A TS newbie takes on ADRs & TiW for 10 days of Disney Dining COMPLETE

[StayAwake]

Welcome to my Dining Report! I'm StayAwake, and I'm here to share my thoughts and photos about my recent adventure in ADRs and Tables in Wonderland.



About me:

Favorite Disney Movie: Mary Poppins
Favorite WDW Park: EPCOT
Favorite Ride: Mad Tea Party
Favorite Show: Muppet Vision 3D

My Disney background: Grew up with family in Florida, so went to DisneyWorld many times as a child, but always stayed off-site and ate at quick service restaurants. Took a break from Disney, but now have rediscovered my love.

This trip: a 10 day solo venture to celebrate my 5 year cancer-free anniversary on January 20, 2014. What better place to celebrate than Disney World? I got my first annual pass, and my first Tables in Wonderland card, and had my first trip where I ate Table Service more than 1 or 2 meals. What a delicious adventure!

Reading everyone else's dining reports were so helpful to me, and I hope that this one will be helpful to some of you. I'd love it if you'd join in at any time!

 

[StayAwake]

Here are the places I'm planning to review:

January 17
Sunshine Tree Terrace (S)
Victoria & Alberts Part 1 Part 2 (D)

January 18
Writer's Stop (B)
Landscape of Flavors (L)
Hollywood Brown Derby (D)

January 19
Tusker House (B)
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (L)
Les Artisans de Glace (S)
Via Napoli (D)

January 20
Cinderella's Royal Table (B)
Aloha Isle (S)
Be Our Guest(L Fastpass)
Hoop De Doo Review (D)

January 21
Crystal Palace (B)
Everything Pop (S)
Tambu Lounge & Ohana (D)

January 22
AMC Fork & Screen (L)
Tea @ the Grand Floridian
California Grill (D)

January 23
Everything Pop (B)
Landscape of Flavors (L)
Les Halles (S)
Chefs de France (D)

January 24
Sleepy Hollow (B)
Columbia Harbor House (L)
Everything Pop (D)

January 25
Starring Rolls (B)
Spice Road Table (L)
EPCOT Snacks
Be our Guest (D)

January 26
Kona Cafe (B)

I'm most sad about the 2 places I missed: 1900 Park Faire for breakfast and Le Cellier for dinner. Why did I miss them? You'll have to read on!

A comparison between Tables in Wonderland and the Disney Dining Plan
Wrap Up/Favorites

 

[DisneyJo]

Huge congratulations on your cancer free anniversary!

I can't wait to read your reviews and I love your shirt

 

[StayAwake]

Thank you for the welcome, DisneyJo! Dole Whips are my favorite Disney snack, so I couldn't help myself when the shirts came out.

Arrival day was a chance to try a new (to me) frozen treat- the Citrus Swirl.



I arrived in Orlando from the Upper Midwest deep in the midst of the Polar Vortex, and the umpteenth straight day of below zero temperatures. So arriving to weather in the high 60s was just what I was hoping for. The warmth was enough to make me want a frozen treat- something that had seemed impossible just a few hours earlier.

I wanted to start my trip off with my beloved Dole Whip, but I was just too impatient to wait in the line. Although I was coming to Magic Kingdom during the original days of the Citrus Swirl, I couldn't remember ever having one, and thought this would be a good chance to try something new.

So what did I think?

Pretty tasty, but no competition for my beloved Dole Whip. I thought I would enjoy the different textures of the soft serve combined with the frozen orange juice, but instead it felt like two separate treats colliding instead of one combination that was better than the sum of its parts.

Having accomplished my 3 must-dos on arrival day (exchange AP voucher for actual AP, get TiW card, get photos with Tinkerbell holding a happy birthday sign to e-mail to my niece for her birthday the next day) I played a few portals of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, then headed back to the resort to change clothes for my Disney Bucket List meal: Victoria & Alberts!

What do you guys think? Dole Whip vs. Citrus Swirl. Who wins?

 

[disneyquilter]

Congratulations on CANCER FREE!!!

Hopping on the food porn train!

BTW-I vote Dole Whip

 

[phabric]

Looking forward to more reviews.

 

[DisneyJo]

Dole whip definitely wins, the float even more so

 

[lizzyb]

Congrats on bring cancer free! Joining in for the reviews!

 

[StayAwake]

I wouldn't have chosen to do Victoria & Albert's on my arrival day, but they were going to be closed for a brief refurb, so this was my only opportunity. I arrived early at the Grand Floridian, and enjoyed walking around and seeing the resort. When I tried checking in early, I was politely told that because of the timing of the courses, there was no early seating, and that I could remain and wait, or walk around a bit and return at my reservation time. There were no hard feelings, and I'm sure that little extra walking served me well.

At 8:30 I was seated with a great view of the harpist and the experience began. When you hear "Harpist" you might think hoity-toity, but she was very fun, playing songs from Journey and Coldplay, among others, which made the experience feel fresh and modern.



Yes, the table may look empty, but I was about to need lots of space!

For those who have never dined here before, you are presented the menu and asked to make choices for all of the courses at the beginning, so that you can relax and enjoy the meal. Thanks to the help of Google, I puzzled out some unfamiliar ingredients to make my choices, although with 2 dedicated wait staff per table, I'm sure they would have been happy to answer any questions. These servers know the dishes on the menu inside and out- it's really very impressive.

Enough chat- let's see what I ordered!

Amuse-Bouche
A crab filled crepe topped with caviar and a vanilla & lemon sauce, accompanied by Piper Heidsieck Cuvee 1785 NV Brut


Sorry that this came out blurry!

Yes, I got the wine pairing. And it is indeed a lot of wine. I was really feeling it by the end of the night, but it was so worth it.

How would I describe this dish? The slightly sweet crab was nicely set off by the salty caviar and slightly acidic vanilla lemon sauce. It was a very delicate and flavorful bite, and was an amazing start to the meal.


The first of three different bread services arrived next. This looks like a standard baguette, and it was delicious with the unsalted butter. Especially with the next thing that arrived.


Freshly shaved White Truffle. This was not included in the prix-fixe menu, it was an additional add-on. It was my first time eating truffles as a stand alone item, laying them atop the bread and savoring their earthy flavor, and they were quite delicious, if strong. The plate they came on had a tiny cover, to keep the aroma contained, and a tiny spoon used to serve them. The tiny spoon was strange, because the thin slices had a tendency to stick together- a tiny pair of tweezers might have worked better.

The cold appetizer: Pintade Fermiere Verrine with Fuji Apples and Walnuts, paired with Poet's Leap Riesling, Columbia Valley 2011.



Pintade is a Guineafowl, for the curious. It was served three ways: the breast on the left, on the apple salad in the middle, and the thigh meat cooked in an apple jelly-type sauce in the container on the right. The thigh meat preparation was my favorite- I love the extra flavor of the darker meat, but all three were delicious.

Seafood course: Maine Diver Scallop with Cauliflower and Glace de Viande, paired with Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands 2011.


This course was very good, but not excellent. The scallop was a little gritty, and the Chardonnay was too oaky for my taste and overpowered the sweetness of the scallop a little bit.


I'm going to have to stop here for a bit and come back with more.

 

[Quin]

Great start! It's too bad you found the scallop a little gritty to taste, because it looks to die for! Beautiful photography.

 

[StayAwake]

Bread Service # 2: A truffle brioche with truffle butter



I think I was truffled out. I liked this bread, but not as much as the plain baguette.

Warm appetizer: Mangalitsa Pork with Zellwood Corn and Stone Ground Grits, paired with Grgich Hills Estate Merlot, Napa Valley 2007



This was amazing. The pork was so buttery and the apple cider reduction was the perfect complement. The grits were smooth and rich. The corn was fine, but not nearly as good as the fresh-from-the-field corn I'm used to getting at home. Still, that minor detail wasn't enough to keep this dish from being excellent.

Third Bread Service: A multi-grain bread with salted butter.


This was made from the chef's grandmother's recipe, and was also very good. Still, the only bread I wanted more of was the baguette.

Main Course: Niman Ranch Lamb with Butternut Squash Agnolotti, paired with Numanthia "Numanthia" Tinta de Toro, Spain 2009



The main course is served under a silver dome, which is then appropriately whisked away to reveal the plate. The lamb was a delight- I hesitated in ordering this choice as I usually only like lamb in gyros, or other such foods, but this lamb was very good. The butternut squash agnolotti were little pasta dumplings filled with the sweet squash, and were the star of the dish for me- I wished I could have had a lot more. The pattypan squash that also came with the dish just didn't work for me at all. It was far too bitter and overpowering, and the only part of the entire meal that I didn't finish.

I had ordered coffee to go with dessert, so at this point in the meal, the vacuum coffee maker was brought to the table. This was so cool- the science geek in me was enthralled by how this worked.



Then the palate cleanser before dessert. I chose the cheese plate. The menu lists it as Parmigiano Reggiano, Pleasant Ridge Reserve Fiscalini Cheddar, and Forme d'Ambert, but there are more than 3 cheeses in the picture, so I'm not sure what the others are. Sorry! This was paired with Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2007.


The cheeses were all very delicious, and the poached pear and date crostini accompaniments went very well with them. This was the course that I had the hardest time choosing, as the other option was a white chocolate Gelato paired with Moscato D'Asti. I had never tried Port before, so I'm glad I picked this option, but I discovered I don't like Port very much, so when I come back next time, I will pick the other option.

Dessert: Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle



The souffle was topped with a chocolate creme anglais, with a Peruvian chocolate ice cream and chocolate tuille cookie on the side. Exquisite is the only word.

To close the meal, they brought a plate of hand made chocolates & candies and a lovely rose. I couldn't eat another bite, and they graciously wrapped the nibbles in a box for me. It was great because I was able to extend my V&A's experience a tiny bit longer.



To make a long story short (too late! ) this was hands down the best meal I've ever eaten. The service was attentive without being intimidating, and each bite seemed better than the next. It wasn't perfect, but I was expecting an out-of-this-world experience, and it delivered and then some.

With my Tables in Wonderland card, I saved $49.00 on this meal.

It was after 11pm when I finished, and I had just missed the last monorail on the hotel loop for the night. My transportation choices were bus to Downtown Disney and then another bus back to my resort, or to grab a cab. I was planning on making rope drop the next morning, so a cab it was.

 

[sue and co]

A great start I can't wait to read more - I would love to eat at V&A.

Congrats on the 5 year anniversary.

 

[Angeejoe]

Your dining choices look delicious! I'm excited to follow along.

Congratulations on your cancer free anniversary

 

[VikingInMouseEars]

Great start! Looking forward to more.

 

[StayAwake]

Thanks to everyone who's commented so far, or is just reading along! Recapping this delicious Disney food makes me glad I'm headed back to the world later this week.

While my body was up and at them for rope drop at HS the next day, I was still really full from my dinner at Victoria & Albert's the night before. One of the great things about being on a solo trip, I found, was that I didn't have to worry about setting a good food example.

So after hitting TSMM and a few other rides, I grabbed a totally healthy breakfast containing dairy and vegetables from the Writer's Stop.



Yes, the Carrot Cake Cookie.

This is a long time favorite Disney snack and it was just as good for breakfast. Soft and cakey with the cream cheese frosting that's the star. The only thing I don't like about the Writer's Stop is that it's becoming less and less of a hidden gem- this time I actually had to wait behind a few people before being served. So let's just keep this one between ourselves, ok?

 

[hockeyprincess25]

Congrats on 5 years!!

Following along as I start to plan our DDxDP for fall!!

 

[StayAwake]

It was a beautiful sunny day, and I decided to take the advice I've often read on these boards and head back to my resort for swimming and an afternoon nap. Which was lucky, because it was about to drop into the 50's with a cold damp wind for most of the rest of my stay. I was staying at Pop Century, but as I waited at the bus stop, an Art of Animation bus pulled up first, so I grabbed it. Here was my first chance to use my Tables in Wonderland card for a Quick Service meal.

I chose the create-your-own pasta station.



I chose shrimp, spinach, peas, roasted red peppers and an alfredo sauce. This was delicious, and a giant portion. I could have easily split this with someone else and still have been satisfied. I also really liked how Landscapes of Flavors used real dishes for dining in, instead of paper. And both times I had lunch there, the food court was almost empty at that time of day.

It was no Victoria & Alberts, but the price wasn't either. I did save $2.30 with my TiW card, bringing my cost of entree + ice water to under $10- fairly affordable as far as Disney goes. If you split this dish, it would even be real-world affordable. I would rank this highly as far as Quick Service entrees go.

Total TiW savings so far: $51.30

 

[StayAwake]

This was my first time at Hollywood Brown Derby. I checked in about 10 minutes early, and was seated about 5 minutes after my ADR time. I loved the feel of the restaurant and was seated on the upper tier with a great spot for people watching.

I started off with a Derby Cosmo (Absolut Pears vodka, Grand Marnier, and a splash of cranberry juice) and the appetizer sized Cobb Salad.



This salad was to die for! I'm not a huge Cobb Salad fan normally, but this one really changed my mind. I'm guessing it was because everything was chopped so finely that you had a nice mixture of tastes in every bite. This was the standout item I ordered. Sadly, it all started going downhill from there.

My entree was Sterling Silver Pork Chop with smoked Gouda and heirloom apple slaw served over potato hash with bacon, Napa cabbage, sweet peppers and a Cider jus.



Parts of the pork were blackened to the point of almost being burnt, the smoked Gouda was dry and added no flavor, and the potato hash was mostly fried with little potato taste. The Cider jus was reduced to the point of being bitter. Still the apple slaw was tasty and most of the pork chop was juicy and flavorful. But I wouldn't order this dish again.

Still, there was always dessert to redeem the meal.



Or not. I had to try the famous Grapefruit cake, which has a mixed reputation on this board. I'm in the don't care for it category. I normally love grapefruit, but this was far too bitter for me.

With Tables in Wonderland, I saved $13.75, bringing my total TiW savings to $65.05

How would I rate the Brown Derby? It had the misfortune to be the first TS after Victoria & Albert's, so it was going to be very hard to compare with that experience. Plus I was on a mission to try to get to Fantasmic!, so I didn't want to take the time to send back food that was edible but not delicious. But the drinks and Cobb Salad were delightful, so I'd try it again but order something else for entree and dessert. Or just order a bunch of appetizers and dessert, since the appetizer menu is much more appealing to me than the entrees.

 

[H20DogsNDisney]

Great updates really enjoying your report thanks for sharing

 

[Couchy]

Thanks to everyone who's commented so far, or is just reading along! Recapping this delicious Disney food makes me glad I'm headed back to the world later this week.

While my body was up and at them for rope drop at HS the next day, I was still really full from my dinner at Victoria & Albert's the night before. One of the great things about being on a solo trip, I found, was that I didn't have to worry about setting a good food example.

So after hitting TSMM and a few other rides, I grabbed a totally healthy breakfast containing dairy and vegetables from the Writer's Stop.



Yes, the Carrot Cake Cookie.

This is a long time favorite Disney snack and it was just as good for breakfast. Soft and cakey with the cream cheese frosting that's the star. The only thing I don't like about the Writer's Stop is that it's becoming less and less of a hidden gem- this time I actually had to wait behind a few people before being served. So let's just keep this one between ourselves, ok?

Enjoying the reviews... and I totally agree with you, the Writer's stop is no longer hidden