Back 4/4...here is my take

[danceteachermom]

We just got home 4/4 and I am still experiencing remorse that our trip is over. I read these boards daily for months before our trip so I am chiming in with a brief dining "review."

Our priority was our kids on this trip so we stayed away from finer food they would not have enjoyed and we did not want to travel on the bus system for extensive reservations. So here is where we went.

CSR -
Cafe Rix Quick Service: food ok, long lines, horrible service, great baked goods
Siesta's - Nachos and Burgers were delicious, new menu had fish tacos but we did not get the chance to try them, very slow service
Pepper Market - did not do buffet, hit and miss for food, enjoyed fish tacos, nachos, fajitas...did not like pizza, chicken, or burgers
Maya Grill - good meal, great service, not comparable to what an over $100 meal would be at home but by Disney price and standards a good meal, enjoyed shrimp tacos and beef fajitas....didn't enjoy the margarita flight

Parks -
Via Napoli - maybe the only Disney restaurant we would pay Disney prices for if it was near our home, delicious pizza, great selection for kids, we love this place
Pizza Planet - we were very hungry and it was open, horrible pizza
Counter Service Mexico - enjoyed nachos and guacamole, kids meal was a cheese empanadas and our son took just one bite
Park Snacks - enjoyed popcorn, chocolate covered bananas, smoothies from Auntie Gravities, son had a delicious corn dog from a MK vendor

We also had a lovely meal at Kona Cafe. This was our first time there. We enjoyed fancy drink selections had seared tuna Sandwhich, fish tacos, and I think our DS had a hot dog then we enjoyed the banana chocolate creme brûlée....heaven, a very good meal but not as good as say "Bone Fish Grill"

Best new experience by far was Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD. We ate there our first and last nights and both times it was great, both kids had spaghetti, we also had butter salad, pizzas, and Mac and cheese...all were awesome

I normally do not eat three full meals a day so even with all the walking I gained 4 pounds in 7 days. UGH. My husband and I are convinced most of the weight gain can be attributed to poolside drinks, tortilla chips, and chocolate croissants.

So it is time to hit the gym and get back on that treadmill.

 

[alex9179]

Butt salad? What in the world is in that?

Your opinion of Via Napoli is making me sad...I'm having a very hard time fitting it in and I really want to try it!

Don't fret too much about the lbs, I'm sure they will melt away. All that salt in the foods isn't nice to anyone!

 

[DW2010]

I'm so glad to see so many good reviews on Via Napoli. Dh and I had reservations there in 2010 but when we got there DH didn't like how close the seating was. It was a date night for us so we went somewhere else. We plan to go back this fall with our DD for good pizza .

 

[SSRJen]

Thanks for your quick and honest reviews. We really enjoy Via Napoli as well. It is actually a great option when sharing a large pizza. Expensive, yes, but well worth it in my opinion.

 

[danceteachermom]

Butt salad? What in the world is in that?

Your opinion of Via Napoli is making me sad...I'm having a very hard time fitting it in and I really want to try it!

Don't fret too much about the lbs, I'm sure they will melt away. All that salt in the foods isn't nice to anyone!

Oh my....that is what I get for not proof reading..eh?

butter salad....I assume it is was made with butter lettuce....it also had a delicious light dressing, tomatoes, and I can't remember what else

 

[NHTikiBeckie]

We cannot wait to try Via Napoli!

Don't fret over 4lbs. What do you mean you don't eat three meals a day? Which one do you skip? I am just curious!

To make you feel better, on our last trip I came home 9lbs heavier in FOUR days!!! But it was gone in a week and I had a good time putting it on, haha!

 

[alex9179]

Oh my....that is what I get for not proof reading..eh?

butter salad....I assume it is was made with butter lettuce....it also had a delicious light dressing, tomatoes, and I can't remember what else

Oh! Makes sense Here I was thinking they used a boston butt or pork butt.
Sounds yummy!

 

[danceteachermom]

We cannot wait to try Via Napoli!

Don't fret over 4lbs. What do you mean you don't eat three meals a day? Which one do you skip? I am just curious!

To make you feel better, on our last trip I came home 9lbs heavier in FOUR days!!! But it was gone in a week and I had a good time putting it on, haha!

I have a hard time since turning 35 (now 42) keeping my weight healthy....so usually I eat just a very small breakfast, a very small lunch, and then a complete dinner during the week. I save indulgences for the weekends. So on vacation I tend to consume more because we are inclined to eat a more complete lunch, plus snacks, plus dinner.

Our family "rule" in Dinsey is "We have chocolate for breakfast." This trip,we had chocolate croissants or muffins every morning plus the kids had cereal. It is a very fun indulgence. It is also a memory maker for the kids.

For some reason at Disney I feel like eating and drinking all the time. I certainly do not have much willpower when it comes to drinks at the pool....I could have three piña coladas a day.

Hopefully when I get back to work and routine on Monday I can shed the pounds. I am not super thin....I just want to fit comfortably in my clothes. Maybe someday I will even lose the extra 10 I put on with my DS.

 

[Zuzu03]

I know what you mean about Disney making you way more hungry than at home. And for me, I don't drink a ton of soda at home, but when I get to Disney, it seems like I drink coke non-stop (not in the bottles though, only fountain)! I don't know if they make it sweeter or something, but I love it at Disney! Isn't that weird? I'm glad to hear about Wolfgang Puck Express because even though we haven't eaten there before, it's on our list this trip (we've got free CS dining) as a good non-hamburger/fries option. Thank you for sharing!

 

[mlittig]

Glad you had such a magical trip Thanks for the great food reviews

 

[mlittig]

I also love Via Napoli's pizza and can't wait to go there again next month

 

[dvc at last !]

Being on vacation at WDW makes me gain weight, too !
How does this happen when we do so much walking while there ?

 

[undertheseas]

Siesta's - Nachos and Burgers were delicious, new menu had fish tacos but we did not get the chance to try them

Fish tacos? You just made my day! I really wanted POFQ or POR but fish tacos might make me like CSR if they are good

 

[danceteachermom]

Fish tacos? You just made my day! I really wanted POFQ or POR but fish tacos might make me like CSR if they are good

If the fish tacos are the same as the ones at Pepper Market...they are quite good. They changed the pool menu when we were there and I took pictures of the new one but our computer has a virus so I have not uploaded any yet.

I can't say enough good things about CSR. We love it there. If your family values pool time the only place better is BC. The CSR pool is huge, surrounded by beautiful grounds, has a huge hot tub, and a slide. The pool bar has standard and lots of fun drinks and The QS restaraunt has very delicious poolside meals. For us fun in the sun, swimming, kids play and downtime are just as important as the parks. CSR is a great fit.

 

[we3travellers]

Glad your trip was good and thanks for the dining review. We are staying at CSR for the first time in Aug. and we also love our pool time. A good pool with a slide is important for DS5 and DH must have a pool bar! You said the baked goods at Cafe Rix were good and I am curious if they have expanded from what is currently listed on allears. It looks to me like we cannot get a simple breakfast (bagel, toast, banana, cereal) anywhere at CSR since the PM change to buffet. Our style is that I go get coffee in our refillables, milk for DS and a light breakfast for all to eat in the room. Do you remember what was on offer for baked goods at Cafe Rix?

 

[anjalee6]

Glad you liked Via Napoli. Can't wait to try it for the first time in July! And we really like Kona too. It's one of the few restuarants that we remain surprised that more people have not discovered over the years. Thanks for the quick review.

 

[danceteachermom]

Glad your trip was good and thanks for the dining review. We are staying at CSR for the first time in Aug. and we also love our pool time. A good pool with a slide is important for DS5 and DH must have a pool bar! You said the baked goods at Cafe Rix were good and I am curious if they have expanded from what is currently listed on allears. It looks to me like we cannot get a simple breakfast (bagel, toast, banana, cereal) anywhere at CSR since the PM change to buffet. Our style is that I go get coffee in our refillables, milk for DS and a light breakfast for all to eat in the room. Do you remember what was on offer for baked goods at Cafe Rix?

We do the same thing. You can buy individual fruit or various refrigerated fruit pre cut. The baked goods selection was huge....I do not remember bagels or toast but they did have many types of muffins, croissants, turnovers, and danishes. You could also get breakfast sandwiches, a French toast platter, or a combo platter. Two mornings we got one combo platter to share among the for of us so that the kids could have a little protein. I ordered it to-go and took it back to the room. We brought cereals from home and got a 1/2 gallon of milk at the gift shop. I think you will be pleased with your options.

My only caution is that if you are there during a busy time and are not at Cafe Rix when they open...the lines for anything at the grill are long and the wait for food was frustrating. I never had to stand behind more than one person to get baked goods or coffee but usually had to wait to check out. The system there is very inefficient. I used to work at a tourist location in food service and I wish I could train their staff.

You will love CSR. The pool bar is expensive but the drinks are large and not weak. We tried mixed drinks and also had draft and bottled beer. The pool bar staff is very efficient...even during the busiest times I never waited more than a few minutes at the bar.

 

[Eastern]

Best new experience by far was Wolfgang Puck Cafe at DTD. We ate there our first and last nights and both times it was great, both kids had spaghetti, we also had butter salad, pizzas, and Mac and cheese...all were awesome

Did you eat at WP Cafe (West Side) or WP Express (Marketplace)? They are two different restaurants at DTD. (I know you said 'Cafe' but the food sounds like Express)

 

[danceteachermom]

Did you eat at WP Cafe (West Side) or WP Express (Marketplace)? They are two different restaurants at DTD. (I know you said 'Cafe' but the food sounds like Express)

You are absolutely right....it was EXPRESS. Sorry about that. We have eaten at Cafe on our last trip....that is the one with sushi right?

If so, we had a different experience there. I will go back and change the review to read express. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Eastern]

Those 2 restaurants get confused all the time. Cafe is the one with the sushi. Express usually gets much better reviews. I missed it on our last trip