Hello all! Welcome to my very first Disney dining report. I have been to Disney countless times throughout my life, but this is the first trip that I have been a member of the boards, as well as been focused on dining. We were in Disney for one week, at the end of March. Traveling with me were my parents, M and D, and my younger sister, who I will call E. We tried many new restaurants to us throughout the week, as well as tried many new snacks! Though all of the food was delicious, the style of dining my family and I did was quite eye opening. While we thoroughly enjoyed the food at our mostly table service dining locations, we were often very full, and sometimes not even hungry for our next meal! Since I am new to the boards, I will try to post links for each review, but may not be able to figure it out. Thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoy our dining adventures!
A Year In The Making: A Disney Dining Report- UPDATE 6/1 Homecoming
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We arrived Saturday night, and since we were staying at the Boardwalk Villas, we decided to stay close by for dinner. When researching restaurants for the months beforehand, I had read many glowing reviews of Beaches and Cream, so right at the 180 day mark, I snatched up a reservation for 8:10 pm. We arrived right on time to the restaurant, and only waited about 10 minutes for our table to be ready! First of all, the restaurant is adorable, but extremely tiny! My dad was shocked we were able to get a seat! Soon, we were greeted by our waiter, who though I cannot remember his name for the life of me, was an incredibly kind and personable man. He chatted with us about his hometown, how he has worked at Beaches and Cream for 20 years, and of course, about the most important thing: the food! My sister and dad ordered the Angus Beef Burger, one with fries and one with onion rings. My mom and I decided to split 2 meals, the Beaches Patty Melt and the Beaches Seafood Salad Sandwiche. My sister and dad loved the burger, and claimed it was cooked to a perfect medium. The onion rings were fantastic, nice and thick and battered. Yum! I really liked the patty melt, it came with a peppercorn dressing which was really good. My mom and I agreed that the seafood salad was delicious as well! Nice and light and refreshing compared to the heavy patty melt. Though I know many love the fries here, we all found them pretty average. For our entrees, I completely spaced about pictures (we were starving), but for almost all of the other meals on the trip, I have ample photos. For dessert, even though we were stuffed to the gills, we couldn't leave without trying the No Way Jose Sundae, something I had read about for months. Minutes after placing the order, the biggest sundae we had ever eaten arrived in front of us! It was huge! But boy, was it yummy. The ice cream itself was fairly ordinary, but the melty peanut butter and thick hot fudge put it over the top. We could barely finish it between the 4 of us. Overall, we really enjoyed Beaches and Cream. While it was a bit heavy for our first night of vacation, the food was fresh, hot, and delicious! We all agreed we would definitely return on a future stay on Crescent Lake.
jesswindsor
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Thanks for sharing!! Can't wait for more!!
brandyleeann
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I am following along 
gardengirl628
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We love Beaches and Cream!
Sorry for the very long delay in posts, but now that summer has begun, I will get back to the reviews! 
The next morning, we were up bright and early for RD at Hollywood Studios. We took the walking path from The Boardwalk to the entrance of the Studios, and it was great! Only about a 10 minute walk, and luckily, this was our coolest day of the trip, with the high only being in the low 80s. We first hung out with some destructive muppets, competed in some toy centric carnival games, and for the first time in forever, sang our hearts out with some cool princesses.
After a productive morning, we were starving! I had read so many reports detailing the famous carrot cake cookie, so I knew we had to run, not walk, to Sweet Spells. Not wanting to spoil our upcoming lunch plans, we elected to get 1 cookie to split between the 4 of us. It was the perfect size! My parents, my sister and I all agreed that the cookie was worth the hype! 
Yum!
After finishing the cookie, we met up with some Stormtroopers, watched The Little Mermaid, and debated whether or not to ride Tower of Terror. You see, my mom and I were petrified of this ride, while my dad and my sister ADORE it. After some bribery involving our lunch location, we all headed towards the ride. And you know what! It was a blast! Never again will I skip over this attraction. However, being scared works up an appetite, I soon discovered. So after we all successfully rode Tower, we boarded a bus to the Wilderness Lodge to try a brand new spot for lunch.
The next morning, we were up bright and early for RD at Hollywood Studios. We took the walking path from The Boardwalk to the entrance of the Studios, and it was great! Only about a 10 minute walk, and luckily, this was our coolest day of the trip, with the high only being in the low 80s. We first hung out with some destructive muppets, competed in some toy centric carnival games, and for the first time in forever, sang our hearts out with some cool princesses.
After a productive morning, we were starving! I had read so many reports detailing the famous carrot cake cookie, so I knew we had to run, not walk, to Sweet Spells. Not wanting to spoil our upcoming lunch plans, we elected to get 1 cookie to split between the 4 of us. It was the perfect size! My parents, my sister and I all agreed that the cookie was worth the hype! Yum!
After finishing the cookie, we met up with some Stormtroopers, watched The Little Mermaid, and debated whether or not to ride Tower of Terror. You see, my mom and I were petrified of this ride, while my dad and my sister ADORE it. After some bribery involving our lunch location, we all headed towards the ride. And you know what! It was a blast! Never again will I skip over this attraction. However, being scared works up an appetite, I soon discovered. So after we all successfully rode Tower, we boarded a bus to the Wilderness Lodge to try a brand new spot for lunch.
After a fun morning at Hollywood, we were ready for lunch. We debated on trying the Star Wars offerings at Backlot, or trying some of the lunch specials at the Boardwalk Bakery, but eventually my dad and sister gave in to what I REALLY wanted to try: Geyser Point! I had read rave reviews on the DIS, and the menu looked delicious. We ended up waiting about 20 minutes for a bus, which was shared with the Contemporary. Side Note: I am definitely in the club for those who are annoyed by shared buses at the Deluxes! Luckily, Wilderness Lodge was dropped off first. On a trip my mom, and my sister and I had taken in December for Christmas, we had ate at Whispering Canyon for breakfast. While a little loud, the food was phenomenal. Though we weren't dining there for lunch that day, my whole family was thrilled to be back at the Lodge, one of our favorite resorts. After exploring the lobby for a bit, we walked outside, where we were greeted by the perfect temperature, and a very busy Geyser Point.
After searching for an empty table for a couple minutes (the place was packed!) we found an older couple leaving, who offered up their table to us. We were handed menus, and despite waiting more than a few minutes to be waited on, we were all excited to try the different things on the menu. I completely blanked and forgot to snap a picture of the offerings, but I do remember the menu was pretty small. This was fine by us though, for every single thing looked outstanding
My sister and I both ordered Strawberry Lemonade, which was clearly housemade, and very refreshing. Both of my parents ordered mixed drinks, that they both raved about. We were there for the food though, so here is what we ordered: I ordered the Grilled Salmon BLT, my sister and dad ordered the Lump Crab Cake Sandwich, and my mom ordered the Grilled Salmon Salad.
All 3 meals were so fresh tasting, and absolutely delicious. The waffle fries that accompanied both sandwiches were seasoned to perfection, and our only complaint was that there weren't more of them! The Salmon Salad was huge, and the berries were ripe and full of flavor. This ended up probably being our favorite quick service meal of the trip. Everything was filling, and fueled us for the rest of the day. After paying the bill (so easy thanks to Magic Bands), we hopped a bus to Magic Kingdom, and from there, grabbed another bus back to the Boardwalk. At this point, it was probably 3 in the afternoon and getting HOT
We decided to head to the pool, which despite many reports, was really not creepy at all. It was, however, packed and it took us a good 15 minutes to find open seats. The pool was relaxing, and a nice break in the middle of the day, for that night, we were headed to the brand spanking new Disney Springs for a meal with some Southern charm! 
After searching for an empty table for a couple minutes (the place was packed!) we found an older couple leaving, who offered up their table to us. We were handed menus, and despite waiting more than a few minutes to be waited on, we were all excited to try the different things on the menu. I completely blanked and forgot to snap a picture of the offerings, but I do remember the menu was pretty small. This was fine by us though, for every single thing looked outstanding
My sister and I both ordered Strawberry Lemonade, which was clearly housemade, and very refreshing. Both of my parents ordered mixed drinks, that they both raved about. We were there for the food though, so here is what we ordered: I ordered the Grilled Salmon BLT, my sister and dad ordered the Lump Crab Cake Sandwich, and my mom ordered the Grilled Salmon Salad.
All 3 meals were so fresh tasting, and absolutely delicious. The waffle fries that accompanied both sandwiches were seasoned to perfection, and our only complaint was that there weren't more of them! The Salmon Salad was huge, and the berries were ripe and full of flavor. This ended up probably being our favorite quick service meal of the trip. Everything was filling, and fueled us for the rest of the day. After paying the bill (so easy thanks to Magic Bands), we hopped a bus to Magic Kingdom, and from there, grabbed another bus back to the Boardwalk. At this point, it was probably 3 in the afternoon and getting HOT
We decided to head to the pool, which despite many reports, was really not creepy at all. It was, however, packed and it took us a good 15 minutes to find open seats. The pool was relaxing, and a nice break in the middle of the day, for that night, we were headed to the brand spanking new Disney Springs for a meal with some Southern charm! First, I want to say thank you for everyone following along! Feels amazing to see people enjoying your writing and photos
Despite being full from lunch, come 6:00 pm our stomachs were rumbling. We boarded a bus to the brand new Disney Springs, which we loved, and then ended up at our final destination: Art Smith's Homecoming! The reviews coming in had been fantastic, and my whole family loves Southern food. We waited a couple of minutes at the bar, where my dad had a beer and my mom had a Mojito. (Sorry no pictures of their drinks) Theh both liked them, and gave them a thumbs up
Soon, we were seated at a high top table on the side of the restaurant.
My sister and I ordered a Shirley Temple type of drink, made with a Pomegranate Grenadine, and ginger ale.
This was delicious! So refreshing, and a different take on the classic. Even my parents thought this was fantastic. Before I continue reviewing the food, I will say that our waiter and service here left something to be desired. While our waiter did nothing wrong per say, he was inattentive and not very friendly. My dad is a fiend about service, as he works in sales, so he was not in the greatest mood for this meal.
Back to the food, I debated between the Fried Chicken, and the Pulled Pork Plate. I finally settled on the Fried Chicken, as did my sister and dad to split. My mom got a Fish of the Day, which just happened to be her favorite, grouper. She ordered hers with Sweet Potatoes, and it came with the Greens. I ordered my chicken with Mac N Cheese, and my dad and sister ordered theirs as is, with mashed potatoes.
So, the fried chicken was wonderful, juicy and addicting. The Mac N Cheese was also one of my favorite parts of the meal. My dad and sister didn't love the mashed potatoes, and thought the gravy had the texture of glue and the taste of straight grease. They ate some of their potatoes, but as you can imagine, didn't touch the gravy. The biscuits that accompanied the chicken dinners were okay, kinda dry and bland, but not terrible. We didn't finish them. My mom's grouper was good as well, and the greens underneath were...interesting. I liked them, in small doses. The rest of my family, though, weren't big fans. They were pungently sweet, and had LOTS of vinegar. However, the sweet potatoes that came with her fish I loved!!! I probably ate more of her greens and potatoes then I did my Mac n Cheese.
We were all stuffed beyond belief, but I couldn't resist ordering a piece of their Hummingbird Cake. BIG mistake. The cream cheese icing was awesome, but the cake was dry and had a gritty texture. The worst part was the drizzle surrounding the plate, which was extremely acidic, bitter, and fruity. It definitely did not belong with the other flavors on the plate, but it was difficult to get a bite and avoid the syrup.
Overall, my family did like this meal. The atmosphere was inviting, and the bulk of the food was good, if not great. We all felt that the food, from the chicken to the fish to the greens, was way too greasy. Like, after we cleared the chicken into a to go box, there was just a pool of grease coating everything on our plates. We left the meal feeling uncomfortably full, and vowed that if we ever would return to Homecoming, that we would order 1 or 2 meals between the four of us. I know everyone loves this restaurant, but my family and I did not get the hype.
Next up, we have an early morning wake up call, and a Polynesian inspired breakfast at a new spot for us!
Despite being full from lunch, come 6:00 pm our stomachs were rumbling.
We boarded a bus to the brand new Disney Springs, which we loved, and then ended up at our final destination: Art Smith's Homecoming! The reviews coming in had been fantastic, and my whole family loves Southern food. We waited a couple of minutes at the bar, where my dad had a beer and my mom had a Mojito. (Sorry no pictures of their drinks) Theh both liked them, and gave them a thumbs up Soon, we were seated at a high top table on the side of the restaurant.
My sister and I ordered a Shirley Temple type of drink, made with a Pomegranate Grenadine, and ginger ale.
This was delicious! So refreshing, and a different take on the classic. Even my parents thought this was fantastic. Before I continue reviewing the food, I will say that our waiter and service here left something to be desired. While our waiter did nothing wrong per say, he was inattentive and not very friendly. My dad is a fiend about service, as he works in sales, so he was not in the greatest mood for this meal.
Back to the food, I debated between the Fried Chicken, and the Pulled Pork Plate. I finally settled on the Fried Chicken, as did my sister and dad to split. My mom got a Fish of the Day, which just happened to be her favorite, grouper. She ordered hers with Sweet Potatoes, and it came with the Greens. I ordered my chicken with Mac N Cheese, and my dad and sister ordered theirs as is, with mashed potatoes.
So, the fried chicken was wonderful, juicy and addicting. The Mac N Cheese was also one of my favorite parts of the meal. My dad and sister didn't love the mashed potatoes, and thought the gravy had the texture of glue and the taste of straight grease. They ate some of their potatoes, but as you can imagine, didn't touch the gravy. The biscuits that accompanied the chicken dinners were okay, kinda dry and bland, but not terrible. We didn't finish them. My mom's grouper was good as well, and the greens underneath were...interesting. I liked them, in small doses. The rest of my family, though, weren't big fans. They were pungently sweet, and had LOTS of vinegar. However, the sweet potatoes that came with her fish I loved!!! I probably ate more of her greens and potatoes then I did my Mac n Cheese.
We were all stuffed beyond belief, but I couldn't resist ordering a piece of their Hummingbird Cake. BIG mistake. The cream cheese icing was awesome, but the cake was dry and had a gritty texture. The worst part was the drizzle surrounding the plate, which was extremely acidic, bitter, and fruity. It definitely did not belong with the other flavors on the plate, but it was difficult to get a bite and avoid the syrup.
Overall, my family did like this meal. The atmosphere was inviting, and the bulk of the food was good, if not great. We all felt that the food, from the chicken to the fish to the greens, was way too greasy. Like, after we cleared the chicken into a to go box, there was just a pool of grease coating everything on our plates. We left the meal feeling uncomfortably full, and vowed that if we ever would return to Homecoming, that we would order 1 or 2 meals between the four of us. I know everyone loves this restaurant, but my family and I did not get the hype.
Next up, we have an early morning wake up call, and a Polynesian inspired breakfast at a new spot for us!
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