Due to the high demand for the Bocuse d'Or Gala dinner from Annual Passholders and Guests who are already in possession of park admission to Epcot, Disny has announced that there will be a special fee of $325.00 per person for the event -- exclusive of park tickets and tax. To benefit from this special rate, simply tell the Disney Dining Reservation Agent that you are a Passholder or have park entrance previously arranged. Available by calling 407-939-3378.

DISNEY DINING EXPERIENCE TO BECOME "TABLES IN WONDERLAND"

A Letter from Disney Dining Experience to its Members: "On the occasion of the 13th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, we are pleased to announce that we will be launching a new name for the Disney Dining Experience.

"Our Festival, which will take place from September 26 - November 9, 2008 will celebrate Cities in Wonderland, and following that theme, your dining club will be named Tables in Wonderland as of September 15, 2008.

"This new name will not alter any of your current benefits. We have simply decided to do this to help distinguish your membership from any other dining privileges at Walt Disney World Resort that bears a similar name to the Disney Dining Experience. You may continue to use your current card until expiration and your renewal card will reflect the new name, Tables in Wonderland.

"In addition, we look forward to seeing you during the Festival. The team has planned an exciting line-up of events for the entire 45 days. We are particularly excited about hosting the Bocuse d'Or Culinary Competition on September 26th and September 27th from 11:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on each day.

"Chefs Paul Bocuse, Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller invite you to watch some of the countries top professional chefs compete live to earn the privilege to represent the United States at the renowned Bocuse d'Or International Cuisine Competition in Lyon, France 2009.

"Plan to attend this unique event with Al Roker and Dana Cowin, Editor in Chief, Food & Wine Magazine as host emcees. Several celebrity chefs will be judging the Event and will be available for book signings throughout both days. Viewing the Competition is included in park admission.

"Also, the Gala Dinner on Saturday, September 27th will be a rare treat and a lot of fun.

"More information on this event, including the menu will be sent on a separate e-mail . . . an event not to be missed!

"We wish you a delicious journey as you explore Cities in Wonderland during the Festival, and as a member of Tables in Wonderland all year around."

The Disney Dining Plan and Disney Deluxe Dining Plan are offering an incentive between August 24 and September 27th if you use your Table Service entitlement on Quick Service. When you use the Table Service at a Quick Service location the cashier will give you a Disney Dining Plan Snack or Merchandise certificate for the following:

Two snacks redeemable at the same time and location or redeemable at any Quick Service or Outdoor participating location. OR One Sligh Mesh Bag, valid at locations printed on the back of the certificate while supplies last.

T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover is scheduled to open at Downtown Disney on October 14, 2008. T-Rex, developed by Schussler Creative, Inc., and operated by Landry's Restaurants, Inc., features dining and retail in a 30,000-square-foot, 600-seat interactive prehistoric environment. The concept is built around water, fire and ice: Guests will be greeted with life-size animatronic dinosaurs that live among cascading waterfalls, bubbling geysers, a fossil dig site and much more. There will be a meteorite shower every 20 minutes and an aqua bar complete with a 6,000-gallon shark tank and a large octopus with mechanical tentacles. A full-size skeleton replica of Argentinosaurus, one of the largest of the dinosaurs and copied from a museum specimen about 125 feet in length, looms over the entrance, joined by a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. The theme carries over to the menu, which features items with names such as Caesarsaurus (Caesar salad), Raptor Ribs (Asian BBQ ribs), Pterodactyl Wings (Buffalo chicken wings), Triassic Tortellini (tri-colored cheese tortellini) and Gigantosaurus Burger (think really big hamburger).

Chef Mickey's Serving Lunch - Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary is serving a lunch buffet between 8/24 - 9/25/08.

Magic Kingdom has Two Extra Dining Locations between 8/24 - 9/25/08.

Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe - will be open for dinner on Aug. 24, 31, Sept. 7 and 14, 2008 from 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.. Dinner will be buffet style featuring breads, salads, pastas and carved to order Chimichurri Beef Strip Loin. Dinner is $35.00 for adults, and $18.00 for those ages 3-9. If you are using the Disney Dining Plan, this is counts as one Table Service meal.

Diamond Horseshoe - will be open for dinner from Aug. 24-31, and Sept. 13-25, 2008 from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Dinner will be family-style, all-you-care-to-eat, and will feature roasted turkey breast, carved beef, pork loin, and mashed potatoes. Dinner is $28.99 for adults, and $14.99 for those ages 3-9. If you are using the Disney Dining Plan, this is counts as one Table Service meal.

According to an item in the Orlando Sentinel, the Portobello Yacht Club at Downtown Disney will be closed September 27 through October 12 while it undergoes a makeover. The Walt Disney World restaurant will be known simply as "Portobello" once the transition to resemble an Italian trattoria is complete in December. The menu will shift from traditional Italian fare to food inspired by regional Italian destinations such as Milan, Tuscany and Rome. The restaurant is operated by Chicago-based Levy Restaurants.

Recently, Walt Disney World began charging a premium on certain meals and dining experiences during peak seasons. Such seasonal pricing will be implemented at the following dining locations during peak seasons:

-- 1900 Park Fare
-- Akershus
-- Biergarten
-- Boma
-- Cape May Cafe
-- Chef Mickey's
-- Cinderella's Royal Table
-- Crystal Palace
-- Garden Grill
-- Hollywood and Vine
-- Liberty Tree Tavern (dinner only)
-- 'Ohana
-- Trails End
-- Tusker House

Upcoming peak times that will see the seasonal price increases are:
November 22 - November 29, 2008
December 16, 2008 - January 3, 2009
April 5 - April 18, 2009
May 24 - July 11, 2009

Information on 2009 Magic Your Way packages has been released. In addition to its popular Magic Your Way Plus Dining package, Disney is introducing a Magic Your Way Plus Quick Service Dining package, for those who are interested in dining only at the quick-service eateries around Walt Disney World. Costs for the 2009 packages are as follows:

Quick Service Dining Plan: Adults $29.99 per person per night; children 3-9 $8.99 per person per night
Basic Dining Plan: Adults $39.99 per person per night; children 3-9 $10.99 per person per night
Deluxe Dining Plan: Adults $69.99 per person per night; children 3-9 $19.99 per person per night

Take a look at the updated information on the 2009 packages here:
http://allears.net/pl/packages.htm

Cinderella's Royal Table prices have increased by $1 for adult/child at breakfast to: $34.99 and $23.99; Lunch has risen $2/$1 to $37.99/$24.99; and Dinner has also risen $2/$1 to $42.99 and $26.99.

Citricos and Citricos Chef's Domain at the Grand Floridian Resort have extended their daily operations thru March 29, 2009 (previously the restaurant was closed 2 days a week).

....from Joy Kumme: My husband and I lunched at Trail's End earlier this month and were told by our server that the lunch buffet will be changing to a cold buffet - soup and sandwich - as of July 23.

Editor's Note: A call to Disney Reservations confirmed that lunch is now soup, salad, and sandwiches. Dinner at Trails End will continue to feature chicken, ribs, a carved item, and all the same items as before.

Still a bit bleary-eyed when you get to the Ticket and Transportation Center? A new stand has opened between the Resort Monorail Beam and the Ferry Boat, Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Co. In addition to a variety of coffee beverages, the stand also has pastries, muffins, and frozen beverages. The stand is open from 7:30 a.m. until one hour after the park closes, no later than 1 a.m. for Extra Magic Hours.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that Disney recently received a food-service license for a restaurant in the building being constructed next to the Contemporary Resort under the working name of "Bay Lake Tower Finish Kitchen." According to the license application, the restaurant will be a 693-square-foot take-out only eatery. The projected completion date is September 1, 2009. For the full article:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2008/07/more-amenities.html

The Diamond Horseshoe Revue is open for quick service lunch (sandwiches, chips, and snacks) 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. through July 31. In addition, dinner will be served at this location August 24-31 from 5 to 9 p.m.

The Adventureland Veranda , also in the Magic Kingdom, is hosting "Refreshment Oasis" from July 13 - August 2, serving a variety of vitaminwater, water, cold sandwiches and fruit.

An upgrade to Disney's Dining Reservation System will begin July 21, 2008. As the application upgrade occurs, the latest reservation date guests will be able to secure is January 25, 2009. This means that in some cases you may not be able to book as far in advance as usual. (Note that reservation booking windows for Victoria & Albert's, Chef Mickey's and Cinderella's Royal Table will not be affected by this system upgrade.) Beginning October 24, 2008, the current system will be replaced by an improved system for dining, recreation and tour bookings. With the launch of the new booking system, reservations for dining, recreation, and tours will be made during one single transaction. Once the upgrade is completed the booking window will expand back to the normal 180 days.

Citricos and Citricos Chef's Domain at the Grand Floridian Resort are open daily now through the week ending September 27, 2008.

Liberty Tree Tavern - Beginning January 5, 2009, the Magic Kingdom's Liberty Tree Tavern will no longer offer character dining. The last character dinner at the Tavern will be on January 4, 2009. (Posted July 1, 2008)

Garden Grill Lunch - Beginning October 6, 2008, Epcot's Garden Grill will no longer serve lunch. The Garden Grill will continue to serve dinner.

The Wave Brings a Splash of Fun, Healthful Dining to Disney’s Contemporary Resort

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- With drinks like the Antioxidant Cocktail, entrées such as whole-wheat linguine with clams, rock shrimp and fresh thyme in chunky tomato broth, and crispy almond-raisin "baklava" for dessert, The Wave brings a surge of new dining ideas to Walt Disney World Resort.

Located in Disney's Contemporary Resort, the new restaurant is "bold cooking inspired by fresh markets," said Dieter Hannig, vice president of new concepts for Walt Disney World Food & Beverage. "America is more and more a melting pot, and The Wave features American cooking with world flavors."

Guests enter the stylish new space on the first floor of the hotel through a brushed steel arch "tunnel" into The Wave's lounge, one of the largest at Walt Disney World Resort. The sleek, serene décor is earthy browns and golds, with frosted glass lamps for soft ambient light and a copper-colored metal ceiling. Banquettes and booths line the perimeter of the dining room, and wooden tables are set with white linen napkins. A large central table is draped in sheer fabric in purples and golds.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the 220-seat restaurant takes casual dining into the health-conscious 21st century. The classic American breakfast menu includes plenty of egg creations, but guests also can make their own Wave muesli or sip a Beta Berry Smoothie with raspberry puree and non-fat yogurt blended with Odwalla Berries GoMega (a great source of Omega-3). The Pure Sunshine breakfast cocktail features organic vodka and orange juice topped with Vitamin Energy Drink. Coffee is organic Colombian (fair trade and "Smithsonian-certified bird-friendly") and teas are whole leaf Pyramid bags in flavors from chamomile blossoms to monsoon chai.

At lunch, light eaters might enjoy lettuce wraps with sautéed lamb and bay scallops, or a lump crab cake with crispy papaya slaw. Entrées include oversized salads and a vegetarian sandwich with grilled tofu, roasted veggies and herb goat cheese on multi-grain bread, but guests also can chow down on an Angus chuck burger with cheese and Applewood smoked bacon, or a classic grilled Reuben.

The dinner menu offers a delicious spin on comfort classics such as pan-seared Alaskan black cod with corn and edamame (soybean) stew with cilantro chutney; braised lamb shank with bulgur lentil stew and red wine sauce, and a nouvelle chicken pot pie with thyme pastry. Sides at both lunch and dinner include braised greens and roasted sweet potatoes and carrots.

"Lots of stocks, lots of broths and seasonal ingredients keep the menu well balanced," said Chef Frank Brough. "We are sourcing ingredients locally and regionally to create fresh flavors, and our fresh catch of the day features sustainable seafood."

Desserts continue the theme with a dozen choices for mixing and matching three mini-favorites for one price. From chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache, to yogurt sorbet with blueberry compote and coconut panna cotta with passion fruit, guests can indulge their sweet tooth without a big hit in calories. Or go overboard with a dessert cocktail like the Mudslide martini: Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla vodka, Kahlúa and vanilla ice cream.

Wine 'With a Twist,' Innovative Spirits Menu

The wine program, with only screw cap wines, is cutting-edge and supports sustainable agriculture, says Master Sommelier John Blazon, manager of wine sales and standards for Walt Disney World Resort.

"The surge in the use of the screw cap is nothing short of a revolution in wine packaging," says Blazon. Industry experts say that the screw cap is the most significant technical evolution in the wine industry since the glass bottle was introduced 250 years ago.

And the options for screw cap wine are growing, said Blazon. The Wave serves no California wines (California Grill on the resort's 15th floor has a corner on the California market), but instead focuses on bright-style New World wines from the Southern Hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Sparkling wines from Tasmania, Rieslings from South Australia, floral New Wave whites from Argentina and Pinot Noirs from New Zealand are among the interesting choices, with 50 available by the glass. A flight of 3-ounce samplings and dessert wines, ports and sherries round out the wine list.

For beer fans, certified organic ales from Orlando Brewing are on the menu. Produced in Orlando, these handcrafted ales use only American-grown certified-organic barley malt. Three Orlando Brewery ales are available on tap, including Blonde Ale, Pale Ale and Blackwater Dry Porter. Also on the menu is gluten-free Redbridge lager.

Trendy cocktails are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Start the day with a Pomegranate Splash (vodka, pomegranate liqueur, cranberry juice and soda water) or the Ultimate Bloody Mary (organic vodka, Bloody Mary mix and a dash of red chili sauce).

"Natural and flavorful are the buzzwords for cocktails," said Stuart McGuire, director of beverage sales and standards for Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. The Pure-tini mixes organic vodka with organic mango and passion fruit liqueur. The Antioxidant Cocktail features wild berry vodka, black raspberry liqueur, açai juice with agave, lychee, aloe juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

The Wave is part of a revitalization at Disney's Contemporary Resort that includes a makeover of the hotel's fourth floor with a new game arcade and new quick-service eatery for salads and sandwiches (replacing Concourse Steakhouse). The popular Chef Mickey's restaurant and the monorail station anchor that family-friendly area.

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Wolfgang Puck's Express has reopened in the Marketplace at Downtown Disney.

El Pirata y El Perico , in the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland, is open from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and may remain open through the summer.

Citricos fine dining in the Grand Floridian is now open 7 days a week and will continue to do so through July 5, 2008.

Concourse Steakhouse - Previously AllEars reported that the Concourse Steakhouse in the Contemporary resort would close beginning May 11th. The new closing date is May 31, 2008. It will be replaced by Quick Service dining.

The Wave, new table service, will open on the first floor, will open soon after the Concourse Steakhouse closes.

A photo package will be included for ALL reservations made for April 27, 2008 and beyond for Princess Storybook Dining at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot. Prices are as follows:

Breakfast: $28.99 ages 10 and older; $12.99 ages 3-9
Lunch: $30.99 ages 10 and older; $13.99 ages 3-9
Dinner: $35.99 ages 10 and older; $14.99 ages 3-9

Holiday Pricing: May 25, 2008 - July 5, 2008 :
Breakfast: $32.99 ages 10 and older; $14.99 ages 3-9
Lunch: $34.99 ages 10 and older; $15.99 ages 3-9
Dinner: $39.99 ages 10 and older; $16.99 ages 3-9

Yes, we doubled and triple checked. The holiday pricing includes the entire month of June!

Price includes non-specialty, non-alcoholic drinks (sodas, coffee, tea, iced tea, lemonade, punch, milk). Tax and gratuity are NOT included.

The seasonal Mickey's Backyard BBQ will resume on March 6, 2008. This buffet dinner and dance features entertainment and character experiences Thursday and Saturday nights only from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the outdoor pavilion. The All-You-Can-Eat Buffet features cole slaw, cornbread, baked chicken, BBQ pork ribs, hot dogs and all the fixin’s, baked beans, corn-on-the-cob, watermelon, ice cream novelties, lemonade, iced tea, beer, and wine. Cost is $44.99 for adults and $26.99 for children ages 3-9 (tax and gratuity included). A surcharge will apply during the peak holiday season, March 16-30, 2008: $48.99 (ages 10+) and $28.99 (ages 3-9). Infants ages 0-2 are free, but need to be counted in party size. For reservations, call 407-WDW-DINE.

The Spirit of Aloha 8:00pm Show at Disney's Polynesian Resort is cancelled for Tuesday, January 15, 2008. The 5:15pm show will go on as scheduled.

Wolfgang Puck Express at Downtown Disney Marketplace will be closed for refurbishment beginning January 7 through March 6. Once it reopens, there will be new menu choices, and an expanded indoor dining area. During this time, the West Side location will remain open.

Holiday Dining Surcharges that were in effect for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday seasons will also be in effect from March 16-30, 2008. Prices will be higher at the following restaurants: Boma Breakfast and Dinner, Cape May Breakfast and Dinner Buffet, Chef Mickey's Breakfast and Dinner, Trails End Buffet, 1900 Park Fare Breakfast and Dinner, 'Ohana Breakfast and Dinner, Captain's Grille Breakfast Buffet, Tusker House, Garden Grill, Princess Storybook Dining, Crystal Palace, Liberty Tree Tavern Character Dinner, Cinderella's Royal Table, and Play 'n' Dine at Hollywood and Vine.

Effective January 1, 2008, the AAA Five Diamond Victoria & Albert's restaurant at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, will implement a modified age policy and will be geared specifically towards adults and older children. Guests ages 10 and above are invited to dine at this establishment. Walt Disney World Resort caters to Guests of all ages. Victoria & Albert's provides a unique fine-dining experience focused specifically on adults and older children. Out of the 98 full-service dining options at the Walt Disney World Resort, Victoria & Albert's will be the only restaurant that showcases more of an adult-oriented atmosphere.

Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Shows for January 2 and 3, 2008, have been cancelled due to the cold weather.