The Cup That Will Transport You - Part II

The missus, also known as Aileen Sheehan-Wilson, has now made it through six of the various types of Joffrey’s Disney coffee blends of the fifteen that are available. Which has meant more than her fair share of late nights, contemplating why she wasn't able to get to sleep... Should we tell her it's all the coffee we're giving her?

It is worth noting that she has tried each of the reviewed blends on multiple occasions to ensure that there wasn’t just something funky going on with our coffee pot that day. As was the case with the first batch, we chose whole bean and ground the coffee for ourselves. The reviews will include Joffrey's description and Aileen's review. Now, back to Aileen!

California Grill (Dark) – This is how you fit a melting pot in a coffee cup. We blended 100% Specialty Grade Arabica Beans from Central America, Indonesia and Africa for a restaurant that serves up seasonal multi-national cuisine inspired by the Golden State for diners in the Sunshine State within view of a castle world famous in every state. We love it for its delicate aroma, rich full-bodied flavor and lingering finish. Pair it with the warm Valrhona chocolate cake. It’s a California dream.

What Aileen Tastes: 

I was very happy with this coffee. It had a bright flavor despite the fact that it was a dark roast and definitely made me think of the sunny weather in California. For me, there wasn’t a lingering finish as the description suggested, but it had a well-rounded flavor that would pair well with the fresh seasonal flavors associated with California cuisine. It would also be a wonderful dessert coffee.  It was my second favorite of the three.

French Bistro Blend In-Room (Dark) – Inspired by Europe’s finest bistros, this full-bodied dark roast is a rich blend of 100% Specialty Grade Arabica Beans. It has just enough spiciness to get you going and plenty of joie de vivre to keep you coming back for more.

What Aileen Tastes: 

I truly enjoyed this roast. It was a huge surprise for me that it was my favorite, since I usually hate in room coffee. In fact, I was shocked that Disney and Joffery’s chose to put a dark roast in their rooms, since many shy away from what they think will be an extremely bold coffee. However, I am here to tell you that while this roast was somewhat strong with a touch of spiciness, it was also extremely smooth and well balanced. I am thrilled it will be offered in room and I hope the prepackaged filters filled with coffee truly include the amount of Joffery’s suggests in their instructions. I actually plan to re-order this coffee at a later date.

Tusker House (Dark) – Tusker House is a pretty bountiful place. So we gave it a French roast that’s just as generous. Blended with some of our favorite single-origin 100% Specialty Grade Arabica Beans then roasted to a dark brown hue, this coffee is as full of flavor as the overflowing Tusker buffets you’ll experience morning, noon and night. Its robust aroma and smoky finish make it an excellent encore to the spit-roasted meats, savory samosas and spicy Tandoori—while touches of chocolate and caramel make capable cohorts when taking on the seemingly endless assortment of muffins, breads, cobblers and pastries. It’s the prefect cup for a place of plenty.

What Aileen Tastes: 

This selection still didn’t beat the Flying Fish Espresso on my overall scale but it was enjoyable.  It definitely had a bold and spicy flavor that included a smoky finish, but I did not taste the touches of chocolate and caramel listed in the description.  Overall, this coffee missed the mark with my morning oatmeal, almost overpowering my slightly bland breakfast, but I do think that it would pair quite well with the spicy foods served at The Tusker House. I would place this coffee squarely in the lunch and dinner category, solely based on my personal taste test.

Today’s Cup of Disney Rankings:

1 – French Bistro

2 – California Grill

3 – Tusker House

Overall Cup of Disney Rankings: 

1 – French Bistro

2 – California Grill

3 – Flying Fish Espresso

4 – Tusker House

5 – Artist Point

6 – The Wave

Previous Reviews:

The Cup That Will Transport You - Part I (The Wave, Artist Point, and Flying Fish Espresso)

Silent Saturday - House of Magic (March 2012)

Throughout Our Journey

Estelle and Melissa, from This Happy Place Blog and Mouse on the Mind respectively, are back with Kill, Marry, Refurb this month with a topic I just couldn’t refuse: transportation. When people think about transportation at Walt Disney World the mostly think about the monorails and the bus systems, but there is so much more to consider when you are talking about such a wide open topic.

For those of you who may need a reminder, Kill, Marry, Refurb is based upon a game of a similar name, though the switch to ‘Refurb’ here is appropriate and, shall we say, more family friendly. The gist is that you have a given topic and you have to choose one item in the category to get rid of (Kill), one that you love (Marry), and one which you think needs some TLC (Refurb). Sounds pretty simple right?

Kill – Monorail Wraps

I get it, Disney has a ton of properties now and the monorail gives them a great way to advertise about upcoming feature films. Just the sound of a monorail attracts guests’ attention. The size of the monorails give designers a ton of room to work with, which provides the opportunity to think outside of the box in terms of what goes into the advertisement. I’m also the first to admit that I was smitten with I first saw a light cycle zooming by onboard the Tronorail, but with time I’ve had a chance to reconsider. The monorails are a staple of Disney transportation, they cut a striking silhouette, everyone has a favorite stripe color they look for, and they deserve a bit more respect that to be used as a moving billboard.

Marry – Watercraft

I don’t carry if it is a ferry, one of the Friendships, or, my personal favorite, the motor launch, the watercraft of Walt Disney World is one of my favorite ways to travel. If you are traveling across Bay Lake, Crescent Lake, the Seven Seas Lagoon, or down the Sassagoula River, there is no better way to travel. There is no question there are quicker ways to get about, but none are quite as elegant. They also fill guests with a since of nostalgia, one of Walt Disney World’s founding principles. Plus, when you consider the fumes surrounding the bus stations, the chance to feel the wind in your hair and breathe in some fresh air is an experience that just can’t be beat.

Refurb – Transportation and Ticket Center

The Transportation and Ticket Center used to be the central hub through which all guests passed through on their way to parks, resorts, and all their adventures in between. In fact, the multitude of ticket booths had, in their heyday, lines pouring away from their windows. It was the first stop and the most exciting place to be as you decided where to go and how to get there! These days it is a sparsely populated area, where many of the once bustling areas now sit all but abandoned, and is a place that most guests see as a nuisance, if they pass through it at all. It may be time to demolish some of the ticket booths, spend a little money on revitalizing the area, and give the Transportation and Ticket Center a purpose once more.

What would you Kill, Marry, or Refurb when it comes to Walt Disney World transportation?

The Pot That Boils

Sanaa, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village, is known for a couple of things. Their extremely tasty bread service, the delicious adult beverage known as the African Starr Mojito, and extraordinary views of the Sunset Savanna and the animals that call it home all immediately spring to mind. While our attention may be captured by one, or all three, of these highlights have you ever stopped to look around and see where you are actually dining?

Sanaa is a Swahili word and can actually have several different meanings based on the context. It can mean a work of art, a work of skilled craftsmanship, or to make, construct, or fabricate. Anytime something is created, in particular by hand, you could say it is absolutely a work of art. Looking around at Sanaa is no different, it truly is an artistic creation, from the atmosphere to the culinary creations. But let’s stick to the decor for today.

Sanaa’s dining room is centralized around a large tree whose canopy forms the ceiling of the restaurant. Placed around the edge of the tree’s branches are booths with thatched roofs. The message of Sanaa is that you have stumbled upon artisans selling their creations. They have set up beneath the shade of the tree to get out of the harsh sunlight that covers the savanna. The artwork is displayed all throughout the shaded area, just try to miss the beads, baskets, lanterns, and other hand-crafted works displayed for your shopping pleasure.

No detail is too small, but when there are such amazing vistas and meals to capture our attention, even our surroundings can sometimes be overlooked. The next time you stop by Sanaa, be sure to take a gander at the artwork the merchants have set-up. It is sure to make your bread service feel much more like the work of art it is.

 

Silent Saturday - Discovery Island Sunset (January 2009)

Hoop-Dee-Doin' It Tonight

It may have actually given its first performance in the newly minted Pioneer Hall in June of 1974, but the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue has always celebrated its official birthday on September 5. There may have been a lot of changes to Walt Disney World over the past 40 years, but as this photo from 1977 shows, some things are just too good to change!

Happy birthday Flora, Claire, Six Bits, Dolly, Johnny, and Jim!