A Whole New World - Was Live, Now complete, catch me again DCA F&W all six weeks!

[franandaj]

We started off the trip flying from LA to MCO. Here is the plan for dining for the next ten days.

Wednesday January 20, 2010
Fly from LAX arrive 6PM, DME to SSR
8:30PM Dinner at Turf Club

Thursday January 21, 2010
Lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express
Pick up rental car, grocery shopping
2nd Lunch & Dinner in the room

Friday January 22, 2010
Epcot
Counter Service for Lunch
Teppan Edo for Dinner

Saturday January 23 2010
Magic Kingdom for me and DP while Mom & Dad go “birding”
Counter Service for Lunch
Dinner in the Room

Sunday January 24, 2010
Breakfast and Lunch in the Room
Fulton’s for Dinner

Monday January 25, 2010
Transfer to Kidani via Epcot
Coral Reef Lunch
Tacos in the room

Tuesday January 26, 2010
Relax at Kidani
Dinner at V&A’s

Wednesday January 27, 2010
Animal Kingdome Park
Counter Service Lunch
Dinner in the Room

Thursday January 28, 2010
Relax in Room
Sunset Safari
Dinner at Jiko

Friday January 29, 2010
AK park
CS restaurant
California Grill

Saturday January 30, 2010
Return rental car
Lunch at Paradisio 37


BTW since this is my first LIVE from WDW trip report if there are technical glitches, please understand because I’m just learning the DISboards and how to post links, edit posts and other stuff!

Thanks!

 

[mamaboogie]

Looking forward to hearing all about it!

 

[Symans3honeybees]

Thank you for spending some of your precious time during your vacation to post for us....

 

[MickeyNicki]

Count me in! The next best thing to writing a live review is reading someone elses!

 

[franandaj]

So lets start off with a little background information. The cast of characters on this trip are myself, my DP (we're on either side of 50 a few years each way, but I won't say who is older!), my DM and DD, who are not quite retired, but soon will be.

Me and my DP have been coming to WDW together for over 12 years, and both of us had been here before that. When we were here for Food & Wine last Sept/Oct we purchased APs and the TIW card. The card has already paid for itself so the rest is all gravy from here on out. Many of these restaurants are new to us, but we've picked them all based on other's great reviews.

Let me also say that we all like wine a lot. My parents brought me up drinking great wine. I have a cellar at home, and I shipped a case of great wine to myself for in room drinking and a couple restaurants.

So without further ado, the Turf Club!

We had a long day, getting up early for the flight, and flying across country is always tiring. We had an 8:30 ADR and arrived right at 8:15, they seated us immediately, however it was 20 minutes before our server even stopped by the table.

Even though we were sharing a bottle of wine, I could not resist a blue drink, I love any blue drink, and they had a Blue Glow-tini, so I had to have it. There was Vodka (skyye I think), Blue Curacao, a couple other things and the glass was rimmed with sugar. It was quite yummy, sweet but not sickeningly, just tasty.

We started off with an order of onion rings and they were really good. The sauces were a lime mayonnase and a red pepper ranch.

Our server was clueless though and that sort of put a damper on the evening, we were already tired to begin with and her ineptitude (messed up our cocktails, she had never opened bottle of wine before and she's a server(?), didn’t bring us bread & butter, or proper steak knives, etc) was frustrating.

Speaking of opening the wine, we had a 1999 BV Tapestry, for those who care it is a lovely blend, I think some Cab Sauv, Cab Frank, maybe Pinot Noir and some others. This bottle of wine was incredibly smooth, well rounded and went fabulously with our dinner! It cost us $25 corkage, and I had called earlier in the week when they said $20. But how many restaurants have 10 year aged wines that you can drink for $25!

The food however, was excellent, two of us had the NY Strip steak. We chose the option with the blue cheese on top, and it had a great port based sauce .

My DP had the burger

And the DM had the Prime Rib, it had a Cabernet Sauvignon based sauce. She substituted the seasonal vegetables for the potatoes, and the kitchen assumed that she didn't want the Swiss Chard that was supposed to come with. When she asked they brought her a small plate of the Swiss Chard too. I didn't get a picture of that.

We were too tired and full for dessert, and basically just wanted to get to our room as it was well after 10PM now. So we headed off to our Treehouse Villa to get some sleep.

Turf Club: 4 entrees + appetizer, 1 cocktail, and corkage fee = $112.89 with TIW.

 

[franandaj]

We (I mostly) were up late Wednesday because one of my bags didn't get on DME, so they were searching for it and finally found it just before midnight, so it was at least 1AM before it finally got here. Even with the late hour, I was up before 9 ancy to go to DTD because I wanted BREAKFAST at WPE. Very soon it because clearly apparent to me that wasn't going to be happening as everyone else was moving very slowly. The only things we had in the villa were a few granola bars (ick), a bag of chips leftover from lunch on the plane and my leftover steak with blue cheese (didn't sound so hot in the morning). I was starving!

After what seemed like an eternity everyone was ready to go and we made our way to the boat launch at the THV. The boat arrived soon after and we disembarked at the DTD stop. As I headed towards WPE, everyone kept trying to steer me the other way saying, "The sign says, Wolfgang Puck is this way." Silly people, don't they know I'm so obsessed with food, especially at WDW I can tell you where just about every restaurant is located and basically what is on their menus. I let them know they were referring to the Cafe, which is a TS and not QS restaurant! I had relaxing to do, but we needed to pick up our rental car at the Buena Vista Palace and go shopping before I could start relaxing. But before ANYTHING else, FEED ME SEYMOUR!

DP got the Squash Soup, it had some spice (curry tasting) in it that I didn't care for but she cleaned her bowl, so it must have been good.

I got my old standard Four Cheese Macaroni (Penne) & Cheese, and this one was excellent. It had little bits of bacon, I think, and I ate every bite. It came with a side Caesar Salad that tasted like there was no dressing on it at all.

We both just got cups of water to drink. For the two of us, with 10% DVC or TIW discount the total came to $15.23.

DM got the Beef Salad, and when asked the cashier what was in it, she failed to mention that it was covered in Gorgonzola Cheese. My DM is allergic to mold, so she had to send it back for a cheese free salad.

Dad got the Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza. He said it was very good. It looked that way, I was sort of eyeing his lunch, but I was also full enough from my own.

DM & DD did not give me their receipts so I have no idea what the cost of their meal was.

Next review, a place unfortunately none of you can eat at, but I'll share it anyways!

 

[franandaj]

After shopping for a ton of groceries, we had some food in the room to tide us over for dinner, but it was just some sandwiches and nothing exciting to take pictures of.

After a little relaxing and surfing the net, I was ready to contemplate my part of the dinner. My mother had started the Mushrooms Berkley which is basically chopped mushrooms, onion & bell pepper stewed with red wine, sweetener and other flavorings. I started the grill, see at the THV every unit has a BBQ grill out in front, so I fired up the coals and we were on our way.

I grilled marinated chicken and zucchini strips.

Here is our table spread

The chicken & zucchini up close

These yummy mushrooms stewed with red wine, brown sugar and other good stuff are a staple in our family

After a long couple days it was nice to just stick around the Villa having family favorites for dinner, enjoying some wine. I don't have pictures of the wine, but we started off with a BV Coastal Chardonnay. We used a Ridge Carmichael Zinfandel in the mushrooms (only 1/2 a cup, we drank the rest), and enjoyed a Fess Parker Syrah, both of the reds were around 2004 or 2005 vintage.

No cost totals on this meal, but with leftovers (not including the cost of the wine), I'm guessing less than 20 bucks.

Next up Teppan Edo!

 

[DisneyFan83]

Count me in!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Joining in.

 

[bluechic03]

Here for the ride!

 

[Linda67]

Just found this one and love it so far

 

[eemmie1]

Loving the review. I have always wanted to stay at the THV. How are they?

 

[franandaj]

Just found this one and love it so far

Thanks, hopefully lots more great meals to come!

Loving the review. I have always wanted to stay at the THV. How are they?

They're pretty cool, I'm in a Handicapped Accessible, so I miss my jacuzzi tub, but otherwise there's a lot of space, and I loved the private BBQ Grill!

 

[franandaj]

By the way can anyone tell me how to get my photos larger? I'm using photobucket and the last time I posted pictures, they were full sized. Same camera, same hosting method, so I a little confused.

Thanks!

 

[klacey1]

Such great reviews!! Looks like you make a mean zuccini! Can't wait for more

 

[franandaj]

Friday early morning, DP started to show signs of food poisoning, probably the Ice Cream as no one else in the villa had any and no one else got sick. I dropped my parents of at Epcot, sorry that I couldn't share their first visit there, but knew I should stay home and be a good wife. I told them that I would come back and join them for dinner around 6:30.

That time afforded me to post the first few parts of this report, and then I headed off to Epcot to join my parents. They had hit a few attractions in Future World and took the Canada/UK route around World Showcase. They were in China and had settled down on some benches. I got my obligatory Blue Margarita on the way to meet them, remember I said about the blue drinks. This margarita is made with silver patron and I'm guessing has some blue curacao in it.

Once I met up with my parents, we started to head towards Japan. My mother mentioned that they needed foot massage stations along World Showcase, and I reminded her that’s why we’re going to the Spa at SSR Sunday.

We checked in early at Teppan Edo and they were running at least 10-15 minutes behind, but we waited far longer than that past our reservation time. Probably because we were a party of three and they needed to find a party of five so that the table would be full.

Once we were seated we ordered some sake & water (didn't think I needed to show the water)

Edamamme

I got the tempura appetizer. Last time I was here, we didn’t’ get the appetizer and I not only finished my own entrée, but even ate some of DP’s as well. Now imagine this with two strips like you see on top. I ate the shrimp before I remembered to take the picture, but thought there were two, I was totally surprised to find that this "other shrimp" was a piece of chicken! I looked for the tail and couldn't find it so I just dug in, what a surprise!

I also ordered the Miso soup. It was good, but these crouton things were weird, they weren't tofu like I'm used to.

Here they take your zucchini and onions and make them into a sort of chow mein. Before they cut up the onions, they make Mt Fuji and then turn it into Mickey Mouse. Here are the steps in creating the chow mein.

Noodles on the grill.

Zucchini & onions

Mickey Onion

Chow Mein on the grill

They also give you a variety of sauces, ginger, mustard and seafood (this one is basically mayonnaise, I think they give this last one for the palate of WDW customers, I've never had it anywhere else at a Teppan restaurant, and we have a LOT of Asians on the west coast).

Here is the completed chow mein on my plate

My DM & DD got the scallops

Tonight I ordered the Steak and Shrimp Combination, he cooked the shrimp first.

Then he cooked my steak

This is my plate, but he still added the mushrooms afterwards

Our chef was amusing, and he cooked the food well, it was seasoned nicely, but once he left and the table across the way began their service it was obvious that they had the better entertainer, however we don’t know what his food tasted like!

I couldn’t finish the entrée and took it home. I also wrote a report for the DVCtalk yahoo group which I finished up first (no pictures and easier) and was actually thinking that after I finish the trip report the leftovers sounded pretty good!

So I fried up an egg, added my white rice and the entire box of leftovers, plus a few packets of soy sauce that I carry in my spice box, and had a whole new plate of goodness.

Pretty good for midnight munchies!

Next couple meals, again where you can't dine, but there is a MK CS in there!

BTW, anyone wanting any recipies, they are available, besides the recreation of my leftovers everything I fix in the TR are staples at home, and I can give you the recipies.

Thanks for reading!

 

[franandaj]

Today I was really in the mood for French Toast for Breakfast, so thankfully we have a kitchen! I whipped up some Breakfast for the whole family.

Then we were off to MK, no particular plan except we wanted lunch somewhere and go on a few rides. We were hungry first, so we stopped at Columbia Harbour House for some Clam Chowder and Fish and Chips. The Clam Chowder was really good, the Fish and Chips were OK, but I bet the ones at the UK in Epcot are better, the last two trips I have really wanted to eat there, but no. I guess I can look forward to that in another trip.

After lunch we did the Hall of Presidents, Mickey's Philharmagic and Monster's Inc, Laugh Floor. I wanted to go on Space Mountain but it was down. We decided that a Blue Rasberry slushy was in order. You know what I said about me and Blue drinks!

The park was really crowded so we decided to head back to the Villa. Dinner tonight was Keilbasa Sausages, Sauerkraut and Asparagus. While dinner was cooking we snacked on some veggies and dip, and cheese and crackers.

Thanks for reading so far!

I'm a little behind, but we switched resorts yesterday from THV to Kidani. I should have some more time to get caught up, next report, Fulton's Crab House!

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Allison, just wanted to make you a compliment. Normally I don't post on Dining Review threads (allthough I love reading them), but your's calls for a chance.

I find it really refreshing, great and possibly inspiring for others that you've decided to include your own cookings while at WDW and not just the bought stuff. Great!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Great updates and I have enjoying reading along. I can't wait for Fulton b/c we are going there for our first time in May.

 

[franandaj]

Allison, just wanted to make you a compliment. Normally I don't post on Dining Review threads (allthough I love reading them), but your's calls for a chance.

I find it really refreshing, great and possibly inspiring for others that you've decided to include your own cookings while at WDW and not just the bought stuff. Great!

Thanks! I find it amazing how many DVC members find it an abomination to actually cook in the room Isn't that why we have a kitchen? Some days it's just too much to sit for an hour or so or even wait that long just to be seated if you don't have ADRs. Why not open a bottle of wine, and make something really easy and then just sit back over the table for another bottle and enjoy the company! It's been great.

Great updates and I have enjoying reading along. I can't wait for Fulton b/c we are going there for our first time in May.

I'll tell you it was awesome, will post it as soon as I can, maybe even tonight!

Thanks!