Coming to you Live from Disney World! SEE NEW THREAD

[jabead]

Then we received an update from Couchy & her DH, who had dinner tonight at my favorite Disney restaurant and her's...


California Grill



Couchy said, "Hello! California Grill before it closes.
Of course we both started with the Hendricks martini...mmm..."

Tuna Three Ways - Poke, Tartare, and Sashimi


Couchy said, "We started with this. We both enjoyed it. The sashimi was the favorite. So delicious!"

Atlantic Swordfish with Cauliflower Puree, Chili Garlic Butter, Carnival Cauliflower, and Lime Gastrique


Couchy said, "I ordered the swordfish with cauliflower puree. It came with a chili lime sauce and a garlic butter sauce, which I got on the side. This dish was incredible. I loved the lime sauce. Ahhhh."

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Goat Cheese Polenta, Roasted Mushrooms, Zinfandel Glaze, and Sage


"DH had the pork tenderloin and polenta. The portion was very generous, which is good because his dish stole the show!
So very good."

"We decided to get some coffee to go with our dessert..."

Valrhona Chocolate Cake - Warm Chocolate cake with molten center, Gianduja Ice Cream, and Frangelico Chocolate Sauce




Couchy said, "OMG, what a great dessert! So rich the coffee was needed. Love this place!"

Couchy's very content DH!






Then later Couchy said, "We decided to watch some football at the Crew's Cup Lounge [Yacht Club].
I went with something completely different...

Pomegranate Splash
Skyy Infusions Citrus vodka, Stirrings Pomegranate liqueur, cranberry juice and soda water.


Couchy said, "I like it! Not my usual but good. DH got a Hendricks, no pic 'cause it's the same as dinner."


​

5 January Game Points Earned + 3 Bonus Points for Dessert menu, DH pic, and new cocktail

 

[jabead]

Meanwhile Niki Andiokno had dinner at the Polynesian Resort's...



'Ohana

Niki said, "Ohana's beautiful roasting meat. My fave are the shrimp. The steak was excellent and rare when I asked for it that way. Didn't like the chicken. But the pork had an Asian marinade and was good too."




"Gotta have a Mai Tai."

Captain's Mai Tai
Captain Morgan Original Spiced rum, Amaretto and tropical juices topped with a float of Myers's Dark rum.

Noodles & Stir-fried vegetables

​

2 January Game Points + 1 Bonus Point for new cocktail

 

[jabead]

Our last update of the evening was sent to us by Lauren (Giselle22).


She and her mom had lunch today at the...



Grand Floridian Cafe

The Grand Sandwich - Open-faced hot Ham, Fresh-roasted Turkey, Bacon, and Tomato with a rich Boursin Cheese Sauce and Fried Onion Straws



Lauren said, "We both ordered the Grand Sandwich. It was delicious! The cheese sauce is SO good, and we both thought they put on the perfect amount; enough to get the flavor in every bite and add a bit of richness, but not so much to make the meal really heavy. And this sandwich is loaded up, it's actually a pretty big meal! I took an extra pic after mom had cut hers up, so you can see how thickly they pile the meat slices."

5 January Game Points Earned

 

[jabead]

Good morning everyone!

I'm going to start this day with an apology to my Top 4 winners of the December Holiday Roulette Game. Ten days ago and way back in Post 1593, I announced our #5 Top Winner - grrrlennyl (Link to that announcement). I fully expected to announce the remaining 4 top winners in the days immediately following. But in my plans, I totally underestimated the early-January live reporting team. Each of our early January reporters hit the ground running upon arrival at Disney World and sent us so many great updates that I had no time to continue with my plan to announce the December winners. But I'm caught up now, so let's give this another try. I'm reposting my original announcement, since it's easier to copy and paste, then to write a new introduction.




We don't have any live updates yet, so I'm going to begin posting the results of the December Holiday Roulette Game . Despite the fact that we had only 17 contestants, those 17 managed to score a total of 287 points. That's an average of 17 points per reporter. While I'm grateful to all of you for the contributions which you made to the live thread, I would like to specially recognize our top 5 scorers for their efforts.

Today I am featuring our...


#4 - DisWishes720




DisWishes720 - Jenna stayed at the Beach Club along with her DH (BigT), and their 18 mo. old DS (TJ) from 12/10 - 12/16.
She scored 27 points with the many updates she sent us during her trip.


Here are some of my favorite pics from her updates.




From Main Street Bakery

Ham, Egg, & Cheese Croissant



From Gaston's Tavern

Cinnamon Rolls


Jenna said, "For breakfast we had the cinnamon buns from Gaston's Tavern. Delicious but I wish they were warm."

"TJ loved them though!"






From CRYSTAL PALACE

Jenna's DH (BigT), DS (TJ), and Winnie the Pooh

From the cart at MK: Turkey Leg





From California Grill

Veal Chop with Creamy OHenry Sweet Potato Hash, Wild Mushroom, Root Spinach, Chimichurri






From Beaches & Cream

Jenna, TJ, and a delicious No Way Jose


Jenna said, "This is the only picture we could get before he dug right in! The No Way Jose in all of its peanut butter glory!"






From La Hacienda de San Angel

Puerco en Salsa de Ciruela
Grilled pork rib eye, served with carrot puree, caramelized onions and plum sauce






From Katsura Grill

Spicy Tuna Roll






From Yorkshire County Fish Shop

Fish & Chips





From Teppan Edo

Filet Mignon






DisWishes720 said, "And our final post is of course a yummy Mickey ice cream bar from just outside Norway for our favorite little guy."

 

[Ginamarie]

That would be great, Ginamarie! Do you need my number again, or do you still have?

Still have you in my phone


We have ADRs for Teppan Edo on 2-2 and
Trails End Buffet on 2-3

I'm still deciding if I want a breakfast or lunch ADR on the 4th. I will be along that day and not visiting a park, so I'm not sure if I want to do Kona Cafe or Whispering Canyon or wing it at a counter service spot.

 

[jabead]

And now for our...


#3 - disneychristmasx3




disneychristmasx3 and family celebrated the holidays at WDW from 12/19 - 12/27.
She scored 30 points with the many updates she sent us during her trip.


Here are some of my favorite pics from her updates.



From Riverside Mill

Her DS with his "Create your own Pasta"





From 'OHANA

Lo Mein Noodles & Stir-fried Vegetables

'Ohana bread pudding served a la mode with Bananas and Caramel Sauce






From Le Cellier



"Where we had more than our fair share of pretzel bread."

New York Strip Steak with Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Filet with Mushroom Risotto

Filet with Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes





And one of their desserts...

Chocolate Pecan Pie On-the-Rocks
Chocolate Whipped Cream, Graham Cracker Crumbs, Sugared Pecans, and Canadian Whiskey-Chocolate Sauce




From Mama Melrose

Charred Strip Steak
with Five-Cheese Baked Macaroni, Aged Balsamic-Shallot Butter, and Chianti Wine Reduction






From '50s Prime Time Cafe

Grandma's Chicken Pot Pie
A creamy Cheese mixture of Chicken, Mushrooms, Carrots, Celery, Onions, and Peas topped with a flaky Pastry

Traditional Warm Apple Crisp

"The boys with the Dad's Brownie Sundae and the Boston Cream Parfait. Both very good but they didn't make it through half since the desserts are enormous They also didn't do much damage to the vanilla milkshakes!" ​

 

[jabead]

And now for our...


#2 - emmebear




emmebear and her DD, Emme, were at Disney World again from 12/14 - 12/17.
She scored 33 points with the many updates she sent us during her trip.


Here are some of my favorite pics from her updates.

Art of Animation Resort's Christmas Tree






From Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

emmebear's Cold Plate

And then the Hot Food...including "the epic cheesy potatoes!"

emmebear & Emme






And a couple more pics from Epcot...

Emme enjoying a Perry Cookie

From Cinderella's Royal Table

Princess Emme

The Pastries

Lobster and Crab Crepes - warm cheese-filled crepes topped with spinach, sauteed lobster, and blue crab meat with a poached egg perched on top and draped in Hollandaise sauce


emmebear said, "This was delicious. I got two orders."

From Storybook Treats

From Tusker House



emmebear's "first plate of deliciousness"...

And then a second plate...

A pic with the host...

 

[jabead]

The winner of our December Holiday Roulette Game and recipient of a (no) EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD is...


#1 - krhst25




krhst25 - Kristin took a family trip to Disney World from 12/13 - 12/21 trip.
She scored 35 points with the many updates she sent us during her trip.


Here are some of my favorite pics from her updates.



From Landscapes of Flavor

Meatball Sandwich on Ciabatta with side Caesar salad

Bacon Cheeseburger with French Fries & Chocolate Chip Cookie






From Cinderella's Royal Table

Kristin's DD enjoying her cupcake




From Crystal Palace

Kristin said, "DD1 with her apple cobbler ice cream concoction."





From Hollywood Brown Derby

Warm Seasonal Fruit Cobbler with Crème Fraîche and Orange Blossom Honey





From Oasis Canteen

Funnel Cake

Characters from Wreck it Ralph






From Flame Tree Barbecue

Animal Kingdom Lodge Christmas Tree





From 'Ohana

Lapu Lapu

Pretzels from a stand near the Character Spot in Epcot Future World





From Coral Reef

Grilled New York Strip Steak
served with Roasted Potatoes, Mushrooms, Spinach, and Red Wine Sauce





Lotus Blossom Cafe

Shrimp Fried Rice with Egg Roll

Orange Chicken with Steamed Rice




And last some holiday-themed pics of the United Kingdom's...

Father Christmas Tree & Kristin's Kids

Kristin & Daughters
​

 

[jabead]

Now back to the live updates, beginning with our First Update of the Day sent to us this morning by butiflfeet.



She said, "Here is a breakfast of champions! We have a red velvet cupcake and a pineapple-rum cream cheese cupcake, both from Contempo Cafe. And also a chocolate beer cupcake from Captain Cook's. All were very good, the rum and beer were nice additions to the cupcakes."

2 January Game Points Earned for snack updates from 2 locations + 1 Bonus Point for First Update of the Day

 

[jabead]

Then butiflfeet sent us an update from her dinner last night at...



Be our Guest

butiflfeet said, "After taking a nap for about an hour yesterday, we pretty much all felt like this guy. We were all stiff and still tired from our early morning adventures." [they ran in the Half-Maration]






"But moods quickly turned for the better when we took our first steps into the beautiful restaurant.

Three of us had the potato leek soup to start..."

"It was one of the best potato soups I've had. Great texture and complex flavor, although slightly salty for my taste."




"Our mains consisted of..."

Grilled Strip Steak with garlic-herb butter, green beans, and pommes frites


"I had the NY strip steak. It was a perfectly cooked medium and it was one of the best steaks I've had at Disney World.
I could cut it with my butter knife."

Sauteed Shrimp and Scallops with seasonal vegetables served in puff pastry with a creamy lobster sauce


"My sister had the shrimp and scallops in puff pastry. She enjoyed the crisp pastry and the lobster sauce was very nice with the shrimp and scallops."

Thyme-scented Pork Rack Chop with au gratin macaroni, seasonal vegetables and red wine au jus


"DH had the pork chop with mac and cheese. He loved the pork chop and said it was perfectly seasoned.
The mac and cheese was a bit dry and all I could taste was salt when I tried a bite."

Layered Ratatouille with oven-baked zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes and caramelized onions sliced and layered with quinoa served with a bell pepper sauce


"My mom had the vegetarian ratatouille dish and stopped short of licking her plate. I guess it was good!"

Lemon Meringue Cupcake - Vanilla sponge cake, lemon custard filling, flamed merinque icing and crunch

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake - vanilla sponge cake, strawberry mousse filling, and cream cheese icing



"For desserts, we split the lemon and strawberry cupcakes. Both were wonderful! I loved the meringue on the lemon cupcake. And our server, Kimberly, (who was excellent by the way ) brought us some of the Grey Stuff to celebrate our Half Marathon. I thought it tasted nice but it was mostly sugar and maybe whipped cream, so you can't go wrong with that!"

2 January Game Points Earned + 1 Bonus Point for gargoyle pic

 

[jabead]

Next in this morning was an update from Lauren (Giselle22).


She said, "My dad, brothers, and aunt and uncle arrived last night. DH had some things come up at work and isn't able to come. We had dinner at Boatwright's since we're all staying at Port Orleans. I was a bad reporter and hardly took any pics--I think getting up at 2:30 am to run was starting to affect me by that point!"





Boatwright's

Pasta with Chicken - Spinach, Olives, Eggplant, Shallots, Goat Cheese, and Sun-dried Tomatoes with Orecchiette Pasta


"My brother had the pasta with chicken. He said it was okay but needed more chicken."

Vegetarian Jambalaya with asparagus, mushrooms, peppers, onions and tomatoes with rice


"I had the vegetarian jambalaya. It was decent, but definitely nothing special. I didn't feel like meat myself, but I told everyone that I had read a few good reviews about both the pork and prime rib, but nobody ordered any so I couldn't try it."



"I don't have pics of dessert but I want to mention them--we got butterscotch creme brulee, angel food cake bananas foster, and the bread pudding to share. The creme brulee was really thin and we didn't think it tasted like butterscotch at all (which is funny because I know another review had it and thought it was too butterscotchy. ). The bananas foster was NOT good. The angel food cake and ice cream were just what you'd expect, but the bananas were very weird and disgusting. They were strangely chewy. Ick! The bread pudding was the only dessert we thought would be worth ordering again."​

3 January Game Points Earned

 

[jabead]

Then we received a lunch update from Niki Andiokno.


She and her DH were at Animal Kingdom today and had lunch at...



Flame Tree Barbecue



Niki said, "Here is my pulled pork sandwich..."

Pulled Pork Sandwich served with coleslaw

"DH with Ribs and Chicken Combo."

"We had to have the fabulous onion rings."

Niki also said, "I almost forgot. This was my boyfriend at Flame Tree. Very fresh. He kept biting me in the butt all lunch! These birds have become so aggressive."

​

3 January Game Points Earned + 1 Bonus Point for pic of DH

 

[DisWishes720]

Today I am featuring our...


#4 - DisWishes720




DisWishes720 - Jenna stayed at the Beach Club along with her DH (BigT), their 18 mo. old DS (TJ) from 12/10 - 12/16.
She scored 27 points with the many updates she sent us during her trip.


Yay!!! This made my day! I wish we could go back right now and send you lots more updates! ​

 

[jabead]

We also received a snack update this afternoon from Lauren (Giselle22).



Aloha Isle



Lauren said, "We stopped mid-day for some pineappley refreshment. I got a dole whip, which was yummy as always! My uncle had a pineapple spear. He was a little disappointed that it was more of a chunk with the rind still on than a spear, so required a knife to eat. But he still enjoyed it."

​

1 January Game Point Earned for snack update + 2 Bonus Points for pic of Lauren and her uncle

 

[quietgirll]

"For me, this was BY FAR the best meal of our trip. Everything was right on point, and I am so glad we tried it!
We will definitely be returning!"

You have me totally second guessing my decision to not go there when we stay at POR in late April! Great review!

Trust me, it is so worth a trip, ESP since you'll be staying right there...I really hadnt planned on going, but I, so glad it worked out the way it did!

 

[quietgirll]

Our last update of the evening was sent to us by Lauren (Giselle22).

She and her mom had lunch today at the...

Grand Floridian Cafe

The Grand Sandwich - Open-faced hot Ham, Fresh-roasted Turkey, Bacon, and Tomato with a rich Boursin Cheese Sauce and Fried Onion Straws


Lauren said, "We both ordered the Grand Sandwich. It was delicious! The cheese sauce is SO good, and we both thought they put on the perfect amount; enough to get the flavor in every bite and add a bit of richness, but not so much to make the meal really heavy. And this sandwich is loaded up, it's actually a pretty big meal! I took an extra pic after mom had cut hers up, so you can see how thickly they pile the meat slices."




5 January Game Points Earned

Hmmm...interesting! We had dinner at the gf cafe a few years ago, and loved it, but the next trip didn't enjoy it at all! This sandwich looks like it might be worth trying again! They used to have such good fries here before they changed them...anybody know how the fries are there now?

 

[quietgirll]

Next in this morning was an update from Lauren (Giselle22).

She said, "My dad, brothers, and aunt and uncle arrived last night. DH had some things come up at work and isn't able to come. We had dinner at Boatwright's since we're all staying at Port Orleans. I was a bad reporter and hardly took any pics--I think getting up at 2:30 am to run was starting to affect me by that point!"


Boatwright's

Pasta with Chicken - Spinach, Olives, Eggplant, Shallots, Goat Cheese, and Sun-dried Tomatoes with Orecchiette Pasta

"My brother had the pasta with chicken. He said it was okay but needed more chicken."

Vegetarian Jambalaya with asparagus, mushrooms, peppers, onions and tomatoes with rice

"I had the vegetarian jambalaya. It was decent, but definitely nothing special. I didn't feel like meat myself, but I told everyone that I had read a few good reviews about both the pork and prime rib, but nobody ordered any so I couldn't try it."

"I don't have pics of dessert but I want to mention them--we got butterscotch creme brulee, angel food cake bananas foster, and the bread pudding to share. The creme brulee was really thin and we didn't think it tasted like butterscotch at all (which is funny because I know another review had it and thought it was too butterscotchy. ). The bananas foster was NOT good. The angel food cake and ice cream were just what you'd expect, but the bananas were very weird and disgusting. They were strangely chewy. Ick! The bread pudding was the only dessert we thought would be worth ordering again."

3 January Game Points Earned

Lol my review was the one that mentioned it was butterscotchy- I'm shocked you guys didn't enjoy boatwrights tho- that makes me sad because I loved it so much!! Just goes to show how different each experience can be!

 

[krhst25]

I can't wait to tell my parents that we won..LOL! This was their first trip to WDW and they were true sports about taking pictures...often reminding me to take one. My Dad is still bringing up the trip saying it was the best trip he has taken in years!
Truly, I give Barb all the credit .. I just emailed the pictures! Thanks for all your hard work! We had a blast playing the game!

 

[jabead]

Today I am featuring our...


#4 - DisWishes720




DisWishes720 - Jenna stayed at the Beach Club along with her DH (BigT), their 18 mo. old DS (TJ) from 12/10 - 12/16.
She scored 27 points with the many updates she sent us during her trip.


Yay!!! This made my day! I wish we could go back right now and send you lots more updates! ​

I can't wait to tell my parents that we won..LOL! This was their first trip to WDW and they were true sports about taking pictures...often reminding me to take one. My Dad is still bringing up the trip saying it was the best trip he has taken in years!
Truly, I give Barb all the credit .. I just emailed the pictures! Thanks for all your hard work! We had a blast playing the game!

Yay...it's two of our December stars! Congrats to you both and thanks again for your outstanding contributions to the live thread. ​

 

[jabead]

I received this update from Niki Andiokno last night.





She said, "Just got done having dinner at my absolute favorite restaurant! Unfortunately most of my photos didn't come out."



This is especially bad news for us because Niki had dinner at a restaurant which has not yet made an appearance on this thread,...



Il Mulino



She did send a couple of pics, which were pretty dark. I've edited them a bit in Photobucket, and here are the results...

Niki said, "This was our amuse bouche of sausage and eggplant. The sausage was nice and smokey. The eggplant was tender and yummy."

"This was great bread. Focaccia with cherry tomatoes and sourdough."




To accompany their meal, she and her DH each had a glass of wine. They also shared an appetizer. Here is what Niki had to say about these...




"I got a Ruffino Sangiovese blend and DH got a Malbec. Our appie was the meatballs. I thought it was OK but I don't like a lot of breadcrumbs. DH said you could really taste the veal and loved them."




Then regarding their entrees, Niki said...




"I had Dentice, which is Red snapper over broccoli rabe with an excellent white wine sauce and fresh cherry tomatoes. This is one of the best things I have ever eaten."




"DH had Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare (Arborio Rice with Mixed Seafood). He loved this creamy goodness with shrimp, bay scallops, and clams. I tasted it and loved it."




"We ended with Tartufo, another one of the best desserts I have had. Brandied cherry inside almond ice cream encased in a rich dark chocolate shell and served with zabaglione. Yummy heaven. I'm just so bummed the photos didn't turn out. The plating here is gorgeous!"




"More people should eat there. Love it! Plus there is a 20% discount at orlandoconventionaid.com."
​

Unfortunately, because of the game rule which requires at least one entree pic be included in an update to qualify for full credit, I can only give Niki...


1 January Game Point Earned + 1 Bonus Point for the discount tip