Disneyland Paris
When I recently had the opportunity to visit Disneyland Paris Resort, I jumped at the chance to go after being interested in going to Disney's most controversial resort for years. Disneyland Paris, upon opening, overbuilt their hotels most of which were half-filled. This led to an immense loss of money. It did not help at the time that France was in a recession. Disneyland Paris had little funding for years, so some attractions were done cheaply as was their second park, which is considered Disney's worst park. I was only able to visit for one day, so I did both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios park in a short period.
My family started off our day at the Studios park as we wanted to go on Crush's Turtle Coaster and Ratatouille: The Adventure, arguably the resort's most popular attractions. When the park opened, we immediately made our way over to Crush. My family and I were surprised to see many of the other guests sprinting to the attraction. This was something we had never seen at the American parks. Crush's Coaster ended up being one of my favorite rides of the day. It was like The Seas with Nemo and Friends at EPCOT and Laff Track at Hersheypark. It was relatively tame, but offered some thrilling moments. It is definitely a great ride for teens and tweens. I rode Ratatouille after that. It is the resort's newest ride and land. This land transports you into a beautiful recreation of Paris after being in a drab, concrete-filled "studio". I was slightly disappointed in the ride itself after setting high expectations for myself, being that Ratatouille is my favorite Pixar movie. The ride catered more to young kids, so it was more toned down then I wanted it to be. The land also featured a restaurant, Bistro Chez Remy. My family ate here for dinner. It offers a unique atmosphere as your are shrunk down to the size of a rat. The entrees at the restaurant were average, but the highlight of the meal was their specialty side dish, ratatouille. That alone was worth the visit. It is a must do for any Ratatouille or Pixar fan. We also visited Toy Story Land in the park. It was cute, but it only boasted basic carnival rides. We originally also planned on going on Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster, but Rockin' Roller Coaster experienced technical difficulties all day, so we never got to ride it and we never got around to going to Tower of Terror. After this park we went over to Disneyland Park, which is in my opinion the best Disney Park in the world.
Disney Paris's Magic Kingdom features the best collection of roller coasters in any of their parks, along with easily the best lands of all the parks due to their incredible theming and ride collections. (Main Street U.S.A, Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Discoveryland.) Their castle, more fairy tale like then the others featured a dragon in the castle dungeons, which the other parks lack, putting this over the edge to be the best Disney castle. Also some of their rides are better then other versions notably, Space Mountain, currently called Hyperspace Mountain due to a Star Wars overlay, is the most intense Disney coaster in the world and one of the most enjoyable roller coasters in any theme park due to its theming and intensity. It might be to much for a tween, but a teen would certainly love it. Their Big Thunder Mountain is also better then its American counterparts as it is longer and faster due to its location in the middle of the Rivers of America. Most of the rides in this park are not unique per say, but they offer unique takes on classic attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion (called Phantom Manor in France.) Phantom Manor story is different compared to the U.S. parks. This one resembles Great Expectations as it is about a bride whose groom disappeared on their wedding day and begins to be terrorized by a phantom. I think it is superior then the other versions. My only complaint is that it broke down for long periods frequently. Pirates of the Caribbean is also different as its story is backwards compared to Disneyland's in California. They recently updated the ride to include characters from the film series. The highlight being Barbossa at the end of the ride who turns into a skeleton. While some moments are great, the town scenes are shortened compared to Disneyland's. This ride is significantly better from Disney World's disappointing version it cannot beat Disneyland's. Most of the other rides are similar to Disneyland's, the only exception being the ending to Snow White's Scary Adventure which features Snow White and the Prince waving you goodbye. I only mention this as the prince in the ride bears a strong resemblance to David Hasselhoff, mostly due to the wig which is almost exactly like his hair. This park is definitely my favorite out of all the Disney parks I've been too (8 to be exact) as it has the best overall lands, castle, Haunted Mansion, and roller coasters. While this park is excellent. It's sister park is not. While it features a few good attractions, it's overall roster and overall ugliness, the park being mostly concrete, makes it one of their worst only above Hollywood Studios which I strongly dislike. There is a lot of room for improvement there. But, overall the experience was fun. My only other complaints being the frequent ride breakdowns and many guests trying to cut the line forcefully. This is the perfect resort for teens and tweens as it features many thrilling rides while still having fun classics like Pirates of the Caribbean. My overall rating is 4 stars out of 5.
Saturday, 23 September 2017
Saturday, 4 March 2017
Theme Park Food
Disney World vs. Universal Orlando vs. Busch Gardens Williamsburg
One of the biggest sources of income for a theme park is its dining. While some parks serve nothing but burgers and fries, others go above and beyond and provide world class dining. In this entry I will be comparing the food options available at three of the best theme parks in the U.S.
The first of the three parks I will be reviewing is Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia. The park which opened in 1975, unfortunately lacks food options. While the park itself is beautiful and boasts great attractions, it lacks great dining. For starters, the park has less than ten restaurants, all of which are quick service. The quick services carry little other then the basic burgers, chicken fingers, sandwiches and fries. I will say, though that Das Festhaus restaurant in the Oktoberfest area of the park carries authentic German food. I can not give my opinion on it though as I did not try it. The only restaurant that has diverse options is Marco Polo Marketplace. Unfortunately, I was unable to eat there as the line to enter stretched through Italy, almost literally! This line appeared to be longer than most of the attraction wait times, which did not top thirty minutes at any point of our trip as we went during off season. Another complaint I have with the restaurants is the slow service. The longest wait we encountered for food was at the Squire's Grill in London. At the time we were the only people in line, but it still took twenty minutes anyway due to employees not having food prepared hours after the restaurant opened. After all that waiting the food was only sub par. This is the worst theme park food I have ever had. If you visit, I would recommend eating outside the park.
Universal Orlando's dining options are decent. The CityWalk which is outside both parks has 13 full service restaurants and numerous quick services and casual dining. While most of the food options here are not Universal exclusive the do offer good food and good atmosphere. They do have one unique restaurant though which is Toothsome's Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen. This is similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but with a steampunk vibe. Unfortunately, I have not been able to try it yet, but I have heard good things about the food and their giant shakes. In the parks the quality of the food goes down at most locations the serve the basic burgers and chicken tenders like The Burger Digs in the Jurassic Park area at Islands of Adventure. The chicken was extremely tough and tasted like it was from the Jurassic Era. The food was similar at the Monster's Cafe at Universal Studios next door. While the food at Monster's Cafe wasn't great, it had nice theming. The dining rooms were split up into a swamp inhabited by the Creature from the Black Lagoon, a flying saucer, and a castle filled with Dracula and Frankenstein memorabilia. Finnegan's Bar and Grill, also in Universal Studios, serves good Irish fare. While the food is not spectacular, it is definitely the best fine dining in the park. The highlight of that meal for me was the delicious Irish Soda Bread. At Islands of Adventure is Mythos Restaurant. It is claimed to be the World's #1 Theme Park Restaurant. I personally disagree with this, much better meals can be found at Epcot or at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland Park, California. This restaurant's food is not that unique and offers food that is only decent that can be found anywhere. I think it is overrated. Though they recently changed the menu to add more Mediterranean food. I have not tried it yet and the only reason I would go back to this restaurant is to experience these new offerings. The best food is these parks can be found in Springfield and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Over at Springfield they offer what I would consider the best theme park tacos at Bumblebee Man's Taco Truck. They offer something as basic as a chicken taco to something more uncommon like a Korean Beef taco. All of their tacos are soft shelled and are served in a good portion. I noticed that all the tacos had a nice hint of lime. The Springfield area which is home to the Simpsons offers a large variety off food like Krusty Burger, Lisa's TeaHouse of Horror and the Frying Dutchman, a quick service seafood restaurant. The Wizarding World's food is the most unique though. The two main restaurants The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade offer authentic British fare. I personally loved the Bangers and Mash which I got from the Leaky Cauldron. It came with two flavorful sausages and thick mashed potatoes. The theming was the highlight of these restaurants as they were exactly the same as what was seen in the movies. The drinks served throughout these lands were excellent. I love the frozen Butterbeer that tasted like a cream soda with butterscotch. Another great drink was Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice. This delightful creation was a carbonated orange juice with cinnamon sugar. While Universal Orlando's food can be inconsistent, there are many great options eating options at this resort.
Walt Disney World Resort is home to the best theme park food in the United States. Its four parks, Disney Springs, and countless resort hotels have diverse selections of great food. One of my favorite places to eat is in the Animal Kingdom resort - Boma. This African-inspired restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge has a great selection of food including American favorites and dishes from Africa like Ghanian Oxtail Stew and Pap and Chakalaka, a South African stew. In the parks is where the best food is though. Animal Kingdom has the Tusker House which has a great African inspired breakfast and they serve Jungle Juice, a fruit drink with Pineapple, Orange and Guava. There is sure to be more great food options on the way with Pandora-World of Avatar which opens this summer. Magic Kingdom in the recent years has expanded its food offerings. Most recently it has added the Skipper Canteen and Be Our Guest Restaurant. A great treat to have in the park is the famous Dole Whip available at Aloha Isle. It is a pineapple soft serve. I recommend getting it in float form. Cinderella's Royal Table in Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park is a must do for any family visiting the parks. When I was tween I loved receiving a sword, given out to boys, whenever I ate there. My sister still has the wand Cinderella gave her at the restaurant. I would recommend this place for breakfast. I loved their Caramel Apple French Toast. This was a great twist on french toast that I had never experienced before I ate here. One of the best seats in the restaurant allows you to look out onto Fantasyland. This is a great way to start out your morning at the Magic Kingdom. These are really the only highlights in Magic Kingdom though. The rest is just decent burgers, chicken tenders, pizza, and Mexican food.
Hollywood Studios is the worst of the 4 parks and its dining options are no different, it has the blandest restaurants in the resort. The food there is all basic theme park food and some American food. If you want to expand your palette, I would not do so at Hollywood Studios.
Epcot is what all theme parks dining should strive to be. At Epcot you can dine around the world and underwater. My two favorite restaurants at Epcot are the Coral Reef and San Angel Inn Restaurante. San Angel Inn is located in the Mexico Pavilion in the World Showcase at Epcot. It is inside a Mayan Temple. It is made to look like a Mexican city while in perpetual night time. It is right next to The Gran Fiesta Tour-Starring the Three Caballeros, an underrated boat ride through Mexico. The food here is delicious. I like the tacos here, while they are a bit standard. The highlight of the restaurant is its theme. My other favorite restaurant, Coral Reef, which is located in the Living Seas Pavilion in The Future World. This restaurant takes you underwater, it gives great views of the main tank that is part of the pavilion. My family was lucky enough to be seated right next to the tank where a sea turtle sat and watched us enjoy our meal. The American Cuisine here can be found anywhere, but the food is still excellent and the views are even better. I would also recommend Chefs De France which offers French Cuisine and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall which offers Norwegian cuisine. Walt Disney World overall offers the best theme park food and atmosphere. While there may be some basic food, I have yet to have a bad meal anywhere on property.
Disney World vs. Universal Orlando vs. Busch Gardens Williamsburg
The first of the three parks I will be reviewing is Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia. The park which opened in 1975, unfortunately lacks food options. While the park itself is beautiful and boasts great attractions, it lacks great dining. For starters, the park has less than ten restaurants, all of which are quick service. The quick services carry little other then the basic burgers, chicken fingers, sandwiches and fries. I will say, though that Das Festhaus restaurant in the Oktoberfest area of the park carries authentic German food. I can not give my opinion on it though as I did not try it. The only restaurant that has diverse options is Marco Polo Marketplace. Unfortunately, I was unable to eat there as the line to enter stretched through Italy, almost literally! This line appeared to be longer than most of the attraction wait times, which did not top thirty minutes at any point of our trip as we went during off season. Another complaint I have with the restaurants is the slow service. The longest wait we encountered for food was at the Squire's Grill in London. At the time we were the only people in line, but it still took twenty minutes anyway due to employees not having food prepared hours after the restaurant opened. After all that waiting the food was only sub par. This is the worst theme park food I have ever had. If you visit, I would recommend eating outside the park.
Universal Orlando's dining options are decent. The CityWalk which is outside both parks has 13 full service restaurants and numerous quick services and casual dining. While most of the food options here are not Universal exclusive the do offer good food and good atmosphere. They do have one unique restaurant though which is Toothsome's Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen. This is similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but with a steampunk vibe. Unfortunately, I have not been able to try it yet, but I have heard good things about the food and their giant shakes. In the parks the quality of the food goes down at most locations the serve the basic burgers and chicken tenders like The Burger Digs in the Jurassic Park area at Islands of Adventure. The chicken was extremely tough and tasted like it was from the Jurassic Era. The food was similar at the Monster's Cafe at Universal Studios next door. While the food at Monster's Cafe wasn't great, it had nice theming. The dining rooms were split up into a swamp inhabited by the Creature from the Black Lagoon, a flying saucer, and a castle filled with Dracula and Frankenstein memorabilia. Finnegan's Bar and Grill, also in Universal Studios, serves good Irish fare. While the food is not spectacular, it is definitely the best fine dining in the park. The highlight of that meal for me was the delicious Irish Soda Bread. At Islands of Adventure is Mythos Restaurant. It is claimed to be the World's #1 Theme Park Restaurant. I personally disagree with this, much better meals can be found at Epcot or at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland Park, California. This restaurant's food is not that unique and offers food that is only decent that can be found anywhere. I think it is overrated. Though they recently changed the menu to add more Mediterranean food. I have not tried it yet and the only reason I would go back to this restaurant is to experience these new offerings. The best food is these parks can be found in Springfield and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Over at Springfield they offer what I would consider the best theme park tacos at Bumblebee Man's Taco Truck. They offer something as basic as a chicken taco to something more uncommon like a Korean Beef taco. All of their tacos are soft shelled and are served in a good portion. I noticed that all the tacos had a nice hint of lime. The Springfield area which is home to the Simpsons offers a large variety off food like Krusty Burger, Lisa's TeaHouse of Horror and the Frying Dutchman, a quick service seafood restaurant. The Wizarding World's food is the most unique though. The two main restaurants The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade offer authentic British fare. I personally loved the Bangers and Mash which I got from the Leaky Cauldron. It came with two flavorful sausages and thick mashed potatoes. The theming was the highlight of these restaurants as they were exactly the same as what was seen in the movies. The drinks served throughout these lands were excellent. I love the frozen Butterbeer that tasted like a cream soda with butterscotch. Another great drink was Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice. This delightful creation was a carbonated orange juice with cinnamon sugar. While Universal Orlando's food can be inconsistent, there are many great options eating options at this resort.
Walt Disney World Resort is home to the best theme park food in the United States. Its four parks, Disney Springs, and countless resort hotels have diverse selections of great food. One of my favorite places to eat is in the Animal Kingdom resort - Boma. This African-inspired restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge has a great selection of food including American favorites and dishes from Africa like Ghanian Oxtail Stew and Pap and Chakalaka, a South African stew. In the parks is where the best food is though. Animal Kingdom has the Tusker House which has a great African inspired breakfast and they serve Jungle Juice, a fruit drink with Pineapple, Orange and Guava. There is sure to be more great food options on the way with Pandora-World of Avatar which opens this summer. Magic Kingdom in the recent years has expanded its food offerings. Most recently it has added the Skipper Canteen and Be Our Guest Restaurant. A great treat to have in the park is the famous Dole Whip available at Aloha Isle. It is a pineapple soft serve. I recommend getting it in float form. Cinderella's Royal Table in Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park is a must do for any family visiting the parks. When I was tween I loved receiving a sword, given out to boys, whenever I ate there. My sister still has the wand Cinderella gave her at the restaurant. I would recommend this place for breakfast. I loved their Caramel Apple French Toast. This was a great twist on french toast that I had never experienced before I ate here. One of the best seats in the restaurant allows you to look out onto Fantasyland. This is a great way to start out your morning at the Magic Kingdom. These are really the only highlights in Magic Kingdom though. The rest is just decent burgers, chicken tenders, pizza, and Mexican food.
Hollywood Studios is the worst of the 4 parks and its dining options are no different, it has the blandest restaurants in the resort. The food there is all basic theme park food and some American food. If you want to expand your palette, I would not do so at Hollywood Studios.
Epcot is what all theme parks dining should strive to be. At Epcot you can dine around the world and underwater. My two favorite restaurants at Epcot are the Coral Reef and San Angel Inn Restaurante. San Angel Inn is located in the Mexico Pavilion in the World Showcase at Epcot. It is inside a Mayan Temple. It is made to look like a Mexican city while in perpetual night time. It is right next to The Gran Fiesta Tour-Starring the Three Caballeros, an underrated boat ride through Mexico. The food here is delicious. I like the tacos here, while they are a bit standard. The highlight of the restaurant is its theme. My other favorite restaurant, Coral Reef, which is located in the Living Seas Pavilion in The Future World. This restaurant takes you underwater, it gives great views of the main tank that is part of the pavilion. My family was lucky enough to be seated right next to the tank where a sea turtle sat and watched us enjoy our meal. The American Cuisine here can be found anywhere, but the food is still excellent and the views are even better. I would also recommend Chefs De France which offers French Cuisine and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall which offers Norwegian cuisine. Walt Disney World overall offers the best theme park food and atmosphere. While there may be some basic food, I have yet to have a bad meal anywhere on property.
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