hotelhound
05-25-2009, 01:51 PM
We just returned from a 7 day land/sea vacation - May 14-21. I'll focus on the land dining reviews here although with a surprise upgrade to Beach Club club level and the cruise, there is a lot to share.
1st Night -- Flying Fish -- my 10 yo dd's request and my favorite for the entire week based solely on food. Always terrific -- I enjoyed the tuna. 3 dd's ordered onion soup and salads and all were very happy. DS (4) had chicken strips and was also very happy. FF is one of my favs.
2nd Day Lunch -- 50's Prime Time Cafe -- another request from dd #3 -- food was much better than I remembered. Kids worked very hard to be part of the Clean Plate club. Our server was young and clearly working too many tables so that part of the fun never happened. Too bad because that's really the reason to visit.
2nd Day Dinner -- Coral Reef -- DW's request. I came very close to cancelling these ADRs based on what I had heard however the Beach Club concierge assured me that the restaurant was one of the "top" dining experiences in all of the World so we kept them. Boy, did she get an earful (nicely) when we returned. The biggest disappointment of the week, if not, ever in my nearly 2 dozen trips to WDW. Terrible table location, terrible service (do I really need to hear how all of your other customers that day have had food allergies so you hope we don't?), and mediocre, stale food. We will never return and never recommend. It's not even worth going into what we ordered. Skip this or enter at your own risk.
Day 3 Breakfast -- Character Breakfast at Cape May --- what trip is complete without a character meal? We had never dined here -- most character meals have either been Chef Mickey's or at the Swan for breakfast. Server was drolly entertaining and the characters did spend a lot of time with us. Food was good and plentiful selection. My preference is still the Swan because it is the most low key but I would rank this second because of the chaos that is Chef Mickey's.
Day 3 Dinner -- Chefs de France, a request of DD1. Aside from me, this was everyone's favorite meal and I also enjoyed it. I had escargots, the cheese plate and a salad. More French onion soup for the girls and my wife had something she loved but I can't remember. Our server, Bryce, was terrific. BTW, my wife could not get over how handsome all of the young waiters were -- definitely added to her dining experience. We'll add this to the return list for our next trip.
Day 4 Breakfast -- Tusker House --- a suggestion from the cruise check in lady at the Beach Club --- and the food was good. Another buffet with some local 's thrown in -- not quite as ambitious or delicious as Boma -- but still a treat. Character interaction was more abbreviated than at Cape May. The location was prime because we went in before the park opened and finished just after the park opened so we were able to hop right in the safari line with no wait. Not sure I'd return for the food but enjoyable.
1st Night -- Flying Fish -- my 10 yo dd's request and my favorite for the entire week based solely on food. Always terrific -- I enjoyed the tuna. 3 dd's ordered onion soup and salads and all were very happy. DS (4) had chicken strips and was also very happy. FF is one of my favs.
2nd Day Lunch -- 50's Prime Time Cafe -- another request from dd #3 -- food was much better than I remembered. Kids worked very hard to be part of the Clean Plate club. Our server was young and clearly working too many tables so that part of the fun never happened. Too bad because that's really the reason to visit.
2nd Day Dinner -- Coral Reef -- DW's request. I came very close to cancelling these ADRs based on what I had heard however the Beach Club concierge assured me that the restaurant was one of the "top" dining experiences in all of the World so we kept them. Boy, did she get an earful (nicely) when we returned. The biggest disappointment of the week, if not, ever in my nearly 2 dozen trips to WDW. Terrible table location, terrible service (do I really need to hear how all of your other customers that day have had food allergies so you hope we don't?), and mediocre, stale food. We will never return and never recommend. It's not even worth going into what we ordered. Skip this or enter at your own risk.
Day 3 Breakfast -- Character Breakfast at Cape May --- what trip is complete without a character meal? We had never dined here -- most character meals have either been Chef Mickey's or at the Swan for breakfast. Server was drolly entertaining and the characters did spend a lot of time with us. Food was good and plentiful selection. My preference is still the Swan because it is the most low key but I would rank this second because of the chaos that is Chef Mickey's.
Day 3 Dinner -- Chefs de France, a request of DD1. Aside from me, this was everyone's favorite meal and I also enjoyed it. I had escargots, the cheese plate and a salad. More French onion soup for the girls and my wife had something she loved but I can't remember. Our server, Bryce, was terrific. BTW, my wife could not get over how handsome all of the young waiters were -- definitely added to her dining experience. We'll add this to the return list for our next trip.
Day 4 Breakfast -- Tusker House --- a suggestion from the cruise check in lady at the Beach Club --- and the food was good. Another buffet with some local 's thrown in -- not quite as ambitious or delicious as Boma -- but still a treat. Character interaction was more abbreviated than at Cape May. The location was prime because we went in before the park opened and finished just after the park opened so we were able to hop right in the safari line with no wait. Not sure I'd return for the food but enjoyable.