Free Dining Part II - 8/26 to 9/2 - Day by Day Report

[kath1210]

August 26, 2006 - Spoodles

Our family - Me, DH, DS - 15, and DD-12. We've been to WDW several times, especially in the last few years. We did the free dining plan last year with a group of 20. It worked out so well, we had to come back this year, but just us this time.

We arrived on August 26 - late - at about 6:30 p.m. We checked into WL (got upgraded from std view to wood view and got bunk beds!!) :thumbsup2 We almost cancelled our 7:50 p.m. ADR at Spoodles because we were beat. Boy, am I glad we did not cancel.

We had never been to the Boardwalk area before, and it was gorgeous, especially at night! We were a little late (5 minutes) for our ADR, and were seated almost immediately. Our waiter was Jess and he was great, helping with suggestions and cracking jokes with the kids.

Some bad news about the Spoodles menu: The grilled shrimp and scallop add-ons are no longer available. Jess said they just recently got rid of them, but he was not sure why.

We ordered appetizers - DH and I ordered the Lemon Garlic Shrimp, which Jess highly recommended. It included three HUGE shrimp and the sauce was so good I wanted to lick the plate (but I did not ;) ). DS-15 ordered the Four Cheese Flatbread, and DD-12 ordered the Greek Salad. DS really enjoyed the flatbread, but DD did not like the Greek Salad. It was really fresh and excellent, but just not to her taste.

For entrees, DH ordered the Portuguese Seafood Stew, which was awesome! He gave me his calamari, which looked a little weird, but had an excellent flavor! DD-12 and I ordered the Grilled Salmon and the Lemon Chicken, with the intent to share half with each other. They were both really good! The salmon was perfectly spiced and came with a vegetable ragout that was just OK. The chicken included two large breast pieces, couscous and veggies. It was wonderful! DS-15 ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo, which had a nice flavor, but was a bit too dry.

For dessert, DH and DS-12 had the Ice Cream Sundae, which comes on an artist’s palette, with several toppings. DS-15 had the Vanilla Bean Crème Brule, which came with a chocolate-dipped biscotti and berries. I’ve never really had Crème Brule before, but it was excellent, like a caramelized egg custard, which I guess it is. I had the Happiest Celebration dessert, which was sponge cake with orange cream and a bit of chocolate. It was tasty, but perhaps a bit too sweet.

Next - Tusker House and Whispering Canyon Cafe

[WAHMto5]

Great review.....thanks!! Looking foward to eating there next month!!

[kath1210]

August 27, 2006 – Tusker House and Whispering Canyon Café

Today we went to the AK and had lunch at Tusker House. We almost went to Flame Tree, but the lines were very long. We were eating late, and I was a little surprised at the crowd there at that hour. Plus, Tusker House offers air conditioning, so that made up my DH’s mind!

There was absolutely no one in line at TH, and I was afraid they were closed. But they were not, so we ordered lunch. DH got the fried chicken sandwich and fries, which was good, but not much better than fast food places. The chicken was thick and moist, and the fries were steak cut and cooked nice and crispy. DD-12 ordered the salmon with rice and green beans. The salmon was crispy and the rice was really nicely spiced. The green beans were also good, not the usual canned, overcooked variety. I had the ½ rotisserie chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and the same green beans DD had. The chicken was moist and delicious and the garlic mashed potatoes were creamy and yummy! This counter service meal was as good as a table service meal to me!

DH and DD both had the moist and gooey and delicious chocolate cake for dessert, and I just had a few grapes. I was hoping for a Mickey Bar later, but that never happened. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow!

DS-15 ate lunch at Food Quest (at Disney Quest) - he did not want to go to AK. He ordered his “usual” – pizza, root beer and the apple cobbler bar for dessert. He lived on this meal last December! I assume it was good – he is not into dining reviews, but keeps ordering the same thing!

For dinner, we all went to the Whispering Canyon Café. It was busy and crazy and a lot of fun. DS was full from lunch, so he just ordered the “bottomless” vanilla shake. DD, DH and I all ordered the All-You-Can-Eat skillet. It was all absolutely delicious! The salad was fresh and crisp. The corn bread was a little dry, but the taste was wonderful, and a little butter helped! The ribs were moist and tasty, but not too fatty. The sausage was flavorful without being too greasy. The chicken was moist, but a little bland (fixed that up with a little barbecue sauce), and the pulled pork was very tasty! I can’t believe there is more to discuss, but the mashed potatoes were awesome and the beans and the cole slaw were good, but not great.

We were too stuffed for dessert, so we took it to go. DH got the chocolate mousse cake – SO good! DD and I got the S’more Cheesecake, which was really tasty.

[kath1210]

Great review.....thanks!! Looking foward to eating there next month!!

Thanks. I hope you enjoy it!

[Bunchkin]

Thanks for sharing!! ::yes::
They all sound yummy!! :teeth:

[NC Belle]

Thanks for sharing.

I'm so disappointed in Spoodles getting rid of the shrimp and scallop add-ons---we are going to eat there next month. I'm glad to hear the good review on Whispering Canyon.

[Minniespal]

Enjoyed reading your reviews ~ Thanx for sharing.

[Accash]

Great Reviews! I love Tusker House for lunch! YUM

Melissa

[luvpooh]

August 26, 2006 - Spoodles


Some bad news about the Spoodles menu: The grilled shrimp and scallop add-ons are no longer available. Jess said they just recently got rid of them, but he was not sure why.


Just wondering, did they get rid of it being eligible on DDP, or was it off the menu completely? I was dying to go back there in October and get the Alfredo with the scallops again, it was so good last year. We're not on the dining plan, I'm wondering if you can still pay for this...

[TigerKat]

Just wondering, did they get rid of it being eligible on DDP, or was it off the menu completely? I was dying to go back there in October and get the Alfredo with the scallops again, it was so good last year. We're not on the dining plan, I'm wondering if you can still pay for this...

I would like to know too, I was planning on it with my steak! I'd gladly pay OOP for it. :confused3

[Tinkerbell_Girl]

Great reviews!

[Schucraig]

Thanks for the reviews! :thumbsup2

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Just wondering, did they get rid of it being eligible on DDP, or was it off the menu completely? I was dying to go back there in October and get the Alfredo with the scallops again, it was so good last year. We're not on the dining plan, I'm wondering if you can still pay for this...

Those Scallops were worth the price of admission just by themselves. I hope they're still available for 6.95. Otherwise, I think I'll just get the stew. That was delicious. The Alfredo and Rigitoni were too, but without those scallop add ons, the stew would be the way to go.

[kath1210]

Just wondering, did they get rid of it being eligible on DDP, or was it off the menu completely? I was dying to go back there in October and get the Alfredo with the scallops again, it was so good last year. We're not on the dining plan, I'm wondering if you can still pay for this...

The waiter said that the skewers were not available at all, because I said I would be willing to pay for them. But who knows, after free dining is over, they may be back on the menu! We can hope, anyway!

[kath1210]

August 28, 2006 - Sunshine Seasons Café and Coral Reef

Today was Epcot day, and we headed for Soarin’ right away. (DS15 went to DQ *again* and ate the same meal *again* for both lunch and dinner. Boring!) After riding Soarin’, we decided to eat at Sunshine Seasons Café. We really loved all of the choices available. DD12 got the kids meal at the Asian food area because she was not very hungry – Sweet and Sour Chicken, rice and broccoli. It was very tasty. She and I also shared California Rolls, which we also enjoyed very much. I love the fresh ginger they include. I also ordered the Chicken, Noodles and Garlic soup. It was tasty, but the portion was very small and there was not a lot of meat. The veggies were nice and crisp, though. DH got the two entrees (Beef and Sweet & Sour Chicken), plus rice and broccoli. The food was fresh and quite good for “fast” Chinese food.

Dessert was awesome! I had the Key Lime Pie, which was light and tangy. DD12 had the fruit tart which was totally awesome – the fruit was ripe and sweet and the custard was a great accompaniment. DH had the chocolate cake – are you seeing a pattern here. It was actually very good – moist and rich.

(BTW, despite the weather forecast, today was absolutely gorgeous! It was not to hot, the humidity was fairly low, and there was a nice breeze.)

Dinner was at Coral Reef. We had never eaten there before and were looking forward to eating “inside and aquarium.” Well, it wasn’t exactly like that, but it was pretty cool! The food was really great, with one exception, which I’ll discuss below.

For appetizers, DH ordered the shrimp cocktail, I ordered the calamari, and DD12 ordered the Caesar Salad with scallops. The shrimp cocktail was very yummy – the shrimp was large and firm, with a really nice cocktail sauce. The calamari was spicy and seemed fresh, and the salad was very good, but the scallops were a bit too spicy for my taste (which, I’ll admit, is a bit bland).

For dinner, DH ordered the Grilled Mahi Mahi, which was so moist and fresh and came with wonderful couscous and spinach. The sauce was great! DD12 ordered the Salmon, which was served on greens and was grilled to perfection. Unfortunately, I ordered the crab cake, which was served on potatoes and a chorizo mash. The crab cake was heavy on breading and light on crab meat. It was the kind of crab cake I usually describe as “cat food.” Since I am a Marylander, I may be a crab cake snob, but this was truly not good.

Dessert more than made up for the crab cake. There have been many reviews on these boards of Coral Reef’s Chocolate Wave, and let me just say that it definitely lived up to the best of them! The chocolate cake was crispy on the outside, and warm and gooey with chocolate and vanilla ganache on the inside. If it just had more ice cream, it would have been perfect! DD-12 had the make your own sundae, which was good, but nothing too exciting.

Tomorrow – MK Day – __________? and Liberty Tree Tavern

[Catrin]

Thanks for the Up to the minute Dining Reports!

How were the crowds?? What is the BZZ there about Ernesto??

enjoy tomorrow!
Catrin

[kath1210]

Thanks for the Up to the minute Dining Reports!

How were the crowds?? What is the BZZ there about Ernesto??

enjoy tomorrow!
Catrin

The crowds were amazingly light at Epcot today and they weren't bad at AK yesterday. The Epcot parking lot seemed practically empty! Many of the rides were walk-on, except for Soarin', Test Track and Mission Space. But their wait times were listed at 30-45 minutes, so that was not bad at all. The line for Turtle Talk was practically non-existent.

I haven't heard much about Ernesto from anyone except the people on the TV news. I did not hear anyone in the parks discussing Ernesto at all. I'm sure that will change as time goes by! ;)

[princesstigerlilly]

Excellent reviews! I am looking forward to having the salmon at Tusker House, so it's nice to read another good review of it :)

Thanks!

[beeayekay]

Thanks for the info on the crab cakes. After the picture posted several weeks ago and your review, I think I will cross the sad little crab cake from my list and maybe try the salmon...

Thanks again!

Babs :wave:

[tacomaranch]

Thanks for the reviews: We are Coral reef and wanted to try tuskers. We also have chef mickeys and LTT and the Crystal. I appreciate that you are doing a great job on the food and weather.

[kath1210]

Thanks everyone for your kind words! I have to fight my son for computer time to write these reviews, but since I am paying for the internet access, I usually win! :thumbsup2


August 29, 2006 – Columbia Harbor House and Raglan Road

Today’s weather started off so nice! It was probably the hottest day of the week so far, but the sky was so clear and blue. The crowds at MK were pretty light. The longest wait we saw was Peter Pan’s Flight at 45 minutes. We had maybe a 5 minute wait for Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Winnie the Pooh. We walked right on to the TTA and the Carousel of Progress. We got a fast pass for Peter Pan and then the rain started!

Anyway, this is a dining review. For lunch, DD12 and I went to Columbia Harbor House. (DH and DS15 stayed at WL today). I have heard/read so many good things about this restaurant that I was anxious to try it. It did not disappoint. DD12 got the chicken and fish platter, and I ordered the Ham sandwich. We were trying to be good, so we ordered carrots instead of fries or chips. DD12 ordered the triple chocolate cake for dessert, and I ordered grapes because I wanted to get a Mickey Bar later. The chicken and fish were hot and freshly cooked. They gave us some fries by mistake, so we tried a few (and threw the rest away). They were also hot and crispy. The sandwich was awesome. It had ham, muenster cheese, broccoli slaw and tomato on fresh and chewy wheat or whole grain bread. Yum! The carrots were really pretty good, too, and the grapes were cold and sweet. DD12 tried the triple chocolate cake, but just was not in the mood for chocolate overload, so that went into the trash as well. (We did order a Mickey Bar and Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich later and boy were they good!)

For dinner, we had reservations at Liberty Tree Tavern at 8 p.m., but did not feel like staying in the park that late. The heat and rain just wore us out. I called Disney Dining and they had a 7:30 p.m. reservation available at Raglan Road. We had eaten there last December, but not on the meal plan. It also seems like the menu has expanded since then.

We ordered two appetizers that were meant to be shared by at least 2 people – the Dalkey Duo and the Scallop Forest. Both were very good! The scallops were hot and fresh and the lime sauce was a great accompaniment for them. The little sausages were also tasty, with the yummy mustard sauce.

For entrees, DH and I ordered the Sirloin Steak. It was very good and cooked just right. DD12 got the Salmon of Knowledge, which was better than the steak and came with mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms and onions. Lucky for me, DD did not like the mushrooms and onions, so she gave them to me. They were great with the steak! DS15 ordered the cheeseburger (plain) and fries. It was moist and the meat was seasoned perfectly. The bun really made the burger – it was soft and almost like a croissant.

We were so full, but had to try dessert. They were out of the raspberry dessert, which I really wanted to try, but DS15 and I each ordered the Bailey’s Crème Brulee. It was delicious. It actually looked like a piece of cheesecake, instead of being in a soufflé-type dish. The crust was awesome – sort of like a rich shortbread cookie. DD ordered the apple and strawberry crumble, which was topped with ice cream and raspberry sauce. It was the best dessert we ordered, in my opinion. My DH ordered the Dunbrody Kiss – a chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate dessert. It was rich and DH loved it!

Tomorrow – Mama Melrose and ________? (But our plans may be changed due to Ernesto).

[tinkwannabe2]

Thanks for taking the time to share your reviews!

PS - I would have licked the plate at Spoodles!

[lexmelinda]

Thanks for the great reviews, Kathy! We will be eating at almost the exact sames places as you (great minds, ya know) and glad to hear what was great and what was not so great. I also have a 12-almost-13 yr old and a 16 yr old but for a little added fun we also have a 6 yr old! Thanks again............... :)

[goofyforlife]

Hey Kathy.....

Note to self if i ever stay at Wilderness Lodge:

DO NOT TAKE THE WOODS VIEW UPGRADE :stitch: .

Stay dry.... :umbrella:

[kath1210]

August 30, 2006 – Giordano’s Pizza and Kona Cafe

Well, Ernesto did not pack much of a punch, but it still changed our plans. We had planned to go to MGM today, but the threat of heavy rains and 40-50 MPH winds caused us to cancel our Fantasmic package. We pretty much laid around much of the day, but after reading great reviews about Giordano’s pizza on the “Food Porn” thread, we decided to try it out.

Giordano’s is located off of Route 192, not far from WDW. The place was almost empty when we arrived at about 2 p.m. We ordered both a thin crust pizza with just cheese (DS’s favorite) and a deep dish with ½ sausage, ½ cheese. It took quite a while for the food to come, but when it did, it was very hot and fresh. DS15 and I liked the thin crust best – the cheese was cooked to a brown and crusty consistency. The sauce tasted fresh and homemade. DH and DD12 liked the deep dish best. It was hot, gooey and dripping cheese. It was also sorta nice to get off WDW property for a little while. 

The weather was fairly dry most of the day, but the heavy rains started around 4 p.m. I was glad that I had canceled our 5 p.m. Mama Melrose reservation, and I was pretty sure that Fantasmic would also be canceled. (Although we did see later that the Wishes fireworks went off on schedule in a steady, heavy rain. I was surprised.)

We got a last-minute ADR at Kona Café for 8 p.m. That was very lucky!! I think that this is now one of our favorite WDW restaurants. We even got DS15 to come along, and he was happy when he saw the banana crème brulee offered for dessert.

For appetizers, DH and DD ordered the crab cakes. Unlike the unfortunate crab cake I received at Coral Reef, this one was chunky with crab meat and light on the filling. Delicious! DS ordered the duck potstickers, which were okay, but we’ve had better at Chinese restaurants. I ordered the sticky wings, which were very tasty – a lot like (or maybe exactly like) what you get at Ohana.

We really hit the jackpot on entrees, though! DH and DD ordered the Shrimp and Scallops. It consisted of two giant shrimp and two large scallops, with sticky rice, spicy guava and passion fruit. This was an awesome dish! The flavors blended together wonderfully, and the seafood tasted very firm and fresh. DS ordered the Pan-Asian Pasta with both shrimp and chicken, which was like a wonderful stir-fry with noodles instead of rice. It was a very large portion, and he could not even finish it. There was so much shrimp in it that DH and I were “forced” to help him eat it.  We believe it’s a “sin” to waste good shrimp. I decided to order something a little unusual (for me) and got the Coconut Almond Chicken. This was a *huge* chicken breast coated with coconut and ground almonds (I think) – it made a nice crispy coating and the chicken inside was moist and flavorful. The accompaniment was Asian greens with almonds, strawberries and pineapple – absolutely delicious! We are going to have to go back sometime soon because there are about 3 other entrees we’d love to try!

Dessert was almost as wonderful as the entrees. DS and I got the Caramel-Banana Crème Brulee. It was creamy, with a fresh banana topping. DD and DH each got the kids cone, which was a large waffle cone stuck to the plate with a generous dollop of chocolate. The cone was filled with vanilla and chocolate ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. The cone was surrounded by cotton candy, sprinkles and M&Ms. What a treat!!

Tomorrow was supposed to be California Grill day, but we forgot to bring the right clothes, so I canceled. I’ll see where we end up! Any suggestions?

[deany]

Just curious - when you canceled your FDP at MGM did they charge you for it because it was less than 48 hrs even though the storm was coming?

I have loved reading your reviews. We have an ADR at Konas and I am thinking we should maybe go twice as there are so many dishes there that I would like to try. I would like the shrimp and scallops and the coconut chicken. What to do, what to do.... :joker: :joker: :joker:

[goofyforlife]

Let's see Kath.... where to eat.....

Well since CG is 2 credits you could always try for cancellation at CRT or split and do a character breakfest and something for dinner like one of the epcot restaurants (The one in mexico perhaps or Alfredos)

or go to SSR and try new TS restaurant (forget name right now)

or try Yachtsman Steakhouse at YC (2 credit)

There's also maybe Citrico's at GF.

[kath1210]

Hey Kathy.....

Note to self if i ever stay at Wilderness Lodge:

DO NOT TAKE THE WOODS VIEW UPGRADE :stitch: .



:rotfl: :lmao: :rotfl2:

[goofyforlife]

meant to add this yesterday....

http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/data/500/72939owl-thumb.gif

[kath1210]

meant to add this yesterday....

http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/data/500/72939owl-thumb.gif

That's perfect! :thumbsup2

[kath1210]

Just curious - when you canceled your FDP at MGM did they charge you for it because it was less than 48 hrs even though the storm was coming?

I have loved reading your reviews. We have an ADR at Konas and I am thinking we should maybe go twice as there are so many dishes there that I would like to try. I would like the shrimp and scallops and the coconut chicken. What to do, what to do.... :joker: :joker: :joker:

They did not charge a penalty for canceling the FDP, even though the weather never really got too bad. The CM I spoke with said they had suspended all of the penalties due to the forecast.

We are seriously considered trying to get another reservation at Kona to try some of the other dishes. But then, there are a lot of restaurants we have not yet tried, so I think we'll do Cape May Cafe tonight instead.

[arizonacolbys]

Great dining reviews!! :thumbsup2 We're looking forward to trying Spoodles in just a couple weeks - we're happy to keep reading so many great reviews on it lately. :teeth:

Now, a strange question...did you say you had the option of wheat or whole grain bread at Columbia Harbor House for your ham sandwich?? The last time we ate there (probably 2 years ago now...) the ham sandwich was delicious, but the bread had black olives in it & I wasn't crazy about it. TIA! :teeth:

[ufgator]

Thanks for your reviews.

[kath1210]

Great dining reviews!! :thumbsup2 We're looking forward to trying Spoodles in just a couple weeks - we're happy to keep reading so many great reviews on it lately. :teeth:

Now, a strange question...did you say you had the option of wheat or whole grain bread at Columbia Harbor House for your ham sandwich?? The last time we ate there (probably 2 years ago now...) the ham sandwich was delicious, but the bread had black olives in it & I wasn't crazy about it. TIA! :teeth:

I did not get a choice of bread for my sandwich, but it definitely did not have olives in it. I don't like black olives either!

[arizonacolbys]

I did not get a choice of bread for my sandwich, but it definitely did not have olives in it. I don't like black olives either!

Thanks Kathy!! :teeth: That definitely makes me feel better! :thumbsup2

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Thanks for taking the time to post such great reviews. I am getting so excited The Kona place sounds great we may have to add this one on our November trip.

[smartestnumber5]

OP--looks like we were there at almost there at almost the same time (8/24-8/31 for me and gf) and went to many of the same places. We also went to Sunshine Seasons, Tusker House, Spoodles, Whispering Canyon, and Ragland Road. We also made an ADR for Ragland Road a few hours ahead of time when we were too tired to stay in the park for our ADR (though we had a much less pleasant experience). We also wanted to try Kona Cafe and Columbia Harbour House, but didn't get to them this time around.

[S.Poppins]

So Columbia House has chocolate cake now. In the past it has always been apple pie. Was it good? Great report - thanks. :thumbsup2

[kath1210]

So Columbia House has chocolate cake now. In the past it has always been apple pie. Was it good? Great report - thanks. :thumbsup2

The chocolate cake was very moist and rich. DD12 and I just had a few bites, but they were yummy! It's called triple chocolate cake b/c it's chocolate cake, fudge frosting and a dollop of chocolate whipped cream on top. Definitely good for chocolate lovers!

[kath1210]

August 31, 2006 – Roaring Forks and Cape May Cafe

My DH had to go meet a real estate client today, so that sort of led to the rest of us being lazy and not doing much. It was nice to hang out in the hotel and just enjoy the ambience. We went to the pool, took a nap (well, I did) and played Sudoku in the lobby. We also met up with Gail (aka Pooch on the DISBoards). Her DS and my DS hit it off right away, which was nice. Gail is such a sweet lady and her son was really nice and a cutie, too!

For lunch we decided to try Roaring Forks. Now, I never saw the “old” set-up there, but we thought it was very nice. The lines moved along very quickly (when there was a line). DH got the Ham Sandwich on focaccia bread. It was very yummy, and quite large. With the sandwich, they allowed either a dessert OR a side item on the dining plan, so he got Cheetos. I ordered the Double Cheeseburger platter with carrots instead of fries, but then I got a Mickey Bar for dessert. The “fixins” bar was great! I was able to take the bun off my hamburger and make a sort of cheeseburger salad. The tomatoes were ripe and fresh, the lettuce crispy, and the pickles were just the way I like them – nice and salty. DD12 ordered the Chicken Strips with fries, plus a Butterfinger Brownie. The chicken strips and fries were nice and hot and crispy, and the Butterfinger Brownie was rich and yummy! It was really a good lunch!

For dinner, we decided to try Cape May Café, since we love seafood, especially DH. It was okay, but probably the most disappointing meal of the trip. The shrimp and carved beef were overcooked, the beef tips were too salty, and the food was not very hot or fresh overall. On the positive side, the cornbread and the Mickey Mac N Cheese were yummy, the ribs were tasty and not very fatty at all, and the chicken salad and broccoli slaw were fresh and good. DS15 did not like the pizza, so he ate almost nothing at all. The desserts were quite good. We tried the Oreo bonbons, key lime tarts, the mini cheesecakes, and the cupcakes. The waitress was great, though, and the atmosphere was relaxed, despite the fact that it was a busy buffet.

[kath1210]

September 1, 2006 – Roaring Forks (again) and Ohana

Today was another lazy day for us. We hung out at the pool, napped, shopped and just hung out. No one had the energy to hit another park (we are just not the park commando types).

For lunch, we did Roaring Forks again. Everyone had the same thing again, so I have nothing new to report. Well, except that RF was a lot busier today, but the wait was not long at all, either for our food or to pay.

For dinner, we went to Ohana (except DS15). We love Ohana and have to go every trip. It’s more than just the food; it’s the whole atmosphere there. We love Lipoa, the Hawaiian lady who is the “emcee”, and the feeling of “family” and the silly games they play.

I was pretty upset last year when I heard about the new menu. I especially loved the shrimp wontons and the green beans, and was sad to see them go. But, we tried it last year, and it was still quite good. This year, some positive changes have been made. The salad seemed fresher, and the chips that came with the dips were more crispy and tasty. The shrimp was not nearly as messy to peel as it was last year; they seem to have changed the sauce some so it is not so sticky. Plus, the shrimp were perfectly cooked, firm and very delicious. (That’s the only thing we asked for seconds of.) The wings were good, but quite saucy and messy. The meats (steak, pork and turkey) were all cooked just right. They were juicy and very flavorful. (They have been a bit dry in the past.) The potatoes were cheesy and even better than last year (although I still think that rice would be a better side dish with this meal). And, the sautéed veggies were good, but I still would rather have the green beans.

Finally, the dessert – awesome! The bread pudding was moist and cinnamon-y. The ice cream was rich and delicious, and the bananas foster sauce was perfect on top of the whole thing. We were so stuffed that we split the portion that was brought out, and that was more than enough, even though it was basically the same size as most of the other desserts we’d gotten as single servings during the week. Hands down, the BEST dessert of the week!!

So, we go home tomorrow. We have 2 snack credits, 6 counter service credits, and 3 table service credits left; but, our plane does not leave until 8 p.m. I guess we’ll find a way to use most of them before we head home.