Walk Up Dining at the World in January- Brief Thoughts

[soonerfan2008]

Background:
One of the best parts of a Disney trip, at least for me, is the dining. I love it all, and I savor the planning process. My husband also loves to try new things, but he does not want to look at any menus in advance. Both of us are athletic, so we make no qualms about enjoying dinner without worrying about the fat/calories/etc.

We have two little girls--3.5 and 1.5 , both of whom are good eaters. While they enjoy the typical kid fare, they are both willing to try new things and some of their favorite foods are a bit unorthodox for kids.


The trip:
We've become true Disneyphiles in the last couple of years. I love the magic, but it is so incredible to see it through the eyes of our kids. With so many great deals, particularly the military promotions, we've been able to enjoy the mouse a lot lately. This trip was a spur of the moment treat when I woke up one morning after Christmas to an email with some great prices on off-site travel. Then I read about a 2010 military offer, and I jokingly told DH, "We should just drive to Disney for a few days." To my surprise, his response was, "OK!"

Since we had no time to plan, I booked one breakfast for the girls at 1900 Park Fare, one we have not tried before. That was the extent of our planning (and I'm sure my thick Disney notebook felt neglected!).

 

[soonerfan2008]

Quick Service Meals:
Morocco- Delicious! We were the first people to eat there that day, so everything was fresh. I had the lamb wrap, and it was perfect- spicy lamb, creamy yogurt, chewy bread- perfect. The sides were good, and I especially liked the lentils. DH had the platter, and he declared everything to be wonderful. We did not get dessert because we were planning to sample some goodies in other countries. The girls tried some of our food, but were much happier with the uncrustables I'd packed for them. We will eat here again- very good food and glad we tried it!

Sunshine Seasons- I got the sweet and sour chicken with veggies and noodles. It was just ok. The first plate I got was cold, but they quickly replaced it when I returned to the counter. The girls got kids' packs with sandwiches, carrots and grapes- all good. DH got a deli sandwich (or maybe a wrap??), and it was fine. No big deal either way. The stand out of the meal was the strawberry shortcake, but then we knew that would be good! Overall, this was just ok, which was disappointing since we normally like it a lot.

Columbia Harbor House- I just got a bowl of clam chowder, and it was nice. Rich, creamy, hot and hit the spot on a cold day. DH got the tuna sandwich, and I was shocked at how fresh and tasty it was. Very, very, very good. The girls ate a picnic pb & j lunch again, and we skipped dessert. One of the best parts of our meal was eating upstairs in a nearly empty room. It was very relaxing, and we were able to watch a lot of people go by outside.

Restaurantosaurus- Basic burger and fry meal. Fries were nice and crispy. Burgers were yummy with the added toppings- love the mushrooms! Typical quick food, but tasty all the same.

Snacks:
Not many on this trip. We did the popcorn thing, made pretzel sticks at Goofy's Candy Company, bought some gummy candy in Japan at Epcot, and ate a churro at MK. Maybe it was the cold, but we just didn't feel the need to snack. Or, maybe it was the lack of the dining plan, so we just didn't feel the need to snack. The big standout was the School Bread in Norway- to die for!

 

[soonerfan2008]

Table Service Meals
1900 Park Fare breakfast- Best breakfast I've had on Disney property. The omelet station was wonderful, and it was not crowded at all. All of the typical goodies were perfectly cooked and served at the ideal temperature. I loved the chocolate croissants, and I got my much-loved Mickey waffle (along with Bananas foster sauce for dipping- YUM!). The standout item, for all of us, was the bacon. I normally hate buffet bacon because it is limp and greasy. This bacon was perfect. I do not even want to write how many strips of yummy perfection I ate. Character interaction here was a lot of fun, even though it is kind of a hodge-podge of random people.

Boma- I planned to have dinner at Mara one night so we could check out the Lodge. We were amazed by the beauty and majesty of the building, and when we went downstairs to head to Mara, we were assaulted by delicious smells. Since it was a bit early, around 5pm, the restaurant wasn't very busy. DH suggested I see if we could get a table, and I laughed at him. Hasn't he watched me plan our meals and sit on the phone to wait for reservations??? To my surprise, they were able to sit us within 5 minutes!

The atmosphere is well-worth the visit. But the food? That sends this place over the edge into an absolutely MUST DO! It was all amazing. DH and I got a small (maybe 1/3 full) bowl of each soup- all of them were spectacular, with my least favorite being the gumbo. Then, we tried each type of hummus and a small bite or two of each salad offering. Finally, we tackled the main buffet, and we each got a bite or two of every single item offered. Yes, we tried EVERYTHING they had to offer (except the kids' items and the traditional American fare). It was all so good. There may have been one or two things that weren't really to my taste, but I don't even remember what they were.

For dessert, we again shared one of each item, except the bread pudding because it did not fit neatly on our plate. Everything was good, but the zebra domes surprised me. I expected to love them, but they were just in the middle.

Oh, and the girls? One of them stayed asleep, and the other one sampled many things right along with us.

 

[soonerfan2008]

Table Service, continued:

Trails End Buffet- Since we were spending 4 commando days at the parks with 2 little ones, I thought it might be fun to take a long afternoon break at Fort Wilderness. The boat ride over was nice, and the restaurant was nearly empty. The buffet is fairly small, but everything was fresh and hot. I made a small salad to start, and all of the veggies were crisp and cold. Then I got a small bowl of clam chowder- hmmmmm. Finally, it was time for the main event- crispy fried chicken. I don't remember the last time I ate fried chicken, so maybe that influenced my impression, but it was WONDERFUL! I ended up eating two breasts and could have eaten more.

DH really liked the pulled pork, and the little girls ate some chicken, some corn and some carrots. We all made ice cream sundaes for dessert.

One more thing- if you like sweet tea, this is the best I've had at Disney.

Shades of Green buffet- Since not everyone can eat here (I don't think??), I'll make it brief. Very good, filling food for a low dinner price of $12 per adult. I think there were 3 soups, a salad bar, several chicken and beef selections, clams, shrimp, baked potato bar, variety of veggies, pasta, etc. The dessert options were plentiful, but not very good. Just junky grocery store type brownies and cakes. However, the price is amazing for a full dinner buffet on Disney property, and the setting is pretty. We had a view of a pond and stream from the restaurant, and we were just minutes from the Poly to watch Wishes fireworks after dinner. We will do this one again, especially when we are not using a dining plan.

Cinderella's Royal Table- I actually tried to book this for the girls before we got to WDW, but it was booked solid everyday of our trip. On our last night, the castle looked so beautiful, and I remarked to DH that I wished I'd been able to get a ressie. He said, "Well, let's go ask." Really? Just go ask? Just walk up to the always-booked CASTLE and just ask? Ok.

I wasn't surprised when they told us they were booked, BUT then they said to check back in 30 minutes. Why? I have no idea. After a couple more rides in Fantasyland, DH walked back to check, and the girls and I followed behind. They could seat us immediately!!! In fact, DH had let another couple go ahead of him, and they didn't have a reservation either headache: silly hubby!), but they were able to seat both of us. Amazing- 6:30 pm, prime dinner time, and we walked up to CRT.

Food? We get to eat, too?? It was very good. The kids munched on the bread, and they both wanted buttered pasta. I got the Castle Salad, Lamb chops and Choc. Cream Cheese Buckle. The salad was good, but needed a bit more dressing, and the lamb was perfectly cooked. Juicy, tender and just very nicely done. DH got the Castle Salad and the prime rib, which he said was delicious. He also got the Cream Cheese Buckle.

Dessert was so rich and just melted in your mouth.

The entertainment was tops, and the castle was stunning. It was great to see the lights of the carousel and sing along with the Fairy Godmother.

 

[Princess Polamalu]

Wow....Congrats on your CRT walk up. What great luck!!! Im glad you enjoyed your meals. I would have never though to try the Trails End Buffet....thanks to your high remarks and the fried chicken lol...i may give it a try on a futrue trip.