Disney Dining: Yak and Yeti at Animal Kingdom

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Welcome to “Saturdays with Nick”!  Today Nick (and Barbie) take us inside one of the most well-themed restaurants in Disney World – Animal Kingdom’s Yak and Yeti!  I’ve never been inside this restaurant…well, until now and thanks to this article, I cannot wait to give it a try in person!

Disney Dining: Yak and Yeti at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

By: Nick

Located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Asia section is perhaps one of the most beautifully themed restaurants in all of Walt Disney World, Yak & Yeti.

As with almost everything in WDW, there is a back story.
Yak & Yeti is a house owned by a wealthy merchant who has fallen on hard times. To supplement his income, he has converted his home into an establishment that well-to-do travelers might seek out in India. It is filled with items collected by the owner and his family on their travels throughout Southeast Asia.

You can spend plenty of time just looking at all the incredible items scattered throughout.

My favorite dining area is on the second floor. We request a table by the window overlooking the courtyard, making it a great place to people watch as you enjoy your meal.

My wife and I ate here during it’s opening week in 2007, and the food quality has not slipped a bit in the ensuing years.

On our most recent trip, my wife and I both ordered the same dish, the Chicken Lo Mein – Lo mein noodles, carrots, cabbage, green onions and bean sprouts. Served with chicken $17.99.

Yes, you can get Chicken Lo Mein at any Chinese restaurant, but this is the best either of us has ever had! Perfectly cooked chicken, noodles and vegetables. I could go for some right now!

On past trips we’ve had the Baby Back Ribs – slow-roasted ribs, hoisin BBQ sauce, chicken fried rice, sweet chili slaw: $25.99.

The ribs are very tender, and the spice tangy, but by no means overwhelming. The fried rice is amazing.

Crispy Mahi Mahi – filet of mahi mahi, Japanese bread crumbs, Cantonese sweet and sour sauce, jasmine rice, stir-fried vegetables: $23.99.

The mahi mahi is crispy on the outside, yet light, flaky and juicy inside. The chili sauce is lightly spicy and the vegetables are always fresh.

Duck with Anandapur Glaze – roasted half duckling, orange wasabi glaze, jasmine rice, stir-fried vegetables: $23.99.

The duck was delicious, and the sauce a perfect compliment.

Yak & Yeti is owned by Landry’s Inc., which also owns the Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex Restaurants located at Walt Disney World, and they do not accept the Tables in Wonderland Card, but do give a 10% to Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members at lunch and dinner.

Have you eaten at Yak and Yeti?  What did you think about this unique restaurant?

My Disney New Year’s Resolutions 2015

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RM-Happy-New-Year-2015Happy New Year!  Thanks for stopping by. Let me take this opportunity to tell you how much it means to me that you are taking time out of your day to visit.

Last year was the first time I ever made New Year’s resolutions.  Normally, I don’t believe in them.  I think if you want to make a change, you should just do it.  Why wait? Why ruin a perfectly good reason to celebrate with crazy plans for losing weight, getting in shape, or being nicer?  Life changes are best made when it’s time and individually, we all have to be ready and know when the time is right.  So, for my first foray into the world of resolutions, I made them based on my passion – Disney!  And you know what?  It was a brilliant idea for me.  I was able to follow the plan.  I did indeed do each and every thing I set out to do (read those resolutions here).  Except for one recipe and the fact that I expected to like #9 at least a little, they went really well!  On the heels of that success, I decided to use the exact same format for this year’s commitments.  Don’t mess with success – it’s a great motto!

So without further ado, I give you…

My Disney New Year’s Resolutions 2015:

1. See These Movies:RM-Cinderella-Movie-Poster

  • Cinderella (3/13)
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron (5/1)
  • Tomorrowland (5/22)
  • Inside Out (6/19)
  • Ant-Man (7/17)
  • The Jungle Book (10/9)
  • The Good Dinosaur (11/25)
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12/18)

Mural in Maelstrom / World Showcase / Epcot2. Take a Cruise – Last year’s #2 was “Book a Cruise”, so now it’s time to set sail!  In June, The Fam and I will fly to Copenhagen to board the Disney Magic for a cruise through the fjords of Norway.  Whatcha wanna bet there’s a bunch of Frozen tie-ins on that cruise? ‘S okay, we’ve braced ourselves.  Adventure is out there!  Stand by for more on this as the port excursions become available for booking. Of course, I’ll report back on all the deets!

3. Complete a runDisney Event or Three:  Glass Slipper Challenge, here I come.  In addition, based on my very own husband’s advice, I’m registered for the Disney Princess 5k.  Yes, I’m planning to run a 5k, 10k, and a half marathon over three days – sounds easy compared to the Dopey Challenge, doesn’t it?

4. Make More Disney Friends!  You guys are GREAT!  Many of you who regularly read this blog, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and listen to…see #7, have become like family to me.  I know I’ll get the opportunity to meet some of you in February when I’m touring the World completing resolution #3.  If you are going to be at Walt Disney World during the Princess Half Marathon Weekend, holler!

5. Try These Restaurants:

  • Kona Café:  I’ve even stayed at the Polynesian Village Resort before, but have never eaten at the Kona Café.  I hear it’s not to be missed!
  • Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Club Resort):  I’ve never been to the Yacht Club, but I’ve heard raving reviews about the Steakhouse.  I’d like to see how it compares to another popular steak place, Le Cellier (Epcot, Canada Pavilion).
  • Il Mulino (The Swan):  It’s Italian and I love Italian food.  Since the last time I ate at Tutto Italia in Epcot was a huge disappointment, I’m pining for some delicious Italian fare on Walt Disney World property.  I have high hopes.IMG_2320

6. Find and Trade for The Missing Pin:  It’s the Toy Story Midway Mania pin set and I’m missing the beaver pin.  I don’t know how realistic this goal is, but maybe if a few of you fellow pin fanatics are on the lookout, you could help me find my missing pin.

TheDisneyExchangeLogo7. Work on My Podcasting Skills:  As you may or may not be aware, just two short weeks ago, I became a podcast host!  Blogging and podcasting are often mutually exclusive, but I fancy myself a master of multi-tasking and hey, when you have as much to say about Disney as I do, it’s a lot easier to talk than to write.  Not only that, but my co-hosts, Nick and Dave, are just awesome guys who love Disney as much as I do!  Please give The Disney Exchange a listen and let me know what you think.  Too long?  Too short?  Too broad? Too specific?  What topics would you like to hear us discuss?

8. Try These Recipes:

  • Tonga Toast (Kona Café):  World famous breakfast food!  Found the recipe here.
  • Jiko’s Macaroni and Cheese:  We love Jiko!  I usually make risotto when Raymond grills his famously delicious steaks, but a bed of Mac & Cheese would be awesome and if it tastes like Jiko’s?  Perfection!  Here’s the recipe.
  • Irish Brown Bread with Guinness Reduction:  Whoa!  If I can pull this off, I will be a hero.  The Fam loves Raglan Road and the bread and dipping sauce are certainly part of why we love it!  Here’s the recipe.

9. Taste a Citrus Swirl – Last year’s #9 was to try a Dole Whip for the first time.  If you missed seeing how that turned out, watch the video here.  I’m not ruling out the chance that I may enjoy something Dole Whip-ish, so I’m going to give the Citrus Swirl a try.  We shall see.

10. Make More and Better Videos – Last year, this resolution was to take more and better pictures.  I’m pretty happy with the result of those efforts.  Now it’s time to work on my video skills.  Between my GoPro and iPhone, I’m pretty sure I’ll have at least a few new Disney vacation videos to share with you in 2015.

There they are!  Now it’s your turn!  Did any of these resolutions make it onto your list?  What Disney plans are on your 2015 calendar?

 

Disney’s Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Again

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RM-7DMT-RocksAbout six months ago, I visited the Magic Kingdom’s newly expanded Fantasyland to ride the much touted and highly anticipated Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  During that first experience I was admittedly underwhelmed.  I’m 100% certain is was due all the build up and hoopla leading up (for a couple of years) to the ride’s opening and the subsequent realization that it is, in spite of all that hype, still a kiddie coaster.

I like to believe I’m a fair person and am pretty self-aware.  I knew I’d had my expectations too high for those poor Dwarfs and their train – the ride is literally two minutes long.  How much pizazz was I expecting in 120 seconds?  I rode it once and, boom! just like that, it was over.  I had to give the attraction a second chance.  A do-over.  A mulligan, if you will.  The second time, I’d know the ride’s length and what to expect so I could pay much closer attention to each and every detail.

While first impressions may make or break a relationship – not so with Disney attractions, I’m happy to report!  Attitude adjustment and FastPass+ firmly in hand, we made our way into the Seven Dwarf’s queue – it was a hot day and a couple of Cast Members were handing out cups of ice water to guests as they entered the attraction (nice touch!).  Remembering the somewhat tricky lap bar (be careful not to pull it down too far – it’s easy to do because it “glides” into place and stays there).  We climbed into our train car and waited for clearance to go.SevenDwarfsLoading

On the first ride, I was disappointed by how “firm” the cars were.  Rather than freely swinging from side to side as I’d expected, they felt stiff and barely moved.  By the second try, I noticed right away there was a lot more movement adding just the right amount of extra action to what is an amazingly smooth and quiet ride.RM-7DMT-Train1

When the train slowed down to enter the mine, I was ready!  I took in many more of the details the second time around.  This part of the ride is just fantastic!  The change from outdoor coaster, riding through the trees and hills, to a slow trip past the Dwarfs as they work is what makes this attraction so unique.  If you’ve not ridden this coaster before, be sure to pay close attention to this part!RM-7DMT-Train2

I still didn’t get a good look into the Dwarf’s cottage at the end of the ride, but did notice a few more details that I’d missed before.  I guess I’ll just have to ride it again next time I visit the Magic Kingdom.  Since we’d purchased Memory Maker, we got the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train video as a souvenir and it’s very adorable.

Have you ridden Seven Dwarfs Mine Train? What did you think of it?

 

My Disney Best of 2014

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Memory Maker Photo in Disney's Hollywood StudiosWhat a great year this has been!  I’d been looking forward to 2014 and it did not disappoint.  I can hardly believe it’s almost over!  Two trips to Walt Disney World – one of them a second honeymoon – and a full year of blogging about my love for all things Disney made for a great big bunch of fun!  Just in the last few weeks, even more exciting things have happened.  I could gush about the blessings of 2014 forever, but I want you guys to hang in with me all the way to the end of the list, so I’ll narrow my happy moments down to ten of the very best!

My Disney Best of 2014

10. Best Disney Recipe at Home – I had trying a couple of recipes on this year’s Disney New Year’s Resolutions list.  Hands down, those Maui Potatoes (formerly of ‘Ohana fame) were the most delicious Disney delicacy produced in my kitchen with my own little hands.'Ohana Cheesy Potatoes in Process 1

9. Most Popular Reviews – I wrote blog posts about a wide variety of topics, but by far the most popular of all those posts were the reviews of Disney’s Memory Maker.  We totally blew it on the first go (review here), but gave it another chance after we learned some important lessons and totally got our money’s worth on the second try.Character Meet-and-Greet with Sully

8. Most Relaxing Disney Moment – It was a tremendous, extravagant splurge, but worth every penny – the massage for two in the Senses Spa at the Grand Floridian.RM-Grand-Floridian-Senses-Sign

7. Best Disney Meal – This is TOUGH!  Raymond and I enjoyed Citricos (Grand Floridian) more than I can say, but because Megan and Joseph were with us for this incredible dining experience, I’m going to have to say the Flying Fish (Boardwalk) takes the top spot in this category.  The atmosphere, the food, and the service (Bob!) were all impeccable.  We couldn’t have had a better time anywhere on or off Disney property.Flying Fish Cafe Artisanal Cheeses

6. Best Disney Purchases – I bought some limited edition t-shirts and some great new pins and they were all pretty darn special, but my best Disney purchases this year were the new Christmas ornaments Raymond and I picked out together at Disney’s Days of Christmas in Downtown Disney.  We had a great time choosing just the right mementos of our vacation then enjoyed the memories those ornaments brought to mind as we decorated our tree.Haunted Mansion Mickey Ornament

5. Best Disney Snack – I’m only making this a category because I threw myself into Disney snack consumption this year with gusto!  I’m still reeling over the number of snacks I purchased and consumed in the name of research.  It’s no wonder I gained a few extra pounds!  The winner has to be the Croissant Donut (a.k.a. Cronut) from Epcot’s Refreshment Port.  It’s the perfect snack food…but not for sharing.IMG_3812

4. Best New Disney Endeavor: Hosting a New Podcast – If you haven’t heard, The Disney Exchange is a brand new Disney podcast.  Episodes 1 and 2 are available from all your favorite podcast sources.  Listen to me.  Really, go download an episode and listen to me and my buddies Nick and Dave while we debate, argue, laugh, and joke our way through discussions of our favorite Disney topics.  With over 80 years of combined Disney travel experience between the three of us, sooner or later we’re bound to say something useful to someone somewhere.  In the mean time, I am having a blast!TheDisneyExchangeLogo

3. Priceless Family Vacation Moments – It’s pretty challenging to coordinate schedules and get the four of us on vacation together, but we pulled it off in 2014 (and will do it one more time in 2015).  Those of you with small children will wonder if Disney vacations lose their magic when your kids grow up and I’m happy to tell you that in our family at least, Disney vacations have just gotten more fun.  I savored every moment of our May vacation, but enjoyed the evening meals we shared together the most.  Being together in the place where we’ve had so much fun through the years and created so many happy memories – looking across the table at our children and seeing the fun, happy, productive, well-adjusted adults they’ve become was indescribably special.Meg and Joe at Disney's Hollywood Studios

2. Best Disney-Induced Euphoria – Feeling Like a Kid Again – Even though I was about to turn 50 and Raymond had just turned 60, when the two of us were at Disney World in October, we were kids again.  We didn’t have to be anything to anyone, we just were.  Relaxed, go-with-the-flow, joking around, trying new things, meeting new people, doing what we wanted, when we wanted, soaking up the Disney magic and the joy of each other’s company.  It’s good to be married to your best friend – especially one who loves Disney as much as you do!Magic Shot at MNSSHP

1. Best Disney Gift – New Friends – I’ve said it many times this year in many different ways, but the Disney fan community is just amazing.  I’ve met some of the nicest, funniest, most caring people you could possibly imagine.  If I could change anything about this year, I would have used pixie dust to bring us all together at Disney World so I could meet everyone face to face!  I was lucky enough to meet Nick and Barbie (Disney Musings) and Jane and Heather (fellow Disney Divas) and a couple of dozen other fantastic folks, but there are scores of friends yet to meet!  Hello 2015!!!RM-Barbie-Nick-Lisa

What’s on your list?  What were your best Disney moments of 2014?