PrncesKMW
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2005
- Messages
- 224
After a few days back I am finally starting the trip report! DBF and I, 28 and 26 took this trip after my constant begging to go to Disney - me for my 7th time, and he for his 2nd time since he was 6. This was a compromise trip. I didn’t do commando touring and some of the more character- and kid-oriented things, and tried to build in more adult experiences/restaurants. We also did have quite a high alcohol consumption (as you’ll see in the dining costs below).
While this trip report doesn’t have a lot of pictures (at least not until I figure out how the heck to post them!), it does have -
Friday, September 24
Departure time from home in Harrisburg was 5:25 a.m. We moved through the Harrisburg airport very quickly, as we had checked in online the night before - and Harrisburg is a very small airport. We flew to Cincinnati for a really exciting layover
and then on to Orlando, where we landed at 1:25 p.m.
DBF was cranky during the early morning hours:
but he was much happier after this
Magical Express
While everyone has said how easy it was to find, I was glad that I had the instructions that came attached to the voucher. When we approached it looked pretty mobbed, but we moved very quickly through the line. The video they show is predictably a shameless promotion, but it’s cute, keeps you occupied, and is followed by cartoons. I realized when we arrived at the resort that I hadn’t once looked out the window until we arrived on-site because of the video. Pretty clever ploy by Disney to get you to NOT pay attention to any other Orlando attractions!
Tip: Make sure you read all the signs for your self that tell you which line to wait in based on your resort. The cast member assigned us to a line that would have gone to Port Orleans Riverside, NOT Port Orleans French Quarter.
Pic of the bus:
POFQ Food Court - Lunch (9/24)
I won’t bore you by giving a review everytime we ate at the Sassagoula Food Court, so I’ll just say that everything we had there was good to very good. Lunches and dinners there were very satisfying and offered huge portions - we were able to share a lot. Breakfast was just good, but was quick.
Tip: Get the mug for $13.99! We counted - we filled it about 19 - 20 times throughout our trip, with coffee in the mornings and juice in the evenings. That comes down to .70 a beverage, and was also a better value than using snack credits everytime we wanted just a drink.
Verdict: Good food and convenient. The crowd at breakfast on Fridays and Saturdays was pretty large, and there were no seats available several times.
Quesadilla Platter - served with beans, rice, sour cream, and salsa. We shared, it was that big.
Total for platter: $ 8.39
Bottled water: $ 2.50
Beignets (3): $ 2.99
Total w/out the Dining Plan: $13.88
Total w/ Dining Plan: $ 0.00 (one Counter Service Credit)
Boma - Dinner (Friday, 9/24)
I was expecting the normal problems with buffets (lines, quantity not quality, cafeteria atmosphere), but we were pleasantly surprised by Boma. The atmosphere was not as noisy or brightly lit as I expected, and we were able to sit in the back with near several other tables for two (and pretty much away from children). Our server was excellent, and he told us the highlights of the buffet and recommended we start in the middle, where the soups, salads, and flatbreads are located. There isn’t a food on the menu that is completely outstanding, except for maybe the zebra domes. A chocolate and either sherry or brandy mousse is layered on a very thin layer of white cake and covered in white chocolate. YUM!!!! That being said, the other food is quite good, and while some of it is standard buffet fair, there were surprises mixed in. The calamari salad, she-crab soup, and the spinach and corn pudding were all particularly good.
Tip: Make an earlier reservation, then take a bus to Animal Kingdom and hop a bus to AK Lodge. It took almost 90 minutes to get to AK Lodge via Downtown Disney from POFQ. Or - drive yourselves/take a cab.
Verdict: at 2 table service credits, a bang for the buck in a nice atmosphere.
$33.00 per adult for buffet (x 2)= $66.00
$20.24 for carafe of wine = $20.24
Tip = $17.00
Total w/out dining plan: = $ 103.24
Total with dining plan = $ 37.24
Next up:
What we had planned for Animal Kingdom (and what we actually were able to do), and reviews of Flame Tree BBQ and (drumroll please) CA Grill.
While this trip report doesn’t have a lot of pictures (at least not until I figure out how the heck to post them!), it does have -
- Dining Reviews - offering info on the food, atmosphere (especially for those trying to have a romantic evening), tips for dining, and a comparison of the cost with and without the dining plan
- Park Itineraries - I toured with my DBF. We went in with a set itinerary but changed each based on info from the Lines app and the Undercover Tourist app. And, on how sick and tired DBF was of Disney schmaltz
- Tips I was glad I followed or wish I would have followed
- And to follow - the TOTAL cost of the trip, after everything was considered - I think I will cringe at that!
Friday, September 24
Departure time from home in Harrisburg was 5:25 a.m. We moved through the Harrisburg airport very quickly, as we had checked in online the night before - and Harrisburg is a very small airport. We flew to Cincinnati for a really exciting layover
and then on to Orlando, where we landed at 1:25 p.m.DBF was cranky during the early morning hours:
but he was much happier after this
Magical Express
While everyone has said how easy it was to find, I was glad that I had the instructions that came attached to the voucher. When we approached it looked pretty mobbed, but we moved very quickly through the line. The video they show is predictably a shameless promotion, but it’s cute, keeps you occupied, and is followed by cartoons. I realized when we arrived at the resort that I hadn’t once looked out the window until we arrived on-site because of the video. Pretty clever ploy by Disney to get you to NOT pay attention to any other Orlando attractions!
Tip: Make sure you read all the signs for your self that tell you which line to wait in based on your resort. The cast member assigned us to a line that would have gone to Port Orleans Riverside, NOT Port Orleans French Quarter.
Pic of the bus:
POFQ Food Court - Lunch (9/24)
I won’t bore you by giving a review everytime we ate at the Sassagoula Food Court, so I’ll just say that everything we had there was good to very good. Lunches and dinners there were very satisfying and offered huge portions - we were able to share a lot. Breakfast was just good, but was quick.
Tip: Get the mug for $13.99! We counted - we filled it about 19 - 20 times throughout our trip, with coffee in the mornings and juice in the evenings. That comes down to .70 a beverage, and was also a better value than using snack credits everytime we wanted just a drink.
Verdict: Good food and convenient. The crowd at breakfast on Fridays and Saturdays was pretty large, and there were no seats available several times.
Quesadilla Platter - served with beans, rice, sour cream, and salsa. We shared, it was that big.
Total for platter: $ 8.39
Bottled water: $ 2.50
Beignets (3): $ 2.99
Total w/out the Dining Plan: $13.88
Total w/ Dining Plan: $ 0.00 (one Counter Service Credit)
Boma - Dinner (Friday, 9/24)
I was expecting the normal problems with buffets (lines, quantity not quality, cafeteria atmosphere), but we were pleasantly surprised by Boma. The atmosphere was not as noisy or brightly lit as I expected, and we were able to sit in the back with near several other tables for two (and pretty much away from children). Our server was excellent, and he told us the highlights of the buffet and recommended we start in the middle, where the soups, salads, and flatbreads are located. There isn’t a food on the menu that is completely outstanding, except for maybe the zebra domes. A chocolate and either sherry or brandy mousse is layered on a very thin layer of white cake and covered in white chocolate. YUM!!!! That being said, the other food is quite good, and while some of it is standard buffet fair, there were surprises mixed in. The calamari salad, she-crab soup, and the spinach and corn pudding were all particularly good.
Tip: Make an earlier reservation, then take a bus to Animal Kingdom and hop a bus to AK Lodge. It took almost 90 minutes to get to AK Lodge via Downtown Disney from POFQ. Or - drive yourselves/take a cab.
Verdict: at 2 table service credits, a bang for the buck in a nice atmosphere.
$33.00 per adult for buffet (x 2)= $66.00
$20.24 for carafe of wine = $20.24
Tip = $17.00
Total w/out dining plan: = $ 103.24
Total with dining plan = $ 37.24
Next up:
What we had planned for Animal Kingdom (and what we actually were able to do), and reviews of Flame Tree BBQ and (drumroll please) CA Grill.
