Let the Stomach Stretching Begin! (Oct PTR) 11/2 - List of December ADRs

[annnewjerz]

Hi everyone! :wave2:

This is a dining review for our trip in October. :woohoo: I'm getting it started right now, so when we return from our trip I can get started with the reviews.

If you'd like to learn more about this spontaneous trip from New Jersey to The World (at least spontaneous by the standards of an obsessive trip planner)---you can do so by checking out my PTR here (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2194840)!

For those of you who aren't interested in reading through a PTR, I'll do some brief introductions:

Me (Ann) - 24, will turn 25 on the day we arrive to WDW. :scared: In honor of this trip being, in part, to attend MNSSHP I have decided that a picture in costume would be most appropriate.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/443943264_2uR8h-M.jpg

DH (Erik) 26. Is only taking this trip because I conned him into it. I mean c'mon---who could say no to that face?? ;) :rotfl2:

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/544104571_4UgJC-M.jpg



Now for the important part, the food. This trip is essentially the start to our training---training for a week-long December trip on the Deluxe Dining Plan. popcorn:: If you're interested in hearing about that trip, which will have loads of dining reviews and yummy food porn pics, you can read up on that here (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2153842). This trip is on a strict budget, so we will try to make the most of our money (or just throw the budget out the window :rolleyes:).

We will be eating at the following fine dining establishments:

- Main Street Bakery @ the MK (something to curb our appetites (but not our enthusiasm) on our arrival day)
- Todd English's bluezoo @ the Dolphin (for my birthday dinner)
- Kona Cafe @ the Poly (to try Tonga Toast for the first time and see if it lives up to the hype)
- The Plaza @ the MK (hoping to meet The Mayor)
- Earl of Sandwich @DTD (mmmm jerk chicken sammie)
- Goofy's Candy Company @ DTD (I know it's blasphemous, I've never been)

I'm sure there will be a snack from Ghirardelli or the Dole Whip stand thrown in for good measure, but in sticking with my "go with the flow" attitude this trip, I haven't planned those things. ;)

Anywho, that's about it for now. I don't have the rating system for anything figured out yet, but I can tell you there will be lots of pictures, a healthy serving of rambling and a lot of keeping myself from licking the computer screen while I write. :crazy:

Ann

[TigerKat]

Sounds like fun, count me in!!! We'll be there soon too!

[DWGal210]

Those sound great! You leave in such a short time, are you getting so very excited?! :woohoo: I'm at about 85 days and can hardly control myself! :rotfl:

Looking forward to hearing all about your trip!

[scoot241]

In mostly because I can't say no to hot zombies. :lmao:

[annnewjerz]

Sounds like fun, count me in!!! We'll be there soon too!

Welcome! Glad to have you tagging along!

Those sound great! You leave in such a short time, are you getting so very excited?! :woohoo: I'm at about 85 days and can hardly control myself! :rotfl:

Looking forward to hearing all about your trip!

I am getting so excited! I went through that whole "not really feeling the trip to Disney and so uber-planner'd out" phase, but that's gone now. We're going to Disney in like 2 1/2 weeks!! :woohoo: :yay:

In mostly because I can't say no to hot zombies. :lmao:

Like I said, who in their right mind could say no to that face? It's irrisistible. ::wishing I could insert zombie smiley here, but there isn't one---so we'll settle for a winky:: ;)

[MickeyNicki]

Cant wait! You will LOVE BlueZoo..it is incredible!

[annnewjerz]

Cant wait! You will LOVE BlueZoo..it is incredible!

I'm very glad to hear you say that. :goodvibes A DISer that I talk to a lot said it's wonderful and recommended it, and I read your review and it was great---so even though it was a bit of a splurge for this trip, I decided to book it.

Then I posted a request for reviews on the Restaurant Board and the response was not so great. Most people seemed to have complaints or think it was just okay and wouldn't go back. :scared:

I'm looking forward to judging for myself. It looks like a really cool restaurant and a nice place to spend a birthday dinner. :thumbsup2

[natalielongstaff]

count me in popcorn::

[Symans3honeybees]

It's going to be a fun read. Thanks for sharing :thumbsup2
BTW, you should have your "blood" count checked. You definitely need to eat more "RED-MEAT" done rare....:lmao:

[annnewjerz]

count me in popcorn::

It's going to be a fun read. Thanks for sharing :thumbsup2
BTW, you should have your "blood" count checked. You definitely need to eat more "RED-MEAT" done rare....:lmao:

Thanks for joining in!! :yay:

Now with quite a few readers following along, it's making me nervous. What if I take a bite before getting a pic, what if I forget to show what the bread basket looked like, what if I completely forget to take a pic?! Oh the horror!!!!! ;)

[annnewjerz]

So even though I just posted this TR last week, I already made a change.

The first plan for sit-down meals was:
Oct. 17 - The Plaza
Oct. 18 - The Plaza

Then it was:
Oct. 17 - The Wave
Oct. 18 - The Plaza

Then it became:
Oct. 17 - Todd English's bluezoo
Oct. 18 - The Plaza

And now...it is (and I don't think it'll change ;)):
Oct. 17 - Todd English's bluezoo
Oct. 18 - (breakfast) Kona Cafe, (dinner) The Plaza

I added in Kona Cafe for breakfast for a few reasons. First, we were going to Captain Cook's for breakfast anyway. Second, sitting down for breakfast isn't dreadfully expensive. Third, if I'm going to have Tonga Toast I should have it right. Fourth, it'll be a nice way to start our first full day in Disney and since we have nothing planned at all until 4:00 MNSSHP, why not? :)

[annnewjerz]

Well, everyone---I have seen a lot of unique ratings systems around the dining reviews (from the Simpsons, to penguins, to Ren & Stimpy) and decided that I should come up with my own. In honor of probably my all-time favorite movie, I have decided to use characters from....


Willy Wonka! (the original with Gene Wilder, I absolutely refuse to even watch the re-make)

I haven't quite decided who will serve as which rating---but I'm thinking it will go as follows:

Pure Fizzy Lifting Drink Ecstasy (Charlie & Grandpa Joe)

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/669749647_4SMn9-S.jpg


Roll Me Out Of Here---Sooooo Good (Violet)

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/669749654_A9eAh-S.jpg


Delightful! Nothing To Turn My Nose Up At (Augustus Gloop)

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/669749643_htduZ-S.jpg


YUCK! Bad Egg Indeed. Won't Be Eating Again Anytime Soon (Veruca Salt)

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/669754900_u5pAq-S.jpg

[scoot241]

Awesome rating system! :rotfl:

[annnewjerz]

Awesome rating system! :rotfl:

Thanks, Scott---I definitely agree. It was either Willy Wonka or Christmas vacation, and something about having "Cousin Eddie" possibly show up multiple times in a dining review just didn't seem right. He's quite disgusting.

[scoot241]

Thanks, Scott---I definitely agree. It was either Willy Wonka or Christmas vacation, and something about having "Cousin Eddie" possibly show up multiple times in a dining review just didn't seem right. He's quite disgusting.

Christmas Vacation would have been great too! Something really bad could have been given the charred cat rating. :rotfl:

[annnewjerz]

Christmas Vacation would have been great too! Something really bad could have been given the charred cat rating. :rotfl:

I don't know if you've forgotten---but my Christmas TR is called "Christmas Vacation (The Trip Not The Movie)." :santa:

I was tryyyyyyying to keep the ratings system for my Christmas Dining Reviews secret until we got back, but yes---the charred cat may make an appearance for the bad foods or maybe Cousin Eddie pumping sewage into the gutter, the house lit up in all of its glory for something spectacularly delicious, etc.

Now that I've posted a spoiler---no one better steal my idea!!! ;)

[disneygirlinnj]

LOVEEE the rating system!! hahahahaha!

[annnewjerz]

LOVEEE the rating system!! hahahahaha!

Thank you thank you! Excited to have another reader and I can't wait to start on your dining reviews. :thumbsup2

[annnewjerz]

So with only 8 days left until our trip, I figured I would inform all (any) of my readers that are interested that I will be Twittering/live blogging from The World. :hyper: :hyper:

Now, while these "live reports" won't necessarily all be about dining, there will most definitely be an occassional Tweet to point out anything spectacular or spectacularly bad, as well as an occassional picture on the live blog to get your mouths watering.

Here (http://www.anngoestowdw.blogspot.com/) is the link to the live blog, which will have pictures.

Here (http://twitter.com/annnewjerz) is the link to follow me on Twitter.

I can't guarantee each post will be on both the blog and Twitter, although I do say that I'm going to make a sincere effort!

I hope that some of you follow along and comment and if not, no worries---there will be a full dining report with much better pictures when we get home. :thumbsup2

I'll be re-posting my links later a day or two before we leave in case anyone misses this post. :cutie:

[KatMark]

I'm in for this one. popcorn::

[annnewjerz]

I'm in for this one. popcorn::

Yay! :woohoo:

Welcome. I hope it's an enjoyable read!

[annnewjerz]

Alright people, we're 5 days out and I decided I can't wait anymore. I need....


SNACK SUGGESTIONS!

Now, when suggesting a snack, please take the following into consideration:

1. We will not be on the DDP, so anything is fair game. :woohoo:
2. We will only be at CSR and the MK area, with the exception of a dinner at the Dolphin. :headache:
3. DH and I have never really had any of those good Disney treats (Dole Whip, Icecream cookie sandwich, Disney popcorn, MK cinnamon roll, etc.) :guilty:
4. We have a $20 per day snack budget. I'm sure this will be more than enough for snacks for two people, but just in case I'm not being realistic about prices, let's keep the snacks $5 and under, no snooty $10 snacks here! :snooty:

I'm open for suggestions of any kind. Fudge, candy, pretzels, cookies---bring it on! :yay:

[scoot241]

Main Street Bakery Cinnamon Roll (Note: cinnamon rolls in other parks do not compare)
Mickey Bar (need convincing? See pictures at the end of this post: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=33896026#post33896026)
The bags of chocolate covered pretzels are really good
I don't think I've ever had the rice krispie treats, but I hear they're rather good too

I know, these probably sound pretty standard, but they're soooo good (especially the cinnamon roll).

[NuttyDisneyMom]

MUST HAVE MAIN ST BAKERY CINNAMON ROLL!!:cloud9::love::lovestruc:worship: Eat, euphoric feeling of deliciousness, repeat!

The fudge is also fabulous from MS confectionary in MK. They have SO many different varieties and you get a big piece for a good price:thumbsup2

[annnewjerz]

Alright, everyone. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been reading so far and that I hope I have lots off good dining experiences to tell you about when I get back.

I also wanted to tell you all again that I will be using twitter and live blogging while in The World. If you want to follow me on either of those, see the links in post 19 of this review or go to:

www.anngoestowdw.blogspot.com

and

www.twitter.com/annnewjerz

Talk to you all next week!! :woohoo:

Ann

[KatMark]

Alright, everyone. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been reading so far and that I hope I have lots off good dining experiences to tell you about when I get back.

I also wanted to tell you all again that I will be using twitter and live blogging while in The World. If you want to follow me on either of those, see the links in post 19 of this review or go to:

www.anngoestowdw.blogspot.com

and

www.twitter.com/annnewjerz

Talk to you all next week!! :woohoo:


Ann

Ann, have a wonderful trip. Can't wait for the reviews. :)

[annnewjerz]

Ann, have a wonderful trip. Can't wait for the reviews. :)

Thanks, Kathy!! :goodvibes

[NuttyDisneyMom]

Have a safe and magical trip!!! Take lots of pics;)

[annnewjerz]

Alright everyone, let the reviews begin!!! I'll be incorporating tweets/blog entries into my reviews if I posted any while we were on our trip.

October 17th was the first day of our trip (my birthday) and we had one reservation planned---dinner at Todd English's bluezoo.

We walked over through Epcot's International Gateway. It was a nice (if not chilly) walk. Eventually we saw the Dolphin and considering all we had eaten up until that point (approximately 5:00pm) was a donut for breakfast and some cookies on our flight---it was like seeing the pearly gates of heaven in front of us. Salvation in the form of a seafood restaurant.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687412816_k6ZPo-L.jpg

I really thought that finding bluezoo would take a bit of effort. I've never been in the Swolphin before and didn't know what to expect. Luckily, as soon as we entered the doors into the hotel we were delighted to see bluezoo to our immediate right.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687412958_dj9nr-M.jpg

We checked in and because it was about 4:45 at this point and dinner doesn't begin until 5:00, we had a seat at the bar. Erik decided to have a beer and I had a diet Coke. It felt so nice to sit down and know we'd be relaxing for the next hour or two.

At about 5:00 exactly, we were told we could be seated whenever we were ready and were escorted from the lounge to the restaurant. I've got to say that it was a really pretty restaurant. Very cool looking, very empty and even though it was fancy it wasn't overly stuffy. Erik was wearing khaki shorts and a polo shirt and I was wearing a dress with sandals.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687412996_DABCH-M.jpg

At dinner at bluezoo. Restaurant is very nice, server is great. Ordered a million apps.
5:23 PM Oct 17th from Tweetie

Once we were seated, our server came over. I wish I could remember his name, he was great. He went over everything on the menu, made recommendations and gave us probably far too much time to sit and ponder what we wanted to order.

At this point, everything on the menu looked amazing. We hadn't eaten anything but a donut and some chocolate chip cookies all day and probably would have eaten just about anything at this point.

We ended up ordering a bunch of appetizers rather than an entree each just to get a sample of everything we could.

First, out came the bread. There were three different types---one was parmesan and crunchy, one was ciabatta bread and one was this soft buttery bread that was sooooo good.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687414636_xFtLw-M.jpg

Next came the appetizers. We went with the following:

bluezoo's New England Style Clam Chowder - light and brothy with salt cured bacon, house-made oyster crackers: Erik wanted to try this, I'm not a fan of clam chowder. It definitely matched the description and even came with little mini-clams in the shell inside the soup. Unfortunately, Erik didn't read the description. He likes thick, chunky soup and this was more brothy and light. He said it tasted good, but in terms of texture he wasn't a huge fan.
http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687414719_D2rNE-M.jpg

"Olive's" Classico Flatbread - roasted tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, torn basil: I decided to order this after seeing (I believe) MickeyNicki's dining report. It was really good. The crust was light and crisp, the tomato sauce wasn't like a pizza sauce at all and all of the ingredients tasted nice and fresh. It doesn't look like it, but it was actually a really good size, 8 pieces total.
http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687414828_Bk5bR-M.jpg

Yellowfin Tuna Tartare - from the "Olive's" table, twisted cucumber salad, crispy rock shrimp, orange glaze, scallion cream: This is something that we didn't originally intend to order, but after hearing the description and that the tuna came out cold sushi style, I thought it sounded really nice and refreshing. I really liked it a lot and, in fact, ate probably the whole thing. Erik wasn't a fan of the cucumber and the orange glaze, so he took two forkfuls and left the rest for me.
http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687414784_y3zVj-M.jpg

Teppan Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops - braised beef short rib, silky cauliflower puree: THIS was the most anticipated dish of the whole trip, after reading the description and hearing Carrie (Lurkyloo) rave about it, my mouth was watering. This dish definitely lived up to all expectations and, in fact, exceeded it. I thought for sure that once Erik saw it had cauliflower he would refuse to eat it, but he ended up LOVING it. We actually ordered a second serving because Erik couldn't get enough. The scallops were cooked perfectly, the short rib could be pulled apart with the lightest touch of the fork and the cauliflower puree/sauce situation was awesome. Every bite was like a little slice of heaven and I'm completely in love with it. I'm seriously considering making another reservation for our trip in December.
http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687414883_u67hJ-M.jpg

Scallops are amazing. Just put on an order for more. Mmmmmmmmmm. Screw dessert.
5:50 PM Oct 17th from Tweetie

That plan didn't work. We ordered dessert AND the scallops. This is vacation, after all, right?

Warm Chocolate Cake - with liquid ganache center, maracaibo chocolate cream pudding, peanut ice cream: This was another Carrie recommendation. I love chocolate and I love peanut (butter) so I figured it would be a great dessert. It came out and was mighty tasty. The chocolate pudding was good, the icecream was only slightly peanutty and the center of the cake was nice and gooey. It gets a definite thumbs up, but definitely not one of my top 5 desserts or anything, just good. Luckily, our server was great and since I noted it was our "anniversary celebration" on our reservation, when the check came we weren't charged for the cake.
http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/687416092_tUNqM-L.jpg

Our dinner totaled $90 with tip, which was not bad considering we got 5 apps and a dessert, as well as two sodas.

Maybe it was because we were extremely hungry, or maybe it was because bluezoo is just that good. Whatever the reason, I'm currently working on rearranging some ressies to see if we can fit it in again for our trip in December.

This restaurant definitely gets a Pure Fizzy Lifting Drink Ecstasy.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/669749647_4SMn9-S.jpg

This was a GREAT way to start the trip and I'm hoping I can get there again soon.

Next Up: Breakfast @ Kona Cafe

[scoot241]

Yum! bluezoo at the Swolphin :rotfl: looks delicious! $90 for five appetizers and dessert isn't too bad either. I've never actually been inside the Emerald City; might be something to consider one day.

[disneyfav4ever]

I love the rating system.

I love the original Willy Wonka, but did not like the remake. It was one of those movies that should have never been made IMO.

[KatMark]

Blue Zoo looks terrific. Great start. :thumbsup2

[LMO429]

looking forward to more reviews :thumbsup2

[mchelle77]

Subbing :)

[MickeyNicki]

Oh I just love BlueZoo! I cannot wait to get back there....I was telling DH that the next time we go for 10 days I want to do all the fancy dancy dining and he said we may not fit in the car to go home :rotfl:

[GoofySon'sMom]

Ok, one of these days I need to go without the dining plan so I can eat at Blue Zoo! YUM!

[Happydog]

THANK you for this review! :thumbsup2 We are trying to decide between BlueZoo and Flying Fish for Christmas Dinner -- We have never tried either...

Looking forward to more!! :goodvibes

[annnewjerz]

Our second reservation of the trip was breakfast at Kona Cafe. This was another first for us and we were really looking forward to it.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688469382_qJjJx-M.jpg

We arrived at Kona about 15 minutes ahead of our reservation time and were seated within 10 minutes or so. My initial thoughts upon seeing the restaurant was that the placement of it was a little weird. It was very open to the floor it was on with just a railing dividing it from the hallways with people walking to/from the monorail, gift shops, etc. It felt a little public, but luckily we were seated towards the back of the restaurant near the Kona Island Coffee place, so there was slightly more privacy.

I made sure to proudly display my birthday button because you never know what kind of pixie dust you may experience if you make it know what you are "celebrating today." Turns out it got me nothing. I didn't expect a free meal, free dessert or anything, but not even a happy birthday from our server? C'mon now!

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688469430_owWmp-M.jpg

After looking over the menu, even though I reeeeally wanted the macadamia pineapple pancakes, I went with the Tonga Toast to see if it lived up to all the hype it gets here on the DIS. I must say, my initial reaction was disappointment when I saw this plate put down in front of me.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688469511_cUZ48-M.jpg

I don't expect a gourmet presentation or anything, but how sad looking is that plate?? First, there are like three shriveled bacon pieces that weren't even hot. Second, the Tonga Toast looks like it's using the bathroom (if you know what I mean). Regardless, I know looks aren't everything and proceeded to eat my breakfast. I'm not a fan of regular French Toast, so on the plus side, this tasted nothing like French Toast. It was lighter, crispy from being fried and absolutely covered in sugar. Very sweet, almost like a donut, but not nearly enough banana on the inside. All in all, I'd give this breakfast a "meh."

Erik decided that he wanted to try a little of everything, especially since our next meal wasn't unil 5:00 at The Plaza. He ordered the Big Kahuna, which consists of just about every breakfast food you can imagine.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688469615_7Zg4i-M.jpg

I guess this could be compared to the Grand Slam at Denny's or something. It had eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, potato, french toast and pancakes. I tried the pancakes, which were what I really wanted and they were soooo good, really made me regret the Tonga Toast. Erik had the rest of the stuff and liked it enough. He said it all tasted good, but that there wasn't anything particularly special about what he got.

Considering breakfast is cheap, we'll probably give Kona another shot on our trip in December, but wouldn't be disappointed if we couldn't fit it in.

For now, I think Kona should be rated an Augustus Gloop. Breakfast definitely wasn't bad, but not really anything more than just good. Not very memorable.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/669749643_htduZ-S.jpg


Up next: Dinner at The Plaza

[KatMark]

Mark is dying to have that Big Kahuna for breakfast; and I was very disappointed about the Tonga Toast. I've read good and bad and now not sure what way to go with making that ressie. :confused3

[annnewjerz]

Mark is dying to have that Big Kahuna for breakfast; and I was very disappointed about the Tonga Toast. I've read good and bad and now not sure what way to go with making that ressie. :confused3

I would definitely give it a try, it's inexpensive enough that if you don't love it at least you weren't wasting $35 on a steak dinner or something.

Our breakfast wasn't stellar, but it definitely wasn't bad. In December, we already have Crystal Palace and Kouzzina booked for breakfast---so we'll probably head back to Kona just to see if we had an off day. If it's just so-so again, we probably won't go back. My theory is that no matter what reviews I read, I like to try stuff out for myself. People hate San Angel Inn and I love it. Different strokes for different folks!

[KatMark]

I would definitely give it a try, it's inexpensive enough that if you don't love it at least you weren't wasting $35 on a steak dinner or something.

Our breakfast wasn't stellar, but it definitely wasn't bad. In December, we already have Crystal Palace and Kouzzina booked for breakfast---so we'll probably head back to Kona just to see if we had an off day. If it's just so-so again, we probably won't go back. My theory is that no matter what reviews I read, I like to try stuff out for myself. People hate San Angel Inn and I love it. Different strokes for different folks!

Thanks for the advice. I agree...everyone has different tastes, etc. I usually try to give every restaurant two tries in case of an off day (only mistake I've made doing that was Hollywood & Vine). Can't wait for more reviews (and to see you over on the CSR thread to let us know what you thought).

[LisaZ1113]

I'm siging on!! LOVING your reviews!!
We LOVE LOVE BLue Zoo, and always order the flatbread and scallops as well....YUM. :lovestruc

[annnewjerz]

The next stop on our dining journey is The Plaza Restaurant at the end of Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.

Even though The Plaza is simple and just serves your typical burgers, fries, shakes, etc. it was a reservation I was really looking forward to. I have another reservation (or two ;)) booked here for December, so this was The Plaza's test run.

We entered the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party around 4:00 and our reservation wasn't until 5:00, so the plan was to meander around Main Street to allow Alex (my DBil) to really take it all in.

Unfortunately Alex, Joe and Erik were all complaining that they were starving because we hadn't eaten since breakfast, so instead we walked down Main Street at much too fast a pace to check in to The Plaza and see if we could be seated early.

Just checked in at The Plaza. Hoping to get in early.
4:07 PM Oct 18th from Tweetie

We checked in and again, I did a little bit of picture taking, but not too much since we were buzzed within 10 minutes to be seated.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688599790_8tNsF-L.jpg

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688600734_ZkfFy-M.jpg

We were sat at a nice little table near the window in The Plaza. It's a really small restaurant---which I was expecting, but so small that if you needed the bathroom, you had to go to the public restroom near the People Mover!! :rotfl:

Our server soon came over and wished me a Happy Birthday. She was really nice, her name was Darlene.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688600310_Vkz6E-M.jpg

She took our drink orders and gave us a while to look over the menu, even though it pretty much consisted of burgers, turkey sandwich, burgers and reubens.

Erik and I decided to split a chocolate milkshake. Per Carrie's genius recommendation, I asked Darlene if it could be made with chocolate icecream and chocolate syrup in order to maximize the chocolate-y goodness. When she brought the drinks out, she even had the kitchen split the milkshake into two cups since she knew Erik and I would be splitting.

Alex and Joe were boring and just got coke, even though they knew we were paying for dinner. Laaaaaaame.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688600454_FZp4S-M.jpg

Mmmmmmmmmm shakes at the plaza. Chocolate icecream with chocolate syrup is the s$%t.
4:35 PM Oct 18th from Tweetie

As you can see above, those milkshakes were pretty awesome. Maybe it was because they were "Disney milkshakes," but it sure tasted better than any I've had at our local diner before.

Next, it was time to order our meals. Erik, Joe and I all got burgers with cheddar cheese and fries on the side. I think all of us unanimously gave the burgers a solid "good." They were your typical frozen pattie style hamburger (or so it seemed) so there really wasn't much that could be done to make them amazing. The fries, on the other hand, were so good. I had fries from Cosmic Ray's later that night and they were not even comparable. Crisp, hot and just the right amount of salt. Thicken than normal fries, but not quite as thick as steak fries. Mmmmmmmm.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688600539_W7V6a-M.jpg

Alex ordered the turkey sandwich and really liked it. The turkey wasn't all slimy like normal deli meat, the bread was good and he got a pickle, which is a plus for him. He agreed that the fries were deeeelicious.

I was hoping that after we finished our meals, there would be room for dessert. Brownie sundae anyone? Unfortunately, all of us were stuffed so we decided to just get the check.

There had already been three birthday cupcake/balloon/whole restaurant singing combinations since we arrived about 40 minutes earlier---so I was pretty certain I'd be next.

I was right.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/688600672_wN2hh-M.jpg

I felt so bad because the cupcake looked good, but I couldn't eat all of it on my own, I was just too full. The whole restaurant sang to me, which in a normal restaurant would have caused me to crawl under the table---but in Disney, it's fun.

We ended up splitting the cupcake four ways, just enough for a bite for each of us. Truth be told, I don't like vanilla cake, so I thought it was kind of a dud, but everyone else thought it was good. The cake was moist, the icing was really sugary and it was the perfect little treat to end the meal with.

All in all, we really enjoyed The Plaza and I think it is going to quickly become our must-do eatery in the Magic Kingdom. If I were on the regular dining plan, I would probably pay for this meal out of pocket. The total bill for 4 entrees, 1 milkshake and 4 sodas was only around $65, which is not much more than a quick-service meal would cost. We, however, will be on the deluxe plan in December, so I will be more than happy to use a credit or two for some tasty burgers and shakes at The Plaza.

In my book, The Plaza deserves a Violet Beauregarde. We left stuffed to capacity and happy as pigs in.....well, you know.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/photos/669749654_A9eAh-S.jpg

[KatMark]

LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE the Plaza french fries -- the best in all of Disney if you ask me. We've had Darlene before -- she is a sweetheart.

[annnewjerz]

LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE the Plaza french fries -- the best in all of Disney if you ask me. We've had Darlene before -- she is a sweetheart.

I believe in your dining TR you and Mark ordered the fries and chips, right? If that's the case---which do you think is better, or are they both really good? The chips sounded (and looked) awesome, but I was too in the mood for fries to venture off into the world of chips.

[KatMark]

I believe in your dining TR you and Mark ordered the fries and chips, right? If that's the case---which do you think is better, or are they both really good? The chips sounded (and looked) awesome, but I was too in the mood for fries to venture off into the world of chips.

I really like BOTH and that's why we each ordered something different so that I could have both. The fries get an A+ from me and the chips an A-. I'd make Eric order the opposite of you so you can try them next time. Or just ask the person next to you if you can try one of theirs. :rotfl:

[PirateRachel]

great reviews, everything sounds yummy yumkins!!! popcorn::

[disneygirlinnj]

mmmm! your reviews are YUMMMY!!

I'm NOT a seafood person but Bluezoo looks amazing. I keep looking at the menu online and seeing the one or two things I would eat. Tempting....very very tempting :)

As for Kona's breakfast...I was underwhelmed with the Tonga Toast when I got it last year. Mehhhhhh.... I just stick with normal eggs or the macadamia nut pancakes (MM!) when I go now.

And the Plaza was a nice pleasant surprise when I went last month. I haven't been there (ever? in decades?) and we really enjoyed it!

As for cupcakes... i'm not a vanilla cake person either so all the cupcakes I got were pretty much wasted. :( Kouzzina though did give out chocolate cupcakes and it was DELICIOUS! :)

[annnewjerz]

great reviews, everything sounds yummy yumkins!!! popcorn::

Thanks!! :goodvibes

mmmm! your reviews are YUMMMY!!

I'm NOT a seafood person but Bluezoo looks amazing. I keep looking at the menu online and seeing the one or two things I would eat. Tempting....very very tempting :)

It was amazing. From what I read, they also do awesome non-seafood. They have steak, some pasta, flatbreads and chicken if I recall correctly. Seriously awesome restaurant, fantastic service and the food (even though it was seafood) was out of this world.

As for Kona's breakfast...I was underwhelmed with the Tonga Toast when I got it last year. Mehhhhhh.... I just stick with normal eggs or the macadamia nut pancakes (MM!) when I go now.

I'm totally doing the Macadamia nut pancakes next time. I had a bite of DH's and they were so good. A nice departure from your typical butter and syrup pancakes.

[oybolshoi]

Happy belated birthday from one October 17th girl to another. :goodvibes

So glad to read that you enjoyed Bluezoo ... I know I talked it up a great deal and would have felt awful if you'd had a bad experience there. Looking forward to reading the rest of your reviews. :thumbsup2

[annnewjerz]

Well, my apologies everyone. I completely forgot that I still had to review one more restaurant, as well as our one lonely snack and alcoholic beverage. So it's time to get to that!

On our last day, we had to be picked up by the Magical Express at 3:00pm, so we decided to just head over to Downtown Disney for some shopping and a quick lunch at....

EARL OF SANDWICH!!

This was a meal that I had also been looking forward to. I had heard such amazing things about the sandwiches and brownies and considering it didn't cost more than like $10 per person it seemed like somewhere we had to try.

When we walked up, it was pretty packed. It was right around 12:30pm so I knew we were in for a lunch rush and were prepared to wait.

Standing in line at EOS. Gonna get the original and the holiday turkey sandwich.
9:01 AM Oct 19th from Tweetie

Erik and I decided that we wanted to get two sandwiches that appealed to both of us, so we could sample both. He picked the Holiday Turkey sandwich and I decided on the Original. What I had really wanted was the Caribbean Jerk Chicken sandwich, but Erik didn't seem interested and since we had a deal---I couldn't break it.

We got to the counter after less than 10 minutes in line even though you would swear it was going to take at least 20. Then, I called an audible. This would be our only real meal of the day and I wasn't sure how big the sandwiches were and since they were reasonably cheap, I decided to order three. I can't help it, I really wanted the Caribbean Jerk Chicken!!

So, we put in an order for a Caribbean Jerk Chicken, a Holiday Turkey and the Original. We also ordered a brownie since they get such great reviews, even though I knew we wouldn't be able to finish it.

(I apologize in advance for the pictures, it was super crowded and I had to make due with getting shots of the sandwiches with everything jammed on our table.)

The Holiday Turkey Sandwich:

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/For-Fun/Trips/Walt-Disney-World/Disney-128/696905527_hh8cq-M.jpg

Erik and I both agreed that this was seriously awesome. It was a roll with turkey, stuffing, cranberry and gravy. There might have been cheese on it also, but I can't find the menu description.

Basically, if you like Thanksgiving dinner the day after Thanksgiving, you will like this sandwich. The bread was awesome, the turkey was nice and thick---not regular lunch meat turkey, the cranberry was sweet and tart and the stuffing was moist and flavorful.

This was Erik's favorite sandwich of all three and he even said he thinks it's the best sandwich he has ever eaten. This coming from the Hoagie King himself---so that's an accomplishment for EOS.

Next up was the Caribbean Jerk Chicken:

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/For-Fun/Trips/Walt-Disney-World/Disney-127/696905426_USzwe-M.jpg

OMG SOOOOOO GOOD. This was, by far, my favorite sandwich of the three. It was seriously better than I expected it to be. Again, the bread was awesome---I think it made the sandwiches. The chicken was nice and thick, the spicy jerk sauce was spicy with a nice little kick but not overly spicy and the banana peppers were fantastic. They were a little sweet and weren't served hot on the sandwich IIRC, which added a nice little coolness to an otherwise hot sandwich. I will soooooo be getting this again in December.

Lastly was the Original 1762:

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/For-Fun/Trips/Walt-Disney-World/Disney-129/696905602_EG7vw-M.jpg

We got this because it sounded simple and yummy. After all, it is the original which I take to mean an EOS classic---so it couldn't be bad, right? Right. It most definitely wasn't bad, but it was unfortunately our least favorite sandwich of the three. It was tasty, just a little boring and not quite as delicious as the other two sandwiches. Looking back, we could have skipped this one. The bread was good again, there was a ton of roast beef on it and the cheddar cheese was nice and melty. I think the thing I didn't like was the horseradish sauce. I expect horseradish sauce to have a little zesty bite and this sauce was more....sweet?? It just didn't taste like what I expected. Not bad, just didn't have any kick which is what I was expecting.

Lastly was the brownie I had heard so much about:

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/For-Fun/Trips/Walt-Disney-World/Disney-130/696905852_UdRvW-M.jpg

Overall, the brownie was a brownie. It seems to get a lot of great reviews here on the DIS, but to me it wasn't anything special. It was a good size, but after finishing probably 3/4 of each sandwich we didn't eat more than a bite or so each. I think my main issue with the brownie is that I like a fudgie browny, one that is very moist and rich. This brownie was definitely rich, but not fudgie if that makes sense. It was just kind of, meh.

Overall, we give Earl of Sandwich a HUGE two thumbs up. For the price and the taste it is a definite must on our list for December. Erik already specially requested lunch there again, so after some rearranging we'll now be eating there our first day in WDW before we see La Nouba on the west side of DTD. For Erik to say that it's the best sandwich he's ever had and not give him the pleasure of eating there again would just be cruel, wouldn't it?? ;)

EOS gets a strong Violet. If it wasn't for the fact that it's just sandwiches, EOS would definitely get a fizzy lifting drink.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/For-Fun/Other/Miscellaneous-Pics/Violet-Bloated/669749654_A9eAh-S.jpg

[annnewjerz]

Happy belated birthday from one October 17th girl to another. :goodvibes

So glad to read that you enjoyed Bluezoo ... I know I talked it up a great deal and would have felt awful if you'd had a bad experience there. Looking forward to reading the rest of your reviews. :thumbsup2

And happy belated birthday to you! Hope you guys had fun as the DIS meet and I hope you got some pics of the cake! :thumbsup2 By the time we finished up our spectacular dinner at bluezoo (SO SO SO happy we went, will be going again in December) it was getting so cold outside. Combine the colder than expected weather with the fact that we were up since 3:00am and we just went back to the hotel to sleep. No Wishes or Spectro and no DIS meet, but I was nice and rested for MNSSHP the next day. :cutie:

[scoot241]

I think you already know I think Earl of Sandwich is wonderful. I had the holiday turkey sandwich the other day and it was awesome! Too bad it's a holiday special; I might get that every time I go otherwise.

I haven't had the Caribbean Jerk yet. Maybe next time I'm out that way I'll try it.

Oh and you got the holiday turkey description correct. There's no cheese on it.

[annnewjerz]

Alright everyone, I'm out of meals to review---but I do have two snacks to review!

I had such high hopes for this trip. I wanted to try a Dole Whip, I wanted to try an Icecream Cookie Sandwich from the Main Street Bakery, I wanted to bring home some treats from Goofy's Candy Company---and I didn't do any of those things. :guilty:

Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you consider the fact that we stayed under our food budget), two meals each day filled us up very nicely for the most part, so snacks weren't really on our minds. I'm going to have to make up for that in December since we'll have 10 snack credits to use each.

So, without further ado, here are the snacks we did get.

Snack 1: Gelato from the food court area at CSR.

After we had breakfast at Kona and made our way back to CSR, we passed the time by getting a gelato from the food court. I looked at the cup sizes and decided on a small (there were only two sizes) and figured it would be a nice little treat without filling me up too much and I wouldn't have to share with Erik. Boy was I wrong. I ordered a dark chocolate gelato, and Erik got a vanilla bean. This is what came out.

http://www.andrealusasphotography.com/For-Fun/Trips/Walt-Disney-World/Disney-42/688472054_c5QGb-L.jpg

:scared1: They were HUGE. See the size of the cup? Knowing Disney I thought they'd fill it to the lip and scrape it flat as to not give us anything extra that we didn't pay for. Needless to say, that wasn't the case.

I couldn't even come close to finishing my dark chocolate gelato, but what I did eat was very tasty. It was creamy, it was rich, it was nice and cold and I loved the spoon they served it with, it was like one of those little sample sized spoons. So cute!

Erik managed to polish off his vanilla bean cup, although I'm not sure how he did it after eating the Big Kahuna for breakfast. He thought it was good, nice and creamy and very vanilla tasting, but ultimately he liked mine better. Poor guy, he always picks something and then likes what I got better.

Snack 2: Corndog nuggets from Casey's Corner

Erik and I split an order of corndog nuggets from Caseys as we made our way out of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at about 11:30. We hadn't eaten since our dinner reservation at The Plaza at 4:30, so we were hungry. I didn't take a picture, but there was a little container with maybe 10 nuggets for just over $4. They were crisp, hot and tasty. I honestly can't remember if I've ever had a corndog, but I like em now! :thumbsup2 They hit the spot at almost midnight. On a normal day, I probably wouldn't get them again, but since we'll be in the same boat for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party I'll probably have them again then.

[KatMark]

Do you now that in eight stays at the CSR, we have NEVER had a gelato. And I LOVE dark chocolate so that is definitely first on my list next time we are at CSR.

[annnewjerz]

Do you now that in eight stays at the CSR, we have NEVER had a gelato. And I LOVE dark chocolate so that is definitely first on my list next time we are at CSR.

You really do need to have one. A small will be more than sufficient---the dark chocolate was so rich it was almost sickening to eat so much of it, but still a delightful snack. :goodvibes

[annnewjerz]

Okay everyone---after finishing my first ever set of dining reviews, I have decided that dining reviews for our trip in December are a must.

So, while I'm not going to post the direct link to a new PTR quite yet (I'm going to wait until tomorrow when we're officially in the 30's until our trip :hyper: :hyper:), I am going to post a list of the restaurants we plan to eat at---just to entice any October review readers to come over and join me for a whole new set in December. :santa:

We'll be on the Deluxe Dining Plan for this trip, so there will be food porn a-plenty! :thumbsup2

Anything in green is a new restaurant for us. Red is something we have already done.

December 12, 09 --- won't be on the DDP yet
Lunch / Earl of Sandwich (DH made a special request to go here again)
Dinner / Todd English's bluezoo (8:00pm) (this is a new must-do for me)
Extras / hopefully something from Goofy's or a No Way Jose

December 13, 09
Breakfast / Starring Rolls
Lunch / Hollywood Brown Derby (11:30am)
Dinner / Flying Fish Cafe (5:30pm)
Extras / Sci-Fi Dine In Theater for shakes & onion rings (9:30pm)

December 14, 09
Breakfast / Crystal Palace (8:15am)
Lunch / ESPN Club (2:30pm)
Dinner / California Grill (9:15pm)

December 15, 09
Breakfast / Kona Cafe (9:00am)
Dinner / The Plaza (4:00pm)

December 16, 09
Breakfast / Boardwalk Bakery
Lunch / Yak & Yeti (12:30pm)
Dinner / Jiko (8:00pm)

December 17, 09
Breakfast / Sunshine Seasons
Lunch / Snack around the World Showcase
Dinner / Le Cellier (8:00pm)

December 18, 09
Breakfast / Kouzzina (8:00am)
Lunch / The Plaza (1:30pm)

I hope you all can join me and I'll make sure to post a link to the new thread once I start it. :yay:

[KatMark]

Okay everyone---after finishing my first ever set of dining reviews, I have decided that dining reviews for our trip in December are a must.

So, while I'm not going to post the direct link to a new PTR quite yet (I'm going to wait until tomorrow when we're officially in the 30's until our trip :hyper: :hyper:), I am going to post a list of the restaurants we plan to eat at---just to entice any October review readers to come over and join me for a whole new set in December. :santa:

We'll be on the Deluxe Dining Plan for this trip, so there will be food porn a-plenty! :thumbsup2

Anything in green is a new restaurant for us. Red is something we have already done.

December 12, 09 --- won't be on the DDP yet
Lunch / Earl of Sandwich (DH made a special request to go here again)
Dinner / Todd English's bluezoo (8:00pm) (this is a new must-do for me)
Extras / hopefully something from Goofy's or a No Way Jose

December 13, 09
Breakfast / Starring Rolls
Lunch / Hollywood Brown Derby (11:30am)
Dinner / Flying Fish Cafe (5:30pm)
Extras / Sci-Fi Dine In Theater for shakes & onion rings (9:30pm)

December 14, 09
Breakfast / Crystal Palace (8:15am)
Lunch / ESPN Club (2:30pm)
Dinner / California Grill (9:15pm)

December 15, 09
Breakfast / Kona Cafe (9:00am)
Dinner / The Plaza (4:00pm)

December 16, 09
Breakfast / Boardwalk Bakery
Lunch / Yak & Yeti (12:30pm)
Dinner / Jiko (8:00pm)

December 17, 09
Breakfast / Sunshine Seasons
Lunch / Snack around the World Showcase
Dinner / Le Cellier (8:00pm)

December 18, 09
Breakfast / Kouzzina (8:00am)
Lunch / The Plaza (1:30pm)

I hope you all can join me and I'll make sure to post a link to the new thread once I start it. :yay:

Oh.....I am so in for the next one. :yay:

[annnewjerz]

Thanks to everyone who joined me during my October dining reviews. Now that it's the 30 day mark, I figured it was about time to get the ball rolling and start my December dining review thread, so here (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2329810) is the link if you would like to join me during our first attempt at Disney's Deluxe Dining Plan!! :santa: