What is DOLE® Soft Serve? And What is DOLE Whip™? As the manufacturer of DOLE Soft Serve, this is one of the most common questions we get. Allow us to clear up the confusion. One of our strongest emotional connections with consumers is the iconic DOLE Whip treat, sold at Disney® parks, commonly in the form […]
Join us as we continue our In Depth series with Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort! We discuss all the features, amenities, and room categories of this wonderful convention resort.
For more In Depth resort info, check out our episodes on Animal Kingdom Lodge and Pop Century.
Happy listening!
We’re back with another Disney recipe! This time it’s Apple Brined Pork Tenderloin with Root Beer Demi-Glace from The Wave…of American Flavors.
This one is not complicated but does take a little bit of beforehand prep due to the brining process.
Here’s what you’ll need:
For the brine:
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
pinch of black pepper
pinch of kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of red pepper flakes
For the Root Beer demi-glace:
1 cup veal or beef stock
1 cup of your favorite root beer
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon water
To make the brine, add all the brine ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil to dissolve salt and sugar. Cool to room temp then put in a container (I used a gallon zip top bag) with your pork. I used a small tenderloin, but you could use chops if you wanted. Store in refrigerator for 24 hours. Mine actually brined longer than that as my dinner plans changed and I didn’t end up cooking the pork until the next day. I think it worked out ok.
Once you’re ready to cook your pork, you’ll want to take it out of the marinade and dry it off a bit with a paper towel. Now, you can choose your cooking method as the recipe doesn’t specify. You can roast it in the oven or grill it, but I would suggest using a low heat as the sugar from the brine will burn easily. I chose to sous vide mine. If you’ve never done a sous vide method, I would suggest checking it out. It’s a foolproof way to tender, juicy meats. You can’t burn it!
While the pork was cooking I made the root beer sauce. You’ll want to bring your beef stock (didn’t have veal stock on hand) and root beer to a boil and then reduce by 1/4 volume. Then you’ll want to make a slurry with the cornstarch and water and cook for and additional 5 minutes.
My demi-glace ended up rather thin so I’m thinking maybe I should have let it reduce some more.
Our thoughts: I thought it was pretty good. I prefer my usual method of preparing pork tenderloin, but I liked it. My husband shared my opinion. I might try to make this again and fiddle with the demi-glace some to see if I can get it thicker and more of a sauce consistency. I did like the root beer flavor with the meat. Overall, I thought this was rather easy and tasted good for the amount of effort involved.
You may have heard us talk about staying at Disney’s Yacht Club for our Dole Whippies weekend, so we’re here to show you some pictures and let you know what we thought!
Yacht Club is one of Disney’s deluxe resorts styled after a New England (what else?) yacht club. Standard rooms at the Yacht Club sleep 5 adults and consist of 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed or 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair and 1 Day Bed or 1 King Bed or 1 King Bed and 1 Day Bed.
Our room consisted of 2 queens and a daybed. And as someone who slept on the daybed I can say… not bad! I was just as comfy and slept as well in this bed as I would have in the queen. Our view was of the quiet pool at the Yacht Club, but I have to mention one of the most appealing amenities at this resort: Stormalong Bay. This sandy bottom pool is shared by the Beach and Yacht Club. It consists of 3 acres of pool fun where you can float down a lazy river or slide down the 230-foot-long water slide located on top of a life-sized ship wreck. This pool is reason alone to stay at the Yacht Club!
Even the bathroom at Yacht Club is ornate, and has one of my favorite “extras” at the deluxe resorts. More toiletries!
Another one of the major benefits to staying at the Yacht Club is location. There are 2 other resorts in this are: Boardwalk Inn and Beach Club. This means you have quick and easy access to shopping and restaurants at these locations. In addition is the BoardWalk area entertainment complex featuring more shopping and dining plus unique Jersey-shore style live entertainment and carnival games. All just a few minutes walk from the Yacht Club! Not only that, but just a few minutes further than the BoardWalk is the International Gateway entrance right into Epcot.
Overall, Yacht Club is a fantastic resort, and absolutely worth a visit. Have you stayed here? What did you think?
Magic Kingdoms is a new Disney game from Gameloft available for Android and Apple devices. I gave it a try this week and I wanted to tell you all about it.
The game is a mission-based, role playing game, with a bit of construction thrown in. The story is that Maleficient and all the other baddies have cursed Magic Kingdom and you and Mickey have to set it back to rights.
Finishing quests earns you magic which you can use to buy more attractions and decorations to pretty up your park. Attractions earn you magic and items, when you can use to purchase more characters.
I find the game very easy and charming as it looks just like a mini Magic Kingdom, plus the music is soothing. One of the fun things you can do in the game is build your own parade. If you play the game during the parade, you receive extra rewards.
For seasoned casual gamers, the game itself is nothing new, but it’s a good family game I wouldn’t hesitate to let my children play it. It does allow in-app purchasing but you can turn that off.
The app is free and it’s quite beautiful so I definitely recommend giving it a try!
6If you’ve been paying attention to our Facebook page you’ll have seen our Disney Snack Bracket Challenge. We have the results for you in our latest podcast episode! Find out which snack came out victorious in this all out battle.
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our prediction winner! It might be you!
Happy listening!
Character dining is very popular and very much a part of most families trips to Disney. One of the most confusing things and hard to follow is which characters are where and if they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner or just breakfast, etc. Also, people are always asking me – which is the best and when they mean the best typically they are asking about who has the best character interaction and not the best bacon (though food is important) because these meals are not cheap but most are buffets and you can eat a lot of yummy food to get your value plus the pictures and smiles on your kids faces (or your adult faces) will be something priceless.
I am going to start also by saying that this information is correct as of today March 21, 2106 (I hope it is!) but the characters are always changing and this is who is typically there. Though no character is ever guaranteed so know that going in and do not be disappointed but enjoy the event! If you HAVE to meet one specific character you might need to fastpass that for a meet and greet. One more tip when you see a description like Luau Mickey or Safari Donald this describes the character theme at this meal. So, Safari Donald is dressed up like he is going on a safari for example!
Starting with character meals that require 1 Table Service Credit when using the Disney Dining Plan:
‘Ohana at Polynesian Resort –
Best Friends Breakfast – Breakfast Only
Lilo, Stitch, Luau Mickey, Luau Pluto
Garden Grill Epcot
Chip ‘n Dale’s Harvest Feast (all meals)
Chip & Dale, Farmer Mickey & Farmer Pluto
Chef Mickey’s at Contemporary Resort
Chef Mickey’s Fun Time Buffet (all meals)
Chef Mickey, Chef Donald, Chef Goofy, Chef Minnie & Chef Pluto
Tusker House at Animal Kingdom
Donald’s Safari Meal (all meals)
Safari Mickey, Safari Donald, Safari Goofy, & Safari Daisy
1900 Park Fare at Grand Floridian Resort
Supercalifragilistic Breakfast (breakfast only)
Alice, the Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins and Bert, Tigger & Pooh
1900 Park Fare at Grand Floridian Resort
Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner (dinner only)
Cinderella, Prince Charming, Cinderella’s Stepsisters (Anastasia and Drisella) and Wicked Stepmother (Lady Tremaine)
Hollywood & Vine at Hollywood Studios
Disney Junior Play n’ Dine (breakfast and lunch only)
Disney Junior Characters: Jake, Sofia, Doc McStuffins & Handy Manny
Hollywood & Vine at Hollywood Studios
Minnie’s Seasonal Dine (dinner only)
Minnie, Mickey, Donald, Daisy and Goofy
- January 4, 2016 – March 20, 2016
Minnie’s Silver Screen Dine
Celebrate Hollywood blockbusters at a banquet honoring the glitz and glamor of Tinseltown!- March 21, 2016 – June 5, 2016
Minnie’s Springtime Dine
Shake off winter’s chill with a fabulous fête marking the bright and beautiful delights of spring!- June 6, 2016 – September 11, 2016
Minnie’s Summertime Dine
Heat things up at a beach-inspired bash welcoming the excitement of the season!- September 12, 2016 – November 6, 2016
Minnie’s Halloween Dine
Head to Minnie’s favorite haunt as all her pals gather for a frightfully festive Halloween feast!- November 7, 2016 – January 6, 2017
Minnie’s Holiday Dine
Deck the halls at a dazzling dinner party filled with holiday cheer and the joy of the season!Cape May’s at Beach Club Resort
Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast (Breakfast only)
Beach Minnie, Beach Donald and Beach Goofy
Akershus in Norway at Epcot
Princess Storybook Dining (all meals)
Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Aurora, Snow White
The following are character meals that require 2 Table Service Credits when using the Disney Dining Plan:
Mickey’s Backyard Bar-B-Que at Fort Wilderness Resort
“Dinner Show” (dinner Only )
Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale
Cinderella’s Royal Table in Castle at Magic Kingdom
Fairytale Dining (all meals)
Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Aurora, Snow White and sometimes Belle (cast of princesses will consistently vary)
Whether you are taking your own vehicle or renting one once you get to Walt Disney World there are a few things you will want to know before you arrive.
Resorts
Self-parking at any of the Walt Disney World Resorts is complimentary if you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel.
Valet Parking is available at select deluxe resorts and is $25 per day. Should you go from one resort to another you do not have to pay an additional time, your valet parking will transfer to another resort.
Parks
At the 4 theme parks, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom guests will pay a single fee per day.
If you are a resort guest, Annual Passholders, Premium Passholders and Disney Premier Passport holder you do not have to pay for parking. You will show your MagicBand at the parking plaza.
As of March 2016 here are the prices:
Car or motorcycle- $20 per day
Shuttle, limo, camper, trailer or RV- $22 per day
Bus or tractor trailer- $25 per day
You can pay this fee with cash or credit/debit card.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations are available at Epcot. 4 ChargePoint charging stations are located in the Journey parking section, on a first come, first serve basis. You will need to use a credit card or chargepoint card to pay for the electricity. The cost is $.35 per kilowatt hour with a minimum service amount of $1.50.
One important parking note for Magic Kingdom is that parking is actually at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) and from there a transfer must be taken by Ferry, boat or Monorail.
Water Parks
Self-parking is complimentary at both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach for all guests
Disney Springs
Self-parking is complimentary.
Valet parking is available for $20, payment will be collected at pick up.
ESPN Wide World of Sports
Self-parking is complimentary for all guests.
Guests with Disabilities
Designated parking areas are available to guests with a valid disability parking permit at each of the theme parks, resorts and Disney Springs.
Here at Dole Whipped HQ, we decided it might be fun to reproduce some popular dishes from Disney restaurants. This week’s selection was Pasta alla Vodka from Mama Melrose at Hollywood Studios.
I selected this dish because I thought, “Hey, it’s pasta. That’s easy. Everybody likes pasta.”
Oh boy.
First of all, no, not everybody in my house likes pasta. I forget that sometimes. My children are incredibly picky so keep that in mind. Secondly, I shall rename this dish Pasta of Doom because this dish really was doomed from the beginning. I had intended on making it last week but then I came down with a really bad head cold the day of so the preparation was delayed four days. Then, while I was making it, I accidentally burned the ingredients and had to start again. It gets better. For the marinara sauce, you will need to either prepare it the day before or start it in the morning because they recommend cooking it for 5 hours. I used a slow cooker because ain’t nobody got time to babysit that. So yeah, we’re not off to a great start, are we?
So let’s just dive in, shall we?
For this recipe you will need:
Marinara Sauce (to be prepared ahead):
1.5 lbs diced onions
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
16 oz crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1/8 cup minced garlic
4 tbsp basil, chopped
1/2 tbsp dried marjoram
1/4 tbsp ground black pepper
16 oz diced tomatoes
Add all ingredients to pot and simmer on medium for 5 hours.
Ok…I have some issues with this recipe. A pound and a half of chopped onions? 1/8 cup of minced garlic? Can we have those things in regular cooking terms, please? Also, how big a can of tomato paste? And tomatoes come in 15 oz and 14.5 oz cans. I’m not opening a can just to use part of it and having to store the rest. Do you see where I’m coming from in this Pasta of Doom thing?
Ok back to the recipe.
For the Vodka Cream Sauce:
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced small
2 tbsp pancetta
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cup penne pasta, cooked
kosher salt and pepper to taste
4 oz of marinara sauce from earlier preparation
2 oz heavy cream
1 tsp pecorino romano
2 oz vodka
Ok, so for the marinara, I didn’t have time to prepare this on the stove so I chucked all the ingredients in my slow cooker and left it on low all day. You can certainly do that. When the marinara was cooked, I thought it was a bit chunky for my liking so I hit with my stick blender to smooth it out a bit, but you can leave it as is if you like.
Alright, so I live in a very small town and I don’t have access to pancetta so I substituted a slice of thick cut bacon.
First thing you need to do is put the penne on to boil in heavily salted water and drain when cooked to al dente. Put the olive oil in your pan and warm it up. Then add the pancetta/bacon to the pan and let it heat a bit. Then add in your onion and garlic.
Once all that stuff has begun to brown, deglaze the pan with the vodka and let that reduce a bit to cook out the alcohol. Add in the prepared marinara and the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add in the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Serve with a heaping pile of grated romano cheese on top.
So…what was the verdict? I thought it was pretty good, but a bit bland. Personally, I like a bit sweeter marinara flavor so I’d probably add some sugar to the sauce. I’d also add a bit more spice in the form of red pepper flakes since it needed a bit of a kick. As for my husband and three kids? Yeah no. The kids all “hated” it and the husband ate it without complaint but didn’t care to have it again.
How’d you like that glowing endorsement? Hopefully the next recipe will be better received.
Join us this week as we talk to 6 year old Petra and find out what her Disney favorites are. We talk attractions, snacks, and a kid’s perfect Disney day. Petra was such a good sport and super cute so you don’t want to miss this!
This is our second installment in this series. For more, check out episode 55 with Sarah!
Happy listening!
Dole Whipped 