Flashback Fridays: The Old Westside

Back before beige and grey were the only color Disney painted with. Back when gift shops had character. There were some outstanding third party retailers at Downtown Disney Westside.

Magnetron sold you guessed it... magnets.

Planet Hollywood On Location was one of four retail locations for the chain on Disney property, now there is just one and with the Chicken Guys expansion coming maybe none?

Starabillias sold movie memorabilia and autographs. Similar to what you find in malls in some of the bigger cities around the country. But remember your not allowed to take pictures inside.

Yeah, I'm a bad boy.

Flashback Fridays: The Virgin Megastore

Back when Disney Springs was Downtown Disney. And it had stuff to do beside shop at the same stores your local mall has. There was a place, a special place where you could by music, movies, and books. A place where you could spend hours seeing everything or just kill time till your movie started. That place was the Virgin Megastore. I have so many good memories in that building. Buying Cd's of bands I just saw play at the House of Blues across the way. Finding albums of obscure Scandinavian bands that you couldn't get anywhere else in the states. I even bought my first Xbox in these hollowed walls. A great place and a big lose for Downtown Disney at the time. It was mostly underused after it closed. At one point it was home to a Princess Diana exhibit and another time a remote control car store. But it would end up a Splitsville. Kind of ironic that one dying piece of Americana the music store became another a bowling ally

Disney Dining At Home - Bread and Butter Pudding from Raglan Road

Today we stroll down to Raglan Road at Disney Springs to learn how to make Bread and Butter Pudding. This one has a lot of steps but they are pretty easy to follow. Also a good chunk of the ingredients you may already have in your pantry.

Ingredients:
1 loaf Pullman or Texas toast
1 pound Kerry gold butter softened
1 pound Sugar
1 quart Crème anglaise (see below)
1 cup Raisins soaked in Irish mist or water

Method of Preparation:
1. Combine the sugar and butter, spread evenly on the bread slices to make sandwiches, stack together and cut of the crust.
2. Cut the "sandwiches" in ½ on an angle (from corner to corner)
3. Butter the inside of 8 oven proof cups or preferred baking dish. One by one dip the "sandwiches" in the anglaise and place in the baking dish, layer the bread and a sprinkling of soaked raisins as you go until done.
4. Bake covered in a Bain Marie at 375 degrees for 35 minutes until it rises a bit. Remove the cover and bake an extra 10 minutes until slightly brown.
5. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly serve warm or at room temperature with anglaise and caramel sauce.

SAUCE ANGLAISE
Ingredients:
6 each Egg yolks
2 cups Sugar
1 each vanilla bean split or a teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart Heavy cream

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat up the cream and the vanilla bean on the stove until it almost starts to boil. Meanwhile combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk well.
2. When the creams reaches the almost boiling point, turn off and remove the pot from the flame. 
3. Temper the yolks, by ladling a small amount of cream to the bowl and mixing well. 
4. Then add the yolk sugar mixure to the cream, whisk well so that it does not curdle. 
5. Place over a low flame for 2 minutes whisking until it starts to thicken. 
6. Strain and allow to cool at room temperature.

CARAMEL SAUCE
Ingredients:
½ pound Butter, chilled
½ pound Brown sugar
1 cup Heavy cream

Method of Preparation:
1. Combine the sugar and butter in pot
2. Cook over a medium high flame. 
3. Whisk well to combine, when sugar is melted and it starts to boil turn off the stove, remove from the flame and whisk in the cream to combine. 
4. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Disney Day in History: The Empress Lilly is christened

Today in 1972 the Empress Lilly is opens at the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village. She is christened by none other then Lillian Disney Walt's wife whom the boat was named after. When she opened she had three restaurants. Fisherman's Deck served breakfast and was one of the first character dinning options on property. Steerman's Quarters was only open for dinner as was the Empress Room. the Empress Room was one of the most elegant places to dine at Walt Disney World holding on to that title till the 90's when Victoria and Albert's would open at the Grand Floridian.

Disney Day in History: Characters in Flight Takes Off

Today in 2009 "Characters in Flight" the Tethered Balloon ride at Disney Springs Opens. The morning grand opening was hindered by strong winds but later in the day she was flying high.

60 Days of Disneyween: Day 23

Mickey and Minnie in their Halloween finest.

60 Days of Disneyween: Day 20

Make a cool LEGO pumpkin at the Lego Store at Downtown Disney.

Making Memories:

Ducks doing some shopping at Pin Traders at the Market Place.

60 Days of Disneyween: Day 17

Don't forget to wash up with some holiday soap from Basin at 

Downtown Disney or at the Grand Floridian's store.

Making Memories: Village Causeway

The Village Causeway connecting the eastern and western 

ends of the Marketplace at Downtown Disney.

Ye Old Sign Shop: Signs for Sale!

On a recent trip to Downtown Disney we strolled into the Marketplace Co-op. This newer addition to the Marketplace has several mini shops in it that will rotate what they sell frequently. On this visit as we entered they had several well produced signs. They are based on attractions and other places in the parks, both here and in Anaheim. Below are a few that I took photos of and touched up. Enjoy.

If you click on the Adventures Club sign and look closely you 

can see the official logo of the club was used in the background.

 A nice tribute I think.

Disney Dining: Downtown Disney Food Trucks at Exposition Park

The Food Truck crazy has been going on for a few years now and Disney has jumped on the wagon  (or in this case truck) about a year and a half ago. They have added four food trucks to the Downtown Disney West Side plaza now known as Exposition Park. This new permanent home is about a year old. Before that you cold find them in different locations around Downtown Disney and even in the parks from time to time. Each themed after one of the four theme parks. The theme carry's over from the look of the truck, to the name, and then to the menu. The names are Fantasy Fare (Magic Kingdom), World Showcase (EPCOT), Superstar Catering (Studios), and Namaste Cafe (Animal Kingdom). Below along with some pictures I have taken are the Menus as of writing this in July 2015. The hours the trucks are open and serving also changes so check when you visit or on the Disney World website.

Namaste Cafe

Butter Chicken - with Basmati rice and pickled vegetables $9.50

Samosas and Naan Dipping Safari $11.00

Char-grilled Shrimp - with Basmati rice and pickled vegetables $12.25

Lamb Kefta - with Raita sauce on Naan bread $12.00

Superstar Catering

A Taste of Disney's Hollywood Studios - BLT soup, Cobb salad, and mini grapefruit cake $14.00

Sausage & Caramelized Onion Flatbread $9.50

Pork Shank with Gruyere Macaroni & Cheese $12.00

World Showcase of Flavors

Pierogies - with kielbasa and carmelized onions $8.50

 Grilled Chicken Breast Gyro - with house-made chips $9.50

Grass-Fed Beef Sliders - with Monterrey Jack and sweet-hot pickles, and house-made chips $9.50

Fantasy Fare

Grilled Ham & Cheese $11.00

Hand-dipped Corn Dog $7.50

Chicken and Waffles $10.25

Sweet Potato Puffs $5.00

Disney Springs: A look to the future

 Disney Springs still has a bout a year or so before it is officially open but we are starting to see whats to come.The following pictures are from my latest trip to the Downtown area on the last few days of June. Several retailers have opened already. Sadly most of what to come are the same stores you'll find in your local high end mall. But there are a few unique gems and a few more on the way.

Walls still everywhere but this one near the parking garage 

really gets guest pumped for whats to come.

The Art of Shaving. Same products as

you'll find at the mall but a nice 

addition to the springs non the less

Jock Lindsey's Hanger Bar. If you love Indianan Jones you'll

 love this place when it open later this year.

The summer crowds navigating the Springs. Will this narrow 

walkway become a bottleneck? Only time will tell.

The Boathouse and the rest of the springs, springing up across

Village Lake.

The old man on the bench.

Walking through Downtown Disney these days is more like walking in a war zone then walking down a peaceful Irish road. But if you can get around the construction walls and find yourself in front of Raglan Road Irish pub you will see that familiar figure sitting on a bench. But who is this man and what is his connection to Raglan Road? Well he wrote it. Wrote what you ask? Well not the menu but the poem that the restaurant is named for. His name is Patrick Kavannagh, and along with  Joyce and Yeats and all the rest he is one of Ireland's best know wordsmiths. The poem was published in October of 1946 and later turned to song as many great Irish poems do. below are the words to the poem and song that gives us one of best dinning experiences in all of Downtown Disney.

On Raglan Road

On Raglan Road on an autumn day I met her first and knew 
That her dark hair would weave a snare that I might one day rue; 
I saw the danger, yet I walked along the enchanted way, 
And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day. 

On Grafton Street in November we tripped lightly along the ledge 
Of the deep ravine where can be seen the worth of passion's pledge, 
The Queen of Hearts still making tarts and I not making hay - 
O I loved too much and by such and such is happiness thrown away. 

I gave her gifts of the mind I gave her the secret sign that's known 
To the artists who have known the true gods of sound and stone 
And word and tint. I did not stint for I gave her poems to say. 
With her own name there and her own dark hair like clouds over fields of May 

On a quiet street where old ghosts meet I see her walking now 
Away from me so hurriedly my reason must allow 
That I had wooed not as I should a creature made of clay - 
When the angel woos the clay he'd lose his wings at the dawn of day.

So next time your visiting Raglan Road for dinner or just posing for a picture with old Pat. Be sure to pop inside for a pint and toast the old man outside sitting on the bench watching the world go by.

Photoshop Fun: Downtown with some Character

Some familiar faces from around the Downtown Disney Marketplace.