Counter Service Dining comments for October 6-14, 2007

[Mickey'sGirl]

After much hemming and hawing (and 3 trips using the incredible DDE card), we opted to purchase the Dining Plan for our most recent trip. We typically eat at TS restaurants at least one time per day, and the convenience of having our food paid for before our holiday finally convinced us. I am going to provide a brief review of some of the restaurants, and of the plan itself.

See my Table Service comments here: Part 1 and Part 2

This is just a commentary on some of our Counter Service choices.
Saturday night we arrived at WDW at dinner time and headed to MK right away. We grabbed dinner at Cosmic Rays after Spectromagic. We love the atmosphere at Rays, and the entertainment (Sonny Eclipse rocks!). We all opted for burgers, which the CM told DH were not available to our children under the plan, but gave to us anyway (thanks!). A burger is a burger, and the fixins bar was great. This was a good choice for us.

On Tuesday we returned to Port Orleans Riverside for lunch at about 1:30 – so that we could rest and have a swim. This was our first foray into the food court, and we were extremely disappointed at the choices, or lack thereof, available. The children’s choices were even more dismal than the adult choices, so we ended up getting a couple of pizzas and a couple of orders of “chicken nuggets” and fries to share between us. The pizza was decent, but honestly I was beginning to fear that my children would turn into pizzas before long – the “chicken” was abysmal. I really should have taken it up to the kitchen manager to complain, but I don’t know that it would have rectified the situation at all. It was dried out and thin and tasteless. I don’t serve prepared foods to the kids at home, so maybe I just don’t know what it’s like – but even McDonald’s chicken bits seem to be chicken. Leaving the food court, we decided that we would cancel our dinner reservation back at the Crystal Palace, and go to Boma instead. We needed some really good food.

Thursday we had lunch at the Tangierine Café in Morocco at Epcot. It is one of the best CS options available at WDW if you ask me. Brian and I both had the Lamb Shawaramas with couscous and lentil salads. Fresh, fragrant and fabulous! We have always enjoyed anything we have eaten at this location. We actually made a return trip to it on Saturday Night before the Illuminations meet. We ate lightly, because we wanted to sample a couple of items from the F&W booths outside.

We picked up some Spicy Tuna rolls at the Japanese Booth for Harry and me to share. They were about 3 bucks. They were fresh and tasty and I wanted more, but I resisted. Then we got some of the Kaki Gori for the kids. They had fun eating the shaved ice whilst chasing the lizards on the tower in “Japan”.

On Friday night we had dinner at Pinocchio’s Village Haus. We opted for Chicken Salads and of course PIZZA to share. The salads were fabulous. They were fresh and the Mediterranean one I had was very very tasty. We like to sit at a table overlooking the boarding for It’s a Small World. It was a great way to start off the Halloween Party!

[MauiMouse]

Thursday we had lunch at the Tangierine Café in Morocco at Epcot. It is one of the best CS options available at WDW if you ask me.

I agree with you on this one! I've eaten here the last two trips and I'll definitely be back.

[offwego]

Jenn I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your food court experience at POR (we had sandwiches there and loved both the turkey and beef and blue one..and we also lucked out with a carvery chicken thing but found the pasta/pizza place not as good..the burgers however that my mom and stepdad had looked eh to me!)

I appreciate your reviews..and sorry that you were having such a tough time finding good food for the boys.

[AbeeNormal]

Sorry to hear about Port Orleans - Again hopefully everthing else made up for it.

[ElenitaB]

Jenn, sorry the POR foodcourt was a bust! The one at POFQ has more interesting offerings... just one of the reasons we prefer the smaller POFQ to POR (though POR does have those trundle beds).

I get Middle Eastern food very easily here in my corner of the world, but I must say that the couscous at Tangierine Cafe is the best I've ever eaten. One of these days I've got to get that recipe.

And based on your description, I think we'll finally venture over to Pinocchio's for lunch one day. Their salads really do sound intriguing.

Thanks for sharing your impressions.

[Jared]

Sorry to hear lunch on Tuesday was such a disaster. I was wondering where you had such a bad experience after reading your first thread.


Anyway, thanks for sharing your reviews! Now, time to check out your final thoughts.

[January-2007]

Thanks for the review.

[TBY2225]

DH and I love Tangeriene as well! The platters are one of the best CS to get on your Dining Plan and are big enough to share! The food is good and so different than then usual burgers and fries everywhere else!~

[disneydrmr]

Another good review! Off to read your final thoughts