Best of the best?

[MonorailMan]

In contrast to the other thread I made......

What restaurants, hotels or attractions at WDW are on your "Best of the best" list?

It was hard for me to narrow down, but here's the shining moment of my last WDW vacation:
-California Grill: I even wrote a lengthy gushing review about this place on TripAdvisor.com (http://www.tripadvisor.com/). We didn't have a reservation, but my friend, Jeffrey, wanted to try going anyway. The woman at the desk said if we liked we could eat at the bar, so we did. I'd actually recommend eating at the bar, because your service is likely going to be better than it would if you were seated at a table. Ray, our handsome bartender who served us, was absolutely amazing. He talked to us and made us feel at ease about being the only ones eating at the bar. He also educated us about the menu and what wines would perfectly accompany each dish. Both of our meals were amazing. (Easily one of the best meals I've ever eaten. All I'm gonna say is "Try the pork tenderloin.....seriously".) Ray even gave me a complimentary watermellon salad because I opted out of ordering one when Jeffrey did. Our meal ended with a plate of 5 cheeses that were accompanied by things like figs and honeycomb. When Jeffrey went off on the balcony to smoke, Ray gave me a few ports to sample. (He was kind of playing "Can you guess the type of wine?" with me. :lmao: ) I.....looooooooooooove this place.

Oh...and if ConcKahuna were a hotel, restuarant or attraction, I'd put him at the top of my list. :thumbsup2

[Tony-NJ]

best of the best?> This is tough on the restaurant level - but in resorts - we definitely loved the Poly the best! 2nd is Boardwalk. We have stayed at the boardwalk most becaise of DVC.

I love California Grill, but I also love Jiko just as much! Tough call there.

Parks - Best of the best for me Magic Kingdom, for Chris - EPCOT.

Maybe someday I'll meet Conck and have the same opinion! :)

[PghLybrt]

Ok this is awful and I know I may be banished for saying it but I feel that the Poly has nothing on the Royal Pacific @ Universal. :faint:
:flower3: :flower3: :flower3: :flower3: :flower3: :flower3:

My fav hotel is the Yacht.
Place to eat- Beirgarten

Ok that sounds bad, The Poly is lovely and up against other DIsney properties it would be in my top 4, However RP does have Yuengling. Also when I stayed at Poly I got really sick. I did appreciate the big bathrooms. It gave me a good place to sleep. (Sadly it was not alcohol induced sickness, My Gf blamed it on hamburgers becasue thats all I ate and I never eat them).

[MonorailMan]

Ok this is awful and I know I may be banished for saying it but I feel that the Poly has nothing on the Royal Pacific @ Universal. :faint:
:flower3: :flower3: :flower3: :flower3: :flower3: :flower3:

My fav hotel is the Yacht.
Place to eat- Beirgarten

Ok that sounds bad, The Poly is lovely and up against other DIsney properties it would be in my top 4, However RP does have Yuengling. Also when I stayed at Poly I got really sick. I did appreciate the big bathrooms. It gave me a good place to sleep. (Sadly it was not alcohol induced sickness, My Gf blamed it on hamburgers becasue thats all I ate and I never eat them).

The Poly is starting to show some slight signs of age, but after spending a long day at the parks, coming back to the Poly always has an uber-comfy feel to it. (I recommend getting a room in Fiji on the marina and sleeping with the sliding door cracked open a bit. The sound of the boats bobbing up and down on the water is really relaxing. Plus, you can't beat being on the monorail line. I always hate leaving. :guilty:

[npmommie]

MM I agree with you about the Poly, loved the comfy feeling there, I don't think I can stay anywhere else. well i guess i could if i had to LOL

we loved Hollywood Studios, and for food the vegetarian samosas at Tusker House were sooooooooo good, it was the highlight of my day at animal kingdom! LOL

[wallyb]

Oh...and if ConcKahuna were a hotel, restuarant or attraction, I'd put him at the top of my list. :thumbsup2

I heard he might be a ride! :rolleyes1


I vote Jiko. :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2
I think it's left all the other dining in it's dust!

[PghLybrt]

I vote Jiko. :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2
I think it's left all the other dining in it's dust!

I think you are right! We have never been disapointed there!

[PghLybrt]

The Poly is starting to show some slight signs of age, but after spending a long day at the parks, coming back to the Poly always has an uber-comfy feel to it. (I recommend getting a room in Fiji on the marina and sleeping with the sliding door cracked open a bit. The sound of the boats bobbing up and down on the water is really relaxing. Plus, you can't beat being on the monorail line. I always hate leaving. :guilty:

You are right too ! The monorail is a definate plus. I don't know I just felt like I was in the brady bunch episode when they goto Hawaii? I guess it didnt help that i just didnt feel good. Not sure if we will b back now that we bought DVC. I did however think it was the quietest property. That was a huge plus.

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

Restaurant: Le Cellier & Raglan Road.....for us, it's a tie. We love them both. Corey is a very picky eater, so places that I would love to try like Jiko or California Grill are off the list, because even though I could probably find one thing on the menu for her to eat, she isn't the type that is going to be happy walking in the door with only one thing on the menu to chose from. So, when it comes to dining at WDW, our sights are set just a bit lower than most.
My favorite CS is Peco Bill's.

Hotels: Deluxe would have to go to the Poly. God, I love that resort.
Moderate would have to go to POR. I just love everything about it.
Value would have to go to POP. We were there when they opened their doors and I can't wait to go back in April!

Rides/Attractions:
MK: BTMRR
DHS: ToT
AK: KS, but I hate the poacher storyline
Epcot: The American Adventure

Fireworks/End of the Day:
Wishes!

Other Magical Entertainment:
MK: The Dapper Dans
DHS: Streetmosphere
AK: The Tropicals
Epcot: JAMMitors

[npmommie]

oh yes fav rides,
at HS......without a doubt TOT and rockin rollercoaster...........my 7 yo did TOT 10 times in a row last year.....LOL

and at Epcot for some reason both kids loved that Figment ride..........I think we did that one over and over, like 5 times,
and they loved loved loved Soarin, I felt like I was going to fall off the seat though, but I liked it too!

[PghLybrt]

oh yes fav rides,
at HS......without a doubt TOT and rockin rollercoaster...........my 7 yo did TOT 10 times in a row last year.....LOL

and at Epcot for some reason both kids loved that Figment ride..........I think we did that one over and over, like 5 times,
and they loved loved loved Soarin, I felt like I was going to fall off the seat though, but I liked it too!

I love FIgment!!! But i really miss the old ride!!

[MonorailMan]

I heard he might be a ride! :rolleyes1


I vote Jiko. :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2
I think it's left all the other dining in it's dust!

Oh, I'm sure he's gonna love reading this. :lmao:

I wanted to try Jiko, but I didn't suggest it because Jeffrey is a stooge when it comes to African or Middle Eastern fare. :sad2:

[MonorailMan]

I love FIgment!!! But i really miss the old ride!!

You and me both. The new Figgy (I call him Figgy :rolleyes: ) is kind of like an overbearing cartoon character that's aimed at teens, but the old Figgy was so wuvable and cute. :cutie: Heck, Dreamfinder was kind of a hottie. LOL

[PghLybrt]

You and me both. The new Figgy (I call him Figgy :rolleyes: ) is kind of like an overbearing cartoon character that's aimed at teens, but the old Figgy was so wuvable and cute. :cutie: Heck, Dreamfinder was kind of a hottie. LOL

I must say I am at least glad that they brought him back!


As for my favorite rides (because i havent mentioned them yet)
Tiki birds ....... I can't help it. Maybe it is a childhood memory thing. I still go 1st thing (even thought they cahnged it).

Haunted Mansion - The old , the new and the Nightmare christmas version.
American Adventure

[rudetreehill]

Without doubt the best of the best for me, hotel wise, is the Wilderness Lodge. The pool is great (as is the poolside bar), the lobby gorgeous (as are the drinks in the lobby-side restaurant... just wish they'd not play sports on the tv 24/7), the jacuuzi's a perfect way to end the day (with a drink from the bar in a go-cup... I'm seeing a theme here...)

Non-park "attraction", for lack of a better word, my favorite would have to have been The Adventurer's Club. I am so sad at its passing. It was always a real highlight to every trip, as was dancing to the 80's music at 8-Trax.

Attraction... that's hard. I'm a big fan of the classics like The Haunted Mansion and Peter Pan, but -- and this is an odd choice -- for some reason I always have to do Ellen's Energy Adventure. Don't ask me why, cause I have no clue. I'm not a science dork or even that huge an Ellen fan! I also love Soaring, having done it in both Disneyland and World.

Restuarant: I really enjoy Artist Point, but the one place I insist on eating at each and every trip? 50's Primetime at MGM. I just love everything about it, from the staff to the fried chicken and the kitchy decor.

[MonorailMan]

Restuarant: I really enjoy Artist Point, but the one place I insist on eating at each and every trip? 50's Primetime at MGM. I just love everything about it, from the staff to the fried chicken and the kitchy decor.

For some reason the fact that the dessert menu is viewed through an actual ViewMaster just makes me start acting like a 10 year-old............moreso.

[wallyb]

Oh, I'm sure he's gonna love reading this. :lmao:

What? - I said he was a fun ride!:flower3:
Thank god for fast pass! ::yes::

[MonorailMan]

What? - I said he was a fun ride!:flower3:
Thank god for fast pass! ::yes::

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I'm stopping myself from typing what I was going to type. :rolleyes:

[wallyb]

...................
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I'm stopping myself from typing what I was going to type. :rolleyes:

Don't restrain - :sad2:
You'll get cramps

[MonorailMan]

Don't restrain - :sad2:
You'll get cramps

Too late. :rolleyes2

[OrlandoMike]

For some reason the fact that the dessert menu is viewed through an actual ViewMaster just makes me start acting like a 10 year-old............moreso.

::yes::

Can I tell you how many times I have had to stand up and do the "tea-pot" song for the entire restaurant! I think those servers are up to somethin! Cuz every time I have to sing that song, I order another adult beverage! :confused3

[MonorailMan]

::yes::

Can I tell you how many times I have had to stand up and do the "tea-pot" song for the entire restaurant! I think those servers are up to somethin! Cuz every time I have to sing that song, I order another adult beverage! :confused3

Next time you need to tell someone to take a video of you doing it. We need some entertainment here when the months are cold.

[TuckandStuiesMom]

Next time you need to tell someone to take a video of you doing it. We need some entertainment here when the months are cold.

TOTALLY seconding that motion.

For me, the best of the best is watching Wishes from the beach at Fort Wilderness on a warm evening, with a sleepy toddler or two in my lap.

[wallyb]

You and me both. The new Figgy (I call him Figgy :rolleyes: ) is kind of like an overbearing cartoon character that's aimed at teens, but the old Figgy was so wuvable and cute. :cutie: Heck, Dreamfinder was kind of a hottie. LOL

You have serious issues. :rolleyes:

[MonorailMan]

You have serious issues. :rolleyes:

Mock me not, for you forget my life used to revolve around Disney and becoming an Imagineer. :snooty: :p

Edit:

Oh.....nevermind. I just realized you were commenting on my Dreamfinder comment. LOL

[TuckandStuiesMom]

Oh.....nevermind. I just realized you were commenting on my Dreamfinder comment. LOL

Like REALLY, Dude...Dreamfinder is so NOT hot. Could there BE more product in that hair???? :rotfl2: :rotfl: :rotfl2: Come to think of it -- might he be Rod Blagoyevich's non-evil twin??????

[mykidsintow]

Food: Ohana I know it gets mixed reviews, but it and Kona are my favorites!

Park: MK is my fav.... also most stressful with Julia. Epcot for a laid back day

Rides: Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan, Soarin', The Yeti! My kids *love* Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land (I can't begin to explain).

Resort: DVC: AKV, BCV Pre DVC: Poly

Local: Plain Ole Head! Although none of the others have revealed themselves to us yet ;)

[MonorailMan]

Food: Ohana I know it gets mixed reviews, but it and Kona are my favorites!

Rides: Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan, Soarin', The Yeti! My kids *love* Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land (I can't begin to explain).


If I ate at Ohana once a week I'd weigh about 700 pounds in about 3 months. I'd be immobile....but I'd be happy. :scratchin

I'm not sure why not many people want to go on The Land. I wanted to go on it a second time this October, but mister whiney pants didn't want to. It's a relaxing ride....and there's no wait. :confused3

[mykidsintow]

If I ate at Ohana once a week I'd weigh about 700 pounds in about 3 months. I'd be immobile....but I'd be happy. :scratchin

I'm not sure why not many people want to go on The Land. I wanted to go on it a second time this October, but mister whiney pants didn't want to. It's a relaxing ride....and there's no wait. :confused3


I want to do the Behind the Seeds Tour eventually. Hopefully once Julia gets her next chair that will ideally be smaller. Her current chair may be a problem in the tour.

I would be immobile with you.... I love it! Yummmmo! :thumbsup2

[MonorailMan]

I have a vote for "Best of the Best" that might confuse some of you. Actually, it probably should be categorized under "WDW's best kept secrets". I'd like to say that Captain Cook's at the Poly is pretty top notch in my book. Sure, the food isn't what you'd find at a 3-star restaurant, and the atmosphere isn't exactly upscale, but here's why I'm nominating it......

1. Despite this being a CS place, they serve breakfast dishes that you can get upstair's at the Kona Cafe, but it costs about 25-30% less than the Kona does. (Who can resist those big sausage links they serve? These aren't those crappy, shriveled up Denny's sausage links were're talkin about here.:lmao: ) Also, this is the only other place you can get a full order of Tonga Toast.....for a few bucks less than at Kona! And this way, if you want, you can eat your Tonga Toast at one of the tables outside. (Ooooooh! Ahhhhh!)

2. Convenience. I can't tell you how many times I made the 1-minute trek to Captain Cook's to refill my mug.

3. Five words: Self-serve Dole Whip, baby!

4. This is the only food service place/restaurant I can think of that has actually improved significantly over the past several years. Remember when CC's used to serve cold sandwiches that had been sitting in the refrigerated case for a while? Yeah.......not pleasant. Now your food doesn't get made until you order it, and, if I do say so myself, the food quality is a lot better than what it used to be.

5. The value. Let's compare:

-At most places around WDW, for around $13 you'll get a cheeseburger, some fries and a small soda.
-At CC's, for around $9 you'll get an Aloha Pork sandwich which consists of hot BBQ pulled pork, cucumbers, cole slaw, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese on a pineapple-coconut hoagie roll, along with chips and a small drink.
I tried the Aloha pork sandwich, and it's actually quite good....especially for only $6.99.

6. The selection. (http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=22) <---This menu is outdated, as they don't show all of the breakfast items they now serve, but at least you'll get the gist of what they have.



I want to do the Behind the Seeds Tour eventually. Hopefully once Julia gets her next chair that will ideally be smaller. Her current chair may be a problem in the tour.

I would be immobile with you.... I love it! Yummmmo! :thumbsup2

Even though I'm not really a person who likes to garden, I still wouldn't mind taking the tour either. It looks interesting.