Chicken Toa Nue

Chicken Toa Nue
Tony Caggiano

For the past few Tuesdays we have been traveling back in time, as is so often the case on The WED Page, reviewing vintage albums and books. Today we have decided to take our looks back to the next level. More than just a review of an old piece of media, we will be actually preparing and sampling a meal that was at one time, but is no longer, offered on Walt Disney World property. The recipe, the Papeete Bay Verandah’s Chicken Toa Nue, was taken from the Cooking Around the World with Mickey Cookbook.

CHICKEN TOA NUE
Papeete Bay Verandah
Polynesian Village Resort
Yield: 5 servings

Chicken Toa Nue was served in coconut shells. If you are going to follow the original meal’s presentation, prepare the coconut shells before staring the rest of the recipe. Then make the recipe in three parts: First, the Brown Sauce, then the chicken and, while the chicken is kept hot, prepare the fried bananas.

COCONUT SHELLS

Ingredients:
5 Coconuts
5 Large grape leaves (or use ti leaves if available)

Directions:
Punch holes in the eyes of the coconuts and drain. With a very sharp saw, remove a small piece from the bottom of the shell so it will set flat. Cut off top of coconut about 3 inches down. If coconuts are not to be used the same day, place in a bag and refrigerate.

BROWN SAUCE

Ingredients:
1-tablespoon margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 beef bouillon cube
½ cup hot water
Freshly grated black pepper to taste
Granulated garlic to taste
1 ½ teaspoons tomato puree
1/8 teaspoon brown gravy coloring sauce

Directions:
Heat margarine and add flour, stirring to blend/cook and stir for 3 minutes. Dissolve bouillon cube in hot water. Gradually add to margarine/flour mixture. Cook and stir with a whisk until smooth and thickened. Add pepper and garlic to taste. Add tomato puree and brown gravy coloring. Simmer 5 minutes. Set aside.

CHICKEN

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon
2 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 ounces canned mushrooms stems and pieces, drained
1 cup bean sprouts
12 frozen pearl onions, defrosted
Brown Sauce
1½ tablespoons Pernod
Salt to taste

Directions:
Cut bacon into ¼ inch strips and chicken into 1-inch strips. Cook bacon in skillet until golden. Remove and drain on paper towel. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Add chicken strips and sauté for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, bean sprouts, onions, Brown Sauce and Pernod. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Taste and add salt, if needed. Stir in bacon. Keep hot while preparing bananas.

FRIED BANANAS

Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salad oil
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
5 bananas
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cup plain dry breadcrumbs
Oil or fat for frying

Directions:
Combine eggs, oil, water, cinnamon and sugar, mixing well. Cut peeled bananas in half lengthwise. Coat with flour, shaking off excess. Dip bananas in egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs. Fry in oil heated to 350 degrees for about 1 minute or until golden brown. Serve at once.

I did my best to stick to the exact recipe, the only deviations being substitution of butter for the margarine and the use of fresh mushrooms and pearl onions instead of canned or frozen. As a “Child of the Polynesian” it was a wonderful trip back in time to prepare and enjoy this dish. The Brown Sauce was rich, with just enough salt to compliment the sweetness of the fried bananas. The rest of the favors were perfectly balanced between the onions, bacon and mushrooms. I would add that, at first glance, this recipe seemed a bit complex, with the three separate recipe sections, but I must say that they were broken down so well, that the overall creation of the dish was quite easy and a pleasure to prepare.

Over all, I think this is a wonderfully delicious way to enjoy a bit of vintage Polynesian Village at home. Although I found myself longing for a bit of rice or perhaps bread to “sop up” all of the delicious sauce at the end.

Whether you are a long time fan of Walt Disney World cuisine or new to the scene, I heartily urge you to try to get your hands on one of the many Disney Resort cookbooks and enjoy some of the delicious recipes for yourself. It is a terrific way to help make your time between visits to The World a little more Magical.

Extinct Eateries: Papeete Bay Verandah

Extinct Eateries: Papeete Bay Verandah
Tony Caggiano

As I think back on past vacations at Walt Disney World, I have so many memories of great times. The time spent exploring the parks, riding attractions and just plain old having fun, come back to me vividly. Yet, to this day, I always have a special place in my heart for the times spend sitting around a table, enjoying a meal with my family. Whether it was an early morning breakfast, where we were discussing the plans for that day or a light night meal, reflecting upon the day we just had, mealtime has always been a special time, when the entire family takes a break from the hectic pace of our Disney vacation to slow down and reflect, together, on what was most important about these trips, being together as a family.

Through the years I have had many “favorite” spots to enjoy this family time, around the table. These days, the options are vast. There are hundreds of restaurants to choose from. Back in the early days of Walt Disney World there were fewer choices, and perhaps that is why the restaurants from those days made such an impression. As a “Polynesian Village” vacation family, many of my favorite Disney World dining memories take me back there, from The Great Ceremonial House to the Outrigger Assembly House and one of my families long lost favorites, The Papeete Bay Verandah.

Papeete Bay opened with the Polynesian Village Resort back on 1971. The restaurant offered breakfast and lunch buffet, as well as a Polynesian Revue in the evenings. This revue was held earlier in the history of the restaurant and was different than another Polynesian Revue which was offered down in Luau Cove. Admittedly, I do not have any memory of this revue, although I do remember another special dining experience they offered, Minnie’s Menehune Breakfast.

Minnie’s Menehune Breakfast was one of the first character breakfast buffets offered on property. Minnie, Mickey, Pluto, Goofy, Chip & Dale would appear during the meal, dressed in Hawaiian style shirts, grass skirts and leis. All of which added to the flavor of the experience and reinforced the idea that you were in a far off, exotic resort…even if it was Disney.

This “flavor of the islands” didn’t end there; the buffet menu also reflected the Polynesian feel of the resort. With offerings such as Chicken Pago Pago, Keiki Lipa and Polynesian Braised Pork, the chefs did their best to bring a little bit of the south pacific to you, always keeping alive the feeling that this resort was all about transporting you to a far off island paradise.

The Papeete Bay Verandah closed it’s doors permanently in September of 1994 to make way for yet another Polynesian dining experience, which also happens to be a personal favorite of our family (I actually held the rehearsal dinner for my wedding there) ‘OHANA.

While the folks at Walt Disney World are doing a fantastic job of keeping the island feel of the Polynesian Resort’s restaurants, maybe it’s just nostalgia, but I will always have a special place in my heart for the Papeete Bay Verandah.

This bold renegade

This bold renegade
Ryan P. Wilson

In the past several years, there has been quite a bit of revitalization going on in the City of Tomorrow. We have also seen and heard the news of a massive expansion coming to the countryside of Fantasyland. Meanwhile, the golden age of adventure and the freedom of frontier have not seen major additions or changes in the past several years. There is, however, one character in the Disney directory that could bridge both of these lands and infuse some more action, history, and maybe perhaps some fantastic food, into the area. His name? While this crafty fox has many, he is most often referred to as Zorro.

Zorro was its own series for the two years it ran on network television from 1957 until 1959, and in the course of series compiled seventy-eight episodes following the famed fighter of the unfortunate. However, when the protector of California returned in 1960 – 1961 he was presented to viewers in serial form on Walt Disney Presents over the course of four episodes. At the time, Zorro came to households across the country from Frontierland. There may not have been cowboys and Spanish California epitomizers the images, both real and imaginary, of what the West was. This tie to Frontierland is evident in Disneyland’s Zorro Days and the current restaurant Rancho del Zocalo, the town square, where a wrought iron Zorro and Tornado and plenty of swishing Zs decorating the restaurant.In the Magic Kingdom, a majority of Spanish influence comes across in the architecture of Caribbean Plaza. The similarities in the designs of Caribbean Plaza and Spanish California can be seen in the subtle transition between Adventureland and Frontierland. As an adventurer and a man of the frontier, this would be the perfect location for Zorro to ride once more.

An attraction featuring Zorro may not be the most timely inclusion, especially considering the television show aired fifty years ago. Space may be limited due to the proximity to the Walt Disney World Railroad, a recreation of the de la Vega hacienda along the western side of this thoroughfare could offer a variety of experiences. Taking a page from Disneyland, the hacienda could be used as a quick service dining location. Or, working from a swashbuckler next door, Zorro could host his own tutorial. Of course, a blending of these two options, taking the form of a table service restaurant with fight scenes taking place throughout the dining area, would enhance the typical Character Dining meal.The point is, there are plenty of heroes in the Disney catalog that make park and resort appearances, from Davy Crockett to Captain Jack Sparrow, but the inclusion of Zorro among these protagonist is a glaring omission. And while I don’t foresee any of these ideas coming to Walt Disney World anytime soon, it is the foundation upon which the Magic Kingdom is built that we should dream big. Especially when there is so much material and magic to be found in the wily fox of California.

Disney This Week - 7 February 2010

Disney This Week - 7 February 2010
Ryan P. Wilson

While Disney enthusiasts have bemoaned the current state of the yeti, the central piece of the Expedition Everest experience, Popular Mechanics scribe Seth Porges explores the science behind the story of the Forbidden Mountain.

I have a serious problem with the France pavilion in World Showcase. With her crepe flip book, AJ gives us just one of the reasons why I can’t stay away. The Disney Food Blog also offers up a comprehensive examination of healthy options for dining in Walt Disney World.

I have spoke often about my fondness for all things related to the Fort Wilderness Campground. Greg Ehrbar, over at D23, offers a great primer for those who have never explored the many storied corners of this magnificent campground.

Continuing SamLand’s Disney Adventures’ tour of Adventureland, Sam Gennawey offers a look back at one of the oldest living trees, a Canary Island Date Palm, in Disneyland and how it relates to the land before Disneyland was there and to the family of one of Disneyland’s finest Cast Members.

Dick Nunis is often remembered for his work in the early years of Walt Disney World, but after seeing him in his “fun, cool and professional look,” as brought to us by George Taylor and Imaginerding, I may never be able to get that image out of my memory.

The Disney Chick offers us a wordless wonder from Epcot. Simply beauty is often the best course, eh?

With all of the talk about the new version of Star Tours coming to both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, it is nice to see Vintage Disneyland Tickets looking back at some opening information on the original Star Tours in California.

Once again turning to the wonderful world of guest bloggers, Jeff Onorato steps in over at AllEars to take readers on a tour of Wolfgang Puck Grand Café. Not only does he showcase the fine décor, but also offers us some tempting glimpses at the menu.

N234MM

N234MM
Ryan P. Wilson
This plane, found along the winding road of the Studio Backlot Tour is a wonder to behold. The tail number of N234MM would originally be called by the proper designation of “two three four metro metro,” but soon the FAA replaced the “metro metro” with “Mickey Mouse,” and so it was known for the remainder of its life. The Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I twin-turbo-prop plane may not look like much, but it has plenty of stories to tell.

The plane, which began its life in 1963, was not the first plane owned by Disney, but it was the plane that Walt Disney used to locate the land that would become Walt Disney World. In fact, after flying over the expanse of land near I-4, the plane was on a refueling stop in New Orleans on November 22, 1963 when Walt Disney learned that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. It was on this same flight, from New Orleans back to California, that Walt decided that Central Florida would be the home of his Disney World.

In 1992, after years of shuttling Disney executives to and fro, N234MM was retired. It was decided that the plane’s final resting place would be where any and all Disney enthusiasts could observe it, Disney-MGM Studios. That October, the plane landed for a final time in Florida, along World Drive. After landing, it was lifted by a crane and towed to a resting spot along the Studios’ Backlot, near the Facilities Maintenance building. It was gutted and sealed, assuring that it would no longer take to the air, and remained in this location for a number of years before being moved to its current location, behind Lights, Motors, Action!, during an overhaul of a majority of the Backlot.

The application of leading edge technology

The application of leading edge technology
Ryan P. Wilson

This week I had the pleasure to once again join Lou Mongello on the WDW Radio Show. On this journey aboard Lou’s fabled Wayback Machine, we crank the dials back to 1986. From additions to EPCOT Center, to television specials that featured Walt Disney World, and even our personal clothing choices in 1986 were discussed and fair game.

Along the way, we found some of our favorite memories of the Disney days gone by. As a child, and even now as an adult, I would often times find myself wishing for nothing more than to board a monorail and ride it for hours. Specifically, the route from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Epcot and back again was always at the forefront of my Walt Disney World experience. The trip gives guests a more complete monorail experience, as well as some of the best views of Epcot’s Future World available. On a recent trip, the weather may have been dreary, but the pavilions flying by my window were a thing of beauty.

Gatebuster Dining: Le Cellier

Gatebuster Dining: Le Cellier
Tony Caggiano

A few weeks ago I began taking a look at dining options that have just as strong a following with Walt Disney World fans as many of the rides do. These “Gatebuster Dining” establishments often require reservations, or ADRs as Disney insiders know them, months in advance, often times within the first day or two of the 180 day reservation window. While I figured starting this series off in Cinderella’s Royal Table seems appropriate, I had a tough time choosing between it and this week’s venue…Le Cellier.Le Cellier, for those who may not know, is a table service restaurant that can be found in the Canada Pavilion of World Showcase in Epcot. The fare is traditional steakhouse cuisine with a Canadian flair. The atmosphere is comfortable yet classy, especially when you take into consideration the fact that you are dining in a theme park.

To find Le Cellier, venture down to the right of the main Canada Pavilion, where you will notice a wrought iron archway with the signage for the restaurant. Once you pass under this archway, you are led down winding pathways through beautifully landscaped gardens, reminiscent of the Victoria Gardens of British Columbia, and straight to the restaurant’s front door.

Upon entering the restaurant the aura goes from one of brightly lit, sunny flower gardens to a warm cozy feel, with stone walls, dark wood paneling, and soft lighting. Each section of the restaurant represents a different province of Canada. And be sure to speak with your server, as they are very enthusiastic about sharing information from their native country.Le Cellier offers both lunch and dinner menus, and no matter which meal you are interested in booking, there are a few things you can expect each and every time you go…a great meal, a full house and difficulty booking your first choice of meal time. There are a several factors that add to the difficulty of getting a seat at Le Cellier, especially during prime dining hours. The first is, quite simply, the size of the restaurant. Considering its immense popularity, Le Cellier is really quite small, seating fewer than 200 people at any given time. The second factor is the FOOD!

The menu offerings include several fantastic starters, which includes one of my favorites, Duck Three Ways, a selection of confit, rillets and flieschnick with an orange gastrique, a very fancy word for a very tasty sauce. On the list of entrees you will find Le Cellier’s take on a few steakhouse staples, a delicious Coffee-rubbed Kansas City Strip Steak, a wonderfully prepared Salt-crusted Prime Rib and, my own personal favorite, Le Cellier Mushroom Filet Mignon with wild mushroom risotto, white truffle and herb butter sauce.

On the dessert menu, there are two items that should be noted. The first is the Maple Crème Brulee, one of my all time favorite desserts in all of Epcot. Light, creamy, the perfect finish to a hearty steak dinner. The other is the Canadian Chocolate Moose, and NO, that is not a typo. As you can see by the photograph, this is not your everyday chocolate mousse.

I am sure by this time, many of the hardcore fans of Le Cellier are wondering how I could have overlooked two particular menu items. I have not overlooked a thing, I have merely saved the best for last!

If you have never been to this restaurant, and are on the fence about whether or not you would enjoy a meal here, you should know that, if I had to shell out the daily entrance fee to Epcot, just for a meal at Le Cellier, I would be more than happy to, and not even order an entrée. I could, and have, simply made a meal out of the pretzel bread and the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup.

The pretzel bread is brought to each and every table and is complimentary with your meal. It is warm, chewy and salty…just the way a pretzel was meant to be. This, along with what many herald as the star attraction on the menu, the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, is just about as good as it gets. These two items are among the many, many reasons why guests return time and time again to Le Cellier.

I highly recommend this restaurant, and you can be sure that at some point during each and every one of my Walt Disney World vacations, you can find me there enjoying meal…or two. This is “Gatebuster Dining” at it’s best…bon appetite!!!

Long Lost Dining

Long Lost Dining
Tony Caggiano

Over the past few weeks, my retro articles have all been in reference to musical selections from days gone by, but with so many incredible and fun things lurking in Walt Disney World’s past, I began to think, why do these reviews all have to be about vintage albums?

While rearranging some shelves in my own kitchen, I spied my Disney cookbook collection. Over the year, the chefs at Walt Disney World have been gracious enough to offer up some of their best recipes to their fans. The very first of these Walt Disney World cookbooks came out way back in 1986, Cooking with Mickey Around Our World. This book has long been a favorite in out household.

When I first purchased my copy of this book, I believe I was on Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom. I was about 15 years old and, even though my culinary skills were lacking at the time, I knew then, that this was a wonderful way to bring some of the magic of Walt Disney World home.

What I did not realize at the time is that this book would someday be a time capsule of sorts, offering long lost recipes from Extinct Restaurants. While you can find a few recipes, which are offered today at The World, most are from restaurants whose doors have long been closed. Some of my favorite dining spots from year gone by are her, including the Contemporary’s Top of the World Restaurant, the Polynesian Village’s (as it was formerly know as) Papeete Bay Verandah, the Empress Lilly’s Steersman’s Quarters and the Magic Kingdom’s King Stephan’s Banquet Hall, just to name a few.

While these recipes are like a step back in time for long time Disney World vacationers, I highly recommend newcomers giving them a try, as they could offer a fun and delicious way to get a taste of dining in a “World” gone by.

I understand that this may be the first you have heard of this book, but it certainly won’t be the last. Over the next few weeks and months both I and Ryan will be trying our own hands at preparing some tasty, extinct, treats from the pages of this, and other, Disney cookbooks. Through our Disney Delish articles we will be reporting back to you, our readers, with the appetizing outcome of these experiments. Be sure to stay tuned, as I am sure that we will be offering you a delectable trip back in time…

In the fast lane

In the fast lane
Ryan P. Wilson

There are a lot of small scale collectibles found throughout Walt Disney World. These aren’t fifty-dollar figurines or several hundred dollar pieces of art work, no these items are souvenirs that are small, easy to transport, and don’t cost all of your spending money in a solitary item. When discussing these collectibles, most people immediately think of Pin Trading or the recent additions of Vinylmations. Today, however, we’ll look at an affordable collectible that is not only pleasant to look at but also have a very high play value.

For as long as can be recollected, youngsters have loved anything that travels on wheels: scooters, bikes, wheels with a stick, and, of course, Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars. Several years ago, Disney introduced its own line of miniature cars called Disney Racers. They follow the model of the 1/64 scale die cast metal body race car, but that is where the similarities between Disney’s wheels and other cars end.

Disney’s Racers use well known characters as the inspiration of their cars’ bodies. While Mickey and the gang are included in the various lines (Mickey does, in fact have two versions modeled after himself), the real draw here are the clever and quick heroes of the silver screens. Indiana Jones, Kermit the Frog, various Star Wars individuals, and the crews of Pirates of the Caribbean have all been given the Racers treatment. While it is true that all of these features have a presence in the parks, characters exclusive to the parks have also gotten in on the fun with Racers featuring Figment, Dinosaur’s Carnotaurus, and even a ghost from the Haunted Mansion. Not to be outdone, the already speedy transportation of Disney is also featured with a Monorail and a Disney Bus.

The upside for Disney souvenirs, but the downside in the world beyond the gates, is the price tag of the Disney Racers. Retailing for 4.95, the cars make a cheap souvenir, but the price doesn’t hold up against the .97 cent Hot Wheels found in stores everywhere. However, when most Walt Disney World art forms, including Pin Trading and Vinylmations, are more expensive and include limitations, such as the blind packaging of most Vinylmations or pins that are only released to Cast Members, the Disney Racers are readily available throughout the parks at a reasonable cost. Not to mention that it could be argued that each car body is as detailed as any attraction queue in Walt Disney World and just as gorgeous.

Whether a toy that will be lovingly demolished through the play of a six year old, or carefully included in an artful display, the Disney Racers appeal to a broad range of guests. They have raced under the radar for many years, but that doesn’t mean that they are any less worthy of the time and attention lavished upon other Disney collectibles.

Disney This Week - 31 January 2010

Disney This Week - 31 January 2010
Ryan P. Wilson

Okay, so just a month ago, I said that I was cutting back my workload and the number of articles a week on the Main Street Gazette. While the focus of the content is still remaining, and the readers out there seem to be enjoying the quality of the content we are bringing to the Gazette, I can’t help but feel that you have all been left out in the cold for weekend reading. With that in mind, it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Disney This Week. Disney This Week will be a regular column every Sunday morning that recaps a few of the articles from the Disney blogosphere that have caught my eye in the previous week. I hope you will enjoy what others have to say on the subject of the wide world of Disney.

Many bloggers and Disney enthusiasts who share our memories through photographs and videos are often concerned about our media coming back to bite us through legal ramifications. Robert Niles of the Theme Park Insider offers some fantastic insight into why we shouldn’t worry as much.

Last Friday, members of D23 and lifelong fans of Mary Poppins, both the film and the stage production, were treated to a special performance and conversation of the title. In fact, Jeffrey Epstein even lets us in on the secret that Nackvid Keyd returned to reprise his role.

If there is one thing that throws be back to my childhood spent at Walt Disney World, it is the sound of a distant train whistle. Princess Fee, of DF’82, must know this. Why else would she torture me with glimpses into the iron horses of Tokyo Disneyland?

Restaurantosaurus is, perhaps, the most richly detailed restaurant in all of Walt Disney World. Articles on the subject matter covered here could range from automotive, to music, and even to dorm life while never actually addressing dinosaurs. George Taylor, the original geek of Imaginerding, offers us some terrific insight into the books that line Restaurantosaurus’ shelves.

I have always been a collector and constructor of Legos. And now, with a new Legoland coming to Central Florida, I have even more reasons to move back to the place where I was born. Over at Progress City, U.S.A., Michael Crawford has an excellent dissection of the Lego – Walt Disney World relationship.

AJ, of the Disney Food Blog, finds a way to make me hungry no matter when I check in on her site. This week, however, she made me want to go back in time to Disneyland 1955 to grab a bite to eat.

Also, in the makes me hungry (as well as thirsty and prone to guffaws) when I read their writing department is Andy Jackson of Eating (and Drinking) around the World. This past week he reminds us that there are cocktails available in the Magic Kingdom,… if you’re a robot.

While the commentary is a little over a week old, I felt this piece deserved a place in this week’s look back, as it was one of the reasons I was driven to start this segment. Greg Grimsley, otherwise known as Doc of The Disney Obsession, put together 59 words and a single picture and completely captured the heart of what Walt Disney World is.

There were also some great guest blogs circulating this week, here is one that really caught my eye and held my attention.

Tim Halbur wrote this week for SamLand’s Disney Adventures, which is regularly penned by the thought provoking and well-versed Sam Gennawey. Tim’s article crafted a new Carousel of Progress, hosted by none other than Ludwig Von Drake.

Fit the bill

Fit the bill
Ryan P. Wilson
The PhilharMagic Concert Hall is, quite coincidentally, home to Mickey’s PhilharMagic. While this may seem like a rather unimaginative name for the hall that hosts Maestro Mickey’s show, the PhilharMagic Concert Hall has hosted a plethora of events prior to the current concert of the same name. In fact, before a performance, or during the intermission, guests can take a gander at the posters that promoted these events.

Festival de los Mariachis – In our inaugural Season, Donald Duck proved that his Mariachi-style trumpet really fit the bill!














I Pagliacci – In one whale of a Second Season, Willie made quite a splash!















The Wolf Gang Trio – A highlight of the Third Season, the Wolfgang Trio huffed and puffed and blew the house down!















Ariel’s Coral Group – Ariel brought part of her world to a part of our world with the Fourth Season’s Concerto in Sea Major!














Genie – After his “un-corked” Fifth-Season performance, Genie left his fans wishing for more!















An Evening with Wheezy – The sensation of the Sixth Season were the soft and breezy vocal stylings of Wheezy!















Hades – In our sizzling Seventh Season, Hades’ performances were on fire!

Quality California

Quality California
Ryan P. WilsonA while back, we discussed the architecture of the Sunset Ranch Market and the history of its real world inspiration, the Los Angeles Farmers Market. As with all farmers markets, Los Angeles’ began with well-worn, and well taken care of, trucks loaded down with crates of produce occupying a vacant lot in the predawn hours of the day. The Sunset Ranch Market, found at the end of Sunset Boulevard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, has kept this tradition alive with several produce labels plastered on the walls, and a truck loaded down with various crates of crops. Coincidentally, all of the labels found on the crates are authentic reproductions of actual brand logos that could be found in Southern California during the 1930s and 1940s, the precise era represented by this corner of Sunset Boulevard.

From the first nibble

From the first nibble
Ryan P. Wilson

Snacks are as intricate to the Walt Disney World experience as rollercoasters and autograph books. Of course, the lingering flavor of Dole Whips, the smell of roasted almonds, and the memories of popcorn on Main Street U.S.A can only last so long. Luckily for all of us, a flight or drive home no longer has to be the end of tasty Disney treats. Without much fanfare, Disney has been releasing several different brands of snack foods and beverages for guests to enjoy long after they have checked-out and returned home. Today we’ll tour the shelves and see what is available for a quick bite or hot sip.

Chocolatears – Bags of bite-sized chocolate snacks. Typical movie theater fare, such as chocolate covered pretzels, raisins, and maltballs are among the beloved movie time candies available to take to your own home theater.













Chocolate Favorites – Classic boxed favorites and variations. Generally reserved for romantic and festive holidays, everyday becomes a holiday with these cherry cordials, pecan clusters, and large chocolate covered crispy rice treats.









Goofy’s Candy Co. – Children’s, or adults who wish to feel like children, favorites are now bagged and served by Goofy. Red licorice bites, hard candies, gummies, and miniature lollipops are sure to satisfy the sweet tooth once home, or at for the drive home.








Chip & Dale Snack Company – Served in family and fun sizes, these bags of snack mixes not only provide something sweet but also protein for the energy to keep up with busy children, or to keep one step ahead of the parents. Chip and Dale have created snacks that help you choose you own adventure with mountain, tropical tiki, nature, and even samurai mixes, to name a few.






Minnie’s Bake Shop – Baked goods, including brownies and various cookies come in boxes and occasionally bagged individually, are handled by the Bake Shop. Back home, guests’ kitchens can become the Bake Shop with mixes that are also available, complete with spoons or whisks.








Main Street Popcorn – While Main Street U.S.A., and the Magic Kingdom as a whole, is known for its popcorn, variations on the traditional popcorn can be taken home by the bag. Kettle, Caramel, and Caramel with nuts are available for even walks or movie night.












Resort Delights – Traditional treats, coconut patties and taffy, which have often made gifts for family members and friends back home are still staples of the snack section.










Mickey’s Really Swell Coffee – Returning to work or school after any amount of time in Walt Disney World can be grueling, but some fresh perks should help get guests going. Included along side the various roasts and flavors are also classic coffee accompaniments like chocolate bars and waffle cookies.








Mickey’s Really Creamy Cocoa – Cocoa is the quickest way to warm up on those chilly nights, and with the flavored and classic cocoas, you are guaranteed warm bodies and a room full of smiles in every cup.









Wonderland Tea – Whether loose leaf or bagged, these teas, in blends such as Jasmine Green, Lemon Honey Chamomile, and even Mad Tea Party, make the perfect cup for an unbirthday or a drowsy morning spent reminiscing over vacation photographs.