Living in Disney means FOOD! My Disney Fine Dining Adventure: UPDATE The Wave

[LizzieinDisney]

Hello everyone!
Welcome to my dining reviews! I have sort of a unique situation, as I actually live at Disney. Literally. So, my vacation is ongoing, never-ending, and full of amazing food!

There are few things I love more than food. Therefore, it became my goal to try as many Disney restaurants as I could. To help me accomplish this, a group of friends and I got together and created our own Disney Fine Dining Club. In our little club, we try out a new table service restaurant every week and I will begin posting our reviews here! There will be plenty of food, plenty of pictures, plenty of tips, and tons of fun along the way. Join in, and lets go on this Disney food adventure!

This is the list of restaurants we have tried recently, and soon there will be a review up for each and every one.

Table of Contents:
Sanaa, AKL
Trails End Buffet, FW
Olivia's Cafe, Old Key West
The Grand Floridian Cafe
Be Our Guest
Whispering Canyon Cafe, WL
1900 Park Fare: Breakfast, GF
Boatwrights, Port Orleans Riverside
Tusker House, Animal Kingdom: Breakfast
The Wave, Breakfast, The Contemporary

My Week on the Quick Service Dining Plan: Flame Tree Barbecue, Pizza Planet, Tangerine Cafe, Be Our Guest, Pecos Bills, and SNACKS!

A Look At What's To Come:
Liberty Tree Tavern, MK
San Angel Inn, Epcot
50s Prime Time, HS
Sci Fi Dine In, HS
Ohana, Poly
The Grand Floridian Cafe, GF
Via Napoli, Epcot
Captain's Grille, YC
Boma, Breakfast, DAK Lodge
Crystal Palace, MK
California Grille, CR
Rose and Crown, Epcot

I think that's it for the moment...but don't worry, I will be adding new restaurants every week, starting with tomorrow, and breakfast at Olivia's in Old Key West!

 

[bluejasmine]

Sounds yummy!!!

Sept 2013 Poly, 2012 Disney Fantasy, BC CL, GF CL, POR, 2011 Poly CL, CR, Poly CL, AKL, 2010 Poly CL, ASMu 2009, SSR 2008, Pop 2006, POR , Asmo 2005, Asmo 2003, offsite 2000, 1999,1989, Poly 1980, offsite 1979

 

[NoOrdinaryPrincess]

Awesome! Joining in.

 

[psindone]

I'm in............Been going to Disney for years and always looking for new places to eat.....

 

[Punzel]

Excited to hear your reviews!

 

[2manypets]

Can't wait for your reviews. We're always looking for a new place to eat, but we always end up going to our faves again and again.

 

[wiigirl]

Joining in!

 

[sephorachick]

Love it!

 

[Punzel]

I've been reading your blog this morning, your love of everything Disney shines through! Enjoy your time there. My best friend did Disney University quite a few years back.

 

[LizzieinDisney]

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Let's start this off with one of my absolute favorite restaurants I have tried. Whenever I get asked for recommendations about restaurants outside the parks, I always mention Sanaa in AKL, Kidani Village. Seriously, there is yet to be a restaurant that will top this one for me. If you have never tried Sanaa, make it a point to wander over on your next trip! It is one of those places you can pop in without an ADR and get seated quickly.

The dining room. Make sure to look up!​

I decided to spend the morning at the Magic Kingdom before heading out. Using Disney transport, it will take you about 30 minutes to reach Sanaa, and that includes the 10 minutes or so we waited for the bus. We walked out of Magic Kingdom at 12:00 and into Sanaa at 12:45.

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The atmosphere of this restaurant immediately brings you back to Africa. The colors are warm and rich, plus there are giraffes and zebras outside your window! While waiting for your food, go ahead and wander onto the terrace. I had a hard time imagining that I didn't just walk into a portal and arrive on the Pridelands. I spent half my time expecting Timon and Pumba to pop up singing Hakuna Matata!

The savanna from the lobby. It was a beautiful day!​

We were seated fairly quickly, then it was on to the best part. The food! Oh. My. Goodness. Just thinking about that naan bread makes my mouth water...

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We decided to forego appetizers this time, because dessert was on the horizon. So for my entree, I went with something classically American and yet distinctly African/Indian. A bison burger on naan bread!

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The bread was incredible. It was warm, slightly chewy, and did not have a strong flavor, but perfectly complemented the meat. The dressing on the burger really pulled out the flavors. I had not had bison in a long time, so it was a yummy change from your basic burger!

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Everyone else at the table had different dishes, so of course, I sampled most of them. The lamb was tender and had a nice flavor. The curry sauce in the butter chicken was beyond wonderful. We all dipped our extra naan bread in that sauce! Yum...

This is one of the desserts that comes with a children's meal, a little chocolate peanut butter turtle by a stream. So cool!​

At this point, I was so full I failed at my Dis Review duty, and didn't get dessert. I know, I know, total failure moment, but hey, it's just an excuse to go back, right? However, several of my dining companions did get dessert, and proclaimed the tastes fit for a Lion King!

The Banana Kulfi Sundae.


My personal favorite, the Chocolate Mousse. Isn't it beautiful?​

Overall, our time at Sanaa was amazing. The service was wonderful, our drinks were never low, and the food was spectacular. It was a perfect mix of the comfortable and the adventurous. Plus, you just can't beat the animals wandering outside the big picture windows. If you are looking for something new and haven't tried Sanaa, you should really make a point of going. It was be an unforgettable experience!

The walkway leading to the savanna from Sanaa​

 

[LizzieinDisney]

I've been reading your blog this morning, your love of everything Disney shines through! Enjoy your time there. My best friend did Disney University quite a few years back.

Aw, thanks! Seriously, Disney is a huge part of my life, and I am totally okay with that. Being a Cast Member here is a dream come true for me. Thanks for reading!

Love it!

Me too. There are few things better than food, and adding Disney to that just makes a magical combination!

Joining in!

Thanks! So great to have you!

Can't wait for your reviews. We're always looking for a new place to eat, but we always end up going to our faves again and again.

Yay! It is my goal to find the places that few people try. We did breakfast at Olivia's this morning and that is a hidden gem. The restaurant was almost empty, but it was so yummy!

Excited to hear your reviews!

Thanks! I'm excited to have you along for the ride!

I'm in............Been going to Disney for years and always looking for new places to eat.....

Well, hopefully I can hit some new ones for you. Thanks for joining in!

Awesome! Joining in.

Thanks! I agree, anything Disney and food is awesome. Great to hear from you!

Sounds yummy!!!

Sept 2013 Poly, 2012 Disney Fantasy, BC CL, GF CL, POR, 2011 Poly CL, CR, Poly CL, AKL, 2010 Poly CL, ASMu 2009, SSR 2008, Pop 2006, POR , Asmo 2005, Asmo 2003, offsite 2000, 1999,1989, Poly 1980, offsite 1979

Isn't it always? Thanks for joining in the fun!

 

[jojosam]

What an awesome idea! You and your friends will have a blast exploring all those menus! In fact, you might have to have your club make return trips to try every aspect of the menus!

 

[LizzieinDisney]

What an awesome idea! You and your friends will have a blast exploring all those menus! In fact, you might have to have your club make return trips to try every aspect of the menus!

Of course! Our first goal is to make it to every restaurant, and then, naturally, start over again. I feel like with the rate that Disney menus change, by the time we finish the first round, everything will be different. Thanks for jumping in!

 

[LizzieinDisney]

Howdy partners! Welcome to the Trails End Breakfast Buffet! The best place to pull up your horse, tip your hat, and enjoy(in my opinion) one of the best breakfast deals in Disney.

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This lovely little restaurant is rarely full. It's a good place to go for a fantastic breakfast without an ADR! The Cast Member at the podium told us there is no point in making reservations for breakfast, because you will never need them. And with that, we were whisked back to the Old West.

The Breakfast Buffet​

The restaurant is nestled in the woods of Fort Wilderness Campground, right next to the Hoop De Doo Review. The strong timbers and patriotic touches will have you convinced your stagecoach just pulled in and you are enjoying your first meal in the wilds of the West.

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Your drink is included in the meal price, and you can get everything that is typical, such as hot tea, hot chocolate with whipped cream, several juices, and yes, even soft drinks.

Because everyone needs a little Diet Coke with their Mickey Waffles!​

As soon as the drink orders were taken, it was off to the buffet! I think one of the coolest parts of this buffet is the tin plates. I felt like I had fallen into Oregon Trail!

So much yumminess!​

I quickly grabbed my plate and beelined for my favorite thing in the entire world: Mickey Waffles!!!!!! And guess what? THEY HAVE CHOCOLATE CHIP ONES!

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I had never seen chocolate chip Mickey Waffles before. This moment was life changing. The rest of the buffet was lovely as well. The amount of food was incredible! There was a make-your-own-parfait bar, fresh croissants, breakfast pizza, hash browns, eggs on biscuits with pulled pork, corn muffins, and so many other things. There were donut holes too!

The Parfait Station, with yogurt in mason jars!​

The atmosphere of this place was wonderful, and the food was fantastic. I know that I am trying to hit as many different WDW restaurants as I can, but I am just itching to go back to Trails End for breakfast. It tops the list as one of my favorite breakfast places so far. I hope you enjoy your visit as much as I did!

 

[klacey1]

Subscribing! I've always been curious about Trail's End!

 

[rbishopmd]

Joining in! We have been to WDW so many times and the food is one of our favorite things. Deciding where to go, and what to try or our trip 4/14. Looking forward to reading your reviews.

 

[ChasingAriel]

Joining in!

 

[LizzieinDisney]

Subscribing! I've always been curious about Trail's End!

Please try it! It was amazing, and a quick boat ride from Magic Kingdom. Depending on where you are staying, it might be a good place for breakfast before a park day. Thanks for joining in!

Joining in! We have been to WDW so many times and the food is one of our favorite things. Deciding where to go, and what to try or our trip 4/14. Looking forward to reading your reviews.

Thanks! Glad to have you along. Yay for planning Disney trips! Half the fun of a vacation is planning it. Hope you come up with some awesome restaurants!

Joining in!

Thanks! So excited to have you along for all this foodie fun!

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Living in Disney = HUGE envy!!!!!!!!

Great start to your reviews - if I were young enough to be on the college programme I would definitely double my weight while there :

Looking forward to more

 

[LizzieinDisney]

Living in Disney = HUGE envy!!!!!!!!

Great start to your reviews - if I were young enough to be on the college programme I would definitely double my weight while there :

Looking forward to more

I totally hear you But the best part is, after an awesome meal, we head to the Magic Kingdom to walk it all off! Thanks for joining it, it's great to have you!