Attractions Podcast co-host reveals the Disney dining experience she’d bring back
Disney Parks have said goodbye to countless restaurants and dining experiences over the decades, but which one deserves a second chance? Attractions Podcast co-host Carly Caramanna has a clear favorite, and it’s among the lost Disney destinations featured in her new cookbook.
Spend a few minutes with Caramanna and you’ll be drawn in by her enthusiasm for theme parks, especially ones with great dining. That’s why it comes as no surprise that her debut book is a cookbook.
What is “The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook?”
“The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook,” co-written by Caramanna and fellow theme park journalist Julie Tremaine, features more than 60 recipes inspired by Disney dining experiences. Best of all, the recipes come from the past 70 years of Disney Parks history as the book combines food, history and memories of restaurants that are no longer around.
In an interview with Attractions Magazine, Caramanna shared what she discovered while researching Disney’s culinary history, how the parks have influenced the dining industry and which beloved experience she wishes Disney would bring back.
Courtesy of Carly Caramanna
Courtesy of Carly Caramanna
The Disney dining experience Carly Caramanna would bring back
For Caramanna, Pleasure Island, particularly the Adventurers Club, is the missing link of modern Walt Disney World.
“To me, this is the pinnacle of everything that Disney is about: mastery in storytelling paired with utterly transportive, immersive places,” Caramanna told Attractions Magazine.
Photo by Attractions Magazine staff
The Adventurers Club was an elaborately themed nightclub at Pleasure Island, featuring eccentric characters, interactive entertainment and a fictional society of explorers. During my younger years, I spent many evenings in this unique venue. A place that felt wholly immersive, a place only Disney could build with talking masks, statues, and a cast of characters that brought out the top talent of any live entertainment ever seen at Walt Disney World. It closed in 2008 along with the other Pleasure Island nightclubs.
A few modern venues at Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line, like Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto or at sea The Haunted Mansion Parlor, can feel inspired by the concept, so there’s that at least.
“The sting of this loss will undoubtedly be felt for a long, long time,” Caramanna said. “They truly struck lightning in a bottle here and sadly, I don’t think we’ll get something like it ever again.”
The Adventurers Club’s signature Kungaloosh cocktails are among the recipes featured in the new cookbook, allowing readers to revisit a small part of the experience at home.
Related: Joe Rohde included The Adventurers Club in his new book.
Rediscovering Disney’s forgotten restaurants
Caramanna and Tremaine began the project with several dining experiences they knew they wanted to include, drawing on their personal visits to Disney Parks and years of reporting on theme park history.
Pleasure Island was a must for Caramanna, but the research also introduced her to places she knew relatively little about. One example was the Monorail Bar, which operated at the Disneyland Hotel during the 1960s.
“There’s very little documented on this spot, which made it even more delicious to dive into,” Caramanna said.
For someone who has spent years covering Disney Parks, the opportunity to uncover lesser-known history was part of the appeal.
“What I love most about covering Disney is that as much as you think you may know about the parks and experiences, there’s always something new to uncover,” she said.
The cookbook also revisits more recent Disney dining experiences, including Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, which closed in 2023. The book recreates the Iced Felucian Blue Shrimp Cocktail thanks to a special recipe.
(Matt Stroshane, photographer)
Other featured recipes include the Carrot Cake Cookie from Writer’s Stop at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Taco Salad in a Ta-Cup from Disneyland’s Casa de Fritos and the Goat Cheese Dip from Restaurant Marrakesh at Epcot.
How Disney dining became part of the storytelling
Researching the cookbook also gave Caramanna a greater appreciation for the role food plays in Disney’s themed environments. She described dining as another element of the immersive storytelling that makes Disney attractions and entertainment memorable.
The book also explores how Disney restaurants have influenced dining beyond the theme parks.
Caramanna points to the former Top of the World restaurant at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, which later became California Grill, as an important part of Orlando’s culinary development.
Photo by Attractions Magazine staff
She believes Walt Disney World’s investment in dining helped establish the foundation for Central Florida’s restaurant scene, long before the Michelin Guide expanded to the region in 2022.
Where to buy The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook
“The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook: 60+ Nostalgic Recipes and Stories of Yesteryear,” by Carly Caramanna and Julie Tremaine, was published Oct. 13, 2026, by Harper Celebrate.
The 272-page hardcover includes a foreword by Disney Legend Bob Gurr and has a suggested retail price of $22.99. The book is available through major booksellers, including Barnes & Noble and Target, as well as online retailers.
Caramanna is a co-host of the Attractions Podcast, where she regularly discusses theme park news, attractions and experiences with the Attractions Magazine team.
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