I Hear the Gray Stuff Is Delicious!

Today, the Disney Parks Blog posted a sneak-peek video that gives a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the newest restaurant in Disney World's Fantasyland.

Big whoop, right?

WRONG!! This is the Be Our Guest restaurant, and the crown jewel of the lavish Fantasyland restoration! I am so excited I could burst. Now, I've never been one that just had to eat in the parks. I'm perfectly fine taking a little break and finding the nearest McDonald's, or even heading back to the hotel and fixing a sandwich there. When we do eat in the parks, it's generally quick-service between rides. Disney dining just hasn't been a huge priority...with a few notable exceptions.

If you're in Disneyland, you have to (have to) grab an order of beignets at Cafe Orleans. It's across from Pirates of the Caribbean, and worth every penny of the didn't-even-bother-to-put-it-on-the-menu price. And don't even think about sharing. You're going to want all of yours, and probably everybody else's, too. They're amazing, and this is coming from a Southern girl raised on the original Cafe du Monde. Also, I don't know what's in that vanilla dipping sauce, but I suspect crack, since I've been dreaming of it since our trip in September. Just go.

In Epcot, in the World Showcase, hie yourself to Italy and visit Via Napoli for, hands down, the best pizza you'll taste. I swear, I've never seen my picky husband so happy, and one "medium" pizza fed my entire family of five--including my, at the time, thirteen year-old garbage disposal of a brother--with everyone full to the point of slightly miserable. Best of all, the prices are almost affordable by park standards. It's on my must-eat list for future trips.

And now, I must add the Be Our Guest restaurant to the list. I have absolutely no idea what's on the menu, but I'm afraid the atmosphere is what's going to bring in the crowds, anyway. Beauty & the Beast has always been my favorite Disney movie, and the fact that I got to fall in love with a beast every day for a few months (in a non-Disney version of the musical, but still!) has only caused the story to burrow deeper into my heart. I don't know when they open, but first chance I get, I'll be their guest.

Video courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog: