Disneyland’s new president lived at the resort for five weeks when she first started the job. We sat down with Jill Estorino for an exclusive Mickey Visit interview to discuss her time at the resorts and how she has been transitioning into the role. Plus, thoughts on what projects she is most excited for.
She was living her life at the resort for all those weeks in a row. During that time she experienced a lot from a guest perspective, including eating on property extensively. I wanted to hear about some of her favorite food experiences. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including temporary changes to the arrival experience during construction and new EPCOT announcements.
READ MORE – This Is The Coolest Moment of the Day at Disney California Adventure You Won’t Want to Miss
Disneyland’s New President Shares Favorite Foods at Resort
Jill Estorino came to Disneyland from previously running the international Disney theme parks. While in that role she presided over the expansion and operation of the four Disney resorts across Europe and Asia.
Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Changes, Secrets Revealed
Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.
Previously she spoke about her specific focus on food quality at the international resorts and now at Disneyland during a media presentation. She shared in that presentation that she plans to bring the same sense of importance about food to Disneyland saying “I am going to bring that sensibility and importance to Disneyland Resort and take our food and beverage program to the next level with the team.” Read that full article for context and quotes here.
That perspective on food at the resort was influenced by five weeks of living and immersing herself deeply into Disneyland. Within days of finding out that she was going to become the Disneyland President, she was living at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. She would split her time between all three Disneyland Resort hotels, including the Pixar Place and Disneyland Hotel also.
In our exclusive Mickey Visit interview Estorino shared that she thought it was important to “be a guest before [she] was the president” and emphasized that she cares about getting a deeper understanding of “consumers and guests, and what their behaviors, attitudes, and motivations are about a brand and a business and a product”.
During her time she was eating at the resort extensively. I wanted to know what foods she ate the most during the time and what her favorite food experiences were. She was at the resort eating for five weeks.
READ MORE – 10 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Booking Hotels for Disneyland
She joked that “at the Grand Californian, they were probably tired of me ordering the Caesar salad with grilled chicken. It is probably one of the best Caesar salads with grilled chicken that I have had, and I’m pretty particular.”
Then, she smiled and shared, “I am also a fan of a good burger and sitting out by the pool and getting a burger at The Craftsman or the Hearthstone is one of my highlights. There’s a little back patio by the fireplace outside of the Hearthstone, which not everybody knows about, and I would sit out there.”
Estorino shared that “One other food experience that I hadn’t had at Disneyland was the Food and Wine Festival. I grew up with the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, so I wanted to see how it was different. I went three times. I had the Sip and Savor coupons, and so those were very unique. I love the blend of culture mashup in California. I ate a lot since I was living there. The food is exceptional.”
She also shared that “A third party restaurant I tried was Great Maple. They had some interesting items. I think there was a chicken waffle donut thing which they brought me as an appetizer for dinner one night. That was not my plan, but we have such a variety of great food. And so I did enjoy not cooking and getting to eat our great food for over a month.”
Estorino also shared that she is deeply focused on “health and fitness” and identified herself as both a weightlifter and someone who spins and walks. She mentioned later that she utilized the recently redone gym at Disney’s Grand Californian and the gym at the new Villas at the Disneyland Hotel. She said that exercising and trying to eat healthy are important. She said “protein and fiber are kind of my staples.”
She said she “tried to work out and got in the steps at Downtown Disney and I’d walk from my office through the park, all the way to the hotel, and could get almost 3000 steps.”
Turning to quick commentary. I have had all four of these food experiences.
The two Grand Californian dishes are two of my favorites also. I personally would choose the Craftsman salmon salad or Poke Bowl over the chicken caesar. That is partially also because I choose to eat at the Craftsman over the Hearthstone because I enjoy the sunny poolside setting.
The burger, which has changed slightly over time, is always good. You can’t go wrong sitting at The Craftsman Bar restaurant. This is what I would call my personal favorite secret restaurant spot.
We recently went back to Great Maple and loved trying the donuts there. The full menu at this third party restaurant in Pixar Place is fantastic. This is typically an easier reservation to get at the resort and is a great place for bigger groups to escape the crowds of the rest of the resort.
I didn’t get a chance to ask, but I would be curious if Estorino felt like the Disneyland Hotel was lacking a nicer restaurant option. We would still love to see some version of the Steakhouse 55 location return to the hotel. That classic, upscale, option has still not been replaced by anything comparable across the resort. There is a new steakhouse coming to Downtown Disney, but it won’t have the classic charm of Steakhouse 55.
Do you have any recommendations for Jill to try at the resort? Comment your thoughts on what she tried out and if you’ve had any of these.
Top image is Disneyland Resort President Jill Estorino with partner Michael visiting the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival during her first weeks as president of Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.
Don’t Miss the Latest Disney News
Don’t miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips.
