The website ran a comprehensive Pizzafari update back in December that did not garner much attention. I guess because it wasn’t about a character that meets in six other places getting removed from Epcot.

It’s true that there is probably no other website on the Internet that takes its quick service menus so seriously. But the fact that Pizzafari had done away with the frozen pizzas it had served for years and switched to excellent handmade pizzas with unique toppings was at least somewhat noteworthy, I thought. But with a WDW-wide menu update back on March 1st, we return for an update on what’s fresh around the Park, in addition to a second stop at the new Pizzafari.

The number of entrees has been increased from seven to nine as the Shrimp Flatbread and Heart of Romaine Salad with Shrimp are both new. The Garlic Knots are $2 more expensive but now come with five instead of three. The Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce for $1 is new. The Tomato Basil Soup from Pinocchio Village Haus moves over here as does Flame Tree Barbecue’s Mandarin Orange Lemonade. None of the other entrees or desserts have increased in price.

The menu they hand out offers some additional details:

I somehow doubt whoever said that the beef meatballs in the Meatball Sub are “mouthwatering” has ever been within 10,000 feet of this place.

The back side of menu.

Folks, I’ll be here all night.

While the cheese and pepperoni pizzas are made in abundance, you may have to wait a few minutes for the Shrimp Flatbread or Mediterranean Pizza, which is just fine with me. Fresher is better.

This is the $13.49 Shrimp Flatbread – Roasted Shrimp, Tomato, Red Pepper, Alfredo Sauce, savory Pesto topped with Arugula served with Antipasto Salad. There’s also some red onion and artichoke heart in there. The flavor profile is pretty similar to the Mediterranean Pizza as it shares the majority of the ingredients, save for the six fairly substantial shrimp.

It reminded me a lot of the $16 Shrimp BLT Flatbread with Chermoula-spiced Shrimp, Nueske’s Bacon, Arugula, Roasted Tomatoes, and Basil Pesto over at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs.

Pizzafari’s is, thankfully in my opinion, served hot.

Again, I think the use of “alfredo sauce” is a bit misleading as you really don’t get the flavor you would typically associate with a fettuccine or something. Otherwise, the dominant flavors are again the pesto and red onion, though all of the ingredients are fresh and high quality on top of the flatbread that is equal parts chewy and crispy. The shrimp had a nice roasted quality to them with a nice snap in each bite. Really very good and a huge improvement over what the quick service was offering last year. I never thought I would be in a position to be excited about going to Pizzafari, but here we are. It really is the future.

I would reiterate that the Antipasto Salad here is pretty good. It’s packed with big pieces of mozzarella and artichoke, among other things. It’s not the biggest cup of all time, but it accompanies the relatively substantial entrees well.



As alluded to previously, the other “big news” is at Flame Tree, where quick service prices have risen all the way to $19.99 for the Full Slab of St. Louis Ribs or the Ribs, Chicken, and Pulled Pork Sampler. The second highest priced entree in the Parks is the Chicken & Ribs Combo at Fairfax Fare at Hollywood Studios and Cosmic Ray’s, where that meal will run you $17.19 compared to the $16.49 price here. The 1/2 Chicken is also up considerably. Had you dined here in February, you would have paid $10.99 instead of $13.99. Otherwise the Pulled Pork Sandwich is up 50 cents, the Ribs/Chicken is up 30 cents, and the Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich is up 50 cents.

You may remember that the website was not high on the Jamaican Jerk Salad that was introduced here back in September. It has since been replaced with a Roasted Chicken with Mixed Greens Salad now served with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

Otherwise, the Turkey Legs have gone the way of the Jalapeno Cheese Pretzel and are no longer available at Animal Kingdom. I don’t have much use for the things, but they are undeniably a theme park institution. You’ll have to get your selfie at Fairfax Fare/Toluca Turkey Legs Co. at Hollywood Studios, in Frontierland or Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom, or Fife & Drum or Future World at Epcot.

The French Fries with Pulled Pork and Cheese are new and somewhat surprisingly, good for a snack credit. With the ability to sub any snack credit for the beverage and dessert on the Disney Dining Plan, you could put together a meal that costs $32.97.

Of course, no good deed goes unpunished and the Dining Plan prices also went up today:

Plan Includes Current Price

(per night) New Price

(per night) Quick Service Dining Plan 2 Quick Service Meals

1 Snack

1 Refillable Mug Adult $42.84

Child $17.47 Adult $44.13

Child $19.04 Regular Dining Plan 1 Table Service Meal

1 Quick Service Meal

1 Snack

1 Refillable Mug Adult $61.84

Child $20.96 Adult $63.70

Child $22.85 Deluxe Dining Plan Any 3 Meals

2 Snacks

1 Refillable Mug Adult $111.73

Child $32.56 Adult $115.08

Child $35.49

Considering how much some entrees went up in price, these increases could be a lot worse. I’ve long campaigned against the Dining Plan because over the past five years or so it’s been difficult to come out ahead. People will tell you it’s convenient but it’s really not – pin numbers, MagicBand scanning, keeping track of credits, making sure Disney charges you the correct number of credits, ordering exactly what’s allowed with your meal, etc. You know what is convenient? Ordering whatever you want and swiping your credit card. And I’m too pragmatic to get behind the “but we like everything pre-paid and don’t care if we’re overspending.” You’re paying the bill or declaring bankruptcy no matter what. I fail to grasp how seeing the charge on one month’s bill is any easier to swallow than any other month. Just close your eyes and sign. But with cash prices increasing faster than Dining Plan prices and some more flexibility in how you can use your credits, there is potentially some value here. You would think that the Flame Tree Sampler, two cheese fries, and four cups of water would be enough to feed at least two people if not three.

In DinoLand USA, Restaurantosaurus is another major quick service.

The burger is up $2.60, the Chicken Burger is up $1.70, the Salad is a little different, the Nuggets are up 20 cents, the Black Bean Burger is up $2.30, and the Chili Cheese Hot Dog replaces the Macaroni and Cheese Hot Dog.

The Chili Cheese Fries are new and the New England Clam Chowder migrates over here from Columbia Harbour House. For some reason they are still serving kids meals in those stupid buckets.

Nothing new on the drink front. This is a location where you can refill your drink.

In a somewhat surprising move, Restaurantosaurus joins Pecos Bill on the greatly-expanded-toppings-bar front. With the price increases on the sandwiches, you’re certainly paying for it whether you take advantage or not.

You’ll have to excuse the quality of the condiment pictures. A lot of what I do is embarrassing, but condiment pictures are probably near the top of that list. There was a cast member standing right there so I sort of had to be coy about it because there is no earthly reason why anyone would require a picture of the pickle relish.

There is actually a diagram overhead that maps out exactly where everything is, just in case you would otherwise mistake the lettuce for pickles or the guacamole for sauteed onions.

The website admits that it did not see this coming. It seems like a great hassle to keep everything stocked and fresh and to keep away those that packed their own sandwiches from loading up on a bucket of chili. I am by no means a clean freak, but the whole thing just seems kind of gross with people’s grubby hands clawing at the olive tapenade over the red onions. Disney has enough difficulty keeping buffet lines clean with just a handful of people paying $45 for the privilege at any given time. Here at Restaurantosaurus you’re going to have two or three thousand people moving through over the course of the day. Just list a few toppings on the burger and if I don’t want something, I’ll order it without.

But it’s here if you were concerned about getting your daily allotment of germs.

With that, we move over to another major quick service in the form of Yak & Yeti. Being operated by a third party, they rarely fall in line with what Disney is otherwise up to, but we do see a bevy of price increases. Your Teriyaki Beef Bowl is up 30 cents, Korean Stir-fry up 50 cents as is the Honey Chicken. The other three items are the same price. No changes on the sides. Desserts are up 60 cents, but the Safari Amber only went up 50 cents, which makes it cheaper than most other locations. Bottled water is up 25 cents and your sangria served from a 3-liter box is up 45 cents.

Larger: https://i2.wp.com/easywdw.com/reports13/yak_yeti_menu_march_2016.jpg

With the increase at Flame Tree, you can actually pay less for a number of entrees at Yak & Yeti, though the lack of a Tables in Wonderland discount is a major negative for cardholders. And somehow my lunch for two always adds up to $100 seemingly no matter what I order.

The clustercuss that is Harambe Market at lunch time continues here as the line to order stretches all the way back outside of the area.

Then there’s another line at the sausage window. It’s sort of hard to tell, but Chef Mwanga’s Rib Shop in the distance is not open. You may remember me pointing out in the past that you can order any entree at any food-serving window, even if each offered a “separate” menu for some time.

Now everything is listed at each location to make this clearer to people.

There were so many people in line that they were out of menus to hand out. I had to lure this one away from a family that thought I was insane for taking pictures of it. They’re not wrong.

All of the entrees other than the Ribs are up a dollar. The side dish served with each entree is also new-ish. The sauvignon blanc has doubled in price, while the DMZ and Pepper Pot are only up $3.50 each. Disney is also more careful to point out the addition of Bibo and Sparberry. It was kind of silly that they were offering them with no notice whatsoever other than a tiny little icon next to the price.

Nobody is really going to pick up on that.

So you’ve got 100+ people in line at two of the windows, one window closed, and then one window just serving drinks with literally one person waiting in line. So dumb.

Otherwise, Disney has added some tables outside the entrance. There’s still often nowhere to sit as people camp out waiting for somebody to order the table’s food or because the tables are outside the venue and look comfortable, people walking by just sit down. Visit later in the afternoon to avoid all of this.

I guess we will take a quick tour around at other menus, most of which have just seen nominal price increases.

This is Kusafiri’s breakfast menu.

It switches the breakfast wrap out for sandwiches in the afternoon.

Dawa Bar continues to confuse people with the high drink prices that include the souvenir tumbler. The drinks are otherwise all up 50 cents and the Chenza Cooler replaces the Tikiti Punch with the difference being the tangerine lemonade instead of the watermelon lemonade.

Hornsby’s Hard Cider is no longer available. Safari Amber went from $6.75 to $9.

The Dibs are available only for a limited time in what is a “free” dose of Limited Time Magic.

You can blame whatever “Hayden Valley Foods” is for the removal of the jalapeno cheese pretzel.

Shout out to whoever uses a snack credit on a $1 side of cheese.

Sigh.

Here’s what’s in the case as Zuri’s Sweets:





The specialty apples over at Studios are going to be up to $10.99. The wines and such in here have changed a bit:









$8.98 per half pound for pretzels.

What was once known as Harambe Popcorn and is now known as “Mahindi” serves popcorn in what is actually a pretty cool souvenir drum.

Everything about Tamu is the same except the Dole Whip with rum is now 50 cents more expensive.

This stand is near Flights of Wonder.

It’s potentially not a bad use of a snack credit but you’re not getting five bucks worth otherwise.

Across the way you’ll find Mr. Kamal’s.

The Samosas are a lot more food than the slider for $1 more.

The Asian Noodle Salad is listed as a snack credit here, but not at Caravan Road. It probably qualifies at either location.

“Here” is Drinkwallah, a location that I don’t think anybody notices across from Yak & Yeti restaurant.

This is “Yak & Yeti Quality Beverages,” which is located in an inopportune spot on the side of the quick service. It is not often open. The Funky Buddha Florida Hefeweizen replaces Shock Top. I guess if you are in the beer naming business you would want to name your brews something that Disney might decide fits in with the “theming” of a particular location. If this window is open and you’re after one of the cold items, you might pick it up here if the line for the quick service is long, as it often is. I have never seen more than one person waiting for the beverage window. The beers are otherwise more appropriately priced than most other spots.

Also across from Yak & Yeti, Anandapur Local Tea Company/Joffrey’s has finally gotten on the Dining Plan bandwagon. Previously, the only thing that qualified for a snack redit was the Double Espresso.

They were still advertising the Valentine’s-day-y drinks in March.

For the sake of thoroughness, here’s the stand outside the exit to Kali River Rapids.

In ice cream news, we have no rise in prices at the Anandapur Ice Cream Truck.

That is not the case at Thirsty River Bar.

You may remember that Disney re-purposed the old FASTPASS area next to Everest. The Durbar Margarita is up $1.75 or 21.9%. The Himalayan Ghost is up 50 cents and the Khumbu Icefall is up a quarter. The Golden Monkey is up $1, Old Elephant Foot IPA is up $1.25, Bud Light is up $1, and the Kingfisher is up a whopping $2.25 to $9.50. The Yeti Stout is sort of a new addition as it had been previously offered at the cart that used to sit out in front of Everest. That and the Golden Monkey are your best bets.

Disney ditched the cutesie names of some of the sandwiches and salad.

People might not be interested in a “Som Tam” but they’ll certainly order the same thing if it’s called “Shrimp.”

Dino Diner has dropped the Mickey Pretzels.

Dino-Diner next to Restaurantosaurus has picked them up, though it has in turn dropped the churros. The Sea Dog Sunfish Draft is no longer available (don’t worry it’s still available at Backlot Express). Otherwise, none of the ice cream is up in price.

The souvenir popcorn buckets are significantly smaller now, down about three inches in height.

Trilo-Bites is located just before the bridge over to DinoLand on Discovery Island.

The Slider here is my favorite of the snacks available at the various kiosks.

The next three menus are at kiosks located near the It’s Tough To Be A Bug entrance. One thing to note is that some kiosks include tax in the price while others don’t. The Feeding Ground might charge $7.49 for its Souvenir Bucket while the popcorn stand in DinoLand sells the same thing for $8. But the $8 price includes tax and once you add 6.5% tax to $7.49, you get $7.98. So it’s still technically cheaper.

People seemed to be getting a kick out of the new-ish names of the kiosks. There isn’t much value here when paying cash. For $11 you would get about a sixth of the food as your typical quick service entree.

Eight Spoon Cafe, which still doesn’t serve anything that really requires a spoon, dropped the baked lobster pasta. What they serve now is just a spoonful on a plate.

Neither Eight Spoon or Smiling Crocodile were open at all.

Just before reaching Africa, you’ll find what is still colloquially called “The Allergy Kiosk.” They dropped the sandwich they once offered. I never did see what it looked like. Nobody stops here. That is a big bag of Rice Chips for a snack credit though.

The Smoked Butterscotch Latte is available throughout Walt Disney World. I thought it tasted pretty good, but it’s no Butterbeer.

The other half of the menu.

Starbucks Mugs have gone up $2 in price to $16.99 each.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a menu for Rainforest Cafe that is this cut and dry before. It’s usually a shiny, glossy mess.

In odds and ends, the scavenger hunt for “The Lion Guard” continues. Cast were handing out pamphlets prior to rope drop. You run around Animal Kingdom looking for these statues and take a selfie with it. Then once you have all five or six or however many there are, you have to trudge out to Rafiki’s Planet Watch to collect your button. I’m not making any of that up.

Always a pretty day in Harambe.

2015 was the first year since 1974 that nobody climbed/was carried up Everest.

In news of absolutely no consequence whatsoever, Riverside Depot now offers hats on the wall outside instead of pins.

There you go.

Exciting times ahead, though I’m not sure Rivers of Light or the nighttime safari is going going to be as exciting as incremental price increases on barbecue pork sandwiches.