Jessica.s.kleinert

Great news, corn dog lovers!

The Fantasy Fare Food Truck has arrived in Downtown Disney!

Fantasy Fare has joined Namaste Café and Superstar Catering, bringing the current tally of Downtown Disney Food Trucks to three.

This latest one brings “culinary traditions from Disney Parks around the globe to Disney World”, and lucky for us that means that the famous Disneyland hand-dipped corn dogs have now come to Disney World…in name at least!

It was OUR job to try them and see how they compare. Will the Disney World version have that sweet, crumbly-but-moist cornbread coating? With the dogs be flavorful and juice? Will the same Disneyland atmosphere and feeling be replicated in Disney World’s Downtown Disney?

It’s time to find out!

But first — the truck! Let’s take a look… .

Atmosphere

Similar to its predecessors, the truck itself is has a pretty terrific design.

I’d pictured something along the lines of a Castle theme (since Disney Parks world over each have their own iconic Castle); however, they’ve gone with a circus-theme, bringing to mind the Storybook Circus area in the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland.

The bright, cheerful red stands out immediately and is slightly — VERY slightly — reminiscent of the Little Red Wagon in Disneyland, no? Check out the hidden mickeys!

Eats

The menu features “Delightful Dishes from Disney’s Magic Kingdoms Around the World!”

Three dishes comprise the offerings: Croque Monsieur (a grilled ham sandwich with gruyere cheese from Disney World’s Be Our Guest Restaurant — read our review here!), Glass Noodle Salad (a cold dish from Hong Kong Disneyland with chicken and pickled veggies), aaaand here they are… Hand-dipped Corn Dogs from Disneyland!!!

Naturally, I went with the Glass Noodle Salad.

KIDDING!!!! I got the Hand-dipped Corn Dog because we’ve only been excited about its arrival in Disney World since, oh… the DAWN OF TIME!

(Cue: angels singing)…

The Hand-dipped Corn Dog is a heaping helping of deep-fried goodness on a stick. French’s Mustard is available as a condiment.

It’s served with incredible house-made chips (always great anywhere on Disney property, from what I can tell).

Now, typically, a Corn Dog is not something I order. Sure, I’ve enjoyed a few Corn Dog Nuggets at Casey’s Corner from time to time, but I’ve never gone out of my way to have one unless I was in Disneyland (and there I get the hot link version most of the time). That’s all changed with the arrival of the Hand-dipped Corn Dog.

The corn-meal breading delivered a nice crunch and awesome flavor. The hot dog was gigantic, and I probably should have stopped at some point, but I couldn’t resist eating the ENTIRE THING. (Plus every chip ).

Now, for the question you’re all asking: “Is it like the Disneyland Corn Dog or not?!?”

Disneyland Hand-Dipped Corn Dog vs. Disney World Hand-Dipped Corn Dog

OK, so we’ve been anticipating the REAL corn dog’s appearance in Disney World for…like…ever, so we were excited to find out if they were up to snuff.

Let’s check out the dogs side by side:

As you can see, the Disneyland dog has a heftier, darker breading than the Disney World version.

And if we take a look at the inside:

The breading is slightly thicker on the Disneyland dog, though the Disney World hot dog itself looks a little bit bigger, so maybe it’s an optical illusion!

Either way, the dogs are both quite good…but we have to give the edge to the Disneyland dog. The years of experience, sweet recipe, and atmosphere of being IN Disneyland proper just give it the must-have, classic quality. That said, the Disney World dog is better than any other corn dog you’re going to find in the Florida parks, so definitely give it a go!

But we want to hear YOUR thoughts! Head on out to the Fantasy Fare food truck and tell us your review.

A few tips to help you on your mission (should you choose to accept ):

- Hours of operation of the trucks have fluctuated. The first weekend, Superstar Catering was open10:00 am to 11:00 pm (but it was a busy weekend for Downtown Disney, with the Festival of the Masters). We enjoyed Butter Chicken at Namaste Café at 2:00 pm a couple of weeks ago. This week, the trucks are operating from 5:00-11:00 pm.

- The original schedule for the trucks was Wednesday through Sunday, however I understand that they may be experimenting with more days per week.

- Primarily, the trucks are found in the open area between Cirque de Soleil and House of Blues on the West Side of Downtown Disney. However, they’ve also been spotted on the walkway leading up to Cirque and in the grassy area next to Bongos Cuban Café. Ah, the wonders of mobility!

OK — it’s your turn!!!

Have you tried the Hand-dipped Corn Dog at both Disneyland AND Downtown Disney? Please chime in with a comment and let us know how they compare!

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Related posts:

1. News! Food Trucks (AND Disneyland Corn Dogs!!!!) Coming To Downtown Disney Orlando
2. News! and Review: Downtown Disney’s Namaste Cafe Food Truck
3. News! and Review: Downtown Disney’s Superstar Catering Food Truck

I know there are a lot of Dooney & Bourke fans out there. Just wait until you see what’s coming your way. I just received word from the merchandise special events team that a Dooney & Bourke release, along with a signing opportunity with Ian Ray, has been added to the calendar of events for May 2013!

Here’s a look at the new Dooney & Bourke Mickey Rainbow Letter Collection on four black silhouettes, including a large Pocket Tote ($295), Satchel ($195), Pocket Satchel ($260), and Tablet Sleeve ($90), which will be available as part of the release.

Tren-D in the Downtown Disney Marketplace at the Walt Disney World Resort will have all of these and more, on Saturday, May 25, 2013. What could be more exciting than the release of this new collection? What if I told you that on that same day, Tren-D is going to have a “Sample Sale” of some never released bags, and that Ian Ray will be on hand for a special appearance and signing opportunity from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.? It doesn’t get better than that! For those who are able to attend the release and signing, be sure to ask about a special gift with purchase. Tip: Be sure to get their early! Although Ian isn’t signing until later, the collection, along with the other bags, will be available at shop opening on the day of release.

If you like the collection, but wish it came with a white background, you’re in luck. For a limited time, beginning June 3, www.DisneyParks.com/Store will offer a Rainbow Collection Letter Carrier with a white background. But of course, it’s only available while supplies last. So don’t miss out.

I think I’ve picked out the one I like. Do you have a favorite?

New Dooney & Bourke Rainbow Collection to Debut at Tren-D at the Walt Disney World Resort by Michelle Harker: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog

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