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- Mar 7, 2010
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I'm not your typical Foodie writing about their Disney experiences. I am a former restaurant professional (Tavern on the Green, Russian Tea Room, etc.) who knows a thing or two about eating out. My family and I will be traveling to Disney in the coming days and I thought I'd keep the Restaurant Review blog nice and fresh.
We're staying at Bay Lake Tower with grandparents and a toddler
. Our mission was to keep reservations to a minimum, but leverage our dining experiences to a maximum.
Friday (arrival) - Grandparents live in Arizona and seafood is not the best out west. Also, grandparents used to have an annual vacation in Maine. My household is in the mountains and ocean seafood is hard to come by. So, our objective the first night is to stay close to the hotel and eat some seafood. We start on Friday night at Narcoosee's for a lobster dinner. We are not expecting a good value, but good product. Besides, The Tables in Wonderland discount available to annual pass holders should make the cost more palatable. We end our evening watching the MKingdom fireworks from Bay Lake Tower lounge.
Saturday - this day is all about finding a balance that will allow my toddler to sit through both the Candlelight Processional dinner package and the event in Epcot. We like to have room service on our first morning.
This way, any extra pancakes or french toast can be warmed for my daughter on any other morning. But the day is all about our late lunch at Le Cellier Steakhouse that offers wait-free seating at the Candlelight Processional narrated by Corbin Berenson (of L.A. Law and Major League). Le Cellier just looks so....how shall I say it.....'Holiday'. Even a Jewish guy like me likes to feel in the spirit. 
I guess it's fitting that I say we'll be grabbing a nosh at the French Bakery on our way back to Bay Lake.
Sunday - how to manage a late night with a toddler is very personal. We've decided to keep our daytime plans to a minimum and just look around the Grand Floridian before going to the Grand Floridian Cafe inside for yet another late lunch. We could have gone to The Wave, but the Grand Floridian has a very large Ginger Bread House and other holiday decorations that are more festive than Bay Lake. Also, shopping is better at Grand Floridian and we should be able to stop at MKingdom on our way back to Bay Lake to get wristbands for the evenings Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The dessert party in Tomorrow Land sound interesting, but we'll pass this time around. Instead, we'll enjoy some of the complimentary cookies and hot chocolate while trying to figure out how to keep the toddler awake until after the second parade.
Monday - a late start to the parks could mean a large breakfast at The Wave. My wife is a bit 'crunchy' and enjoys the organic bend to their menu. I just laugh as she eats her so-called healthy version of bacon and eggs. The last holiday site on our list this year is Osborne Family Lights
and that means dining at Hollywood Studios. We decided to not try and do Fantasmic 
this trip (since we'll be staying on Boardwalk in the Spring) and instead tried to focus on avoiding Fantasmic. Since 50's Prime Time Cafe does not offer Fantasmic dinner package, we thought it might be a less hectic dining event. Also, Prime Time Cafe is a fun place where grandpa can be ridiculed by the waitress for not eating his vegetables. On a side note, we tried to avoid Fantasmic, but another show has been added for this night. Therefore, the Osborne lights and attractions will not be as empty as we had hoped. Regardless, it's all in good fun.
Tuesday - our last night. This is a wildcard day with no plans to be in any park. The women assume they'll be shopping
; the men assume they'll be eating ice cream sodas 
. The real treat is at night - grandparents are watching the toddler while my wife & I enjoy California Grill. We have a late reservation so that we can enjoy both Signature dining and the MKingdom fireworks. If you've never been, they pipe in the narration from the park into the restaurant. This is our first annual 'date night' with grandparents staying with the child. Don't tell my wife, but I am so looking forward to enjoying that second glass of wine without having to drive home.
My next post - I'll detail the food.....burp....
We're staying at Bay Lake Tower with grandparents and a toddler
. Our mission was to keep reservations to a minimum, but leverage our dining experiences to a maximum.Friday (arrival) - Grandparents live in Arizona and seafood is not the best out west. Also, grandparents used to have an annual vacation in Maine. My household is in the mountains and ocean seafood is hard to come by. So, our objective the first night is to stay close to the hotel and eat some seafood. We start on Friday night at Narcoosee's for a lobster dinner. We are not expecting a good value, but good product. Besides, The Tables in Wonderland discount available to annual pass holders should make the cost more palatable. We end our evening watching the MKingdom fireworks from Bay Lake Tower lounge.
Saturday - this day is all about finding a balance that will allow my toddler to sit through both the Candlelight Processional dinner package and the event in Epcot. We like to have room service on our first morning.
This way, any extra pancakes or french toast can be warmed for my daughter on any other morning. But the day is all about our late lunch at Le Cellier Steakhouse that offers wait-free seating at the Candlelight Processional narrated by Corbin Berenson (of L.A. Law and Major League). Le Cellier just looks so....how shall I say it.....'Holiday'. Even a Jewish guy like me likes to feel in the spirit. I guess it's fitting that I say we'll be grabbing a nosh at the French Bakery on our way back to Bay Lake.Sunday - how to manage a late night with a toddler is very personal. We've decided to keep our daytime plans to a minimum and just look around the Grand Floridian before going to the Grand Floridian Cafe inside for yet another late lunch. We could have gone to The Wave, but the Grand Floridian has a very large Ginger Bread House and other holiday decorations that are more festive than Bay Lake. Also, shopping is better at Grand Floridian and we should be able to stop at MKingdom on our way back to Bay Lake to get wristbands for the evenings Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The dessert party in Tomorrow Land sound interesting, but we'll pass this time around. Instead, we'll enjoy some of the complimentary cookies and hot chocolate while trying to figure out how to keep the toddler awake until after the second parade.
Monday - a late start to the parks could mean a large breakfast at The Wave. My wife is a bit 'crunchy' and enjoys the organic bend to their menu. I just laugh as she eats her so-called healthy version of bacon and eggs. The last holiday site on our list this year is Osborne Family Lights
and that means dining at Hollywood Studios. We decided to not try and do Fantasmic this trip (since we'll be staying on Boardwalk in the Spring) and instead tried to focus on avoiding Fantasmic. Since 50's Prime Time Cafe does not offer Fantasmic dinner package, we thought it might be a less hectic dining event. Also, Prime Time Cafe is a fun place where grandpa can be ridiculed by the waitress for not eating his vegetables. On a side note, we tried to avoid Fantasmic, but another show has been added for this night. Therefore, the Osborne lights and attractions will not be as empty as we had hoped. Regardless, it's all in good fun.Tuesday - our last night. This is a wildcard day with no plans to be in any park. The women assume they'll be shopping
; the men assume they'll be eating ice cream sodas . The real treat is at night - grandparents are watching the toddler while my wife & I enjoy California Grill. We have a late reservation so that we can enjoy both Signature dining and the MKingdom fireworks. If you've never been, they pipe in the narration from the park into the restaurant. This is our first annual 'date night' with grandparents staying with the child. Don't tell my wife, but I am so looking forward to enjoying that second glass of wine without having to drive home.My next post - I'll detail the food.....burp....
