pixiechick
<font color=teal>will work for disney dollars<br><
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2001
Saturday 8/19:
This was our arrival day. We paid $683 to add the Disney Dining Plan to our 6 night DVC stay. Because DS is now 10 years old, he is considered an adult. Thankfully, he eats like one! Sorry, no cool pictures or witty comments-just an old fashioned run down of the meals!
Flying Fish: For the record, I love Flying Fish. Our dinner this time did not disappoint. We started by sharing the Romaine salad and Mussels. Both were good. DS is a Caesar salad freak so that is an easy choice. The mussels were served with a creamy pesto sauce that was really good. We prepare mussels at home frequently and will be trying to recreate that recipe ourselves. Both DS and DH had the New York Strip Steaksliced like a hot knife through butter. It was really tender and delicious! Both guys raved about it! After traveling that day, and knowing I had a week of eating ahead, I ordered the Eggplant and Goat Cheese Ravioli. They were very light. The ravioli was topped with a tomato ragout that I found to be just slightly too sweet. I enjoyed it but probably wouldnt order it again. We finished out by sharing The Chocolate Collection (the chocolate tea was surprisingly tasty!) and a Chocolate Galette. Our server, Suman, was great- funny, very efficient. We used 4 TS credits (the bill for the two DDP meals was $150) and paid oop for pre dinner drinks (including DSs virgin daiquiri which was not covered by the DP), wine and my entrée. We did use the Disney Dining Experience card to discount the extras.
Sunday 8/20:
Flame Tree Barbecue: We started the trip off with a bang, riding Expedition Everest twice! Because we were at Animal Kingdom, we headed to Flame Tree for lunch. We ordered 3 different meals and then shared the resulting mess! We ordered a Pork sandwich meal, Half Chicken meal and Rib meal. Each came with corn on the cob and baked beans. The DP included dessert so we shared Key Lime pie, Chocolate Cake and frozen lemonade. We ordered one diet coke and 2 bottles of water. The Chicken was really good with the dry rub they used to season it. The Pork was pretty good, but a typical pork sandwich. In the past, Ive always liked the Ribs but this time they seemed somewhat fatty. The corn was a little soggy, but DS inhaled them. The beans were really sweet-too sweet. Decent meal, but not as good as weve enjoyed there in the past. 3CS credits for this one, bill would have been approx $40.
Mama Melroses-- Fantasmic Dinner Package:
Let me preface this by saying that Im not a fan of Fantasmic. I dont get what the big hype is and cannot be bothered with waiting in line for a seat. DS is a fan however, so we agreed to do this since we were on the DP. Friends of ours were also in MGM that night, were dining at MM (at a different time) and would be meeting us to view Fantasmic.
We have never eaten at MM before and were pleasantly surprised by how attractive the restaurant was inside. DH and I had originally said we would not be ordering wine with dinner since we were headed to Fantasmic afterwards. We were feeling the vibe of the Italian theme and changed our minds. Wine? You dont have to ask me twice!
We shared the family salad. DS didnt care for the balsamic dressing, but DH and I liked it. We also shared a pepperoni flatbread. It was okay, but I expected more from a place with professional ovens. Their dough tasted no different than my homemade pizza dough cooked in my run of the mill Kenmore oven. DS and DH both had the Italian Sausage with rigatoni. Our waitress double-checked with DS, telling him he may not like it because the sauce is spicy. He decided to try it anyway. He ate about 1/2 of it before giving up because of the heat of the sauce. She warned him and it was his choice, but it did bother me when I heard the waiter at the table across from us offer the same warning with the option of substituting regular marinara sauce. Our server had thought to warn us, but not to offer the substitute. Not a big deal, but one of the little details that add up. I ordered the Penne alla Vodka. It would have been good, if the penne had been cooked. Im not talking al dente pasta, I mean undercooked. Later, in talking to our friends, I learned they had the penne and found it grossly undercooked as well. Again, not a huge issue. If we had more time I would have sent it back, but figured in this case it wasnt worth the aggravation. Ds had the spumoni for dessert, DH the Coffee Tartufopretty good and I had the Hazelnut Cheesecake-okay. As we were finishing our wine, the waitress asked me if I was drunk yet from the bottle of wine DH and I shared. Huh? I think she thought she was being funny, but her delivery needs help. Dont quit your day job, hun. DH wondered if she used to work at Prime Time and was used to insulting people! Not a way to get an extra tip from me We used 3 TS credits here. The bill would have been $117. Our drunken shame bottle of wine wasnt discounted because it was a FDP so the DDE couldnt be used. I could have debated that I wasnt discounting the package but an add-on but I wasnt sure of the policy and didnt care much at that point! We wont be coming back to Mama Melroses.
Monday 8/21:
Columbia Harbor House: Nothing too exciting here. We spent the day at the Magic Kingdom with our friends and needed to eat where their somewhat picky son would find food. DH and DS had Chicken Fingers, I had the Lighthouse Sandwich (love it!), chocolate cake and diet cokes for everyone. Nothing fancy. 3 CS credits valued at approx. $36.
Chefs de France:
This dinner is a little fuzzy because your receipt doesnt list your food order, just that it was the DP. For an appetizer, we shared two orders of escargot and an Alsacienne Flatbread. The escargot are always good here-dont forget to soak up the sauce on your bread! The Flatbread was very good. The bread was very crisp and flaky, almost like a phyllo dough. DS had the Grilled Flank Steak which said was very good. DH ordered the Pork Chop. He said he enjoyed as well as the sweet potato side. I had the tuna which was prepared perfectly. Rare on the inside, just seared on the outside. It was served with a caper sauce that added just the right amount of salt and bite. It came with shoestring potatoes that DS ate instead of his fries. The guys liked their meals, but I can vouch 100% for the tuna. Good stuff! For dessert, I had the Crème Brulee. They cant remember what they had for dessert We know that one of them had Cream Puffs. They may both have had them but no one is sure. At this point food started to blur! Looking at the online menus, we think it would have run about $160. We used 3 TS credits, plus our DDE to discount our nightly bottle of wine. And for those keeping track, Im not drunk yet(that comes later!)
Tuesday 8/22
Beach Club Marketplace: We shared a Ham and Cheese sandwich and a Roast Beef sandwich. Fruit for our sides (were not total pigs, okay maybe we are), cookies for dessert and lemonades to drink.
California Grill:
Hands down, our best dinner this trip. Service was fabulous. Alicia was fantastic. We told her upfront that we were not in a rush but that we also werent camping out to watch Wishes. She decided we were and timed it perfectly. A truly lovely dinner. We started with pre dinner drinks while we studied the menus. This time, DSs virgin Daiquiri was included (at Flying Fish it wasnt). We started with the Caesar Flatbread, the Sushi sampler, and Shrimp with Melon and Arugula. We were supposed to share, but DS hoarded the Sushi for himself. The arugula and palm served with the shrimp were good, nice flavor and textures. We will definitely try to recreate the Caesar flatbread at home. Really good, and the pizza crust was nice and crisp. For an entree, DS had the Pork Tenderloin. He said it was good and finished all of it. It was served with a polenta that was very tasty. DH had the Filet. After he finished inhaling it, he said it was delicious. I didnt get to taste any of it! How am I supposed to report back if I dont get to taste everyones food? I had the Salmon. Nicely prepared, the corn soufflé and avocado really accompanied it well. I didnt finish it all because I had my eye on dessert. DS had the Honey Crunch cake, DH ordered the Banana Custard Buzz. Both practically licked their plates clean. Im not a big dessert person, so when Alicia suggested the Cheese plate, I was ready. Unfortunately, I should smack myself upside the head because I didnt take the menu identifying the cheeses home with me. Five cheeses served with an accompanying spread or topping .heaven. Pair with a nice Port wine. Add Wishes, and serve! Used 6 TS credits for this ($ value was $225) DDE took the edge off the bar bill!
Wednesday 8/23
Hurricane Hannahs At Beach Club: We always spend the first couple of days hitting rides and then wind down near the end of our trip. Today we started out just hanging by Storm Along Bay. For lunch, we each ordered a Cheeseburger, chips, d. coke and Mickey bar. The breakfast of Champions! Not particularly good burgers, but fairly large. They were nice enough to let people come back later for the ice cream. We swam, ate, swam, then picked up our ice cream on the way back to our room. Someone please explain to me why my men cant eat one of those things without wearing the chocolate. Is it that hard?? 3CS (or approx. $33 real world.)
LeCellier: We had preplanned our credit use. Because we had two Signature restaurants planned, we knew wed need to pay for some meals OOP. DS ordered a Smoothie (included in the DP) which he promptly dropped on the floor. The lovely Jessie, our server, promptly replaced it (also included.) After he dropped it, the breadsticks at the table next to us went flying. We then learned that the third table in our section had had a spill before we arrived. Our three tables then decided the section was haunted in some way. So if youre in the New Foundland section-beware! The little man had the Caesar salad, 7 oz Filet and Chocolate Mousse. The Big guy had Mussels for an appetizer, the Mushroom Filet and the Blueberry Cobbler(it wasnt called that exactly, but thats what it was.) I had the Shrimp Cocktail, out of pocket. Weve eaten at Le Cellier many times and this was on par with our other visits. Pretty good food and friendly service. Unfortunately, we hit DDP overload this night. We were actually happy that we had used up our last TS credits. The two guys used 2 TS credits here(value= $115) My food and the ever present bottle of wine were discounted with the DDE card.
Thursday 8/24:
Our last full day We have visited WDW regularly since DS was 5. (This was trip 14 since 9/2001.) One thing that has remained constant in all those trips has been spending at least one day eating and drinking around the World. After laying low in the morning, we hit Epcot in the afternoon. First stop:Mission Space. Hint: do that BEFORE eating/drinking around the world. Really please! Then stop in at The Rose and Crown for a couple of pints of Harp. For those with the DDE card, remember if you order inside at the bar, you can use the discount. Beer and a discount-could life get better? For the record, you will see/hear no wine drinking today. As the saying goes, When in the world, stick with the beer. Cmon, somebody says that right? No? Nevermind .
Matsu No Ma Lounge: We love this place. It is so relaxing and cool in the middle of the afternoon. We split the Ebi and the Tori (Shrimp and Chicken Tempura-dont ask me which is which), a Sushi Combo, soup and salad. DS had an Ichigo (a smoothie of some sort) and DH and I each had a Kirin. With tax and tip $70. No DDE here.
Sommerfest (Germany):
Bratwurst w/sauerkraut, apple strudel and bottles water to share. 1 CS ($12.50)
Not bad. Im not the sort to line up for Bratwurst, but this was okay. The strudel was okay but had the taste of mass production.
Tangerine Café (Morocco)
Chicken/Lamb combo, bottled water and Baklava. The Baklava sits in the fridge all day and is somewhat lacking but I really like the Combo platter. We eat here each trip. 1CS (value $20.)
Kringla Bakery (Norway)
Ham Sandwich, Cheese and Leek soup, sugar free Chocolate Mousse and D. Coke. 1CS (value $15) The sandwich was good enough, but we all really liked the soup.
Cantina de San Angel (Mexico)
Nachos, Churro, large iced tea 1CS ($12) Nothing exciting, fill the hole kind of food.
Not discounted here were the various stops for beer in the countries. We did take great pictures of DS wearing hats in each country. Except for Italy where we couldn't find hats, we got a lame picture of him with the masks that he wasn't allowed to touch. Foiled by the Italians.
the pics are going in the album with the title "Headin' Around the World" Get it? Hats... Headin'... I crack myself up... 
Friday 8/25
Earl of Sandwich: We headed here on our way to the airport. DH had an Original (roast beef, cheese and horseradish sauce), DS had the Cannonball (meatball and mozzerella) and I had the ultimate grilled cheese (blue cheese and some other cheese like a chedder, maybe?). We each had a large drink, sides were a small salad and 2 cookies. 3CS credits valued at $27. The sandwiches were good. We will definitely come back here-Dining plan or not--good stuff!
So ends it. We used our snack credits to purchase baked goods and desserts at main street bakery and Boardwalk Bakery. We also snacked on Pineapple Floats and Figaro Fries in Magic Kingdom. Some credits were used on purchasing donuts, etc. to have in our room in the morning.
Any questions, feel free to ask!
This was our arrival day. We paid $683 to add the Disney Dining Plan to our 6 night DVC stay. Because DS is now 10 years old, he is considered an adult. Thankfully, he eats like one! Sorry, no cool pictures or witty comments-just an old fashioned run down of the meals!
Flying Fish: For the record, I love Flying Fish. Our dinner this time did not disappoint. We started by sharing the Romaine salad and Mussels. Both were good. DS is a Caesar salad freak so that is an easy choice. The mussels were served with a creamy pesto sauce that was really good. We prepare mussels at home frequently and will be trying to recreate that recipe ourselves. Both DS and DH had the New York Strip Steaksliced like a hot knife through butter. It was really tender and delicious! Both guys raved about it! After traveling that day, and knowing I had a week of eating ahead, I ordered the Eggplant and Goat Cheese Ravioli. They were very light. The ravioli was topped with a tomato ragout that I found to be just slightly too sweet. I enjoyed it but probably wouldnt order it again. We finished out by sharing The Chocolate Collection (the chocolate tea was surprisingly tasty!) and a Chocolate Galette. Our server, Suman, was great- funny, very efficient. We used 4 TS credits (the bill for the two DDP meals was $150) and paid oop for pre dinner drinks (including DSs virgin daiquiri which was not covered by the DP), wine and my entrée. We did use the Disney Dining Experience card to discount the extras.
Sunday 8/20:
Flame Tree Barbecue: We started the trip off with a bang, riding Expedition Everest twice! Because we were at Animal Kingdom, we headed to Flame Tree for lunch. We ordered 3 different meals and then shared the resulting mess! We ordered a Pork sandwich meal, Half Chicken meal and Rib meal. Each came with corn on the cob and baked beans. The DP included dessert so we shared Key Lime pie, Chocolate Cake and frozen lemonade. We ordered one diet coke and 2 bottles of water. The Chicken was really good with the dry rub they used to season it. The Pork was pretty good, but a typical pork sandwich. In the past, Ive always liked the Ribs but this time they seemed somewhat fatty. The corn was a little soggy, but DS inhaled them. The beans were really sweet-too sweet. Decent meal, but not as good as weve enjoyed there in the past. 3CS credits for this one, bill would have been approx $40.
Mama Melroses-- Fantasmic Dinner Package:
Let me preface this by saying that Im not a fan of Fantasmic. I dont get what the big hype is and cannot be bothered with waiting in line for a seat. DS is a fan however, so we agreed to do this since we were on the DP. Friends of ours were also in MGM that night, were dining at MM (at a different time) and would be meeting us to view Fantasmic.
We have never eaten at MM before and were pleasantly surprised by how attractive the restaurant was inside. DH and I had originally said we would not be ordering wine with dinner since we were headed to Fantasmic afterwards. We were feeling the vibe of the Italian theme and changed our minds. Wine? You dont have to ask me twice!
We shared the family salad. DS didnt care for the balsamic dressing, but DH and I liked it. We also shared a pepperoni flatbread. It was okay, but I expected more from a place with professional ovens. Their dough tasted no different than my homemade pizza dough cooked in my run of the mill Kenmore oven. DS and DH both had the Italian Sausage with rigatoni. Our waitress double-checked with DS, telling him he may not like it because the sauce is spicy. He decided to try it anyway. He ate about 1/2 of it before giving up because of the heat of the sauce. She warned him and it was his choice, but it did bother me when I heard the waiter at the table across from us offer the same warning with the option of substituting regular marinara sauce. Our server had thought to warn us, but not to offer the substitute. Not a big deal, but one of the little details that add up. I ordered the Penne alla Vodka. It would have been good, if the penne had been cooked. Im not talking al dente pasta, I mean undercooked. Later, in talking to our friends, I learned they had the penne and found it grossly undercooked as well. Again, not a huge issue. If we had more time I would have sent it back, but figured in this case it wasnt worth the aggravation. Ds had the spumoni for dessert, DH the Coffee Tartufopretty good and I had the Hazelnut Cheesecake-okay. As we were finishing our wine, the waitress asked me if I was drunk yet from the bottle of wine DH and I shared. Huh? I think she thought she was being funny, but her delivery needs help. Dont quit your day job, hun. DH wondered if she used to work at Prime Time and was used to insulting people! Not a way to get an extra tip from me We used 3 TS credits here. The bill would have been $117. Our drunken shame bottle of wine wasnt discounted because it was a FDP so the DDE couldnt be used. I could have debated that I wasnt discounting the package but an add-on but I wasnt sure of the policy and didnt care much at that point! We wont be coming back to Mama Melroses.
Monday 8/21:
Columbia Harbor House: Nothing too exciting here. We spent the day at the Magic Kingdom with our friends and needed to eat where their somewhat picky son would find food. DH and DS had Chicken Fingers, I had the Lighthouse Sandwich (love it!), chocolate cake and diet cokes for everyone. Nothing fancy. 3 CS credits valued at approx. $36.
Chefs de France:
This dinner is a little fuzzy because your receipt doesnt list your food order, just that it was the DP. For an appetizer, we shared two orders of escargot and an Alsacienne Flatbread. The escargot are always good here-dont forget to soak up the sauce on your bread! The Flatbread was very good. The bread was very crisp and flaky, almost like a phyllo dough. DS had the Grilled Flank Steak which said was very good. DH ordered the Pork Chop. He said he enjoyed as well as the sweet potato side. I had the tuna which was prepared perfectly. Rare on the inside, just seared on the outside. It was served with a caper sauce that added just the right amount of salt and bite. It came with shoestring potatoes that DS ate instead of his fries. The guys liked their meals, but I can vouch 100% for the tuna. Good stuff! For dessert, I had the Crème Brulee. They cant remember what they had for dessert We know that one of them had Cream Puffs. They may both have had them but no one is sure. At this point food started to blur! Looking at the online menus, we think it would have run about $160. We used 3 TS credits, plus our DDE to discount our nightly bottle of wine. And for those keeping track, Im not drunk yet(that comes later!)
Tuesday 8/22
Beach Club Marketplace: We shared a Ham and Cheese sandwich and a Roast Beef sandwich. Fruit for our sides (were not total pigs, okay maybe we are), cookies for dessert and lemonades to drink.
California Grill:
Hands down, our best dinner this trip. Service was fabulous. Alicia was fantastic. We told her upfront that we were not in a rush but that we also werent camping out to watch Wishes. She decided we were and timed it perfectly. A truly lovely dinner. We started with pre dinner drinks while we studied the menus. This time, DSs virgin Daiquiri was included (at Flying Fish it wasnt). We started with the Caesar Flatbread, the Sushi sampler, and Shrimp with Melon and Arugula. We were supposed to share, but DS hoarded the Sushi for himself. The arugula and palm served with the shrimp were good, nice flavor and textures. We will definitely try to recreate the Caesar flatbread at home. Really good, and the pizza crust was nice and crisp. For an entree, DS had the Pork Tenderloin. He said it was good and finished all of it. It was served with a polenta that was very tasty. DH had the Filet. After he finished inhaling it, he said it was delicious. I didnt get to taste any of it! How am I supposed to report back if I dont get to taste everyones food? I had the Salmon. Nicely prepared, the corn soufflé and avocado really accompanied it well. I didnt finish it all because I had my eye on dessert. DS had the Honey Crunch cake, DH ordered the Banana Custard Buzz. Both practically licked their plates clean. Im not a big dessert person, so when Alicia suggested the Cheese plate, I was ready. Unfortunately, I should smack myself upside the head because I didnt take the menu identifying the cheeses home with me. Five cheeses served with an accompanying spread or topping .heaven. Pair with a nice Port wine. Add Wishes, and serve! Used 6 TS credits for this ($ value was $225) DDE took the edge off the bar bill!
Wednesday 8/23
Hurricane Hannahs At Beach Club: We always spend the first couple of days hitting rides and then wind down near the end of our trip. Today we started out just hanging by Storm Along Bay. For lunch, we each ordered a Cheeseburger, chips, d. coke and Mickey bar. The breakfast of Champions! Not particularly good burgers, but fairly large. They were nice enough to let people come back later for the ice cream. We swam, ate, swam, then picked up our ice cream on the way back to our room. Someone please explain to me why my men cant eat one of those things without wearing the chocolate. Is it that hard?? 3CS (or approx. $33 real world.)
LeCellier: We had preplanned our credit use. Because we had two Signature restaurants planned, we knew wed need to pay for some meals OOP. DS ordered a Smoothie (included in the DP) which he promptly dropped on the floor. The lovely Jessie, our server, promptly replaced it (also included.) After he dropped it, the breadsticks at the table next to us went flying. We then learned that the third table in our section had had a spill before we arrived. Our three tables then decided the section was haunted in some way. So if youre in the New Foundland section-beware! The little man had the Caesar salad, 7 oz Filet and Chocolate Mousse. The Big guy had Mussels for an appetizer, the Mushroom Filet and the Blueberry Cobbler(it wasnt called that exactly, but thats what it was.) I had the Shrimp Cocktail, out of pocket. Weve eaten at Le Cellier many times and this was on par with our other visits. Pretty good food and friendly service. Unfortunately, we hit DDP overload this night. We were actually happy that we had used up our last TS credits. The two guys used 2 TS credits here(value= $115) My food and the ever present bottle of wine were discounted with the DDE card.
Thursday 8/24:
Our last full day We have visited WDW regularly since DS was 5. (This was trip 14 since 9/2001.) One thing that has remained constant in all those trips has been spending at least one day eating and drinking around the World. After laying low in the morning, we hit Epcot in the afternoon. First stop:Mission Space. Hint: do that BEFORE eating/drinking around the world. Really please! Then stop in at The Rose and Crown for a couple of pints of Harp. For those with the DDE card, remember if you order inside at the bar, you can use the discount. Beer and a discount-could life get better? For the record, you will see/hear no wine drinking today. As the saying goes, When in the world, stick with the beer. Cmon, somebody says that right? No? Nevermind .
Matsu No Ma Lounge: We love this place. It is so relaxing and cool in the middle of the afternoon. We split the Ebi and the Tori (Shrimp and Chicken Tempura-dont ask me which is which), a Sushi Combo, soup and salad. DS had an Ichigo (a smoothie of some sort) and DH and I each had a Kirin. With tax and tip $70. No DDE here.
Sommerfest (Germany):
Bratwurst w/sauerkraut, apple strudel and bottles water to share. 1 CS ($12.50)
Not bad. Im not the sort to line up for Bratwurst, but this was okay. The strudel was okay but had the taste of mass production.
Tangerine Café (Morocco)
Chicken/Lamb combo, bottled water and Baklava. The Baklava sits in the fridge all day and is somewhat lacking but I really like the Combo platter. We eat here each trip. 1CS (value $20.)
Kringla Bakery (Norway)
Ham Sandwich, Cheese and Leek soup, sugar free Chocolate Mousse and D. Coke. 1CS (value $15) The sandwich was good enough, but we all really liked the soup.
Cantina de San Angel (Mexico)
Nachos, Churro, large iced tea 1CS ($12) Nothing exciting, fill the hole kind of food.
Not discounted here were the various stops for beer in the countries. We did take great pictures of DS wearing hats in each country. Except for Italy where we couldn't find hats, we got a lame picture of him with the masks that he wasn't allowed to touch. Foiled by the Italians.
the pics are going in the album with the title "Headin' Around the World" Get it? Hats... Headin'... I crack myself up... Friday 8/25
Earl of Sandwich: We headed here on our way to the airport. DH had an Original (roast beef, cheese and horseradish sauce), DS had the Cannonball (meatball and mozzerella) and I had the ultimate grilled cheese (blue cheese and some other cheese like a chedder, maybe?). We each had a large drink, sides were a small salad and 2 cookies. 3CS credits valued at $27. The sandwiches were good. We will definitely come back here-Dining plan or not--good stuff!
So ends it. We used our snack credits to purchase baked goods and desserts at main street bakery and Boardwalk Bakery. We also snacked on Pineapple Floats and Figaro Fries in Magic Kingdom. Some credits were used on purchasing donuts, etc. to have in our room in the morning.
Any questions, feel free to ask!
I loved reading them.
we probably walked right by each other!
