Sam Eagle Hosting New Epcot BBQ Restaurant
Last night, I dreamt I went to Muppets BBQ again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate leading to Regal Eagle Smokehouse, and for a while I could not enter for the way was barred to me. Yet it felt so real as I clasped the contour of Sam Eagle’s noble noggin on the gate’s marquee and smelled those seductive scents of heavenly barbecue.
Then, like all dreamers, I was possessed by supernatural powers. A black goat stood before me flaunting a devilish grin, as goats are wont to do. “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?” he inquired. “Ah c’mon, Black Phillip, you’re killing me, man!” I retorted. My dream of a stately Sam Eagle BBQ joint turned nightmare again–perhaps I should stop watching scary movies right on Netflix before bed.
Sensing my dismay, or perhaps just wanting breakfast, Yossarian the Cat woke me from my slumber with repeated licks to my eyelids and jabs to my face. I trudged downstairs feeling dejected over the broken dream, yet my heart still racing from the nightmare. That is, until I opened my laptop to see the latest Disney Parks Blog headline: “New Regal Eagle Smokehouse Coming to Epcot Takes Its Inspiration from the Honorable Sam Eagle.”
As you might recall, Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue is the new fast-casual restaurant opening soon at the American Adventure pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase. Previously, Walt Disney World released the menu and concept art for the restaurant.
Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & BBQ is slated to open “this winter,” which means sometime before March 19, 2020. It’s difficult to ascertain how accurate this is from looking at construction, but around the start of spring and Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival seems like a logical target.
Per the Disney Parks Blog, this forthcoming smokehouse will take its name from the venerable Sam Eagle, the Muppet known for his patriotism and strict sense of duty and honor. He takes all things seriously, and barbecue is certainly one of those things.
Regal Eagle Smokehouse will be the site for “Sam’s Centennial Cook-Off: A Salute to All Cook-Offs but Mostly Barbecue.” Guests will be the beneficiaries of this contest, which is described as “a competition fit for all patriots and pit masters.” Regal Eagle will bring in a variety of classic backyard barbecue selections from across the country to vie for Sam’s top honor.
It’ll also bring with the poster below, as well as special Regal Eagle Smokehouse merchandise. We can only assume these items will feature Sam Eagle, although my wallet trembles at the thought of me purchasing the entire line of such distinguished attire at full price, rather than waiting for it to hit the outlets. (It’s the distinctly patriotic thing to do!)
As you also might recall, back last summer when the restaurant was first announced, I politely requested that Walt Disney World use Sam Eagle from the Muppets as the host of this restaurant. Okay, okay–it wasn’t totally polite.
Specifically, here’s what I wrote at the time: “If the ‘Regal Eagle’ in this Smokehouse is not Sam Eagle from the Muppets, we riot. That’s right, Walt Disney World—all of us fans that bemoan the introduction of gratuitous IP into World Showcase are now demanding exactly that.”
That continued, “Along with this, I think it’s safe to say a better name would be ‘Regal Eagle’s Distinctly Patriotic Smokehouse: A Salute to All Foods, But Mostly Barbecued Meats.’ If everything Disney names is going to be a full sentence anyway, might as well go all-out. I’m only half-kidding about both Sam Eagle and the name.”
Now it appears that’s coming to fruition, making Regal Eagle Smokehouse truly the stuff of my dreams. It’s got Muppets, meats, gratuitous patriotism…all of the essentials. Disney didn’t quite nail the preposterous name, but the rambling verbiage from that poster is pretty sharp. As the kids say, I’ll take the W.
Regular readers who have had to tolerate been blessed with my incessant MuppetVision quotes over the years know I’m a huge fan. Heck, a couple of years ago, we even had Sam Eagle as a guest author (the only one in this blog’s history!) to write “Sam’s Spangled 7: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Upgrades.”
Setting aside my personal preferences and Muppet biases, at least to the greatest extent possible, I wholeheartedly believe this has the potential to be a case of synergy done right. I joked before about the hypocrisy of bemoaning intellectual property in Epcot other times, while lauding it here.
However, I’ve long been of the mind that IP tastefully and appropriately integrated poses no problem. To the contrary, it can help keep Epcot in line with contemporary guest expectations. In other words, there are good and bad uses of intellectual property in Epcot. Just like anything else.
I was not particularly keen on Frozen Ever After being shoehorned into Norway, but Imagineers did a nice job of making lemonade out of lemons; the end result feels about as good as it can. Likewise, although I think Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is an underwhelming attraction in WDSP, I also believe that Ratatouille as a film (which is in part a love letter to Paris) is well-suited for World Showcase.
Regal Eagle Smokehouse seems like a logical location for a light character integration, and Sam Eagle is a solid choice. The venue itself is not all that thematically engaging (that’s always been the case), and injecting a character will give the place a bit more personality. Sam Eagle is pitch-perfect, too. He conveys a solemn and stately sensibility, but with a wry, wink and nod sarcasm beneath the surface.
PizzeRizzo took a similar approach a few years ago to a mixed reaction (including from us), with many complaining that it was a missed opportunity and squandered potential. The difference is that Muppet Courtyard would’ve benefitted massively from over-the-top decorations, gags, and other themed design. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is perfect for unbridled zaniness; World Showcase is not.
Suffice to say, Regal Eagle Smokehouse is an ideal setting for a subtle character element. While I’ll withhold final judgment until seeing it in person, I love the idea, and this has strong potential to be synergy done right. This has me even more excited for this Salute to All Foods, But Mostly Barbecued Meats. And I swear that I didn’t make a deal with Black Phillip to make this dream come true!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of Sam Eagle hosting Regal Eagle Smokehouse? Are you likewise excited for this, or do you think it’s yet another example of unnecessary IP in Epcot? Will you be doing your patriotic duty–buying the entire line of Regal Eagle merchandise? Still holding out hope that Disney adopts the “Regal Eagle’s Distinctly Patriotic Smokehouse: A Salute to All Foods, But Mostly Barbecued Meats ~ A Sam Eagle Craft Drafts & BBQ Joint” name for this restaurant? Do you agree or disagree with my take here? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I sincerely appreciate your nod to Ms. Dumaurier in the opening of this article
Slow clap for a blogger who will quote both Seinfeld and Rebecca 🙂
My god, this truly is a dream come true. I’ve been reading the blog for a few years and we have a lot of common ground on the things we love about Disney World, from EPCOT Center to MuppetVision 3D. I’m so glad for this, especially after losing the Muppets in Liberty Square.
This is fantastic! Well done, Disney, for listening to Tom. You should take his advice more often.
I hope you are expecting a check in the mail for your cut in coming up with this genius name for the restaurant! Whatever Imagineer claims to take credit for this should be ashamed of themselves! Congratulations Tom. The dedicated readers of this blog know who REALLY came up with this idea. 😉
Ha! Thanks for the kind words, but I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.
Oh my goodness! I honestly remember that post and this really is a dream realized (or Disney agreeing that muppets rock!)
I am commenting to artificially inflate the stats for this post because I am so happy your dream came true!
All that could make this better is the announcement that this will be the new location for Great Moments in American History. Please, PLEASE Disney. It would be the perfect place for it.
Amen!
So, somebody has obviously read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier! I caught the parody of that famous novel’s opening in your post! So clever!
Way to go Tom! Take the W! I love that the Muppets are making a come back!
I have often thought that Disney Corp office reads significant Disney blog writers as a daily activity. If they don’t use this free pulse of the nation/ daily state of the union/ free feedback information- they are idiots. I love Sam Eagle being included in Epcot or any Muppet in any park for any reason.
I was a child in the 70’s and love all things Muppet. I had a Kermit nightgown, a Miss Piggy puppet and never missed The Muppet Show. I remember the moment I heard of Jim Henson’s death. My heart thrilled when I first saw the Liberty Square Muppet Show. So you can talk about the Muppets as much as you choose and I’ll follow every word. Please remind Disney as every opportunity how much we want to see them!
I was scrolling through my Newsfeed and saw a few posts about this. Immediately, I thought, “Oh, Tom Bricker is going to be so happy about this!!!” I am genuinely thrilled for you that this has come to fruition!
Same!!!
Maelstrom was head & shoulders above Frozen, but we’ve no more chance of its return than Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. That being said, I’m all for Sam Eagle as the face, voice, etc of the Regal Eagle Smokehouse. America is the absolute most boring of all the countries! I always wonder how or even if foreign visitors can understand a word of the show inside…particularly some garbled, mumbled pseudo-Southern accent telling an overly long story. I’m an American with an ear for accents, and I can’t understand what they’re saying. The imagineers got a little full of themselves in their quest to “wow” with audioanimontronics. So Sam Eagle? Heck Yes!
In the late 90s I was in high school and proudly owned and frequently wore a t shirt which boldly exclaimed “I understand the Muppets on a much deeper level than you do.” (I was not prom queen, but was treasurer of the drama club as you may have guessed.) I am incredibly excited to take my vegetarian self to the Reagle Eagle as is my patriotic duty, they’ll have fries I’m sure…
From what I’ve seen on food blogs, they will have an impossible/quinoa based BBQ entree, as well as vegan greens
Nice job Tom! When I first saw the Sam Eagle news reported on one of the unofficial Disney news websites, I thought maybe they misread your blog as news rather than only your wishes haha.
Since I am fan of the Muppets, I love the addition of Sam Eagle. I may even buy some Regal Eagle merchandise. I agree with your feelings about IP integration into Epcot. So far, the only IP integration I like in Epcot is the Three Caballeros integration into the Mexico ride.
Read this news elsewhere this morning, and I immediately thought of your advocating (i.e., begging) posts to go this route along with your proposed name. I came over to the site just to look for a victory lap blog post from you. Congrats!
I think the time has come – Disney needs to knight you as an Honorary Imagineer. On a personal note, your writing about Epcot lines up with my opinions better than anything else out there. My own dreams still include one last experience of Kitchen Kabaret and Journey Into Imagination, but I’m totally down with Sam the Eagle here! Huzzah!!!
Our first thought was “Tom Bricker will be so happy.” As are we! What about Great Moments resurfacing in EPCOT?
Words can’t fully express just how happy I am for you Tom. I’ve loved your name for this restaurant even since that first post and to see that actually happen is really incredible!
I’m pretty sure we’re going to need a Rise of the Resistance style virtual queue in order to allow everyone the opportunity to experience such an amazing spectacle of patriotism and Muppets all while trying to eat.
Seriously though, if you’re not already volunteering to dress up as General Eagle, I’ll be utmost disappointed in you sir. Get out there and be the best Sam Eagle Walt Disney World didn’t ask for and didn’t know they needed.