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Spring 2017 Application FAQ

Spring 2017 Application FAQ

by Brittany DiCologero

:::DISCLAIMER::: For the most up to date information on anything Disney College Program-related, please visit disneycollegeprogram.com and disneyprogramsblog.com. I do not work for Disney College Program Recruiting, and I do not claim to-- I'm simply an alumna of the program with a lot of experience into the application process.

Q: A lot of experience you say? What exactly are your credentials to be writing this post?

A: I have been researching the college program since about 2006. I've networked with alumni of the program who completed it from the 1980s until the most recent season. I've applied to the program every year since 2011. I've been rejected, accepted, and everything in between for multiple jobs within the Walt Disney Company, and I've completed seminars with outside human resources departments and recruitment companies to gain insight into how the application process works based on the software used by Disney. In addition, I've been selected by Theme Park Press to publish "Brittany Earns Her Ears," a book documenting my personal experiences with the program, and I regularly write well-researched articles on the subject for Theme Park Tourist.

Q: I applied to the college program a couple of years ago. How has the application changed?

A: About three years ago, the Disney College Program application stopped offering web-based interviews to every applicant. Prior to the Spring 2014 program season, each applicant was offered the opportunity to take the initial interview after submitting his or her application. In an effort to narrow down applicants due to an increased number of students applying each year, this is no longer the case. Students now must submit an application, and wait for an email, or check their dashboards, to see if they are selected to take the web-based interview. Successful completion of the web-based interview, as always, will lead to an invitation for the phone interview.

Q: What is submission? How do I avoid it? Is it random?

A: Submission is the stage of your application process, where you application has been received by recruiters, and has undergone an initial review stage, however you have not been asked to move forward with an interview-- but you have not been rejected either. What exactly is submission? Well, put most simply-- it's frustrating. 

To better understand what submission means, think of the college program on a much smaller scale: You are a hiring manager for a small company, and you receive four applications for one open position. Two of those applications are outstanding, and you offer them interviews right away (think "in progress). One of the applications is not what you're looking for at all ("no longer in consideration) meaning, this person is not going to be offered an interview. That last application however, draws a middle ground. The application shows enough potential to not be immediately discarded, however with the other two outstanding candidates, it is not yet clear if this applicant should be offered an interview (submission). If the first two candidates look closer to what you're looking for on paper, you're probably going to interview them first. This is not to say that the submission-ed candidate is bad, it's just to say that the competition is better. If the two outstanding applicants do not accept the job, the "submission-ed" applicant might be offered an interview. If one of the outstanding applicants does accept the job, the submission-ed person will likely be in submission until he or she is ultimately rejected. While it can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially because the Disney College Program obviously receives a lot more applications than our hypothetical small business, it's a very common practice, that is going to occur in nearly all of the jobs you apply for-- you just won't know about it, because most jobs do not have a dashboard telling you that you're in submission.

What's important for you to know, is that BEING PLACED IN SUBMISSION IS ABSOLUTELY NOT RANDOM. This is a rumor that resurfaces each program season, and quite frankly, it has no truth to it at all. Don't believe me? You're not alone, apparently a lot of potential CPs don't believe me on this, so we'll say it one more time for the people in the back. BEING PLACED IN SUBMISSION IS NOT RANDOM.  Still don't believe me? Let's see what the official Disney Internships and Programs blog has to say on the matter: here, and here. If you'd like to still believe that you may be in submission due to some completely made up lottery process, be my guest, but I think the more important thing to do would be to focus on how to make your application the best it can possibly be, so that you do not end up being stuck in submission.

Disney College Program Recruiting has not, and likely never will, disclose exactly what they're looking for in an application, so please do not assume that I'm just trying to act like a know-it-all here-- I'm just going to use what I've learned from a mixture of Career Services at my and other local colleges, discussions I've had with human resource professionals, and with leaders at my work locations in Disney to decipher what I think the best application would be like, and you can take it or leave it. :)

Buzzwords: Use them, and use Disney-specific ones. Base everything you write in the job description portion of the application off of the Four Keys: Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency. Instead of saying "helped customers," say "assisted guests." Use adjectives like "excellent, efficiently, safely," etc... Use specific examples of how you can work independently and as part of a team. Even if your job is fairly basic, you can think of examples of how you've used the Four Keys there if you try hard enough. The first time I applied to the program, one of my work experiences was as a volunteer greeter for a local historical society's museum. At a most basic level, my job function was to sit at a desk in the doorway and greet visitors, and tell them when the next tour would start. Instead of saying just this, my application read something like, "Enthusiastically greeted each guest to Buckman Tavern. Taught guests about the history of Lexington, MA on an individual level, based on the guests' ages and background knowledge of the subject matter. Efficiently maintained tour schedules, assuring that guests would be able to join the tour time of their choice. Put safety first while completing emergency evacuation drills of the house museum, and while reporting anything that might pose a safety hazard to guests and/or coworkers. Actively engaged guests by seeking out those who appeared to have questions, and making sure their visit to the museum exceeded their expectations." See the difference?

Roles: Again, this is my personal understanding of the application process, as we know that Disney College Program Recruiting will likely never disclose this kind of information. I would strongly suggest applying for any role you would honestly pursue on the program. Say Lifeguard is your absolute first choice, followed by Recreation as your second, and then Attractions. If there are any other roles you are receptive to, I would strongly suggest putting them on the application. A recruiter might think you're a great fit for Character Attendant and nothing else, and if you don't check it off as an option, you're likely going to receive an NLIC (no longer in consideration email) or remain in submission until the end of application season. At the same time, do not put interest in roles that you are absolutely not receptive to doing. (If you've been in the Facebook group for past seasons, I'm sure you've seen the post by the person who checked off Housekeeping and is horribly upset when he or she is offered the role because it wasn't their first choice). Be flexible in your roles, knowing that you can mention your first choices in the phone interview, but don't be so flexible as to check off roles that you'll ultimately refuse to do. 

Have work experience: Volunteer experience counts too! Just make sure you have work experience. Technically speaking, the college program can be your first job, but it's become so competitive these days that you honestly can't expect to be handed an acceptance with no work experience when you're competing against other students with years of experience. Personally, I value work experience, especially in young people. I've had a job since I was fifteen, and I think working and doing something for yourself at a young age teaches you important lessons that simply being a full time student can't. If you have no work experience, be aware that you're going to be competing for a spot in the program against other students who have upwards of four or five years of work experience, so getting a summer job before you apply for the program might be to your advantage. 

Work on your resume: The best way to make all of this fit into your application is to work on your resume, and have an updated one on hand when you're applying. If you have your resume, with buzzwords in the job descriptions ready to go, you can copy and paste this information into the application when you apply. Another place where applicants go wrong is that they are so excited to apply that they rush through the application. Having a well thought out resume on hand means you can be ready to go with the application, regardless of how anxious you are to apply. 

Q: Is it better to apply right when applications open? Should I wait a week or two instead?

A: It makes no difference. Anything else you hear is superstition/rumors. It might make a difference if you don't select a lot of roles and you apply near the end (ie: most of the Merchandise spots have been filled, and that's the only role you put interest in, so you're competing against a lot of people for one role-- but remember when we said about roles in the previous question). I've applied on the first day, the last day, and everywhere in between, and for me personally, it has made no difference. You can also check the official blog (again) for further proof if you don't believe me. 

Q: I applied on the same day as Bob, and Bob already has a phone interview, but I'm in submission. What gives?

A: I'll never know, Bob will never know, and you'll never know. Bob's application is different than yours, and even if you claim its "exactly the same" his job descriptions might not be, and he may have selected different roles. You know who will know what gives? Disney College Program Recruiting. But since they will never tell you what gives, it's best not to stress too much over it, and avoid comparing your application status to others.

Q: I've heard certain roles/applicants with first names starting with A/applicants in certain time zones/those gifted with unicorn blood are accepted in waves?

A: Incorrect. You are given an acceptance when you are accepted, there's no rhyme or reason to it that anyone who is not part of recruiting will understand-- so again, it's not worth stressing over.

Q: I have more questions! Who can I contact?

A: Check out this link for official Disney College Program contacts. You can also feel free to contact myself, or any of the other admins on the Spring 2017 Facebook page with more questions. The application process can be confusing, and we're happy to help!

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Flame Tree Barbecue Review

Flame Tree Barbecue Review

by Chaz Saldi

Flame Tree BBQ is a quick service restaurant located in Discovery Island of Disney's Animal Kingdom. The restaurant can be found right before the entrance to Dinoland USA, making it a hidden gem of a quick service restaurant for this area of the park. 

As it is a BBQ restaurant, Flame Tree has your basic selection of barbecued food that you would find elsewhere such as ribs, pulled pork, or maybe a half of chicken, along with some type of salad that tends to change more often than the rest of the menu. (You may remember that Flame Tree used to serve turkey legs as well, but that changed in the beginning of 2016 when Animal Kingdom as a whole stopped selling them. While we still love Flame Tree, and would not have ordered the turkey leg meal most of the time anyways, this is still a bit of a disappointment).

RIP turkey legs

The seating at Flame Tree may seem like basic tables under awnings, but a closer look will reveal that there are hidden animals all over the area. There are chameleons, red pandas, macaws, and other various animals that you will see in the rest of the park decorating each covered seating area.  On slower days, you should have no problem getting a table right by the waterfront, although this may change when Rivers of Light begins. The one downside of the seating area is that there are a lot of birds that congregate around the tables. These cranes will almost beg you for your food, but as long as you stick by the rules and do not feed them, they shouldn't annoy you too much.  

half rack of ribs

Brittany always orders the half rack of ribs, well... she usually orders the half rack. On our most recent visit, we made the mistake of not realizing that the regular menu item had changed to a full rack, and that you need to specify that you want the half rack instead. When we realized we were going to be given a full rack, we decided that between the two of us we could probably make a good dent in it. We were wrong-- the full rack of ribs was way too much food, and we'll definitely be sure to specify that we want the half rack from now on. 

full rack of ribs

We love the ribs, and while they may not be the best we've ever had, they are pretty good for quick service standards. If you've grown up in an area where you've been surrounded by good BBQ restaurants, Flame Tree probably isn't the place for you (for the same reasons Columbia Harbor House is not for me, being from New England) but otherwise you're looking at some pretty good, and reasonably priced ribs. The ribs are flavored using a dry rub, so don't expect anything too saucy like the ribs from Harambe Market or Sunset Ranch at Hollywood Studios, however there are two types of BBQ sauce you can get on the side, one regular and one sweet and spicy, and both are delicious. Like most meals at Flame Tree, the ribs also come with baked beans and cornbread. 

pulled pork sandwich

I usually order the pulled pork sandwich, that is also a delicious meal especially for the quick service price. On our most recent visit however, to further the full rack of ribs fiasco, I actually went with a new menu item: a sampler that included ribs, chicken, and pulled pork. The sampler was perfect for when you're indecisive, however it is a lot of food and I would absolutely never do it again if the person I'm with orders a full rack of ribs. 

chicken, ribs, and pulled pork

Flame Tree has consistently been our favorite quick service in Animal Kingdom, and it's a bit of a tradition to stop there about once every other vacation either on our way in or out of the park. It really depends on when we plan on going to Dinoland, as that is the side of Discovery Island that Flame Tree is located on. 

Unless you have incredibly picky eaters (in which case you should probably be going to Pizzafari or Restaurantosaurus) Flame Tree should satisfy everyone in your party. They also have some kind of rum/lemonade drink that changes on occasion (most recently it was mango rum lemonade) that we would usually caution against as a pre-mixed drink, however it is actually quite good. It's not the best mixed drink in the park (you'd want the Dawa Bar for that) but in terms of what is usually offered at a quick service restaurant it's not a bad drink to go with. 

full rack of ribs

We give Flame Tree a 95/100. While the food offered is not as adventurous as some of the other offerings across the park, the quality is still very high and even picky eaters will likely find something they will like. The atmosphere in the seating area is also one of the best you will find in the entire park, especially if you are looking to sit down in the shade and relax.

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"Brittany Earns Her Ears" Guide to Drinking Around the World

The "Brittany Earns Her Ears" Guide to Drinking Around the World

by Brittany DiCologero and Chaz Saldi

Because we care so much about getting information out to our readers, we've been working really hard on doing some "research" and creating this guide to drinking around the world. So you're welcome ;) 

First things first, because we're former CPs no drinking around the world post would be complete without mentioning safety... because: 

Image: Disney 

Safe D begins with me!

There are a couple of major rules you should follow to stay safe when drinking around the world:

1. Start early, and spend the majority of your day in World Showcase 

One easy way to make drinking around the world go very poorly, is to try to do it in a short amount of time, and trust us, we know from experience. Case in point, St. Patrick's Day 2015:

I have no memory of this...

Don't be us. 

If you're planning on park hopping, drinking in each country within three hours before you head over to the Magic Kingdom is a really dumb idea, don't do it. We did, because when we lived in Orlando we thought it would be an excellent idea to run errands all day, and still have time to drink in Epcot before our dinner reservations at Ohana. Unless you also want to carry your boyfriend up the monorail ramp at the end of the day, make sure you've given yourselves plenty of time to do this.

2. Speaking of monorails, don't drive!

If you're local to Walt Disney World, driving might be tempting, because driving to Epcot is so easy, however I'd suggest parking somewhere else and using Disney transportation just to be safe. And by doing this, you won't have to worry about having one person be the handler/designated driver. We purposely made dinner reservations at Ohana on St. Patrick's Day, so we would have plenty of time to spend at the Polynesian to eat and sober up before we got behind the wheel. We parked at the Transportation and Ticket Center in the morning, and used Disney transportation for the entire day until we got back to the car that night. 

On the bus like a responsible person... with a lightsaber.

3. Drink water!

To safely drink around the world, you should be drinking at least as much water as you are alcohol, and perhaps even more so if you're visiting during the summer months when dehydration is more common. We have a little bit of a system to this: When we get to each country, we order our drinks, and find somewhere to relax while drinking them. Then we go to whatever quick service location is nearby and get cups of water. Cups of water are free, and we drink them while we're walking around the shops in each country. Doing this keeps us hydrated, and kills time so we're not drinking too much too fast.

4. Don't forget to eat
It's always good to eat while you're drinking, and thankfully Epcot makes eating while you drink around the world easy-- especially if you're drinking during Food and Wine or Flower and Garden Festival. We tend to snack while we're drinking around the world, or at the very least have a decent quick service meal before we start, because we all know that drinking on an empty stomach is an equally terrible idea. Last time we drank around the world we got a pretzel in Germany and saved most of it in our backpack (because they're huge!) so we could eat in one the go should anyone feel the need to start sobering up. 

5. Bring friends/watch your friends

Bringing friends anytime you drink is always a good idea. Even though you probably feel safe at Disney, the safer thing to do is still to avoid being drunk in a public place alone. The other reason why it is important to bring friends is because it is a family park after all, and if one member of your group ends up having a few too many, have some friends to keep that person in line is a good idea. 

How much does drinking around the world cost?

Assume drinking around the world is going to cost about $10 per drink. I always get a drink at the Outpost, although it is not technically a country of World Showcase. (If you're going all out, I suggest getting a drink there because you can get the Safari Amber, a beer that is only available at Walt Disney World, or whatever mixed/frozen drink they're offering at the time that is unique to the Outpost). Including the Outpost and the rest of the countries, you're going to have twelve drinks. $10/drink x 12 drinks = $120/person. 

I would say $120 per person is an over-estimation for drinks alone, because unless you're serious about having one drink per person in every single country, you'll probably end up skipping a country here and there. The important part of the budget is to make sure you factor in money for food. You don't want to get to Epcot and forgo eating because you've already spent $100 on drinks and you don't feel like spending more that day. To be safe, plan on spending $200 per person for drinking around the world. More than likely you'll end up spending far less than that, but over-estimating and spending less than you expected is always better than under-estimating. Depending on where you're drinking you'll also need to set aside some money for tips, but tips including you should not be going over $200 per person. 

Pinkies out!

Unless we have one go of drinking around the world where we really try to have one drink each in every country, we usually end up spending a maximum of $200 between the two of us. It's also worth pointing out that Chaz primarily sticks to beer, which is obviously less expensive than mixed drinks and over one or two days of drinking around the world does add up to some savings compared to what I drink. 

How to get started

The main decision you need to make when drinking around the world is which side of World Showcase you're going to start on. In Mexico you're going to have tequila unless you're only drinking beer, so the question is really do you want to start with tequila or end with tequila? We've done it both ways, and we think it depends on if you're going to have tequila shots or order margaritas. While the margaritas from La Cava del Tequila are definitely strong, we've had no problems starting in Mexico with margaritas. If you're going straight for tequila shots however, start on the other side of World Showcase and end in Mexico. This might just be our personal preference, but tequila shots seem to make more sense at the end to us. 

I know everyone says you shouldn't mix liquor and beer, but when we drink around the world we do at least a little bit and we're always fine. Again this is probably personal preference, but I wouldn't stress over sticking to one or the other unless you know from experience that it's a bad idea, or you haven't eaten in which case you probably shouldn't be drinking at all. While Chaz is much more interested in beer, there are a couple of places around World Showcase where he'll stray from his usual and have a mixed drink. It really shouldn't make much of a difference what you're drinking as long as you give yourself plenty of time. 

What to order!

The short answer is whatever you want, the long answer is 'read our suggestions!' ::

Mexico:

GO INSIDE THE MEXICO PAVILION TO LA CAVA DEL TEQUILA. You can get margaritas outside the pyramid in the quick service restaurant as well as the margarita stand, and both are cheaper options than going to the tequila bar inside, but La Cava del Tequila is definitely worth the money, so DO NOT skip it. The margaritas sold outside are the pre-mixed ones that aren't bad in a pinch while dining at a quick service restaurant, but not adequate for drinking around the world properly. Some of our suggestions include:

Horchata: Tequila, Horchata cream Rum (dairy), Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey, agua de Horchata, topped with cinnamon powder

Coffee Mezcal Margarita: a blended mix of Mezcal Zignum blanco and coffee ice cream

Pineapple Margarita: Tequila blanco, ginger liqueur, caramelized pineapple nectar, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, served on the rocks with a Tajín chili powder rim

The margaritas at La Cava are going to run you about $14.50 each, but they are likely the most expensive drink you'll have in World Showcase, and are much better than the alternatives you can find outside the pyramid. 

Norway:

Perhaps we're boring, but we usually go with a Carlsberg beer in Norway. We have also tried the Linie Aquavit shot, however if we do have shots at all we usually save that for limoncello in Italy. The shot is good if that's what you feel like having, but Carlsberg is our go-to drink here. It should also be noted that unless you have a meal at Akershus, which you almost always need reservations for, the drink options in Norway are pretty limited. 

Carlsberg:

China:

China is kind of hit or miss for drinks with us. Chaz almost always gets a Tsing Tao, which is mild, not so hoppy and an average kind of beer that I would expect most beer drinkers to enjoy. It's not all that exciting because you're local liquor store probably sells it. I've tried the plum wine, which you can get from the Joy of Tea stand or inside the Lotus Blossom Cafe, however it is much too sweet for my liking. If you like sweet drinks however you'll probably enjoy it. The other non-table service drinks can be found at the Joy of Tea cart, unless you're visiting during Food and Wine or Flower and Garden Festival when there are more drinks available outside. If you desperately want a mixed drink from China without dining at Nine Dragons, try the Peach Snap! from the Joy of Tea cart. It's your typical peach schnapps and vodka combo, but it is pretty tasty and on par price-wise with the rest of World Showcase. For something more unique, you'll want to dine inside Nine Dragons and order a specialty cocktail.

Peach Snap!:

Outpost:

The Outpost, aka the African pavilion that never was, then kind of sort of was, then never will be because Animal Kingdom's Africa opened, is still African inspired and therefore serves the Safari Amber, a brew made specifically for Walt Disney World, and a couple of fruity drinks, usually in a soft serve form, that change throughout the year. I always skip the fruity drink because whatever it is will be similar to what's at the Refreshment Port on the other side of World Showcase, and you can only get the Safari Amber at the Outpost, Animal Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom Lodge, so might as well get it while you're there. The Outpost also has the Mango Starr Smoothie, which is mango puree and African Starr rum, and they usually have some variation of a frozen rum and coke. For whatever reason, we prefer having similar drinks while were in Animal Kingdom, so this never sways our decision at the Outpost. 

Safari Amber:

The Safari Amber is a darker beer, and has a bit of a hoppy aftertaste. I've read in a couple of different places that the average person probably won't be crazy about it, but I'd personally disagree since I'm not a huge beer drinker and I love the Safari Amber. In any case, I'd give it a try just because you'll never be able to find it at home. 

Germany:

What we drink in Germany is really dependent upon whether or not we're dining at Biergarten. If we dine at Biergarten, I usually order the Dr. Loosen Riesling, and Chaz orders the Spaten Oktoberfest, both of which I would highly recommend while visiting Germany

For something a little bit quicker to drink without eating at Biergarten, we suggest the Schofferhofer Grapefruit Beer. It doesn't really taste like beer at all, in that no matter what your drink preference is you'll probably enjoy this drink. It's cool and refreshing, with just the right amount of sweetness. 

Schofferhofer Grapefruit Beer:

Italy:

For us, Italy means limoncello from the cart outside the gift shop. Other than limoncello we've had wine, but we usually save wine for when we eat at Via Napoli rather than for drinking around the world. Other standouts in Italy are the margaritas, the Italian Margarita, which that always have (basically a margarita with limoncello as the alcohol) and the different varieties they have during Food and Wine and Flower and Garden Festival. 

Frozen Italian Primavera: assorted fruit slush, limoncello, vodka (Flower and Garden Festival)

Beer Flight: Moretti Lager, Moretti La Rossa, and Italian seasonal selection (Flower and Garden Festival)

USA:

The drinks in the USA are going to be made up of primarily Sam Adams, Bud Light, and your basic selection of wines unless you go during Flower and Garden or Food and Wine Festival. Since I'm not going to bore you with my thoughts on Bud Light, let's talk about something interesting instead... like Maple Bacon Stout.

Maple Bacon Stout: (Flower and Garden Festival)

I don't like stouts, so it shouldn't be surprising that this is not my favorite drink. If given the choice of beer in the America pavilion, I would gladly go with Sam Adams over this one. Don't let my opinion discourage you though, Chaz (who usually likes stouts) really enjoyed it. The flavor was there, it was just too there, in my opinion. It tasted so much like maple and bacon, that having that sort of flavor in liquid form was strange to me. BUT a lot of people love this drink, so I'd still give it a shot if you're around during Flower and Garden Festival.

For a more permanent non-beer drink, try the whiskey lemonade. The whiskey featured in it changes occasionally, but that is usually my go-to beer alternative in the USA.

Japan:

Japan is all about sake or Sapporo, unless we have a table service reservation in which case I'd order some kind of specialty drink in the restaurant. To be perfectly honest we know almost nothing about sake, and we usually go to the sake bar inside the gift shop and go with whatever the bartender suggests. 

Sapporo: 

Morocco:

Morocco's drinks are best enjoyed while sitting at a table by the water at Spice Road Table. Don't worry if you don't feel like sitting down in a restaurant though, you can still order drinks from the walk up bar outside the hostess stand. My favorites include:

Sultan's Colada: rum, pineapple and coconut juice and almond liqueur 

Marbella Summer: frozen Torres Brandy, Grand Gala liqueur, strawberry puree

Andalusian Nights: apricot Brandy, Myers's Dark rum, orange juice mixed with pina colada mix

France:

No explanation needed here, the Grey Goose slush is the drink to get in France. I prefer the lemon one, however the orange flavor is offered year round, as well as a couple of other flavors during the festival seasons. 

Grey Goose Citron Lemonade Slush:

The United Kingdom:

Beer and cider are the go-to drinks here, unless you want to venture away from the norm and try a mixed drink from the Rose and Crown, in which case I'd recommend the Welsh Dragon. Otherwise go with a beer flight, or a single beer or cider from the cart out front

Welsh Dragon: peach schnapps, melon liqueur, creme de menthe, orange and pineapple juice

Imperial Sampler: Bass, Harp, Strongbow, Boddingtons, and Guiness

(Yes I know I'm wearing the same shirt, at the same place, at least two years apart. For shame...)

Canada:

For us, Canada = Moosehead, it's the only one we've tried, and we've stuck with it because it's good. If you're looking for something more interesting in Canada, try the only mixed cocktail available at the beer stand:

Torontopolitan: Iceberg Vodka, Creme de Cassis, triple sec & cranberry juice

Other Epcot drink spots:

If you've had a drink in the majority of the countries in World Showcase, we would say you've been successful at drinking around the world. If for whatever reason, you're still looking for more drinks you do have a couple of other options in the park. Pretty much everywhere in Future World, with the exception of the table service restaurants are going to sell your standard Sam Adams, Bud Light, and Yuengling, however there is one more place that serves up some unique alcoholic beverages: Joffrey's.

The Joffrey's coffee stands might be an unexpected choice for a drink, but they actually have a couple of unique options and they change frequently with the seasons and festival events going on in Epcot. One standard drink they usually have that is a good option if you want a drink aside from what's in the countries is the Tea Breeze, a basic mix of iced tea, lemonade, and vodka. You can also ask for it with a double shot of vodka, and even have it for breakfast on your 21st birthday like someone I know...

Other tips:

- Share drinks. 

Sharing drinks saves you some money, and lets you try more things while still being able to walk to the next country.

- Try things that are likely limited time offerings.

If you're there during a festival, try something from the kiosks. The more permanent carts and bars don't change things so frequently that whatever you'd like will probably be there the next time you visit. Festival drinks will only be there again if you visit during another festival, so best to try some of those while you can.

- Do not drink if you're under 21. 

The set up of World Showcase makes it fairly easy to drink if you're under 21, but it's honestly not worth it, especially if you're in Disney on the college program where getting caught could result in termination from the program. 

- Avoid holidays

Unless you're local and can go to the parks all the time, I would avoid the stereotypical drinking holidays, like St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo. (Cinco de Mayo can be fun because sometimes the Three Caballeros are all out together for meet and greets, but anytime it's extra crowed in World Showcase I'd avoid drinking around the world). 

Drinking around the world is a fun way to experience the different cultures in World Showcase, and something I think any adult who drinks should try at least once. It can be a pricey, and time consuming part of a Disney vacation, but it's a fun, unique experience that's become a bit of an adults only trip to Epcot tradition that's always a good time to be a part of!

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Le Cellier Lunch Review

Le Cellier Lunch Review

by Brittany DiCologero

Le Cellier, located in Epcot's Canada pavilion has been one of the most popular restaurants at Walt Disney World for the past couple of years. While Le Cellier's status as the "hard to get ADR" (advanced dining reservation) has diminished slightly since the opening of Be Our Guest, it is still worth looking for an ADR if you plan on dining here. 

We almost always opt for lunch at Le Cellier simply because there are usually more reservations available earlier in the day. and it is not a restaurant where dining at lunch vs. dinner will really make a difference. Le Cellier is now considered a signature dining experience, so you won't find much of a difference in price between lunch and dinner either way. 

Before getting to the food, Le Cellier's location is worth discussing. The restaurant is set back far enough into the Canada pavilion that many guests walking by might not even notice it were it not for the archway near the gardens that bears the restaurant's name. (Although to be fair, many guests do not even realize there is a movie or gift shops in the Canada pavilion, so comparatively the restaurant is pretty well-recognized). 

On our most recent visit, we were slightly early for our reservation, and we were invited to sit just inside the doors in front of the host station to wait for our table. Inside, guests are offered ice water while waiting for their tables, and on our most recent trip we were offered complimentary cheese and cold cuts on small, individually portioned plates as well. 

When we were seated, our waitress explained the theme of the restaurant, and how each room was designed to serve as a different region of Canada. Of course, I can't recall which section we were seated in, as I was probably too busy thinking about the cheddar cheese soup... speaking of which:

The Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, made with Moosehead beer and Nueske's applewood-smoked bacon is one of the standouts on the menu at Le Cellier. In fact, we've never tried any other appetizer because we always end up getting the soup. Maybe next time we'll order one more appetizer and share it, you know, for research. The soup is best served with pretzel bread on the side, or even better dipped into it. Because we primarily use our soup as a dip for the pretzel bread, we only order one bowl, however if you are looking to actually eat the soup with a spoon you're better off ordering a bowl per person. Also keep in mind you can request that you only get pretzel bread in the bread basket.

Following the bacon-cheddar theme we'd started, we ordered the Bacon-Cheddar Poutine as a side to both of our meals. Le Cellier's Bacon-Cheddar Poutine is made with Canadian Black Diamond cheddar sauce, Neuske's applewood-smoked bacon, and is kind of the poutine alternative to the soup we'd already ordered. It's probably equally as delicious as the soup, however for the sake of variety I would probably suggest going with a different kind of poutine if you do order the soup. The signature poutine, which features truffle oil and a red wine reduction is my personal favorite, which we would have ordered if it weren't for Chaz and his strange dislike for truffle oil.

Onto the entrees, Chaz ordered the Seared Canadian Bison Strip Loin, which came out extremely rare just as he had ordered it. I'm not really interested in trying to different kinds of meat, but he said it was very good and he'd order it again, so we'll have to take his word for it. The bison strip loin also came with some vegetables on the side, however if you're looking for a heartier portion you'll definitely want to order either poutine or an extra side dish at Le Cellier.

My entree was the signature dish, the Le Cellier Filet Mignon. I know a lot of guests rave that Le Cellier has the best filet mignon in Walt Disney World, but I'm going to set the record straight: Le Cellier's dish is amazing, don't get me wrong, but the best? If we're being honest, Le Cellier is slightly better than the others because the mushroom risotto it sits on top of makes the entire meal and is absolutely incredible. If it weren't for the mushroom risotto, the best filet contest would end in a three way tie with Le Cellier, the Yachtsman Steakhouse, and the Hollywood Brown Derby, duh.

No desserts yet from Le Cellier, but we'll keep you updated when we try some! :)

All in all, Le Cellier is one of our favorite restaurants in World Showcase, and we probably dine here about once every other trip or so. The atmosphere, service, and food are always exceptional at Le Cellier, and we usually can't think of a reason to skip it if the possibility of dining there comes up. I would say that for me personally, the biggest competition for Le Cellier is the Yachtsman Steakhouse, which with its location at the Yacht and Beach Club Resort is really just a short walking distance away from Le Cellier. Which restaurant I decide to go with really depends on my mood at the time. They're both delicious, but if I feel like winding down, and leaving the parks for the day, or getting dressed up and going to Jellyrolls that night, the Yachtsman is the winner. However for a signature restaurant if you are planning on staying in the park, Le Cellier is a solid choice that you can never go wrong with.

We give Le Cellier a 9 out of 10, adding points for unique and delicious options, especially considering how much variety there already is in World Showcase, but deducting points because $52 for steak in the park (not that it isn't worth it, it's just a lot...)

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"Brittany Earns Her Ears" is available on Amazon! Click here to get your copy today!

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