A Little F&W, Dessert Party and some Celebrations...10.8-10.13 now completed. [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

slk537

10-17-2009, 09:43 PM

We just returned from a 6 night trip to WDW. Back in June we found ridiculously low airfare for this week...which happened to be 2 weeks after DS's 8th birthday, during his fall break (2 days no school!) and right on our 12th anniversary. With AP's, DVC points and low airfare, we couldn't resist. Throw in F&W and MNSSHP and we were sold!

We agonized over QSP vs DDP and finally decided on the DDP, as we wanted to have a TS dinner for both the birthday celebration and our anniversary. I hadn't planned to do a dining review - there are no lack of them here on the review board - but since I took photos for our family, I thought what the heck??

We had a FANTASTIC time, marred only by the Godawful heat and a nasty bout with the flu (not Swine, just massive headcold) but we had great service, great food, great swimming, low lines, a magnificent MNSSHP, and just overall a great trip!

We definitely came out ahead on the DDP and were able to use up all our credits. We didn't hit all the popular places, but loved most of the ones we did go to. I plan for this to have plenty of photos, but also more reviews than I usually do. I have to upload to photobucket and will start soon, but here's the list:

Counter Service:
Earl of Sandwich
Wolfgang Puck Express
Flame Tree BBQ
Pepper Market
Artist Palette

Table Service:
Cape May Cafe
Tony's Town Square
Turf Club
Kona Cafe
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Olivia's

Snacks:
various F&W booths

Extra:
Wishes Dessert Party (MNSSHP night)

So feel free to join me and I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

slk537

10-17-2009, 09:56 PM

I started getting sick on the way to the airport the night before and ended up with the full out flu the next morning. It postponed our "hit the ground running" plan, but we did get some breakfast at SSR's Artist Palette (we were staying at SSR). We all split two bounty platters and several drinks. The bounty platters have scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, a biscuit, Mickey waffle and breakfast potatoes.

This trip the eggs were very soft and creamy, but all the way cooked. I like mine much drier, but I have to admit these were good. DH and DS loved them.

The bacon was bacon. Nothing special.

The sausage was firm, salty and very good. Not greasy at all.

The biscuits were very fresh, soft and very good with the added grape jelly.

The waffles were excellent, and we dipped them in the syrup. PSA for Crocs Cleo sandals...I dripped syrup down my leg and onto my shoe and it took nothing to clean up the sticky mess. Comfy and a nice nonstick surface. Great shoes!

The potatoes were different than we remember...a different spice of some sort. DH and I both really liked them a lot.

Photo of platter (we shared two of these)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009018.jpg

Photo of drinks (HOT outside - thesse were great to have!)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009022.jpg

All in all, a great breakfast to start the trip.

disneyfav4ever

10-18-2009, 12:43 AM

Looking foward to hearing what you have to say since you ate at a few of the places I'm thinking about trying next year!

dizneeat

10-18-2009, 01:34 AM

Count me in on this one! So sorry you got sick!

natalielongstaff

10-18-2009, 05:15 AM

great review so far :thumbsup2

MickeyNicki

10-18-2009, 08:59 AM

I love your reviews, count me in! You were in WDW at the time FL was breaking records for the high temps!

GoofySon'sMom

10-18-2009, 09:19 AM

I'm in, too! :goodvibes

slk537

10-18-2009, 09:31 AM

Looking foward to hearing what you have to say since you ate at a few of the places I'm thinking about trying next year!

Welcome! Hope I have photos of what you're thinking about ordering.

Count me in on this one! So sorry you got sick!

Oooh! I have to go catch up on your review too...haven't DISed since we left on the 8th! And thank you - it was a bit of a damper, but I was always able to taste, so that helped. The worst part was Saturday night when our little guy started coughing and I was so scared he was getting sick...but thank God his didn't go beyond a cough.

great review so far :thumbsup2

Thanks!!

I love your reviews, count me in! You were in WDW at the time FL was breaking records for the high temps!

And I completely love yours! You inspired one of our OOP purchases, btw! And we just couldn't believe we were stuck in record temps AGAIN. The same thing happened to us in May...we were there right before the two weeks of torrential cold rain when it was so incredibly hot. And the trip before that was July 2008. Needless to say, our thick blooded Wisconsin bodies really want to head down in cooler temps next time...:rotfl:

I'm in, too! :goodvibes

Welcome!!

slk537

10-18-2009, 10:04 AM

So after stocking up on Smart Water and such at SuperT, and me taking a nap in the room while the boys raided DTD and the Lego Store, I stuffed my pockets full of Kleenex and we headed out to do a little Food and Wine. I was very lucky that I still had working taste buds, but disappointed that I was on some cold meds and had to forego the grownup drinks for a few days. That said....we decided to head clockwise and started out at Champagne and Desserts.

As a true lover of the Grand Marnier slushie, married to a man who loves citrus fruit almost more than he loves me, there was no question what we picked:

Frozen Grand Marnier Parfait, Orange Coulis

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw398.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw399.jpg

This was excellent!! The frozen part was so cold that even in the hot day, we could barely saw through it. The coulis had a ton of citrus flavor with a little grownup bite to it. It looks small, but DH had 3 bites and so did I and then I scooped up the sauce with spoon (needed my vitamin C to get better, you know :rotfl: ). We immediately rated it as something we would absolutely order again. DS tried it too and gave it a 7/10 because there was something about it he didn't care for. My guess would be the Grand Marnier and the fact that it was not a creamsicle on a stick (he's not the most adventurous, but he tried). All in all, this was incredible...refreshing, tangy, and delicious! A perfect way to start our F&W walk.

Next up we switched to savory over in Argentina with the Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Pureé:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw401.jpg

I am not entirely sure, but I think this may have been my absolute favorite F&W item over all. The beef skewer was big - DH and I each had 2 bites - and although it was fully cooked, it was incredibly tender like a rarer steak. The chimichurri was so full of garlic, it was actually spicy with it and blended really well with the boniato potatoes. They were just sweet enough to be different, but not overwhelmingly so. DH liked the beef and the chimichurri, but I thought the whole package was perfect. There was a lot of oil on this plate, but it wasn't heavy at all. DS didn't try this one - the garlic would have been a little too much for him.

So we stopped in Mexico and got him one of these...

Mexican Sunrise

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw404.jpg

This was a non alcoholic slushie that had a very unusual taste. We kept trying to figure it out...is it pineapple? Is it coconut? Is it banana? Strawberry? What????? Whatever it was, it wasn't a very strong taste against the watery slush part and DH and I decided the best parts of it were:

* it was cold
* it was liquid
* it made DS happy

Overall, it was meh. But DS loved it and that was what mattered.

Next up we stopped in Spain for something I had been dying to try since I saw the menus...the Taste of Spain.

I spent a summer in Spain, mainly Madrid, the year after I graduated and I practically lived on jamon serrano. I had it for snacking, I had it in eggs, I had it on bread for a sandwich. The family I was with for a few weeks actually had a whole ham and would just cut off of it whenever they wanted some...very unusual for me. But I loved it and I fondly remembered the dried ham jerky much more fondly than some of the really scary seafood I also tried ;) . Let's just say they have some frightening paellas in Spain. But this was familiar and I was excited to try:

Taste of Spain (Serrano Ham, Chorizo, Manchego, Olives, Tomato Bread)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw407.jpg

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The ham was cut much thinner than I used to have so the chewy "jerky" consistency wasn't as strong. DH, DS and I really enjoyed it, although it was more like a prosciutto than I remember. The tomato bread was crunchy and drizzled in olive oil, the manchego was a dry and firm cheese, the chorizo was thick cut and very firm and the roasted peppers were excellent. The best part of this plate? Trying everything separately and then tasting them together. I loved the olive, chorizo, cheese, pepper and a little bread. Just wonderful!

DS tried the olive and jamon serrano, DH tried everything. This was a favorite for me and they thought it was okay. I would have liked to see some paella and tortilla espanola at the booth, but this was enough for some really lovely memories.

Next up we had South Africa, where the steak lovers and BBQ nuts that we are absolutely HAD to try the:

Seared Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Purée, Mango Barbecue Sauce

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw410.jpg

Yes, the tenderloin was waaaay overcooked but it was still very tasty. We tend to be medium rare people (all three of us) and I think it would be very hard to keep the booth foods to those temps. In a restaurant I would have been disappointed, but this was still very good. The mango BBQ sauce was not surprisingly very sweet, but worked really, really well with the beef. DH really enjoyed it and DS thought it was okay. I was the only one who really enjoyed the sweet potato puree. It was definitely a lot looser than a mash would have been, but I like sweet potato flavor more than they do and the combination of everything was really good.

At this point, I totally wimped out and we had to head back to the room for some A/C and more cold meds. We were full and happy though and ready to do a little swimming and relaxing before dinner at a true family favorite: Cape May Cafe.

mcarthur205

10-18-2009, 05:30 PM

I'm enjoying your reviews, you have some great photos! We're going to be at SSR for Food & Wine next year, did you enjoy staying there?

dizneeat

10-18-2009, 05:51 PM

Reading your review makes me hungry again!!!! :lmao:

I am glad your little guy didn't get sick! Nothing worse than having a sick little one!

Can't wait for more!!!!!!!

slk537

10-18-2009, 06:33 PM

I'm enjoying your reviews, you have some great photos! We're going to be at SSR for Food & Wine next year, did you enjoy staying there?

Thank you! The photos will soon get much less in quality...we started using the point and shoot a lot more than our good camera since it was easy to keep in our pockets instead of hanging around our neck or in a large camera case. I know I keep whining about the heat, but it made a convenient camera a lot better.

SSR is a gorgeous resort. It feels like a very friendly upscale country club. We were in the Grandstands, which is an excellent location. Close (walking distance) to the Carriage House and main pool and with a very nice pool of it's own.

Unfortunately for me, I am in love with the Beach Club and Wilderness Lodge(our home resort) and I love having a lobby close by to run through and the hustle and bustle of a smaller resort so I felt that was missing. But there was absolutely nothing I disliked about SSR. Beautiful grounds, rooms, great food, close to DTD...I would definitely stay there again.

Reading your review makes me hungry again!!!! :lmao:

I am glad your little guy didn't get sick! Nothing worse than having a sick little one!

Can't wait for more!!!!!!!

Thanks Karin! And your Palo review has me checking out cruise prices for the Spring....hmmmmm.......

KatMark

10-18-2009, 06:37 PM

Enjoying your reviews and looking forward to more.

slk537

10-18-2009, 06:53 PM

Cape May Cafe is a total family favorite. There is honestly something for everyone here. DS had asked me to make Oreo Bon Bons for his birthday cake this year and I was excited to be able to let him know on his birthday (when we surprised him with the trip) that we would be celebrating his day at CMC with his beloved Oreo Bon Bons.

When we first walked in, we noticed immediately that there were buckets of snow crab legs on the buffet. I remember way back when, you were able to order crab legs as a supplement to the buffet for an extra cost. DH loves crab legs and was pleased to give them a try. We both tried them and they were fine. Not Fultons or even Joe's Crab Shack quality, but for being on a buffet, they were very good. They were obviously very popular so they were very freshly prepared.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw427.jpg

Everything else on the buffet was really good. I enjoyed some clam chowder and salads - caesar, potato salad, etc. The fish was tilapia - very mild with crispy batter. The sirloin was okay.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw416.jpg

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We don't enjoy the mussels and clams and I really hate peeling my own shrimp (and crab legs...DH does the work for me :love: ) so we tend to eat more of the "American" ordinary food. But it's all good!

After our desserts (Oreo bon bons) DS was presented with a special birthday treat - he was really excited. It was a chocolate mousse dome with strawberries. At first he didn't really like it, until he mentioned that he liked the inside, not the outside. The inside was more of a dark/milk chocolate and the outside ganache was all dark. We peeled the outside layer off and he ate the rest. I was almost sad that he liked it because the bite I tried was unbelieveably decadent and delicious...like a creamy truffle.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/stuffandOctoberwdw438.jpg

It was a wonderful evening!

Afterwards, we went into the Marketplace and bought two treats to take back to the room. One was an apple blossom and the other was a coconut bar. I'd had both on a previous trip and loved them. The caramel apple blossom made it a few days and the coconut bar came home with us. A nice WDW treat at home!

Pooh&OurHunny

10-18-2009, 07:34 PM

great review. We never tried Cape May clambake (we went tried the character breakfast buffet), we must give it a try for next year. Thanks for sharing

NuttyDisneyMom

10-18-2009, 08:24 PM

We're staying at SSR next month and have a dinner at CMC too! I'm inpopcorn::

lynn46356

10-19-2009, 07:45 AM

Loving the food reviews along with the photos of the food! :cool1: I so hope they still are serving the crab legs when we go to Cape May's in Nov/Dec even if they aren't the best. If not, the shrimp will do. Looking forward to the rest of the reviews. :):)

mcrabeck

10-19-2009, 10:58 AM

Really enjoying your reviews and pictures! Looking for to more!

onelilspark

10-19-2009, 05:43 PM

I'm in! Wasn't that Grand Marnier Parfait yummy?!

slk537

10-19-2009, 06:32 PM

great review. We never tried Cape May clambake (we went tried the character breakfast buffet), we must give it a try for next year. Thanks for sharing

Thanks - it is truly a family favorite. I teased the boys about not feeling up to going and they both protested quite loudly. There was NO way we would miss CMC. And I'm not really a buffet fan.

We're staying at SSR next month and have a dinner at CMC too! I'm inpopcorn::

Have you requested a location yet? Seriously - the Grandstand is great...you can walk to the CH, the quiet pool there has a bar and fountains and water horses that shoot, it's the first bus stop....We've stayed here twice and it's our favorite location at SSR.

Loving the food reviews along with the photos of the food! :cool1: I so hope they still are serving the crab legs when we go to Cape May's in Nov/Dec even if they aren't the best. If not, the shrimp will do. Looking forward to the rest of the reviews. :):)

Hellooooooo!!!!! Glad you're enjoying...you're the one who really made up my mind to do a report. Enjoy while you count down to YOURs!!!

Really enjoying your reviews and pictures! Looking for to more!

Thanks!!!!

I'm in! Wasn't that Grand Marnier Parfait yummy?!

Oh my GOSH yes!!! I would love to try to make it at home.

slk537

10-19-2009, 06:58 PM

Friday was our MNSSHP day so we knew there would be some down time in the afternoon. We decided to spend the morning at DHS and then we headed to DTD for lunch. I have no idea why I don't have any photos of our sandwiches, but here's the review:

We ordered our usual two items to share:

Original - roast beef, cheddar and horseradish. DH and I split this and it was wonderful. It's always been my favorite, but once or twice it hasn't lived up to our expectations. This time it did. I ordered it with extra horseradish...yum!

Cobb Salad - this is lettuce tossed with chicken, chunks of swiss and cheddar cheese, tomato, cucumber, dried cranberries and ranch dressing. I wanted to try the mediterranean, but we both love this so I stuck with a classic. On the hot day, it was delicious!

Best BLT - we were too full and saved this for later. When we broke it out, not surprisingly the lettuce and tomato were super mushy. The bacon was plentiful and very smoky. I would love to try this again, fresh.

Fruit cup - this was DS's choice. He had eaten a lot of popcorn at DHS (had to get his own bucket) and just wanted fruit. He was very happy - strawberries, melon, pineapple and grapes.

Cupcake crown - yellow cake, buttercream and sprinkles. DS and I shared this two days later. It was no longer fresh, but still tasted great!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009244.jpg

Brownie with Ghiradelli chocolate chunks - the three of us split this the next day and it was WONDERFUL! I would never have thought a packaged brownie could be so good, but we all loved it.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009245.jpg

(both desserts are sitting on top of a package of pumpkin muffins from Super Target - very good!!! :rotfl:)

EOS - not the best CS value, but we don't care...we love it anyway!

slk537

10-19-2009, 07:17 PM

DH had always wanted to try Tony's and it was the Halloween party night so I made an early (5:30) ADR there, thinking I would probably cancel it. Once we booked the dessert Party (8:30) I was almost positive we'd have a CS dinner and skip Tony's. But DH really, really wanted to try so off we went.

We got here a little before our ADR and checked in. They were putting out Halloween table cloths on the coloring tables for the kids and were offering a special Halloween dessert...a cupcake cone in a small ceramic Mickey pumpkin mug. We considered buying one, but didn't want to carry it around all night.

We were seated very close to the fountain and our server was very nice, but very rushed. DH and I decided to start with a caesar salad each while DS colored and enjoyed the bread.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009070.jpg

This was not among the better caesars I've ever had. The lettuce tasted almost like iceberg, the croutons tasted packaged and the dressing was blah. We each ate about half of our salads and gave up. It wasn 't bad...just not good.

DS had carrots with ranch dip as his starter and he liked it very much.

for our entrees, DS chose the kid's spaghetti and meatballs. He liked it and had a nice conversation with a CM I think may have been the restaurant manager. He was told that if he was finished with half the pasta when the CM returned he would get a surprise. He ended up finishing almost all of it and was presented with a fast pass to any MK ride. DS was very proud of himself and tickled with the FP certificate.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009072.jpg

DH decided to order the NY Strip. It was decent for a theme park steak, although it didnt' measure up to the other steaks we all enjoyed later on the trip. He also really liked the green beans, although neither of us could decide what they were flavored with...there was a lemony and herb-y flavor we couldn't identify.

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I ordered the chicken Parmigiana and it was very good. It tasted fresh and the chicken breast was ginormous! DS tried it and liked it and DH finished it for me when I was full. There was nothing special about it...it was very similar to Olive Garden...but that doesn't mean it wasn't a good entree.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009076.jpg

DS chose the ice cream for dessert, and it came with a candle for his birthday and Halloween sprinkles. He was very pleased with the presentation.

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DH debated between the pistachio creme brulee and the spumoni, but in the end the spumoni won. This is one of his favorites and he was VERY pleased with it. I tried all three flavors as well...the chocolate was my favorite and I'm not a huge chocolate person. This was an excellent dessert!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009081.jpg

I knew from the get go that I would get the tiramisu. I love love love tiramisu...whipped cream, whipped mousses, whipped marscapone - all of these are weaknesses of mine. And the coffee flavor just makes it perfect. I really liked this tiramisu, once I picked out all the chocolate shavings:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009085.jpg

Overall, we loved the atmosphere and the manager CM was charming and made DS feel special. Would we return? Maybe. It didn't make the MUST COME BACK list, but definitely didn't make the NEVER AGAIN! list either. It was an extremely festive and wonderful way to begin a great Halloween Party night, however.

mcarthur205

10-20-2009, 05:45 PM

lynn46356

10-20-2009, 06:25 PM

Earl of Sandwich sounds so GOOD. It wasn't on my list until I read the descriptions of the food and seen the desserts. :) Now another possible cs restaurant to try. I think I'm going to have to extend our stay. :rotfl2: Can't wait for MORE!

princess_parents

10-22-2009, 04:21 PM

Thanks for the reviews. I look forward to hearing about the Wishes Dessert Party. We have reservations for it in December.

slk537

10-23-2009, 06:45 PM

I love Earl of Sandwich, I have to eat there at least once very trip. They stopped making my favorite sandwich though, the chicken florentine. I had to make do with the tuna melt last time, it was good but not as good as the chicken. Oh well...

We ate at Tony's once about ten years ago. We had to finish up our meal quickly though, my ds had a meltdown (he was three years old at the time) and we thought a quick exit was in order LOL. Don't remember much about it, maybe we should try it again sometime.

Did you enjoy the Halloween Party? We're going to try it for the first time next year, are there any must do's?

We really loved the Halloween party - even more than we thought we would! It is really a lot of fun and the T or T-ing is a blast~!

Earl of Sandwich sounds so GOOD. It wasn't on my list until I read the descriptions of the food and seen the desserts. :) Now another possible cs restaurant to try. I think I'm going to have to extend our stay. :rotfl2: Can't wait for MORE!

It is also a great deal, not DDP-wise...the sandwiches and salads are about $6...desserts $2. Good for OOP!

Thanks for the reviews. I look forward to hearing about the Wishes Dessert Party. We have reservations for it in December.

We're with the people who really enjoyed it...I'm going to put it up now!

vettegirl

10-23-2009, 07:13 PM

There is an Earl of Sandwhich not far from my house here in San Antonio. I have never tried it, so it looks like that is what I am having for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for the review and look forward to more!

slk537

10-23-2009, 07:27 PM

After dinner, we headed into the park to enjoy a few rides and such before the party started. We walked through the Noodle Station and saw all the tables set up and ready for the party. It was a hot and muggy night, so we were even more excited to have a place to sit and enjoy cold drinks before the fireworks.

We were supposed to come back at 8:30 and when we did, we checked in and got more wristbands. We then lined up for about 3 minutes before each group was escorted to their table. Our section had our very own CM assigned and he was wonderful - very gracious, welcoming and genuine. I suspect he has quite a future in hospitality!

Our table was close to the fence area, but not up against it. We had a great view and were able to help ourselves to the desserts and drinks immediately. The drinks offered were:

hot tea
sweetened ice tea
ice water
lemonade
raspberry lemonade
milk

Across from the drinks was the table full of desserts.

The "castle tower" of glasses that DS loved...blue plastic ;)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009141.jpg

A wide shot of part of the buffet;

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009142.jpg

DH's plate...Fresh pineapple, chocolate covered strawberry, a tiramisu that he gave me (he doesn't like them...:confused3) and two chocolate cheesecakes. Also a regular cheesecake behind the tiramisu...if you look closely you can see the chocolate straw.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009143.jpg

DS's plate - after he dropped his Halloween cupcake...a super moist and fudgy brownie and some fresh watermelon.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009144.jpg

A second plate DH got for us - This is two raspberry shooters, a chocolate peanut butter tart and a cupcake. The cupcake was a substitute for the one DS dropped, the raspberry shooters were great! There is a little sweet whipped cream on top, a white chocolate disc I ignored, and a very tart and fruity drink. I loved mine and DH let me finish his, as he wasn't as excited about it. The chocolate pb tart...DH liked it. I didn't try it, because at this point I was sugared up and to be honest, other than reeses pb cups, I'm not a fan of pb in desserts...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009146.jpg

My plate - This plate has a pistachio creme brulee in the little tea cup - it was wonderful! Some fresh watermelon, a tiramisu in the clear cup on the right, a fruit tart in the back and a chocolate cheesecake with whipped cream behind the tea cup. I loved the watermelon, the tiramisu and the creme brulee (had to share half with DH though!), the tart was good - loved the fruit. The cheesecake was really good for cheesecake but I wasn't in the mood so I left most of it.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009145.jpg

We also had tons of raspberry lemonade, ice water, etc.

They did such a great job keeping the tables filled with everything. I don't think anything ran out all night. We chose to share items, but only because we wanted to, not because they didn't have more. I did feel VERY sugared up and stopped sampling sooner than I would have thought. The heat made the lighter items (fresh fruit, raspberry shooter, drinks) even more appealing.

Our tables were cleared and our assigned CM was really sweet and nice. DS was able to run around and sit by the fence with some other kids he met to watch the Villains Mix and Mingle on the castle stage...not the best view, but good enough to enjoy. I had to leave the area to run to the bathroom and when I came back I was greeted very graciously with a very subtle glace to see if I had a purple wristband.

The fireworks was the Hallowishes show and it was fantastic. We had a great view (although slightly off center of the castle, obviously) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll post some fireworks photos to this later.

Afterwards, we were welcome to linger, but we decided to head over towards the castle to sit for the next Villains show, followed by the parade. Crowds were heading out, so we got excellent seating with a perfect view.

All in all, it was a great evening and we thought it was well worth the money.

Also:

We did trick or treating before the dessert party over in Tomorrowland and Toontown. CM's put in huge handfuls of candy and we ended up with a ton for half hearted t or t-ing. During the parade, the Goofy's Candy Co float came with CMs carrying bags of candy, so DS got more dropped into his bag there and then CM's put handfuls in our bags on the way out as well.

Here is the candy back at the room, once DS poached most of the chocolate:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009241.jpg

slk537

10-23-2009, 07:42 PM

The next day we had breakfast in the room and then headed out to the parks. For lunch we decided that we would go to Coronado Springs and Pepper Market, since we had enjoyed it back in May. Dh was disappointed that they no longer had the fajitas and DS was grumpy because he did not care for his pizza on the last visit, but in the end we were all quite happy.

DS decided to go with the kids fruit and yogurt plate this time - he liked it very much. The yogurt was Yoplait Peach - one of his favorites at home:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009251.jpg

DH and I decided to share the Philly Cheesesteak and Chicken Nachos. When DH came back with the nachos, I thought he'd decided on a Chicken Caesar instead. Nope...the huge mound of lettuce covered up nachos:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009254.jpg

These were SO good! The chips were covered in nacho cheese sauce, refried beans, guacamole, jalapenos, sour cream, salsa and lots of shredded cheese. We definitely needed forks to eat them after a while, but they were really great! The chicken alone was well flavored and not dry at all. This was a favorite!

The Philly Cheesesteak was also just outstanding - the bread was chewy and soft, the meat and veggies had been cooked to order and the fries were good too. I ate too many nachos and only had a part of my sandwich half, but DH took care of the rest. This was another great choice!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009255.jpg

For dessert, I chose the strawberry shortcake. The cake was a bit dry, but the whipped cream and strawberries were great. I ended up sharing with DS and we left most of the cake.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009258.jpg

DS picked the Oreo cake for DH's dessert, and while it looks wonderful, we just weren't hungry enough to do it justice. I think this cake part was dry, too.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009257.jpg

Overall, an excellent CS place and one we really enjoyed. The atmosphere is fun, the food is fresh and delicious and the service is great.

cbg1027

10-23-2009, 09:30 PM

I'm really liking your reviews! Keep 'em coming! :)

plutosgirl

10-24-2009, 09:28 AM

We are doing the Wishes Dessert party...loved the pictures!! Now I'm even more excited!!! Great reviews!!:thumbsup2

MickeyNicki

10-24-2009, 10:00 AM

Thanks for the Dessert Party review...we are going to that on our MVMCP night and I cannot wait! Hopefully they will have some holiday desserts with pumpkin, gingerbread, apple and cranberry in them....get you in the holiday mood!

The food from Pepper Market looks outstanding! Need to get back there

slk537

10-24-2009, 10:35 AM

I'm really liking your reviews! Keep 'em coming! :)

Thanks! Will do!

We are doing the Wishes Dessert party...loved the pictures!! Now I'm even more excited!!! Great reviews!!:thumbsup2

I had no idea if we'd love it or hate it, but decided to risk...so glad I did! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. If you go on a non party night, you will see Tinkerbell fly directly over you. She doesn't fly for Hallowishes, so we didnt' see her, but we could see her *cough* line....

Thanks for the Dessert Party review...we are going to that on our MVMCP night and I cannot wait! Hopefully they will have some holiday desserts with pumpkin, gingerbread, apple and cranberry in them....get you in the holiday mood!

The food from Pepper Market looks outstanding! Need to get back there

Thanks! They did have Halloween decorations on the cupcakes, brownies and a few other things in honor of the season, but I would love to hear if they add different items for Christmas - I'm with you...anything pumpkin, apple or cranberry HAS to be good!

Jennyfer

10-24-2009, 10:58 AM

slk537

10-24-2009, 11:27 AM

This evening was supposed to be Kona Cafe way back and then was cancelled and rebooked for Boma. I love Boma, DS likes it and DH tolerates is. However, he was feeling very charitable since I had given up Jiko for Yachtsman for our anniversary dinner so Boma it was. But then I decided I just wasn't up for the chaos of the pod buffet, so earlier in the day we played around with the online reservations (LOVE those!!!!!!!!) and decided on an old favorite from a few trips back - SSR's Turf Club. We liked the idea of being able to dine at our own resort and DH and I were both in the mood for prime rib.

We checked in on time and had to wait about 5-10 minutes. There was some college football on in the lounge area (not the Badgers, so we didn't actually care about it, but football is always worth watching) so the wait didn't seem long at all. Our server was another WI native from not too far from us, was very friendly and we liked her immediately. We pondered the menu and DH and I decided on sodas (darn that cold medicine!) and DS opted for a vanilla milkshake, which he loved.

Here's where we deviated from our comfort zone a bit. I was thinking the buffalo chicken tenders or onion rings would be really good. DH decided he wanted to try the calamari. We are not really big seafood people, save shellfish, so normally calamari wouldn't be an option. For some reason, he wanted to give it a shot. And here's where I remembered Nicki's reviews of calamari and how it didn't sound scary as she described, so I said sure.

Not Scary:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009286.jpg

These weren't the slightest bit rubbery...the batter was super light and there were little battered peppers in there too. This was served with a marinara, which was very good and a garlic mayonnaise dip, which was EXCELLENT. We bribed DS to try one (cost us only $1...a bargain!) and he summed up my feelings about the calamari plain exactly: "they don't taste like anything." Au contraire, my son...they taste like cripsy garlic mayo!!! Which was yum. We enjoyed almost every single round calamari and opted out of the mini octopi, because to be honest...they freaked us out.

Very Scary:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009292.jpg

I wish I could tell you that both DH and DS were mature and refined and refrained from playing with these freaky little things but I'd be lying.....

We were also served warm parmesan breadsticks with salted butter just prior to the calamari. Very good!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009285.jpg

DS decided on the kid's mac and cheese with sides of fruit and cooked veg:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009288.jpg

He loved the veggies, enjoyed the fruit, didn't like the mac and cheese. Since he had been so game to try the squid and the mac and cheese was a little more stouffers and a little less Kraft I was okay with it.

side note: DS is bizarre about his mac and cheese. He always likes Kraft (of course) and loves the Mickeyroni and cheese. Refuses to eat if it's served with shredded cheese on top as a garnish, sometimes enjoys baked, creamy style...sometimes hates it. I can never predict how he'll feel about it unless it is a tried and true place. And truth be told, after it was served I remember he didn't like it here in November 2007, but at the time my mac and cheese mom-dar wasn't working.

DH and I both ordered the same thing...the prime rib. We are a medium rare family (DS included) and we asked for this to be between rare and medium rare, so warning for those who don't like "pink". It was served with a veal demitasse (right?) mashed potatoes and greens. Our server told us they had the best prime rib on property and she was RIGHT!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009290.jpg

I ordered horseradish (creamy) with mine and didn't need it. The sauce on the plate was perfect and I absolutely loved this meal. DH was very impressed too and we were very happy to have chosen this restaurant.

DS didn't want dessert, as he was full from his vanilla shake, fruit and veggies and DH knew exactly what he wanted from before: the cheesecake

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009293.jpg

He loved this as much this time as he did last time he had it. A very rich and yet light (really, that's possible) cheesecake with fresh berries. I tried it and it was very good, but I was definitely not in a cheesecake mood on this trip. I did help myself to the whipped cream on top though...:rolleyes1

I was debating about the espresso chocolate cake with a red wine flavored ice cream, but didn't want anything heavy. I was going to ask for the wine ice cream with maybe some berries, but our server recommended the individual apple pie and I decided to trust her. I wasn't that into having dessert so I was easy. Plus I figured if the pie was sickly sweet (like most apple pies) I could eat the vanilla ice cream. I make my pies, applesauce and apple crisps with mosty Granny Smith apples for that wonderful tart-sweet flavor so I really don't like most pies that taste like apple pie filling.

This was SO not one of those!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDWOct2009294.jpg

Oh my gosh - this was tart and homebaked flavored and still warm and just delicious. The only thing that would have made it better would have been french vanilla instead of vanilla bean ice cream. I wished I could finish it and I begged DH to have some so none of this loveliness would get thrown out but he was feeling the deep fried calamari, huge piece of beef and cheesecake and didn't help me out past a bite (where he agreed it was heaven). DS tried and liked it as well, but sadly half of it was cleared with the plate. Sure, I could have taken it back to the room, but we never actually eat much that comes back with us....

This was truly my favorite meal of the trip - and we had some excellent ones (see YSH review to come). For us, the Turf Club is worth a special trip, but I don't know about others. It has a very country club feel to it and not especially a lot of Disney feel. No characters, no "signature" item, nothing that jumps out and says "GO HERE!" but if you are looking for a truly excellent meal in a location that is quieter than most, even with kids there, I highly recommend the Turf Club. This was our third trip there and each has been stellar.

slk537

10-24-2009, 11:33 AM

I was thrilled to find your reviews and excellent pics of Cape May and the dessert party! These are the 2 reservations that DH was not thrilled about, but after seeing that bucket of crab legs, he's all in!:thumbsup2

Looking forward to the rest!

Thanks!! We absolutely love Cape May - they have had consistently very, very good food for a buffet (and otherwise) and it's a must do on every trip. The crab honestly was very good (to me) and while we were there it was brought out constantly and was very fresh, yet the section was never empty.

And make sure you leave lots of time between dinner and the dessert party...trust me ;)

slk537

10-24-2009, 12:25 PM

On Sunday, our 12th anniversary, we booked a traditional family favorite for breakfast. DH and I have been going to Kona for a long time while DS has done the GF Pirate Cruise. On our last trip we brought DS with and he was pleased to join our breakfast tradition.

While we waited for our table, I checked out the pastries in the coffee bar:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII004.jpg

This one intrigued me - someone next to me referred to it as a volcano and it really did look like one. For some reason, I got a huge kick out of this...?

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII002.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII003.jpg

We were soon seated next to a couple who was celebrating their 38th anniversary and our server was really cute about having two anniversaries next to each other. Later, the 38 year couple was replaced by a 1 year couple...I guess 10-11 is a popular date. It's peak season up here so our wedding was gorgeous.

DH and went with our "usuals" for this meal and DS tried something different. DH and DS both ordered orange juice and I started with a cafe mocha, which I absolutely love after adding 1-2 Splenda packets.

delicious caffeine....!
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII009.jpg

ooh! was digging for another photo and found this mocha from another trip, pre whipped cream melt and splenda add:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDW50809INikon015.jpg

DS ordered the fruit plate (as he had at Pepper Market) with bacon as his side instead of his usual Mickey pancakes and he thought it was okay. He was really not feeling good this morning mid way through the meal and didn't eat much (banana, strawberries and a few grapes. And bacon. He's never too sick for bacon). I was very worried he had caught my flu bug. He had been coughing the day before and we bought him some mucinex, which helped, but had no other symptoms. Now he was lethargic and not hungry :sick: No temperature, but still that headache...we ended up getting him some children's tylenol at the shop after breakfast, headed back to the room instead of Epcot and let him rest. He rested for about 15 minutes ("rested") and was raring to go again. He never actually came down with my flu, thank God, so it was just a headache. Whew!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII011.jpg

Back to the food...DH ordered his usual...the Big Kahuna. This has everything...french toast, pineapple macadamia nut pancakes, bacon, sausage, ham, potatoes, eggs your choice (he likes scrambled) and pineapple. I did take a photo, but it's not that great. For journalistic integrity, I will show it here, followed by a much better shot from a previous trip/report:

This time:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII013.jpg

A few times ago:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/WDW50809INikon023.jpg

Hmmm...looking at the photos, maybe it wasn't my picture that was bad. The whole meal in the second shot looks better....that said, DH loved everything as he always does and offered DS his sausage. It was a true measure of how ill DS felt that he didn't jump at the offer. I had two of my own, which are super filling so neither did I.

I ordered my favorite - the blueberry pancakes. I chose sausage instead of bacon or ham.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII014.jpg

I really hate to say it, but this time this totally sucked. My sausage was fine, although I like it a little more browned. But the pancake batter was either waaaaaaaay overmixed (and thus rendered too tough) or they had been sitting, premade, for a while. They were chewy, tough and just not good. I may have sent them back, but I was worried about DS and not really that hungry anyway.

Our sweet CM also brought us an anniversary treat, complete with a card she signed and doodled in herself:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII017.jpg

Now THIS was good! The koko puffs themselves were okay, but the whipped cream was fresh and I think by now we've established how I feel about whipped cream....:thumbsup2 The cute little Mickey sprinkles gave the fresh whipped cream a nice sweet crunch. DS did try a little of this.

Not our best trip to Kona, by any stretch, but we've been here enough to know it was an off day and that DS's headache affected the experience overall. I have also learned that the kid's fruit plate comes with yogurt on the plate (God forbid!) and we'll have to remember to order it on the side if he wants it again. Or we'll just get him the adult version in the pineapple boat, since we pay OOP for this meal anyway...

Oh - one odd thing...the kids meal includes milk, apple juice or soda, but not orange juice. We had to pay the adult price for DS's juice on top of the kids meal price. Needless to say, he brought it with him back to the room.

disneyfav4ever

10-24-2009, 12:26 PM

Turf Club looks really good. I have it on my list of places to try next year.

dizneeat

10-24-2009, 01:00 PM

Just caught up! :goodvibes

Turf Club looks really yummy! Those Calamari look delish and that apple crisp - oh my!!! :worship: Guess I need to squeeze that in next trip.
I wonder if we should drop Kona in favour of the Wave for breakfast on our next trip - any thoughts? :confused3

slk537

10-24-2009, 01:39 PM

Turf Club looks really good. I have it on my list of places to try next year.

It's excellent!

Just caught up! :goodvibes

Turf Club looks really yummy! Those Calamari look delish and that apple crisp - oh my!!! :worship: Guess I need to squeeze that in next trip.
I wonder if we should drop Kona in favour of the Wave for breakfast on our next trip - any thoughts? :confused3

HA! I was just posting over on your Pixie Dust! Great minds!

Kona has always been really good...not sure what happened this time :confused3 I would probably try The Wave for bfast, only because I've never been there for that and it intrigues me.

slk537

10-24-2009, 03:16 PM

With DS raring to go, we decided to head back to Epcot as originally planned for F&W, Take II. This time we went counter clockwise and were able to hit a few more kiosks.

We started in Puerto Rico where we ordered two items. First, I had to try the arroz con pollo (chicken with rice):

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII021.jpg

I absolutely loved this. The rice had the greatest flavor, the chicken was good (there was some hidden under the rice, I promise!) and the addition of capers and green olives was genius. However, I practically keep a salt lick in my purse so I would probably put green olives on my cereal. Just kidding. Maybe....:rotfl:) The portion for a "taste" was huge. DH had three bites, DS tried one (that included a caper...yayy for sneaking him new things!) and I had about 5-6 bites. This was just really good. Not beef skewer with garlic chimichurri good, but almost.

The other item? Well, let's just say this little Miss had purposely NOT taken any cold meds today so I was able to indulge in the much lauded Dragon Berry Colada:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII022.jpg

I have absolutely no idea what a dragon berry is and I don't care. Not one bit. This was sweet and creamy and cold and I almost turned around and bought another one when I saw DH's face after he tried it. We both loved it. I should say that we both love lava coladas too (pina colada mixed with raspberry daiquiri) and this was that kind of love. DS...er....probably would have thought it was "okay" with a bit of a "funny" (ie: rum) taste if I would have let him try it but...uh...he's underage so of course I would never do that.

;)

It was a decent size to go along with tastings and even after hitting the cold meds for days, this was so gentle there was surprisingly no buzz whatsoever.

We walked next a very short distance to the kiosk I had been waiting for: Greece. Here is where DS decided to be the Team Photographer. So I show you his first attempt. Sadly, the CM was posing for this photograph and...well...here's what DS got:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII026.jpg

Bright side? You can see how the food was set out! He did improve much in the rest of his photography endeavors, seen next:

The spanikopita - not a family favorite - forgot a photo of this, but you can see it in the above photo. DS did NOT like this, DH said it sucked all the moisture out of his mouth and I thought it was pretty good. It wasn't anything special, but it wasn't bad at all.

The next item up was the Greek Salad

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII028.jpg

This had SO much potential. The veggies were fresh and chopped up neatly, there was plenty of (salty! yayy!!) feta and the dressing was very good. However, as you can see in the above artistic shot by DS, all the food was sitting out and the heat was not kind to the cold salad. DH and I decided that had this been fresh and cold, it would have been fantastic!

Next up: Chicken Souvlaki:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII029.jpg

Such a simple, simple thing. Pita, seasoned chicken, and tzaziki. But such a delicious combination of flavors! This was really, really good. DH was even surprised how much he liked it. DS enjoyed the plain pita (sigh) and overall, this was a hit with us.

At this point, we were getting incredibly full. We'd been downing Dasani's with just about every stop and the idea of eating more wasn't as attractive as it had been. However, we persevered...

to New Zealand!

I wanted to try the lamb slider. I had heard varying reports and wanted to see for myself. I really like lamb - my mom used to make lamb patties when I was younger and I loved them. (not surprisingly, I remember them being saltier than beef patties/hamburgers. Wow. I do have a salt problem!). DH opted out of this, but DS gave it a try.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII034.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII035.jpg

The verdict? I liked it. I thought it tasted very much like a spaghetti and meatball sauce on a bun. That is the description that got DS to try it. Imagine this conversation:

Me: Do you want to try a little?
DS: No, thank you
Me: It tastes just like a meatball.
DS: Is it better or worse than Macaroni Grill meatballs?
Me: Better
DS: Okay. But just part of the meatball

Note: at this point the "slider" became a "meatball". But he tried it, so call it whatever he wants. And MG meatballs are the standard by which all others are measured in our house

DS: (tries it). This IS better than a Macaroni Grill meatball!
DH: Do you know what it's made of?
DS: What?
DH: Baaaaaaaaaaaaa!
DS: Ew! This is gross.
Me: *&&^%$*_) !!!!

In the end, I convinced him that lamb is just as tasty as cow, pig and chicken. Sigh.........

Next up, France!

Here I wanted to try the Parisien Cosmo Slush but when I saw the size, I was underwhelmed in comparison to the price. So I settled on just the milk chocolate creme brulee.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII045.jpg

I think it's that nauseating flesh like color that has always made this less than appealing to me when I see photos. But I love creme brulee, DH was getting interested in creme brulee on this trip and I knew DS would love it. And color notwithstanding, it was delicious!! At least the two bites I had were, because I had to hand it over to DH while I waited in line for the next item on the list....

The Exciting...the Exotic...the Complicated....

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII051.jpg

PRETZEL BREAD STICK!

Thanks to Le Cellier, this was the only thing DS had to have. HAD to have. We promised and by God, I was going to do a risky thing like leave the best darn "chocolate pudding plussed" ever with my beloved husband while I got my little guy his pretzel.

Good news? I got his pretzel breadsticks. One with cheese, one without.

Bad news? The creme brulee was gone gone GONE when I came back.

Fortunately DH and DS really did enjoy it, I was too full for more than a bite of pretzel and cheese and all was well.

And what about the pretzel and cheese? DH and I thought it was good and DS chomped and smiled his way across the lagoon, through Future World and onward and upward to more rides and attractions.

DH and I admitted the F&W kiosks had beaten us. We would never make it all the way around and we would have to have several things we wanted go untried. But at the end of the day, what we did sample from F&W was really impressive and really, very good...!

slk537

10-24-2009, 03:19 PM

dizneeat

10-24-2009, 03:28 PM

I have just a few more to go, but unfortunately I haven't uploaded all my DR shots and I am (ahem) not at home right now. The workday is coming to a close and I was hoping to get this report done today.

Ah well...I can relive the vacation a little longer I guess!

At least your workday is coming to an end! I so envy you that you get to go to F&W! But at least I get "a taste" of it by reading your reviews! ;)

mcarthur205

10-24-2009, 05:51 PM

Just catching up with your reviews. Wow, you did get a lot of candy at the Halloween Party! My kids will be in seventh heaven with that lot lol!

The Turf Club sounds good, seems like its worth going there for the desserts alone, that cheesecake looks delicious and if apple pie is on the menu my DH just has to have it!

And I just have to try the Dragon Berry Colada! :love:

MickeyNicki

10-24-2009, 06:04 PM

I am so glad you enjoyed the calamari! When I was 18 I was introduced to it by my uncle and I said "No Thanks" and he told me I should never say I dont like something until I tried it and then I tried it and ate the entire platter of it! :lmao:

I have stayed away from the "non" ring variety of calamari for so long but the curly cue suckers are the best ever, I wish I was dining with you so I could eat them up!

Give me calamari any which way and I am happy but give me anything FRIED and I am in HEAVEN!

lynn46356

10-24-2009, 06:34 PM

Loving the reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait until our trip in November. I've always thought that calamari looks good but have never tried it. Maybe you've convinced me differently now. :) Especially if DS says it tastes like nothing. What's not to like about that. LOL. I hope we have a better day when we eat breakfast at Kona than you did. I have to agree that your pictures look much better from a preivous trip. Strange isn't it. Thanks for sharing with everyone. Oh, and the dessert party pics look to die for. Another thing I still need to check on. :)

Ciciwoowoo

10-24-2009, 06:43 PM

I really have enjoyed your review so far! :goodvibes

slk537

10-30-2009, 11:26 AM

Our anniversary dinner was at YSH - DH's favorite and our usual "date night" place. This time we decided to bring DS with us and a new love for him was discovered. We waited for our table in the lounge and enjoyed a few sodas, a riesling and a pineapple mojito. The riesling? Good. The mojito? Eh. The pineapple was extraneous.

First up was one of the reasons DH loves YSH so much. The sourdough rolls, onion pullaparts, butter with sea salt and balsamic and (cue angels singing) roaste garlic cloves:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII117.jpg

Delicious!

DS picked chicken noodle soup for his starter and DH and I opted for caesar salads. These were absolutely wonderful! I know the whole leaf is aesthetic, but I do like it better when you don't have to cut up your own salads. However, it was very good...! And the toasted bread had parmesan cheese and was fantastic with a little of the roasted garlic. This was a great start to our meal.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII119.jpg

DS picked the children's steak, carrots and mashed potatoes for his entree (medium rare). The photo is how it was served, before we cut it for him. He absolutely loved the steak and carrots and was okay with the potatoes. The portion of the steak for children was just huge and he was very happy with it.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII124.jpg

DH opted for the porterhouse (medium rare) with hand cut fries. This is his usual entree here and it didn't disappoint:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII122.jpg

I ordered the prime NY Strip (medium rare) with au gratin potatoes. I have had this a few times here. The first time it was divine...the second was not. This time the steak was fantastic. The accompanying peppercorn sauce was perfect. The potatoes were not the best but I was definitely too full to eat them.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII121.jpg

For dessert, DH ordered the Yachtsman Sundae. This is like a banana split on steroids.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII138.jpg

I picked a banana dessert and I can't remember what it was called. From left to right: A banana flavored cheesecake, very light and I enjoyed it. Carmelized banana slices that I ate with the cheesecake. Then a banana white chocolate napoleon that was beautiful, but very difficult to eat with any decorum. I enjoyed most of this, but was really very full.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII139.jpg

We also received this for our anniversary:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII132.jpg

The jellys (gelees?) were very tart, citrussy and had a very strange texture. The chocolates were rich and delicious.

And now - the dessert that DS was looking forward to for the whole trip:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII126.jpg

A Mickey white chocolate puzzle, a cupcake, a brownie and three edible paints for the puzzle - he had a blast with this and enjoyed eating the cupcake (the brownie, not so much). The completed puzzle, pre paint:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII129.jpg

This was a wonderful meal and we all had a great time. Now YSH is on DS's must do list and is already booked for our next trip.

KatMark

10-30-2009, 12:12 PM

Yachtsman Steakhouse looks wonderful. We've never done it and looks like we are going to have to fit it in somewhere on one of our next trips.

mcarthur205

10-30-2009, 12:41 PM

I love Yachtsman Steakhouse! The food looks delicious, particularly your banana desserts.

slk537

10-30-2009, 09:48 PM

Yachtsman Steakhouse looks wonderful. We've never done it and looks like we are going to have to fit it in somewhere on one of our next trips.

It's really fantastic - a nice upscale type restaurant, but still very casual.

I love Yachtsman Steakhouse! The food looks delicious, particularly your banana desserts.

It was extremely pretty and very good too!

slk537

10-30-2009, 09:57 PM

Sunday night, DS realized we had yet to make it to DAK this trip and it was decided we would hit it Monday morning for our last day. We knew from the get go where lunch would be: Flame Tree Barbecue. This was the first place we ever had a real WDW meal about 7 years ago and DH has loved it ever since. We have even replicated the rub at home for our own smoker.

DH and DS both wanted pulled pork so sandwiches it was:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII141.jpg

(yes, we used an "adult" CS credit for DS...*blush*...but it was what he wanted to eat) They were both very happy with these. DH enjoyed the sandwich and DS ate it sans bun.

I wanted something a lot lighter (still hot out!) so I got the BBQ chicken salad. I've had this many times and I still really love it. The dressing is tangy and light and it always tastes fresh, cold and refreshing.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII143.jpg

For dessert, DS opted for the Halloween sprinkled chocolate cake and loved it:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII147.jpg

DH and I both had key lime pie. We LOVE this dessert - very tangy and creamy with a good crust and whipped cream:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII153.jpg

This will always be a must do for us - and hopefully next time we can get the ribs again (always better in cooler temps!)

slk537

10-30-2009, 09:59 PM

Later in the afternoon we had to do all our last day shopping at DTD, so after making our purchases we stopped at Wolfgang Puck Express for a snack to use one of our last few CS credits. We got the rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and creme brulee.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII174.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII177.jpg

This was wonderful and HUGE! We all enjoyed it very much and left happy and no longer hungry.

slk537

10-30-2009, 10:01 PM

Previously I mentioned a caramel apple blossom we bought from BC Marketplace on Day One after Cape May Cafe...we ate it a few days later and it was still delicious. And now, I have the photo:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII173.jpg

slk537

10-30-2009, 10:02 PM

Up next - Olivia's and WPE for breakfast to finalize the report!

lynn46356

10-31-2009, 08:50 AM

Oh these photos are making me drool this morning! I can't wait to try Yachtsman (it can't get here soon enough). We love meat!!!!! I'll have to admit although I don't like bananas, that banana dessert looks really good. :) I'm guessing I'm going to have to take pictures of our food when we go so I can "try" to do a dining report. Thanks for sharing your reviews with all of us!!!!!!

slk537

10-31-2009, 09:01 AM

slk537

10-31-2009, 09:21 AM

Monday night we hadn't really had anything planned for dinner...we tend to do DTD and a WPE CS meal for our last night. But we had an extra TS credit from a cancelled lunch earlier in the trip and after having such a great experience at the Turf Club, we decided to pick something low key and later so we could enjoy the pool in the late afternoon/early evening. We debated between Captain's Grille (haven't been there since it was the YC Galley and that visit was 6 years ago?), The Wave or Olivia's. In retrospect I wish we had picked The Wave, but we hadn't been to Olivia's since 2003 and it sounded homey and nice.

We got right in and were seated in a small and almost empty dining room. Seriously, there were four tables total with guests (including ours). The atmosphere was very laid back and nice, but it also felt a little lonely and not very Disney, likely due to so few people. In the middle of our meal, they brought out balloons and made a fuss over a family being the "family of the day" or some such and there were so few of us there it felt odd. Like a restaurant on Christmas Eve night, late.

So what about the food?

DS started with a chicken noodle soup that he enjoyed very much:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII181.jpg

We were also served a loaf of coconut bread and butter. This was okay.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII183.jpg

DS ordered the pasta with meat sauce and took this photo after mixing it all in. He hasn't master to flash on the camera yet ;)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII187.jpg

DH and I each ordered the prime rib again, medium rare served with au gratin type house potatoes. I totally forgot to take a photo, probably because the entrees showed up about 4 minutes after we ordered them. It was odd having them so soon and ordinarily I would be less than thrilled, imagining that they had been sitting out but in this case I imagine all the chef would have to do is slice the roast and plate the food so it was fine. It did lead me to feel as thought Olivia's was kindof like a late night at Perkins thought and that was weird.

**for the record, DH thinks my Perkins comparison is hilarious and doesn't see it. But now, everytime we pass a Perkins he has to point out "oh look! It's Olivia's!" smart***.

The potatoes were very greasy and heavy to me, but DH really liked them. The prime rib itself was very nice, but boring. It didn't have the same flavor and wow that the Turf Club had.

For dessert, DS picked the fruit cup to go so he could have it for breakfast (he didn't). DH selected the key lime pie, which was very good:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII191.jpg

I chose the bananas foster bread pudding. I wasn't hungry anymore and didn't really care, but I love banana foster and I love bread pudding so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII190.jpg

VERY disappointing. The sauce hardened on the ice cream and was not very tasty with that roof of the mouth coating texture. The outside of the bread pudding was crispy and while everything tasted fine, it didn't appeal to me. I have to say...when there is another place on property that makes a dessert like this so incredibly amazing ('Ohana), this really compares poorly.

So will we eat at Olivia's again? Actually we could. Just not late. I would imagine that earlier in the evening it is probably a wonderful and laid back place. Would I recommend it? Yes, but only if you're staying at one of the DTD resorts or really want to get away from the WDW hustle and bustle and use your TS credits.

It's a beautiful and relaxing resort, but not a destination restaurant.

slk537

10-31-2009, 09:49 AM

We used our leftover snack credits at Goofy's the night before on fudge to take home for family and friends and used our last TS credits at Olivia's. We had six CS credits left for breakfast and to go lunch on our last day, and didn't have to be at the airport until 11:30. We checked our luggage and got our boarding passes at SSR and DH suggested Artist Palette - and DS was on board as he loves it there. I had seen breakfast photos from WPE in Karin's (Dizneeat) reports and we hadn't really been there this trip for more than a snack so I suggested it and everyone was game.

SOOOO glad we did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This meal truly sent us off on a great foot and we will definitely do breakfast here again. DH wanted to try the breakfast pizza and I was curious about the french toast. DS wanted fruit loops. We all liked the idea of a Belgian waffle. Choices......

We decided to go with all three and get some fruit loops for DS. I wasn't sure my room charge still worked, so I had cash for the cereal. The cashier waved it away and told me not to worry about it. Very nice!!

At WPE, breakfasts include either two drinks or a drink and a fruit cup. Having no idea of the size of breakfast, we decided on fruit cups:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII197.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII198.jpg

This was very fresh, cold and light. DS and I enjoyed ours and we packed DH's for the plane.

DS's cereal and milk - I had ordered milk as his drink so he could put it on his cereal, but she threw a milk in too so he ended up with two of them (he loves milk...this was great!)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII199.jpg

Then came the overwhelming entrees...

The breakfast pizza:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII207.jpg

This was amazing....I thought the ranch sauce would be really weird, but it was perfect with the bacon, scrambled eggs, crust and tomato. I only had one piece, but it was excellent! DH loved this too.

And now for some pretty food:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII206.jpg

This waffle, besides coming with fresh whipped cream and huge pieces of fruit, was crispy and tender with a light vanilla flavor. It was just delicious! We didn't even crack into the syrup - the melted whipped cream was perfect. It was also huge...we probably left more than half :(

And speaking of huge AND pretty...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/slkjck/wdwoctoberII205.jpg

Cornflake french toast!

This was regular french toast, coated in crunchy corn flakes and fried...then sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Oh yes, and tons of fruit. We dipped this in the syrup and it was fantastic. In the end, we had way too much food and ended up filling one of the empty fruit cups with the blueberries and strawberries to eat on the plane. We also took 1 1/2 pieces of the french toast, which made it home nicely.

The worst part? Not discovering this amazing CS breakfast until our last day. We are SO planning to head back at least once on our next trip. Already a lunch and dinner gem, WPE is now an all day destination! We have a few WPE's up here in the twin cities and we hope to enjoy breakfast there soon.

After breakfast we wandered over to EOS and ordered an Original (roast beef, cheddar, horseradish), a Veggie - (Feta cheese, lettuce, roma tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers and Mediterrean Dressing) and something I don't see on allears that had turkey, ham, tomato, cheese and mustard, along with three drinks for the road and three brownies. We packed it all up and had a very nice lunch later on the plane.

And so ends our trip. And other snack credits not mentioned were used on Mickey ice cream sandwiches and smart water. We also accumulated those items for no credit or cash, due to DS's birthday button and his Chicago Cubs jersey and hat (the CM was a student at DH's alma mater SIU and said our snacks were "on Mickey" for being Cub fans). In the end, despite the humidity, heat, and flu, we had some amazing food, amazing times and are very busy planning our next foray down to WDW in just under 4 months.

I already have my ADR's booked.................