6 Days of DDP Dining: Reviews, Tips, and Observations

[newfamilyman]

Like so many of you, I spent a lot of time on these (and Tour Guide Mike’s) boards before our recent trip, and I could never understand how so many people have had such wildly different experiences at the same restaurants. I would give up on one restaurant after one too many bad reviews only to change my mind again after reading a really positive one. In the spirit of, “If you can’t beat them, join them,” I will just add my perspective to help out future planners, to whom I wish good luck in your decision-making!

Our group includes DW, DD6, DS3, DMIL, and DFIL. DFIL, unfortunately, brought with him a stomach bug that hit him and DMIL initially, and then spread to DS and I. That meant that we were only our full party and in good health for the first few days. We were on the Disney Dining Plan.

Sunday, December 16th
Lunch: Flame Tree. The last review of this restaurant I read shortly before leaving was a very stressful account of one family’s frustration with being overwhelmed by the crowds and difficulty finding a table. Happily, whether due to following the always helpful TGM’s advice or because the holiday crowds had not descended in full yet (they would by Thursday, our second day visiting AK), there were minimal lines and ample empty tables.

As for the food, I enjoyed my pulled pork barbecue sandwich, which was considered a good use of the meal plan since it included a side of baked beans, which were sweet and quite good. DFIL and DMIL ordered the entrée-sized fruit plate to share for themselves, which the kids also found appealing. The fresh fruit, in general, was always good. I ordered the key lime pie only because it came with the plan, but if I ever do the plan again, I will definitely avoid getting dessert just because it is free. I never thought I could get sick of desserts, but I came as close as I have ever on this trip.

Time-Saving Tip: I want to share with you probably the most helpful tip that I can offer and will guarantee to save you time waiting to order at CS restaurants if you don’t already know about this. When there is a set-up of registers for ordering and then behind them the area to pick-up the food, like there is at so many CS restaurants in the parks, the cashier will take orders on both sides. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen lines building up on one side of the register, while the other side had nobody waiting. Every time, I walked right up to that empty side and were not only never once told that the line was closed but instead were promptly served next.

Dinner: Whispering Canyon Café. We are DVC members, staying at the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge, and we only chose this restaurant for reasons of proximity. However, this first table service meal would set a pattern that would continue for almost the entire trip; having read so many negative reviews, my expectations were extremely low and were proved completely wrong by the great food.

From reading previous reviews, I knew that there was seating either in the midst of the activities or away from it. I assumed incorrectly that with two small children, we would automatically be seated in the former area, so as we walked past the main room into the small alcove overlooking the lobby, I started getting nervous, and it was immediately clear that we would miss the activities that I had counted on to hold my son’s interest through the meal.

Even though it was early in the trip, DS demonstrated little interest for sitting through the meal or, for that matter, the traditional order of dishes. He quickly demanded chocolate cake, and after failing to distract him, we finally gave in and let him start with dessert. All of us who tasted it agreed that it was an exceptionally good chocolate cake. Here is what that looked like:

Side room or not, DW was determined to at least have the experience of DD asking for ketchup, and when she did, our waitress’ expression quickly fell. “Are you sure?,” she asked plaintively. When DD said she was sure, the server cautioned us that we would somehow have to listen to somebody else in the main room asking for ketchup, which of course was impossible to do in that small room of only maybe six tables.

DFIL and I ordered the skillet, and all the adults had the salad appetizer. Everybody really liked the dressing, and DD loved the croutons, gobbling everybody’s up. I thought the skillet was pretty good, especially the chicken, which was incredibly tender, and the mashed potatoes. I wasn’t terribly fond of the ribs or pork, though, and I would probably just get the chicken if we ever go back. I will also make sure that we sit in the main room, which I think would have resulted in a better overall experience.

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoyed reading your reviews ~ Thanx for posting.

 

[phabric]

Enjoyed reading your review. Looking for more.

 

[tammydel]

By the looks of that picture, I think we'd all have to agree your son has the right idea. My kids would also agree that one of the greatest joys of vacation is that the usual food demands from mom are out the window (although I do try to sneak in a piece of fruit here in there or even the ever elusive vegetable!)
Our food experiences have always been pretty good at WCC, I would agree that the main room is where to be if you want the fun. Conversely, if you want to eat there but not partake in the silliness - ask for the side room.

I think now that Tusker House is a sit down - I may actually get to try Flame Tree. We always had to eat at either Tusker House (my son loved their Salmon) or Pizzafari - anything with Pizza in the name is a magnet for kids. I always loved the smell at Flame Tree, looking forward to the pulled pork and baked beans.

Thanks for the reviews. I'll be on the lookout for more pictures of chocolate cake.
Tammy

 

[mindyd]

That picture of your son is adorable!

 

[newfamilyman]

Thanks for the nice comments.

Monday, December 17th
Lunch: Coral Reef. I suppose of all the restaurants, this one receives the most polarizing reactions. Either the food was delicious or lousy with small portions (kind of like how people used to complain about airplane food); either the server was attentive, or the service was neglectful or rushed; the aquarium either provided a welcome diversion, or the party was seated too far away for it to be much of a help. Maybe we got lucky (I think we probably did), but for me, at least, this was my favorite meal of the trip.

I really enjoyed the chowder-bisque hybrid (too thick to be a bisque, not chunky enough to be a chowder), and so did DD, who ordered it off the kid’s menu. When she asked for another, the server accommodated, which was very nice of him (particularly for me, since I finished what she left over). It was really delicious. The steak was incredibly tender and flavorful, though in retrospect, maybe a little too salty. And the lava cake was as good as everyone says, though you might want to avoid those liqueur-soaked cherries, which were very bitter. This was appropriately one of those meals where the kid’s menu included a grilled fish selection, which DD enjoyed, and DS loved the pizza, as he always does.

Now a few words about the tank. Never having seen pictures of the restaurant, my impression from written descriptions was that the aquarium would be more of a commanding presence in the restaurant, yet even in the second tier, it seemed somewhat diminished. Not to undermine this fine restaurant, but if your goal is to sit next to an aquarium, you would be better off getting a table at the Rainforest Café next to one of their tanks. I will say that we did not see any of the divers who apparently make quite an impression, and we had spent much of the morning in the Living Seas pavilion, seeing the same fish in its spectacular, wrap-around environment. Luckily, the kids were in good moods, so everything worked out, but I would say that we are in the camp of those who did not find the aquarium to be the distraction for which they were hoping to keep their children entertained through the meal.

No cake in this picture, but here DD is enjoying herself anyway:

Dinner: Roaring Forks. This was our second CS meal here. I don’t have too much to say except the food was surprisingly good for quick service, though again Disney World food in general compares very favorably to what we are used to getting in Disneyland. There are a limited number of indoor tables, so you might want to try to avoid peak times. We tried their hamburgers and flatbread pizzas several times, and they were always good, and the soups too were well-received. I really enjoyed the egg croissant sandwich for breakfast.

 

[ghost1000]

Glad to hear you enjoyed Coral Reef - we just booked there tonight to try something different.

 

[wilma-bride]

Great start to your reviews - what a shame you were away from the action at WCC. Your DS looks like he's really enjoying that chocolate cake though

 

[Grumpy'n'Goofy]

Great reviews so far, thanks for sharing!

I have a question about Roaring Forks (we're staying at WL in one week). You mentioned flatbread pizza's, do you know if this is a new menu item?

I looked at allearsnet menu, and it mentioned pizza but nothing about flatbread pizza. I really enjoyed the flatbread pizzas last July at the Polynesian CS and am hoping Roaring Forks has added this.

Thanks for any input you may have.

 

[mom2fivecs]

Love the pictures and reviews...thanks for taking the time.

 

[tammydel]

Nice to see your daughter getting equal time ! I read that you had a steak - glad to see the seafood spot pull off a good steak. Here anything about thier tuna steak? I'm a sucker for a good tuna steak!
Tammy

 

[ampc3]

Great tips... I am on the fence for coral reef.. we have a lunch ressie that I can't decide if I want to keep or not? I thought it would be neat for the kids too, but we have been to a resturant in Nashville that looks like that inside and wasn't really anything fabulous...

 

[newfamilyman]

Thanks again for the comments so far. They do sell flatbread pizzas at Roaring Forks, either cheese or pepperoni, and they are good.

I'm not sure about tuna steaks; I don't remember that on the menu, or if it was, nobody ordered it.

Tuesday, December 18th
Lunch: Sci-Fi Drive-In. Considering DS’s love for all things automotive (whenever he sees a box or package, he asks, “Is that a car box? Is that a bus box?”), we always planned on going here until we read one review where a mother described having to leave the restaurant because her young son was too disturbed by the content of the movies. After there was a hole in the schedule for this day, I thought, “Well that was just one person’s experience. Let’s give it a shot,” and DW agreed.

The problems started as soon as we were seated in our car (being a party of six, we were given a whole car). DFIL and DMIL went to the back seat, and DW went with the kids, who wanted to sit next to her (they are very competitive over who gets more of her attention), to the front seat, leaving me alone in the middle. It was a new and somewhat uncomfortable experience for me, to be sitting alone while in a larger party. It was also inconvenient to have to keep turning my head, depending upon which group I was talking or listening to. Perhaps out of pity, I was invited to the front seat, which then created an awkward empty row in the middle, which was quickly filled by—you guessed it—DW and the kids, leaving me alone in the front so as to not alienate her parents.

As it turned out, it wasn’t DS we needed to worry about as far as the film was concerned but DD. While at first she was able to laugh at some of the comical costumes, the screaming and acts of violence depicted soon got the best of her. After covering her eyes didn’t work too well, DW and the kids left for outside, and I brought their food out to them while keeping DFIL and DMIL company inside (though I left the middle row empty rather than move again). I think they should run cartoons or non-scary previews during the day and maybe some of these horror films at night, unless our family’s experience was a rare exception (and if it is, what does that mean—that we don’t expose our daughter to enough scary movies?). One more thing about the film loop—it started repeating before we even got to dessert; you would think that they could find enough material to last at least as long as a diner’s complete meal. I’m looking forward to the same concept coming to California Adventure in the next decade; even if they insist on using the same films, at least our kids will be older by then!

As for the quality of the food itself, I think the situation tarnished DW’s impression, since she described her hamburger as one of the worst she ever ate, and she was also dismissive of the milkshakes that they got for dessert. I liked the BLT soup (she did not), and the steak was good, though as at Coral Reef, a little too salty. The chocolate tart was outstanding. DMIL enjoyed her shrimp. The service was sloppy, compared to what we had grown accustomed to in these few short days. Not only was it slow, but the server mixed up a couple of the orders. It was the first time we did not tip above already-included 18% (not to rub that in to those of you who will be experiencing the now-gutted version of DDP).

Dinner: Cosmic Ray’s. By this time, DFIL’s stomach bug impacted him to the point where he was not well enough to go to MVMCP tonight, and while DMIL joined us, she had a minimal appetite. I chose to dine here based on the recommendation of the chicken/rib plate as one of the best uses of the CS meal plan. I only got the chicken, which was very tender and made me question, as have others, why there are no outlets for rotisserie chicken at Disneyland. Other than the green beans, which tasted like they came from a can, it was a good meal, and I was surprised how few people went to this bay compared to the hamburger section. DW, DD, and DS shared the now-famous chicken and rib plate, which they happily polished off. An hour later, we came back to get our sugar cookies for dessert, and they were surprisingly good and tasted freshly-baked.

This was another one of those times where the left half of the line for the register was empty, while many people were lined up on the right, and I was able to get immediate service by going to the left. I forget to mention in my earlier tip how whenever this happens, it is always the left lane that is empty, and the right lane that is packed.

I don't have any pictures from the restaurant, but here was their favorite place at the former Disney-MGM:

 

[TigerKat]

Great reviews, love the pics of the kiddos!!!! I'm almost ashamed to admit I loved those liquor soaked cherries at Coral Reef.

 

[wilma-bride]

Great reviews. My 5 year old DS is a sensitive soul so I think we'll be giving Sci-Fi a miss for a few years.

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

Great reviews!

 

[wahoostampingirl]

I decided not to go to Sci-Fi after reading about someone's child being a little freaked out by the clips. Your experience makes me glad we're not going there. Maybe we'll try it when the kids are older.

Thanks for the reviews.

 

[newfamilyman]

Wednesday, December 19th
Because I knew we would be having a late night yesterday, due to MVMCP, I planned a late start today, aiming to arrive at EPCOT’s World Showcase around its opening time, and even though it wasn’t the time of the Food and Wine Festival, we planned to eat our way around the world, burning our CS credits accordingly. Both DMIL and DFIL remained under-the-weather, so it was just the four of us today.

First stop was in Mexico, where they refused my request to skip desserts, since we were ordering on the meal plan. It was a nice snack, but as reported previously, nothing you couldn’t get at Acapulco. I think the main draw here is the location, both in terms of the lakeside seating of the CS restaurant and the pavilion’s outermost position.

Second stop was England for fish and chips. Wow, these were spectacular, some of the best I’ve ever had. No wonder there seemed always to be a line here. My only complaint was the seating; there are about three tables on the CS side facing the lake. You run into a lot of dejected expressions as party-after-party discovers there is no room, so it’s hard not to feel rushed.

Next stop was France. Since you can’t use snack credits for the pastries, I decided to use another CS credit, getting a quiche for DW and I to split, and an éclair for DD. I guess I’m not a real man in that I have eaten (and baked myself) a lot of quiches in my day, and this one was super-rich and custardy, just what a quiche should be. DD might not have been impressed with the éclair, but I was. None of it went to waste.

Our final CS stop was Japan, where DW and DD mostly ate a delicious shrimp tempura udon bowl. I wasn’t hungry, but once I tasted it, it was hard to not keep eating. While there, DD was lucky enough to be picked by Miyuki to have her favorite animal done in candy, and here was the spectacular result:

Dinner: Nine Dragons. Continuing the theme of spontaneity, this was the sole spontaneous TS meal of the trip. I had booked an ADR at Garden Grill, thinking that a few character meals would be nice. However, DW didn’t much feel like back-tracking to Future World, and she liked the idea of continuing the ethnic dining. Since DS fell asleep for a late nap in China, and we were surprised at the short wait here, China it was.

I worked near our Chinatown for the last 10 years, and we have a pretty good Chinese restaurant near our house, so I didn’t necessarily have a hankering for Chinese food, which furthermore tends to be deep-fried or otherwise cooked in a lot of oil. However, it was nice to enjoy a sit-down meal without stressing about DS, and we were happily given the best table in the house, the corner table right against the window facing the lake, giving us a great vantage point to watch the holiday lights as they are gradually lit.

The meal was extremely satisfying. DW and I enjoyed the appetizer sampler, a delicious dim sum beginning. I enjoyed my shrimp stir-fry, which was fresh and felt light, and DW gave me plenty of her orange chicken. I also sampled DD’s beef-and-broccoli, which was on the kid’s menu. The only thing that disappointed was the ginger cake. Other than at dim sum, where I can’t resist coconut or mango pudding, desserts are not the strong suits of Chinese restaurants, and this tasted strongly of being frozen and thawed.

Overall, today certainly felt like a culinary treat for us and left DW looking forward to her next World Showcase experience on our next trip, whenever that will be.

 

[wilma-bride]

Totally agree about the fish and chips at Epcot - we love 'em

Your DD's sugar animal is gorgeous

I am disappointed we won't get a chance to try Nine Dragons - despite previous negative reviews, the menu here really appealed to me. I have heard a rumour that it will undergo a transfromation throughout 2008 and be very different when it reopens

 

[Sunshein]

Now a few words about the tank. Never having seen pictures of the restaurant, my impression from written descriptions was that the aquarium would be more of a commanding presence in the restaurant, yet even in the second tier, it seemed somewhat diminished. Not to undermine this fine restaurant, but if your goal is to sit next to an aquarium, you would be better off getting a table at the Rainforest Café next to one of their tanks. I will say that we did not see any of the divers who apparently make quite an impression, and we had spent much of the morning in the Living Seas pavilion, seeing the same fish in its spectacular, wrap-around environment. Luckily, the kids were in good moods, so everything worked out, but I would say that we are in the camp of those who did not find the aquarium to be the distraction for which they were hoping to keep their children entertained through the meal.

We were there in September '07 and our table was on the first tier just across the walkway from the tanks. We were travelling with 2 four year olds, 2 three year olds and a nine month old. This had to be the most relaxing meal we had with the kids. I have to say that they were all fascinated with the giant turtles and the sharks and giant rays. Even the 9 month old actually let us eat our meal in peace! The atmosphere was so worth the price of admission and I would definitely return.