. In addition to the bakery, the four "pods" at Sunshine Seasons abstractly represent each season: sandwiches (winter), soups and salads (spring), Asian wok (summer), and the grill/rotisserie (fall). This food court was unique in that it didn't offer burgers, fries, pizza, or the typical quick service fare (they actually promoted this in press releases).

In comparison, Landscape of Flavors offers many of the same concepts. The "World Flavors" section includes a Mongolian grill (slightly similar to the Asian wok at Sunshine Seasons - in fact, both offer Mongolian beef), in addition to a variety of Indian offerings. There's a station that combines soups, sandwiches and create-your-own salads (accounting for two separate stations in Sunshine Seasons). The bakery isn't as expansive, but you can find gelato and customizable smoothies here. Finally, there's a pizza/pasta station (including the ever-popular create-your-own pasta) and a burger station (offering create-your-own burgers and some of the most interesting burgers available at a quick service establishment). So in conclusion, Art of Animation lost the rotisserie of Sunshine Seasons (and the seasonal metaphors ), but in exchange it received Indian food, smoothies, gelato, burgers, pizza, and pasta. And because so many dishes are customizable, you can get exactly what you feel like.

That said, it was surprisingly easy for me to pick what I wanted - I headed straight to the "World Flavors" section to get some tandoori shell-on shrimp. The CM at the station told me that they needed to cook some fresh shrimp, and that I should come back in about 5 minutes. No problem (especially for fresh food)!

There are a variety of tandoori options to choose from: shell-on shrimp, chicken thigh, portuguese sausage, and acorn squash. According to the menu, each dish comes with naan bread and two sides. However, I also received my choice of basmati or multigrain rice, in addition to two more sides (so many choices - I love it!). I chose roasted cauliflower with tomatoes and slow-cooked lentils as my sides (other choices include acorn squash, spinach and paneer cheese, and pickled vegetables). However, once my plate was mostly ready, I found out that the naan bread wasn't cooked yet, and it would be done in another minute or two. Are you kidding me - fresh shrimp and naan bread? Take as much time as you want. For some people, waiting a bit longer might be an issue (especially if your party splits up and receives food at varying times), but a 10-minute wait for fresh food sounded completely worth it to me.

Here's the finished product: tandoori shell-on shrimp with roasted cauliflowers and tomatoes, slow-cooked lentils, multigrain rice, and naan bread.

Close-up on the shrimp (I received six pieces) and tandoori sauce on the side

Naan bread

I grabbed some real silverware, found a table surrounded by Little Mermaid artwork, and took a bite. My first thought was, "am I at Sanaa?" Beautifully cooked shrimp with a pleasantly spiced sauce; creamy, hearty lentils; cauliflower with a sweet tomato sauce; multigrain rice that offered an earthy flavor and textural contrast; and buttery naan bread. What a fantastic quick service lunch. Not surprisingly, the burger section had a much longer line than "World Flavors", but that's okay - I know where I'm coming back (and I hope the line remains short once the rest of AoA opens).

After 1.5 hours of exploring in the heat, I needed something cool and refreshing, so I decided to customize a smoothie. I chose an Odwalla wild berry base (all the bases are Odwalla) and added banana and pineapple to it. The result was very tasty - it reminded me of the smoothie that used to be offered at Tamu Tamu Refreshments (blueberry, banana, and pineapple).

Overall, I love Landscape of Flavors. IMO, Disney absolutely nailed it, and I'm hoping that the food will continue to be as fresh and interesting when the resort is fully open. Without a doubt, this is easily one of my favorite quick service locations at WDW, and I can't wait to return here and try something different (perhaps some portuguese sausage or mongolian grill fish).

And with that, I'll leave you with a few more pictures of AoA.

Mr. Ray

Luigi and Guido

Cozy Cone cabanas!

 

[wilma-bride]

Art of Animation resort looks completely amazing. I love the theming. We were going to stay at the Swan next October but now I'm very tempted to check out the cost of staying at AOA.

Oh, and the food looks good too

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Art of Animation resort looks completely amazing. I love the theming. We were going to stay at the Swan next October but now I'm very tempted to check out the cost of staying at AOA.

Oh, and the food looks good too

I'm very tempted to stay there sometime as well, and I'm not sure which is a bigger reason why - the resort or the food.

Personally, the convenience of a deluxe resort will win anytime over an AoA family suite (since they're quite expensive), but the price of a Little Mermaid room is very appealing.

 

[deenbrad]

AOA looks beautiful. Not sure if we'll ever actually stay there....the idea of double beds in the LM rooms doesn't thrill me and I think if I'm going to pay the suite price I'll stay someplace else! I might change my mind at some point though!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

AOA looks beautiful. Not sure if we'll ever actually stay there....the idea of double beds in the LM rooms doesn't thrill me and I think if I'm going to pay the suite price I'll stay someplace else! I might change my mind at some point though!

Totally understandable - even if you don't stay there, you could easily visit to explore and have a meal.

 

[jabead]

You know Donald, last night after I'd finally finished Part II of my Jiko review and posted it at 2:30 a.m. , I noticed that you had just posted your AOA update. So my question to you is..."What were you doing up so late, young man"??? Just kidding, you don't have to answer at. It's just the "mom" in me coming out.

Anyway, I so wanted to read it then but I literally could not keep my eyes open any longer. But I just got caught up by reading both of your AOA updates while I was having my lunch. And I must say that your lunch from Landscape(s) of Flavors looked soooooo much better than what I was eating.

Oh well, another place to add to my "Disney Wish List". Wow, that list is getting long...and seems to get longer each time you do another round of Disney Dining Reviews.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

You know Donald, last night after I'd finally finished Part II of my Jiko review and posted it at 2:30 a.m. , I noticed that you had just posted your AOA update. So my question to you is..."What were you doing up so late, young man"??? Just kidding, you don't have to answer at. It's just the "mom" in me coming out.

Anyway, I so wanted to read it then but I literally could not keep my eyes open any longer. But I just got caught up by reading both of your AOA updates while I was having my lunch. And I must say that your lunch from Landscape(s) of Flavors looked soooooo much better than what I was eating.

Oh well, another place to add to my "Disney Wish List". Wow, that list is getting long...and seems to get longer each time you do another round of Disney Dining Reviews.

Honestly, I often stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning. It's something I've gotten used to at university (usually because of homework or studying), and now I can't shake it off even during summer break.

And I agree - lunch at Landscape of Flavors also makes my "real world" lunch from today (some tuna, mesclun greens, and tomatoes from Whole Foods) seem rather sad. But I guess that's what vacations are for - making our real world routines feel pathetic and depressing.

 

[emmysmommy]

The mom in me has noticed Mr. DonaldDoleWhip keeping late hours as well! I'm a few hours behind you folks and I'll see reviews/comments posted and I think - what the heck?

Anyhoo.... from your photos I love the theming of AoA! Disney has done a great job making you feel immersed in the animation. Now the food options - what a win that is!! The grilled shrimp looks delish and the nan bread - what's not to love? Wonderful job Disney!

I had to laugh at your "real world" lunch - it still sounds better than my string cheese stick and crackers that I ate at my desk. But I did have a pack of chocolate covered pretzel to make a most delightful lunch!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

The mom in me has noticed Mr. DonaldDoleWhip keeping late hours as well! I'm a few hours behind you folks and I'll see reviews/comments posted and I think - what the heck?

Anyhoo.... from your photos I love the theming of AoA! Disney has done a great job making you feel immersed in the animation. Now the food options - what a win that is!! The grilled shrimp looks delish and the nan bread - what's not to love? Wonderful job Disney!

I had to laugh at your "real world" lunch - it still sounds better than my string cheese stick and crackers that I ate at my desk. But I did have a pack of chocolate covered pretzel to make a most delightful lunch!

Yep, today was a special day - lunch at Whole Foods! I could happily make a meal out of their salad bar (even if it's a bit bland, since I never add dressing). But wow - string cheese, crackers, and a chocolate covered pretzel? That has to be the saddest thing I've heard all day. On the bright side, based on all of our lunches, it sounds like we're all making relatively healthy choices in our everyday lives (which gives us an excuse to go a bit crazy while on holiday).

 

[debrapagliasotti]

I was so excited to stumble upon this review a few nights ago. There are a few DR I look forward to, and yours is always one of those

The offerings at AoA certainly look and sound appealing. Such a nice change from the usual QS offerings.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I was so excited to stumble upon this review a few nights ago. There are a few DR I look forward to, and yours is always one of those

The offerings at AoA certainly look and sound appealing. Such a nice change from the usual QS offerings.

I'm very happy that you're enjoying the reviews! And AoA's food court was wonderful - it honestly might be a "must-do" for me now.

 

[Linda67]

Thanks so much for the AoA Landscape(s) Of Flavors review
Your lunch looks wonderful and having checked out the menu on line I can't wait to try it for myself

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Thanks so much for the AoA Landscape(s) Of Flavors review
Your lunch looks wonderful and having checked out the menu on line I can't wait to try it for myself

I'm sure you'll love Landscape(s) of Flavors! It has such a wide variety of fresh, interesting food, and it was totally worth the trip.

 

[disney_princess_85]

I'm really enjoying your reviews! I particularly enjoyed reading about Landscape(s) of Flavors- what great choices! When I saw your meal, I immediately thought it looked like something you'd see at Sanaa.