3rd Time's the Charm!? A 2014 PTR *NEW 11/21!*

[Disney9.9.10]

Continued from last post…

Epcot

1. Le Cellier

DH and I ate here on our honeymoon. DH loved his steak and I loved my gnocchi. The service was okay - not bad, not great. It is a nice restaurant for 2 adults and we are Canadian too! The only problem is that I'm not sure that I'd want to use 2 dining credits to eat here. This could be another easy way to reduce our list of ADR's.

2. Chefs de France

This would be a new one for both DH and I. I have read great things in TR's about this place and I would really like to give it a try. It seems like another great restaurant for a dinner for 2 adults.

3. Via Napoli

This is another new one for both of us. We both really like Italian food and I have also heard many good things about this restaurant, so we would like to give it a shot.

All three of these would be dinners most likely, so we will have to do some trimming for sure. It is so hard to choose restaurants when there are so many to pick from! I would love to hear any of your opinions on any of our choices as well. We are still a long way out from picking dates and stuff (depending on when we actually go on this trip), but I like going in with an idea about what I want!

Up Next… Resort dining options!

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

Love your dining plans! You've got some good choices there! We used to LOVE Le Cellier, but we went there right after they switched to the 2 credits, and it just wasn't very good. I don't know why?

So glad you are getting to make some plans!!

 

[blessedmom4]

Via Napoli looks like fun...I have herd great things about that restaurant. Le Cellier...I would NOT want to use 2 credits that is certain and since they didn't know your socks off...I would pick somewhere else if it was me. LOVE the pic though!

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Love your dining plans! You've got some good choices there! We used to LOVE Le Cellier, but we went there right after they switched to the 2 credits, and it just wasn't very good. I don't know why?

So glad you are getting to make some plans!!

Thank you! There are so many great choices it is going to be hard to narrow it down. I think that Le Cellier might be an easy way to cut back on the dining credits. DH can get his steak somewhere else lol

Via Napoli looks like fun...I have herd great things about that restaurant. Le Cellier...I would NOT want to use 2 credits that is certain and since they didn't know your socks off...I would pick somewhere else if it was me. LOVE the pic though!

I've heard the same about Via Napoli, it has been on my list for the past couple of trips. I agree with you about Le Cellier, it might just have to go! Thanks for your input

 

[sheila <3 WDW]

Excellent choices so far! We have BOG dinner, Crystal Palace breakfast, and Le Cellier dinner scheduled for our March trip! Le Cellier and Raglan Road are my DH's 2 must do's.

Good luck, all your choices look good so far.

 

[Alysa]

So glad your trip is still going ahead! I LOVE the wedding photo of the two of you. Planning is all part of the fun. Sorry to hear about the job situation - hope things turn around for you soon. Ontario is an expensive province. Things are tough for scientists and designers right now too. Sending pixie dust your way!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

I'm glad that you got Dh's buy in... that always makes things so much nicer and easier...

Sorry about the job situ...hope things look up ASAP...

Some good dining choices... I've never been to CP... and have a breakfast reservation finally this summer... & Via Napoli is very good and in a lovely space, as is Chefs... lovely atmosphere...

Wilderness Lodge is one of my favorites... incredibly well done... great theming throughout... love the ferry to the MK...

Ah... planning is half the fun...

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Excellent choices so far! We have BOG dinner, Crystal Palace breakfast, and Le Cellier dinner scheduled for our March trip! Le Cellier and Raglan Road are my DH's 2 must do's.

Good luck, all your choices look good so far.

Thank you! It is so hard to choose, but I have the input of all of you guys to help me out!

So glad your trip is still going ahead! I LOVE the wedding photo of the two of you. Planning is all part of the fun. Sorry to hear about the job situation - hope things turn around for you soon. Ontario is an expensive province. Things are tough for scientists and designers right now too. Sending pixie dust your way!

Thank you I love planning! Ontario is pretty rough right now, my area is in horrible shape and the unemployment rate just keeps rising. Hopefully things start to improve all over!

I'm glad that you got Dh's buy in... that always makes things so much nicer and easier...

Sorry about the job situ...hope things look up ASAP...

Some good dining choices... I've never been to CP... and have a breakfast reservation finally this summer... & Via Napoli is very good and in a lovely space, as is Chefs... lovely atmosphere...

Wilderness Lodge is one of my favorites... incredibly well done... great theming throughout... love the ferry to the MK...

Ah... planning is half the fun...

Thanks for coming by and for your well wishes! CP is great, you will enjoy it! Chefs is quite high on my list right now, that one will have to make the cut! WL is so beautiful, and I love being so close to MK!

 

[Pluto0809]

Joining in! I hope you figure out your finances so that you can make this trip happen.

I'm just starting to think about the October 2013 trip I'm planning for our 15th anniversary. DH hasn't been back to WDW since our Honeymoon. He's not a huge fan so I'm doing like you are, planning everything around his likes and dislikes!

All of your dining choices look great! I know your pain when it comes deciding which restaurants to eat at.

I can't wait to try BOG next month. I love Liberty Tree tavern (although the Mac & Cheese there doesn't like me ). I've never eaten at Crystal Palace or Tony's so I can't give you an opinion there.

Le Cellier was my favorite from last trip. I was so sad to see it go up to 2 credits for both lunch and dinner. Mom and I both enjoyed Chefs De France. That review will be coming up a bit later in my TR. I've never eaten at Via Napoli but I really want to! I'm still agonizing over whether to keep my ADR there for next month. It's going to be a choice between dinner there or eating snacks all afternoon/evening around World Showcase.

As for resort dining, I've eaten at a few. Mom and I had breakfast at The Wave. It was pretty good although I'm not the best judge as breakfast is not my favorite meal. I would love to go back sometime for lunch or dinner.

Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge was very good. It was probably my second favorite restaurant from this last trip although Cape May Cafe was up there too. I think your DH would love it there because it is all you can eat and good "comfort" food. And since you may stay at WL, it would be very convenient.

As I mentioned above Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club was also good. Seafood buffet that specializes in Crab Legs. Mom really liked all the cold seafood salads and there were some good selections that weren't seafood. I loved the beef short ribs with dumplings.

In 2010 we ate dinner at Kona Cafe (very good) at the Poly and breakfast at Chef Mickey's (also yummy and a lot of fun with the characters).

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Joining in! I hope you figure out your finances so that you can make this trip happen.

I'm just starting to think about the October 2013 trip I'm planning for our 15th anniversary. DH hasn't been back to WDW since our Honeymoon. He's not a huge fan so I'm doing like you are, planning everything around his likes and dislikes!

All of your dining choices look great! I know your pain when it comes deciding which restaurants to eat at.

I can't wait to try BOG next month. I love Liberty Tree tavern (although the Mac & Cheese there doesn't like me ). I've never eaten at Crystal Palace or Tony's so I can't give you an opinion there.

Le Cellier was my favorite from last trip. I was so sad to see it go up to 2 credits for both lunch and dinner. Mom and I both enjoyed Chefs De France. That review will be coming up a bit later in my TR. I've never eaten at Via Napoli but I really want to! I'm still agonizing over whether to keep my ADR there for next month. It's going to be a choice between dinner there or eating snacks all afternoon/evening around World Showcase.

As for resort dining, I've eaten at a few. Mom and I had breakfast at The Wave. It was pretty good although I'm not the best judge as breakfast is not my favorite meal. I would love to go back sometime for lunch or dinner.

Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge was very good. It was probably my second favorite restaurant from this last trip although Cape May Cafe was up there too. I think your DH would love it there because it is all you can eat and good "comfort" food. And since you may stay at WL, it would be very convenient.

As I mentioned above Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club was also good. Seafood buffet that specializes in Crab Legs. Mom really liked all the cold seafood salads and there were some good selections that weren't seafood. I loved the beef short ribs with dumplings.

In 2010 we ate dinner at Kona Cafe (very good) at the Poly and breakfast at Chef Mickey's (also yummy and a lot of fun with the characters).

Thanks for all of your input! It is so hard to choose! You can only fit so many meals into one trip lol I've done the Wave (lunch), Cape May (breakfast) and Whispering Canyon (dinner). I really liked all 3.

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope that you are all having a wonderful weekend.

I'm going to post my list of preliminary resort dining choices now! (and be forewarned, this could get long!) Any opinions are always appreciated. I hope that as the trip actually gets closer (and booked!) that the list will narrow down more easily.

So here we go!

Animal Kingdom Lodge - Boma

(Yes, I know that isn't Boma, but it is AKL lol)

We stayed at Kidani Village in 2011, and I loved AKL. It is such a beautiful resort. However, even though we stayed there, we didn't eat there. So neither of us have been to Boma. It has been on my list for the past few trips, but I still haven't made it there. I am a fairly picky eater, but from what I've read/heard they do have a lot of options that I will like. I like that it is a buffet too - easier when you are a picky eater. And this way, I will get to show DH some of AKL, since he didn't go with us in 2011.

Contemporary Resort - California Grill

(Bad picture, but it is all that I could find quickly, sorry)

Another new choice for both DH and I. MK is my favourite park, and I love the view from CG. It is also a very romantic restaurant and a great choice for an anniversary trip. I've gone over the menu (a few times) and I think that we would both be able to enjoy a meal there. Even though it is 2 dining credits, this one is high on my list.

Contemporary Resort - The Wave

I ate here in December 2012 and I loved it! It is such a cute little place, and from what I read (and from my experience) it is not busy, which is nice. We got great service here, and the food was delicious. I'm not sure what meal we would eat here, if we chose it, it would probably depend on what other meals we have scheduled.

Grand Floridian - Citricos

(Just a pretty picture of the GF, I've never been to Citricos)

Citricos is another new place for the two of us. It is a nice, more formal place for us to have dinner - great for an anniversary trip. I've heard great things about this restaurant, and I've also checked out this menu, and I think that it would work for both of us.

Grand Floridian - Grand Floridian Cafe

The Grand Floridian is my favourite resort, but sadly, DH doesn't feel quite the same lol So I may have to book a few meals here in order to see it, since we won't be staying there too often. We had breakfast here in December 2012 and it was great. I loved the atmosphere, the service, the food, and I would definitely eat here again.

Grand Floridian - Narcoossee's

Once again, I love the GF, so if I can visit on a few separate occasions, I most certainly will! We had our wedding reception at Narcoossee's so it would be perfect for an anniversary dinner. I will have to go over the menu again for this restaurant. I am sure that DH will be able to choose a few things, I will most likely have to get a vegetarian meal made because they don't have a vegetarian entree on the menu. From what I've seen Disney is usually pretty good about this, but I've never eaten at a restaurant that didn't have a vegetarian option on the menu that I could eat. I really want to eat here though! And the view is beautiful!

Polynesian - 'Ohana

(This photo was taken by my little brother, it was his idea to put the lei around the beeper and take a picture, so cute!)

DH and I have both eaten breakfast at 'Ohana and we love it. I cannot get enough of that juice! But I am also considering a dinner ADR here for something new, DH would love all of the meat options (that he can eat as much as he wants of). DH also wants to stay at the Poly, and I think that it is a beautiful resort, plus it is easy to get to from MK. Lots of pros to eating here!

Polynesian - Spirit of Aloha
I haven't done this in about 20 years (no joke) and DH has never been. It is something that I am considering, but it isn't real high on my list. I like that it is different and you get a lovely show with dinner, but this is another 2 credit meal, so it is one of the easier ones to cancel. I'm not sure if DH would enjoy it either, so we will have to discuss this one.

Wilderness Lodge - Artist Point
This would be a new one for both of us. I have read great things about this place. If we stay at WL, it would make sense to have at least one ADR there. It is also another great anniversary choice.

So I think those are most of our main choices right now. There are always others (Whispering Canyon, Cape May Cafe, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Kona) so only time will tell!

 

[blessedmom4]

Stopped by to say



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[happybelle]

I came over from Judy's report. I am sorry for all that has happened to you.

 

[CtinaDitty]

Dining, dining, dining!

I've been thinking about where we are going to eat on this trip, because trip planning is much more fun to think about than anything else . I asked DH where he would like to eat, and he mentioned a few places, but for the most part, he said that he doesn't really care as long as there is food! I have a few favourites that I always try to get in, and I always try to eat at a minimum of 1 new restaurant a trip as well. Right now, I have a pretty huge list of places I'm considering. I'm going to write about each one here, and weigh some pros and cons (I'm nerdy and like making lists, even if they are redundant). As the trip gets closer, the list will definitely get smaller and smaller!

I'll start with in-park restaurants. And they aren't really in any particular order! Also, right now, I'm just doing TS restaurants that I'll need to make ADRs for.

Magic Kingdom

1. Be Our Guest

I ate here in December and I really love it! I need to get back in so that I can take some more pictures with a better camera. DH has never been, so this would be a new one for him. I'm not sure if we will do this as a sit-down though. I'm not crazy enough about the dinner menu to use a TS credit on it, and we have more flexibility with a QS lunch. This would also be a way to help me narrow down my list for TS options. I know that it is more of a risk to not make an ADR, but I think that I'm okay with that.

Pros:
- It is beautiful
- Can do a QS lunch
- I need more pictures!

Cons:
- I'm not crazy about the menu
- Lunch was good, but it didn't blow me away
- May not get in at lunch
- May not get an ADR

Never eaten here but it looks like an amazing experience. I know we are eating here in December!

2. Crystal Palace
*I can't find a picture on photobucket right now, I'll have to add one later*

We've eaten at Crystal Palace a few times in the past, and I enjoy it. It is such a pretty restaurant, and I really like the Winnie the Pooh characters. I'm not sure how DH will feel about a character meal with just the two of us, so this one could get cut, but we will have to wait and see! I've eaten Breakfast and Dinner here and enjoyed both. This would be a great way to get myself in the park before it is open (finally!).

Pros:
- Good food
- Pretty
- Winnie the Pooh characters
- We've had good service in the past
- Possibly an early ADR

Cons:
- We've been there quite a few times already
- DH may not be into the character dining

Your DH sounds a lot like mine. We ate at Crystal Palace on our honeymoon and I wasn't sure how DH would take the character dining. But, he was a VERY good sport about it. He seemed to have fun and I LOVE their food. Of course, DH isn't a breakfast person so there you go, but he did enjoy the food as well. I don't think you can lose with the character dining. And in any case, if your DH didn't want to participate in the character stuff, he could always run to the buffet when the character got close!

3. Liberty Tree Tavern

This is another old favourite. I love the "Thanksgiving" dinner. Mashed potatoes, veggies, mac and cheese! Delicious. DH also likes it here, so it is a win-win. All-you-can-eat is also a favourite of DH's. You'd never know it to look at him, but the man can eat!

Pros:
- Good food
- All-you-can-eat for DH
- Good service in the past

Cons:
- We've eaten here before
- No new foods to try
- I can't eat the salad

I'm not sure I've ever eaten here but I've heard great reviews about it! Who doesn't like Thanksgiving food?! Though, if you go in December, depending on when you might be tired of Thanksgiving food from excessive leftovers!

4. Tony's Town Square

We ate here on our honeymoon, and this is one of the restaurants that DH said he wanted to eat at again when I asked him. It wasn't my favourite, but I liked it. As you can see, there was hardly anyone else in there when we went, so we had a wonderful view. It is a very cute restaurant, and we enjoy the Italian food. I've read some bad reviews lately, which make me a bit nervous, but we are pretty easy-going so hopefully if we do choose this one, things run smoothly.

Pros:
- Food
- Atmosphere
- DH's pick

Cons:
- Bad recent reviews
- Service wasn't outstanding
- We've eaten here before

Never eaten here and I've also heard mixed reviews that makes me question it...

Hollywood Studios

1. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre
*No picture right now*

This is another new one for both of us. My family has eaten here before, but we have not. It looks like such a cute little place.

Pros:
- New Restaurant!
- Neat atmosphere
- I think DH would enjoy it

Cons:
- I'm not sure about the food for myself
- There is a chance you won't get a "car"

DH and I ate here in December of 2010. It was a good time! The food is pretty good as well! We didn't get a car. In fact, we ate at a little table with an umbrella (in a dark room, hilarious). It was a good time and the entertainment (movie screen) was a good touch! I'm not sure if eating in a car would be a good thing for my DH because he's claustrophobic. Might be something to take into consideration if you or your DH are the same way.

Overall your plans for WHEN you go sound great! My DH is playing COD right now so I'm looking at restaurants too! We can make ADRs in June! Haha. Feels so far away!!

 

[blessedmom4]

I miss you. I hope everything is okay!


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[Disney9.9.10]

Stopped by to say



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This is late, but thank you! I hope that you had a wonderful day as well.

I came over from Judy's report. I am sorry for all that has happened to you.

Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words!

Overall your plans for WHEN you go sound great! My DH is playing COD right now so I'm looking at restaurants too! We can make ADRs in June! Haha. Feels so far away!!

June seems to be coming up fast for me, I hope that time is going by quickly for you. I haven't been on much lately, but I will get myself caught up!

I miss you. I hope everything is okay!


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I really appreciate you checking in! I am going to try to be around more now, I have yet to get caught up on your reports, but I will get there! I hope that things are well for you too!

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Hi all! I hope that there are still people out there who might be interested in this report!

I was in a really dark place for a while and had to take a bit of a break from the boards. It seemed like we just kept getting bad news after bad news and planning a trip seemed very impossible. I had a bit of a health scare (things are fine though, thankfully), I'm still looking for a job, and things have been tough on the baby front. We did just get some good news about DH's job though that will make a definite difference in our lives.

I have been making a conscious effort to pull myself out of that bad place. I am trying to focus only on my life and be thankful for the blessings that I do have. I am staying off of Facebook, and it feels really good. Every day isn't going to be a good one, but life is too short to be feeling that way, so I'm trying to focus on positive things that make me happy (e.g., DISNEY!!)

So while this trip is still not officially booked or anything, I am going to keep planning, because we will get there one day soon.

I hope that everything is well for all of you and your families!

 

[dreamerchic33]

So sorry to hear you have been having a difficult time! Happy to hear about your hubby's job! Will keep you in my prayers! Xxoo

 

[Pluto0809]

I'm sorry things have been dark. I understand needing to take a break from Facebook and other online distractions.

I'm glad things are looking a little better and you are back to posting and reading again!

 

[carissanboys]

Hi Krysten

I'm sorry to hear things have been so difficult for you lately. But it sounds like you have a positive attitude. And Disney trip planning is always a good cure for sadness!

I look forward to following along as your plans unfold.