Casey’s Nook Evaluate – Disney Vacationer Weblog
Casey’s Nook is a counter service restaurant in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom specializing in scorching canine, frankfurters, and perro calientes. This assessment options meals photographs and my ideas on the menu, amongst different issues. (Up to date July 13, 2022.)
Casey’s Nook is a really primary restaurant that’s actually ultimate for seize and go consuming, with its scorching dog-centric menu reflecting that. If a Walt Disney World trip is an American ceremony of passage, eating at Casey’s Nook might be as shut as you may get to a Walt Disney World culinary ceremony of passage.
Greater than the rest, the recognition of Casey’s Nook might be predicated upon its location. On the finish of Most important Road, it lures visitors inside, the place they see lengthy strains. The pure assumption at Walt Disney World is that something with lengthy strains should be good…after which visitors take a look at the menu.
“Properly, already inside and in line, may as properly get a scorching canine. They should be good if the restaurant is that this in style.” Extra visitors stumble inside, seeing the lengthy strains, making the identical assumption, and Casey’s Nook’s reputation turns into a self fulfilling prophecy. Statisticians estimate that that is how Casey’s Nook does 83% of its enterprise.
With that stated, does Casey’s Nook dwell as much as the “hype” of those strains? Let’s have a look…
That is the statue of the baseball participant exterior Casey’s Nook. This kind of perplexes me. The identify of the restaurant is “Casey’s Nook,” which references Casey on the Bat, however this statue is most undoubtedly of a pitcher.
Casey is the batter within the story, not the pitcher. Is that this statue speculated to be Casey, or the pitcher? IS IT REALLY UNNAMED PITCHER’S CORNER?!
The within has varied nods to the historical past of baseball and Coca-Cola.
It’s a cute little restaurant and among the finest examples of company sponsorship really enhancing a Walt Disney World expertise.
A part of the attraction of Casey’s Nook is that, like Disneyland and Walt Disney World, they encapsulate definitive parts of the American expertise: Coca-Cola, baseball, and scorching canine.
Then there’s the dwell leisure. Consuming a scorching canine at Casey’s Nook whereas watching the pianist carry out exterior, seeing the parade cross, or watching the Cinderella Fortress off within the distance is such an pleasurable and memorable expertise. The setting and environment are such a giant a part of the attraction of Casey’s Nook.
Casey’s Nook has a number of totally different dressed-up variations of the new canine on the menu, above is the ‘default’ All-Beef Scorching Canine.
I like scorching canine. (You’ll be able to just about assume that any meals that’s terrible to your well being is a meals I like.)
Nevertheless, there was a time when I didn’t love Casey’s Nook scorching canine.
In some unspecified time in the future a number of years in the past, they switched to a rooster and beef mix of meat that was frankly subpar and missing in a definite taste. Fortunately, Casey’s Nook has gone again to all-beef hots, and improved in quite a few alternative ways.
This variation alone has made us a lot larger followers of Casey’s Nook, and it’s now the restaurant at which we dine greater than another in Magic Kingdom.
In equity, that’s partly as a consequence of Casey’s Nook being open later than anyplace else. I’ve misplaced rely of what number of instances I’ve grabbed a scorching canine right here is after an extended evening of pictures (learn: I acquired caught up doing different issues and forgot to eat dinner).
On nights like that once I’m hungrier, I go for the specialty foot-long scorching canine. This adjustments typically, and is Walt’s Chili-Cheese All-Beef Foot-long Scorching Canine in honor of Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary proper now.
With all due respect to Walt Disney, I want the Bacon Mac & Cheese All-Beef Foot-long Scorching Canine. Had this little gem been invented whereas Walt Disney was alive, I’ve full confidence that he would’ve beloved it. If solely culinary scientists again then knew how pleasant combining mac & cheese, bacon, and scorching canine could be!
Talking of Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary specialties, one other of these is the fiftieth Celebration Scorching Canine: All-Beef Scorching Canine topped with Strawberry-Bacon Jam, Crisp Funnel Cake Items, and Powdered Sugar.
It is a enjoyable concept, however it doesn’t style good. It’s a novelty for novelty’s sake, with not one of the elements melding in any method. Neat idea for the celebration, however undoubtedly not really useful!
Now let’s flip our consideration to the menu highlights at Casey’s Nook.
At the least half of you received’t imagine me and can shut out the browser tab in disgust upon studying this heresy (I can’t fault you for that), however the most effective canine on the menu at Casey’s Nook is the Plant-based Loaded Slaw Canine (above left).
I do know, I do know! I didn’t imagine it at first both when Sarah began singing the praises of this vegetarian scorching canine.
It is a Plant-based “Sausage” topped with Pickled Slaw, Barbecue Vegan Aïoli, and Roasted Corn Relish. Whereas it doesn’t style pretty much as good as an all-beef scorching canine, the toppings right here elevate it to the subsequent degree, and are available collectively shockingly properly–sufficient to masks the synthetic meat taste of the “sausage.” I actually want Casey’s Nook served an All-Beef Slaw Canine, as that might be perfection!
Increase! Corn canine nuggets. These are my Casey’s Nook jam. I discover these to be extra filling than a daily scorching canine, they usually don’t include a aspect, so that they’re even cheaper.
To paraphrase one of many biggest motion pictures all time, “go away the new canine, take the nuggets.”
My extremely scientific analysis has concluded that these corn canine nuggets are greatest loved dipped into scorching cheese (with onions in it), whereas sitting exterior after the Magic Kingdom closes, with a view of Cinderella Fortress. Not solely are these the dinner of champions for vacationers after an extended day within the park, however I believe it’s secure to say that these are the usual weight loss plan of most MLB gamers.
This alone isn’t sufficient to make Casey’s Nook a restaurant I’d suggest, however what I simply described above is definitely certainly one of my favourite (and incessantly recurring) “moments” in Walt Disney World eating.
Since there’s not loads of substance to this assessment, and since I’m not notably inclined to do separate critiques for decent canine joints around the globe (spoiler alert: each park’s model of Casey’s serves comparable scorching canine), I figured I’d share some enjoyable details in regards to the different Casey’s Corners around the globe. Woo hoo!!!
Up first is the Casey’s Nook at Disneyland Paris, pictured above. These of you who view Parisians as snobby foodies may really feel a way of superiority upon studying that that is most likely the most well-liked restaurant within the park. Doesn’t damage that so lots of the others are closed.
The ‘authentic taste’ scorching canine joint at Disneyland is called Refreshment Nook a/okay/a Nook Cafe a/okay/a Coke Nook. It’s sorta like Puff Daddy when it comes to names. Whereas you may get the unique taste of Coca-Cola right here, you too can get a scrumptious taste shot in your Coke. Consider this because the pre-cursor to Coke Freestyle.
Refreshment Nook additionally serves up scrumptious and creative seasonal scorching canine. I’m an enormous fan.
Tokyo Disneyland takes a web page out of the Disneyland playbook and has a scorching canine joint named Refreshment Nook in the identical location on the finish of World Bazaar.
The canine above could appear to be its larger high quality, however I can guarantee you, it isn’t. I solely bought it as a result of it was a particular merchandise for Natsu Matsuri, and got here in a fairly cool field (as you possibly can see in my Natsu Matsuri at Tokyo Disneyland publish).
Hong Kong Disneyland doesn’t have its personal model of Casey’s Nook.
It does have a Nook Cafe, however that’s on the opposite aspect of the road and isn’t the identical. No marvel so many critics complained that it was an “incomplete” park when it opened. For disgrace, Hong Kong, for disgrace.
Total, Casey’s Nook is a particular place. It’s nearly as a lot of a staple within the Disneyland-style parks because the castles themselves…however as an alternative of being a surprising, grandiose fortress, it’s a restaurant that sells scorching canine. Whereas a few of these frankfurters are tasty and memorable (particularly amongst Magic Kingdom’s weak counter service lineup), that’s not why Casey’s Nook is so iconic.
Somewhat, it’s the setting and environment. There may be really one thing to be stated for the chic expertise about grabbing a late lunch, watching the pianist play, parade cross, or Cinderella Fortress stage showcase within the distance. Seeing the geese quack loudly, demanding scorching canine (don’t feed them).
Or, closing out the park, grabbing a factor of corn canine nuggets from Casey’s and collapsing at a desk exterior, gazing at Cinderella Fortress as visitors go away Magic Kingdom on the finish of the lengthy day.
All of these experiences are like one other layer of toppings on the new canine at Casey’s Nook that make the canine style much more satisfying. Then while you reminisce on the meal, it’s even tastier than you bear in mind due to the overarching environment. That’s the true “secret sauce” of Casey’s Nook, and it’s one thing few different eating places can replicate. The key sauce that Casey’s Nook serves up is much better than that of the Massive Mac or another quick meals restaurant–it’s nostalgia and sentimentality.
Need extra eating suggestions? Take a look at our 101 Scrumptious Walt Disney World Eating Ideas. Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Should you’re all for studying extra about inns, our Walt Disney World Resorts Critiques web page is an effective place to begin. If you wish to get monetary savings on tickets or decide which kind you must get, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a novel take a look at unconventional issues you must take in your journey. When you arrive on the parks, our Walt Disney World “Trip Guides” are nice for figuring out what to do and when to do it.
Your Ideas…
When you’ve got dined at any ‘model’ of Casey’s Nook, what was your expertise? Is there a comparable Walt Disney World restaurant that you just want? Every other menu suggestions? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation? Every other suggestions? Share your ideas within the feedback!