Post your 10th anniversary dining reviews

[Jared]

I thought it would be a good idea to consolidate the dining reviews from those who attended the weekend festivities. It's almost 1 a.m. now and I'm absolutely exhausted, so I'll start posting tomorrow.

Perhaps a moderator can sticky this thread for the next couple weeks?

Hope everybody had an absolutely incredible time. I know I did.

[Jared]

OK, I'll start, because I hate to see an empty thread atop the page. Thanks to whomever stickied this post!

Pecos Bill Cafe
Friday, Oct. 12
Lunch
Surprisingly, Ellen (ElenitaB) nor I had ever eaten at this location, always choosing Colombia Harbour House or Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe for Magic Kingdom counter service. So we decided today would be a perfect chance to try the restaurant many rave about. Deb (disneydeb) came with us for a drink before meeting her daughter at Cinderella's Royal Table for lunch.

We walked in a little before noon, so the dining room was not too crowded. I placed the order using the automated machine, and this system worked quite well. The food came quickly after pushing a few buttons.

Ellen and I both had the chicken wrap with lemonade. She chose the apple slices, I took the greasy fries. Ben, Ellen's son, had the bacon double cheeseburger and a Diet Coke. As were not on the Disney Dining Plan, we had no dessert.

I will not speak for the rest of the group, but I was thoroughly disappointed with my meal. I'll stick to my two favorites in the future.

There was very little chicken in the wrap. I felt like I was eating undressed lettuce. All the chicken was stuffed in one small corner of a huge wrap, and it was drenched in ranch dressing.

Perhaps Pecos Bill Cafe receives so many positive reviews because of the burgers because I wasn't satisfied.

Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern with a big group comes next!

:tasty:

[ElenitaB]

Pecos Bill's
I concur with Jared that the chicken wrap wasn't the best I've ever had. I made an effort this trip to make healthier choices though. I'm wondering if the salad would have been a better choice than the wrap with its chicken all huddled in one section! The apple slices were good. :blush:

Grand Floridian Afternoon Tea
This was one of my favorite dining experiences EVER at WDW. I've never "taken tea" but this was a lovely introduction to the whole ritual.

All the adults at our table opted for the Buckingham Palace tea, which consisted of: "Our traditional tea sandwiches (http://benellen.smugmug.com/gallery/3655241#208661639-L-LB), scones and jam tarts complimented by fresh strawberries and cream (http://benellen.smugmug.com/gallery/3655241#208661226-L-LB), along with your choice of tea."

When you are seated (our group was at three tables of 8 but there are a variety of seating arrangements, including two sofas... so cozy), the CM brings out a box with small jars filled with all the teas they offer. It's hard to chose, but I went with the Russian Earl Gray. I shared a pot with Kathy (TikiGoddess) who was conveniently seated right next to me (what would they have done had we both chosen the same tea but were seated across the table from each other?). Soon after the tea sandwiches (http://benellen.smugmug.com/gallery/3655241#208661454-L-LB) arrived; the selection included: watercress, egg salad, shrimp salad, chicken salad with almonds, pear and gorgonzola, and an onion tart. I didn't think I'd like the pear and gorgonzola, but it was good, as was the onion tart. Well, they were all good. My DS had ordered a la carte, but didn't particularly like the sandwiches. For his drink, he ordered hot chocolate and was served an entire tea pot of it, along with a bowl of whipped cream. :cloud9:

Next we we served a scone and a jam tart. These were not your ordinary scones... no dry pastries here. The scone was warm, moist and, in a word, heavenly. I'm glad my local Starbucks doesn't serve these as I would go every single day to get them. I would have gladly traded my jam tart for another scone.

The final course was not necessarily strawberries and cream but rather you had a choice of pastries, strawberries and cream, or trifle (which was described in terms that I cannot repeat on our PG-13 site).

The whole experience was wonderful... the conversation, the atmosphere, the beautiful china, the tea, and the pastries, etc. I inquired about buying tea, but at $19.75 I decided to pass. We will definitely be going back (and I had tea this afternoon and made DS hot cocoa and a PB&J tea sandwich when he got home from school). :D

This is one restaurant/experience we will be doing again! :thumbsup::thumbsup: (But in this case, it should be two pinkies up).

[Jared]

Liberty Tree Tavern
Friday, Oct. 12
Dinner
We ate here with a large group Friday night before Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Ellen made the reservation for eight, but we had a surprise ninth guest. The Cast Member at the podium happily honored our request.

Our final party was:

Myself
Ellen (ElenitaB)
Ben, Ellen's son
Jeanne (Piglet822)
Jim, her boyfriend
Mikki (dlpmikki)
Andrew, her husband
Rhonda (Beast_fanatic)
Robert, her husband

We waited in the foyer for a bit, waiting for everybody to arrive. Eventually, we sat a large round table in one of the back rooms.

Our server, Amy, started strong. She took our drink orders soon after we arrived and brought two baskets of piping hot rolls with a delicious honey butter. The bread was wonderful and started the meal perfectly. I had to limit myself so I wouldn't fill up before the rest of the food came.

First, Amy brought a large bowl of salad with a strawberry vinaigrette. The dressing was good but did not overpower the salad. Actually, I could've used a little more on the greens. I love red onions, but those who don't may not enjoy the salad.

The main course was the traditional family-style platter. I don't eat steak or ham, so I loaded up on the turkey and side dishes. The stuffing and mashed potatoes were especially delicious, and they complemented the turkey wonderfully. We needed a second plate of turkey before the meat plate went around the table.

The macaroni and cheese was virtually untouched, probably for good reason. I had a couple bites and had flashbacks to my childhood eating the frozen stuff. I liked the vegetables-- a mix of green beans and carrots--but they were quite garlicky.

Amy rarely refilled our drinks, even after we asked her. I think Ellen is still waiting for her second lemonade.

Finally, for dessert, Amy brought an apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. The crisp was delectably tart with just enough cinnamon. Since it was served hot, the ice cream added a nice contrast.

As for the characters, the interaction was the best I've seen at any character meal. Pluto, Goofy, Chip and Dale came to our table twice, and Minnie spent some time with us, too. We took some great pictures, and I hope somebody posts them.

I had never eaten at Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner before, but I had a wonderful meal. I would definitely go back.

Next up, Saturday's dining!

:tasty:

[BronxTigger]

Here's where DH and I ate during the meet:

Friday, October 12

*Burger King at LaGuardia* Dinner
AKA "Order number zero zero zero zero your order is ready!" This was standard BK fare at Applebee's prices.

Saturday, October 13

*Concourse Steakhouse* Breakfast
ADR ...oops! overslept! missed my Sticky Mickey :(

*Main Street Bakery* Breakfast
I had a cinnamon roll and thought it was EXCELLENT! Nice and gooey and very very large. Great start to the day. My husband had a n egg and cheese breakfast sandwich thing. He thought it was ...wait he forgets what he thought of the sandwich.

*Pinocchio's Village Haus* Lunch
I had a WDW pizza. :cloud9: My husband had chicken fingers. He was still full from the sandwich but thought the chicken was ok. He thought the soda tasted funny here though.

*Snack Cart in AK* Snack
I had a Mickey Bar and my husband had a Nestle Crunch bar. Both were perfect. We also had Powerades and they hit the spot.

*Dominican Republic Food Kiosk* Snack
DH had a mofongo, which is yucca with shrimp. He thought it was excellent, but wished there was a bigger serving, especially for the price.

*France Bakery* Dinner
I went to France and picked up a ham and cheese croissant at the bakery. It was okay but there was some cream on top in one spot and I didn't like that part. I think I would have preferred the ham and cheese sandwich.

*Canada Popcorn Cart* Snack
I got a popcorn bucket here for a snack, but mainly because I wanted the bucket.

*Coronado Springs Room Service* Dinner
DH had room service while I was at the Illuminations meet; he got buffalo wings and thought they were good.

*Illuminations Meet* Snack
I had an amazingly rich chocolate chip cookie and a wonderful brownie at the meet. And the fireworks were oh so good...oh wait this is a dining thread...

*Pooh's Bakery* Snack
I got a coffee at the place near Pooh in Fantasyland. It was awful; I've never had Nescafe before and I don't plan to have it again. My spilling it on my hands woke me up more than drinking the coffee, because it tasted so bad I couldn't drink much.

Sunday, October 14

*Boma* Breakfast
Let's see, I don't remember what all we ate, but DH loved the juice and the banana bread. He thought the raisin french toast was good too. I had some bacon and some pastries and thought they were both good. Actually, nothing here was bad. I didn't get to try the ham station but I wanted to; my stomach was full. The best thing we both ate were omelets from the request station. DH says that's not true, the juice was the best but I say he drank that not ate it.

*Sassagoula Food Factory - French Quarter* Snack
Beignets!!!!! Ohh...so good! And, we were covered in powdered sugar. DH says they are nothing special, just messy puffballs. However, he still ate all 3 of his, so he must have liked them! We saw Alex and Maria (alpro2 and riri529) and they knew were we eating beignets from all the sugar left on the table. They laughed at us....no, with us. :secret:

*Beaches and Cream* Lunch
We both had single cheeseburgers with fries, but my favorite things at this place are the milkshakes. DH had a mint chocolate chip one and I had a chocolate one and I want another one right now!!


I think that just about wraps it up! I'll try to add some photos later.

[Natazu]

Here's where DH and I ate during the meet:

Friday, October 12
*Burger King at LaGuardia* Dinner :funny:

[Jared]

:funny:
If you're going to laugh at Bethany, at least post a review yourself! ;)

Anyway, back to the dining fun.

Sunshine Season Food Fair
Saturday, Oct. 13
Lunch
Cher (TheSorcererofFantasia) had some extra Disney Dining Plan credits, which I was happy to use throughout the day. Earlier, I used a snack credit to buy a delicious offering from the Mexico stand.

Sunshine Season Food Fair is probably my favorite counter service restaurant on property, especially with the plan because of the bakery section available for dessert.

For my entree, I had the chicken Caesar salad. The romaine lettuce was crisp and saturated in an absolutely delicious, garlicky dressing. The croutons and shredded parmesan cheese added to the overall flavor.

The chicken was a little dry because it's put atop the dressed romaine. I'd prefer to chicken tossed with the dressing prior to being served.

I finally tried the Butterfinger cheesecake for dessert, and it was divine. The chocolate layer on the bottom was more like a cake than a crust, and the caramel was subtle and sweet.

Jeanne (Piglet822), her son, Anthony, and her friend, Dwayne (Prince Dwayne) dined with Cher, her boyfriend and I.

Next, my impressions of tea and dinner at Les Chefs de France.

:tasty:

[Jared]

Garden View Lounge
Saturday, Oct. 13
Tea
Like Ellen said in a previous post, this was an absolutely incredible dining experience. Actually, it was probably the best part of the whole weekend save the private party Saturday night.

I originally decided to save my money and remain in Epcot during the afternoon, but Cher "secretly" added me to her party. Boy, am I glad she did!

First, I was impressed with the entire presentation at the table. The silverware was actual silver and the plates and teacups were simply beautiful. As our server came to greet the table, we saw a couple riding a horse-drawn coach through the Grand Floridian garden.

Taking Cher's recommendation, I had the Garden View tea--a blend made exclusively for the Grand Floridian high tea. I loved having the opportunity to smell the leaves before ordering. Some were pretty nasty, but most of the teas seemed lovely. I think I made a good choice.

I took at least one bite of four sandwiches, leaving the egg salad untouched. The chicken salad with almond was definitely my favorite, but the shrimp salad was a close second. I wasn't too fond of the pear and gorgonzola sandwich--I didn't expect it to be crisp and crunchy. I took a bite and left the rest. Unlike Ellen, I was not too fond of the onion tart, and I usually like onions! This pastry was a little too sweet for my taste.

Sitting next to Dwayne, a good friend of Jeanne (Piglet822), was an experience. Somehow, he knew all the intricacies of a proper English high tea, so he told me exactly what the strainer, tea cozy and little bowl was for.

Next came the scone, which was even better than the sandwiches. Like Ellen said, it came piping hot, soft and moist. I easily split it with my fingers so I could enjoy the absolutely sinful Devonshire cream. This stuff is a combination of whipped cream and butter, and I would've licked it straight from the bowl. I think I saw Dwayne's nose in it. Oh, and the strawberry and raspberry jams added a nice sweet touch.

I liked the raspberry jam tart that came with the scone but noticed a few people at the table left it after a bite or two.

By this point, I didn't think it could get any better. That was before I tried the trifle. Cher strongly recommended this delicacy for dessert using a lovely description inappropriate for this post. Good thing I listened.

I could've eaten just the vanilla custard and fresh whipped cream (so fresh I think I heard some mooing just before dessert was served). But if I had, I would've missed the sponge cake and layers of berries!

Seriously, the trifle was too delicious to fully describe with words. Go to tea, order the trifle and leave elated.

I entered this meal with very low expectations and exited excited for my next tea experience. It's pretty expensive and takes a good chunk of the afternoon, but the Grand Floridian high tea is worthwhile for anybody.

Next, Les Chefs de France with Cher and Pete with extra Disney Dining Plan credits!

:tasty:

[Jared]

Les Chefs de France
Saturday, Oct. 13
Dinner
If you've never dined with Cher (TheSorcererofFantasia), try to in the future. She is truly the food queen, and I was looking forward to this meal for weeks.

Fortunately, Cher had extra Disney Dining Plan credits, which I was happy to use. Unfortunately, we arrived to the crowded restaurant late and had to wait for our table. While sitting outside, we saw the hostess turn away several groups without a reservation, saying the place was completely booked.

As time slipped away, and the meet with Mickey drew closer, we knew we'd have to eat quickly. So when we finally sat down, we told our server, Sylvie, we were in a huge rush.

At first, she was taken aback by our request, but she offered to place our appetizer and entree order in at the same time. We received both courses together, but all we wanted to do was eat and get to Norway!

For my appetizer, I ordered the fried calamari. Pete, Cher's boyfriend, took the escargot and Cher went with the cheese plate. We also ordered lobster bisque and paid out-of-pocket and shared everything.

The calamari was mostly tentacles, so don't order it if you're expecting to eat a lot of rings. It was fried perfectly and not rubbery like overcooked squid. The calamari sat in a bed of spicy tomato sauce and was served with a small ratatouille of tomatoes and zucchini.

I was afraid to try the escargot, but Cher convinced me. If I didn't know what it was, it would've been quite good. Actually, the garlic sauce overpowered the overall flavor. I wouldn't order the dish myself, but I'm glad I tried it.

Cher's cheese plate was solid, especially the brie. I spread it onto my roll.

The lobster bisque was divine. I was licking the bowl.

I didn't try anybody else's entree, but I ordered the shrimp and scallops. They were served on a skewer with a spinach flan in a delicious sorrel sauce. The scallops were not overcooked and the shrimp was grilled perfectly. I could've done without the spinach flan--the texture and consistency were a little funky--but I needed some vegetables.

Finally, for dessert, I had the profiteroles. These were wonderful! It came with two vanilla ice cream sandwiches drenched in chocolate sauce. The chocolate sauce was unbelievable, and I would've eaten an entire bowl of it.

Overally, I enjoyed Les Chefs de France. I've always been low on World Showcase restaurant,but this dinner was a great experience. That's what happens when dining with Cher.

:tasty:

[Here we go again...]

After reading these posts I wish I was able to make it to the Tea AND I wish I was able to dine with Cher....

Okay, here is my review:
Thursday
We drove in from Lafayette which is a 12 hour drive. I booked 'Ohana for 9pm to make sure we had time to get there. I did not even know that it was a Halloween party night and I was surprised when we got to view the Hallowishes fireworks. :D The music being piped in was lots of fun.
The food was fantastic as usual. I love the salad and since I am eating a little healthier these days I had plenty of it. The shrimp and turkey were my favorites. My DD loved the steak... she loved it even more when they brought her some rare. My DD's friend came with us as at the end of the trip she said this was her favorite meal.
They did tell us that the bread pudding was now pineapple and coconut but it was still the same as last time with the bananas foster sauce. :tasty:

Friday
We started our day at MGM and had an early lunch at 50's prime time. Bobby and I split the pot roast which was delicious as usual. Kassie had the salad and Taylor had the chicken strips. For dessert I had the berries with the angel food cake. It is very yummy and light.

We headed to MK for the Halloween party about 5 pm with plans to eat clam chowder and salad at Columbia Harbour House... it was closed when we got there. I was so upset because I crave that salad every time we even think about a Disney trip. We were surprised that we were able to walk up to Crystal Palace. The buffet there is quite good (and they even had some clam chowder), I ate lots of fruits and chicken. The character interaction was great. Overall, the food was good, but I still prefer breakfast at Crystal Palace.

Saturday
We slept a little late so we skipped breakfast and headed to the Electric Umbrella at Epcot. I had a salad and Bobby and the girls had burgers. Nothing exciting there.

For dinner we had and ADR at Garden Grill. It is served family style like Liberty tree. Some of the food disappeared off the plate pretty quickly. The food was very good, but I did have to ask them to bring us turkey and beef with out the sauce. I am not a sauce person and could not deal with all of the stuff on the meat. Once again we had great character interaction and a good meal.

Sunday
We were planning to get on the road earily but had to eat a good meal first. we went to Trail's End Buffet and had a very good breakfast. The food was very tasty but the service was a little lacking. I still think trails end is one of Disney's best kept secrets and the prices are great.

Overall, we had some very, very good meals.

[Jared]

Thanks for your reviews, Angel! I can't believe you were able to eat at Crystal Palace without a reservation!

I totally agree with your sentiments about 'Ohana--it's arguably my favorite restaurant.

It was so great meeting you this weekend!

:D

[DisneyDudet]

I'm going to do mine Bethany style!

Sonic-Wal-Mart on 535
I love Sonic. I hate this one! I was not impressed with my popcorn chicken. It was over cooked and gross. The service was slow. I think it made me sick later in the day. In all accounts, this was convenient as far as location, but time... not so much. But I DID get my Ocean Water! This will probably be a drink or snack stop in the future, not so much a meal stop. Not recommended.

Mara-Animal Kingdom Lodge
Do to the lack of (IMO) good CS dining at AK, we decided to head on over to the AKL for a better selection at The Mara. Mom and Dad shared the obligatory chicken strips and fries, and each had a bowl of the chicken corn chowder. They both loved the soup. It had a hint of pimento peppers in it, making it a little sweet. They both said they would have it again in a heartbeat. I had the chicken pita. I'm not sure of the dressing on it, but it was amazing! It was a messy pita, but it was great! I will have that again too. For dessert, we shared two containers of Zebra Domes (one reason I chose Mara). They were very sweet, and we were pretty full, but we left only 2! They have changed this place up and made it much better than 2003. Service is very fast now! Highly recommended!

Aloha Isle-MK
Dole Whip Float! Nuff said. The most recommended thing at Disney!

ABC Commissary-MGM- Breakfast
The new updated breakfast at the ABC Commissary leaves little to be desired. It is plain and boring. We all had the bacon, egg, and cheese bagel (also comes with a sausage option instead of bacon). I took the bacon off to eat (what I really wanted). The egg wasn't warm enough to melt the cheese. I've had better at McDonald's. Not recommended.

Beaches and Cream- Beach Club
We figured since it was around 2-3 pm, that this would be a good option. We were wrong. The wait was 30 min or so. I know they used to have food to go (watched many people do this) but they no longer had this option. We sat and had our little buzzer for a while. I went to get a drink, and dad got a milkshake (he would have gotten that anyway) and ate it before his meal, which is what he always wants to do! Finally, after about 20 min, we were seated at the counter and had an unenthusiastic waitress. We ordered our hamburgers. I got onion rings with mine. They are the best onion rings I've ever had! The hamburger has always been the best I've ever had, and today was no exception! Mom got the turkey sandwich, which she's had before, and loved it all the same. Very much recommended.

Lower Level Terrace- Epcot(France)- Illuminations meet
Out of all the little desserts there, the marshmallow thingy was, by far, the best! I could have eaten a million of those! The cookies were good as well. The Anniversary Cake was soooooooo good! John, it looked great! I took pictures, only after you took a piece! I was so full, that I never ate dinner! Mom and dad ate a hotdog on the Boardwalk. They enjoyed the atmosphere and they said the hotdog was good as always! Recommended!

Popcorn Stand-Liberty Square- MK
Popcorn, perfectly popped, salted, and buttered. Another obligatory item! Recommended!

Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe- Tomorrowland- MK
We love this place! It was pretty crowded, so mom told us what she wanted, and we headed for two lines. Yes, those of you can flame me for keeping a table while waiting for food. It makes no sense to wait in line, then get food, since you might be holding your tray for 10 min waiting for a table. There were plenty of seats all around, but we wanted to listen to Sunny Eclipse. Dad got a club salad, which he enjoyed quite a bit. He said there was a lot of meat on it, and didn't eat it all. Mom got the hamburger. She only wanted it if they had hamburger pickles :confused:. Since they have those on their great fixin bar, I got her that. I got a hot dog and ordered a cup of cheese for my fries. It was a fairly large cup and cost only a buck. I didn't eat it all. I don't know how anyone could. Highly recommended.

Taco Bell- The Crossroads
Nothing special to write home about. We went to have a cheap meal and maybe shop a bit. Its the same thing from home. Server was very nice. Recommended.

Earl of Sandwich- Disney Marketplace- Downtown Disney
We absolutely LOVE this place! They have since taken away our favorite (Chicken Salad Sandwich) and made our cheap tomato soup overpriced, but we still love it just the same. We all three shared two All Americans (turkey, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing, cranberries, tomato) and all three had a tomato soup. This is very hot (temp wise) and comes with croutons, but you can ask to have them without. This used to come in a HUGE cup for 99 cents, but the dining plan changed that. We were stuffed. Very highly recommended.

Ghiridelli Ice Cream and Soda Shop- Disney Marketplace- Downtown Disney
This is another must do for any trip. Mom got her favorite hot fudge sundae. Dad tried chocolate chip ice cream on a dipped waffle cone. They both enjoyed theirs. I tried something new. I usually get the build your own sundae with mint chocolate chip, but I opted for strawberry this time. It was so much better! We love this place, but gets crowded quickly, and there's little place to sit. Highly recommended.

Trail's End Buffet- Fort Wilderness
We arrived around 6, and there was no wait! We got seated quickly and were off to the buffet. It was very small and there was little organization. Dad said "Those yankees are going the wrong way." in reference to where they started the buffet. They started on the mashed potatoes and gravy and ended at the meat, which isn't right! Anyway. I enjoyed the Macaroni and Cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, salad, soup, and rice crispie treats! The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the chicken and dumplings, only because they used biscuits, rather than doughy noodle type things. Mom and dad had some roast, fried chicken, ribs and peel and eat shrimp. They said everything was excellent. Highly recommended.

Liberty Inn- Epcot- American Adventure
We always eat here. Mom says, "A hot dog isn't a hot dog unless it's in America." I don't know where the rest of the hot dogs are, but, ok! She and I had the hot dogs and dad had the chicken sandwich. All were good. The meat on the chicken sandwich was very large. We had been bringing drinks from the room to save money. We just order a cup of ice (free) and fill our cups. Well, this time, apparently Test Track and Mission Space made my Dr. Pepper bottle a little angry, and it exploded ALL OVER us and the restaurant! After some angry words, we were all cleaned up. Oh well. Lunch was still good! Highly recommended.

Ice Cream Cart-MGM- At the tip board
We couldn't leave without another obligatory item: the Mickey Bar! Still as good as ever, and frozen to perfection! Very much recommended.

I know this was long, but I didn't have enough to say about each one to warrant a post for each.

[MauiMouse]

Love reading all the reviews. Sounds like everyone had a great time. :thumbsup:

[Jared]

One more meal to report!

Columbia Harbour House
Sunday, Oct. 14
Lunch
After a pretty lackluster morning in Animal Kingdom, I went over to the Magic Kingdom with Jeff (JPL), Cher (TheSorcererofFantasia) and her boyfriend. When we arrived, we went right over to Columbia Harbour House for lunch.

Cher, somehow, still had extra Disney Dining Plan credits, which Jeff and I were happy to use. For my meal, I had the half sandwich combo with a bowl of New England clam chowder. Though I really miss the bread bowl--curse you, dining plan--the soup is always delicious. I usually spend my summers on Martha's Vineyard, a small island off the coast of Massachusetts, and the Columbia Harbour House chowder would do fine even in the heart of New England.

I also loved the Lighthouse Sandwich--hummus and tomato-broccoli slaw on whole-grain bread. Unfortunately, the sandwich is often quite messy, with the fillings dripping out of the bread. Regardless, I used some napkins and ate all the hummus not on the table!

For dessert, everybody had a mediocre chocolate cake.

So, that's it! I hope everybody enjoyed reading my reviews, and I'll be back with more after my next trip.

:)

[KarenP]

We had dinner at Tutto Italia. We were very much looking forward to trying this restaurant and we were not disappointed. It was very beautiful and elegant inside. Our server was Vivianna and she was awesome. We started with bread which was very fresh and delicious. We did not want to fill up on the bread (which I could easily do) so we did not get more when our server wanted to refill our basket. For an appetizer we got the the antipasto which was listed as the chef's selection of various appetizers and specialties. It included prosciutto, salami, roasted peppers, eggplant, mozzarella, artichokes, marinated cauliflower, olives and lots more. For entrees our party had the Bucattini Pasta with prosciutto, peas and parmesan cheese, Paccheri Large Pasta Tubes with little meatballs, and the Ligurian Trofie Pasta with a basil pinenut pesto, potatoes and fagiolini green beans. The portions were large enough for sharing in my opinion. All were very good. I had the Cannoli for dessert and it was out of this world! The others liked their desserts too. They had the chocolate gelati, pistachio gelati and the Copetta Sotto Bosco which is berries, zabaglione cream gelato and chocolate sauce. The food was very good and the service was excellent. This was our favorite meal this trip.

[coloradowendyl]

I have to agree with Karen...best meal as a group was at Tutta Italia. Nanci and I did Brown Derby before Karen arrived and it was also fabulous! We both had the crabcakes and the filet (nice and rare!) and I had the Grapefruit Cake. Nanci had some banana/chocolate thing! (no comment on that as I "don't do bananas!") Our service was outstanding at Brown Derby!

Counter Service...Nanci and I tried Cooks of Dublin and really liked the scallops/fish! Earl of Sandwich was ok...but it was really congested in there for me. Next time I would get my food and eat outside somewhere.

wendy

[Damon18]

Glad to hear you liked Tutta Italia. I just made an ADR for January to eat there and I am looking forward to it even more now.:thumbsup:

[PirateLover]

Liberty Tree Tavern
Friday, Oct. 12
Dinner
I had never eaten at Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner before, but I had a wonderful meal. I would definitely go back.

:tasty:

Jared, I could be wrong but I seem to remember you saying in the past that your family has never dined here, and you doubted that you ever would because you weren't sure about the fare. If that's true than I'm glad you gave it a chance!!! If I made it up than I'm just glad you enjoyed your meal. This is one of our favorite meals at Dinsey. And we do eat ham and roast beef! :)
We have ressies coming up in December for MVMCP

[Jared]

Jared, I could be wrong but I seem to remember you saying in the past that your family has never dined here, and you doubted that you ever would because you weren't sure about the fare. If that's true than I'm glad you gave it a chance!!! If I made it up than I'm just glad you enjoyed your meal. This is one of our favorite meals at Dinsey. And we do eat ham and roast beef! :)
We have ressies coming up in December for MVMCP
I also probably said I'd never attend tea!

;)

[BriarRose0708]

Greg is planning on posting some dining reviews from our trip, but I thought I'd throw a few of my own comments about my meals and the dining plan.

Colombia Harbor House
I love this place and will eat here almost every time in the Magic Kingdom.

Sci Fi Drive In
People either love it, hate it, or love to hate it. I loved to LOVE it! I had a really good meal (you can still order burgers at dinner) and a Cherry Coke from the fountain!!!! That alone is :cloud9: for me. I'm not used to gormet dining anyway, even when I cook for myself, so I am perfectly fine with a good burger and fries while on vacation, so Sci Fi really hit the spot for me!

Kona Cafe
Really great breakfast here! The Kona Press Pot is worth getting up early for!

Pinnocchio Village Haus
My chicken ceasar salad was ok, not bad but not stellar either. The cannoli was good!

Liberty Tree Tavern
I really enjoyed the character interaction here! The food, well, I liked it at the time. But with a dash of hindsight, it's all foods I can make at home and better/healthier than what I had at LTT. Not to say I had a bad experience, but I'm not sure I would pay that much for turkey and mashed potatoes again.

Coral Reef
YUM!

Le Cellier
Again, YUM! We did both these restaurants on the same day and oy! I dont think I'll do that again. It was just way too much food.

Flame Tree BBQ
This was very good, probably the best CS meal I had that wasn't fried fish or chicken and french fries. The corn muffin was large enough to be ameal in itself!

Over all I had a great dining experience, and am glad to have taken advantage of the DDP before the change. I am debating if I will use it in 2008, but if after running the numbers I can still save some money, then I might.

[JPL]

Wednesday October 10th

Pop Century Food Court
I arrived at Pop around 10:00 PM and was starving and exhausted after a day at work and then rushing to make my plane. I decided to somewhat get settled(throws bag on bed) and head out to the Everything Pop to grab some food and a refillable mug. I was in th mood for a burger but they said it would be about a 10-15 minute wait and I wasn't in the mood to wait so I got chicken strips instead. They were your standard Disney Chicken strips and fries nothing terrible but nothing great either.

Thursday October 11th
Starring Rolls Bakery

Breakfast
I got up early to meet Traci(Chescat) and Ray(her DH) at MGM. I tried to grab some coffee at Pop but that stuff doesn't even smell like coffee it was terrible so I just said I will grab something at the park. After rope drop while thousands ran for RNRC and ToT I went straight for Starring Rolls to grab a bagel and some Cafe Mocha. While coming from the NYC area the bagel had a lot to be desired it was passable and the Cafe Mocha was pretty good. It was actually bizarre since I startled the CMs and actually had to wait for the cashier to get into to work to pay. I don't think they ever someone in that early before :blush:

Lunch
Backlot Express

At around 11:35 Traci and Ray were both hungry and the bagel just wasn't cutting it so we headed over for lunch. I ordered a Cheeseburger and fries I was walking over to the greatly diminished fixings bar and took the bun off my ice cold burger and when mean Ice cold I'm not kidding it almost felt frozen. I walked back up to the counter and told the girl my burger was cold and she gave me a little attitude and said I would have to wait at least 15 minutes for a new burger. I promptly asked to see a manager and had a slightly albeit not hot burger in a matter of minutes. How can a place open at 11:30 and at 11:40 have cold food already the concepts just baffles my mind. I choked down the burger and ironically enough Traci was asked to take a dining survey as we left the park. All of this with me yelling don't forget to tell them about my cold burger and rude service.

Coming up next my Dining Experience of the trip Fulton's Crab House

[TheSorcererofFantasia]

I've been behind the gun since we flew home late on the 17th and was faced with a death in the family so I'm very behind. Have 10 full days of dining reviews that I am hoping to start working on this weekend if you are all still interested.

[Jared]

I've been behind the gun since we flew home late on the 17th and was faced with a death in the family so I'm very behind. Have 10 full days of dining reviews that I am hoping to start working on this weekend if you are all still interested.
We are. :)

[HndrdPrcnt]

I've been behind the gun since we flew home late on the 17th and was faced with a death in the family so I'm very behind. Have 10 full days of dining reviews that I am hoping to start working on this weekend if you are all still interested.

Would love to hear your reviews, but take the time that you need to deal with what is going on in your family!! May God be with you during this difficult time!!

[JPL]

Have 10 full days of dining reviews that I am hoping to start working on this weekend if you are all still interested.

First off sorry to hear about you loss Cher :pixie:

And are we interested of course we are and it will take the focus off my lazy trip report posting habits ;)

[JPL]

Thursday October 11th
Dinner
Fulton's Crab House

We arrived at Fulton's about 30 minutes before our reservation and met up with 2 other Intercotees that had later reservations. We were already checked in since 2 people from our party arrived before us. We asked if we could add the others to our reservation and they said no problem and in a few minutes we were seated all together. Our waiter came over to begin our dining experience. He was very cordial and talked at length with us about a variety of subjects including our meal nad some little WDW tidbits thrrown in.
To start they brought out some crab dip and some warm bread. For those of you who have never had the crab dip it is awesome on crackers. We proceeded to order our drinks and some of us had appetizers. I ordered the Lobster and Crab Bisque. They bring out the soup in a karaft and place a nice sized portion of lobster and crab meat in the bowl before pouring the soup over it. The soup was excellent and I would highly recommend it.
For my main course I had Alaskan King Crab Legs and and an Australlian Lobster Tail. Of course I was brought a bib before I started eating. The food was excellent more than I could have hoped for. The lobster and crab legs were cooked to perfection and served with drawn butter. It was served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Spinach which were both very tasty but I concentrated on the Lobster and Crab.
For dessert I had the Bananna Cream pie which was unbelievably good. I ate it so fast I don't think anyone else had a chance to see what it looked like although there is a picture of it ;)

Now this was a true dining experience with excellent food, great service and really good friends to share it with. I know some people thing this place is a little pricey but it's definately worth every penny. This is what fine dining is all about not once did we feel rushed and the server was very attentive to our needs.

[Jared]

You've been talking about this meal since we hung out in the Magic Kingdon two Sundays ago, so it must've been great.

Thanks for posting the review, Jeff. All Disney restaurants should aspire to match the same level of food and service.

Down with the Disney Dining Plan!

[JPL]

Down with the Disney Dining Plan!

After eating here everyone will agree with you Jared:thumbsup:

This place is not on the DDP and it shows. It features a full menu, daily specials, no scrimping on the portion sizes, and great servers working hard to make customers happy and earn their tips.

Unlike my next review coming up for Le Cellier.

[Jared]

Unlike my next review coming up for Le Cellier.
That's the other review I've been waiting for. Hurry up and tell everybody about the bad service and disappointing meal.

[Hammer]

Ahh, but Jeff and Jared, you should offset his bad review with my good review of Le Cellier, as I think we were both on the Dining Plan. I really think it is just inconsistency with Disney servers, regardless of if you were on the Dining Plan. I will blame the Dining Plan for the lack of choices at the non-Signature restaurants (the selection is quite good at Narcoossee's, but it is 2TS).

[JPL]

Friday October 12th
Breakfast
A quick Cheese Danish and Cafe Mocha from the cart outside of AK before the Backstage Safari. I love the Cheese Danish at WDW :thumbsup:

Lunch
Flame Tree BBQ

What can you say about a half rack of ribs that are so tender and tasty they are falling off the bone. The y are served with BBQ baked beans and corn bread. The food is still one of the best CS restaurants in all of WDW. I will comment that with the inception of the dining this restaurant lost some popular favorites. They longer offer the full rack of ribs or the half rack of ribs with half chicken entrees. I asked a CM about these 2 entrees and they said they were discontinued so people couldn't share a CS credit on the dining plan and also becuase they were expensive and counted as 1 CS credit so they removed them from the menu. Now my question is why remove them from the menu just take them off the plan. another thing that has disappeared from the menu is Corn on the cob.

Dinner
Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe
I love this place and it rarely disappoints. I had a cheeseburger and fries which was good as always. But I what really love about this place is relaxing with my food and listening to Sonny Eclipse. This trip we got an extra special treat since it was right before the start of MNSSHP. As were were eating Sonny finished his show and the stage rose up into the ceiling taking Sonny with it and up came Elvis Stitch for the start of Stitch's Dance Party :thumbsup:

[JPL]

Saturday October 13th

Breakfast
Sunshine Seasons
A really bad powdered Cappucino and a wolfed down chocolate cruiscant.

Lunch
LeCellier

I have to preface by saying this was always on of my favorite WDW restaurants. We arrive and were seated about 10 minutes after our ADR time and I was surpirsed to see how many empty tables there were especially after we had to wait. I was disappointed with variety on the menu as it has declined since my last meal there a year ago. I was even more disappointed to find out they took French Onion Soup off the menu. I inquired if this was off the lunch or the menu altogether and yes sadly it is gone from both. I ordered the Wasabi Shrimp Cocktail which was well below par it tasted fine but the shrimp were actually partially frozen and mushy :ack: For lunch I ordered the NY strip Steak which was tasty as usual and cooked to perfection. But this is the place of the incredible shrinking steak. They continue to drop 2-4 oz. off the steaks every time I visit. I remember the day of the 20 oz steak for dinner and the 16 oz steak for lunch. Then it was the 16 0z. for dinner and 12 oz. for lunch. Now it's a 12 oz. for dinner and 10 oz. for lunch. The only thing that didn't shrink was the price. The service was adequate at best nothing great. We skipped dessert since we had the Illuminations Desserrt Party later. Overall LeCellier went from a signature steakhouse and great dining experience to an overpriced Outback. I totally blame these changes on the DDP. It really is sad to see how much it has been declining over the years. I am not even I would recommend it any more and it definately fell off must visit list.


Dinner
Everything Pop

Got back from Epcot and was on the hungry side so I grabbed the standard Chicken Strips and Fries from the food court. Nothing special but nice comfort food. :thumbsup:

[Jared]

Just another example of why the Disney Dining Plan stinks. Sorry, Christine, and I understand your point, but Jeff and I agree about this issue.

I'm willing to pay for a good meal, so long the experience matches my expectations. When I make a reservation at a signature restaurant like Le Cellier, I expect a premier evening. The Disney Dining Plan values quantity more than quality, and the menu selections and service are suffering.

[JPL]

Basically my feelings about DDP are simple they took restaurants that were not really accessible to some people due to cost and made them affordable and therefore more accessible. But in doing this it hurt the people willing to pay for a true dining experience. It took some really great and unique restaurants that were often highlights of people's vacations and made them very ordinary. The people who couldn't afford them or even just thought they were too expensive are happy since they feel like they are getting a great value and a good deal on food. What they don't realize since some have never been to these restaurants pre_DDP is that the menus have lost their variety and the portion sizes have been reduced along with some of the overall food quality. In reality they are most likely paying close to full price for the food by paying rack rates for room and playing right into Disney's hands with MYW tickets and packages. I honestly don't think there is any value in the plan as far as savings when I usually get a room for an average price of around $69 per night with AP discounts. Rack Rate is $109 per night which makes the true cost of the dining plan around $79 a day this is pretty much what I would spend on food when I eat at a TS restaurant along with a CS lunch and a snack or 2. And now with the 2008 DDP they are taking away the appetizer and tip for the basic plan which makes the value even less.

[Hammer]

We will just have to agree to disagree (to a certain extent) on this restaurant, guys. I do only eat dinner there as we go specifically for the mushroom filet mignon. I have not had any other entrée and neither has Cheryl. We have always had good service and the food (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2953004620102424855LWsrrT?vhost=family) was cooked to our specifications. It isn't a signature dining experience, but it really never was to me, even before the Dining Plan. It has always been simply a good restaurant to me. If this was Wolfgang Puck Café, I would be in agreement with you ;). Maybe you both need to go to dinner there with Cheryl and I to have a good experience :). Jeff, did you see my Dining reviews? I posted them separately, as I was there beyond the Meet.

[Jared]

Are you offering to take Jeff and I to dinner? Trust me, neither of us will object.

:)

[JPL]

For free I can almost garauntee it will be better ;)

But seriously I have eaten dinner there several times and recently each time it just keeps getting worse and worse.

[Hammer]

Hey, I just said we should all dine together; I never said I would pay ;) !

Seriously, I do agree with your premise, Jeff, just not at this restaurant. I know you and I both thought this way about the breakfast at Boma. It was good, but many of the imaginative dishes have been removed.

[JPL]

Hey, I just said we should all dine together; I never said I would pay ;) !


Ok fine I'll buy if you guys pay for me to get there and give me a place to stay :thumbsup:

[Jared]

Ok fine I'll buy if you guys pay for me to get there and give me a place to stay :thumbsup:
Any room on the flight, Christine? I can get to Newark!

[JPL]

Still waiting on Cher here :wait:

[TikiGoddess]

Okay, I'm not Cher but I just found this thread and it's just the thing I need tonight! It's been a month since the trip and I am still thinking about it.

Friday lunch: Turkey Ciabatta from the Pop Food Court. Eaten at a table next to the Hippy Dippy pool, minutes after arriving at Pop from the airport. Ahh, bliss. That's one great sandwich, but the best part was realizing I was in FL with the whole weekend ahead of me!

Friday dinner: at Pinocchio Village Haus. A tasty sandwich. Made better by sitting in a nearly empty restaurant by the windows that overlook 'it's a small world' and waving at the guests riding. :)

Saturday breakfast: squashed bagel brought from home in suitcase, with stolen butter from the food court (thanks, Amy!).

Saturday lunch: Caeser Salad from the Liberty Inn. I loved that I could eat outside and watch the crowds go by. October weather is awesome!

Saturday Tea: What an unforgettable experience! It was amazing.

Saturday dinner: We grabbed sandwiches at the Norwegian bakery. With the crowds in WS, we were just happy to get any kind of food! Dessert was the best, watching Illuminations... ;)

Sunday morning: Another flat bagel from the suitcase. :)

Sunday lunch: Flame Tree. Kid's meal: hot dog, grapes, carrots. Eating like my daughters -- not bad, though.

Sunday dinner: Pizza at Toy Story Pizza Planet. Maybe it was because I was ravenous, but that was the BEST pizza. The veggie pizza had just enough spice to it to make it interesting.

Monday morning: guess.

Monday lunch: Sushi at Wolfgang Puck's. I LOVE sushi, and this was excellent. I had a nice mango ice tea with it and spent almost an hour sitting outside, writing down my adventures.

Monday dinner: Sbarro pizza at MCO. It filled the space in my stomach, that's all I can say about it!

I know it wasn't the most glamorous trip dining-wise, but it was a budget trip. I'm glad to see some tastier CS options. Everything I had I was pleasantly surprised.

Kathy