WDW: What Happened to That New Fantasyland Dragon?

Disney Food Affinity and Beyond: Walt Disney World Speculation

New Fantasyland - the  biggest expansion to the Magic Kingdom ever - brought more than new food options to Disney World. Inspired by classic Disney films such as "Dumbo", "The Little Mermaid", "Beauty and the Beast" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", in came great attractions, fun gift shops, and endless detail culminating in an immersive theme park experience. During the Grand Opening of New Fantasyland on December 6, 2012 there was a very special guest - a dragon!

To me, I find this New Fantasyland dragon to be quite the mystery. The first mention of this dragon was in early 2012. Images leaked leading many to assume Disney Imagineering was test flying a dragon over Shafter-Minter Field airport in California. As Disney likes to keep their new projects top secret, I believe this leak forced Disney to make a move in order to cover up the mistake. 

Leaked Photo #1

Leaked Photo #2

So, Disney had to pull out some magic. They skillfully retook control of this secret information by transforming it into a thrilling social media campaign. Social Media Managing Editor Gary Buchanan began writing a segment on the Disney Parks Blog about a dragon flying around Central Florida. In addition, Gary kept updates on this dragon chase on a Tumbler Blog dedicated to this hunt. 

"Top Secret" file on the history of this dragon

Another "Top Secret" image

This all led up to the video sighting of the dragon over New Fantasyland on its Grand Opening night!

What an incredible show! This highly advanced piece of technology is yet another example of Disney Imagineering excellence. In the picture below, there are some fun facts released about this dragon (and with cooking as one of this dragons hobbies, it seems like he would fit in here at Foodie Finders NYC).

On a daily basis, this dragon would surely enchant all Disney World guests, young or old; however, this was a one night only appearance. As Gary said, "spotting a dragon is a special occasion". It was such a special occasion that it has yet to appear again two and a half years later. This tease seems to be right up this dragon's alley, since we know he "likes the occasional good-natured prank", as shown in the picture above.

The amount of money and research put into this technology could not have all been for one night. It is very possible we will see this flying dragon again, but the question is where?

In the image above, we see a cartoon of the New Fantasyland dragon in Animal Kingdom  - a logical home for this beast. While a dragon is a mythical animal, it still loosely fits into the animal theme, especially with the mythical addition of Pandora: The Land of Avatar (aka Avatar Land). With some extra detail, this technology can be made to resemble a flying banshee in the film.

Also, in Animal Kingdom, we have DinoLand U.S.A. While we have seen this technology as a dragon in one incarnation, it is feasible that it can be re-themed as a flying dinosaur. And lastly in Animal Kingdom, there is a new nighttime spectacular in development called "Rivers of Light" opening in 2016. Whether it is a banshee, dinosaur or dragon, this technology would make for a wonderful enhancement to this show. I believe this is the most likely option in which we will see this technology again. Yet, we are not limited to Animal Kingdom. An update to the Magic Kingdom Firework Show may include this dragon. Furthermore, Hollywood Studios is expected to have a major expansion. It is rumored to include a Star Wars Land and a Pixar Land. Star Wars has its fair share of extraterrestrial creatures, and that includes some that fly. Plus, Pixar is releasing a new movie in November 2015, called the Good Dinosaur. There is a slim chance they have been planning ahead to create a Good Dinosaur themed land with the Pixar expansion, which could include flying dinosaurs. With all of the changes that are coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios, it would not be a surprise if a new nighttime spectacular is being created to include this technology as well. 

And then of course, this dragon is not limited to Walt Disney World. We may see it pop up in any of the Disney Parks across the globe, including the newest theme park that will be opening up in Shanghai soon.  The possibilities seem to be endless, so we can only hope Disney drops a few hints soon - most likely at the next D23 Expo in August. Please feel free to comment below and keep on speculating!

-Mike

Disney Food Affinity and Beyond: Welcome

I am very excited to introduce the newest series of posts for Foodie Finders NYC. This page, entitled Disney Food Affinity and Beyond will provide tips and suggestions on the best eats at the Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort. In addition, this section of the blog will delve into some other realms of the Disney Vacation experience and offer speculation on exciting expansions and renovations at the theme parks. Check back soon for some delicious Disney dishes and more!

Notice anything different about this famous quote? ;)

-Mike

Out of Town Eats: New Haven - Bar

Welcome foodies! As the Foodie Finders NYC Crew continues our food filled road trip, we stopped off at Bar, known for their mashed potato pizza.    

This unique starch-on-starch combo was excellent. Only available in full pies, customers are encouraged to customize their pizza. The most common creation is a white pizza, topped with mashed potatoes and bacon. Of course, that is what we ordered. I would recommend this thin crust specialty to anyone looking for a pizza topping twist. I'm looking forward to mix it up even more next time - I'm thinking a sprinkle of cherry peppers sounds like fun!

-Mike

Out of Town Eats: New Haven - Geronimo's

Hola foodies! The Foodie Finders NYC Crew is on the road again, and this time we are visiting some college food hot spots. The Yale University area is chock full of good eats. Today, we stopped off at Geronimo's for some great southwestern fare - which is worth the trip for the guacamole alone. 

The guacamole was the clear star of the meal. If you want to take it to the next level, add roasted corn and Applewood smoked bacon. Sometimes I find that when it comes to guacamole, add-ins can get a little gimmicky, but in this case I couldn't be more wrong. The bacon and corn perfectly complimented the fresh and creamy avocado. With the bacon craze taking over the food community, It makes me wonder why more people don't add bacon to guacamole. 

Another great offering was the selection of Navajo Frybreads. I really enjoyed the Chorizo and Fig Frybread. Flakey dough, sweet fig puree, and smokey sausage add up to an excellent appetizer. 

Next up, nachos! More specifically, pork pibil nachos. Pork pibil is generally a slow roasted pork preparation, originating in the Yucatán Peninsula. This version had a rich sweetness that juxtaposed the spiciness of the raw jalapeños on top.  Overall, it was a delicious dish. 

Lastly, we ordered the Smoked Buffalo Brisket Tamales. The buffalo meat was very salty on its own, but when eaten with the pickled onions and tamale, the flavors meshed together well. 

Time for something sweet! The Tres Leche cake was a great creamy and moist option. 

Geronimo's was a fun stop on this road trip. My number one recommendation is to order the roasted corn and bacon guacamole (and get some pork pibil nachos while you're at it!) 

-Mike 

Buddakan - NYC Restaurant Review

Hi foodies! I recently enjoyed an awesome meal at Buddakan. Below I have featured the best dishes of the night. Enjoy these beautiful photos! 

Edamame Dumplings

The savory edamame dumplings was a clear standout dish of the meal. They taste even better than they look.

Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly

What is better than a doughy steamed bun? A doughy steamed bun filled with sweet pork belly topped with spicy shallots for a subtle kick.

Szechuan Pork Dumplings

I love dumpling that explodes in your mouth. The rich meaty broth from these pork dumplings really hit the spot.

Chilled Udon Noodles

During an amazing meal, it is always nice for a change of pace to enjoy a cold savory dish. The chilled udon noodles served that purpose well - which only gets better when the lime sorbet on top melts into incredible peanut sauce.

Glazed Alaskan Black Cod

To restore some heat in this meal, I enjoyed the Glazed Alaskan Black Cod. The sweet and nutty miso glaze really made this a spectacular dish. 

Passion Fruit Meringue

The creative architectural layout of the Passion Fruit Meringue is an excellent reflection of unique flavor and texture of these dishes. This is an absolute party for the taste buds.

Almond Bread Pudding

This "hot mess" of a dessert is a rich and warm way to end of spectacular meal. The fresh bananas cut through the rich caramel sauce perfectly. 

I hope you enjoyed this review. I highly recommend Buddakan to anyone ready for a flavorful adventure. Happy holidays and happy eating!

-Mike

Happy Thanksgiving 2014!

Thanksgiving weekend is coming to a close and the supply of leftovers is starting to run low. At this time, I wanted to take a moment to share my Thanksgiving menu.

This year, my Roast Turkey is inspired by a cooking class at De Gustibus with the Scotto Family. They made their turkey by using an herb butter mixture and rubbing it between the skin and the meat. In addition to making great tasting turkey, the left over butter is absolutely delicious on a toasted piece of bread. 

 Every year, I struggle to find a delicious gravy. This year I made a Bacon-Shallot Gravy from Food & Wine November 2014. It was very good, but not the best. I think next year, I will try another recipe in pursuit of the perfect gravy. 

Yet another must-have dish is Tyler Florence's Roasted Sweet Potatoes w/ Chorizo. The hardy potatoes and the smokey chorizo is an undeniably sensational combination. 

The Green Salad w/ Basil Green Goddess Dressing is also something I have never made before. This dressing from Ina Garten is excellent, but I must confess I am partial to anything with anchovy paste. 

The Sour Cream Corn Bread is another recipe from Ina Garten. Not only is it amazing on its own, but is great the morning after, totally smothered with jelly. 

Everybody has cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving, so why not mix it up? This Roasted Cranberry Sauce w/ Herbed Candied Pepitas is a unique interpretation of this holiday classic. The pepitas (pumpkin seeds) provides an awesome sweet crunch to the tart dish.

No matter how much turkey you eat, there is always room for dessert. And of course what is Thanksgiving without pumpkins? Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Bread is a delicious way to end a meal.

Apple Pie is always a classic, but this year it was time for a little change. The Cranberry and Apple Cake was excellent. My only complaint was that there were too many cranberries and not enough apples. Next time, I would add more apples to counteract the tartness.

If you would like any of these recipes, leave a comment or email me at foodiefinders@ldsllc.com. I hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving! 

-Michael Crawbuck

Floyd Cardoz on Non-Oxidizing Avocados, Bacon Dust and More

Floyd Cardoz, executive chef of North End Grill and winner of Top Chef Masters Season 3, brought a wealth of culinary knowledge to De Gustibus Cooking School last week. Chef Cardoz kept the audience captivated by both the smells from his creations up on stage and with the interesting tips and stories from his years of experience in the kitchen.

De Gustibus service and ambiance was on par, as usual. But more importantly, Floyd's food was incredible. Among the highlights of the demonstration was the Albacore Tuna Melt. On top of this Tuna Confit with mayonnaise and chili sauce was bacon dust. This dust is an amazing concept used to incorporate bacon flavor in a new way. To make bacon dust, you just render the fat out of a good chunk of bacon and then grind it up.

Albacore Tuna Melt

The Crab Cocktail with Pumelo and Avocado was another delicious dish. I believe the number one cooking tip from this demonstration was related to avocados. When making guacamole or just slicing up some avocado for a salad, have you ever worried about it oxidizing and turning brown? Most cooks have run into this problem, but Floyd shared his solution that has yet to fail him. By taking an avocado and rubbing off the outer green layer until you see yellow, an avocado will not turn brown for hours. He learned it by watching one of his cooks use this method, and no one knows how or why the avocado does not oxidize.

Crab Cocktail with Pumelo and Avocado

And now enjoy some mouth watering photos of this awesome meal!

Kale Salad with Spelt and Apple

Slow Cooked Halibut

Roasted Chicken with Warm Bread Panzanella

 

Roasted Chicken with Warm Bread Panzanella

 

Butterscotch Pot de Crème with Chocolate Streusel and "Single Marshmallow"

 

 

Most of these dishes are either served at North End Grill now, or will be featured in Floyd's next cookbook. Also, if you find yourself at North End Grill soon be sure to ask to go up top to their roof top garden, with a great view of 1 World Trade Center as well as The Statue of Liberty.

Happy Holidays!

- Mike