Menu Monday: When to Expand the Palate and When to Stick with Tradition

We all have foods that take us to our happy place.

Better yet, we all have foods in our happy place that remind us we are there.

Best of all, we all have Disney dining favorites in the Happiest Place on Earth that we love to eat – over and over and over again.

For me, it is the Barbecue Slaw Dog at Casey’s Corner in Magic Kingdom park. Ever since I heard about the hot dog thanks to the Disney Food Blog, I have been getting it on every trip – four vacations and counting!

But when is it time to let that delicious habit pass, and replace it with something else that’s delicious? Is it ever okay? It depends on the situation. Let’s think this over together.

When to Expand the Palate

A Reminder of Home

Has your mother ever announced her dinner preparations to you, and you almost did a somersault because you were so excited to eat? That happens to me whenever my mother announces “chicken and dumplings!”

If I ever went into a Disney restaurant and found “chicken and dumplings” on the menu, I would likely try it out. Disney has the best chance of using their (most of the time) culinary expertise to re-create my favorite home-cooked dish of all time into something I would really enjoy. I would at least give it a shot.

A Strong Sense of Smell

It is easy to pass by a food cart if there is no smell wafting from it. But Disney tries hard to make sure that every table-service restaurant, counter-service location, and food cart stand has a variety of smells attacking our sense at all times. And sometimes those smells are too irresistible to pass up.

Have you ever bought a bucket of popcorn when you weren’t hungry, simply because you smelled it? I did that when I ate a turkey leg for the first time. I wasn’t planning on getting a turkey leg, but when I passed the Fife and Drum Tavern in Epcot, I couldn’t resist. It was worth the try, but I doubt I’ll ever get one again just for myself. (Those things need to be shared!)

A Picture on a Blog

I don’t even need to be in Walt Disney World to start making my list of new foods to try on my next trip! All I do is view the Disney blogs, read the reviews, salivate at the pictures, and write the food down on my large “Things To Eat” list.

An experimental treat I tried was the make-your-own-snack at Goofy’s Candy Company in Downtown Disney. If I hadn’t read the amazing review and seen the pictures, I would never have thought to make my amazing treat. I’m so glad that I did!

The Chicken-and-Waffle Sandwich at Sleepy Hollow Refreshments was another Internet food review that I tried and loved. I loved it so much, I recommended it to a friend of mine a few months ago, and she really liked it too!

I know that sometimes the trend of taking a photo of your food is overdone, but I feel that is never the case at Walt Disney World. There are too many amazing snacks and foods to eat that people might not notice until they see it online!

In my upcoming trip, I’m excited to try the new Waffle Fries at the Golden Oak Outpost thanks to this article.

When to Stick with Tradition

A Family Member or Friend Tries Instead

Is there something on the menu catching your eye, but you can’t possibly betray your mainstay dish? Hopefully you brought a friend or family member along that you can needle into getting it themselves!

I love eating the Mickey Premium Bar on every trip (ear first!). My friend on the trip chose the Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich. I know it’s not a fancy new treat at Walt Disney World, but I’d never eaten it before…since I was always eating the Mickey Premium Bar! She let me try some of hers out of the goodness of her heart, and I still got to have my usual frozen treat!

A Favorite Food…OF ALL TIME

Is the Barbecue Slaw Dog one of my favorite foods of all time? It’s pretty up there. Some people might be annoyed by the large bun, but I find that bun a great way to hold up the massive pile of pork and sauce on the top! If I see a hot dog advertised anywhere else in the world with barbecued pork and coleslaw on the top, I will buy it. It is a favorite splurge of mine, especially at Magic Kingdom park!

Some people feel that way about sushi, and they find delicious options all over the place in the resort. Will they find their favorite sushi of all time? Maybe. If they do, I would guess they would get sushi every single trip!

A Strong Memory

Many of us went to the Disney Parks as a child, and we had foods at that time which we loved. I personally don’t have any strong memories of childhood foods at Walt Disney World, but when I made my triumphant return to the resort after a long hiatus, I tried a Dole Whip. How amazing is that snack?!

Dole Whip reminds me of two things: the WDW Today podcast and one of my best friends, who also listens to that podcast. She and I hatched the idea of getting to Walt Disney World in 2010 after listening to a bunch of WDW Today podcasts, and we knew that we would have to try one of Mike Scopa’s favorite foods: the Dole Whip. It was definitely an amazing find, and I make sure to get to Aloha Isle every trip, just to remind myself of that first amazing vacation that started with a friend and a podcast!

Do you have a memory connected to a favorite Disney treat? What new foods have you tried at the Disney Parks and loved? When have you tried something new and immediately wished you’d stuck with your normal choice? Do you have any other reasons to stick with tradition or expand the palate? Comment below!