>A Few of My Favorite Things…

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>Food, Food, Food!

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This is the first Tips from a Teenager Tuesday. My son John, is helping me with my Tuesday articles, so I figured what I would do is ask him some questions and then tell you about the things he mentions. For those of you that have a 15 year old, you will understand some of the answers, those of you that don’t; I will say these are his real answers.

The question I will pose every week is,“Tell me something you like about Disney World that everyone needs to know about.”

The answer this week was, “Food, Food, and Food!”

“What exactly do you like about the food?”

“It’s amazing. What more can I say?”

(At this point I tried a different tactic knowing it wasn’t going to get much better)

“What are your favorite places to eat in Disney World?”

“Le Cellier, ‘Ohana, and the Pepper Market.”

Le Cellier is the steak house in the Canada Pavilion in Epcot, ‘Ohana is in the Polynesian Resort and the Pepper Market is a quick serve/sit down place in the Coronado Springs Resort.

“What makes them your favorite?”

“The quality of the food and the atmosphere.”

“Of the three of them which would you choose if you could only go to one?”

“Le Cellier.”

“Why?”

“I love a good steak every now and then.”

“It had nothing to do with the fact the waitress we had knew Marc Andre Fleury?”

“Yes, that does have something to do with it.”

Let me fill in some background John’s favorite hockey team is the Pittsburgh Penguins and he really likes Sidney Crosby. The one time we ate at Le Cellier, the Waitress mentioned she was from Nova Scotia, which is where Sidney Crosby is from. When John made a comment about him, she asked if John only liked Crosby of did he also like the Penguins, when he told her the Penguins too, she told him about knowing Marc Andre Fluery, the goaltender for the Penguins. She told us all about how she was a friend and how when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup earlier that year she and her mom were in tears for “Marky”. I think it is still one of John’s favorite Disney memories.

“Favorite thing about Ohana?”

“All you can eat. There is a Lot to choose from- chicken, steak, veggies, and Polynesian noodles.”

‘Ohana is a family style restaurant, where they bring out long skewers with beef, chicken, shrimp and pork, which are cooked over an 18 foot oak fire pit. (‘Ohana is also home of the Best Friends Breakfast with Lilo & Stitch, a character breakfast.)

“What is it about the Pepper Market that you like?”

“The many different cultures represented there.”

The Pepper Market is a food court kind of eatery, where when you first walk in, you get a ticket. You walk around to the different areas, and choose your food. The servers then stamp your ticket and you pay for all of them as you are leaving. The food choices range from Mexican, to American with Pasta, Pizza and Stir-Fry as options. There is also a Bakery and Beverage area. It is a place where the whole family can aget something they like.

“What else would you like to tell anyone about the food in Disney World?”

“That there is a place for everyone and any taste; it’s nice to know that you will always find what you are craving no matter what. Since there is so much, there is always something new to try and experience.”

“What was your favorite new experience with food in Disney?”

“The Japanese place.”

The “Japanese Place” is Teppan Edo the Japanese restaurant in the Japan Pavilion, in Epcot. At this restaurant, the food is prepared for you on a stovetop table that you sit at. It is a really neat dining experience and I think this is where John tried Sushi for the first time.


So, what else would a 15 year old boy say everyone needs to know about in Walt Disney World, FOOD! Next week, I’ll try to feed him before I ask the question, and maybe we’ll hear about something that won’t add to our waistlines. We hope you enjoyed today’s tips.

“Thank you, John.”

“Sure Dad.”

>What’s in a Name?

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In Mount Joy Pennsylvania, there is a bar called Bube’s Brewery. Part of the Bar is called the Catacombs Restaurant. From their website they state, “A costumed guide will greet you and lead you on a tour of the brewery on your way to dinner. You will descend 43 feet into the stone-lines vaults of the Catacombs. There you will find a unique fine dining experience, with a menu that includes a variety of traditional and gourmet dishes.” I couldn’t eat there when I went. It was too dungeon-like for me. But what a great name for a restaurant that is underground. There are some awesome names that are used throughout Walt Disney World. Today I present the Unknown Magic of Great Disney World Names.

In sticking with the underground theme the first place name we have to bring up is Le Cellier, which is French for The Cellar. If you have never eaten in Le Cellier, you do seem to walk down a slope as you are entering the dining room. And with the beams above your head, you do kind of get the feeling of being in a cellar, but not that far underground.

The other great name from this same area of Epcot is “O Canada!” This is a 360 degree film that is about Canada, hosted by Canadian actor Martin Short. I think the name itself is awesome, even if it makes me dizzy every time I go in it.

One of the best new names in Walt Disney World is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. What a great name for a “spa” for little princesses. Where else would you take a little girl to get her hair, make-up, and clothes made over so that she could become a princess? I mean when you put them together- what do you got? Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo! So the name is just Magical!

In the Magic Kingdom, one of the great pun names is The Lunching Pad, in Tomorrowland. I love a good play on words and this is fun.

One of my Favorite names in all of the Walt Disney World Resort comes from the Polynesian Resort. It is ‘Ohana, the restaurant on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. For those who don’t know, ‘Ohana means family. As one of the “cousins” is seating you in this wonderful restaurant, they explain to you that the meal will be served “family style” and that you can also have as much of anything you want. Whenever we go to Disney, we make at least one trip to ‘Ohana and we

make sure to toast our wonderful family (and our Magical Experiences) – the way you need to when you are there- by raising our glasses and saying, “To a great Vacation and ‘Ohana!”

One of the toughest names to say three times fast is Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade. And if that isn’t bad enough, they change the name of it around the Christmas Holiday to Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade! I dare you to try and say those 5 times fast. You end up sounding like you have spent a great night at Raglan Road. Another great parade name is Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Just the name of this one makes you want to dance or something. It gets you all pumped up and makes you ready for a Magical Experience.

This takes us to the great names given to the night time entertainment in the parks. Wishes, IllumiNations, SpectroMagic, Fantasmic! What great words to make you want to stay after dark and see what they are going to present. You know if the show is half as interesting or as powerful as the words are, it’s going to be a great presentation.

Two great names in one area are based on a great backstory. The story is that there was a freak snow storm in Florida, the owners quickly built a ski resort, but the snow melted just as fast as it had come, and they kept it open as a water park. The water park became known as Blizzard Beach. Which is a great name and a lot of the parks attractions and rides have names that stay with the winter theme; Mt. Gushmore, Toboggan Racers, Slush Gusher, and Ski Patrol Training Camp are just a few. The other great name form right next to Blizzard Beach is Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course. Winter Summerland, has two eighteen hole courses, one that is summer themed, with sand and surfing songs, and the other is winter themed with snowmen and hockey rinks and both of them feature Santa and his elves.

I think the most interesting name on the entire Disney property though is DisneyQuest. This name is great, but it doesn’t give a hint about what is inside the big greenish building that the name is written on. For those that have never been inside of it, it is a Multi-Floor Interactive Indoor Theme Park. Even that description is a little vague. What is inside this building are five floors of interactive games, video games, and virtual reality experiences. It is really something you have to experience once if you visit Walt Disney World.

So, now you know, there are some straight forward Disney names (even if they are in another language), some Magical Disney names, some names that come from a good backstory, and names that will get you all pumped for what is going to happen. But my favorites are the ones that not only create Magical Experiences, but also are family favorites.

If you are in Mount Joy area, go Check out Bube’s Brewery or online at: http://www.bubesbrewery.com/index.htm

>Hungry, Cousin?

>This past week I wrote about the Polynesian Pearl, the Kona Café. The Kona Café isn’t the only great place to eat in the Polynesian Resort. Right around the corner from the Kona Café is the better known restaurant in the Polynesian Resort, ‘Ohana. I consider ‘Ohana an Unknown Magic, because even though it is usually very busy, it is still not one of the top known restaurants in Walt Disney World. But it is one of those places that when you eat there, you make sure you go back.

‘Ohana is decorated with a typical Polynesian Flair with tikis and palms and is very warm and inviting. As many people know from Lilo and Stitch, “‘Ohana means Family.” And this wonderful place celebrates family, throughout your meal. First of all, the servers all call everyone cousin (as is the custom in Hawaii) and they have games throughout the night for kids to play. Things like coconut broom races (where they push a coconut around the cent of the restaurant with a broom) and hula-hoop challenges. The décor here is wonderful, but the reason you go to any restaurant is the food. This past week we were in Disney World with some friends that had never been to ‘Ohana and afterward they said that this was the best meal we had all week. Keep in Mind we ate at the Nine Dragons and Le Cellier Steakhouse in Epcot as well as the Turf Club at Saratoga Springs and they still said this was the best meal we had. We have eaten there many times and this time the meal was as great as usual.

Before the main course comes, they give you ‘Ohana welcome bread, a salad with honey-lime dressing, pork dumplings and barbeque chicken wings that are awesome. They provide you with three dipping sauces for the meal, a peanut sauce, a sweet and sour sauce and a spicy mustard sauce. For the main course, they serve Chicken, Steak, Shrimp and Pork, that is all prepared on or actually in their 18-foot oak fire pit. They also serve stir-fried vegetables and lo mein noodles as part of the main course. This is all topped off with a bread pudding ala mode for dessert. The entire meal is served Family Style, which means everything is put in bowls on the table for everyone to share everything that is except the meat and shrimp. The Meat and Shrimp are brought to your table by the servers hot from the grill on the long skewers they cook it on. They ask you if you would like some more and then give you as many pieces from the skewer as you want. Our cousin, Pedro had a counting problem because every time you’d tell him one piece you’d get two and if you told him two you’d get three. This made the night even more fun for our party which led to a Magical Experience.

‘Ohana isn’t just open for dinner though. No, in the mornings ‘Ohana is one of the best character breakfasts in Walt Disney World. Since this is the Polynesian Resort, Lilo and Stitch host this breakfast. Mickey and Pluto have been there in the past with Lilo and Stitch, but they aren’t there at this time. Breakfast consists of Hua Paka (Scrambled Eggs), Uala Kahiki (Fried Potatoes), Pua’a (Pork), Mickey Shaped Waffles and other breakfast goodies. This meal is every bit as dinner.

Besides the food and décor ‘Ohana is a really great place to eat, because of the view. From the back windows of the restaurant, you can see Cinderella Castle, and the Seven Seas Lagoon. The other night while we were eating, we got to watch the Electrical Water Pageant that is shown on the Seven Seas Lagoon nightly. (For more about the Electrical Water Pageant, see my post on 5/13 Magic on the Water)What a Magical Experience that was for our friends as we were eating this great meal in a place they had never been to see the Water Pageant which they had never seen. It was truly a special night.

So, now you know, For Magical Experiences at both Breakfast and Dinner in a very fun and Magical atmosphere remember Lilo and Stitch and try ‘Ohana cousin.

>Polynesian Magic

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“’OHANA means Family and Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten,” A wonderful line from my son’s favorite movie Lilo and Stitch. This is what Disney is all about Family. But when you are in Walt Disney World, ‘OHANA is an Unknown Magic at the Polynesian Resort that means more than Family. The Polynesian Resort itself is a great place to go and relax, with tropical plants and a waterfall in the lobby you can’t help but walk in and feel the stress leave your body. But Located on the Second Floor of the Great Ceremonial House, is an awesome restaurant that many people don’t even know exists. It is truly an Unknown Magic. This is ‘OHANA.

The dining room in ‘OHANA doesn’t seem like much at first, it is decorated with Tikis and tropical plants which fit with the Resorts theme. And the Bar outside the restaurant is a little small for the number of people that show up nightly. But what it lacks in first impression, it makes up with food and Magical Experiences. For Breakfast, ‘OHANA is a wonderful way to start your day. With Views of Cinderella Castle out the window and Lilo and Stitch making the rounds, you can’t help but enjoy a Magical breakfast. Disney’s Website describes the food as “American breakfast influenced by the exotic tastes of Polynesia.” They serve fresh fruit, assorted breads; Hawaiian pork sausage, Island-style fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and smoked bacon. The meal is served Family Style. The food was absolutely wonderful, and having Lilo and Stitch come by is always a pleasure.

As good as the breakfast is, the meal at dinner is unbelievable! After they open the restaurant by bellowing on Conch Shells, the 18 foot Fire Pit in the middle of the dining room is fired up and they start cooking the meat right there on long Skewers. Turkey, Pork, Steak and Shrimp are cooked on Skewers and when they are ready, taken around to the tables. The servers ask you if you would like some of whatever they are carrying. When you say yes, they then ask how much, and then push off that many pieces onto your plate. The meat isn’t the only great food , the Welcome Bread that comes before the main course is delicious with a capitol D, and the Chicken Wings and Pork Dumplings are just fantastic. Like the Breakfast at ‘OHANA, the meal is served family style, so all the sides and appetizers come on a plate for the middle of the table. Also in the middle of the table are peanut, spicy mustard, and sweet and sour dipping sauces, for your meat or actually anything on the table.

Dinner at ‘OHANA isn’t just a meal though, while you are between courses or waiting for more meat to come to the table, there are other things to see and participate in. They have a coconut race for the kids (where they push a coconut around the room with a broom) every so often. They also have story tellers and invite people to sing and dance and to get up and play with Hula Hoops. If you Schedule it correctly, you can see the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom while you are sitting and enjoying your meal. (To do this, check and see what time the fireworks are going to be shown one of the nights of your visit, then get an advanced seating reservation at ‘OHANA for 20 to 30 minutes before that time.)

‘OHANA is one of our family’s favorite places to eat while in Disney. We try to eat dinner here at least once a trip. The views of the castle and the food are Magical enough, but the laughs and fun we’ve had there is enough to make us want to go back time after time.

So, now that you know, take the trip to the Polynesian Resort, enjoy the resort, but definitely get a reservation for ‘OHANA. And for that extra Magical Experience, book a late dinner and watch the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom.