Foodie Friday: Fine Dining with Mickey and Minnie

By Debbie Mitchell

I am still getting my sea legs back for today's Foodie Friday. I returned home yesterday from spending three fun filled days and nights on the newest Disney cruise line ship Disney Fantasy.  It was the inaugural preview cruise before the ship's maiden voyage.  When we think of Disney we think of kids and families and when most people think cruise they think of food, lots of it, buffet style.  The Disney Fantasy has both of the above plus a little extra for the foodie adults on board. It turns out Mickey, Minnie and the entire Disney gang enjoy gourmet dining too. But first I'll tell you what foods made the kids happiest.

Disney Fantasy, Animator's Palate 

Traveling with friend head GEM Rene Syler  and her kids 15 year old Casey and 13 1/2 year old Cole was the perfect way for childless me to experience food through kid's eyes. First observation, kids eat a lot and when they like a food they can eat it all day long.  Cole discovered early on that the food was "free" and he could eat as much as he wanted too and he did.  His favorite meal was hamburger with his special sauce and no pickles. 

Cole's second favorite, ice cream.  There are machines filled with vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and banana flavored ice cream, cones and cups located all around the Disney Fantasy for easy access day or night. Everywhere you turned someone was eating ice cream.  Rene, Casey and I guess Cole ate at least 20 ice cream cones during the trip. As you can see he wasn't alone in his love for the frozen treat. I will  also admit that I  ate way too many cones, franks and french fries.

Disney Fantasy, Enchanted Garden


Cole and Casey took a break from burgers and ice cream to enjoy a sit down 4 course dinner at the  Enchanted Garden. It took a little cajoling from their mom to get them there but in the end they admitted they enjoyed it. While restaurant server Peter and Roxanne took excellent care of the kids Rene and I were invited to dine upstairs at Palo Disney Fantasy's northern Italian cuisine restaurant. Chef Silvio  Aragona who is from Italy's Amalfi Coast and learned to cook from his grandmother is in charge of the menu. Italian specialities include lobster with mascarpone in freshly made ravioli and grilled tuna with truffle-infused potato risotto with garlic marinated artichokes.  Everything was yummy! 

We were happy with our Italian feast and didn't think anything could top it until our last night at sea. Our second dinner invitation was to dine at Remy the ship's intimate adult French restaurant.

Chef Arnaud Lallement from l'Assiette Champenoise, a Michelin two-star restaurant outside of Reims France and Chef Scott Hunnel from Victoria & Albert's at Walt Disney World Resort have created an amazing menu. Of course at Remy there is ratatouille. It was served with olive oil infused ice cream.     But first we began the evening with a little Taittinger bubbly. 

Our party sat down to dinner at 8:30pm and enjoyed a wonderful tasting menu, that included wild turbot and wagyu beef, for 4 hours.  By midnight we were having dessert and toasting a great night.  Our three night Disney Fantasy voyage ended on an incredibly delicious high note!  

And by the way when we got back to the room Casey, not Cole, was awake and hungry of course. Thanks Cole, Casey Mickey, Minnie and Disney for reminding me how much fun it is to be a kid again.

Disclosure Thank you to the fine folks at Disney for the opportunity to experience my first Disney cruise on The Disney Fantasy. While I did not pay for the cruise, all opinions are my own.

TV/Social Media Producer Debbie Mitchell is currently a member of the James Beard Broadcast and New Media Awards committee.  If you are a food blogger interested in television placement or connecting with brands follow Debbie Mitchell @TVProducerDeb or email Ready4Airtv@gmail.com .