"We're here for the food" - A first-timers 9 day DDP adventure

[hurleysweety]

Hello!

Thanks for stopping by! Allow me to introduce my food loving self - I'm Julie and I'm a crazed Disney foodie ("Hi Julie"). I love cooking and baking, and of course, eating!

We went to the magical world 5/21-5/30 with my in-laws (which was our 2nd annual trip with them during/around our anniversary to a Disney park). We also went on our honeymoon to WDW in 2008 for our honeymoon! We had the DDP from 5/21-/5/28 while we stayed at OKW. Then ILs left and we stayed at POR for two nights without the DDP.

What will you celebrate?
Our Anniversaries - yes, all 4 of us were wearing anniversary buttons which I'm sure confused some people, and made some people think we didn't understand, LOL! Anyway, Our anniversary is 5/31 and ILs is 6/28 so, just like last year, we celebrated our anniversaries on the trip!

Here's the cast:

Me - I love food, all kinds, anytime. Not a huge fan of BBQ flavor or nuts and I love to try new things. Never known to ever finish a dessert.
DH - Basic food guy, no foofy green weird stuff for this man. He likes his tomato sauce with tomatoes, that's it, and his steak rubbed with salt n pepper. Doesn't like mushrooms and a bit of a healthy nut.
MIL - Knows what she likes and sticks to ordering that. She also loves chocolate. Not too adventurous unless strongly encouraged, then she gives in pretty easily!
FIL - A meat and potatoes guy. Also loves those yummy bread baskets and likes his cheesecake.

Here's a pic of me and DH at the disney visa thing, in our proudly worn broncos shirts (DH and his family are from Denver!).

And here's my MIL and FIL at LTT

Here's what you can look forward to!


Friday
Ohana, Dinner

Saturday
Sunshine Seasons, Snack
Sunshine Seasons, Lunch
Le Cellier, Dinner

Sunday
Cosmic Rays, Lunch
Goods 2 Go, Lunch
Liberty Tree Tavern, Dinner

Monday
Boma, Breakfast
Herbie's Drive-in, Snack
Pepper Market, Dinner

Tuesday
Yak & Yeti, Lunch
Wolfgang Puck Express, Dinner
Goofy's Candy Co, Snack

Wednesday
Main Street Bakery, Snack
Cosmic Rays, Lunch
Aloha Isle, Snack
Coral Reef, Dinner

Thursday
DHS Pretzel Cart, Snack
Starring Rolls Cafe, Lunch
Tutto Italia, Dinner
Goofy's Candy Co, Snack

Friday
Pepper Market, Breakfast
Riverside Food Court, Lunch
Boardwalk Bakery, Snack
Cape May Cafe, Dinner
Riverside Mill, Snack

Saturday (off DDP)
Earl of Sandwich, Lunch
Pecos Bill, Dinner
Wishes Dessert Party

Sunday (off DDP)
Earl of Sandwich, Lunch (it was that good)

 

[emmysmommy]

Ooooo some good stuff to look forward to... especially LTT and Coral Reef and Tutto Italia and Goofy's Candy Co... now that I think about it, I want to hear about ALL of them!!

Thanks in advance for taking the time to share your experience!

 

[angelmav]

Looking forward to this one and

GO BRONCOS!!!

 

[hurleysweety]

Ohana was my number one pick for dinner. I read another review and knew I just had to eat there. Before I had figured out my itinerary, I already knew I wanted Ohana while watching Wishes from the restaurant, or the beach. I had four ADRs for dinner on 3 different nights . Don't worry, I canceled the ones I didn't use.

We arrived at 8 PM for an 8:15 PM ADR. Everything went smoothly with check-in, although I believe it was the longest we waited for a table.

This wait didn't make any sense when we got into the restaurant and plenty of tables were available, many in the main room near the window with a great view of the castle. Weird! Glad we didn't get sat in the back room where it was crowded and the atmosphere wasn't as cool.

First, we start with the welcome bread. I was interested if this would be a soft or hard/dry bread. It was much harder than I thought, and more dry than I like. I expected something more sweet too.

After awhile our waitress appeared and got us drinks. That was about the extent of her job all night. We were not impressed with service here.

After that came the salad. It was ok, but not excellent. I think we ate it all because we were so hungry. I actually really liked the dressing. I don't think DH cared for the dressing as much. FIL had seconds of the salad though - once again, mostly out of hunger probably! (afterall, we had all been on a place/airport for a better part of the day).

There was a lull before we got our noodles, potstickers and wings. Ahh...where is the hot food?!

The wings were a hit - a messy hit, but a hit. If this was a clue as to the meat later, we were happy! I also devoured the potstickers. No one else did really, but I kept eating them throughout the meal. They are much better hot. Oh and noodles were good too. They were so saucy and hot - perfect flavor too. So I guess, all in all, I would have been satisfied paying half the price and just eating this.

At some point, these three sauces were put on the table with no explanation. So we spent some time trying to figure out what they were. Who just gives sauces without saying anything? LOL

Then awhile later - seriously people, can't you tell we're hungry! - veggies and meat came.

First, pork, not a huge fan...but FIL loves pork. The waitress did give him like 4 pieces. None of the rest of us are huge fans of pork and unfortunately, pork was in abundance that night as she came around with it like every 5 minutes. Goodness...think we could get some steak?

Also on this plate is chicken. The chicken was SOO dry. I think it was way overcooked and the skin was just as tough as leather. Sauce couldn't save it

Then some shrimp. I understand peel and eat shrimp is going to be messy but these were worse than the wings. I only ate part of mine because I was so tired at picking at them.

Then wishes started, 9 PM, 45 minutes after we sat down. Right as it started we were finally served the steak. It was a good 15 minutes after the rest of the food! I was already done. DH gladly had some and was immedietly disapointed. My pictures did not show up of it, but you're not missing anything.

Hate to end this so short, but I'm hosting a dinner thing tonight and I gotta go. Here is the dessert - the best part of the meal!

Oh, and our view from the table - not sure if you can really tell whats going on here.

Our Scores
Me - 6/10
DH - 6/10
FIL - 5/10
MIL - 6/10

To sum it up, food is below average - atmosphere is awesome. Service, well, was better at Pepper Market!

 

[hurleysweety]

Ooooo some good stuff to look forward to... especially LTT and Coral Reef and Tutto Italia and Goofy's Candy Co... now that I think about it, I want to hear about ALL of them!!

Thanks in advance for taking the time to share your experience!

YUM! There's my review for those!

You are very welcome. Just wanted to give back after reading and questioning so many reviewers over the past few years!

Looking forward to this one and

GO BRONCOS!!!

Thanks! Yay for Tebow!

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

Great start to your reviews... Ive flown from Denver to Ottawa before it is quite the long flight!

 

[LuccaDrake]

Subbing...

~Beka~

 

[hurleysweety]

Great start to your reviews... Ive flown from Denver to Ottawa before it is quite the long flight!

I can imagine! Waaay back in the day I went on a student-exchange program through my school when I lived in Seattle. We went on a 13.5 hr flight to Japan. I think it was 15 on the way back. Talk about jet lag!

Phx to MCO is only 3 hr 40 min - sometimes less. Going back is about 4.5 hrs - gives us another reason to dread the trip back!

Subbing...

~Beka~

Welcome! yay!

 

[hurleysweety]

About mid-morning, our first day in Epcot, we were getting hungry. We had just finished Living with the Land, so we thought Sunshine Seasons might have a good snack. I had read about lots of variety so I was hoping that we could all find something we like.

However, we all ended up getting the same thing. A fruit bowl.

Now, before I continue, I must mention this frustration I have. No matter where we are or what the occasion is, no matter if its a quick bite of fast food or a 4-course meal, my FIL and MIL will always get what either me or DH has chosen more than 50% of the time. After knowing them for 4+ years, I realized how true this was on our trip. So, you will only see 2 or 3 entrees from each place, usually. I don't get it, I don't understand it, and its hard for me not to laugh sometimes. After pointing it out to DH, he most definitley has to try not to laugh with me.

Anyway, the fruit was ok. The cantaloupe was ick - no flavor, which seemed to happen throughout our trip. Apparently good cantaloupe is hard to find in Orlando?

Score 6/10 - only because its actually nutritious unlike most snacks!

 

[hurleysweety]

Around an hour later, we were ready for lunch. We headed back to the Land Pavilion for the variety of offerings at Sunshine Seasons.

BTW, MIL was not feeling like going to the park this morning, I know, first morning in the park, so it was just the three of us.

Sunshine Seasons is served cafeteria styled with different stations. Here is a picture of the salmon station (something else was served here too, maybe ribs or roast beef?).

I already knew I wanted a sandwich for lunch - just trying to decide which one was my only decision. DH stopped at all the stations and finally decided on the salmon. FIL just followed wherever he went, LOL. At one point DH was going to get the ham, so FIL told me how much he wanted a ham sandwhich and that it looked really good. The minute DH left my side, off he went to follow. So they both got salmon.

DH got carrots with his, and being the basic guy, opted out of the sauces available. He said it was "good." And was 2nd best of the three salmon entrees he had the entire trip (all counter service).

FIL got rice and both sauces available for the salmon. Some kind of basil pesto. He also liked it and enjoyed the sauces too. It was juicy even though it looked like it might be dry.

And here is my delicious and messy sandwich served with a great potato salad. I like a potato salad where I can taste potato, not mayo. Also, the sandwich had a creamy slightly garlicy (?) dressing on it so I only needed a bit of mayo (I love sauce and hate dry anything!).

Then to the desserts. DH had a chocolate chip cookie, no surprise (we had DLR APs last year and went on 5 different trips. It took him until the last trip to try one and he ended up having one every day, for breakfast.) WDW were just as good, if not better. There must have been at least 6 desserts in the case, but FIL picked what I got, butterfinger cheesecake. However, he would have probably picked the cheesecake anyway because I later learned it was his favorite dessert!

The cheesecake was creamy, but not very flavorful. My favorite part was the crust. However, the crust was softer than I like.

Also, my sandwich left my hands like this!

Like DLR, I'm pretty sure this sandwich is available throughout all 4 parks under different names. If its turkey and served on foccacia, its this sandwich. Its a great break from all the rich food served everywhere else. Except Starring Rolls, there turkey sandwich is much much different!

7/10 - Variety is good, service is quick, seating seems limited but we found a table. Food is above average for theme park! We would eat here again.

 

[Linda67]

Just found your reviews and love them!!
Looking forward to seeing what's next

 

[TigerKat]

Signing on, great start!

 

[LuccaDrake]

Mmm...I love Sunshine Seasons! Especially the Strawberry dessert.

~Beka~

 

[disneydreamer98]

Subscribing! Want to hear what you thought about Coral Reef. We haven't been there for about 4 years and I'm thinking about adding it to our August ADR's....

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Joining in and enjoying your reviews. I'm going back and forth with Ohana dinner...I read alot of good reviews in the past but been read some so so reviews the past few months. thank you for sharing and can't wait to read more.

 

[hurleysweety]

Just found your reviews and love them!!
Looking forward to seeing what's next

Thanks!

Signing on, great start!

Thank you!

Mmm...I love Sunshine Seasons! Especially the Strawberry dessert.

Oh yum, that sounds good! I wanted to try all of them!

~Beka~

Subscribing! Want to hear what you thought about Coral Reef. We haven't been there for about 4 years and I'm thinking about adding it to our August ADR's....

In a nutshell, we enjoyed Coral Reef. Went there in 08 on our honeymoon, off DDP, and had a great meal - well, it was only 1 of 2 TS meals as we were, but not very good service. We had a great meal this time and great service too. Good tables both time, as I'm sure you know, (Right near the tank) really seems to help the experience! If you like seafood, go for it!

Joining in and enjoying your reviews. I'm going back and forth with Ohana dinner...I read alot of good reviews in the past but been read some so so reviews the past few months. thank you for sharing and can't wait to read more.

Ohana seems to be one of those hit or miss. I think our dry meat may have had to do with our timing. Atmosphere and watching Wishes was awesome, but you are there to eat, right? HAHA, I forget that sometimes! Maybe if we were there around the 6-7ish dinner rush we would have had better food? Also hear breakfast is lots of fun for kids - and good food! Maybe we'll try that next time.

 

[hurleysweety]

Let me tell you about one of the best meals I've ever had at Disney World!

Leading up to this ADR, we were not doing well at all. Due to my lack of touring plan for that afternoon (because of things out of my control and our day didn't go as planned), DH saw Maelstrom with a 20 minute wait and said we should wait. I should have known this was a bad idea when the line ended in the courtyard of Norway, not even inside yet...We waited 45 minutes - ugh. So absolutely not fun...it put everyone in a bad mood. And then we were the first people off after they closed the doors, so we were stuck. We told the CM we needed to make a dinner ressie and she said we'd have to wait, there was nothing she could do. So you could expect we'd all be grumpy pants for dinner.

So we show up at 6:25 for our 6:35 ADR, as quick as we could get there, while in-laws slowly made their way. They, as expected, made me check back in when my whole party was there. Soon they arrived, we checked in, and thus began our wonderful evening.

While waiting for our table a nice woman talked to us about Le Cellier after finding out it was all of our first times and both our anniversaries. After about 5 minutes our name was called and off we went to the small dining room, as I expected, but perfectly steakhouse to me in everyway. I love dim lighting and wood, wood, and more wood. It was tastefully decorated and while it could seem crowded, I never felt that way.

We were soon greeted by our waitress, Jill. She was fabulous and full of personality. DH jokes with me that she's my new best friend since I liked her so much, haha. Since it was our first TS (non family style like Ohana), she explained all that we were entitled too. And to my satsifaction, told us about all the lovely drinks we could get as part of our DDP. For some boring reason, I didn't get a smoothie or shake. I decided on the pomegranite lemonade - boo - which turned out to be what I got last night. Oh well.

DH got a mango smoothie that had a splash of some type of juice in it. It was refreshing and both of us really liked it.

MIL got a raspberry smoothie that had a splash of cranberry juice. We talked awhile after she delivered our drinks and by the time I took a photo, MIL had already drank this much. She LOVED this probably more than anything else the whole trip. I'm pretty sure I could have got her one of these every day for every meal and she would have been all smiles.

This smoothie was also the joke of the trip. When she was almost finished, maybe a teaspoon of smoothie left in the glass, Jill went to take it off the table and my MIL, totally out of character, grabbed it back to take a couple of last sips. Jill felt so bad and DH laughed so hard. We kidded her all week, "Don't take my smoothie!" (which was in the running for my review thread title!)

FIL got a vanilla milkshake which he said was creamy and good.

After we ordered we were greeted with a lovely bread basket. There were four types of bread - pretzel, some type of whole grain bread, sourdough, and one more (failure on my memory, whoops!). We all loved the pretzel and DH liked the grainy one. Each bread represented a different part of Canada.

Soon our food arrived and we were so happy. Jill kept our bread basket and drinks full until its arrival as well.

DH and MIL both ordered the filet:
Le Cellier Mushroom Filet Mignon - with wild mushroom risotto, white truffle and herb butter sauce DH doesn't like mushroom, so they did his without. If you're not used to think, creamy, alfredo like sauces, ask for your steak without it. They both cleared their plates and loved the steak.DH and his stomach later had a slight disagreement about it later, no biggie at all- thats what you get for being such a health nut. MIL had no effect.

FIL had the
New York Strip Steak - topped with bercy butter and served with Gruyere Yukon Gold Potato Gratin He really liked this and loved the potatoes. His steak was cooked well and had a great flavor.

And lastly, me, the tiny one, had the big one!
Coffee-rubbed Kansas City Strip Steak - with hazelnut butter and cream cheese mashed potatoes . This was absolutley amazing. I've been eating steak my whole life and so I like to awaken my tastebuds to new things. This was just the trick. It was tougher than I'm used to (I love filet and rib eye), but the coffee flavor was just enough to give it a kick and a bite. Would totally get this again.

Creamy, rick, cream cheese potatos

Shoot..have to wrap this up quick. Our desserts were amazing and Jill also treated us to a champagne toast. Also, FIL and MIL got the same thing - the celebration cake, that's why you only see one dessert in the photo. FIL took his home for later.

DH got the s'more and is still talking about how good it was. I got the mousse because I love chocolate, but mousse is a lighter version that finishes a meal so well.

Champagne for all! Thanks for an amazing evening Jill, we can't wait to go back.

Overall Scores
DH - 9/10
MIL - 9/10
FIL - 9/10
Me - 10/10

Last thought -

 

[MylilTink]

I am so happy to hear your review of Le Cellier and how much it was enjoyed! This is our first ADR when we arrive and I can't wait.

 

[jockey]

Great reviews so far, we love Le Cellier! Great pics too

 

[Gouden Leeuw]

Great review so far!