Month: May 2017

NOTE: This article will be revised with additional information as I receive it, or continued in another part. Check the main page for the latest…

• Updated 5/31/2017.
• Updated 6/5/2017 – added photos.

Adventureland has many new food offerings this year. The park brought on three new chefs to oversee new food items, and it shows. Here are some of the more notable ones (photos to be added):

• Bernie’s Klement’s Cart (between Storm Chaser and The Monster’s exit under the Iowa Beer and Wine Shop tent) – This is a “gourmet” hot dog stand, serving Klement’s hot dogs and sausages. You can get a 1/4 pound plain hot dog for $4.75, or a kid’s dog for $1.25 (maybe it’s $1.75). They also offer more loaded hot dogs, like a Chicago Dog (“1/4 pound all beef dog with all the traditional Chicago toppings”) for $4.50, Bernie Dog (“1/4 pound all beef dog with chili, cheese sauce and crispy onions”) for $4.50 (it’s the same squirt chili and cheese they use on nachos), Bratwust (“1/3 pound bratwurst with yellow mustard and sauerkraut”) for $4.50, and1/3 pound  Itialian Sausage or Hot Italian Sausage on a stick for $4.50. The hot dogs come on fancy buns, and the Chicago dog was loaded with all kinds of toppings.

  

• Chuckwagon Soda in Outlaw Gulch has lost the old fashioned candy, as well as the old-time sodas (no more sarsaparilla, darnit), and switched to more traditional flavors, but still has some not found elsewhere in the park (like a red cream soda). They have also swapped out the beef jerky they sell, and offer beef sticks and beef jerky. (At least, I think it’s a different brand from past years. It’s very good.) They have a plastic “mason jar” you can buy for sodas to get cheaper refills all year long, and the jar actually says “Chuckwagon Soda” on it. (I am guessing these are not park-specific jars, but rather, that Chuckwagon Soda was a franchise kiosk available to amusement parks and such.)

  

• Fun Foods on Main Street now has a cotton candy room where they make it near the sidewalk window. They also now carry four types of popcorn, all popped there: plain, caramel, cheese and kettle corn.

  

• Gulch Food in Outlaw Gulch has added fried fish sandwiches.
• Gyros in River City received a full remodel, and is greatly expanded inside and out. The old order/pickup window is now the pickup window, and an order window is where the facade next door used to be. They have added baklava, Greek salads (very good!), and falafel gyros to their menu. I am also told that the gyros are fancier this year.
• Iowa Cafe on Main Street has a new style baked beans, loaded with meat (bacon? BBQ?). This may be the “Dr. Pepper Baked Beans” served elsewhere in the park.

  

• Oasis in Adventure Bay, the ice cream place has pineapple Dole Whip again. It was lemon last year. Those who have been to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom or the original Disneyland in California know how huge pineapple Dole Whip is there. People line up for the stuff.
• Petunia Pig has been spiffed up and no longer has pickles or drinks. Now it offers bacon popcorn and huge 1/4 pound bacon on a stick.

  

• Spectators Sports Bar and Grill takes over River City Smoke Shack BBQ. It has been repainted blue,  and mirrors the name of the sports bar at the Adventureland Inn. The menu is mostly the same, but they added brisket sandwiches and the new Dr. Pepper Baked Beans. The house made BBQ sauce is also new, made at Spectators. They also have walking BBQ, which is like a walking taco but BBQ instead of taco mean.
• Taco Villa in River City has lost its taco salad, but added a large hard shell taco. They also have a burrito bowl which is the taco toppings in a bowl, very much like a taco salad without the chips. A combo meal is available which adds a churro and drink.

  

• Vegetarian Offerings. Most locations with corn dogs or hot dogs are now offering veggie corn dogs and veggie hot dogs. I think some veggie items were on the menu last year, and others were added during the 2016. I tried a veggie chili cheese dog and it tasted just fine. I recall trying a “veggie hot dog” many years ago and disliking it. I guess they have figured out how to make better veggie dogs.

Alcohol Updates:

• Abita Bar, opened in 2015 in River City, is now Corona Cantina and has dropped the Louisiana beers. Instead, a much wider variety of canned Mexican-style beers is available, and more frozen drinks. They have strawberry, margarita, mango and pina colada. The frozen drinks are virgin drinks, and they actually add alcohol shots and mix it for you – they have six types of alcohol!
• Bier Garten now sells their refillable boot – much larger than the 24 ounce mugs. The refill mugs are also an updated design this year, introduced at the 2016 Oktoberfest.
• ICEE Mix It Up around the corner from Sheriff Sam’s Saloon also adds the alcohol shots (which they first did at the 2016 Oktoberfest event). You can add two types of Jose Cuervo tequila, Gin, Iowa-made SWELL Vodka, Jack Daniels, Bacardi Rum, Captain Morgan, or Malibu Rum.

  

• Sand Bar in the water park has some new mixed drinks, and will be offering a huge refillable 42 ounce drink!
• Also in the water park is a new LEINENKUGEL Tiki Bar attached to the central gift shop. It has canned drinks and three types of shots (Fireball, some mint schnapps, and JÄGERMEISTER). They also have some canned drinks not found elsewhere, like Not Your Father’s Iced Tea.
• Most drinks places with canned beers also seem to be carrying some new items.

Beer prices have inched up a bit, with a small beer going for $6.50 and a large for $10 ($8.50 last year, I think). The $12 refill mug (24 ounces) can be refilled for $6 ($5 last year) so if you plan to have more than one drink, and like their draft beer selection, buy the mug. After the mug and one refill ($12+$6 = $18), you already save two bucks over buying two large beers.

Last year, the park also offered a refill container for frozen drinks. It was the same container used for ICEEs, so it was impossible to tell if someone was walking around with an ICEE or a frozen hurricane 🙂 This year, they have a new frozen drinks containers just for alcohol. It doesn’t have a lid and they don’t have straws tall enough for it yet, but it’s nice looking. Over at Iowa Beer and Wine, the frozen Monster drink is now sold only with one of these refill drinks, so if you plan to try it, start with a Monster, then you have a refill cup to use at ICEE Mix It Up, Corona Cantina or Sand Bar.

Did I miss anything? Leave a comment!

I will try to add photos of all the new food items to this post when I have time.