Following up the flushing success of the Tangled Bogs at Walt Disney World–arguably the perfect loos wherever–Imagineering has doubled down on Rapunzel with extra than simply restrooms. This Snuggly Duckling overview and picture tour takes you contained in the second in-park restaurant devoted to Blondie and Eugene Fitzherbert.
The Snuggly Duckling is a counter service restaurant in Fantasy Springs, the brand new port-of-call themed to Peter Pan, Tangled and Frozen at Tokyo DisneySea. Considerably like New Fantasyland over a decade earlier than it, Fantasy Springs blends a number of mental properties right into a single land in approach that works. See our Fantasy Springs Evaluation: Nice Land, Good Port for extra on that.
Rapunzel’s Forest is the smallest space in Fantasy Springs, transporting friends into the world of the Walt Disney Animation Studios movie, Tangled. On this miniland, friends can take pleasure in Rapunzel’s Lantern Competition, the primary Tangled attraction wherever on the earth to carry the story of Rapunzel to life in what could be Disney’s most romantic trip ever (as mentioned/debated in our trip overview).
The opposite spotlight of Rapunzel’s Forest is the Snuggly Duckling restaurant, which is impressed by the tavern frequented by the ruffians within the movie. Regardless of the Tangled space being smaller than its counterparts impressed by Frozen and Peter Pan, that is the most important restaurant of the bunch in Fantasy Springs, with a colossal 620-seat capability.
This model of the Snuggly Duckling builds on the thought of the unique Tangled Tree Tavern at Shanghai Disneyland and expands upon it considerably, with a number of indoor and outside seating areas. One of the best comparability might be Gaston’s Tavern, both the model in Magic Kingdom or the bigger one subsequent door at Tokyo Disneyland. The Snuggly Duckling is considerably bigger than all of these eating places, however the concept of a ‘Tangled Tavern’ is comparable.
The Snuggling Duckling is like stepping onto the ‘set’ of Tangled, with the outside completely pulled from the movie. The tavern’s facade is hidden behind the foliage of an enormous tree that’s partially rising into the constructing, with the enduring Snuggly Duckling signal by the doorway welcoming friends inside.
As soon as inside, you’ll discover loads of inventive liberties taken, as it is a high-capacity counter service restaurant within a hangout for ruffians. The order and pickup areas alone are in all probability concerning the measurement of Gaston’s Tavern in Magic Kingdom. Talking of which, friends want a Cell Order simply to enter the Snuggly Duckling restaurant, and there’s no ordering on the money registers inside.
We’d count on this to vary ultimately, as we’ve seen that Cell Order hasn’t actually caught on at Tokyo Disney Resort (strides have been made, however Japan is just not a cashless nation). For now, demand exceeds provide–regardless of the Tangled tavern’s enormous measurement–so Cell Order spots are filling up.
There’s no substitute for seeing inside your self, so let’s begin with a glance across the numerous eating rooms of the Snuggly Duckling:
There’s no two methods about it–the Snuggly Duckling is an enormous mess corridor. It’s one of many largest eating places at Tokyo DisneySea, behind solely Zambini Brothers and Casbah Meals Court docket. Additionally like these colossal counter service eateries, it manages to really feel far more intimate because of distinctive themed design work and the house being damaged up into a number of eating rooms.
There are a complete of 4 such seating areas–3 indoors and 1 exterior–together with the huge ordering space. Every have a defining thematic ingredient (this jogged my memory of Be Our Visitor) that units the tone. One has a piano for Hook Hand to play, one other incorporates a hearth and exquisite bear chair, and the ultimate room is highlighted by a shocking murals and paintings painted by Rapunzel.
Very similar to the ruffians and the tavern within the movie, the Snuggly Duckling presents a pleasant dichotomy of manly males and female enjoyable. You’ll spot weapons caught within the partitions, partitions broken from roughhousing and diverse antics, kegs and casks, skulls and bones–that type of stuff. You then’ll see magical unicorns, flowery princess work, and so forth.
In all places you look, there’s one thing to see. The inside itself is strictly what you’d count on of a tavern–masculine woods and rustic attraction, with uncovered beams, stone archways, heat lantern lighting, and that sort of factor. The decor is an train in tonal contradictions, there’s plenty of it, and it’s very amusing. Imagineering did a superlative job of balancing the park’s sensible want for far more counter service eating capability with the expectation that this provide Tokyo DisneySea-caliber design and a focus to element. Mission completed.
With the attractive themed design on the Snuggly Duckling out of the way in which, let’s flip to the menu.
That is the place the Snuggly Duckling goes to go off the rails for many of you.
The Snuggly Duckling is one in every of Tokyo DisneySea’s crowd-pleasing eating places, with a menu consisting of burgers, sandwiches, and even a plant-based choice. I do know what you could be pondering: “Incredible–lastly one thing for my household!” You’re in all probability incorrect.
That is, primarily, American theme park fare as reinterpreted for Japanese tastes. And you understand how folks complain about World Showcase at EPCOT not providing really genuine delicacies from [insert any of the countries]? Identical concept right here.
Let’s begin with the Fried Shrimp Burger. This may be bought as a sandwich-only, or as a part of a set with a salad or fries and selection of soppy drink.
The fried shrimp patty has a pleasant crunch and texture, the slaw provides a little bit of taste, and so too does the sauce–which struck me as a cross between thousand island dressing and tartar sauce.
It is a respectable choice for those who take pleasure in this type of factor. I really like seafood and eat plenty of it in Japan, however would somewhat have grocery retailer sushi (which is definitely fairly good!) than this. Sarah appreciated it even lower than I did. However, I ought to in all probability share that each American we all know most popular this to the opposite essential choice on the Snuggly Duckling.
That’s the Duckling Dream Cheeseburger. This will also be purchased as a burger by itself, or as a part of a set with salad or fries and gentle drink.
Each American we all know hates this. Each Japanese Disney fan we all know loves it. Each of these statements are just about throughout the board. There’s one huge exception: we considerably appreciated this!
And the “we” there isn’t simply me talking for the weblog. I’m in all probability going to damage her wholesome dwelling avenue cred, however Sarah considerably appreciated this, too. I can’t even start to explain why–maybe it was that we have been craving American consolation meals after a month-plus of sushi and ramen? I don’t actually know, actually. I usually hate TDR burgers, however I nearly appreciated this (nearly). It’s truly edible and borderline pleasant.
This burger’s sauce is much like the fried shrimp sandwich, minus the tartar sauce. These burger is topped with tomato, a thick slice of highly-processed ham, and slaw. The patty is low high quality, typical of what you’d discover at different counter service eating places round Tokyo Disney Resort. It seems to be terrible (above is the finest wanting model of this we acquired).
But in some way, it comes collectively and tastes kinda good. Nearly addictively so? Once more, no clue why. My concept is the hunk of ham melds with the sauce and the random chemical substances which are absolutely within the numerous elements and in some way–in opposition to all odds–presents a novel and interesting taste.
Look, I can not clarify myself and I do know “this seems to be terrible, is low-quality, highly-processed, and shouldn’t style good…however does; I cannot additional clarify why or how” is just not precisely compelling critique. However I additionally know this wasn’t a one-off. We ate (I’m nearly embarrassed to say the quantity) 4 of the Duckling Dream Cheeseburgers over the course of our visits to Fantasy Springs.
With that stated, there are two huge causes for repeatedly revisiting this dish. First, this burger prices like $6 because of the low value and alternate price, and the one different full meal different is the far more costly Frozen restaurant. Second, you possibly can’t precisely come and go from Fantasy Springs as you please proper now as a result of stringent digital queue and timed entry. However for that, we might’ve solely eaten on the Snuggly Duckling as soon as.
For its specialty drink, the Snuggly Duckling serves up Rapunzel’s Magical Milk Tea.
This milk tea is creamy and candy–a regular sweetened black tea, plus milk, and tapioca balls together with a touch of fruitiness. Sarah discovered it to be a bit too candy, however I believed it was good.
I might get this time and again–and in reality, I did. The Trip Bundle contains limitless drinks, and I put down a couple of half-dozen of those puppies over the course of someday. Now that was an excessive amount of sugar.
The primary dessert served on the Snuggly Duckling is the Caramel Duckling Muffin.
What you see is what you get right here, which could truly be reward contemplating the remainder of the menu. It is a common spice-cake muffin topped with cream and full of caramel. It’s gentle, moist and flavorful. It tastes precisely prefer it ought to, with no discernible faults or psychological gymnastics required for a optimistic overview.
With that stated, it’s a quite simple dessert in a park that has over a dozen spectacular snacks. Though it’s low cost, there are higher makes use of of your restricted abdomen house until you’re actually into muffins or have like 2 weeks at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Lastly, there’s the Sweets Ever After dessert, which is arguably the flagship menu providing given it’s served in Rapunzel’s signature skillet.
That is tremendous. Let’s be trustworthy with each other–you’re ordering this for the picture, doin’ it for the ‘Gram, as the children say. Proper? And it’ll fill the position of creating fellow followers envious.
As for the style, the Sweets Ever After sadly isn’t something particular. It’s topped with tasty strawberry and blueberry, together with a lemon cream that gives a sweet-but-artificial tartness. No complaints about any of this. It’s the pastry itself, which is deflated within the center and approach too chewy all through, that makes this dessert a dud. (I’d fortunately revisit this sooner or later if I see pictures that look puffy and ethereal, which is how I assume this needs to be.)
Finally, the Snuggly Duckling is an strong addition to the restaurant lineup at Tokyo DisneySea. The park desperately wanted extra counter service eating capability, and that is simply the ticket: a high-capacity and fully-fledged counter service restaurant. It’s mainly Tokyo DisneySea’s reply to Tomorrowland Terrace at Tokyo Disneyland, however with a significantly better setting.
The Snuggly Duckling is an effective choice for choosy eaters who discover the park’s different counter service eating places to be unapproachable for no matter cause. With that stated, I might see plenty of American palates being put-off by the feel and consistency of the burger and every part concerning the fried shrimp sandwich. So I suppose extra precisely, it’s a great choice for Japanese choosy eaters, which can not make it easier to a lot for those who’re studying this English language overview.
Thematically, the Snuggly Duckling can also be very sturdy. If this have been a brand new quick-service restaurant at Walt Disney World or Disneyland, we’d be showering it with reward for the lavishness and a focus to element. Nevertheless it’s not. At Tokyo DisneySea, that is per different large meal halls, however–at finest–center of the pack total from a thematic perspective.
All issues thought of, it’s very troublesome to actively suggest the Snuggly Duckling until you’re a hardcore Tangled fan, want a plant-based choice, discover the opposite menus unapproachable, or are caught consuming in Fantasy Springs and don’t wish to splurge on the Frozen restaurant. Though we appreciated the burger that everybody else likes to hate, this wouldn’t crack my prime 10 locations to eat at Tokyo DisneySea.
In an excellent world, you’d use the Trip Bundle to see the within of the Snuggly Duckling and check out Rapunzel’s Magical Milk Tea. Failing that, Cell Order one of many Dream Burgers to share, see if we’re out of our minds, and use that as your ticket inside. The Snuggly Duckling is certainly value seeing, however even with probably the most charitable doable opinions of the menu, it’s not value your restricted abdomen house until you might have very, very particular tastes.
Planning a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort? For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Journey Planning Information! For extra specifics, our TDR Resort Rankings & Evaluations web page covers lodging. Our Restaurant Evaluations element the place to dine & snack. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash submit. Our What to Pack for Disney submit takes a novel have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Seek the advice of our Final Information to Kyoto, Japan and Metropolis Information to Tokyo, Japan.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever dined on the Snuggly Duckling? What’d you order? Did you’re keen on or hate the meals? Assume we’re loopy for kinda, sorta having fun with the burger? Ideas on how the Tangled restaurant stacks as much as different choices at Tokyo DisneySea from a thematic perspective? Do you agree or disagree with our overview? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
