In anticipation for Disney’s upcoming live action Beauty and the Beast film, the back portion of Fantasyland has been taken over by Belle, the Beast, and Gaston. Admittedly, it’s actually all pretty great. The main attraction is a complete overlay of the Village Haus restaurant, which they’ve dubbed the “Red Rose Taverne.”
The addition of the Red Rose Taverne comes with it’s own special menu, which is a welcome change from the rather bland Village Haus menu. Options are French inspired, at least as far as Disney is concerned (poutine is more of a Canadian dish than a French one…French-Canadian I suppose), but looks alone are an improvement. Even the addition of Beast’s Burger will be great for those who struggle trying some of the unique offerings at Disneyland. The Enchanted Cauli-Flower sandwich will likely be a huge boon for vegetarians.
Last week I talked about wanting this overlay to bring flatbreads over from the Village Haus at Walt Disney World, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the offerings of flatbreads that were available. Interestingly enough, the beverages portion of the menu didn’t have Gaston’s Brew, but it was also available. The cardboard menus that are handed out had the item on them.
They were actually almost out of Gaston’s Brew when I got there and were in the process of making more. I ended up getting some, but I was under the impression that it was supposed to be a frozen drink like LeFou’s Brew, but it’s actually an apple-mango punch. Regardless of that, it was fantastic and I actually kind of prefer the punch over the frozen drink.
Of course, the main reason why there were upwards of 2 hour long lines this weekend was for the Grey Stuff. This dessert topping is infamous at Disney Parks ever since it was debuted with the New Fantasyland expansion restaurant, Be Our Guest, at the Magic Kingdom. The line from the song that it comes from says it all: “Try the Grey Stuff, it’s delicious! Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes!” And yes, it is delicious, even though I couldn’t actually get my hands on it, as they ran out just before I ordered (and this was around 12:30pm!). Other people seemed happy, and I’ve had it before on both a cupcake and brownie at Be Our Guest.
I was impressed by the general overlay and how tasteful and well-made it was. Pinocchio’s story was covered up, painted over, and replaced all over the restaurant, to the point where you can only spot certain places where this was obviously a different restaurant. That’s how you do a good overlay.
I particularly enjoyed the mixture of live action and the original 1991 animated film.
Some of the murals pay homage to the Pinocchio scenes that normally grace these walls. They also have me wondering if they painted over the Village Haus murals or put a false wall over them. It all looks so perfect…
One wing of the restaurant is inspired by the characters in the Beast’s castle, the other by Gaston (who uses antlers in all of his decorating).
The Royal Reception shop is available right next door for all your Beauty and the Beast merchandise needs.
If you’re looking for something lighter, whether that be crowds or food, you can take a short walk to Fantasy Faire Village and visit Maurice’s Treats, where the menu has been updated. The standout change is the addition of dipping sauces and the Grey Stuff twist. Dipping sauce options include strawberry rose, Grey Stuff, and marinara.
The addition of dipping sauces makes me wonder why they weren’t available in the first place, as they definitely legitimize the twists. And that’s even after considering they’re a bit pricy as an add-on (although, I can’t complain too much considering they give you a pretty hefty serving of sauce). I’m also wondering why the cheddar garlic twist is a whole dollar more?
If Disney wanted to get people hyped up for their upcoming Beauty and the Beast film, they’ve certainly figured out a good way to do it. I still can’t believe people are willing to wait two hours in line to get into a quick service restaurant. We’ll see if the crowds continue into the next week, but I imagine if you want to visit the Red Rose Taverne and try the Grey Stuff for yourself, you’re going to want to get there early or try for the hours between lunch and dinner.
What do you think folks? Did you get a chance to try the Grey Stuff? Was it delicious? Do you like what Disney has done with Village Haus? Would you want this location to be permanently changed to a Beauty and the Beast theme?
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That’s it for this look into the Beauty and the Beast promotions going on in Fantasyland. Thanks to all of you for stopping by and giving it a read, and our normal Disneyland Photo Update should resume tomorrow with the rest of the Disneyland Resort news and photos!
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