Mammabruski
05-12-2011, 02:27 PM
I mentioned this over in my trip reports, but I felt it needed its own review.... I wasn't quite sure where to put this since it was more than just a dining review... Mods, feel free to move this!
I was so excited for this dinner, as it promised to bring the "best dishes" from around the World Showcase right to us at the Odyssey Building. When we were seated it took quite some time to get our drinks ordered, and then after receiving our drinks, we were never offered refills. It was very hard to find our waiter. The meal was served buffet style and the dishes were “inspired” by, not brought from the restaurants around the World Showcase. The fish “inspired” by UK was the yucky stuff you get at counter services like the Columbia Harbor House – NOT the UK counter service restaurant. Japan’s “inspiration” was brown rice. Seriously. China’s was greasy, tasteless stir-fry. Italy’s was the biggest joke. It was rigatoni noodles and white or red sauce. You could add vegetables too it, or cheese. The stand outs were from Morocco which was a yummy chicken dish, fairly exotic and spicy, which not everyone in my party liked. The beef dish from France was also good but only the first batch was acceptable. I must have gotten the first round of the beef; because my sister said her beef was too tough to cut with the butter knives we were provided.
After dinner the MC “Auntie Roz” lead the kids in a story, and then there was dancing with Goofy and Minnie. They also had a couple dances where you could dance with your husband/wife/kids to music like “A dream is a wish your heart makes”. This part was great. At the end of dinner they gave you a pin which was entry to the dessert buffet just to the right of the back of the shop closest to the Odyssey building by the entrance of the World Showcase. Before heading there you got to have a Photopass picture with Goofy and Minnie. That was another plus.
The dessert buffet itself was something I was looking forward to. Again the food was a HUGE disappointment. There was nothing specially made. The desserts seemed like they could’ve been purchased from a grocery store, not Disney made. The viewing area was fairly large, but there were very few “front row” spaces. People were packed 3-4 deep. We were lucky enough to get a spot right in the middle at the front. I think it would’ve been better on one of the peninsulas instead of crammed in at the front. Also the general public was right next to us, glaring at us and trying to climb the rope to join us! A CM actually had to escort people who were not wearing pins out!
Overall I wouldn’t do this again. Nope. No way! Especially since it was 2 TS credits! I know the viewing area for Illuminations was special (but REALLY crowded), but the food needs to be much, much better for 2 TS. Bad show Disney!
I was so excited for this dinner, as it promised to bring the "best dishes" from around the World Showcase right to us at the Odyssey Building. When we were seated it took quite some time to get our drinks ordered, and then after receiving our drinks, we were never offered refills. It was very hard to find our waiter. The meal was served buffet style and the dishes were “inspired” by, not brought from the restaurants around the World Showcase. The fish “inspired” by UK was the yucky stuff you get at counter services like the Columbia Harbor House – NOT the UK counter service restaurant. Japan’s “inspiration” was brown rice. Seriously. China’s was greasy, tasteless stir-fry. Italy’s was the biggest joke. It was rigatoni noodles and white or red sauce. You could add vegetables too it, or cheese. The stand outs were from Morocco which was a yummy chicken dish, fairly exotic and spicy, which not everyone in my party liked. The beef dish from France was also good but only the first batch was acceptable. I must have gotten the first round of the beef; because my sister said her beef was too tough to cut with the butter knives we were provided.
After dinner the MC “Auntie Roz” lead the kids in a story, and then there was dancing with Goofy and Minnie. They also had a couple dances where you could dance with your husband/wife/kids to music like “A dream is a wish your heart makes”. This part was great. At the end of dinner they gave you a pin which was entry to the dessert buffet just to the right of the back of the shop closest to the Odyssey building by the entrance of the World Showcase. Before heading there you got to have a Photopass picture with Goofy and Minnie. That was another plus.
The dessert buffet itself was something I was looking forward to. Again the food was a HUGE disappointment. There was nothing specially made. The desserts seemed like they could’ve been purchased from a grocery store, not Disney made. The viewing area was fairly large, but there were very few “front row” spaces. People were packed 3-4 deep. We were lucky enough to get a spot right in the middle at the front. I think it would’ve been better on one of the peninsulas instead of crammed in at the front. Also the general public was right next to us, glaring at us and trying to climb the rope to join us! A CM actually had to escort people who were not wearing pins out!
Overall I wouldn’t do this again. Nope. No way! Especially since it was 2 TS credits! I know the viewing area for Illuminations was special (but REALLY crowded), but the food needs to be much, much better for 2 TS. Bad show Disney!