Satisfy Your Junk Food Fix in the Parks

Working up an appetite in Orlando theme parks is easy. After hours of waiting in line and walking from one end of the park to another, you’ll surely want a nice meal and a break. If you’re in the parks during the hot Florida summers, then you’ll most definitely want to sit down in the air-conditioning—believe me, it gets really hot here! There is rarely time for a fancy sit-down dinner, and after all that activity you need a little bit more fuel than a salad. So here is a small list of our favorite places to grab some junk food at the parks.

A lot of times you’ll see visitors to the parks munching on turkey legs as they walk from one attraction to the other, but we would rather take advantage of the amount of detail put into the décor of some of the restaurants the parks have to offer. At Universal Studios, check out Mel’s Drive-In, located in the Hollywood section of Universal Studios. This 50’s style diner will send many down memory lane and give 50’s enthusiasts a great place to rest their feet and fill their stomachs. Mel’s offers, you guessed it, diner food. Milkshakes, burgers and chili-cheese fries are all available along with the classic root beer float.

If you’re looking for a more fulfilling restaurant experience, we love heading to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, located in Universal’s CityWalk. The menu here is more extensive compared to the restaurants inside the park, and therefore healthier options are available for those watching their waistlines. But if you aren’t, then feel free to indulge in the Cheeseburger in Paradise. Named after Buffet’s famous song, this has to be my favorite burger in the Orlando area. Feel free to sing along to the music playing in the background as your Heinz 57 on your burger.

As for dining in the House of Mouse, there are two locations we always have to go when in the Walt Disney World Resort. Our “old faithful” location in the Magic Kingdom has to be Casey’s Corner on Main Street. This Main Street classic is a baseball-themed restaurant that highlights the glory days of America’s past time. It’s great to check out the classic baseball-themed cartoons on the bleachers with younger members of the group as well. No matter what we do when visiting Disney World with our families, we have to stop at Casey’s. If we don’t make it for lunch, then it’s the last thing we do before getting back to the hotel. There is nothing fancy about their hot dogs, but who needs fancy when they’re so good?

Hopefully you’ve worked up a craving for these classic eats after reading the blog. Make sure you keep them in mind when you’re heading out to the parks with your discount Disney tickets and your Universal Studios tickets.

Eat Up at Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom first opened its doors in 1998 with the popular “Not a Zoo” slogan. It is one of the most popular Orlando theme parks and a favorite with the Disney crowd. Animal Kingdom is always packed, so make sure to get discount Disney tickets to Animal Kingdom before your visit. The $1 Billion dollar park contains the Animal Kingdom Lodge, an African-style lodge located in the Animal Kingdom area. The Animal Kingdom Lodge sits on Disney’s 33-acre wildlife preserve and is one of 8 Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels. Where else in the United States could you open your windows to see zebras and giraffes walking by?

Walt Disney World is making sure to keep their visitors happy by adding great things to their parks year round. Food is always an important part of a theme park visit, especially in larger parks like Animal Kingdom that require tons of walking. Any chance to take a rest and have a snack is appreciated while on your own animal adventure! The latest culinary addition to the Animal Kingdom family is the Sanaa restaurant. Sanaa, pronounced “sah-NAH”, is named after the Swahili word for “artwork.” This sit-down restaurant features African and Indian foods including Tandoori chicken and lamb Kefta, all creatively presented with an artistic touch. Sanaa sits 150 visitors and is located within the Kidani Village resort, which is part of the Disney Vacation Club Family.

If a restaurant setting doesn’t fit your sense of adventure, Animal Kingdom is also offering Picnic in the Park. This feature, which debuted in April, offers visitors to the part a chance to picnic in 16 spots throughout the park. Picnic lunches can be ordered at the Island Mercantile Store on Discovery Island and picked up at the Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery. Picnic lunches can be ordered for groups of 2-6 people at prices ranging from approximately $20-$60 US dollars. Each lunch brings utensils and condiments. Keeping with the nature-friendly theme of Animal Kingdom and the Walt Disney World Resort, the picnic lunches come in reusable green bags with the “Every Tree Has Character” slogan.

Like in all Orlando theme parks, there are various restaurants and snack shops to fulfill your thirst and hunger at the Animal Kingdom. But Sanaa and Picnic in the Park provide two brand new options that will fit the personalities of any Disney-goer. Bon Appétit!

Eat in the Wild at Animal Kingdom

Only at Walt Disney World can you get up close and personal with animals like zebras and lions at Animal Kingdom through attractions like the Kilimanjaro Safari and Habitat Habit! and the savannah at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. And soon, through a new dining option offered at the park, guests will have the opportunity to eat among the animals for a wild dining experience with an ambience no other restaurant can provide.

With Picnic in the Park, guests can turn any meal at Animal Kingdom into an adventure – and there’s no planning or sandwich-making required. All guests have to do is pre-order their picnic at a guest relations office or the Tusker House Restaurant in the Harambe Village in the Africa area. Guests can then come back to pick up their picnic at a time of their choosing (so long as it’s no earlier than two hours after the order is placed) at the Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery next to the Tusker House. Once they do, it’s time to chow down as guests can take their picnic to one of 14 designated picnic spots around the park.

Guests can choose from various picnic options, including rotisserie chicken or ham and sandwiches like Turkey Focaccia, Chicken Wrap, Ham Grinder, or Tuna Pita. The feast also comes complete with various side options, like chips, coleslaw, corn, green beans, mac & cheese, orza pasta, and various kinds of potatoes and salad dishes. Rounding off the wild meal are desserts like brownies, cookies, cornbread, crisped rice treats, and fruits.

Each picnic comes in a reusable bag with plates, utensils, and a map marked with the picnic locations, and guests can order their picnics for a minimum of three people and a maximum of six. Picnic orders have to be placed between the hours of the park opening and 1:30 pm; if you’re on a Disney dining plan, a Picnic in the Park can be used as a Quick Service Meal.

Since Animal Kingdom doesn’t have as many eateries as other parks in Walt Disney World, picnicking is a much needed and unique new option, in addition to being affordable – a picnic for three costs between $24.99 and $29.99, and a picnic for six costs between $48.99 and $56.99. And afterwards, guests can digest at a comfortable and fun indoor Animal Kingdom show like It’s Tough to Be a Bug! or Finding Nemo The Musical.

To go on an animal adventure and dine within the exotic environments of Animal Kingdom, check out Walt Disney World tickets today at DWTickets.com. Picnicking in the Park will definitely add a whole new level of fun to your Animal Kingdom visit, not to mention give you an extra burst of energy for seeing and experiencing the park.

Where to Watch the Big Game in Orlando

Sports fans everywhere (and generally anyone with testosterone) are undoubtedly eagerly awaiting the big game this upcoming weekend, also known as the Super Bowl. And for those down here on vacation, figuring out where to watch the game might be a conundrum, especially if you’re used to enjoying it with pals at home, plenty of alcoholic beverages, and food. Thankfully, though, Orlando has no shortage of places where you can enjoy a Super Bowl party atmosphere that will rival anything you could have cooked up back home.

One easy place to go to is Universal CityWalk, one of Orlando’s biggest destinations for dining and entertainment. And you can guarantee that plenty of eyes will be set on the big game at the Nascar Sports Grille and NBA City. Don’t be fooled by their names; though NASCAR and NBA might be the sport of emphasis at these restaurant/bars, each place plays homage to all the major sports. The big game will be on the big screens at Nascar Sports Grille, and at NBA City, you can reserve a table for Super Bowl viewing. Better yet, you can even rent a private VIP room for an all-out Super Bowl party and invite 25 to 800 of your closest friends.

And over at Walt Disney World, the best place to watch the game is most likely the ESPN Club at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, a restaurant, bar, arcade, and shop similar to ESPN Zones found throughout the US. More than 100 video monitors here will ensure that you won’t miss a minute of the big game, with a 90-square-foot HD projection screen in the main dining room and several TV monitors installed in the bathrooms. Be sure to arrive early for all the Super Bowl action, as the fans pack the seats in droves here.

If you find the ESPN Club too full though, the All-Star Café at Disney’s Wide World of Sports is another good sports spot, especially if you plan to take the kids. The whole family can enjoy the game from 20 big screens while they enjoy classic American fare like burgers, buffalo wings, and chicken quesadillas.

Outside of the theme parks, one of the most popular places to watch big games is T.G.I. Friday’s Front Row, located a mile away from the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive. Not your average Fridays, Front Row features two stories of non-stop sports action, with over 140 televisions, a state-of-the-art game room, free wireless internet, and private banquet rooms. And on Sunday, the restaurant will host Orlando’s biggest Super Bowl party at 6 pm, featuring a packed buffet with plenty of beer and wine, and prizes and giveaways all night long. Be sure to call or email for a reservation if you plan to attend.

Finally, for a more laid-back Super Bowl experience, Miller’s Ale House is a casual and comfortable place to watch the game. There are eleven locations throughout Central Florida to choose from, and you can book early to get reserved seating. With an all-you-can-eat buffet, open bar, and prizes and raffles throughout the game, Miller’s will definitely be a popular spot to watch the game.

With so many places for sports fans to reunite, a Super Bowl party in Orlando isn’t hard to find – the only hard part is deciding which one you want to attend. No matter where you go, you’re sure to have a great Super Bowl Sunday.

New Downtown Disney T-Rex Café is Dino-Mite

Downtown Disney, known to visitors from all over for its amazing restaurants and shops, now has a new reason to attract visitors, especially families. The T-Rex Cafe, which opened on October 14th, is more than just a restaurant; it is a complete attraction, with retail, dining, and fun activities for adults and kids alike.

T-Rex, which is owned by Rainforest Cafe owners Landry Restaurants, creates an interactive prehistoric environment, with décor centered on water, fire, and ice. The restaurant has been designed to make visitors say, “Wow,” with an exact life-size replica of a 140-foot long Argentinosaurus outside and a 5,000 gallon shark tank and robotic octopus on the inside. Kids will love the large animatronic dinosaurs ensconced in the walls along with real fossils, and the cascading waterfalls and bubbling geysers make it a nice setting for adults, too. The Geo-Tech and Ice Cave rooms are also particularly neat, with their flaming walls and glowing, color-changing ceilings.

Kids will be able to have fun before or after dinner with the restaurant’s many activities. In the fun and educational Paleo Zone, little ones can learn on interactive screens and play in multiple exploration areas. They can excavate in the "dirt" in the Discovery Dig area, or explore the mine and pan for precious stones, minerals, or fossils in Discovery Creek. T-Rex is a great place for children to act out their curious natures and have fun exploring and learning. And if nothing else, it’s also a great way to get them to burn off the sugar from dessert.

And though it might be easy to forget, T-Rex is, after all, a restaurant. So how is the food, you ask? T-Rex offers a surprisingly wide selection of American fare, including appetizers, soups, salads, pizzas, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, meat entrees, and dessert. Think T.G.I. Fridays, but with catchy dinosaur-themed names. The restaurant actually has a wood-burning pizza oven in its “Kitchen of Fire,” and guests have the option of designing their own custom pizza. The Mammoth Mushroom Raviolis are also quite nice, cooked in a lobster cream sauce with Roma tomatoes and fresh spinach. The most creative options on the menu, though, are the seafood and sandwiches, with unique offerings like the Tarragon Chicken Salad sandwich, which includes a Rotisserie chicken pulled and tossed with tarragon, celery, onions, toasted almonds, and mayo on a toasted hoagie roll. And herbivores need not worry – there are some vegetarian options available. There is also a separate menu for children.

T-Rex also features a wide array of souvenirs, apparel, toys, and other dinosaur-related merchandise. Children will especially enjoy building their own stuffed dinosaur friend with the first-ever Build-A-Dino, by the makers of the Build-A-Bear Workshop. It’s not all fun and games just for children, however. T-Rex features a full-service “Shark Bar.”

The 600-seat restaurant has been widely anticipated since its construction began in October 2007. With Walt Disney World’s recent closure of six Pleasure Island nightclubs and their family-oriented replacements nearly two years away, T-Rex is fulfilling a need for dining space in Pleasure Island.

So be sure to stop by T-Rex and have your own prehistoric adventure. And while you’re there, don’t forget to actually eat!