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Nine Dragons Restaurant in the China Pavilion
A little further out:
A different view:
Category: Nine Dragons Restaurant
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Today’s question to my 15 year old son, John, is,
“Tell me something you like about Disney World that everyone needs to know about.”
“Hmmm… I think I need a Girl Scout cookie to think. Hmmm….. I think I need a few more…ummmm…. Epcot.”
“What exactly about Epcot should they know about?”
“They should know about the countries.”
“The Countries” are the Pavilions in the World Showcase, that represent 11 different countries form around the world.
“Ok, why should they know about the countries?”
“You can experience many different cultures and their food!”
“What do you mean?”
“Each country has something new to try or learn about.”
“Can you give me an example?”
“You can go from sushi in Japan to a log ride in Sweden (Norway) to hearing a Mariachi Band in Mexico.”
At Teppan Edo in Japan, we had sushi one night and John really liked it. In the Norway Pavilion, as the Disney website says, the “Maelstrom is a family-friendly adventure on a troll-tormented Viking ship from modern-day to historic Norway”. Out Front of the Mexico Pavilion the Mariachi Cobre is a 12 piece Mariachi band that performs throughout the day.
“Which one is your favorite pavilion?”
“I think, China”
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| John, His Mom and a friend, outside Yong Feng Shangdian Department Store |
“So, tell me about the China Pavilion.”
“Well, it’s like China”
As I was laughing he added,
“I’m kidding. They have a shop where you can buy a lot of neat things and teas.”
“Like what kind of things?”
“Hand painted china,”
Once again as I laughed he changed his answer,
“That’s not what I ment, hand painted glassware.”
“Anything else?”
“Little statuettes and fountains and Buddhas. And who doesn’t like Buddha? I was tempted to get a little Buddha?”
The shop he is talking about is called Yong Feng Shangdian Department Store. It sells authentic Chinese goods, such as Silk Robes, Furniture, Parasols and Statues and Fountains.
“What else should people know about the World Showcase?”
“The Nine Dragons is the Best Chinese food outside of China, itself.” (Not that he has ever been to China.)
The Nine Dragons is the Restaurant located in the China Pavilion. I wrote about it in an article last month called “It’s Not the Chop Suey Palace.”
“Is there any place else in the World Showcase that people should know about?”
“The place where the guy sells the African carvings.”
Out past China as you are walking toward Germany there is a nice place to sit and relax and get a drink from the Coke Stand. Alongside this place, there is a small stand that sells African Masks and handmade items. This is where we John got a South African t-shirt for the World Cup. He enjoyed looking at the merchandise in this shop.“When you first enter the World Showcase, Which way should you go?”
“Go left, unless you want to go right.”
He was cracking me up,
“Why go left?”
“Two lefts make a right. No, there are more things to see if you go left.”
After talking about this, we decided that there was one extra pavilion before you have to cross a bridge to get toward another pavilion. Going to the right takes you to Canada, England and then a bridge where going left takes you through Mexico, Norway and China, before a bridge.
“What else should people know about or view in The World Showcase?”
“The different little shows, that pop up, the Mime in Italy, the Drummers in Japan and there was a great one outside the French Restaurant. And the Firework Show is kind of cool.”
Throughout the World Showcase, there are “street Performers” that appear at different times during the day and put on small shows for the guests that are roaming around the different Pavilions.
The Fireworks show in Epcot is called Illuminations.
“Where would you recommend seeing Illuminations?”
“The Boardwalk Bridge.”
“Where?”
“The Bridge over at the Boardwalk as you are walking toward the back entrance of Epcot.”
“Not even in Epcot?”
“No, it is too crowded.”
“Thanks John. Is there anything else you want to say about the World Showcase?”
“It is a really fun and relaxed way to spend the day.”
My Tips from a Teenager Tuesday, co-author is my son John. 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 were his real answers. He showed his sense of humor today, and we had some good laughs as we were writing this article. I hope you enjoyed it.
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Christmas Eve is coming quick. That means a couple of things. Santa Claus will be heading out to bring presents to all the good boys and girls of the world. And TBS will be showing A Christmas Story for 24 straight hours. I will be honest I don’t get the movie. It doesn’t appeal to me. Give me Chevy Chase and Christmas Vacation and I’m a laughing fool, but I just don’t get Ralphie. Maybe because my family was a little saner than that one, I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t get into watching it. But there is one scene that I was thinking about when I was looking through pictures before writing today. It was the scene when they were in the Chop Suey Palace*, the Chinese
restaurant. The reason I was thinking of this scene was because of the look of the restaurant. It is your little Chinese place around the corner; places that most of us have somewhere near our house, that you can order take out in the little white boxes. We had a problem a few years back, we had moved and tried to find a good Chinese take-out place. We thought we had found one and then they must have changed chefs because it wasn’t good. We finally found one that we like, but every year after we get back from Walt Disney World, we look at each other and say, wasn’t this better last time. The thing is, we know that it wasn’t, it is just as good as it always is, but after being in Disney, we long for the Unknown Magic that offers delicacies from four regions of China: Cantonese, Szechuan, Kiangche and Mandarin. This Unknown Magic is the Nine Dragons restaurant in Epcot’s World Showcase.
The Nine Dragons is a nice sit down restaurant that is offered on the Disney Dining Plan. The Lobby looks more “Chinese” than the dining room, with the mural of the two Dragons, but the dining room is rather spacious and it is very well lit. There are many seats near the windows that offer a good view of the World Showcase promenade. If you are a small party of two or three as we are, you will be seated in close proximity to another party, as the tables are situated in long rows.
The food is wonderful here. I have read on-line reviews saying the food wasn’t that good, but we eat at the Nine Dragons every year when we are in Disney, usually for lunch, and we have never had a complaint about the meal or the service. But once again, we are not Disney Commandos, so we are never in a rush to get through our meal. The menu features appetizers, soups, salads, main courses and desserts. They do have an assortment of drinks, everything from Chinese beer to smoothies for the kids. (This is where my only complaint with the Nine Dragons is, they don’t have regular iced tea, they only offer ginger tea, I’m not a ginger tea kind of guy.)
Their appetizers are different from your neighborhood Chinese take-out. They do offer Shrimp rolls and pot stickers, but they also offer General Tso’s Chicken Dumplings, These are wonderful. The Last time we were down, my wife had the hot and sour soup and said it was very good. They don’t offer a lot of different main courses, but they do offer a variety. They offer dishes that feature fish, shrimp, pork, beef, chicken, and even a tofu. They also had a noodle sampler that looked interesting, that I’m sorry to say we didn’t have, but I am looking forward to it on our next trip.
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| My wife, our son and his friend coming out of the store. |
So, now you know why we visit the China pavilion on every trip to Walt Disney World. We enjoy looking at the jade and the silk robes and other goods in the store, but the main reason we look forward to visiting China is to have a wonderful meal in the Nine Dragons. If you are going to visit this Unknown Magic, I would suggest an Advanced Dining Reservation, as a lot of people feel as we do and enjoy the Magical Experience of eating in the modern and traditional setting of the Nine Dragons.
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