Jentasmic: Top 5 Disney Dining Memories

The view from Walt's American Restaurant, Disneyland Paris

In this week’s Jentasmic! column at Studios Central, I meditate further on that all-important question: Is theme or food more important in my Disney Dining experience? In particular, I look at my five favorite memories, and consider how much food, theme, or other factors influenced the experience overall. For example:

Walt’s American Restaurant, Disneyland Paris. The food was pretty good, especially given that we’d chosen to eat “American food” in Paris. We’d scored a table by the window, at the right time for the evening parade. Sadly, the parade was rained out, so all we could watch was the parade of tourists in hastily-purchased ponchos, heading for the front gates. But what made it special? Knowing that this was the only place on the entire planet that a Guest can sit in a restaurant on the second floor of Main Street, overlooking the crowds. No forced perspective here — it’s a full-fledged Main Street second floor.

Head on over to Studios Central to read the rest. . .

Une Table à Walt’s, S’il Vous Plaît

On a dreary July afternoon in New England, is it any wonder a girl’s thoughts turn to Disneyland Paris?

Yesterday, I finally made up my mind about the one table service dining reservation I’ll be making for this trip: I called to book a 3:45pm window table at Walt’s: An American Restaurant. It’s not like I’m really wanting a big meal at 3:45 in the afternoon…..it’s that everyone has suggested that one really should book this restaurant at a time that the parade should be going by (including Adam Goodger of the Disney Brit Podcast, whom BFF Lisa and I interviewed on Those Darn Cats Episodes 55 and 57). And that sure does sound good to me!

Calling to make the dining reservation was a reminder that I need to brush up on my French before this trip (45 days away!). Yes, the initial phone menu asked me to press 2 for English, but the Cast Member answered in French, sending me into a sputtering, “Um…..parlez-vous anglais?” Usually, I like to at least start out with “Pardon, je parle seulement un petit peu de Francais….parlez-vous anglais?” in my sweetest, most apologetic voice possible, because honestly I do know that I am essentially in their country, even when just calling their reservations line, and it would be polite of me to acknowledge their graciousness in speaking my native tongue instead of their own.

But I digress….the Cast Member did speak English, the reservation has been made, and I’ve got the confirmation number. And a little reminder that I can’t keep procrastinating on my French practice.