Disney Dining Video Reviews: Camera Meets Cuisine

I read a lot of Disney dining reviews. Some are pretty good, especially the ones with pictures, but neither words nor pictures are sufficient to convey every element of a dish or the atmosphere of a restaurant. For that, you need video. I found some video.

Rick Howard is President of Kingdom Magic Vacations and the owner of a terrific blog called Travel with Rick. The blog is simple in concept and execution: it's a container for the videos that Rick films of his travels. These travels mostly take him to Disney World. The videos, despite what you might fear, are not of Rick's family holding painful smiles while he fiddles with the shutter: the videos chronicle Rick's meals in Disney restaurants, his experiences on Disney rides, and even his interviews with Disney Cast Members.

What sets these videos apart from the many other home-spun Disney videos is Rick's skill as a videographer, his friendly presence, and the in-depth treatment he gives his topics.

His current video features him having lunch at Epcot's Tutto Italia. The video was actually filmed in the restaurant, at Rick's table, where he reviews what he and his guests just ate with plenty of close-up shots as visual evidence. The camera is pointed toward Rick which creates the illusion that you're sitting across from him at the table chatting with him about the food.

I especially enjoyed the part where the Italian waitress (Stefania) came over to discuss dessert. Rick gets her on camera, too. (She's definitely ready for her close-up.)

It's an extraordinary dining review, far more compelling and informative than anything Rick or I or even Jeffrey Steingarten could have written. Rick has lots more, too. (85 more, at last count.)

Few of those 85 videos, unfortunately, are dining reviews, but Rick's other topics are equally entertaining, especially when he brings along a guest. Not that long ago he shared the camera with JL Knopp of the Disney Driven Life who looked not at all nervous for her close-up but clearly had a case of the jitters around Mission:SPACE: she rode the green 'kiddie' version. (Wonder why they call it 'green' when its purpose is to prevent you from becoming green?)

I plan to return to Rick's site when I have time and watch more of his videos - for pleasure! I don't often watch anything for pleasure except professional wrestling or zombie movies, so from me that's high praise, indeed. And a glimpse into my sad life.

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