Dole Whip

All posts tagged Dole Whip

World Secrets – Zebra Domes! Are They Made of Zebras?

Published July 20, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Maybe you’ve heard of the iconic Dole Whip or maybe even the lesser known

School Bread?

The Disney parks aren’t the only place you can find iconic food items. Inside the fabulous Animal Kingdom Lodge you can find Zebra Domes – a culinary hidden gem – and possibly one of the best kept World Secrets at Disney! Some guests love Zebra Domes, and some don’t. I am one who adores these little striped treasures –  so get ready for a completely biased Zebra Dome blog post!

Despite what the name suggests, they do NOT contain bits of real zebra.

They get their name due to their striped appearance.

Zebra Dome

The main ingredients are actually espresso, heavy cream, and Kahlua. I am not usually a fan of strong coffee flavors and I don’t drink coffee at all. Zebra Domes, however, contain just a hint – and it is not over powering. They require refrigeration because they are so soft and smooth. They are not made of ice cream –  but beware –  they will melt in the heat. I tried to bring some home for my husband and they did not survive the 40 minute drive.

Zebra Dome

See the little thin layer of cake on the bottom? Mmmm….

Zebra Domes are always on the buffet menu over at Boma. No time to make a dining reservation? No problem! Just head on over to The Mara – where they are packaged in little clear boxes as a grab and go item! Bite sized pieces of heaven in a little box of 5 for $3.69 or a snack credit?! Yes please. I would like a herd of them…but once I am done they will surely be extinct. 

Can we head over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge right now? 

photo (56)

So what team are you on? Do you love Zebra Domes or maybe not so much? If you haven’t given them a try yet, now you know the secret!

I hope you will find inspiration to trot over and grab some for yourself…and please let me know what you think!

World Secrets! Beyond the Birthday Basics: Grown-ups Like to Celebrate at Disney too!

Published April 5, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Alicia is a Disneyways subscriber and avid reader who has a WONDERFUL “predicament”. She is celebrating her 27th birthday in Walt Disney World this year. This is her first time ever to blow out her candles in the most magical place on earth. Alicia was so sweet and persistent in asking me for some tips that might help her to make the day extra wonderful.

So…Alicia…this one’s for you…and everyone else reading this post who has wondered the same thing!

Thanks for your great question!

Alicia

Can you tell Alicia is just a kid at heart?

This is definitely one of our longer posts, and I want to respect your time. If you are too busy to read all this – stop right here and call my friend Ramon from ThemeParkConcierges.com. (407-257-9973)

Ramon has been helping families and individuals create magical Disney birthday moments for years and he is VERY affordable for the amazing value he provides. Like some sort of Disney wish granter – Ramon has access to special meet and greet opportunities, VIP seating, holiday tours, and all sorts of things that he can customize just for you, and that are probably not even listed here. He can save you a ton of time and make your birthday celebrations a breeze!

Now let’s get the ball rolling and think out side the box for a little inspiration! We’ve got free, cheap and pricey ideas for grown-up birthdays!

Drinking or Snacking Around World Showcase

Planning is crucial here – so be sure to check out THIS LINK before you attempting this idea. Now take it a step further. Create something tangible before you leave for yourself or the person who is celebrating their birthday. Look up the drink and food menus at the World Showcase pavilions and think about the items you or they would most prefer. Print a map of Epcot and write your choices on each country to represent your plan of action. Create t-shirts with the countries and all the drinks or snacks listed. Bring a sharpie to mark each one off as you go! You can buy alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks, snacks and food at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom if you like those parks better – or do a snack crawl around Magic Kingdom!

Wear a HAT!

Any silly or customized hat can also be a great way to celebrate your birthday trip around the world, or any occasion really. Check out this photo my hubby took of Mike from MikeandTheMouse.com (and me!) from our last Disneyways meetup. Nothing beats a fashionable set of Mickey ears.

By the way…if you weren’t at the meetup these are the sort of shenanigans you missed. You need to come to the next one. The details will be revealed soon! 🙂

mike

Watch the Fireworks during Dinner 

Again, some planning ahead is important here. You’re going to need a list of restaurants where this is possible. Stay tuned to Disneyways for those. Better yet subscribe to get updates by email so you’ll never miss a post! Advanced dining reservations are also crucial! The good news is – fireworks viewing won’t cost you any extra if you are lucky enough to be seated for dinner in a good spot.

Take a Specialty Cruise 

Check out the options for specialty cruises at Walt Disney World here. Check out this page for the phone numbers to call. Don’t want to sit on hold? Hire Ramon to do this for you.

Pick the Plan

Here’s one that won’t add any expense at all. You or  the person celebrating their birthday gets to pick the general schedule for the day and maybe even invite a surprise guest.  The attraction and show choices are endless, and giving or having this kind of power is fuel for some wonderful birthday memories.

Set up a Small Private Event

There are a couple of ways to set up a small private event at Walt Disney World.

One is to call Private Dining at the Grand Floridian (407-824-2474) and arrange to have dinner somewhere in the hotel or at the marina during the Wishes fireworks. If you are staying in some other Disney resort – then the way to do a small private event at Walt Disney World is to work with Disney Catered Events (321-939-7278). My recommendation? Use a travel agent or hire Ramon to do all of this for you.

Beyond Birthday Cake

Sure you can get cake at Disney, if you prefer. But I hope you will go to Norway for School Bread. Get Zebra Domes from Boma or Mara in Animal Kingdom Lodge. Order Crepes from Chefs de France, ‘Smores from the ’50s Prime Time Diner, or the Tonga Toast at Kona Cafe. Bring your own birthday candle and your server will bring it out singing. Try to conquer the Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream. Have Dole Whip or Mickey Bar at breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Sample every kind of fudge at the Main Street Confectionery. The more off-the-wall your sweet treat is, the more you or your special someone will remember the celebration.

Book some Extra Birthday Fun

Take the Characters in Flight balloon ride at Downtown Disney. Spend a day at the Saratoga Springs Resort spa or the new Senses Spa at the Grand Floridian. Take a backstage tour at the Magic Kingdom. Book a suite or stay in a different or nicer resort than usual. Plan a shopping spree. Stay at the park until it closes. Go parasailing or waterskiing at the Contemporary. Get tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba at Downtown Disney.

Decorate Your Room

A great way to add oomph to your celebration is to decorate your hotel room. You can do this with streamers and balloons brought from home. Don’t want to do it yourself? Enlist the help of the Disney Floral and Gift Basket team. Find them online or give them a call at 407-WDW-GIFT. They have a bunch of room decorating packages available. They can also customize a basket for you. If you have something very specific in mind, get on the phone and speak to someone directly. OR save time and money by…you guessed it…hiring Ramon to do it all for you. Do I sound like a broken record yet?

Another Freebie

Grab a blanket or extra towels and watch the Wishes fireworks presentation from the beach at the Polynesian.

Do the “Usual” but still Pretty Fantastic Disney Celebration Stuff

Of course Disney has their own official ways to make birthdays a little more magical in the World. Click here for more on that. Just don’t forget to come back to this page to reference all the cool extra stuff we’ve mentioned already.

I hope one or more of these ideas will help you get started. Let’s face it, you actually may not need to jump through any magical hoops to make a Disney celebration special. A trip to Walt Disney World is pretty special all by itself. Life really can’t get much better than feeling the wind in your hair on Test Track –  or getting a hug from Mickey Mouse. I promise, you aren’t the only one who gets sentimental at Disney.

Please send me your ideas, dreams and memories of your favorite Disney birthdays! We would LOVE to hear from you!

2013 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Menu Highlights and Food Locations

Published February 1, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Yes, you read that right. Taking a hint from the huge success of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, food kiosks will be added in the World Showcase in 2013 during Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. What does this mean? Well, we will get to try some delicious new foods and beverages as we stroll around to see Disney characters in topiary, and rock out to the Flower Power Concert series (among other things!).

tea

I can’t even tell you how excited I am about this – but if a picture speaks a thousand words…

This is how I feel.

Don’t worry  – there are no squirrels on the menu.

Instead, Epcot chefs have some other things in mind.

Some highlights will include:

  • Smokehouse Barbecue and Brew in the American Adventure
  • Primavera Kitchen in the Italy pavilion
  • Hanami in the Japan pavilion
  • Florida Fresh -in the World Showcase Promenade

Menu items will include:

  • Shrimp with grits
  • Zellwood corn
  • Angel food cake with macerated Florida berries
  • Watermelon salad with pickled red onions
  • Feta cheese and balsamic reduction
  • Sweet “frushi” made with fresh fruits and coconut rice.

Specialty drinks will include:

  • Dole Whip with Spiced Rum
  • Hot Sun Tomato Wine from Florida Orange Groves Winery
  • Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade (non-alcoholic)
  • Wild Berry Slush (non-alcoholic)

 Tip: Need a map so you can plan your snack attack? Click here for a link to all of them from WDWInfo.com

What are your thoughts on these menu items?

Related articles

Getting Schooled on Epcot’s Norwegian School Bread (Skolebrød)

Published January 19, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Talk to any person who loves Epcot food long enough – and you might hear them mention School Bread. It has become a favorite of many Disney fans, almost as famous as some other portable snacks such as the turkey leg, or maybe even the Dole Whip. You can find the Disney World version of this baked good inside the Norway Pavilion at Epcot, or the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe to be exact. Here is what it will look like:

Epcot’s version of School Bread. Photo source: melsquietthoughts.com

I mentioned School Bread on facebook and really sparked some questions. That is what inspired this post today. Not ever having eaten School Bread myself, I wondered, what is it really, and why is it such a big deal to those of us who love Disney? To give you an idea of how popular it is – Amanda of MigotoChou (her store on etsy) has sold out of her “School Bread Scented Polymer Clay Epcot Walt Disney World Snack Miniature.” I just think these little things are adorable, so I had to include a picture of them too. Check it out!

Photo source: etsy.com/shop/MigotoChou

To find out more about the real, edible school bread, I did a little research.

Moose and L-Jay from MyLittleNorway.com are a fantastic source for all things Norwegian. According to the couple – School Bread (Skolebrødis) all about the “bread” which they don’t really even consider bread, but more like a bun. Before we go any further I should explain that “Skole” means school. Why do they use the word school to describe this treat? Well, because it is filled with rich vanilla cream or vanilla pudding, Norwegian School Bread is a special treat to include in your children’s lunches or to prepare for a special school gathering. Bolle is the word to describe one bun and Boller refers to two or more. For whatever reason – it seems we are all calling them school bread or “skolebrød”- when actually they are more of a School BUN – or a “skoleboller”.

When I contacted Moose and L-Jay through facebook and asked why I couldn’t find Skolebrød in my search of their site they told me this:

“They are also known as skoleboller (as they are typically made from boller dough not bread as such.)”

So if you search skoleboller on their site – what you see if the actual food that has inspired Epcot’s famous school bread. My next question – what is boller dough and how is it different then bread?

To quote mylittlenorway.com: “To me, a bolle just seems like a hot-cross bun without the hot-cross and eaten everyday rather than just Easter. But to a Norwegian the bolle is a way of life.”

Skoleboller (school buns) are boller with a custard center and an iced coconut topping. They are VERY common in Norway. Every supermarket stocks a fresh batch in the bakery section. When a Norwegian has a choice between plain boller and skoleboller, the latter always wins. No wonder they made their way to the Norway Pavilion in Epcot.

To find out more about Epcot’s version of School Bread I went to the Disney Food Blog. They are quoted as saying this little slice of heaven is absolutely delicious. It is stuffed with vanilla custard, surrounded by a light sweet pastry, and sprinkled with coconut. They described it as magnificent and adding to the delight is the fact that the custard is chilled, making School Bread the perfect compliment to a hot Epcot afternoon. Believe it or not, according to DFB, School Bread actually isn’t too sweet! Which is possibly why so many people love it. Regarding taste and texture, the bread is a cross between a cinnamon roll and a dinner roll. It’s not super moist — more springy. But the sweet vanilla custard is extremely smooth and abundant. They go on to say the basic icing and coconut on top give it just enough extra sweetness.

Have you tried School Bread? What did you think of it?

%d bloggers like this: