Dining Reviews 8/17-8/22

[LAWalz23]

We were on the dining plan for 3 nights and on our own for 2 nights. There were two adults, my DSis and me and two children, sis's twins, girl/boy, age 8, and WDW vets, this being their 7th trip.

Our first afternoon, we had lunch at Flametree at AK. We shared two adult rib platters. More than enough food for us, especially in the heat. Meal was ok but we prefer our ribs with more sauce. Deserts were chocolate cake, nephew liked and key lime pie, niece liked. Used two CS about $32. We didn't realize that our receipts came without prices until that evening.
Dinner at Chef Mickey's. Food was good. Characters seemed a bit rushed. We had two smooothies and two botled waters plus paid OOP for two glow drinks. 4 TS = $135 + $11.63 +$5 extra tip. This is our traditional 1st night dinner so we will be back.

Our 2nd day we had breakfast at AKL concierge, then lunch at Cinderella's which was paid OOP about $110. The food was pretty good. Sis and I had Major Domos pie, not what I thought it would be but tasty. The kids had the baked macaroni and hot dogs which they said was ok. Desserts were nothing special either. Picture was nice and kids liked their wishing stars and wand and sword. Would not return unless niece picked it again.
Later we had dinner at Pecos Bills. Hamburgers/cheeseburgers, ff, diet cokes and peanutbutter parfait all around. Kids did not want what was on the kids menu (this was to become a theme and what I was concerned about before we left) so we got 4 adult meals. Hamburgers, ff and toppings were very good. Dessert was okay. Used 4 CS about $56. Looked around at Mara and bought 3 mugs for $38.

Day 3 Breakfast once again at the AKL concierge. Kids went to the Adventure Club and had lunch there as it was included. Sis and I had snacks from the lounge.
For dinner we had ADRs at Boma and was able to eat early as we were hungry. We all enjoyed the desserts and soups, rest of the food was a little too spicy for most of our group (not me). We were able to order smoothies here also, 2 Mango and 1 Raspberry and 1 soda (no bottled water). Used 4 TS =$123 + $5 extra tip.
After dinner we went to DTD and Goofy's Kitchen and used 6 snack credits on make your own Mickey rice krispy treats, 2, Gingerbread cookies, 2, and pretzels, 2. About $20.
We were hungry when we got back to AKL so we had 2 double cheeseburger platters with 2 waters and 2 Mickey rice krispy treats. 2 CS about $26.

 

[LAWalz23]

Day 4 Breakfast at AK, it was part of the Sunrise Safari and we move to another room with no DDP, so we had to use 4 TS, 4 CS and 6 Snack credits by midnight.
For lunch we went to The Land at EPCOt and split two sweet n sour and lomein platters ok but nowhere near Chinese food in NY. We all had ice cream cones for dessert. 2 CS about $26 and 2 Snack about $6,
For dinner, we went to the Coral Reef, our most expensive meal by far and the food was good but nothing special. I had the shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, chocolate wave and diet coke, sis had green salad, strip steak, chocolate wave and diet coke. Niece and nephew were not happy with the selections (would have preferred kids steak or fish sticks or chicken fingers) and both had cream of mushroom soup, grilled chicken, make your own sundae and blue whale to drink, which cost an extra $5 each OOP. This was the only place where the only beverage option was soda. Server did only charge us for glowing ice cubes instead of entire drink saving $3. Total for 4 TS was $160 + $5 extra tip and $11.63 for 2 glow cubes.
My sis paid OOP for 4 waters and 1 popcorn at Fantasmic about $14. She didn't want to use the snack credits!
Upon return to Mara we needed to use the last 2 CS and 4 Snacks so I asked what constituted a CS and the cashier said any 4 items. So we wound up with 4 bowls of cereal, 2 milks, 2 blueberry muffins and 4 Mickey rc treats. 2 CS about $20 and 4 snacks about $11, icluding tax.

 

[LAWalz23]

We were not on the meal plan for days 5 and 6.
Day 5 Breakfast was what we bought the night before at Mara.
Lunch was at PrimeTime, nephew decided he wanted this on day 2 and the only time we could get was 11:25am. Niece and nephew wanted to know if they got an appetizer and dessert, they learn quickly! Anyway, niece got kid's chicken noodle soup that she enjoyed and the rest of us shared an order of onion rings, then we shared 2 pot pies as the kids were not enthralled with the kids selections here either. Kids got coke floats and sis and I had shakes, chocolate and PB&J. We then shared a smores for dessert, this is 1/2 the portion of what it was 5 years ago. About $75 including tax and tip.
We were tired from the day before so we went back early and had dinner at Mara. We had a double hamburger platter, fried shrimp platter, kids chicken fingers and 3 soups, 2 potato & bacon and a butternut squash. Three large cookies and a chocolate danish for dessert. About $50.

Day 6 Breakfast at Ohanas. Food was ok. Characters gave quite a show, especially Pluto and Stitch. About $75 including tax and tip.

Final thoughts, we definately enjoyed the meal and would do it again even if we had to pay for it as it suits the way we usually eat at WDW with at least 1 TS and 1 CS a day. Our dinners alone would have paid for the cost of the plan had we paid out of pocket, meaning all of the CS and snacks were basically free. The one problem we encountered were the kids meals at both CS and TS, niece and nephew were not thrilled and we had to pick places wisely and/or share adult platters, letting them pick the entree. I commend WDW for venturing from the standards a bit but chicken fingers and hamburgers, even grilled cheese should be staples for kids.

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoyed reading your reviews ~ Thanx for sharing.

 

[swankybeth]

Great reviews, thanks for taking the time to post.

 

[Laurafoster]

Good Review! Thanks!

 

[DisOrBust]

That is the same problem I have with my 9yo. I know its been beaten to death but they reallly need "Junior Menus", as they do at Sea WOrld. How many kids wanr "chilled chicken and grapes" when theres chicken fingers on the menu???

I have told my 9yo I would make her a 10yo for our trip so she would have more selections. Nope, she figured it would cost an extra 250$ and there is no way she can eat all that! My little mizer, she'll be the investment banker of the family.

 

[janets]

Thanks for the review.

Can you explain about the beverage situation at Coral Reef? What do you mean by the only beverage being soda? Did you mean you couldn't get a smoothie or shake? I can't imagine they did away with iced tea or milk or even juice there. We were there in April and had no problem with beverages.

I also have the same problem with my 8yo. He just wants average kid foods...burgers, chicken fingers, etc. He has become more adventurous with trying soups lately, and I could probably entice him with a steak but some of the choices, while interesting and perhaps considered healthier, are too out there for him (he wouldn't eat a salad under penalty of death!).

I have another question for you too, but to keep this thread from turning into an unpleasant discussion, I'm going to PM you, if that's okay.

 

[LAWalz23]

DisorBust, my sister is going back and forth about this for next year for her kids because she knows it will be a problem with them and the kids menus again. Junior menus would probably be the answer because most kids under 12 would probably be happy with that. Have a good trip!

janets, I was actually surprised that niece and nephew ordered the soup, they ate about 1/2 of it. We were told by our server that only soda was included on the DDP because we asked if any other beverages were included as I had read reviews saying that folks had gotten other types on the DDP but she was very firm about only soda. She did charge us "only" for the glowing ice cubes at $5 each plus tax and the tip was automatically added as it had been at Chef Mickeys when we got the specialty drinks with the cubes for the kids. Which were only 50 cents more expensive than the smoothies. Have fun!

 

[scoutsmom99]

LAWalz23,

Great reviews. You are getting me psyched for my free dining trip. I hope you all enjoyed your stay at AKL.

 

[LAWalz23]

Thanks, Lisa! We did enjoy our stay! Kids were able to do Adventure camp on Sat and really enjoyed it!

 

[janets]

janets, I was actually surprised that niece and nephew ordered the soup, they ate about 1/2 of it. We were told by our server that only soda was included on the DDP because we asked if any other beverages were included as I had read reviews saying that folks had gotten other types on the DDP but she was very firm about only soda. She did charge us "only" for the glowing ice cubes at $5 each plus tax and the tip was automatically added as it had been at Chef Mickeys when we got the specialty drinks with the cubes for the kids. Which were only 50 cents more expensive than the smoothies. Have fun!

Well, that is definitely disappointing and I might have to speak up about it. My kids do not drink soda. Not because I don't want them to (which is true) but because they don't like it. They drink milk or juice. When we were there in April, there was no trouble about having either on the DDP at CR. Maybe the server didn't understand your question and thought you were asking about smoothies or other types of specialty drinks? Not sure but you can bet I'll be asking for milk/juice there. If I'm not mistaken, the plan brochure states non alcoholic beverage, and that encompasses drinks other than soda. How do you force people to drink soda or pay for a beverage? While I guess technically they can, it wouldn't be very customer friendly. I'll report back what I find. We leave in 2 weeks.

 

[DiszyDean]

I find it strange that they would limit the drink selection to just soda. When we were there last year, any non-alcoholic beverage ( besides shakes or smoothies at some places) were fair game. Including, milk, juice, bottled water. Not sure if that has changed or not.

 

[theostwalts]

That is the same problem I have with my 9yo. I know its been beaten to death but they reallly need "Junior Menus", as they do at Sea WOrld. How many kids wanr "chilled chicken and grapes" when theres chicken fingers on the menu???

I have told my 9yo I would make her a 10yo for our trip so she would have more selections. Nope, she figured it would cost an extra 250$ and there is no way she can eat all that! My little mizer, she'll be the investment banker of the family.

I actually did this for our 8 year old dd for our next trip. Our other 2 dds will be 15 and 10. I could just see her sitting there with cold chicken and grapes looking at what everyone else had..........

 

[notnothin]

Thanks for sharing your reviews.

 

[pixiechick]

Thanks for the reviews.

It crazy how each restaurant varies. Some places the tip was added to any additional items, at others it wasn't. In some places DS's smoothie was allowed, not in others.

 

[Katy Belle]

Thanks for the great reviews! One question...what is a "make your own Mickey rice krispy treat?" Do the kids get to cut it out, or put on sprinkles??? Just curious, sounds like fun!
Katy

 

[LAWalz23]

Hi Katy, actually all you get to is pick out the stuff thst goes on to the Mickey r c treat. When you get to the counter, there are sheets of paper with the different treats then the differemt toppings, you select the ones you want and then someone makes it for you. You can watch. It is then put in a refrigerator and when it is set they call your name and ask if you want it boxed to go. It is fun to watch your treat being made.

 

[english rose 47]

I am so glad DGS loves Mac & Cheese .He would pick that over anything.. so all I had to do was check which restaurants offered that as a kids selection and knew we'd be fine. The park I found the least appealing for my picky eaters was AK That is proofing a challenge may have to go back to Pop to eat. There are so many restaurants I would love to try but with a bunch of No fish Nochinese No polynesian and No African I,m stuck with the All American Menus!!! Can't wait till I can post my own reviews.

 

[Katy Belle]

Thanks! That sounds like fun!
Katy