Random Tater Pic of the Day #270

Casey's Corner in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, where The Bride and I had a quick dinner before the Fireworks Dessert Party this past weekend.  And yes, they have changed their fries, new review forthcoming...

Random Tater Pic of the Day #253

This pumpkin is one of those atop the roof of Casey's Corner in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, carved to look like, what else, French fries... mmmm... fries...

French Fry Diary 165: The Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom

I've mentioned before how good breakfast is at Walt Disney World, and one of the pinnacles of that breakfast is the character breakfast phenomenon. While you're munching on pancakes, Mickey waffles, bacon and the favorite fried breakfast food - Disney characters (folks in costume, usually of the big furry variety) come and visit with you, sign autograph books and pose for photographs. It's fun for kids of all ages.

On our honeymoon The Bride and I pretty much hit all of the Character Breakfasts at WDW, except for one, the one at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom. It's special, and features only the Disney characters of Winnie the Pooh and other residents of the Hundred Acre Wood. Unfortunately we couldn't get reservations this time for breakfast, and ended up there for dinner.

Dinner at the Crystal Palace is much like the breakfast, same characters wandering around, and the food is served buffet style. It's not bad, maybe Old Country Buffet quality, but as always with Disney, you are paying for the experience. And this was quite an experience.

When Winnie the Pooh came to our table, that was the exact moment I had a piece of turkey go down the wrong way, and I began to choke. Seriously choking, not playing around here, I was not breathing and doing the whole holding my throat and mouthing 'can't breathe' here. Pooh just stood there, and actually started to pose for pictures and do schtick. That evil bear was just going to let me die.

I managed to get the turkey down, and drink about half a Coke to clear my airway, but Pooh was still standing there as if I had interrupted him. Just wait, Winnie, you'll get yours. Guess who's not lifting a paw next time you choke on some honey, you evil silly little bear.

The fries at the Crystal Palace aren't out in the buffet area by the way, not like the garlic mashed potatoes, which for the record, aren't bad either. If you ask for fries, they will bring you quite a large portion, probably from Casey's Corner which is right next store as they look just like theirs, Disney standards. Not a bad dinner out, but watch out for that bear. Hey, at least Tigger would have Heimliched me.

French Fry Diary 159: Everything Pop 2010

For this most recent trip to Walt Disney World, The Bride, her parents and I stayed at Pop Century, the same place The Bride and I stayed on our last trip. This is one of the discount resorts, no frills, but everything you need. And everything you need can be found at the shopping/eating complex in the lobby, called, appropriately enough, Everything Pop. I've reviewed the place on my last trip but figured I would do a quick check up as long as I'm here again.

The French fries are the natural cuts that are the standard fare for WDW and can be found universally (pun unintended) throughout the parks. These are adequate, but of course at Disney World, it's the atmosphere and the whole OMG-we're-in-Disney vibe that helps the experience. Sometimes it makes even the mediocre fries taste better. I mean, the fries at Casey's Corner are the very same as these, but guess which ones are more fun, ya know?

These aren't great but they're not bad either. Especially after a long day filled with three to four hours of Southwest Airlines delays, these were just fine. And seeing as Southwest's delays made a trip to Cookes of Dublin (the best fries period) impossible, it was nice to get any kind of fries today at all.

On day two of our trip, the 'rents and I hit Everything Pop for breakfast, always a yummy time at WDW. The bacon is perfect but they never give you enough, something that can be easily remedied on the Disney Cruise in a few days, wink-wink, and the breakfast potatoes, which unlike the WDW fries, take on a few different forms, are always terrific.

This morning I got natural cut diced potatoes, sometimes red, sometimes not. These were very hot, very good and well worth the wait. Mmmm... I could easily eat these every morning.

French Fry Diary 47: Casey’s Corner, Magic Kingdom

When I did the survey earlier this year about "Who has the best fast food French fries" I got more than a few "None of the above" answers. So I asked you folks, if not among the choices, who has the best fast food French fries? One of the answers I got was Casey’s Corner in the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Seeing how I was going to be there this week, I just had to try Casey’s Corner.

It’s down on the corner end of Main Street as you enter the Magic Kingdom, and as it’s named after the poem by Ernest Thayer and subsequently the 1946 cartoon short by Disney, it’s appropriately decorated. Baseball themed, you get to sit on the bleachers in the back, or at a number of real tables either inside or outside. But come on, here, you just have to sit on the bleachers, and if you do, you get to watch vintage sports-oriented Mickey Mouse and Goofy cartoons from the 1930s and 40s. How can you beat that?

The atmosphere is great, perfect for hot dogs are terrific, steamed and very very baseball park. The rest of the fare follows suit as you can also get stuff like Crackerjacks as well. The reason I’m here of course though are the fries. They are standard Disney natural regular cuts and come in a cute little Frypod-ish cup. They were not great, but not bad either. I myself would not put them at the head of the pack – but the atmosphere at Casey’s certainly puts them up there.

A lot of the time at Disney, it’s all in the presentation, and if everything else is great – it brings the stuff that’s not so great up a level or two. That’s definitely the case with the fries at Casey’s Corner. Don’t miss this hidden treasure in the Magic Kingdom.