andrabell
Property of Walt Disney (BPAL RULES) !PATA PATA!
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2003
We've been back just a couple of days and I had a chance to soak my aching feet and get some laundry done!
Here are my detailed dining reviews.
Demographic info: Me~34 and DH, Rob~ 36 with no children
Thanksgiving Dinner at 'Ohana:
Atmosphere: A+
Service: B+
Food: A-
Total with tax and tip: $65.63
This is something I would love to do every year from now until infinity, Thanksgiving at Disney! This was our first time to the Polynesian and its a lovely place. Very well kept, not showing its age at all. Our PS was for 6:40pm but we arrived early at about 6pm and checked in. We didn't care how long we waited, we figured we'd have a seat, order an aperitif and people watch. We didnt even have our bums in the seats and the pager sounded. We walked up to the hostess who proceeded to let us stand there for a length of time, while looking at a woman to the side of us who was talking to another server. We didnt know what to make of it. So after about 5 minutes, I said, hello are we going to be seated? And the hostess was so embarrassed. She thought the other woman was with us and she was waiting for her to finish. She apologized profusely and led us to a table right at the window, front and center view of the amazing Cinderella Castle along with Main Street Station all alight and the spires of Space Mountain. OH WOW! I was mesmerized and speechless! I was on cloud nine and beaming, DH got a kick out of that. He was even impressed with the view. The servers were a bit hurried, as it was fairly busy, although we did note several empty tables. The platter of food we got was warm, but not hot, but was delicious. The turkey was tender, and all the trimmings were just lovely, especially the dressing and the spicy crisp green beans! We asked for more turkey, mash, dressing and cranberries and this platter was served up piping hot. The pumpkin tarts were nice too. I dont now if the food tasted better due to the view of the Magic Kingdom but we really enjoyed our meal. I had a soft drink and DH had two beers that added to the tab a bit but I still thought it was also good value at $23.99 per person and didnt have to cook or clean up!
Friday November 28th
Late lunch at Restaurant Marrakesh in Epcot
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Food: A+
Total with tax and tip: $62.11
This is a favorite of mine and DH enjoyed it as well. We walked in with no PS at around 3:30pm and were seated right away. I love the dim, quiet atmosphere. We both ordered the Berber Feast at $18.99 per person. DH had two beers and I had a soft drink. We were served a mixed greens salad with feta, olives and a balsamic dressing. Crisp, cold and fresh. The main course was a huge platter of tender braised lamb; chicken kebab served over a spicy sun dried tomato sauce, a pile of couscous and assorted mixed vegetables. Dessert was a bowl of mixed fresh fruit that was a fresh, crisp and sweet mixture of assorted melon, grapes and apples drizzled with honey. This was a wonderful meal, highly recommended!
Saturday November 29th
Anniversary Celebration Dinner at Citricos at The Grand Floridian
Atmosphere: B+/A-
Service: A+
Food: A
Total with tax and tip: $222.51
Disney really knows how to make you feel special. We drove up to the entry guard to check in and he wished us happy anniversary. It was so sweet and DH was very surprised! We used the valet parking and made our Grand entrance. Another OH WOW! The Christmas decorations were to die for. My husband and I decided we would love to stay here. Its very romantic and beautiful. We had a look around and took some photos like good little tourists then checked in at Citricos. We were on time and were seated right away. We were presented with menus that were personalized Happy Anniversary Mr. And Mrs. Ruscoe!!! I nearly died and cried. Our waiter was just about perfect with his timing and the meal was flawless. We started with appetizers, a warm onion tart for me and a crab and corn cake for DH. Succulent! Then we both had the lobster bisque. Heavenly! And for the main course I had the rib eye with olive oil mashed potatoes and DH had the braised veal shank with garlic mashed. Amazing! We had the wine pairings with the whole meal and it was a big hit. For dessert I had the tropical crème brulee and DH had the press pot coffee. He declared the coffee very good and I couldnt talk with my mouth full of silky, sexy custard! I gave the atmosphere points off as the restaurant started off very subdued and hushed even though it was quite full but as the dinner wore on it got so very noisy and full of children. Citricos isnt cheap, mind you, but it was a special occasion and worth every cent!
Sunday November 30th
Lunch at Pizzeria Uno on 192
Two words: DONT GO!
Monday December 1st
Dinner at Rose and Crown Pub in Epcot
Atmosphere: A+
Service: A
Food: B+
Total with tax and tip: $98.64
After an entire day commando-ing Epcot, we couldnt wait for dinner. Our PS was for 7:30pm but we arrived in the UK by 6:45pm. We got pints at the stand and had a seat on a bench to people watch. We could hear the lively sounds of British Invasion doing a set and it was excellent. I checked in at 7:15pm and got a pager. We were seated at 8:08pm. We didnt mind the delay especially since we were seated waterside with a spectacular view of World Showcase Lagoon. It was our first time to see IllumiNations! and it was looking good so far. We had pints and ordered starters, I the mushroom medley (OMG!) and DH the lamb and barely soup. For the main courses I had the fish and chips, which was very good and fairly authentic according to my English husband. DH wanted the pie sampler but not really. He asked if he could have two of the chicken and leek pies along with mash, gravy and peas rather than the three different pies with green beans. They were very accommodating and he was served three chicken and leek pies with mash, gravy and peas. He enjoyed it all but declared the crust too thick to be proper crust. Oh well! Sarah, our server was lovely and she and my DH had lots to chat about being from the same country and all. We had our dessert during IllumiNations! and it was the best dessert ever! I cant remember what we had but everything tastes better at Disney.
Tuesday December 2nd
Dinner at Carrabbas Italian Grill on 192
It was good over all but the pasta was not al dente (surprise surprise).
Wednesday December 3rd
Character Breakfast at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Food: B+
Character Interaction: A+
Total with tax and tip: $41.19
I cant stress enough that everyone should have a character dining experience at least one in their lives. It was magical (I know I keep saying this word but its so true). The buffet breakfast was hot and fresh. Our server was very nice and brought us hot coffee, cold juice and thick, creamy, ice-cold chocolate milk for me! The breakfast breads like the walnut and spice where moist and fresh. I sampled a bit of everything and found it all to be nice except for the pancakes. Not good, a bit hard. The raspberry streusel cake was a total foodgasm. The characters were so very good. I was a bit unsure how they would be with an adult couple sans children. But they all were very attentive, funny and sweet. I have a wonderful photo of Tigger grabbing my very shy husband, who turned bright red. It was priceless.
Wednesday December 3rd
Dinner at Cinderellas Royal Table
Atmosphere: A
Service: C+
Food: C
Character Interaction: A+ (Bonus meeting of Belle in the lobby)
Total with tax and tip: $90.00
Im sorry to say that this was not the best dining experience, especially since all the rest of them so far had been just about perfect. We were disappointed with the food and service but otherwise we had a pleasant enough time. We checked in and were told to go right on upstairs. We entered in the lobby and had a look around. Its really pretty; I love the big velvet throne. I posed for a pic and then went to use the ladies room. When I stepped out of the restroom there was Belle standing there in her gorgeous golden gown. A family was just exiting and my husband was a little in awe, and couldnt help but laugh at the expression on my face. We had Belle all to ourselves, how very magical! We chatted a bit and posed for pictures. I felt like a little girl (a very underdressed little girl). A few minutes later another family entered the lobby and we said our goodbyes and headed up the red-carpeted staircase. We were seated at a table next to the large leaded windows with a great view of Fantasyland. Our server was quite rushed, going through the motions. I will say that I loved the pretzel bread rolls they served. We gobbled up two baskets full! DH ordered chicken vegetable soup and I ordered Caesars Salad. The soup came out quickly and my salad didnt come out until 10 minutes later. Our entrees arrived and I was still eating my salad. I really dont like to feel rushed when Im eating. DH ordered the tenderloin and I the prime rib. Both were cooked as we asked but nothing special, not for the prices they charge. DH ordered coffee and I ordered the banana crème brulee for dessert. It was not good. Flavorless and lumpy, more like a pudding than the smooth custard it should have been. The highlight was being able to see Wishes! It was a really good view, but the kids at the next table kept screaming so loudly no one could hear the music or the narration. Disneys dining has come such a long way and I feel that Cinderellas Royal Table needs to step up their game. For the prices they are charging, they really need to improve the menu diversity and food quality. Its the jewel in the crown of the Magic Kingdom and its not living up to its name or reputation.
Thursday December 4th
Dinner at Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Atmosphere: B
Service: A
Food: A+
Total with tax and tip: $59.10
The Animal Kingdom Lodge is gorgeous. We got there early enough to look around and we spotted many animals wandering around the Savanna. I got some great photos of giraffes dining on the tree leaves. Boma for dinner was out of this world. The food here is so good, I cant wait to try the South African restaurant 10 Degrees South here in Atlanta. My husband was a little conservative, had the lamb stew, salad and a few dishes. I was more adventurous and had a little of just about everything, and I loved it all. I had the seafood gumbo, the prime rib, pap with sheeba sauce, fufu, butternut squash, a little of all the salads (the carrot pineapple was excellent), the couscous, the nut crusted salmon, the bobotie, the lamb potpie, hmmm what am I forgetting? I had one of all the desserts and the amarula ginger cakes were my favorite, but honorable mention to the zebra domes and the chocolate mousse with the crunchy hazelnut cookie crust. Our server was very nice and helpful. We had soft drinks with our meal, but before dinner we enjoyed a Safari Martini at the Victoria Falls lounge upstairs from the restaurant. The only thing I can complain about was the noise level, but thats usually the case with buffets.
Friday December 5th
Lunch at Sci-Fi Dine In at Disney-MGM Studios
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Food: B+
Total with tax and tip: $45.67
I knew my DH would love this place and I was surprised to find myself enjoying so much as well. We didnt have a PS and the check in area when we arrived was a cluster, but I got a pager and we were seated within 10 minutes. We were seated in the third seat of a car that had a party of four young girls dining together. The waiter said we were hitchhikers. He took our drink orders, DH had coke and I had a yummy chocolate shake.
We then ordered a bowl of chili to split, which was very good. We loved watching the movie screen. It really reminded me of when I was child being taken to see Bambi and Dumbo at the Revere Drive-in that is now as huge multiplex. The old movie clips are a hoot. DH loves sci-fi movies, the cheesier the better; he was having a fine time. We got our sandwiches. I had a cheeseburger that was hot and juicy and DH had the BB-Q chicken that was very messy but he ate every bit. We got a Frisbee souvenir from our server. This turned out to be a great lunch and Id visit Sci-Fi again.
Its quite a novel, but I hope youve enjoyed the reviews. Any questions, feel free to ask.
---Andra
Dreaming of fufu!
Here are my detailed dining reviews.
Demographic info: Me~34 and DH, Rob~ 36 with no children
Thanksgiving Dinner at 'Ohana:
Atmosphere: A+
Service: B+
Food: A-
Total with tax and tip: $65.63
This is something I would love to do every year from now until infinity, Thanksgiving at Disney! This was our first time to the Polynesian and its a lovely place. Very well kept, not showing its age at all. Our PS was for 6:40pm but we arrived early at about 6pm and checked in. We didn't care how long we waited, we figured we'd have a seat, order an aperitif and people watch. We didnt even have our bums in the seats and the pager sounded. We walked up to the hostess who proceeded to let us stand there for a length of time, while looking at a woman to the side of us who was talking to another server. We didnt know what to make of it. So after about 5 minutes, I said, hello are we going to be seated? And the hostess was so embarrassed. She thought the other woman was with us and she was waiting for her to finish. She apologized profusely and led us to a table right at the window, front and center view of the amazing Cinderella Castle along with Main Street Station all alight and the spires of Space Mountain. OH WOW! I was mesmerized and speechless! I was on cloud nine and beaming, DH got a kick out of that. He was even impressed with the view. The servers were a bit hurried, as it was fairly busy, although we did note several empty tables. The platter of food we got was warm, but not hot, but was delicious. The turkey was tender, and all the trimmings were just lovely, especially the dressing and the spicy crisp green beans! We asked for more turkey, mash, dressing and cranberries and this platter was served up piping hot. The pumpkin tarts were nice too. I dont now if the food tasted better due to the view of the Magic Kingdom but we really enjoyed our meal. I had a soft drink and DH had two beers that added to the tab a bit but I still thought it was also good value at $23.99 per person and didnt have to cook or clean up!
Friday November 28th
Late lunch at Restaurant Marrakesh in Epcot
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Food: A+
Total with tax and tip: $62.11
This is a favorite of mine and DH enjoyed it as well. We walked in with no PS at around 3:30pm and were seated right away. I love the dim, quiet atmosphere. We both ordered the Berber Feast at $18.99 per person. DH had two beers and I had a soft drink. We were served a mixed greens salad with feta, olives and a balsamic dressing. Crisp, cold and fresh. The main course was a huge platter of tender braised lamb; chicken kebab served over a spicy sun dried tomato sauce, a pile of couscous and assorted mixed vegetables. Dessert was a bowl of mixed fresh fruit that was a fresh, crisp and sweet mixture of assorted melon, grapes and apples drizzled with honey. This was a wonderful meal, highly recommended!
Saturday November 29th
Anniversary Celebration Dinner at Citricos at The Grand Floridian
Atmosphere: B+/A-
Service: A+
Food: A
Total with tax and tip: $222.51
Disney really knows how to make you feel special. We drove up to the entry guard to check in and he wished us happy anniversary. It was so sweet and DH was very surprised! We used the valet parking and made our Grand entrance. Another OH WOW! The Christmas decorations were to die for. My husband and I decided we would love to stay here. Its very romantic and beautiful. We had a look around and took some photos like good little tourists then checked in at Citricos. We were on time and were seated right away. We were presented with menus that were personalized Happy Anniversary Mr. And Mrs. Ruscoe!!! I nearly died and cried. Our waiter was just about perfect with his timing and the meal was flawless. We started with appetizers, a warm onion tart for me and a crab and corn cake for DH. Succulent! Then we both had the lobster bisque. Heavenly! And for the main course I had the rib eye with olive oil mashed potatoes and DH had the braised veal shank with garlic mashed. Amazing! We had the wine pairings with the whole meal and it was a big hit. For dessert I had the tropical crème brulee and DH had the press pot coffee. He declared the coffee very good and I couldnt talk with my mouth full of silky, sexy custard! I gave the atmosphere points off as the restaurant started off very subdued and hushed even though it was quite full but as the dinner wore on it got so very noisy and full of children. Citricos isnt cheap, mind you, but it was a special occasion and worth every cent!
Sunday November 30th
Lunch at Pizzeria Uno on 192
Two words: DONT GO!
Monday December 1st
Dinner at Rose and Crown Pub in Epcot
Atmosphere: A+
Service: A
Food: B+
Total with tax and tip: $98.64
After an entire day commando-ing Epcot, we couldnt wait for dinner. Our PS was for 7:30pm but we arrived in the UK by 6:45pm. We got pints at the stand and had a seat on a bench to people watch. We could hear the lively sounds of British Invasion doing a set and it was excellent. I checked in at 7:15pm and got a pager. We were seated at 8:08pm. We didnt mind the delay especially since we were seated waterside with a spectacular view of World Showcase Lagoon. It was our first time to see IllumiNations! and it was looking good so far. We had pints and ordered starters, I the mushroom medley (OMG!) and DH the lamb and barely soup. For the main courses I had the fish and chips, which was very good and fairly authentic according to my English husband. DH wanted the pie sampler but not really. He asked if he could have two of the chicken and leek pies along with mash, gravy and peas rather than the three different pies with green beans. They were very accommodating and he was served three chicken and leek pies with mash, gravy and peas. He enjoyed it all but declared the crust too thick to be proper crust. Oh well! Sarah, our server was lovely and she and my DH had lots to chat about being from the same country and all. We had our dessert during IllumiNations! and it was the best dessert ever! I cant remember what we had but everything tastes better at Disney.
Tuesday December 2nd
Dinner at Carrabbas Italian Grill on 192
It was good over all but the pasta was not al dente (surprise surprise).
Wednesday December 3rd
Character Breakfast at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Food: B+
Character Interaction: A+
Total with tax and tip: $41.19
I cant stress enough that everyone should have a character dining experience at least one in their lives. It was magical (I know I keep saying this word but its so true). The buffet breakfast was hot and fresh. Our server was very nice and brought us hot coffee, cold juice and thick, creamy, ice-cold chocolate milk for me! The breakfast breads like the walnut and spice where moist and fresh. I sampled a bit of everything and found it all to be nice except for the pancakes. Not good, a bit hard. The raspberry streusel cake was a total foodgasm. The characters were so very good. I was a bit unsure how they would be with an adult couple sans children. But they all were very attentive, funny and sweet. I have a wonderful photo of Tigger grabbing my very shy husband, who turned bright red. It was priceless.
Wednesday December 3rd
Dinner at Cinderellas Royal Table
Atmosphere: A
Service: C+
Food: C
Character Interaction: A+ (Bonus meeting of Belle in the lobby)
Total with tax and tip: $90.00
Im sorry to say that this was not the best dining experience, especially since all the rest of them so far had been just about perfect. We were disappointed with the food and service but otherwise we had a pleasant enough time. We checked in and were told to go right on upstairs. We entered in the lobby and had a look around. Its really pretty; I love the big velvet throne. I posed for a pic and then went to use the ladies room. When I stepped out of the restroom there was Belle standing there in her gorgeous golden gown. A family was just exiting and my husband was a little in awe, and couldnt help but laugh at the expression on my face. We had Belle all to ourselves, how very magical! We chatted a bit and posed for pictures. I felt like a little girl (a very underdressed little girl). A few minutes later another family entered the lobby and we said our goodbyes and headed up the red-carpeted staircase. We were seated at a table next to the large leaded windows with a great view of Fantasyland. Our server was quite rushed, going through the motions. I will say that I loved the pretzel bread rolls they served. We gobbled up two baskets full! DH ordered chicken vegetable soup and I ordered Caesars Salad. The soup came out quickly and my salad didnt come out until 10 minutes later. Our entrees arrived and I was still eating my salad. I really dont like to feel rushed when Im eating. DH ordered the tenderloin and I the prime rib. Both were cooked as we asked but nothing special, not for the prices they charge. DH ordered coffee and I ordered the banana crème brulee for dessert. It was not good. Flavorless and lumpy, more like a pudding than the smooth custard it should have been. The highlight was being able to see Wishes! It was a really good view, but the kids at the next table kept screaming so loudly no one could hear the music or the narration. Disneys dining has come such a long way and I feel that Cinderellas Royal Table needs to step up their game. For the prices they are charging, they really need to improve the menu diversity and food quality. Its the jewel in the crown of the Magic Kingdom and its not living up to its name or reputation.
Thursday December 4th
Dinner at Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Atmosphere: B
Service: A
Food: A+
Total with tax and tip: $59.10
The Animal Kingdom Lodge is gorgeous. We got there early enough to look around and we spotted many animals wandering around the Savanna. I got some great photos of giraffes dining on the tree leaves. Boma for dinner was out of this world. The food here is so good, I cant wait to try the South African restaurant 10 Degrees South here in Atlanta. My husband was a little conservative, had the lamb stew, salad and a few dishes. I was more adventurous and had a little of just about everything, and I loved it all. I had the seafood gumbo, the prime rib, pap with sheeba sauce, fufu, butternut squash, a little of all the salads (the carrot pineapple was excellent), the couscous, the nut crusted salmon, the bobotie, the lamb potpie, hmmm what am I forgetting? I had one of all the desserts and the amarula ginger cakes were my favorite, but honorable mention to the zebra domes and the chocolate mousse with the crunchy hazelnut cookie crust. Our server was very nice and helpful. We had soft drinks with our meal, but before dinner we enjoyed a Safari Martini at the Victoria Falls lounge upstairs from the restaurant. The only thing I can complain about was the noise level, but thats usually the case with buffets.
Friday December 5th
Lunch at Sci-Fi Dine In at Disney-MGM Studios
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Food: B+
Total with tax and tip: $45.67
I knew my DH would love this place and I was surprised to find myself enjoying so much as well. We didnt have a PS and the check in area when we arrived was a cluster, but I got a pager and we were seated within 10 minutes. We were seated in the third seat of a car that had a party of four young girls dining together. The waiter said we were hitchhikers. He took our drink orders, DH had coke and I had a yummy chocolate shake.
We then ordered a bowl of chili to split, which was very good. We loved watching the movie screen. It really reminded me of when I was child being taken to see Bambi and Dumbo at the Revere Drive-in that is now as huge multiplex. The old movie clips are a hoot. DH loves sci-fi movies, the cheesier the better; he was having a fine time. We got our sandwiches. I had a cheeseburger that was hot and juicy and DH had the BB-Q chicken that was very messy but he ate every bit. We got a Frisbee souvenir from our server. This turned out to be a great lunch and Id visit Sci-Fi again.
Its quite a novel, but I hope youve enjoyed the reviews. Any questions, feel free to ask.
---Andra
Dreaming of fufu!
