The Monorail Chronicals - I Was Hungry

My "Pinocchio"
(Yes, it's okay for grown-ups to play with their food at Disney)

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    Now I am the kind of person who never orders
the salad when I go out to eat. I try to eat fairly healthy as a general rule the rest of the time when I am at home or at the school I work at but when I travel, I usually eat what I want. 
    Disney parks are by in no means short of it's wide variety of eaterys but because I was with beloved family who knew Disney, I once again had a little help with the decision making. Because we were at Disney I believe that there were likely no bad decisions to be made and we found this to be true based on our selections. 
   Our beloved family had gotten an earlier start than we did on that first day for Magic Kingdom and landed a spot in line for the "Peter Pan's Flight" ride which is located in the Fantasyland district of the park. They were kind enough to include Deidre and Laurel (my two youngest) to join them while the rest of us waited. After their "flight" had landed, the inviting aromas from the restaurants around the park served as our summons to feast.

The closest restaurant in proximity at the time was Pinocchio Village Haus. From the outside, the facade was a timber-frame design that would typically be seen in Germany or the Swiss Alps. I wondered how good the Spaetzle would be and what varieties of Bratwursts were served. Then I remembered "But wasn't Pinocchio Italian?" Sure enough, the menu included a chicken Parmesan sandwich, pizza, pasta, and meatball subs which is certainly nothing to complain about, just, well, different than what I expected. I went for the calories and had some of the best white meat chunked chicken nuggets ever!
      The food was great but I really liked the atmosphere as it resembles a Hofbrau style interior decor embellished with Pinocchio and friends. This Alpine-like design was likely due to a change in character adaptation that Walt Disney made in 1937 before releasing the film. He wanted to add more charm appeal from the original character which had somewhat more of a darker story line that followed. For viewing pleasure, the restaurant also has a large window that overlooks the ride "It's a Small World."

                    

  EPCOT

   We spent 12 hours at Magic Kingdom that day. That is a long day with a lot of walking which was good because eating well can go along with burning off the calories. However, we were tired and a little slow to get going the next day. Though I looked forward to our EPCOT visit, I was enjoying the still slowness of the morning on the back patio of our hotel. My time was soon interrupted when my husband came out and informed me that my beloved family had made lunch reservations at an English pub for 12:00 PM. I am an obsessed Anglophile. Anyone who has read my blog before knows this about me (I have been 3 times since 2013). My down time no longer mattered. I did not want to be late for anything that came with mash.

Shepherds Pie is a well known dish throughout the UK.
The bowl was filled to the rim with ground beef and lamb, fresh carrots,
peas covered with mash, and baked with Irish cheese.

   With a view of the World Showcase Lagoon at EPCOT, the cheese, the servers, and the company made for a cozy, lazier feel for the early afternoon at the Rose and Crown Pub. The menu here was very consistent to what I experienced in Britain. Almost every meal contained meat and carbs but in Britain, the two are often a fusion. Meats are often within a pie crust or smothered with potatoes. I like it both ways.
    It is only in Britain where I will likely have a beer before 5 o'clock. My meal was complimented with sample Bass Ale and Harp Lager. 

Chefs De France

What's better than a little girl time while the guys are off having their pizza in Italy. In recent years as I began to take on my great interest in travel, I have coupled this with developing my language skills. I have been studying Spanish in-depth for the last three years and in the past year have decided to expand even more. I have discovered that with the exception of pronunciation, Spanish and French languages have many similarities.
   My brother-in-law was involved in the dinner reservations for the evening and we had to divide the numbers accordingly as there were 13 of us. I was on the swing between Italian and French cuisine and he asked me what I prefered-well gosh, let me think a little on that one! The only time I had ever been to France was passing through Charles Du Gaulle airport last Summer to London and with 5 children, we frequent the Little Ceasars 5.99 deal often enough. Time to put my language skills into practice, which I did that evening as I joined the ladies of our group!
   

 Poulet Pouvais et Pomme Puree avec Vin Rouge

  
The Dole Whip

  There are certain elements associated with Disney that are original only to Disney. This by no means is an experience to be left out. Let's be very clear about that.
   As our day flowed smoothly that day at the Magic Kingdom, we had the pleasure of visiting the tropical paradise of Aloha Isle and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. Here we were serenaded with silly songs sung harmoniously by the numerous species of tropical Audio-Animatronic birds. There is nothing better than pairing this delight with another to complete our Luau.
   The Dole Whip gives the tourist the pleasure of the frozen  treat to cool off from the heat of the Summer. Though it is dairy-free, the creamy consistency along with the well known flavor of Dole pineapple can be enjoyed by anyone.
   So once you return from Disney and anyone asks if you enjoyed your Dole Whip, be sure to hold yourself accountable.



EPCOT:

Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow