DCN Snack Corner: 'Ama 'Ama Buttermilk Pancakes

As you navigate your way past the frenzied swimming pools, denizens of the not so lazy river, and tourists walking around seemingly unaware of how their bathing suits actually look on them, tucked away, almost inconspicuously in the back corner of the Aulani resort, you will find the amazing table service restaurant of Ama Ama. As you pass under the simple wooden slat breeze way the sea air greets your face and the salt gently rests on our lips, inviting you in to partake in the treasures here that are tantalizing for our eyes as much as our taste buds.  In that moment you know, you’ve found your paradise, the oasis in the desert of the bustling resort.

Ama Ama is one of the most beautiful settings in any Disney restaurant anywhere, as it is an open air dining area right on the beach overlooking the sparkling lagoon and endless blue horizon in front of you. There is an upscale rustic décor that adds to the charm of the setting, and gives hints to a backstory of weary travelers setting up a dining establishment to cook their catches of the day and drink the night away telling stories of things that may have never happened, while the ocean provides the perfect soundtrack behind them.

The calm of Ama Ama isn’t just in the setting but it applies to the flawlessly cooked meals you’ll find there. None so pristine as one particular breakfast item, for within this breakfast item you find your Shangri-La, you’re Rushmore, you’re perfect day, the meal that completes you … this is the Buttermilk Pancakes with Macadamia Nut Vanilla Sauce.

Do not be mistaken by the simplistic sounding nature of this dish, because the simplicity here is what makes this dish so faultless.

You start with the pancakes, which are the fluffiest, thickest, but also lightest pancakes ever created. With each bite you take, you bring a soft buttery pillow of delicious buttermilk cake into your mouth. It is cooked flawlessly and melts right on your tongue, teasing your taste buds of the infinite possibilities of how good pancakes could actually be.

Then there is the Macadamia Nut Vanilla Sauce, which upon initial thought would illicit judgments of overly sweet or too sugary to be good, but those ideas could not be further from the truth. The delicate nature of the sauce is not fully understood until you try it. There is a sophisticated balance to the sauce, which is what it is, a sauce, not a syrup. It is a dense almost milky sauce that realizes heavily on the salty savory aspects of the macadamia nut and the spice of the vanilla more so than the sweetness of sugar. It tastes like a light salty vanilla nut sauce with only a hint of caramel. The sauce is neither rich nor sugary but instead, plays the essential supporting role to the pancake, ensuring that it is the unspoiled compliment. Its sweetness doesn’t overtake the taste of the cake and its liquidity doesn’t saturate the cake making it too soggy to enjoy. It adds the right balance and depth to each bite.

The pancake and the sauce, these two elements alone exist on your plate, working together in seamless collaboration making a breakfast that is at once delicious and entirely satisfying.

These are without a doubt the best pancakes, not only anywhere in any Disney venue, but quite frankly the best pancakes anywhere, period. If you ever make the trip down to Aulani, and you should, it is a fantastic place to stay and eat, then immediately make the Buttermilk Pancakes at Ama Ama your top priority. It will be your favorite meal, and you’ll leave hungry for more.

Happy eating!

Elite 8: Pixar Movies

This month is a celebration of all things Pixar. We here at DCN, much as the rest of the world, love Pixar. In celebration of the openings of Incredibles 2 in theaters, Toy Story Land in Walt Disney World, and Pixar Pier in Disneyland we present an elite 8 segment this week themed all around Pixar films.

The Incredibles 2 is the 20th film created by the geniuses at Pixar. Twenty films and honestly, they are all pretty good. There isn’t a “bad” film in the bunch so picking a top 8 was very hard, but the DCN team was up to the challenge. And now we present our “Elite 8” of Pixar Movies. Here we go.

Number 8. Brave

The first Pixar princess is Merida and what a princess she turned out to be! Merida is a strong central character with clear motivations and a robust character arc. The story is self-contained and intimate and the animation is striking, especially the flowing red locks of the majority of characters. This movie is severely underrated.

Number 7. Finding Nemo

The Finding Nemo team chose every child’s favorite actor Albert Brooks to play Marlin, the nervous dad who will stop at nothing to find his son. I’m kidding, what kid knows Albert Brooks before seeing this movie? Actually, casting Albert Brooks was brilliant in that it provided a natural and grounded tone for the character. This set the stage for real characters and real emotion against the exquisitely realized underwater world.

Number 6. Toy Story 2

How do you pick one Toy Story above the others? They all work harmoniously together to tell a complete story, although we shall see how Toy Story 4 affects that next year. However, if we have to pick one Toy Story movie to include on this list, it has to be Toy Story 2. It is the rare sequel that improves upon its predecessor in every discernable way. It has inventive storytelling, gorgeous animation, and a perfect cast to create a rich and fulfilling experience.

Number 5. Monster’s Inc.

Yes, we cried in it. So what? That’s the beauty of Monster’s Inc. It took the basic concept of monsters in your closet and turned the idea on its head. It’s a lovely story about friendship, responsibility, and parenthood, told against the backdrop of a perfectly realized monster world. The jazzy score and combo of Billy Crystal and John Goodman only elevate this further into elite animation status.

Number 4. Up

Is Russell annoying? Yeah, kinda. There are certain members of the Disney Crew who despise Russell very much yet even so … still love this movie. There’s a magic and wonder to the adventure found in Up, with two very unlikely heroes in a senior citizen and an aggravating little boy. At its core Up is an exhilarating and poignant adventure with an impeccable script that has wit and a surprising amount of depth and gravitas, to go along with pitch perfect animation as usual from Pixar.

Number 3. The Incredibles

The Incredibles is Incredible! Yeah, too easy. Is it the greatest superhero movie of all time? There’s a real argument to be made for it. However, the magnificence of The Incredibles isn’t in the animation or fully realized action sequences but it’s in the family dynamic and character insights. The Incredibles is a fantastic story about family and what motivates each member of the family to contribute to the whole. There’s real emotion at play here and stakes that extend beyond just life and death.

Number 2. Wall-E

The first 20 or so minutes of Wall-E could be the most perfect 20 minutes of any movie anywhere. It is a near silent movie in those first 20 minutes but in that silence we meet our titular character and are charmed by him, we understand him, we sympathize with him, and we love him. That’s the amazing part of Wall-E, the ingenious storytelling. The movie changes venues early on and dives into other areas of what it means to be a human, what it means to be alive, and what it means to love. Its brilliant animation layered with thought provoking subtext.

And the number 1 Pixar movie is … Ratatouille!

Ratatouille is everything you want in a movie. It has magnificent characters, interesting concept, perfect cast, superb story, humor, depth, emotion, and excitement. It is the perfect movie. Everything Pixar had learned up until this point lead to this moment. It is a true feast for the eyes and ears. There is so much to enjoy and celebrate about this movie that it is hard to consolidate it down to one paragraph. The most important thing to know about Ratatouille is it is a triumph, not just in filmmaking but as a tribute to the wonders of discovery, embracing who you are, and realizing we as people all want the same things, no matter whom we are or where we come from. We all want purpose, stimulation, and happiness. This movie lives in that place and leaves you feeling warm and hungry for more.

And that’s our “Elite 8” of Pixar Movies.

Elite 8: Non-Elite Attractions

Everyone knows and loves Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest, and Tower of Terror, all the e-tickets that everyone furiously tries to get fastpasses for; but what are the great unsung heroes of the attraction lineup? What are the smaller, non-E ticket attractions or not popular dark rides that are worth your time, or better still, wonderful in their own right. Let’s find out in this Elite 8 of Non-Elite Attractions!

Number 8. Reflections of China at the China Pavilion in the World Showcase area of EPCOT

Reflections of China is a circle vision 360 film that allows you to journey through ancient and modern China. Famous Chinese poet Li Bai is your guide as he takes you through the sights and sounds of China. You’ll get to see the Haungpu River, Nanjing Road, the Peking Opera Company, and the Yangtze River. Yes, it’s totally a tourism advertisement, but it’s so effective, engaging, and fun to watch. It totally makes you want to visit China, until you remember that China’s air pollution problem is visible from outer space. And then the movie is the next best thing to going! So it definitely had to make our list.

Number 7. The Seas with Nemo and Friends at The Seas Pavilion in the Future World area of EPCOT

Yes, we miss the “Hydrolaters.” Yes, we miss the old Seabase Alpha days. However, if you have to shove characters into pavilions, this one actually makes a lot of sense and it makes for a really inventive way to present this attraction. In this attraction you board a “clamobile” and descend deep into the ocean to explore the big blue world. You’ll experience an adventure under the water as you search for Nemo with Marlin and Dory. You’ll encounter old characters as well as a pretty seamless blend of real actual sea life mixed in with animated Nemo characters. It’s a fun and oddly calming attraction. At the very least, it’s a great way to get some nice A/C in the Florida heat.

Number 6. Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail in the Africa area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Warning this attraction requires walking. At the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail you’ll venture into the heart of Africa and encounter exotic animals as you trek through the dense foliage of Pangani Forest. And these aren’t animatronics, baby! Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park desperately did not want to be called a zoo, but they should have embraced that, because attractions like these are the next generation of zoos and the park would be better if it had more like it. This walking attraction is a way to see real animals such as gorillas, meerkats, and zebras, up close in real habitats, with everything decadently themed in the way only Disney can do. You’ll truly be transported to another part of the world and you’ll feel as though you are in a lush ancient forest. If you aren’t one of those people on an ECV or with a double wide stroller, please take time to walk through and fully explore this area. You won’t regret it!

Number 5. O Canada! In the Canada Pavilion in the World Showcase area of EPCOT

Another 360 film? Yes. This is another circle-vision 360 film, this time showcasing the country of Canda, and much like the film Reflections of China, it gives you a breathtaking and rousing view of some of Canada’s real treasures. As the China film chose a mystical influential poet as its narrator, O Canada follows suit by enlisting Martin Short, who is very funny and charming in this film, as opposed to the last 10 or so films he put out in theaters. You can truly feel the love and admiration Martin Short has for Canada. You can feel it in his words, and then when you see the moving pictures in front of you, well, it’s nothing short of awe inspiring. If you like breathtaking views, funny commentary, and you hate Gary Sinise, good news he’s not in this film, well, then you have to check out O Canada!

Number 4. Maharajah Jungle Trek in the Africa area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Yes, another trail but this one is even better than the last. This one has drop dead gorgeous themeing and some of the most incredibly immersive environments anywhere. At this trail you will venture into the mystical Anandapur Royal Forest, which is a tropical paradise of trees filled with ancient ruins of a bygone era. Legend has it that it was at one time a special hunting ground for the wealthy maharajahs of old but now exists only in stories and memories. You will navigate through a canopy of trees, over swaying footbridges, past cascading waterfalls, by a palace that is centuries old, and encounter the majestic tigers. It’s an incredible way to spend some time at the Animal Kingdom and people walk right by it, running to another fastpass. This attraction here is indispensable Disney. It wraps up story, themeing, education, and entertainment all in one fantastic attraction.

Number 3. The Muppets Present Great Moments in History in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom

In Liberty Square, outside of the Hall of Presidents, the Muppets perform live daily performances about American history. Their ideas about history may be a little off but it’s all so fun and entertaining. What’s most exciting is the ability to see the Muppets up close and in real life! The puppet work and actors are all phenomenal, the stories are great, and the comedy is finely balanced. It’s best not to go into too much detail because the gags are best experienced first-hand. If it’s not over 110 degrees outside and there aren’t parents forcing their crying kids to sit and watch this then you should definitely stop by Liberty Square and check out the Muppets.

Number 2. Walt Disney World Railroad at the Magic Kingdom

The ultimate “background” attraction is the Walt Disney World Railroad. It’s a staple in every Disney park but few people take the time to experience it and enjoy it. It’s an attraction that celebrates classic Americana as you ride a vintage train all around the Magic Kingdom. Listen to the clamor of the engine, the churn of the wheels, or the sounds of the whistle as you meander down the track and venture through the lands of the Magic Kingdom. It is a relaxing 20 minute ride that lets you be a part of history as the trains are almost 100 years old! Walt Disney was a train buff; he even built one in his backyard! So this is not only something Walt put in his park, but it was also one of his lifelong passions. This attraction is both American history and Disney history, and it doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves.

And the number 1 non-elite attraction at Walt Disney World is … Tomorrowland Transit Authority!

It’s a no brainer, DCN consensus top selection. Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover, is a 10 minute long tour of Tomorrowland aboard a free mass transit system of the future. You take off from the center of Tomorrowland in Rocket Tower Plaza for an elevated ride through Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Mickey’s Star Traders, some additional scenes, and you’ll see some really cool models of early concepts for EPCOT. This ride has a little bit of everything you want! It has a classic, timeless feel, good story and place, fun movement, educational engagement, and most of all the ability to experience it with your friends, due to the facing each other seating style of the cars. It’s easy to ride this again and again and again … and we have, too!

And that’s our “Elite 8” of non-elite attractions in Walt Disney World.

Elite 8: Counter Service Restaurants in Walt Disney World

Counter service restaurants are important to any Disney trip. Because while the table service restaurants are great, they are an investment of time, and time on a Disney trip is precious. Surely, no one wants to eat three table service meals a day so you have to supplement. The way to supplement is of course hiring a private chef. If you can’t do that, then of course you’ll have to go the counter service route.

But how do you choose the best counter service restaurants with so many options out there? Don’t worry. We’ll help you out. Here’s our DCN Elite 8 for Counter Service Restaurants.

Number 8. Restaurantosaurus at Dinoland USA in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Restaurantosaurus is on this list, not because of the food which is fine, not great, but fine, but because it’s the best themed counter service restaurant anywhere. If you listened to DCN: This Week last week you heard the amazing backstory of Dinoland USA. Restaurantosaurus is the epicenter of the entire backstory of Dinoland USA. There are so many fun gags, details, and bits of information for you to digest while you dine on the burgers and sandwiches the restaurant has to offer. In fact, bonus bit of trivia for you, it’s the only counter service that serves burgers in Animal Kingdom. So if that’s your thing … then, you know, by all means.

Number 7. Eight Spoon Café at the Discovery Island area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Eight Spoon Café is the quintessential counter service snack stand. It is open most of the day. Their menu is small but packs a delicious punch. It’s basically a supped up macaroni and cheese stand. Here you can get regular baked macaroni or baked macaroni with pulled pork or backed macaroni with shrimp and sweet chili sauce. They also serve pretzels and chips but that’s it. The macaroni is the real  star here and it’s great. Try the pulled pork mac and cheese, it’s a Disney fan favorite, and that distinction is actually rightfully earned – not like some others – yeah, I’m looking at you Dole Whip.

Number 6. Captain Cook’s in the Polynesian Resort.

Captain Cook’s is on the ground floor of the Polynesian resort and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But there’s only one thing you need to know about Captain Cook’s and that is … Tonga Toast. The delicious breakfast item is banana stuffed sourdough bread, battered, deep fried, and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. It tastes like relaxing on the beach in Flavortown! It’s the exact same Tonga Toast that is served upstairs at Kona Café and half the price! This menu item alone makes Captain Cook’s a worthy addition to this list but lunch and dinner packs a little punch with some righteous Asian style options such as Thai Coconut Meatballs, Aloha Pork Sandwich, and Pork Fried Rice. But Tonga Toast is what makes this a can’t miss.

Number 5. Satu’li Canteen at Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Seems to be a trend here, doesn’t it? And yeah, Animal Kingdom Park has some amazing counter service options. It’s the best park to go to for counter service. Satu’li Canteen makes healthy eating fun and is open for lunch and dinner! Despite being themed after a stupid movie, Satu’li Canteen elevates its food offerings above the boring source material to make some truly delightful creations. The food here has more depth and flavor than any of the characters in the Avatar movies, and it doesn’t want to make you vomit! Here you have a variety of customizable bowls that you can fill with different types of rice and grains, fresh veggies, and perfectly grilled meats such as chicken, beef, and salmon. In addition to some truly killer bao buns! This counter service spot is easily the most unexpected surprise of the new Pandora land and quite possibly the most enticing reason to actually venture into the land.

Number 4. Sunshine Seasons in the Land Pavilion at EPCOT.

Sunshine Seasons is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and during all meals the idea is the generally same – variety, variety, variety. Sunshine Seasons has an amazing variety of options for you to choose from and all of them are prepared well and prepared fresh. The area is cut up into different sections representing different types or styles of food from a noodle bar, a grill, sandwich shop, a bakery, and more. If you have a family or are with a group of friends with wildly different tastes but you all want great food, then Sunshine Seasons is the place for you. If you’re alone, it’s still a great option, too.

Number 3. Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks in the Asia area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Thirsty River Bar is not only a snack stand, offering everything from popcorn and pretzels to hummus and frozen treats but, perhaps more importantly, it’s an amazing open air full bar that makes incredible adult beverages, or bevvies, if you will, using great liquors, good pours, and fresh ingredients. The location of this walk up bar is unbelievable with Expedition Everest’s snowcapped peaks looming in the distance behind you. If you ever wanted to drink a margarita in the shadow of the Himalayas, which is oddly specific, this is the place for you. The drinks, snacks, and impeccable view make this a spot that you got to get on down to Asia in the Animal Kingdom to try out.

Number 2. The Daily Poutine in Disney Springs.

If you’ve never tried poutine, stop listening right now and go directly to The Daily Poutine and order the classic. Go ahead. Pause the podcast and go. Whatever you have to spend to fly there and get it, it will be worth it. Two thousand, three thousand, sure, no problem. What is poutine you may ask? It is a large pile of hot thick cut French fries loaded with cheddar cheese curds and covered in succulent beef gravy. It’s justifiably called the food of the Gods, by someone, and it was created, believe it or not, by the Canadians. The Daily Poutine makes the number 2 on our list because they have poutine, frankly, and its impeccable quality poutine. The fries are thick and expertly cooked. The curds are the right density. The gravy is smooth and rich. Put this on your Disney bucket list food items, now.

And the number 1 counter service restaurant in Walt Disney World is … Tangerine Café in the Morocco Pavilion in EPCOT.

The Tangerine Café, open for lunch and dinner, serves Moroccan food, as you might expect, which by its nature is always tasty. Chicken shawarma, lamb, kefta, rotisserie chicken, and tabbouleh are just some of the items you can find here. However, the Tangerine Café doesn’t just attempt to put out these foods we know; it strives to elevate them in their preparation, cook, and spices. The flavors here are outstanding and sometimes unexpected for a theme park. Everything is always prepared expertly and crafted with the appropriate care. It has a nice assortment of items, enough to please different palettes. This is a no brainer winner for anyone looking for a high end quick meal in EPCOT. If you haven’t experienced it yet, make time. You definitely won’t regret it. Plus it’s also kinda healthy too, so you know, you can justify over eating and snagging a dessert to end the meal.

And that’s our “Elite 8” of counter services restaurants in Walt Disney World.

Brooke's Not Impressed: Dole Whips

Of course, Disney is known for world class attractions, theme parks, and shows but equally as amazing is the food at the theme parks. There is so much variety, from Indian food to barbecue to sushi to African cuisine to southern home cooking. If you want it, chances are the Disney parks have it, and have it good. 

There are certain food items in the parks that come and go, and then there are some that curiously reach cult status among Disney fans. You may be familiar with some- there’s the chimichanga in Disneyland, pulled pork mac and cheese in Disney World, mochi in Tokyo Disneyland, churros literally everywhere, schoolbread in Epcot, and the quintessential Disney food craze the Dole Whip.

The various stands that sell Dole Whips across the Disney parks always have lines of people waiting for their treat. What makes up this this groundbreaking dessert, you ask? Well it’s pineapple/vanilla soft serve mixed together with the most important ingredient- Disney magic. But seriously, that’s it. It’s pineapple soft serve. Well unless you get the Dole Whip Float in which case they add pineapple juice.

The waits are not ever too long because it moves fairly quickly, but there are always people there. It’s constant. The consistent waits are not the only evidence of the treats popularity. No, if you had never tried a Dole Whip surely you would not be unaware of its popularity because walk into any Disney gift shop and you will find Dole Whip t-shirts, plushes, kitchen items, and more. A Dole Whip stuffed animal? C’mon. A basic pineapple vanilla ice cream has been turned into a Disney craze and a merchandise cash cow. I mean, honestly on that note I’m kind of impressed. 

I remember when I first tried a Dole Whip. I heard all the hype and saw the lines, but I kept asking myself how good could a pineapple vanilla ice cream really be? I mean it sounds pretty basic. Could it really be as amazing as people say it is?

And then I tried it. That first cool bite hit my tongue and I knew … that I was exactly right. I am just going to say it and it’s time we all admit it; there is nothing special about the Dole Whip. It’s exactly how it sounds if not, eh, more vanilla if you will. Is it bad? No. Is it over rated? Absolutely. Let’s just say I wouldn’t wait in line for it. I definitely won’t buy a shirt with it on it ... I mean, unless it’s a really cool shirt. But all-in-all it’s a bit overhyped and I’m just not impressed. 

Check the Narrative: Dinoland, USA

The year is 1947. The place is the heartland of America. An amateur dinosaur enthusiast and fossil hunter discovers a dog digging up what he believes to be an old dinosaur bones near a small fishing lodge in Diggs County, which is a small rural area right off US Highway 498.

The man excited about his find but unsure of its authenticity, takes the bones back to some of his paleontologist buddies. The paleontologists verify that these bones are indeed authentic dinosaur bones! The group is overjoyed, because it’s been years since bones of this caliber have been uncovered in America. They presume that there must be more. The group finds donors and benefactors and raises enough money to purchase the fishing lodge and all the surrounding land. They shut down the fishing lodge and turn it into a makeshift base camp for further study of the area.

In mere months professors and college students flock to Diggs County and take up residence in the fishing lodge. The lodge has been turned into a dormitory and cafeteria for all the students. However, the now very large group of college students realizes that they need more money to continue their work and since securing donations and grants can prove to be very challenging, they decide to open up their cafeteria to the public to help subsidize their work. Weary travelers motoring through Diggs County could now stop and grab a bite at a place the students quickly named “restaurant.”

Shortly, thereafter, seeing the success of “restaurant” the students opened a small counter service restaurant called “Dino-Bite” where motorists travelling down Highway 498, could stop for an ice cream cone or cool beverage.

These two culinary endeavors were just the thing to provide the meager funding they needed to keep moving forward. The students and professors established a dig site near the fishing lodge and uncovered many more rare and amazing finds. There were so many dinosaur bones uncovered that the group renamed the dig site “the boneyard.”

Now, if you know anything about college students, you know that they work hard but they also play hard. Perhaps most synonymous with college students is their fondness for pranks. This group of students, while serious about paleontology, was no different. One recurring joke among the students was to find signs all over town and add the suffix “osaurus” behind a word. “International-osaurus.” “Automobile-osaurus.” Of course, pranks don’t just end. Each prank must be overdone by the next. One particularly emboldened student took it upon himself to do the ultimate prank. He climbed up on the roof of the “restaurant” and erected a large “osaurus” sign to the end of the restaurant sign, thus creating “Restaurantosaurus.”

The surrounding counties were buzzing about the major fossil finds and soon word had spread throughout the heartland and tourists were flocking to Diggs County to learn all they could about the dinosaur bones being unearthed. Tourists would marvel at the boneyard and visit the lodge, which had now been transformed, again, into an improvised visitor’s center. The lodge/dormitory/cafeteria/visitor’s center/museum became a lounge, recreational area, and a home to all the artifacts discovered in the area.

The dig site continued to grow, thus the lodge needed to grow as well to support the work. However, money was not overflowing so they couldn’t just fund the expansion traditionally. They had to look for creative ways to grow the lodge. Over the years, the students would add on to the lodge using whatever they could find, such as adding the Quonset hut for vehicle maintenance, semi-permanent tents adjacent to the Quonset hut for extra storage, and an airstream trailer was connected to the lodge for additional recreational space that the students named “The Hip Joint.” Inside all of these spaces the students would leave their mark, through art work, pictures, or pranks that can still be seen today.

The Dino Institute was now officially formed and was even offering classes on-site to graduate students. However, money remained an issue and if they wanted to grow they would need help. In 1973, the founding board members of the Dino Institute reached out to Doctor Helen Marsh to help generate more profits. Dr. Marsh had developed a reputation for saving failing museums and securing additional funding. Shortly, after her arrival at the Dino Institute she used the majority of the capital left to purchase a fledgling company named Chrono-Teck Inc which had just lost their government funding. Six months after that purchase she announced, to a very shocked scientific community, that her new company Chrono-Teck Inc in collaboration with the Dino Institute had invented a vehicle that could travel through time called the CTX Rover.

With this new invention scientists could travel back in time and study the dinosaurs alive and in their natural habitats. The success of the CTX Rover made the Dino Institute and Chrono-Teck Inc a success overnight. Dr. Marsh commissioned a new state of the art Dino Institute facility built near the old fishing lodge, which was dedicated officially on April 22, 1978.

With this new state of the art facility and the production of more CTX Rovers, Dr. Marsh soon announced that she will now open the doors to the facility to non-scientists, the regular public; because she believes everyone should experience the awe of seeing a dinosaur first hand. Of course, the substantial amount of money to be made off this endeavor should not be dismissed as the driving force behind this decision.

The World Paleontological Society is not thrilled with the announcement. The president, Dr. Vladimur Borontsky, said this type of technology requires years of more thorough testing before ever being open to the public. Dr. Marsh dismisses his comments by saying her staff has tested the rover extensively and they all say the same thing, “it’s fast, it’s a blast, and it’s in the past.”

Dr. Marsh hubris grows and as such the people working with her in the new Dino Institute develop a haughty attitude towards the scientific community and especially the professors and grad students still playing in the dirt at the boneyard trying to uncover dinosaur bones. Dr. Marsh grows tired of the students and their pranks but believes it is beneath her to do anything about it, so the students run free in the town. The students remain in control of the lodge and even the local radio station which has been taken over by two students who call themselves “Digger” and “Bonehead” who play dino-themed music all day long. The Dino Institute remains in Dr. Marsh’s control and as such, a refined place of upstanding decorum and cutting edge scientific discovery.

Further up Highway 498 from the fishing lodge is a gas station run by an older couple named Chester and Hester. All of the new traffic and tourists to the area should have helped their little gas station but they were frustrated because everyone else seemed to be profiting off this except them. Chester and Hester were determined to find ways to increase their profits so they started selling souvenirs and little tacky nick-nacks in their gas station. In a short period of time, the gifts were outselling the gas so they converted the entire service station into a large gift shop called Chester and Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures.

Chester and Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures was a huge success and profits were rising exponentially. The older couple knew that to make more they needed to expand. They took their profits and bought the land across Highway 498 and built a small amusement park, a perfect location to attract passing tourists. Chester and Hester’s DinoRama was born and is still running strong, giving scientists and passing tourists a little break from dinosaur hunting.

Today, the Dino Institute still offers tours to the public that take them back to the Cretaceous period to see those magnificent creatures. The professors and students still believe that studying dinosaur bones and fossil records are vital to our understanding, so they still work and play in the old fishing lodge which is now “restaurantosaurus” and a museum and a visitor’s center and a dormitory. You can visit the dig site and see their work first hand. You can visit the lodge and see the history of the group, their humble beginnings, their first major finds, and their endless pranks on each other.

And now you know the history of Dinoland USA. Next time you go, take the time to explore the area, you’ll find many pieces of evidence of this backstory, you’ll see pranks made by the students, and no doubt you’ll have a great time in this small county off Highway 498.

DCN Snack Corner: Cheddar Cheese Stick

Quietly tucked away in a nook between Goofy’s Sky School and Seaside Souvenirs at the Paradise Park section of Disney California Adventure you will find Corn Dog Castle.

A not so secret gem of a counter service restaurant that serves handmade, hand dipped, made to order corn dogs, hot link corn dogs, and the aforementioned Cheddar Cheese Stick. It’s a simple menu with a simple conceit; make three great snack items that truly standout due to the loving preparation of real ingredients and a dedication to the made to order mission.

The Cheddar Cheese Stick is aptly named as it is a stick or block, if you will, of cheddar cheese that is hand dipped in the rich corn dog batter and quickly deep fried, sealing all the gorgeous, sharp cheddar cheese inside the savory corn outer shell.

The final product is a true delight. The perfectly fried golden outer shell is dense, crunchy, and salty with a hint of sweetness added to the corn batter. The inside is an impeccably orange colored mass of gooey real cheddar cheese that is tangy and just the right amount of sharp. With each bite you get the perfect combination of the piquant outer shell and the oozing flavorful cheese, with neither overpowering the other, but both elements in flawless proportion working together to make snack magic. It’s essentially a perfectly balanced grilled cheese on a stick.

Here’s a bonus snack-hack tip for you. If you want to take your Cheddar Cheese Stick to the next level you know you have to add a sauce! And just a few feet over from Corn Dog Castle is Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta where you could get just the right sauce pairing for your Cheddar Cheese Stick. You can order a small side of Pomodoro sauce, pesto, ranch dressing, or tomato sauce. Give it a try and let us know which sauce pairs best with yours.

So if you love cheese, which who doesn’t, and if you are looking for a great flavorful, cheesy snack, look no further than Corn Dog Castle, and grab yourself a Cheddar Cheese Stick … but maybe also grab someone else to share it with you, it might not be the best healthy idea to eat an entire block of deep fried cheese alone … and it’s kinda depressing.

Happy eating!

Check the Narrative: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a steel, mine train roller coaster that darts in and around mountain ranges that resemble the rock work found in Monument Valley in Utah and Arizona, designed by the famous Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter. The idea for the attraction came from the infamous abandoned attraction idea for the Western River Expedition that was originally conceived by one of Walt’s Nine Old Men, Marc Davis.

The first Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened in Disneyland on September 2, 1979, to be followed soon by a similar version in Walt Disney World in 1980, Tokyo Disneyland in 1987, and Disneyland Paris in 1992. Each version has design elements that make it unique but all are similar in idea, design, and ride system. In short, no matter where you are, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a rollicking roller coaster ride, good enough for the whole family, that features beautiful rock work, exhilarating adventure, delightful music and a fully immersive experience.

You may have enjoyed a ride or two on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, so you may know all of that already … but do you know the intricate backstory weaved into every detail of the attraction?

While some details may change from park to park, the basic story arc of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad remains consistent across all the variations of the attraction.

The setting is the late 1800s during the gold rush. Gold seekers and dreamers alike are all flocking to the American Southwest to find a small mining town nestled in around the base of Big Thunder Mountain. This mining town goes by many names. In Disneyland, it’s known as Rainbow Ridge, in Florida it’s called Tumbleweed, and in Paris it goes by the ominous name of Thunder Mesa. Why is everyone flocking to this small mining town?  Why of course, it’s because gold has been discovered in Big Thunder Mountain.

Nearly overnight, the small mining town grows into a prosperous community, as more and more people descend upon the town. The Big Thunder Mining Company is formed by Barnabas T. Bullion. He erects an extensive line of mine trains set up to transport ore around and down the mountain. Their business was gold and business was gold … I mean good.

The people continued to toil away at their gold mining business and the town continued to grow. However, the town’s people were unaware that Big Thunder Mountain was a sacred place to a local tribe of Native Americans. The Native American chiefs upon learning of the mining of the mountain issued a stern warning to the town’s people. Leave the mountain or be cursed.

The town’s people did not heed the warnings of the Native Americans and continued to mine the mountain. They continued day and night to dig tunnels, carve out large portions, and eventually defile the entire mountain making the very structure of the area unstable. Unfortunately for the town’s people, the Native Americans were right. The desecration of the mountain had ecological effects that no one could have ever imagined and a great natural disaster is unleashed upon on the small town. In the Disneyland and Paris versions the mining damages the tectonic plates upon which the mountain sits and causes a massive earthquake, in Florida a flash flood sweeps through the town, and in Tokyo a tsunami devastates the entire area.

Many people died, and those who didn’t remembered the Native Americans warnings and assuming the town was cursed, fled for their lives. The town was abandoned in an instant, people leaving behind all their treasures, belongings, and dreams. The shops were left with supplies still on the shelves, horse carriages still in the streets, and the mine trains were left, still running, to endlessly loop around the mountains completely empty, an ostensible ghost train, evidence of the lives that must have inhabited those parts but now are just a memory.

Sometime later, in the early 1900s, a man, who was said to be quite bold, wanders the remaining frontier areas of America searching for meaning, searching for answers, or perhaps just searching to for truth. He stumbles upon the little mining town, a ghost town for many years now. He marvels at the town and makes his way to Big Thunder Mountain, the rumbling sounds of trains beckoning him. He is entranced by the trains barreling up and down the mountains. He gets closer, close enough to reach out and touch one if he so chose.  He was in awe of the beauty around him, as nature had rebuilt itself and healed its wounds over the years. He was absorbed by the majesty of the mine trains. He had to ride one. It did not take much for him to muster up the courage to jump on the next train that came flying by – and he was off! He held on tight as the train darted in and out of the mountain, flew through canyons and valleys, and gave him the wildest ride in the wilderness!

He rode it again and again and with each ride discovered new things. One especially exciting discovery he made was … gold! He was able to collects mounds and mounds of gold on each ride through the mountain. He was rich overnight.

What did he do with some of his money? Well, this young man had such a great time riding these mine trains that he founded the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the old mining town and set it up as an attraction to allow other people from all over to take the ride on the conductor-less trains that he loved so much and that rewarded him with his vast fortune. He owed those trains so much, the best way he could give back to them, was to share them with all of us.

And now you know the backstory behind one of Disney’s most popular attractions. The next time you ride big Thunder Mountain Railroad take the time to look for details in the queue and ride itself that connect to this story. You’ll find many examples and when you do, no doubt, it will provide a new perspective and enrich your ride experience like never before. Remember though, to hold on to your hats and glasses because it is the wildest ride in the wilderness.

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