Disney’s Hollywood Studios offers some incredible attractions. With the addition of Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge, this theme park returns to being a standout in the industry. Even the counter service dining increased in terms of quality with the addition of those two new areas. As of time of writing, neither of those areas added a table service dining option to Hollywood Studios. We know one will arrive later this year though. For now, the crowds have increased but table service options stayed the same. Not only are park reservations often challenging to get here, but so are table service dining options.

On the evening I am typing this, I checked for advance dining reservation options in Hollywood Studios for 60 days from now. On this evening, Hollywood Brown Debry offered no timeslots. Even Hollywood and Vine showed limited dining timeslots. The other three table service dining option only had a few timeslots left even 60 days in advance. If you want to take a break from the crowds and warm weather for table service dining, options can be hard to find. If you want a calmer themed table service dining experience, then your options become smaller at Hollywood Studios. Now, if you want a sit-down dining level burger, you have only one choice here. With the demise of the burger at Hollywood Brown Derby, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre offers your only table service burger option at Hollywood Studios. Even their menu currently offers a limited number of burgers.

Photo courtesy of BrianAndAmanda.net

Despite that, Sci-Fi Dine-in Theatre provides guests with a well themed dining experience. Also, the Drive-in BBQ Burger there offers a solid burger. In a previous article, I ranked it as the best burger at Hollywood Studios. Still, the competition literally disappeared in that contest.

The Drive-in BBQ Burger costs $22 and comes with fries. The menu description reads “Our Signature Blend of Beef and House-made Seasoning served on a Brioche Bun topped with 9-hour Smoked Pork, Bourbon-Bacon Jam, Cheddar, Lettuce, and Barbecue Sauce.” That description alone should convey that this burger functions as more than a standard Disney below average frozen burger patty. Sometimes, you just want a good burger, right?

Besides the quality of the burger, your dining experience revolves around a trip to the old school drive-in theatre. Once you are checked in, your parking attendant takes you to your car. You will dine in a classic style car. The setting offers low light like a drive-in movie theatre. Guests will view classic movie trailers, concession ads, and cartoons from a bygone era on a movie theater type screen.  The carhop will take your order. I suggest you have a good plan of what you intend to order before you arrive at your seat. The low lighting of a drive-in theatre setting creates a problem looking at the menu. Theming within the restaurant shows off what old school Disney magic can do.

So how is the burger? The burger comes well prepared. Yet, this burger falls short of the top burgers on property. However, remember this was my table service burger suggestion for Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Yet, the quality of beef could be higher here, but preparation generally ranks high. The burger patty itself offers a nice portion size. The BBQ sauce compliments the burger patty nicely without taking over the burger. I prefer a different style of BBQ sauce for a burger though. Still, the sauce works well with this combination of ingredients. The pork and bacon jam serves as supporting cast in this burger presentation. Of course, lettuce and cheese play their role well also. This burger is not messy as prepared which is a plus when eating with limited light. Of course, a brioche bun adds to the quality.

Photo used with permission from BrianAndAmanda.net

Before moving on to the potential negatives about the burger, I need to mention one additional variable. The fries provided with this burger get high marks. In fairness, these fries will not change your world. However, they exceed the quality of most fries on Disney property. Ful disclosure, when it comes to fries here, I lack proper luck. My experiences with the fries here have been disappointing. Yet, a vast majority of guests enjoy the fries here.

On the negative side for this burger, my largest disappointment revolves around the pork. The menu advertises it as 9 hour smoked pork. The pork presents a decent flavor. However, the flavor falls below the buildup. Additionally, this burger, as currently prepared, suffers a potential texture issue. The pork and lettuce are supposed to add crunchy texture. Yet, they taste good but go wrong in terms of crunch. Ideally, I would add a touch of slaw to this burger. Yes, I know that would probably make it cost $2 more. We could use crunchy bacon but that might cost $5 more.

Photo courtesy of BrianAndAmanda.net

The theme of this restaurant shines as the star of this dining experience. However, be careful not to stay too long because the video on the big screen starts repeating portions you have already seen while seated. Still, the cars themselves create a great atmosphere but seating can be awkward. If you are a group of 4 or less, you may be seated in a “car” with other people. With some people sitting so close to you, you may have a tendency not to talk. Now with the movie theatre theming, I get the being silent and watch the move thought process. However, if you are a small group, you may be seated in a “car” with people in front and behind you. Once again, expect very low lighting so it may even be hard to read the menu or even pay your bill at the end of a meal.

Despite that, the Drive-in BBQ burger here offers a nice experience at Sci-fi Drive-In. MouseDining could be a lifesaver if you want a reservation at Sci-Fi Drive-In Theatre. Remember, advance dining reservations go very quickly here. If you miss out, maybe MouseDining can help. As always, eat like you mean it!

In preparation for one of my upcoming trips to the Orlando area, I asked my spouse which of the Disney Springs restaurants she wanted to visit. Since we will be staying at the B Resort, located in the Disney Spring/Hotel Plaza area, those restaurants would be easiest for us to visit. The walk from those hotels to Disney Springs works as very relaxing and helps burn off calories from too many Everglazed Doughnuts.

Unsurprisingly, she desired to dine at places that reservations will be needed. As expected, she wanted to eat at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. She has never dined there. I, of course, have visited there several times (see reviews of chicken biscuits, fried chicken salad, and deviled eggs). I have a few more reviews of menu items there planned for upcoming weeks. Also, my talented spouse requested to dine at Raglan Road. Ironically, I have never eaten there. Of course, I made a reservation with the assistance of MouseDining for a 7pm seating there. She also asked to see the inside of The Edison.

Yet, the one dining request that surprised me was to dine at the House of Blues. I have visited the House of Blues in Orlando before. Being a theme park food blogger with a request from their spouse, I quickly tried to make a reservation there. I knew I was within the magical sixty-day window at Walt Disney World for advance dining reservations. I went to book a table only to see there were no timeslots available fifty days in advance.

Based on my recent partnership with MouseDining, an expert in getting advance dining reservations at Disney theme parks, a failure would look tragic. Sure, I acquired reservations for Raglan Road, Homecomin, “Skipper’s Canteen”, and The Boathouse already. Yet, I could not figure out why a less difficult reservation to acquire would derail my spouse’s plans.

For full disclosure, since I started working on this article/review, I got a reservation at Ohana. Sorry, House of Blues loses to Ohana. Thanks to MouseDining reservation alerts for finding that reservation at a time I wanted 13 days after the magic 60-day window. However, inquiring minds needed to know the reason no reservations were available. Did House of Blues have a big event happening? Did this place become far more popular without my knowledge? Was all the data showing the most sought-after reservations wrong? I could understand if I wanted a reservation for the weekend brunch, but I just wanted a table during the week.

Photo used with permission from Main Street Magic Podcast

Photo used with permission from Main Street Magic podcast

If you have made it this far in this article, you probably want to know also. Showing my ignorance, the reason for the lack of reservations available was obvious. House of Blues Orlando does not take reservations more than 30 days in advance. As of time of writing, I cannot book a reservation there because my August trip is still more than 30 days away. Just so you know, I have been confirming this 30-day rule with the restaurant via phone and checking reservation availability each day.

So, what does this mean for you? First, if you want the jambalaya at House of Blues, my go-to order there, the reservation window will open later than other Disney Springs places. In addition, reservation availability historically will last longer here. Second, if you put in a reservation alert for this with MouseDining.com, expect plenty of options 30 days in advance. Third, many people interested in going here might assume no reservations are available when they check around 60 days in advance. Now, walk-up availability functions as more likely here. Yet, if someone in your group must eat here, get a reservation.

So, what should I order here? I suggest the jambalaya. Some people always order shrimp and grits if it is on the menu. Some always order chicken parmigiana wherever they go. Of course, some people just get the burger or the chicken. I always order the jambalaya if it is on menu (and currently not assigned to review something else). The jambalaya here costs $21. The menu description tells us to expect sautéed chicken, andouille sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery. This comes served with Cajun style rice. Guests may add Cajun shrimp for $7 more.

Would I classify this jambalaya are one of best I have ever enjoyed? I cannot say that. Did the chicken and sausage taste tender and well-seasoned? That gets a positive response. The overall flavor of this menu item lives up to the theme of deep southern USA cooking. The spice level rates higher than normal at Walt Disney World but nothing overwhelming. I would prefer more spice in fact. The portion size meets standard expectations for a sit-down restaurant at a theme park resort. Of course, this potion size matches the size at the other locations of this chain.

Photo Credit: House of Blues

The jambalaya here provides exactly what guests should expect for their money. Still, this will not rank as a must-do entrée for most people. Would I order it again? Well, yes, I have already ordered it more than once. Remember, I am the person who selects jambalaya. However, if this place falls back on my dining schedule, I might select a burger or the pulled pork sandwich next time. The menu even offers some great salads with some of the best tasting dressing you have ever enjoyed.

House of Blues offers quality food. The food here cannot compete with the heavy hitters of Disney Springs. However, it easily defeats the lower quality table service options in Disney Springs. When you factor in the quality level and the weekend brunch options, this place merits consideration. However, a meal at Ohana won out in my case. For your trip, things may be different. As always, eat like you mean it!

National Fried Chicken Day falls on July 6^th. Even though I have been writing/editing theme park food blogs for some time now, I continue to be amazed by all the made-up food holidays. However, I have a suggestion for National Fried Chicken Day this year. Before I make that suggestion, I have a little story to tell.

A long time ago in what felt like a galaxy far away, I earned a contract to train athletically. When companies sponsor you, they tend to micro-manage your lifestyle. You sign contracts to avoid risky behavior like skydiving, motorcycles, skiing, and similar activities. Companies start to make strong suggestions about your sleep schedule. As you would expect, your food and beverage intake get supervised heavily. Next time you watch an Olympic athlete compete, remember most of them have gone through incredible standards to reach that point. On the other hand, I never even got close to that level of skill. However, I remember a meeting in Colorado Springs, CO, where they told us to eat a full salad each day.

For context, from the Olympic Training Center dorm rooms in Colorado Springs back in the day, many fast-food places could be seen. Now, several fast-food places were directly across a major road on the other side of a huge fence keeping athletes inside. I recall several fellow athletes telling their sponsors they had a salad every day. Of course, those salads came from fast food places. Those “salads” contained over 2000 calories at least. In my opinion, that might have defeated the point.

Why would I make you read about a memory from over 30 years ago? Well, today, we are looking at the “Fried Chicken Salad” from Art Smith’s Homecomin’. I formally apologize to Art Smith for using fast food salads to transition to this menu item. The quality in terms of preparation for this salad exceeds table service dining standards. However, I confidently declare this salad would not be approved by my former coaches or sponsors. For example, I cannot find a reputable source on the number of calories in this Art Smith designed salad. Still, it is a salad, right? It would be good for you, right? In fairness, this menu item offers some quality nutrition. Nutrition can be tough to find when dining at a theme park resort.

Photo courtesy of Main Street Magic Podcast

The “Fried Chicken Salad” at Art Smith’s Homecomin’ costs $19. For table service of this quality, that price rates as fair. The menu description of this salad brings thoughts of yummy goodness. This salad features crispy fried chicken pieces over mixed greens. In addition, the salad comes topped with pecan-smoked bacon, egg, heirloom cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh herbs, and cucumbers. The salad can be prepared tossed with icebox dressing or dressing on the side. I suggest having it prepared tossed. For the final touches of this salad, guests enjoy cheddar biscuit croutons. A little extra spice comes from this salad via garlic and paprika.

Yes, you read that correctly. This salad presents guests with croutons made from the Art Smith biscuits. Guests sometimes take a crouton of their salad covering it in the dressing and just enjoy. Speaking of the icebox dressing, this adds a pleasant lemon flavor.  This light dressing nicely enhances the flavor of the chicken and other toppings.

When the salad arrives at your table, the aroma indicates you made a good choice by dining here. The produce on all menu items here tastes fresh. A good reason for that involves the 100-mile rule here. All produce, of any type, must come from inside a 100-mile radius for enhanced freshness. As always, better ingredients make better meals. Sometimes the key to being a good chef comes down to your ingredients. The chefs at Homecomin’ start with an ingredient advantage.

Related to that, the chicken served here avoids being frozen. In addition, the chicken sits in brine for over twenty-four hours. This brine creates a more flavorful and tender piece of chicken. In my opinion, the chicken combined with some dressing and the pecan-smoked bacon extend a masterful flavor combination.  Your taste buds might prefer a different combination of flavors. Still, whatever mixture on this salad you lean towards, the freshness will shine.

Yes, I made an easy joke about calorie count at Homecomin’. However, if you want a taste of Art Smith’s special chicken without as much dietary guilt, this salad calls to you. Sure, you might be jealous of people ordering fried chicken and donuts here. However, Walt Disney World guests should pace themselves when it comes to meals. You want to survive to fully enjoy another great meal followed by another one. This salad will help. However, this salad works as one of many reasons that reservations can be tough to get at Homecomin’. MouseDining offers a variety of services to help you get those tough to find reservations.  Feel free if this salad, or any other menu item at Homecomin’ beckons you. A place where reservations are tough to get generally indicates quality food. MouseDining can help with that quality food acquisition.

If you choose to celebrate National Fried Chicken Day this year, Art Smith’s Homecoming should get strong consideration. As always, eat like you mean it!

Many people turn up their nose when you start talking about dining within a theme park. They begin to describe some of the worst overpriced dining experiences ever heard by mankind. Of course, I have suffered through some awful theme park meals in Orlando area and at regional parks in the USA myself. Hopefully, you are reading this blog because you want to avoid the sinking feeling of wasting money on below average dining. When visiting Walt Disney World, below average dining can be found. However, some high-quality dining may also be found.

However, what if you just want a quality burger? Can those be located within the Walt Disney World theme parks? I suggest far better ones may be located on property but outside the theme parks. Yet, you can find a few decent burgers within the theme parks. For good reason, the counter service burgers inside Walt Disney World theme parks deserve ridicule. Though Disney dresses then up with some decent toppings the actual hamburgers fall flat in most cases.

So, what about the table service options within the Walt Disney World theme parks? Your options improve but in double-checking my facts, I noticed something interesting. To get a quality burger inside the theme parks, you will need to plan on spending $22 or so. Since the Lobster Thermidor Burger at Grand Floridian Café costs $25, you can see why taking a lunch break outside the parks looks appealing. Still, most visitors chose not to leave the theme parks for breaks.

What are my suggestions for a good burger within the parks? I will propose one for each Walt Disney World theme park.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Magic Kingdom- The Main Street Burger at The Plaza Restaurant

This burger functions as one of the very few table service burger options at Magic Kingdom. Once again, Magic Kingdom continues to be the worst park in Orlando area to be hungry. The Main Street Burger costs $22 with fries. This 7oz beef patty comes topped with cheddar cheese, house-made bacon, lettuce, tomato, sunny-side up egg, and a beer-battered onion ring. As you can read, a significant amount of flavor resides within this burger. Then, roasted poblano-mayonnaise adds more flavor. All of this exists within a flour-dusted kaiser bun.  Make sure you ask for extra napkins. However, if you enjoy a burger with an egg on top, this burger provides decent flavor. However, of the four selections on this list, this burger ranks lowest—sorry Magic Kingdom.

Epcot- Welsh Pub Burger at Rose and Crown

This burger also costs $22. The menu description reads angus beef patty with beer cheese sauce, bacon and beer-battered leeks served with a side of Branston mayonnaise. If you enjoy pub-style burgers this one should be considered. The beef quality rates high. The leeks function as the best aspect of the toppings. The combination of saltiness, tangy mayonnaise, and a well-prepared burger offers guests a solid table service burger.

Hollywood Studios- Drive-In Burger at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre Restaurant can be a tricky reservation to obtain.  Also, most people, including myself, visit here for the experience not the food. Still, if you want a burger at Hollywood Studios, this place offers a wide variety. I suggest the Drive-In BBQ Burger. Guests who order the Drive-In BBQ Burger can enjoy a signature blend of beef, some house-made seasonings, a decent brioche bun, slow smoked pork, house-made BBQ sauce, bourbon-bacon jam, and cheddar cheese. Once again, the potential mess factor ranks high with this one. The flavors with this burger offer enjoyable bites all along the way.

Animal Kingdom- Kobe Beef Burger at Yak and Yeti

My strongest table service in-park burger recommendation goes to this burger. Yak and Yeti offers surprisingly high-quality table-service dining. This place can often present a challenge getting a table. However, my top suggestion breaks the trend of $22 table service burgers. These costs $22.99.

The Kobe Beef Burger here features a 10 oz. grilled American Kobe beef burger served with sesame-soy mayonnaise, crispy shoestring fries. You can then top the burger with either shiitake mushrooms, scallion compote, or Asian slaw. I suggest the Asian slaw but all three will do nicely. Yak and Yeti may be known for the quality Asian food and excellent appetizers, but this burger deserves some praise. You get 10 ounces of beef along with the quality toppings.

If you crave a decent burger (or have someone in your group that does), I strongly suggest making a reservation for these places. MouseDining can assist you in your quest to avoid below average dining. Many table service dining options at Walt Disney World fill up their reservation slots rapidly. If you do not have time to sit and refresh the Walt Disney World dining page hoping for a coveted timeslot, MouseDining can do that for you. Feel free to check out the options on the MouseDining homepage.

Finally, good burgers can be found in the parks. However, it takes a bit of planning and effort. Try to avoid the counter service burgers if possible. As always, eat like you mean it!

D-Luxe Burger recently celebrated National Burger Day with a newly refreshed menu. With fan favorites and revitalized classics like the Classic Bacon Cheeseburger, Barbecue Burger and the Pizza Burger, there’s something for every palate.

One of the new additions is the signature 1921 sauce – which actually is a callback to the history of D-Luxe Burger and Disney Springs. As the story goes, the Sinclair family discovered a beautiful natural spring in 1850 – in the area we know today as Disney Springs. The Sinclairs were cattle ranchers and settled along the spring, founding Glowing Oak Ranch. The oldest Sinclair son visited the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 where he tasted a new invention known as the hamburger. Inspired by this innovation, in 1921 (here’s where the signature sauce gets its name), the Sinclairs turned Glowing Oak Ranch into Glowing Oak Restaurant in the growing Town Center area. The thriving business was passed down through generations, and is now the D-Luxe Burger that we know and love today.

Step inside and you’ll notice details and décor that are all a part of the history of D-Luxe Burger. The front part of the restaurant is what was originally the Sinclairs’ cabin. You can find the original, hand-written 1921 sauce recipe hung on a wall, along with postcards from the Sinclairs, posters announcing the grand opening of Glowing Oak Restaurant and more. And if you head to the back dining room, you’ll see the original Glowing Oak Ranch sign. Outside the restaurant, there is a large oak tree. When the Sinclairs first arrived, they held many a campfire under the tree, which inspired the name Glowing Oak Ranch.

Here’s another fun fact: the hamburger buns are made daily at Amorette’s Patisserie! Be sure to stop by D-Luxe Burger next time you’re at Disney Springs.

To some extent, we are all products of our life experiences. I know that I often show signs of my upbringing. Of course, sometimes I make decisions very differently than people my age with similar backgrounds. In fact, many people express shock with my decisions. As my current twitter handle (@pastorjonself) indicates, I express a certain worldview. For understandable reasons, ministers, like many vocations, get made fun of by comedians.

One of the classic examples of comedians making fun of USA church culture would be from Saturday Night Live. Yes, Dana Carvey introduced us to the concept of the “Church Lady.” The catchphrase “Well, isn’t that special” became part of pop culture during that time. For me, every time I hear about one of the very popular appetizers at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, that is all I can visualize. I realize for people of a certain age; I have ruined this excellent appetizer. If you are one of those people visualizing “The Church Lady”, I apologize. Please send all angry messages to my twitter account.

Photo Credit: Entertainment Weekly

Yes, I am talking about the “Church Lady Deviled Eggs” from Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. Before I discuss this appetizer, I do not dislike deviled eggs. Yet, I fail to be a fan of them either. However, having served in vocational ministry in the USA and other countries, I have tasted my fair share of deviled eggs.

Also, I would like to apologize that more Homecomin’ dining reviews will be written over the next few months. I asked my spouse where she wanted to eat in Disney Springs. She quickly replies with Homecomin’. I may not know much. Still, if you ask your spouse a direct question and get a direct answer, respond appropriately. I quickly put in an alert at MouseDining for a lunch reservation for two. In fact, I have adjusted my lunch timeslot three times using MouseDining. If you are unaware, Homecomin’ presents some challenge in terms of getting a reservation.

Now, the Church Lady Deviled Eggs cost $13. Each appetizer order includes 6 of these eggs. You can order a half order if you only want three. However, you will want six! The menu description tells us to prepare to enjoy HFK-style whole deviled eggs. As mentioned, these eggs are not merely cut in half then filled like a common everyday deviled egg.  Some Art Smith voodoo happens making each deviled egg basically the size of a normal egg filled with yummy goodness. So do not visualize each one being half an egg. These deviled eggs will provide a nice solid portion size for groups of 4 or more to share.

The “filling” for each deviled egg functions with some voodoo power also. Why do I say that? Well, the filling offers an incredibly smooth texture. Even great tasting deviled eggs struggle with texture issues though. If you are person who avoids certain foods due to texture issues, these should be fine for you. Unlike most deviled eggs, the smooth consistency and steady flavor makes for incredible bites every time

Also, the flavor of the filling offers the expected mustard-based taste. However, the mustard, yolk mixture, and special HFK seasonings taste like they were intended to always be used this way.

Okay, I know I am overselling this appetizer at this point. Yes, sometimes guests find that these deviled eggs taste just average. However, those experiences work as an exception not the norm.

If these do not sound good enough, each egg comes with a piece of candied bacon on top. Yes, you just read candied bacon. Risking over over-selling again, visualize giving Chef Art Smith the ability to improve bacon. Clearly, no church potluck I have ever attended offered candied bacon on deviled eggs. However, I think that should be mandatory now.

In addition, the deviled eggs come delivered in a type of ceramic container. This container holds the eggs perfectly. Also with some Chef Art Smith voodoo, the container helps keep the eggs cool for your enjoyment.

The appetizer makes a great option if dining at the bar at Homecomin’. Now, I would not visit Homecomin simply for this appetizer. Yet, if you find yourself fortunate enough to have a reservation to dine here, this appetizer makes a great starting place for your meal. As I have written previously, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ creates a challenge to get a reservation. I got a reservation for my next trip (in addition to one with spouse). Yes, I woke up at 4:30am to be ready to select a time 60 days in advance. Yes, the spots went quickly.

Historically, I have shown great proficiency in acquiring boarding passes for Walt Disney World new “e-ticket” level attractions. Yet, I confess that getting a dining reservation to some Walt Disney World restaurants early in the morning 60 days in advance stresses me more. If you want to lower that stress, MouseDining can help. Of course, no guarantees exist when it comes to anything related to Walt Disney World technology. However, the success stories using MouseDining bring hope for that long sought-after dining reservation. Good luck in planning your Walt Disney World dining. As always, eat like you mean it!