The Disney Springs Dining and Shopping Entertainment Center at the Walt Disney World Resort continues to grow with a recent addition of a multitude of Restaurants and Retail shops opening to add to the already impressive collection of new additions.

Dining at Disney Springs

Within the past year we have seen the addition of:

• Morimoto Asia
• The Boathouse
• Jock Lindsay's Hangar Bar
• Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC

• Amorette’s Patisserie
• Daily Poutine
• D-Luxe Burger
• Sprinkles
• Yesake

Not Your Average Shopping Destination

It was just announced that Chef Masaharu Morimoto, who many of you know from his appearances on Iron Chef America, is opening a one-of-a-kind dining experience in the heart of Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort.



According to the Disney Parks Blog:
Morimoto Asia will be the Japanese master chef’s first-ever pan-Asian restaurant featuring flavors from across the continent. This Disney Springs dining destination will include unique exhibition kitchens showcasing traditions like Peking duck carving, and dim sum.

“I’m very excited to bring this new concept to Disney, something I’ve always dreamed of,” said Chef Morimoto. “It’s a wonderful chance to share some of my favorite foods from across the Asian continent.”

The two-story restaurant is scheduled to open in the Summer 2015 at The Landing (formerly Pleasure Island) in Disney Springs. Morimoto Asia will feature waterside seating, terraces, a grand hall and a cocktail lounge.



Also today, another new concept dining experience, The BOATHOUSE, was announced for The Landing in Disney Springs.

The BOATHOUSE will be an upscale, waterfront dining experience that’ll immerse guests both on land and on water with live music, guided tours aboard the Captain’s piloted 40-foot Italian Water Taxi with champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries and guided Amphicar rides that launch from land, enter the water, and take guests on a 20-minute tour of the landmarks of Disney Springs.
“We are very excited that the BOATHOUSE is joining the Walt Disney World family at Disney Springs,” says creator Steven Schussler. “Walt Disney Imagineering has created a wonderful, interactive, culinary and entertainment experience at Disney Springs. We are proud to be part of this magical experience.”



The BOATHOUSE will open in the Spring of 2015 in Disney Springs. The restaurant’s gourmet menu (served daily until 2 a.m.) will feature steaks, chops, seafood and a raw bar. The BOATHOUSE is the latest project of Schussler Creative, the creators of Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex and Yak & Yeti at the Walt Disney World Resort.

This year you can enjoy St. Patrick's Day like never before at the Walt Disney World Resort!  Forget about containing your Irish Side to just one day, Disney has now extended the celebration of all things Irish to 11 magical days at Downtown Disney!

Downtown Disney Mighty St. Patrick's Festival 2014

Downtown Disney is embracing all things Irish and green during a first ever 11 day celebration of St. Patrick's Day running from March 7 - March 17, 2014.  Here are some of the highlights of this Special Disney World Event:

Live Music and Dance Entertainment

Featured Musical Performances:

• Elevation – Rock out to the vibrant sights, memorable sounds and unforgettable songs of U2, courtesy of one of the world’s most popular U2 tribute bands—March 15 and 17, 2014.
• The Willis Clan – Enjoy a unique blend of old and new as this Tennessee family of performers merges their Irish roots with other popular music and dance genres—March 7 - 9 and 13 - 17, 2014.
• We Banjo 3 – Soak up the spirit of an award-winning quartet that combines Irish sounds with old-time American and Bluegrass tunes—March 7 - 9 and March 15 - 17, 2014.
• Goitse – Treat your senses to the talents of this 5-piece band making a fast name for themselves among connoisseurs of old-fashioned Irish melodies—March 11 - 17, 2014.
• 3 Dollar Band – Discover a unique blend of folk songs inspired by Irish and Appalachian influences, with just a dash of French and Bulgarian rhythm—March 14 - 17, 2014.
• Nova Celtic – Experience Irish music from an all-new perspective as Nova Celtic puts their own twist on a collection of popular songs—March 7 - 17, 2014.
• Creel – Lock your arms for sets from Raglan Road’s resident house band, with their near-endless repertoire of reels, songs, ballets and more—March 7 - 17, 2014.
• The Brayzen Heads – Sing along with this duo during energetic performances as they put their own spin on traditional Irish and modern music—March 7 - 17, 2014.
• The Raglan Rebels – Prepare to be blown away by the energy, excitement and incredible abilities of a popular Raglan Road house band—March 7 - 17, 2014.
• West Coast Trio – Hear the authentic vocal stylings of a trio hailing from Ireland’s West Coast, as accompanied by accordions, flutes and whistles—March 7 - 17, 2014.

Featured Dance Offerings:

• Raglan Road Dancers – From March 7 to March 17, 2014, catch this award-winning dance troupe roaming about the Downtown Disney area in search of all-new audiences. Keep your eyes peeled for one of their 15-minute pop-up performances!
• Irish Dance Workshops – Don’t just sit there—from March 15 to March 17, 2014, step right up and put your feet to work during enchanting dance workshops, as taught by Ronan McCormack and the Raglan Road Dancers at Raglan Road!

Irish Influenced Food & Beverages:

If you are craving tasty food at a good price on your Walt Disney World Resort Vacation then you should definitely head over to Downtown Disney to check out Earl Of Sandwich.


Earl Of Sandwich
A wide variety of sandwiches and salads dominate the menu at Earl Of Sandwich.  This quick service eatery located in the Marketplace section of Downtown Disney may be the most economical place to eat in all of Disney World.  It is definitely the place to keep to your Food Budget and still enjoy your meal.



Once inside you can choose from the giant menu board.  Don't be discouraged by long lines, as they move really fast.  If your order is not ready by the time you get to the Pay Station you will receive a beeper to let you know when your food is ready.  Don't worry it won't take long to try some of the great food made here.




Whether you choose a salad or one of their 14 signature sandwiches you can't go wrong.  A personal favorite is called The Original 1762.  It is a tremendous Roast Beef Sandwich with Roast Beef, Sharp Cheddar, and Creamy Horseradish Sauce served hot on great tasting bread.  Also pictured above is the Cannonballs sandwich which contains meatballs, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce.

Salad lovers may enjoy a choice of 5 different salads served in a bowl or as a wrap if you prefer.  Choices include: Mediterranean, Chinese Chicken Salad, Caprese Salad, The Earl's Cobb, & Chicken Caesar Salad.

Great Quick Service Choice
The Earl Of Sandwich not only serves great food, but it comes at a reasonable price.  Any of the 14 different sandwiches on their menu were just $5.99 each.  The portion sizes are also plenty to satisfy hungry travelers.  Soft drinks are served at a refillable self serve station you are also able to quench your thirst.

You may not find the theming that you get at most Disney World Restaurants, but the food and value definitely make this place worth a stop during your next Disney World Vacation.

If you are vacationing at the Walt Disney World Resort during St. Patrick's Day weekend make sure you head to Downtown Disney for authentic Irish Food and entertainment.  The place to be is Raglan Road Restaurant and they have a special weekend full of events and entertainment sure to please those with Irish Roots and those who just enjoy a good time.

A Real Irish "St. Patrick's" Celebration

Raglan Road Restaurant, located in Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort, is the place for your taste of Ireland any time of the year with a menu design by award winning Chef Kevin Dundon, Irish Dancers and music, and a welcoming atmosphere that transports you to Ireland whenever you walk through the doors.

During St. Patrick's Day Weekend a special celebration occur with three days of music, dancing, food, and celebrations of all things Irish!  This becomes the center hub of the Downtown Disney St. Patrick's Day festivities.
here is the schedule of events:

Thursday March 15th
•Exclusive Luncheon with Chef Kevin Dundon at 1pm, call for reservations
•Live music & dancing on the Tonsil Tickler Patio from 6pm
• Creel performing on the main stage from 6pm


Friday March 16th
• Murphy's Law & The Irish Rogues perform from 6pm on the Tonsil Tickler Patio
• Creel with Special Guests on stage from 6pm, a show not to be missed!
• Raglan Road Dancers will delight guests with a variety of shows & individual performances throughout the evening

Saturday March 17th, St Patrick's Day!
" La Feile Padraig/Happy St. Patrick's Day!! "
• Doors open from 11.00am with live entertainment from 12pm
• Creel and the Raglan Road Dancers performing throughout the day
• Guest Musicians all the way from Ireland, Murphy's Law & The Irish Rogues
• ELEVATION, the worlds best U2 tribute band on stage at 10pm
• Performances from the Watters School of Irish Dancing
• Face-painting, stilt walkers, giveaways & great family fun

$10 cover charge on March 17th for guests 18 & over /No reservations, all walk up guests are welcome

The Walt Disney World Resort will be hosting the 36th Festival of the Masters presented by Michaels® on November 11 - 13, 2011.  This amazing open air festival located in the Downtown Disney area features more than 150 award-winning artists.

Artwork in a number of different mediums will be on display including: painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry and more.  The Festival Of The Masters is ranked among the finest outdoor art festivals's in the United States.
Dates and Times
•Friday, November 11, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
•Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
•Sunday, November 13, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Festival Of The Masters Activities Featured activities include:
•Custom Framing: Explore the different ways you can showcase any great piece of art. Located at Downtown Disney West Side.

•MiDesign@Michaels™: Enjoy new ways to personalize—in an instant, online—with digital scrapbooking, photo books and more. Located at Downtown Disney West Side.

•Collaborative Painting: Join the Michaels Design Team and work together to fill a larger-than-life masterpiece. Located at Downtown Disney West Side.

•Design-Your-Own Friendship Bracelets: Commemorate your trip to Disney by creating customized friendship bracelets with colorful threads. Located in the Downtown Disney Pleasure Island area.

•Disney Wood-Framing Experience: Start with the basics—and walk away with your own picture frame decorated with fun Disney embellishments. Located at Downtown Disney Marketplace.

•Michaels at the Waterside Stage: Discover crafty ideas and tips for every age and interest. Come join Jo Pearson, Kate Gribbon, Kathy Kromer, Jennifer Mele and Paula Schweikhard on the Waterside Stage at the Marketplace.

When it comes to great dining experiences at the Walt Disney World Resort don't forget to look beyond the Theme Parks and Disney Resort Hotels to check out the restaurants at Downtown Disney.  One great option is Raglan Road, an Irish Pub that is designed to make you feel you were transported to Ireland when you walk through the door.

Raglan Road
Raglan Road prides itself on bringing you the authentic Irish feeling by having Irish owners, an Irish Master Chef, Irish Entertainment, and even a large portion of the Pub itself is from Ireland.  The bars are 130 years old and the stages for the Irish Dancers are 150 years old and come from Ireland also.


Once inside you will get the friendly feeling of the Irish Pub.  There are several different rooms that you can be seated in, including the main area that includes the dancing stages and stage for the in-house band that plays 6 nights a week.

This is a family friendly place, but it is open late and is a great option for adults to visit to enjoy a pint and take in the great entertainment.

Raglan Road - The Food
Like all great restaurants, it has to have great food, and Raglan Road is no exception.  Master Chef Kevin Dundon has designed a menu that has re-invented some Irish Classics and updated many Irish flavors to create this spectacular menu.  The food uses only fresh ingrediants and even the fish is flown in daily from Boston for famous Fish and Chips.

The presentation of the food is just as impressive as the taste.  You find yourself watching the waiters and waitresses walk by with each plate admiring the almost artistic creations.

During our recent visit, our party of four tried four different entrees to check out the offerings from the Raglan Road Dinner Menu.  You will find the "tongue in cheek" names for the dishes to be interesting as well.  It all emphasizes the fun that you are supposed to have during your dining experience.


Chieftain Chicken - Certainly not your ordinary chicken dish!  This was a pan seared breast of chicken with roasted baby carrots, mashed potatoes, a port wine jus, and a mushroom spinach cream sauce.  This was an incredbile dish and may have been the favorite for the table.


Meatballs a la liffey luv - A Irish take on "Spaghetti and Meatballs."  Guinness meatballs & spaghetti in a red wine jus with tomatoes & shaved parmesan cheese.  This was also a hit and would be a good choice for the less adventurous diner.


Pie In The Sky - You can't have Irish fare without trying one of their signature pies.  Here is a chicken & wild mushroom pie served with a rocket lettuce salad.  Call it "eclectic comfort food," another great choice to try.



Sod the Stew - This is a beef stew infused with a hint of Guinness and served with green beans.  Although this was also good, it was our least favorite only because the others got such high marks.

Raglan Road Desserts
When you dine at Raglan Road you must save room for the desserts.  After careful deliberation and input from our server, we choose two desserts for our table to share and we certainly not disappointed.


Dunbrody Kiss - This is Chef Dundon's gift to America.  If you are a chocolate lover, you will certainly enjoy this dessert as we did.  Highly recommended.


Ger's Bread & Butter Pudding - This was an amazing bread pudding!  If you a fan at all of bread pudding you will absolutely love this.

We could not pick a favorite amongst these two desserts, so we recommend you try both!


Raglan Road Entertainment
The food and wonderful Irish Pub atmosphere are only part of the Raglan Road Experience.  You should definitely make sure that you visit on Monday through Saturday to see the Irish House Band - Creel and the Irish Dancers.  (They have different entertainment on Sunday evenings, so you won't be totally left out.


Creel - They start playing around 7:00 pm Monday through Saturday starting the evenings off with acoustic traditional irish music and then progressing into more electric charged music as they get later into the evenings.


Irish Dancers - Danielle, Ivor, and Amal are the award winning Irish Dancers that will entertain you with traditional Jigs and fast paced, newly composed Irish Reels.  They do an incredible job and it is definitely worth it to wait a little longer to get a table in the center of the restaurant to get a good view.

Great Disney World Dining Experience
Raglan Road provides a great Disney World Dining Experience whether you are dining as a family, couple, or group of adults.  The restaurant gets high marks for the authentic Irish Pub atmosphere, great food created by Master Chef Kevin Dundon, and wonderful entertainment.  Like any great Pub it is also the place to get a pint of your favorite beverage (Black & Tan anyone?).

When you are making your choices for dining during your Disney World Vacation don't forget this gem found in Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney will continue to see changes as it transforms into a more family friendly dining, shopping, and entertainment center.  This fall, construction will begin on Splitsville, a 50,000-square-foot upscale entertainment center that combines bowling with billiards, dining, music and nightlife. To make way for this experience, RIDEMAKERZ, currently located on the West Side, will move to the Marketplace.

The Walt Disney World Resort has been transforming the Downtown Disney Pleasure Island area from an adult themed nightspot to a location that features entertainment, shopping, and dining that is suitable for teh entire family.

In a Press Release Disney announced their plans for the transformation of the Pleasure Island area of Downtown Disney into the new "Hyperion Wharf" Waterfront District.  The new area will feature additional shops, dining, and entertainment for the whole family.  At night the Hyperion Wharf will become an electric wonderland filled with thousands of lights.

Here is the Press Release with all of the details (pictures shown are Disney Artist Renderings of "Hyperion Wharf" Waterfront Disntrict):

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Nov. 18, 2010) – Work will soon begin on a completely re-imagined Pleasure Island and other one-of-a-kind experiences as Walt Disney World Resort continues to bring new stories to life at Downtown Disney. Combined, the projects are expected to create an estimated 1,200 new jobs over the next three years.


“We have made great progress since first announcing our vision to bring new shopping, dining and entertainment experiences to Downtown Disney, many of which can’t be found anywhere else and have already become guest favorites,” said Keith Bradford, vice president of Downtown Disney. “We look forward to providing even more ways for our guests to enjoy Downtown Disney, while at the same time creating new jobs for Central Floridians.”

A nostalgic yet modern take on an early 20th century port city and amusement pier will evolve Pleasure Island into “Hyperion Wharf.” By day, the bustling port district will draw guests in with its stylish boutiques and innovative restaurants and by night, thousands of lights will transform the area into an electric wonderland.

Taking its name from Hyperion, the Greek god of light, as well as the street on which Walt Disney built his first major animation studio, the wharf district also will feature a relaxing lakeside park and enhanced pedestrian walkways. Its diverse eateries will expand dining availability at Downtown Disney by more than 25 percent.

“Hyperion Wharf will offer guests of all ages a vibrant atmosphere and new experiences that can be enjoyed by day or by night,” said Bradford. “Whether looking for a great place to dine with the whole family or a place to relax and enjoy live music, Hyperion Wharf will provide the perfect setting for guests to make new memories with us.”

In addition to the new wharf district, numerous other projects are underway at Downtown Disney, including:

• an extensive renovation of Lego Imagination Center, which will increase its overall footprint by nearly 3,500 square-feet and add new Lego exterior models featuring scenes from classic Disney movies;
• enhancements at AMC that will take the movie-going experience at Downtown Disney to the next level with new digital technology, a paradigm-shifting Concession Stand of the Future and Florida’s first Fork & Screen Theater; and
•  numerous new or renovated retail shops and merchandise vignettes, as well as additional atmosphere entertainment, throughout Downtown Disney.

Combined, these projects are expected to create an estimated 600 construction jobs, 500 restaurant, retail and entertainment jobs and support 100 vendor and supplier jobs.

Other recent additions to Downtown Disney include:

•  new entertainment, such as the Characters in Flight tethered balloon ride, the ETX theater at AMC and an enhanced outdoor performance area;
• unique shopping experiences like D Street, littlemissmatched, RIDEMAKERZ, Tren-D and Disney’s Design-a-Tee; and
•  immersive dining, like T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, Paradiso 37 and the recently opened Pollo Campero and Fresh A-Peel, a new quick-service restaurant combining authentic Latin-style chicken and side dishes, as well as fresh, healthy creations such as salads, wraps and gluten-free desserts.

When you are looking for Italian Cuisine there are many choices at Disney World.  One that gets overlooked that should be considered is Portobello located in Downtown Disney.

Portobello: Country - Italian - Trattoria
Portobello is located next to Fulton's Crab House in Downtown Disney.  Recently my family decided to give it a try for lunch.  It was not crowded.  Although we could have been seated right away in the Dining Room, we opted to eat in the bar area instead.

The reason we chose the bar is because of the buzz that the Meatballs that they are serving in the bar have generated.  I have read about them on serveral sites and heard a great podcast from Lou Mongello and WDW Radio discussing the new meatballs that are offered in the bar.  They have even inscluded signage in teh bar area now referring to it as the "Meatball Bar."

We were pleased to find out that in the bar area we could not only order the meatballs that they featured, but we could also order anything on their Dining Room Lunch menu (pictured below.)

Kat was our bartender/server and she did a great job recomending dishes and giving suggestions.  Also like most Disney World Cast Members she was more than willing to take a picture for us.

• Beef & Veal with Parsley
• Chicken with Sage
• Spicy Pork
• Salmon with Tarragon

Best Disney World Quick Service Restaurant For 2010
At the Walt Disney World Resort only one restaurant can be chosen as "Best Disney World Quick Service Restaurant."  For 2010, Only WDWorld awards that lofty distinction to "Wolfgang Puck Express" located in the Marketplace section of Downtown Disney.