Gingerbread Goodness at the Grand Floridian

The smell of gingerbread is a classic sign that the holidays are near, and if you find yourself at the Walt Disney World Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, you will be surrounded by the spicy scent! It’s that time of year again where the Grand Floridian pulls out all the stops to create a massive 16 foot gingerbread house for all of their guests to enjoy. If you’re wondering what it takes to make such a massive structure, the official list is: 800 lbs of flour, 600 lbs of sugar, 1,080 lbs of honey and a whole crew of pastry chefs.

The house itself is adorable and almost completely edible. Built in a Victorian style much like the Grand Floridian Hotel itself, the gingerbread house features decorations made of candy canes, chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread men and other traditional gingerbread house adornments. You can take pictures of the house or right next to it, but make sure you don’t try and sneak a piece! If you would like to make your own gingerbread cookies you can even find a recipe on Disney’s official blog. The gingerbread house will be up throughout the holidays, and considering how close the beautiful hotel is to the Magic Kingdom you might as well stop by before you head over to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. It’s a great way to start your adventure at the Walt Disney World Resort.

The Grand Floridian also got an update in the lobby with brand new tile work. It adds to the hotel’s exquisite beauty while maintaining the Disney charm. Every few tiles or so you’ll see characters like Donald Duck, Tinker Bell and of course, Mickey Mouse, adorning the new floor. With great amenities like a beautiful spa and character events like the Wonderland Tea Party and the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast where guests can interact with their favorite Disney characters, it’s a great hotel to see even if you aren’t staying. If you’re a fan of Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland you will see them all over the Grand Floridian! Make sure you stop by to visit, enjoy a character breakfast and definitely see the beautiful gingerbread house!

Celebrity Chef Cat Cora Will Open New Disney Restaurant

Even though Spoodles within Disney’s BoardWalk Inn a beloved favorite among Disney guests, it’s time to bid the restaurant goodbye – and then wave hello to a new, even better restaurant that will be taking its place. Disney has announced that celebrity chef Cat Cora will be partnering with Walt Disney World to open a new family dining restaurant at the BoardWalk resort. Kouzzina by Cat Cora will feature a menu of Mediterranean-style cuisine and is the most highly anticipated restaurant to come to Disney for quite some time.

“I am pleased to welcome Cat Cora and her engaging new concept for Kouzzina to the Walt Disney World Resort,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “This collaboration between Cat and Disney represents a significant step in our ongoing commitment to offer unique culinary experiences and choices for our guests."

Paying homage to the chef’s Greek roots, Kouzzina will showcase Mediterranean cuisine while staying true to Chef Cora’s philosophy of simple yet sensational meals. A Mississippi native born to a family of Greek restaurateurs, Cora grew up immersed in two different and flavorful cultures and has taken from that unique background her know-how around the kitchen. Appropriately, Kouzzina (pronounced “koo-zee-nah”) is Greek for “kitchen.”

Cora said that the new restaurant will feature “time-honored recipes passed down from my ancestors, as well as my favorite Greek and Mediterranean dishes that my family loves.”

The first and only female Iron Chef on Food Network’s hit show Iron Chef America, Cora is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York and the Executive Chef for Bon Appétit magazine. This won’t be Cora’s first venture with Disney, either; she’s been a featured chef at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival and at Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival at Disneyland Resort. Cora also began working with Disney in 2008 by creating a Disney Video on Demand series to showcase ways to help families develop more healthy eating habits.

“I’m extremely excited about this latest extension of my relationship with Disney,” Cora added. “Together, we’re going to develop a truly amazing contemporary Mediterranean restaurant.”
Kouzzina will be one of a just a few celebrity chef-helmed restaurants at Walt Disney World, joining Todd English’s bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, and the Wolfgang Puck Café in Downtown Disney. And though the opening is still a long way off (Fall 2009), Disney diners are already eagerly awaiting this new addition to Disney’s BoardWalk. In the meantime, be sure to check out Spoodles while it’s still open, and while you’re at it, take a walk over to Epcot, which is conveniently close by. As always, you can save extra on Walt Disney World tickets by getting them here at DWTickets.com.

Down by the BoardWalk at Disney

Tourists visiting Orlando, Florida, who are looking for great dining, entertainment, and shopping generally don’t have to think very hard about where to go. Universal CityWalk offers all that in spades, of course, as does Downtown Disney. However, one place that doesn’t get as much attention for all it offers is Walt Disney World’s BoardWalk area. Offering more than 9,000 square feet of retail, food, and fun, Disney’s Boardwalk is a great place to stroll and hang out when your day at the theme parks is over. And while Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island is getting a makeover, it’s definitely worth paying a visit to this scenic lakeside area full of sights, sounds, and even tantalizing smells.

One of the prettiest and most photogenic spots in Walt Disney World, the BoardWalk surrounds Disney’s Crescent Lake and resembles a little village on the water. You’ll love walking along it and taking in the sherbet-colored building facades, striped awnings, pristine waters, and strung lights of the BoardWalk, which is modeled after the Boardwalks of New England coastal cities like Coney Island and Atlantic City.

Craving some shopping or looking to browse? You’ll find a collection of unusual and unique shops at the BoardWalk, from the ESPN Club Store to the Screen Door General Store. Wyland Galleries features a selection of marine life art from internationally renowned artist Wyland and others. And Disney’s Character Carnival and Thimbles and Threads offer apparel and Disney merchandise and accessories for all ages.

Hungry? BoardWalk has no shortage of tasty treats, including fresh seafood at the Flying Fish Café and sugary delights at Seashore Sweets. Big River Grille & Brewing Works is definitely a must-stop, the only working microbrewery in Disney and a purveyor of sandwiches, salads, and of course, award-winning beer. Spoodles is also a great family place, with delicious flatbreads and Mediterranean dinners that are perfect for sharing with loved ones. And for dessert, be sure to stop by the BoardWalk Bakery for one of their fantastic cupcakes.

The nightlife department, however, is where the BoardWalk really shines, especially now with the closure of Pleasure Island’s nightclubs. Guests can have fun shaking it at Atlantic Dance Hall, where hot DJs and cool bands make it a great place to while away the evening hours. And Jellyrolls is a sheer blast, a quirky piano bar with dueling pianos and audience sing-alongs. We dare you to find a song the pianists don’t know!

Around sunset is definitely our favorite time to go to the BoardWalk; in the evening, the area comes to life with street performers, food vendors, midway games, and lots of live entertainment. And since the BoardWalk is within walking distance of Epcot, going there after a rousing day at the parks is easy and convenient.

If you haven’t paid a visit to the BoardWalk, check it out – you’ll have fun exploring this miniature shopping, dining, and nightlife district at Walt Disney World. Make it a stop on your Disney vacation, which you can start planning after you get your Walt Disney World tickets at DWTickets.com.