Mickeyphile Podcast - Disney World, DVC, and More
An unofficial Disney fan podcast. As locals to Central Florida, and DIsney Vacation Club members, Scott & Karen are often found in the Parks. Weekly episodes include news updates from around the Disney Parks, Marvel, Star Wars and more, as well as trip reports, interviews, and fun discussion topics.
Mickeyphile Podcast - Disney World, DVC, and More
Jaleo Dining Review
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Are you ready for a magical adventure? Prepare to take your taste buds on a whirlwind journey as we explore the new dining spots, Eet and Summer House on the Lake at Disney Springs. We've got the inside scoop on Moonlight Magic dates and even some tidbits about Disney's adored toiletries. But hold onto your hats, because we've also got an exciting tale about our chance encounter with Dave Bautista. And just when you thought that was enough, we're taking you with us on our upcoming trip to Disney World where we're set to experience the Fantasmic dining and Hollywood & Vine.
You've been asking, and we've been listening. We're diving into the hot topics of Disney World and Disneyland, unraveling some rumors and unveiling the latest updates. Are your beloved Disney products facing the axe? Not anymore! We also shed some light on the improvements to the mobile food ordering app, and discuss the shift in the "Capture Your Moment" photo session at Magic Kingdom. But there's been a Muppet-sized hole in our hearts and we're not afraid to say it - we miss our furry friends. We'll be venting our concerns over their potential absence from the Christmas celebrations.
In our final act, we're unveiling the latest medals for the 2024 Run Disney Springtime Surprise Weekend. Get ready for some member-exclusive Disney Vacation Club spaces at Walt Disney World and join us as we dream up the ideal location for a member lounge at Magic Kingdom. But that's not all, we're also serving up updates from Disney's Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, and Hollywood Studios. As the curtain falls, we take you on a culinary journey to Jaleo by Jose Andres, where we indulged in some delectable Spanish cuisine. We're still dreaming about those croquetas de pollo and jamón... and you will too!
There's two new restaurants to try in Disney Springs, as Eat and Summer House on the Lake open their doors. Moonlight magic dates are announced and starting soon. There's big news about our beloved shampoos and lotions, and this week we share our experience at Haleo by Jose Andres. This episode 171 of the Mickey File Podcast.
Speaker 2And we're back. It's another episode of the Mickey File Podcast. I'm Scott, and with me here is my lovely wife Karen. Hello everybody, two weeks from yesterday.
Speaker 1Yeah, merry Christmas, I know Happy.
Speaker 2So we're recording. It is the sixth day of Hanukkah, yes, so this will come out on the last day of Hanukkah, yes, and I'll do my best, brookita and I, everybody.
Speaker 1Good job, baby. I'm very proud of you for that. We've been together 26 years and I know one line of the poem Of the prayer yeah, that. So, speaking of that, the well it didn't light, it turned on the menorah with my mother tonight. It's the first time we have said the prayer together in probably at least 30 years.
Speaker 2I don't want to be like sacrilegious, but it just hit me about how weak the Hanukkah story would be if they'd had electricity in their head. Ooh, the electricity lasted for eight days. I'm going to hell. When you said you'd be heard in the bottom like, oh my God, it's not even candles.
Speaker 1Well, okay, but it's a really cool menorah thing she has I know.
Speaker 2I know. It's been a long, two days.
Speaker 1I know she can't have actual candles there anyways.
Speaker 2No for sure. So happy Hanukkah to our friends that celebrate Hanukkah.
Speaker 1Yes, been a good Hanukkah? I think so.
Speaker 2I don't know. I I wasn't even real sure what day we were on because I haven't met home to light the candles, so I haven't seen it.
Speaker 1I know, I think there's only one night I haven't lit the candles because we weren't here.
Speaker 2Yeah, I guess, like the first night, we weren't here.
Speaker 1No.
Speaker 2Second night or the second night? Yeah, okay, we were in Hebo, true.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2Hey, we met Dave Bautista.
Speaker 1We did. That was amazing. Your acts Talk about the coolest guy.
Speaker 2Super nice, right. So nice. Like it was not like a Comic-Con, like give me what you got, sign it Okay Next. Great. Like he actually had a conversation with everybody coming through that line.
Speaker 1I know it was so cool Recorded a little clip for us, took some pictures. I got a hug from him, by the way, it was a really good hug. Oh, I'm sure, and he is not at all as tall as I thought he was gonna be.
Speaker 2No, but still a big dude.
Speaker 1Oh, he's still a big dude, but way super cool.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah, super nice guy and, by the way, super good bourbon.
Speaker 1Yes, and we had to go back, buy more after his suggestions.
Speaker 2Here, here, never done this before, but I'm shooting for a sponsorship, so try Devil's River Bourbon. It comes in a small batch. Let's see barrel strength. Right, there's an agave which is so smooth. Even Amanda Lam would like it.
Speaker 1And a cinnamon.
Speaker 2Yeah, and a coffee, oh the coffee. Yes, Coffee flavored bourbon. They're all really good Right.
Speaker 1And then he gave suggestions as far as mixtures.
Speaker 2Yeah, like cinnamon one with ginger beer.
Speaker 1Yep, which we end up going in buying that in ginger beer. And then the coffee with Baileys, which we already have the Baileys We'd already. Then we had to go buy the coffee one.
Speaker 2The coffee one tasted like the Patron that I guess they don't make anymore.
Speaker 1That is correct. They don't make anymore, which we still have some of that.
Speaker 2Yeah, I know, but probably better.
Speaker 1Yeah, it was very good.
Speaker 2Yeah, so you know, dave, you're here in town. Yep, hit us up, we'll sponsor, we'll do ads for you, exactly.
Speaker 1I think we just did one.
Speaker 2It's a product I believe in.
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 2Now, it was super cool meeting him and, like I said, he did a little video for us. I might throw it in here somewhere, like right here.
Speaker 1So while you guys are here, I got a question to ask you how far I could find you Big toast yeah it was super cool, like he didn't have to do that.
Speaker 2No, he's a big ol' actor. He could have been like. No, I don't do like home videos for people.
Speaker 1Exactly.
Speaker 2No, he was super cool about it.
Speaker 1Uh-huh.
Speaker 2So it was a fun night.
Speaker 1It was a fun night.
Speaker 2And if you're ever in Tampa, swing by Gaspar's, the one in Temple Terrace, gaspar's patio bar and grill, not the one in Ybor City.
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2Different owner.
Speaker 1Ours is the original.
Speaker 2Yeah, two more pressing issues. Yes, so I guess we have news. Oh, we have a trip coming up.
Speaker 1We do Like Friday.
Speaker 2Yeah, like Friday.
Speaker 1By the way, can't believe the wait list came through on Friday for Friday. That's how we end up going over on Friday because originally we were going over on Saturday.
Speaker 2Yeah, I mean it was Saratoga, so somebody got Beach Club or something, you know.
Speaker 1Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2Somebody was walking, a reservation, and Ah, you're probably right. We lucked out.
Speaker 1Yeah, so we're headed over Friday, yeah, and then we're doing Saturday, we're doing Do you have a Hollywood. Dine's Uh-huh on.
Speaker 2Saturday and we're doing the Fantasmic thing. Fantasmic dining, I believe so Probably if we don't cancel it, but probably we're doing that on Saturday night too.
Speaker 1Correct Saturday late afternoon to go into that. Yeah.
Speaker 2Got a Mickey's very merry On Sunday. On Sunday this can be fun. It is, we like, overbooked this weekend because when we did it all Monday we were leaving for a cruise for four days Right, which has ended up not happening Only cause we moved it back a month.
Speaker 1Right and turned it into a week.
Speaker 2And turned it into a week and saved money.
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 2Life hack. Yeah, yeah, so we got a busy weekend.
Speaker 1We do.
Speaker 2I'm sure we'll see some people.
Speaker 1Yes, I'm sure we will.
Speaker 2Okay, well, that's just everybody's up to speed now. Ha ha, ha, ha ha. That's what we've had. Going on Hanukkah bars and getting ready for a trip, there we go, boom. That's the week in a nutshell. Yup Updated our iPhones, in case anybody's curious, I know had to buy all new cables because we didn't have any charging cables that aren't lightning.
Speaker 1Well, right, we had some, but not enough to go like in the cars and everything, no right.
Speaker 2There's another life hack. Be prepared if you're buying a new iPhone. Your case won't fit, your cords won't work.
Speaker 1Right, because they changed from lightning to USB-C.
Speaker 2Yeah, yup, that's a European union thing. They demanded that everybody use the same charging.
Speaker 1Oh, really yeah Okay.
Speaker 2So, for whatever reason they well I know why because USB-C is used for a lot more than just charging phones. Yes, so that's why Apple had to change them.
Speaker 1But I'm okay with that.
Speaker 2I'm fine with it now.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2I do have 85 lightning cords, including one brand new one, right here on my desk.
Speaker 1Are you still need it for your iPad? Ipad and for your.
Speaker 2Air Buds, air Buds, air Buds, yep. So anyway, there's first world problems. I got a brand new phone and my cords don't work.
Speaker 1But the phones are sweet.
Speaker 2They are. They're pretty cool. I mean, you think like, yeah, it's the same software, they're gonna be the same. They're not the same. They're pretty cool. Yeah, pretty nice, I don't even have taken a picture yet. I can't wait for that.
Speaker 1Yeah, that my first picture was a silly picture. All of a sudden I went. That was my first picture.
Speaker 2Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have not. I did, oh, I did. What did you take? Picture of this huge iguana? The look, our Cassondo, my big brother, my best friend, my uncles. Thanks another guy. Oh man, I'm right.
Speaker 1This guy's got the uploadingsoftestR exempel.
Speaker 2Liked.
Speaker 1Reading.
Speaker 2Yeah, the biggest fake graph. I mean what to do you know how my uncle was in a потер等一下. Well, guys.
Speaker 1Okay, it was more curious than anything.
Speaker 2Yeah, okay, well, enough of that. Ha ha ha. What do you got for news?
Speaker 1All right, though Disney buys the formula for H2O Plus products and will continue supplying them to Disney resorts and cruise ships.
Speaker 2So, first of all, like didn't they announce like eons ago that they were getting rid of them, but they like never disappeared.
Speaker 1Right, well, they said that's gonna.
Speaker 2they're stopping, yeah, like when we run out, but apparently there was a boatload.
Speaker 1Well, yeah, but all the stores, in the actual stores, that all of them were gone like boom.
Speaker 2Yeah, well, right. That's like when they announced Splash Mountain was closing, right, and everybody bought all the stuff and then it was open for three more years Right, and no merchandise Right. But that's like the best news we've gotten from Disney.
Speaker 1Yes. In like two years, because I love those products. Right, I love those products.
Speaker 2I'm very happy. So maybe if they're doing that they'll get rid of the big ones in the showers. That kind of gross me out.
Speaker 1Yeah, I know they do kind of gross me out and I don't. You don't have a way to like not deal with the pumpy thing in the showers, right, because like they're riveted in there.
Speaker 2Maybe they'll like go back to regular.
Speaker 1I doubt it, I doubt it, but it's a dream. I'm just happy that the lotion isn't going away in the body gel. That's my favorite, yeah.
Speaker 2I like the shampoo yeah.
Speaker 1But I'm just happy about that whole thing. I'm just happy that it's.
Speaker 2I really don't like body wash. I don't feel like it comes off.
Speaker 1Well, on this particular one, I do. It feels clean.
Speaker 2I get it, I just always feel like it doesn't come off Anyway.
Speaker 1Again. First of all problems.
Speaker 2Why use bar soap? All right.
Speaker 1Walt Disney World and Disneyland have updated mobile food orders in the apps for my Disney experience. For both Disney World and Disneyland, the my order screen now shows item photos and adds the ability to change the item quantity and make it easier to modify the items in the order.
Speaker 2So they basically got their quick service mobile order app to be equal to what McDonald's and Chick-fil-A had like five years ago yeah, cool.
Speaker 1Disney.
Speaker 2IT.
Speaker 1Hey, they're making progress.
Speaker 2Okay, no, that's good, I mean, because it's kind of a pain when you want two coax, yeah. But I don't know, I mean like the last thing I mobile ordered was those sippers, those Donald's sippers, and I just ordered two of those. I didn't have to order like two separate ones, I just hit two. Well let's say that you've ordered, Because I originally had four and it was like no.
Speaker 1Let's say that you would pick your order and I'm like, oh no, I want to get that two. It won't let you go back and change. Oh, you can do it. Right, I got you.
Speaker 2So if you knew you wanted two bottles of water, you could order two. But if you ordered one and then went, oh, let's get two of those, you had to, I got it. You had to go all the way back through and order another one. Okay, well, that's just silly, right, so good.
Speaker 1Or all of a sudden, you did the order and it came with onions, for example, for me, and you want to go take the onions off. You can go back and edit them.
Speaker 2Now we're getting like way too complicated. I don't care, I don't care. So, but improvements I love to order like once a year.
Speaker 1I know it's improvements have been made, yeah.
Speaker 2Good, good for them.
Speaker 1The capture your moment private photo session. Check-in at Magic Kingdom has moved the Liberty Square ticket office. I think it's a better spot because most of the people are doing it at the castle. Oh you mean getting the?
Speaker 2photos Right. I don't even know where else you can do in a magic kingdom.
Speaker 1Right, but actually the check-in was really funny, was it, sir Mickey's? But because they're doing work back there, when was it?
Speaker 2Huh, it's not where we checked in.
Speaker 1It showed it's Sir Mickey's, so they must have changed it in the past year or so.
Speaker 2Yeah, because we did it. At front at the town's, At the town's Right by Tony's there.
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2Well, that's cool. Does that mean it's not gonna be an annual pass holder place anymore?
Speaker 1I don't know I'll be really bummed if it's not.
Speaker 2I mean to be honest with you. It's not like it takes up much space. It's literally a rolling kiosk at Animal Kingdom.
Speaker 1Right, yeah, so it probably just is a section.
Speaker 2There's never anyone in that annual pass.
Speaker 1And I like it like that.
Speaker 2I do too. Oh, because they like fixed our magic bands and stuff. Yeah right, away. They did all the guest service stuff there.
Speaker 1Yeah, and no one ever there. I know we had to wait like maybe two minutes for the people in front of us to finish.
Speaker 2Yeah, Right, so that's cool. Yep, bring back the Muppets.
Speaker 1Exactly, bring them back. I really miss them.
Speaker 2I guess they're not doing anything for Christmas, because I haven't heard.
Speaker 1I have not heard anything either. Why are?
Speaker 2they mad at the Muppets.
Speaker 1All of a sudden, no, because the Muppets are at Jollywood nights.
Speaker 2You can have them more than one place. I understand that, but I believe that's my rationale. Spoiler alert there's not just one Kermit.
Speaker 1What.
Speaker 2I mean there is, but he's like Santa they're never at the same place.
Speaker 1at the same time, blink and he teleport somewhere else.
Speaker 2He's like Genie.
Speaker 1Oh, there you go.
Speaker 2Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I feel like they're hating on the Muppets right now, I know, even though they have come out with new T-shirts and stuff for them, which is really cool.
Speaker 1But like in the Crocs, I know I got to make some Kermit. I know I know I know I got to make some Kermit Crocs. What I know and you have yet to, wear them.
Speaker 2I'm hanging out waiting for you to do something, and now I've got Kermit Crocs. What? Just saying they're awesome. I haven't worn them yet, but they're awesome.
Speaker 1They are pretty cool.
Speaker 2Only thing that would make them better is if they were furry inside.
Speaker 1Actually, that would be really funny. I think I saw that there were when there was a Winnie the Pooh one. If they're there this weekend, if so, I'm getting those.
Speaker 2I like the ones that are fuzzy inside.
Speaker 1I know All right. Summer House on the Lake at Disney Springs opens Thursday, december 14th at 11 am. You could tell it was pretty close.
Speaker 2So this is like a chain place. I wonder if it's gonna be ridiculous like eat with a line outside the building. I don't know. I mean, honestly, the last time we were at Disney Springs which was what, two weeks ago, I mean, it looked like it was ready to open.
Speaker 1Yeah, it definitely looked like it was ready to open, so that's cool. Now there'll be another restaurant at Disney Springs.
Speaker 2Walls down, that's even better and walls actually been down like three weeks, yeah, but.
Speaker 1I mean it's nice looking, at least from the outside it looks nice looking, it is.
Speaker 2I mean, if we're being honest, it looks like everything else in that area. But I mean there's, you know that's okay too.
Future Plans for Disney Medal Reveals
Speaker 1Yeah, still looks kind of open and airy-ish yeah for sure yeah. Medals have been revealed for the 2024 Run Disney Springtime Surprise Weekend, which is April 18th through the 21st. It's the Neverland 5K, the Adventure Out there, 10k, the Akuna Matata and Myler in Stitch, ohana Challenge.
Speaker 2What is the surprise?
Speaker 1I don't know, it's just that's what they call it.
Speaker 2Yeah, I know, but I mean like it's the same three races every year, so that's not a surprise. It's the same time every year, so that's not a surprise.
Speaker 1Well, this one actually started like two years ago. This one was a fairly new one.
Speaker 2Okay, so maybe two years ago.
Speaker 1I think it was a springtime surprise, and now they just kept it going as they realized how popular it became.
Speaker 2Okay, I just wondered.
Speaker 1There you go and we have friends who are gonna be.
Speaker 2I don't care that much, I just wondered.
Speaker 1Yeah, so the medals are pretty cool looking, especially the Neverland one.
Speaker 2Yeah, it was cute. All right DVC news. Yeah, here it is. That all there is. Right now. Dvc is planning more exclusive spaces for members at Walt Disney World, working to bring in more exclusive like member lounge things around the parks. So Animal Kingdom and Hollywood would be fantastic.
Speaker 1That would be fantastic. And Magic Kingdom obviously, because there's really only one at.
Speaker 2Tell you where I wanted it Magic Kingdom.
Speaker 1Where.
Speaker 2Got the perfect spot picked out.
Speaker 1Let me hear.
Speaker 2Aunt Polly's at Tom Storrier's Island. Oh, that would be really cool. Boom, drop that.
Speaker 1That would be really cool.
Speaker 2There it is. It's a space that I can't remember the last time it was actually used.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2So set us up right there. I'll sit on a rocking chair and drink free soda and play checkers all day.
Speaker 1It's actually a great idea.
Speaker 2And instead of Oreos and Cheez-It's we could get fried chicken. I would pay for that fried chicken If it's still good. I mean, it used to be good. Yeah, Again. I can't remember the last time it was open.
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2Disney Vacation Club Villa refurbishment schedule. In 2024, they're going to be doing Hilton Head Boardwalk and Vero Beach. 2025 will be Bay Lake Tower. Animal Kingdom Villas, both Kidani and Jombo, the Copper Creek Villas, Saratoga Springs Tree Houses which I'm excited about that one, I'm interested in that and Grand California, so lots upcoming. Yes, Saratoga Springs, the tree houses you know I want it to be Rustic E Cause it's tree houses out in the forest.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2You know, I mean I think you could do lighter than what you have now, right Color scheme and furniture at all. But yeah, I have a feeling and I think from what I've seen, I'll be okay with it. It'll look like the cabins.
Speaker 1Yeah, I have a feeling they're going to have a similar look.
Speaker 2Cabins and full waterness like that look Right and I'm okay with that Cause those look pretty cool. Can't wait to stay in one of those.
Speaker 1I know I'm very excited about that.
Speaker 2So hurry up and announce a date so I can get it rescheduled.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2Here's the big part is Moonlight Magic for 2024 has been announced, at least through August, so far. Yes, so this one is going to be at EPCON on January 25th. Are we there then?
Speaker 1We are on our cruise.
Speaker 2Oh, that's right, we're on our cruise 20 to the 27th. Yeah, early registration for that one is January 9th. General registration is January 11th. So if you're staying on property, you get the ninth. Yeah, the second one is California Adventure on January 19th.
Speaker 1January 29th I'm sorry, january 29th.
Speaker 2General registration is December 19th. So next week Yep, disney's Animal Kingdom. On February 27th Early registration February 1st, general registration February 8th. Then the fourth one is going to be another EPCOT one on March 1st. That is a Friday, I'm told yes, so that's interesting.
Speaker 1It's the only first Friday I've ever seen that's not been like a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah, early registration for that one is also on January 9th, so I guess once they fill up the January 25th one, they'll open the March 1st one, or whatever. Do them together, you have a choice. They're doing them all at once.
Speaker 1Yeah, you have a choice of what date you pick.
Speaker 2Yeah, general registration for that one will be then on February 15th, so early registration is early.
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 2Now, does early registration stay open? No, once that actually no. They sell an X number and then they close it.
Speaker 1Right, it's basically a Q and it fills it the same way. So the only email.
Speaker 2Yeah, gotcha Right. After that, you've got one. I'm not gonna go through early registrations, I just wanted to do January, so you've got Disney's Animal Kingdom on April 23rd. I'll give you the 22nd, which is Earth Day, and the 20, what 6th anniversary of Animal Kingdom. Just to be cool. Unless you think the whole world's gonna be there for Earth Day on the 26th anniversary? I don't think so.
Speaker 1I don't know, but I've never seen them do one on a Monday, but I've also never seen them do one on a Friday.
Speaker 2Yeah, no, that one just seemed like it was like too perfectly set up. Yeah, I know Not to do it, that's weird, yeah, anyway, that's just me looking for patterns and consistency. Then there is Disney's Typhoon Lagoon on June 4th and July 11th, and then the last one scheduled so far, disney's Hollywood Studios on August 27th 2024. Yep, so there you go. A lot of them already, eight seven of which are in Florida, groovy.
Speaker 1Groovy.
Speaker 2That's it for news. That's all I got.
Speaker 1That's all I got. There's not been a ton of news. Yeah, christmas time?
Speaker 2Yeah, so not this past weekend, but the weekend before we went to Haleo with our friend Michelle we did. Kind of a Last, just kind of a Just about like just in the afternoon. We're like hey, there's three of us, let's go to Haleo.
Speaker 1Yeah, and I was able to get a reservation. Yeah.
Speaker 2There were some things that she wanted to try, and that one is a perfect one. I don't think that's a good place for a solo to eat.
Speaker 1No, we did see a couple solo eaters there, but they kept bringing them a ton of food.
Speaker 2Maybe if you're like into spending, you know, 150 bucks a person or how much was the crazy, yeah. So maybe if you're into spending $100 to $250 for a single person to eat and you want to get like the tasting menu or the paella right, then maybe you know, and I guess they had some regular right. Jose makes large plates too, but the like tapas menu, which is what they're really known for, right? I don't think you wouldn't get a good variety with one person.
Speaker 1No, because the quantities you couldn't eat, I mean there's so much.
Speaker 2The quantities were like made for three people.
Speaker 1Yeah, they really were, for sure, everything divided pretty well by three, yeah.
Speaker 2And we didn't leave hungry. No, we didn't order a ton for three people.
Speaker 1No, we ordered like five or it was like 30 bucks a piece. Yeah, I think we ordered like what? Two or three each.
Speaker 2Yeah and right, didn't we get out of there, for it was 30 a piece. That's what it was right? Yeah, I think, including the tip, it was 30 a piece.
Speaker 1It was like 37 a piece with tip yeah so A and you had an actual drink.
Speaker 2Yeah, so we actually, but that didn't get divided three ways.
Speaker 1Right, the last part was I mean with she Like 37. I said 37 with tip and she just gave me 40 because she says that he's it's a round number. God, ha, ha, ha ha.
Speaker 2But it was not expensive? No, not, so it's weird when you look at the menu.
Speaker 1By the way, the menu's daunting.
Speaker 2The menu's daunting. Yeah, there is a lot on the menu.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2My one and only knock is, when you order something at least I felt like for us we weren't sure what we were gonna get. Yes, there are a couple of things that we talked about and did not order because I had heard about them. So the cheeses? Right, there is a what is it called? Quatro queso or something, right? So I had heard this on another podcast, the Disney dad's podcast. Actually, they had gone to this restaurant the guy and his wife one of the hosts and his wife and they ordered the quatro queso, because the Mexican restaurant they go to near their house has a three cheese queso dip, right? So they thought, ooh, four cheeses, cool, right? No, that one is. Here's four pieces of cheese, oh, really, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's four chunks of cheese, yeah. So I'm sure they're very good cheeses.
Speaker 1I'm sure they are, but I like them.
Speaker 2At least didn't want pieces of cheese.
Speaker 1No, we wanna. I mean, we know what cheese tastes like. We want other stuff.
Speaker 2Yeah. So that was yeah, we didn't do that Right what we did get. So we ordered the chorizo e merico de melota, which is cured pork chorizo from the legendary free range acorn fed black footed e merico pigs of Spain 18 bucks Very, very thinly sliced chorizo on like a charcuterie board kind of thing. When it came out, man, it was delicious.
Speaker 1It was good, but it almost looked like.
Speaker 2That's the ham. Oh, okay, so we also got the hamon serrano Now, all right. So the chorizo I did not expect it to be like that thinly sliced, like it came out like thinner than pepperoni sliced. Yes, that's not a complaint, no, we just didn't expect it. So I it was delicious. So we had also ordered the hamon serrano 24 month cured serrano ham 13 bucks.
Speaker 2I did not go with the four year old, 48 month cured ham the old ham that's our friend calls it, because that was $40 an ounce and we paid 13 for half as old, so that, like I am used to, serrano ham because that's what they put on Cubans at the good Cuban places around here Cuban sandwiches. But this stuff was like so good. But this stuff was like super, super thin sliced.
Speaker 1Looked like more like prosciutto Prosciutto, thank you or like capicola, one of those you know, that's what it looked like on the plate or whatever, and probably tasted like felt like I know, but it was kind of stretchy like prosciutto is. Right, but it was good. It was delicious, 100%, yeah. It's just not what. When it came, the presentation of it was not at all what we expected.
Speaker 2Yeah, just way thinner. Like to meet the guy that sharpens their meat slicer. Pan con tomate toasted slices of crispy bread brushed with fresh tomato. It was like a liquid. It wasn't really like a salsa.
Speaker 1No.
Speaker 2But it was almost like tomato pasty. Yeah, I mean not that thick, no, it was more liquidy with chunks of tomato in it.
Discussion About Tapas and Dining Experience
Speaker 1It was delicious and it was really good right, really good. And it came as six pieces, which was perfect. Yeah, because we each got two.
Speaker 2Yeah, like I think the chorizo had like 12 pieces, I think the ham had like six pieces.
Speaker 1And I think it was set up for three people.
Speaker 2Yeah, and they didn't adjust the prices, so it's not like they went. Hey, there's three of them out there.
Speaker 1Right, let's make it divisible by three.
Speaker 2Yeah, no, no. So I think three is the number.
Speaker 1Yes, three is the number.
Speaker 2It's a magic number.
Speaker 1You're gonna do that.
Speaker 2We had croquetas.
Speaker 1We did.
Speaker 2There they are Right. We got the croquetas de pollo, traditional chicken fritters. We also got the croquetas de jamón, which is a traditional ham fritter. Yes, so Michelle wanted the chicken ones. The waitress suggested the chicken ones. They were super good and came on the coolest little chicken plate.
Speaker 1And they had the little grooves for the croquettes. Yeah, which is it was adorable.
Speaker 2It was. It was very cute. The ham ones just came on a plate Right, however one. You did get cheated.
Speaker 1I did get cheated because I cut mine open and it was shaped. It was in the shape of her croquette. I opened it. It was completely empty. Yeah, I don't know how they did that. They fried air.
Speaker 2Yeah, I don't know how they did it. They literally deep fried air. I don't know how it happened, but it will say that the breading was very tasty. It really was. It really was. Those were really good. So I got the ham ones, because I've had a lot of ham ones. Like every Cuban restaurant in Tampa has ham croquettes.
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2So if they don't have stuffed potatoes and I don't eat double grabs, then I will get those sometimes to go with my sandwich, Right, and so I wanted those. We did not leave any of those on the table no Of both of them. They were really really good. Highly recommend those croquettes.
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 2And I think the last thing we got I cannot find on the menu again.
Speaker 1It was near the beginning.
Speaker 2Maybe it was a Spanish omelet and it is called the tortilla de patatas, spanish omelet with potato and onions. I either do not know what a tortilla is or I don't know where it was missing from this omelet.
Speaker 1Yes, I would agree.
Speaker 2So maybe tortilla has more than one meaning. I'm not sure. Right, it was a good omelet. It was, we all agreed, the weakest thing that we had Right and there wasn't anything wrong with it. And it would have been great at like 10 30 in the morning with a cool Bloody Mary and Actually, yes, it would have been great with that. Yeah, but I mean it just. It literally was just an omelet with potatoes and onions in it. It was really good, just not anything like. Also, I think it was the last thing we ate.
Speaker 2Maybe not the last thing we came, but it was definitely the last thing we ate. Yes.
Speaker 1I think it was towards the end, though, yeah.
Speaker 2So it was a little bit of a let down after everything else. Yeah, but it was very good, I enjoyed it. Yeah, the whole meal and the company was great, yeah, and then, you know, the check came and it was three of us under a hundred bucks. Yeah, we're like, well, what Right? Like it didn't feel right, we didn't overeat, but nobody left hungry. Right, we definitely could have ordered more. Like we ordered what we ordered and we're like, yeah, well, you know, we get through this, we'll go again. I mean.
Speaker 1Right, Cause we even said she goes is there anything else? We're like, well, no, not right now. You can leave a menu here, yeah, but this way let's go. Let's get through this and see if we still want to get anything else.
Speaker 2There's a million things on this menu that look good, right. Like I said, my criticism would be they were grouped Like you just don't know necessarily what you're getting. Yes, exactly Right. Maybe that's part of the surprise.
Speaker 1Yeah, but.
Speaker 2You know, yeah. So Maybe people wanting to know what they're gonna get, you know yes. Are just living in the past and need to get into the 2023, where you just get food brought to you. I don't know. Okay, I want to go back. Yes, so my only thing with it, like I said, like if it had been even two of us, we would have either had too much food or just a couple of things. Right, like, at least we got to try some stuff having three of us.
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 2You know, otherwise we would have gone in there, maybe gotten three things and, hey, you know what, it wouldn't have been 50 bucks for two of us, right, but you know it wouldn't have been as cool. The restaurant inside is really cool. Yes, like they have not an open kitchen, they've got like two or three, right you know. Like they've got one making salads and one making meat and one making I don't know what else.
Speaker 1Well, the one was just making the paella.
Speaker 2Well, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1Yeah, and every time they made, they completed a paella, they actually walked around and rang like some sort of gong or something or a bell.
Speaker 2Yeah, it was a big. It was like ordering a kitchen sink.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2I mean, the lights didn't flash, but they made a big production.
Speaker 1Yeah, and it was a huge prey of paella. Now, in fairness, get back here.
Speaker 2The cheapest paella is $130 and that's got just vegetables. Right, it says when you hear the bell, it's paella time. Our team will ring our famous paella cowbell every time a new paella is ready from our wood fire grill. Please allow up to 45 minutes of preparation time for all paella, so that is not something to order if you're in a hurry, right. But they had one with chicken, rabbit and artichokes, they had one with chicken vegetables and mushrooms, they had one of sepia sofrito and head on shrimp, one with seasonal vegetables and one with wild mushrooms, artichokes and a 32 ounce whole spare grilled ribeye $250 for that one. Now, in fairness, if you order that chuletón a la parilla, which is the 32 ounce Josper grilled ribeye served with confit pepquillo peppers, that is a $158 steak.
Speaker 1Right, so that makes that paella only a hundred bucks.
Speaker 2Yeah, not even $92 for mushrooms, artichokes, rice and Right Whatever.
Speaker 1So that's actually a deal.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1I mean in fairness. Yeah, I mean if you're doing a comparative pricing thing.
Speaker 2Like. They have these tasty menus right. So they have the Jaleo experience, a tasting of the classic and traditional tapas in addition to some original favorites $100 per person. Right, add the hand carved Hamoni Bérico Debalota 5J to your Jaleo experience nine bucks a person. That's the stuff. That's 40 bucks an ounce. So yeah, you're not necessarily getting a lot of it, right. They have the eat like Jose embrace the sophisticated side of Spain with Jose's favorite selection of gastronomic tapas, featuring premium cuts of meat and our most luxurious bites For two or more guests 150 bucks a person. Then we have Spanish Sips had a specially selected pairing, especially selected Spanish wines and beverages. Or the drink like Jose enjoys somalia, a selected Spanish wines to pair perfectly with Jose's favorite tapas 65 bucks a person. The rest of the stuff is like All individual things.
Speaker 2Yeah, like here's your plate All small plates, all very good from what we had. I mean, I don't imagine that we'd happen to pick the five best things on the menu. So yeah. Cause we didn't go real adventuresome.
Speaker 1No, we're just like well, that sounds interesting. You all agree to that, you know, cause that's what we decided is we're just each gonna pick things, you know.
Speaker 2But I want to go back there for sure. I also had it's kind of my dessert. I got the Herrez Old Fashioned. That is Contradiction. Bourbon, spanish, solera, brande, brande, cinnamon and Farnet Farnet, don't know, never heard of it. It was 16 bucks, which is pretty good price for an old fashioned at Disney. It was delicious, may be the best one I've had, definitely top three at Disney, top three.
Speaker 1Okay.
Speaker 2At Disney and, to be honest with you, about $10 less than what a lot of the resorts are charging for. Yes, their old fashions Right, you know that seasonal old fashioned at.
Speaker 1Enchanted.
Speaker 2Rose is 26 bucks Right. Spend the same old fashioned seasonally for like five years, definitely three years.
Speaker 1And they did just have just a bar there right Inside of it, Mm-hmm, full bar. Well, I mean, just like a bar you could just go up to right. Oh, it looked like it was actually a?
Speaker 2Yeah, I think right when you came in, on the left there was a bar. It was a little bit confusing just walking in and out because there were things that looked like bars that were actually their kitchen.
Speaker 1Yeah, and then they had another bar which is like I think that was like a chef's thing, where they had it all around, but because there was actual silverware and plates there too.
Speaker 2Yeah, so yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1But I'd like to see if we just go to the bar and have a drink and maybe get one, one or two of the tapas. That would be a nice little.
Speaker 2It has not been a particularly difficult reservation to get. No, like it has been showing up every time. We've looked for reservations for the last while. Right, and to be honest with you, we just kept skipping it because, oh, it's small plates and they're 18 bucks and it's gonna be a fortune and it turns out it's not Right now that we know that.
Speaker 1Yeah, Right.
Speaker 2The iced tea was really good too, like it wasn't just iced tea, it was like Can you remember peach?
Speaker 1Yeah, I think she said it was a peach. Yeah, really good, Because Michelle and I just had water.
Speaker 2So yeah, no, it was really good. Whole thing was good. Server was good. Yeah, the atmosphere was cool, like it was fancy, but not like Not too fancy. No, like you didn't have to behave, you could have a good time in there.
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2Loved the decor, like the location. It was close enough to the parking lots and parking garage and Right, so it was good. I like it. I'll be back.
Speaker 1Because it's basically right across from Splitsville.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah, so like right by the whatever that garage is Lime down there, right.
Speaker 1Well, actually, it's actually the closest to the strawberry, but orange Orange is right there.
Speaker 2Yeah, that one.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2And not too far from the surface lot, like five minutes from the surface lot. So if you're coming that way, right, so there we go. Yeah, that was Haleo. That was Haleo. I recommend two thumbs up. Do snaps in Z formation. Ha ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ha ha. No, that was like the coolest new experiences we've had in a while and we've been to some different places lately and that was a very cool, like unexpectedly cool.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2Not at all what I expected, and better than I expected, yes.
Speaker 1I 100% agree with exactly what you just said.
Speaker 2Yeah, all right, that's going to wrap it up for this week. You can find the podcast anywhere. You find podcasts, which you probably already know because you're listening to us. But if you want to tell a friend about us anywhere, including on YouTube, through YouTube music or whatever it is that YouTube's doing now, youtube podcast, okay, if you just go look for the Mickey file channel, it's all right there.
Speaker 1Okay, cool.
Speaker 2Yeah, Facebook we're the Mickey file improvement district. Instagram we're at Mickey file underscore podcasts and our email address is mickey file podcast at gmailcom. Goodbye.
Speaker 1Night everybody. Thank you so much, thank you.