Ten Fun Facts About Raglan Road

Raglan Road Bar Disney Springs Walt Disney World

Ten Fun Facts Celebrate Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant’s 10th Anniversary at Walt Disney World Resort

When it opened 10 years ago at Downtown Disney in Walt Disney World Resort, Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant was the new kid on the block with a culinary reputation to build.  Ten years later, the iconic Irish pub thrives in its original but renamed Disney Springs location at Walt Disney World Resort with a loyal following among locals and travelers from around the world.

Here’s what pub regulars know and first-timers learn: Celebrity Master Chef Kevin Dundon stars in his own popular PBS cooking series; the award-winning Raglan Road Irish Dancers perform daily to the tunes of top Irish bands; much of the restaurant’s interior was built from furnishings shipped directly from Ireland; and you can’t visit the pub without having a rollicking good time.

Raglan Road Bar Disney Springs Walt Disney World

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Raglan Road shares 10 fun facts that even its most loyal guests may not know:

  • Raglan Road Master Chef Kevin Dundon won Irish Dish of the Year for his Glazed Loin of Bacon with Colcannon Mash, a Raglan Road staple.He has published six cookbooks and has cooked for luminaries like Queen Elizabeth II, President George Bush and Bono.
  • One dish you won’t find at Raglan Road is corned beef and cabbage.Contrary to what many people believe, it’s a New York dish, not an Irish one!
  • The three founders and owners of Raglan Road – Paul Nolan, John Cooke and Kevin Dundon – have commuted a combined total of nearly 2 million miles to and from Ireland to Orlando in the past 10 years.That’s equal to about 78 circumnavigations of Earth at its equator.  Or eight trips to the moon.

Raglan Road Bar Disney Springs Walt Disney World

  • Nolan, Cooke and Dundon each engage in secret (until now) pastimes: Nolan is the pub “tweeter” (@RaglanRoadPub), Cooke is a bass guitar geek, and Dundon might be spotted at the Kentucky Fried Chicken drive-through when he thinks no one is watching.
  • Raglan Road sells more Guinness than any other pub in the United States.Nine Fine Irishmen in Las Vegas, the previous pub owned by Raglan Road’s founders, sells the second greatest amount of Guinness.
  • It takes 250 staff members to keep Raglan Road running daily operations.The pub, with 500 seats inside and on the patio, serves the equivalent of half the number of Americans who travel to Ireland each year.
  • Raglan Road coincidentally opened its doors 10 years ago on the birthday of Patrick Kavanagh, the Irish poet who wrote “On Raglan Road.” The poem became a song by Luke Kelly of The Dubliners and since has been sung by the likes of Sinead O’Conner, Van Morrison and U2.
  • The celebrated Raglan Road Irish Dancers perform on stage daily and also on a platform that is an old Irish church pulpit located in the center of the Grand Dining Room.Cabinet displays in the pub’s Music Room include century-old items from Ireland including a period phonograph and a fiddle.
  • There is a Hidden Mickey that has never, to our knowledge, been discovered.Try finding it in a “grand” location.  And don’t miss the signed portraits of Bono and other celebrities on the pub’s walls.
  • The official Raglan Road cookbook is “I’d Ate the Back Door Buttered, Ma!” which translates to “I’m so hungry I’d eat the back door if it were buttered, Ma!”The book features Dundon’s Raglan Road recipes but also the story behind Raglan Road: “There is a “road” to Raglan Road that crosses several continents and centuries – a journey involving brewers, publicans, singers, statues, gold rushes, a chef, a poet, yeast, several fishermen and an ex-priest.  In short, our story is part of the larger Irish story of misfortune, emigration, hard work, ingenuity and eventual success outside mother Ireland.”

Raglan Road features inventive cuisine by Irish celebrity chef Kevin Dundon, host of the TASTE Award-winning PBS and Create TV cooking show, “Kevin Dundon’s Modern Irish Food.”  The show also won a Silver World Media for “best culinary program” in the 2015 New York Festivals Best TV & Film awards.  The second season of Dundon’s TV series, “Kevin Dundon’s Back to Basics,” premiered nationally March 13 on public television’s Create TV.

Kevin Dundon Raglan Road Bar Disney Springs Walt Disney World
Kevin Dundon

Owned and operated by Irish partners Paul Nolan, John Cooke and celebrity chef Kevin Dundon – famous for his five-star hotel and cookery school in Ireland and his award-winning PBS and Create TV cooking series – Raglan Road features traditional Irish dishes and new creations with a Celtic twist.  The restaurant’s warm interior of aged walnut and mahogany woods from old Irish bars and churches was built in Ireland and shipped to Orlando.  Guests can enjoy live Irish bands and performances by The Raglan Road Dancers nightly and during the Rollicking Raglan Weekend Brunch.  Live music is also scheduled nightly on the pub patio.  Lunch is served 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Dinner 3-11 p.m.; Bar menu 11 p.m.-late; Weekend Brunch 10 a.m.-3 p.m.  Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant is located at Downtown Disney in the Walt Disney World Resort, 1640 E. Buena Vista Dr., Lake Buena Vista, Fla.  Visit www.raglanroad.com or call 407/938-0300.

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Universal Orlando News: A Celebration of Harry Potter Line-Up

Universal Orlando Resort A Celebration of Harry Potter

Universal Orlando News: A Celebration of Harry Potter Line-Up

Harry Potter Film Stars Rupert Grint, Matthew Lewis, Katie Leung, Bonnie Wright, and Evanna Lynch to appear at ‘A Celebration of Harry Potter’ at Universal Orlando Resort

Three-Day Event to Feature Film Talent Q&A Sessions,

Interactive Panels & Demonstrations, the Sorting Hat Experience and More

 

Harry Potter film stars Rupert Grint, Bonnie Wright, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, and Katie Leung will appear at “A Celebration of Harry Potter” – a special event hosted by Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Creative talent also set to appear includes Pierre Bohanna, head prop maker for the Harry Potter film franchise,Paul Harris, the world’s only Wand Combat choreographer, and designers Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina of MinaLima, who established the visual graphic style of the Harry Potter films.

A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando -
I’m skilled at wand combat…Just saying…

“A Celebration of Harry Potter” will take place from January 29 – 31, 2016 at Universal Orlando, allowing fans to celebrate all of Harry’s adventures, from the beloved books to the feature films and more. Guests will enjoy three days of incredible experiences, including Q&A sessions with Harry Potter film talent, special panels and demonstrations with creative talent, and access to the Harry Potter Expo – where fans can enjoy the Sorting Hat experience, an interactive mini tour from Warner Bros. Studio Tour London and more.

Guests can also experience Harry Potter’s world for themselves by visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida. Vacation Package guests and those with a park-to-park ticket will also be able to board the iconic Hogwarts Express and enjoy a unique journey as they travel between King’s Cross Station and Hogsmeade Station.

A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando -
Access to “A Celebration of Harry Potter” is included with regular theme park admission or with an annual pass, with admission to certain activities being granted on a first-come, first-served basis. While most of the activities for “A Celebration of Harry Potter” will be open to all Universal Orlando park guests and will take place at both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida theme parks, guests who purchase the exclusive event vacation package will enjoy certain special benefits and reserved sections for the panels and demonstrations.

Here’s the A Celebration of Harry Potter Event Line-Up:

A Celebration of Harry Potter Expo Marquee
HARRY POTTER EXPO (Universal Studios Florida theme park)
The Harry Potter Expo will be held inside a Universal Orlando soundstage and will be open to guests throughout the weekend.  The expo will include the following booths and exhibits that will give guests deeper insight into the global phenomenon that is Harry Potter:

  • Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London offers visitors the chance to relive the magic through the eyes of the filmmakers who brought the Harry Potter film series to life. Visitors can step on to authentic sets and admire the real props and costumes used during filming at the series’ production home in England, UK.

The Studio Tour is bringing an interactive taste of the experience to ‘A Celebration of Harry Potter’ 2016, giving you the chance to see the incredible behind-the-scenes talent that went into creating the iconic film series. 

  • Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Sorting Hat Experience

Are you a Gryffindor or a Slytherin? A Hufflepuff or perhaps a Ravenclaw? At the beginning of each school year the Sorting Hat places new Hogwarts students into a house, and now you too have the opportunity to get sorted in a Great Hall setting inspired by the blockbuster films.

Step inside the Expo and the red carpet is rolled out welcoming you to an area celebrating the global impact Harry Potter: The Exhibition has had during its 7-year, 13-city tour, including an exclusive Quidditch inspired photo opportunity.

  • MinaLima

Graphic designers Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima worked for ten years on the Harry Potter films, creating countless unforgettable graphic props, some of which will be on display including iconic pieces such as The Marauder’s Map, Daily Prophet and Hogwarts school books. Since working on the films, they created the MinaLima Store selling authentic reproductions of the film artwork with limited edition art prints and stationery. They are currently in production on the new feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

  • Pottermore from J.K. Rowling

Pottermore is the digital heart of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World and if discovering more about her magical universe excites you, Pottermore has a surprise in store for fans attending this year’s Celebration of Harry Potter. And keep your eyes peeled for their new Pottermore Correspondent (Rita Skeeter she certainly isn’t), who’ll be there hunting out exclusive scoops and bringing you updates on pottermore.com from the weekend’s activities.

  • Scholastic

Celebrate Harry Potter at Scholastic’s booth by sharing a message about what Harry Potter means to you. Color in a magical page from our brand-new Harry Potter coloring book. Be sure to enter daily raffles for a chance to win a copy of the new illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, a box set of all seven Harry Potter books, or a Harry Potter coloring book. Collectible giveaways are available for Harry Potter fans of all ages.

“A CELEBRATION OF HARRY POTTER” PANELS AND DEMONSTRATIONS (Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida theme parks)

A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando -

Demonstrations and Q&A sessions will be available featuring Harry Potter film talent and crew, with special panels and demonstrations for kids. Admission into panels and demonstrations will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Specific times will be released at a later date.

  • Behind the Scenes: Harry Potter Film Talent Discussion

Enjoy a fascinating and interactive Q&A session featuring some of your favorite actors from the Harry Potter films. Discover what it was like to work on the most successful film franchise in history.

  • Behind-the-scenes of the Harry Potter props with Pierre Bohanna

Ever wondered how long it takes to make a wand? Or where the inspiration for the hundreds of wand designs in the Harry Potter film series came from? Warner Bros. Studio Tour London presents head prop maker for the films, Pierre Bohanna, who will answer these questions and more. Once you’ve discovered how they were made, raise your own wand as Death Eaters invade the stage to demonstrate how battle scenes were brought to life. 

  • The Global Impact of Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Join us in celebrating the touring attraction that’s visited 13 cities in 9 countries and hosted almost 4 million guests. Harry Potter: The Exhibition is in a unique position to reflect on the global impact of the franchise. Get an exclusive look at the exhibition’s creation and the excitement it continues to deliver to fans around the world. Panel will include exhibition creators, film producers, and film actors who have participated in the openings.

  • Graphic Design for the Harry Potter Films with MinaLima

Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, from the graphic design studio MinaLima, will share insights into their role as graphic prop designers, and how their paths crossed at the WB film studios while working for 10 years on the Harry Potter movies. They will discuss and show some of the iconic props they created for the Harry Potter films, including The Marauder’s Map, the Daily Prophet, and The Quibbler, amongst others.  Still immersed in all things Harry Potter, they will also talk about their  involvement in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, for which they designed all the street and store graphics. During the panel they will welcome questions from the audience.

This year’s “A Celebration of Harry Potter” will also include kids’ demonstrations and interactive experiences such as a ‘Dance Like a Beauxbatons and Battle Like a Durmstrang’ experience, as well as Harry Potter film trivia.

To join the conversation, use #HPCelebration. For more information about the event, tickets and available exclusive event vacation packages, visit www.universalorlando.com/celebration.

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