Lunch at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Author: Nick the Disney Devo

My wife, Barbie, friends Kandi and John, and I had a late lunch at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in the Norway Pavilion of Epcot on our last trip to Walt Disney World.

Our meal started with a photo with Belle.

 John, Kandi, Belle, Barbie, me

The meal includes a complimentary imaging package including 4 prints size 4" x 6" and one 6" x 8" print in a Disney Princesses themed folder. Additional photos may be purchased. One image package per group of four paying guests, 2 packages for groups of 5-8 guests and 3 packages for groups of 9-12 guests. The package was delivered during our lunch.

The Royal Feast begins with "A Taste of Norway" which includes sliced deli meats, seafood, and a grand selection of prepared salads and cheeses.

I could have just had the food offered on this buffet and been happy. There was plenty to choose from. The fish dishes were excellent.

Adult Entrees:
Traditional Kjottkake -Norwegian meatballs served with Mashed Potatoes, seasonal Vegetables, and Lingonberry Sauce
Oven-roasted Chicken Breast - with fennel hash, tomato jam and chive oil
Open-faced Beef Sandwich - thinly sliced beef sirloin, wild mushroom-onion ragout, Jarlsberg cheese served with your choice of soup
Open-faced Chicken Sandwich - on Sourdough Bread with Tomatoes, Arugula, Bacon, Mushroom Vinaigrette, Jarlsberg cheese, and Lingonberry Mayonnaise, served with your choice of soup
Seared Salmon Cakes - with pickled root vegetable, remoulade and your choice of soup
Mushroom Stuffed Pasta - with Swiss chard, over-roasted shiitakes and parmesan cream

Barbie and I had the traditional Kjottkake, John the Beef. I cannot recall what Kandi had, but we all enjoyed our meals.

Kids Meals:
Meatballs-with Mashed Potatoes and Corn
Hot Dog- with corn
Pizza - with mozzarella
Grilled Chicken Breast - served with vegetables and roasted potatoes
Cheese Ravioli - served with tomato sauce
Salmon - served with vegetables and roasted potatoes
Dessert, and Choice of 1% milk, small Bottled Water or Juice
Soft Drinks Available Upon Request
Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Diet Coke, Sprite, Minute Maid light pomegranate lemonade, Barq's root beer
Glowing Character Punch - Minute Maid Light Lemonade Punch served in a souvenir cup with a glowing Disney character Light $6.49

Dessert plate was delicious and included:
Sweet and Savory Chocolate Mousse
Traditional Rice Cream - topped with Strawberry Sauce
Apple Cake with cardamom whipped cream

While not as elegant perhaps as a meal at Cinderella Castle, this is less expensive, the food is very good, and you meet several Princesses. The Princesses on our visit (besides Belle), were Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White, and Aurora (Sleeping Beauty).You may get different Princesses at different times, including Jasmine, Mulan and Mary Poppins (who I was unaware is a Princess!)

The price of this meal varies based on the time of year, peak seasons vs regular season, and even on the day of the week weekday vs weekend. The general price ranges for this meal are $41.53-$50.05 for adults and $25.55-$28.75 for children ages 3-9. Tax is included, but a gratuity is not a standard, non-alcoholic beverage and desserts are included.
Another reason to eat here has been pointed out to us by a reader:
 "Akershus only counts as one dining meal from your dining plan while Cinderella's castle counts as two."

Enjoy your meal!
 
This article was originally posted on the Disney Musings Blog, which Nick co-writes with his wife.

The Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom

Author: Pirate Diva

One of my all-time favorite rides at Disney World is the Haunted Mansion. Located in Liberty Square, the mansion looks over the square from a hill. The atmosphere is just spooky enough to be fun and the cast members are to die for. Each Disney park around the world has a Haunted Mansion ride themed to the area of the park. The exterior of the Mansion in Disney World is styled after the Gothic mansions of the northeast.

The queue for the Haunted Mansion was always fun, but the new interactive queue is wonderful. As you approach the mansion, you pass through some wonderfully Gothic gates, adorned with bats. A horse-drawn hearse, with an invisible horse, has been parked in front of the Mansion as if for a funeral. As you near the entrance to the Mansion, you have a choice of paths. One leads directly to the Mansion, a good idea if you're in a hurry. The other leads to the cemetery, full of crypts and headstones to play with. I know it sounds kind of morbid, but I love the cemetery! All of the headstones from the old cemetery have been moved to this new area, including the Madame Leota stone. The old headstones, including Leota, are all references to the original Disney Imagineers who created the Haunted Mansion. When you find Leota, be sure to watch her face closely for a fun surprise.

There are several new busts in the cemetery, each alluding to the death of a member of the family who lived in the Mansion. As you continue on, you'll pass a giant crypt covered in stone instruments. Be sure to touch them as each one changes the music coming from the crypt. At the end of the crypt is an organ keyboard, a Ravenscroft. Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice of Tony the Tiger, is the main singer of the classic Disney song "Grim, Grinning Ghosts." Play a few notes on the organ for a soggy surprise. On the other side of the crypt, the instruments have been warped. Touching them will make the music strange and off-key. As you continue on, you will see the grave of Master Gracey, one of the original graves. Next, you will see the watery tomb of Captain Culpepper Clyne. Beware touching his dismal grave! Just around the corner is the tomb of a poetess who's tomb says "Her plaintive pleas can still be heard 'O Muse, provide the perfect word!'" Both sides of her tomb are covered in books that pop in and out and can be pushed. As you pass the back of Captain Clyne's tomb, be sure to peak over the fence and see if you can spot the Bride's ring in the pavement.

Upon exiting the cemetery, you will enter the Mansion and a cast member will direct you into the antechamber. The antechamber features a fireplace with a changing portrait on the mantle. When the next door opens, you will move into the dead center of the Stretching Room. Your "Ghost Host" will give you a glimpse of what's to come. the room begins to stretch, revealing the true nature of the portraits and a spooky surprise. Diva Tip: The Stretching Room may be too intense for young children as it features sudden darkness and a scream. My niece would always close her eyes and cover her ears until she was about 7 years old.

 As you exit the Stretching Room, you will enter a very crowded area that funnels down to single file as you enter your Doombuggy. Diva Tip: Be sure to keep hold of your  party as it is easy to become separated in this room. Once safely in your Doombuggy, sit back and enjoy the ride, and be sure to turn off your camera as bright lights frighten the ghosts.

There are 15 rooms in the Haunted Mansion, including a portrait gallery with changing pictures, a library, a room full of MC Escher type stairs, long hallways of creaking doors and spooky eyes, and a funeral parlor. Next, you will pass through Madame Leota's seance room, one of the best in the Mansion. Leota's head appears in a crystal ball that floats above the table. The special effect of her floating head is absolutely fantastic! As you glide past the Ballroom, be on the lookout for hidden Mickeys. You'll find one on the table of the birthday party. In the past, if you rode through with the Pal Mickey doll, he shivered and said something about there being ghosts over by the organ.

After you exit the Ballroom, you'll enter the Attic, home of Constance, the black-widow Bride. This is probably the creepiest part of the ride as Constance seems truly evil with her smirking comments, glowing heart, and magically appearing hatchet. The last room is the most fun: the Cemetery. Here the music changes to "Grim Grinning Ghosts" and the mood is lighter. Keep an eye out for the groundskeeper Dick O'Dell and his frightened dog, and the singing busts. the broken bust is Thurl Ravenscroft. As you exit the cemetery, your Ghost Host will warn you to beware of hitchhiking ghosts. The new hitchhiking ghost effects are there are several possibilities. Once you've acquired a ghost, you'll see a mini Leota waving and calling out "Hurry Back! Be sure to bring your Death Certificate!"

After exiting your Doombuggy, be sure to take a moment to view the crypts outside to your left. All of Bluebeard's wives have been entombed together, which is rather funny if you know the story. We love the epitaph, "Six of them were faithful, but the seventh did him in!" Just past Bluebeard's tomb is the pet cemetery. Be on the lookout for Mr. Toad of Toad Hall, a reference to a ride that no longer exists at Disney World. And there's a fun new photo opportunity, too. As the epitaph says, "These stately headstones represent two friends lost by accident. Side by Side their heads repose. Where's the rest? No one knows."

The Haunted Mansion is always fun, but some special magic occurs during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. You can have your photo taken near the hearse. After some Disney PhotoPass magic, a ghostly driver will be added to your photo. This is the only time of year that you can get this special photo. Also during the party, one of the ghosts will sit on the lawn near the queue and tell stories of her life and death. It's a fun, spooky twist on Disney storytime.

The Haunted Mansion is a great not-too-spooky ride. With the new interactive queue, it's a great place for a little ghostly fun. And remember, the Haunted Mansion is home to 999 Happy Haunts, but there's always room for one more...

Scream factor: 3 This is a dark ride that may be too intense for young children.

Height Requirements: none

Wheelchair accessible, however guests must transfer into the ride vehicle from their wheelchair or ECV.
Hidden Mickeys: there are several hidden Mickeys in both the cue and the ride itself

Amy, the Pirate Diva, also shares her Disney obsession on the Disney at Heart blog. http:disney-at-heart.blogspot.com

Dinner at Napa Rose at Disney's Grand Californian

Review by Nick the Disney Devo

On our trip to Disneyland in February, we ate at 2 fabulous fine dining restaurants. One was The Carthay Circle in Disney California Adventure.

The other was at the beautiful Napa Rose at the equally beautiful Disney's Grand Californian Hotel.

Our dining party consisted of Barbie, her cousin Jill, Jill's husband Zach and me.

 

 Barbie, me, Jill, and Zach

As you enter, there is a lounge to the right.

 The dining room is warm and inviting, featuring an open kitchen.

 

 Barbie

There is a great wine selection, and Jill and Zach picked an excellent bottle for the table, Foxen Pinot Noir 2010.

For an appetizer, I had the Crepe Filled with Duck Confit and Swiss Chard, Carrot Puree and Pinot Noir Essence, $17.

Barbie had the Bellwether Farms Ricotta "Malfatti" Dumplings, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Tuscan Kale and Blood Orange Vinaigrette, $17.

Zach had the Slowly Braised Kobe Beef Cheeks, with Parsnip Ravioli and Cabernet Broth, $20.

All of us loved our appetizers. As I was in a ducky mood, I continued with that theme with my even more wonderful entree, the Cedar Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Breast, Truffle Pumpkin Puree, Tree Mushrooms and Brown Butter Vinaigrette, $40.

Barbie and Zach had the  Sauteed Sustainable Fish of the Day - Roasted Golden Cauliflower Couscous and Cranberry-Walnut Pesto, $39, the fish that evening was Swordfish. This was Barbie's favorite dish of the entire trip, and that is saying something!

Zach also ordered the Truffled "Mac & Cheese" Orecchiette Pasta, with Parmigiano-Reggiano, $12 which was delicious, which he was kind enough to share, and it was delicious.

Jill had the Herb Roasted Colorado Rack of Lamb, Jalapeno Cheddar Pop-over, Roasted Root Vegetables and Sangiovese Jus, $44.

This was all outstanding. And I thought, "How could it get better?" Then, came the desserts!

Our Signature "Best Ever Hot Chocolate", Rich Scharffen Berger and Valrhona Manjari Chocolates with Fresh Doughnuts. $15 They even wrote Happy Anniversary on it, as Barbie and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary early. Three months early, but still, celebrating none the less!

And yes, this may have been the best hot chocolate ever!

Warm Butterscotch Bread Pudding, Caramel Praline Ice Cream, Butterscotch Creme Anglaise. $12

They also brought this dessert out for our anniversary, a lovely surprise.

And speaking of lovely surprises, Jill and Zach surprised us by picking up the tab! Thank you again Jill and Zach!

Portions of this review were originally posted in The Disney Musings Blog, which Nick co-writes with his wife Barbie.