Coming to you Live from Disney World!-Take 2 AUG/SEPT WINNERS ANNOUNCED

[jabead]

Next DonaldDoleWhip sent this update.


"After breakfast, I headed to DHS to utilize my first set of FP+ bookings. In the park, everything with my MagicBand worked well."

"Tower of Terror was my first FP+ attraction, followed by TSM and Rock n' Roller Coaster."





"Skipping this line felt so good!"






"Then it was back to AKL for a snack downstairs."





"I headed to...





to pick up a container of sun dried tomato hummus."







"This was flavorful and satisfying, with some acidity from the lemon juice. The Mara also has another hummus that I love (kalamata olive)."

​

1 Aug. Game Point Earned + 4 Bonus Points for sign/menu and misc. pics

 

[jabead]

Then we also have this update from DonaldDoleWhip, who had dinner on Monday night at Animal Kingdom Lodge's...












Here is DDW's beautiful pic of the restaurant...





DonaldDoleWhip said, "Jiko has been a consistent favorite of ours for a while, so we couldn't wait to return."



"As usual, we loved the bread basket and tandoori butter."









"Our plan was to split a couple of appetizers and maybe a main course. I really wanted to order the two salads and the oysters, but my mom wanted to try some different appetizers and get the monkfish again. We compromised, so I skipped the oysters."

"Our first two courses were the Inguday Tibs in Brik and the Peri Peri Chicken Flatbread. I was so excited to see that Jiko was keeping peri peri chicken on the menu in some form (after removing it from the main courses last year), but this let me down. The peri peri flavor was extremely mild, and it was overwhelmed by the salty cheese."




KG's Peri Peri-roasted Chicken Flatbread with Lime Chakalaka, Lamb Chopper Cheese, and Pickled Sweet Bell Peppers



"The Tibs also weren't my thing, but I'm not a huge fan of fried, greasy foods. The apples, curry, and cilantro on the plate were delicious together."




Inguday Tibs in Brik - Mushroom, Spinach, and Cheese in crispy Tunisian Filo with Applies and Curry Vinaigrette




"The two salads were great once again."




"Mozambique-style" Tomato Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes, Peaches, Avocado, Mache, Arugula, and Feta Cheese






Jiko Salad with Heirloom Spiced Melon, Rocket, Mizuna, Peppered Chevre, and Blackberry Vinaigrette




"The monkfish, on the other hand, was less enjoyable this time. I noticed that the fish was rather salty, and it seemed like there were less vegetables on the plate. Considering the saltiness of the fish and the richness of the sauce, those veggies were needed to brighten the dish up."



Maize-crusted Monkfish served with Vegetables of the Moment and Tomato-Butter Sauce



"We passed on dessert here, although I took a picture of the menu anyway."





"The [complimentary] dark chocolate-pistachio cookies were still great."





"I hate to say it, but this meal was underwhelming (mainly due to the flatbread and salty fish)."
​

5 August Game Points Earned + 4 Bonus Points for name/menu pics and misc. pic

 

[jabead]

One more update from DonaldDoleWhip was sent last night.

He said, "After Jiko, we decided to have dessert nearby."

















"We split this and both enjoyed the creamy filling and tropical fruit (although we didn't touch the crust)."
​

1 August Game Point Earned + 2 Bonus Points for name/menu pic

 

[SmallWorld71]

I know this is off-topic, but I noticed that Donald Dole Whip's beds at AKL have two different head boards. Just curious if this is the norm at AKL? It wouldn't bother me in the slightest, it's just that at every WDW resort I've been to, the beds have always been identical.

 

[Ginamarie]

I am loving all of the updates from AKL. We check-in in a few days and I cannot WAIT.

Also, I got a little carried away because I saw an open V&A reservation for this Sunday night, so I took it!!! DH and I will be celebrating, and I'll be sure to take lots of pictures for this thread. I can hardly believe it.

 

[DLFan123]

I know this is off-topic, but I noticed that Donald Dole Whip's beds at AKL have two different head boards. Just curious if this is the norm at AKL? It wouldn't bother me in the slightest, it's just that at every WDW resort I've been to, the beds have always been identical.

I just looked back at our pics from AKL CL end of May, and our headboards were different from Donald Dole Whip's, but they were the same as one another. If that makes sense.

Not trying to hijack the thread, but this is what our headboards looked like:

 

[SmallWorld71]

I just looked back at our pics from AKL CL end of May, and our headboards were different from Donald Dole Whip's, but they were the same as one another. If that makes sense.

Not trying to hijack the thread, but this is what our headboards looked like:

Hmmm......interesting.

Now back to your regularly scheduled food program.

 

[kanadar]

Also, I got a little carried away because I saw an open V&A reservation for this Sunday night, so I took it!!! DH and I will be celebrating, and I'll be sure to take lots of pictures for this thread. I can hardly believe it.

You will LOVE V&A! My family went 12/12/12 and had the most AMAZING meal ever. Make sure to just eat a light lunch the day of. The portions are just a few bites but with 7 courses its still quite a bit if you eat too much before. The wine pairings were well worth the cost. I want to go back again sometime but that will have to wait. I'm very jealous you are going though, its the most fantastic dining you will ever experience, especially when you think about the fact that the Magic Kingdom is just across the lagoon.

 

[jabead]

Let's get started with today's updates, beginning with one of our First Updates of the Day (there was a tie).


This was sent to us by Anne (scanne) from her breakfast this morning at the Wilderness Lodge's CL Lounge...

Old Faithful Club



First one of their gluten free options...




"Gluten free bagel - I think it is UDI's brand cause that's what I buy at home. 'They also had bread for toast and chocolate muffins."




"Here are the regular offerings. Cereal, fruit, yogurt - they now have Greek yogurt! Bagels and croissants, muffins, cream cheese and butter, various juices and coffee, tea and hot chocolate."









































"I love the OFC and the options are good - especially the GF options for my DD. I do wish they would offer oatmeal year round....but it is still a perfectly enjoyable breakfast and I love that we don't have to fight crowds like you do down at Roaring Fork."
​

10 August Game Points Earned + 1 Bonus Point for First Update of the Day

 

[jabead]

Our other First Update of the Day was sent this morning by DonaldDoleWhip.

He said, "After a short break in the room, I drove over to Yacht Club so I could peek at Yachtsman's menu. Didn't get a pic, but I wish we could fit it in!"

"Then I walked over to DHS. This walkway is one of my favorite parts of WDW."
















"Perhaps since I skipped lunch, I was hungry after my DHS evening. There was a certain restaurant at the Dolphin that I really wanted to try again..."








"Our first (and last) meal here was two years ago. It was a mixed experience, and my mom still doesn't want to return due to her oversalted chicken. However, with Bluezoo's innovative and seafood-centric menu, I knew this place deserved another chance."

"The lounge area is first-come, first-served, and I was able to grab a table across from the bar. The ambiance here is cool and modern - I could imagine this restaurant being successful in New York, Vegas, or LA."









Drink Menu









Restaurant Menu (everything is available in the lounge)












Lounge Menu






"After looking at the awesome cocktail menu, I had to try the Serenity. Topped with a fresh basil leaf, it was delicious."




Serenity - Square One Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Muddled Strawberries, Basil, Rosemary, and a splash of lime and pineapple juice




"One of the dishes I wanted to order was unavailable, so instead I got the chilled poached jumbo shrimp. This was a fun take on shrimp cocktail, served with four different sauces: bloody mary sauce, avocado purée, honey mustard, and thousand island/russian/french (I honestly can't remember what it was!). The creamy avocado was my favorite, but I enjoyed them all."





"I also had the scallop ceviche. I hadn't thoroughly read the menu when I ordered this, so eating this was truly an adventure. I loved it. The scallop pieces were floating on a sweet, fluffy foam (the menu says it was coconut), and there was also some nice heat in the dish. This was a great balance of sweet, savory, and acidic."






"Finally, dessert."




"I chose the citrus pavlova with mandarin cream and grapefruit gelée. This reminded me of a seriously elevated creamsicle, thanks to the flavor/texture contrast from the bitter grapefruit and crisp meringue."





"I'm so glad I finally made it back to Bluezoo, because everything was great. With its creative menu and plethora of seafood options, bluezoo has quickly become a favorite of mine!"





"Soon, it was time to call it a night at AKL."


​

5 August Game Points Earned + 10 Bonus Points for sign, menus, misc. pics and First Update of the Day

 

[jabead]

Next in this morning was an update from Jeanette (JintyB).


She said, "Lunch yesterday was at..."







"We had the ham and cheese croissant - lovely."







"Croque Monsieur - a bit dry."






"The Napoleon - DH liked, I didn't..."







"And a chocolate chip cookie - apparently the perfect balance of soft and crispy."





"I also tried the iced cappuccino - beware, it was pre-sweetened. Two sips and it found its way to the bin..."





"Then we raced off for our first ride on new test track."
​

3 August Game Points Earned + 1 Bonus Point for sign pic

 

[jabead]

Then we received another update from Anne (scanne), this one a snack update from Magic Kingdom's...


Gaston's Tavern



First some menu pics...














Here's what they had...




Cinnamon Roll and LeFou's Brew





Hummus and Pretzels





Veggies with Ranch Dip
​

1 August Game Point Earned + 2 Bonus Points for menu pics

 

[jabead]

Next in this morning was an update from Vicki (GoofySon'sMom) from their dinner last night at the Contemporary resort's...






First a menu pic...






Vicki said, "It wasn't crowded at all."






"I had two appetizers for my entrees. The fish tacos and summer salad."




Sustainable Fish Tacos with Avocado Gelato and House-made Flour Tortillas
& The Wave Summer Salad with Watermelon, Arugula, Feta, Pero Farms Peppers, and Blood Orange Vinaigrette

"The tacos were ok. The salad was really good. Loved the salty feta and olives with the sweet watermelon."



And for dessert...






"We had the Creamy Indulgence dessert. The coconut panna cotta was the best."





Creamy Indulgence Trio
- Olive Oil-Chocolate Truffle Mousse with Sea Salt Caramel Sauce
- Coconut Panna Cotta with Passion Fruit Glaze
- New York Cheesecake with Seasonal Fruit



"All in all a good dinner. We were glad we switched from Nine Dragons."





"And a quick snack update today..."





Chocolate-covered Fruit Kabob


"Good but not as good as the chocolate careamel pineapple from Karamel Kuche."

​

6 August Game Points Earned + 4 Bonus Points for sign, menus, and misc. pic

 

[jabead]

Then we received a quick lunch update from Anne (scanne).


She said, "Quick snack because we just couldn't hold out until our Be Our Guest reservation."


Casey's Corner




Hot dog, Fries, and Corn dog nuggets


"Decent for a quick fix. Seating is terrible...Oh well. Just had to refuel." ​

3 August Game Points Earned

 

[jabead]

This afternoon DonaldDoleWhip sent us this update.


"Yesterday morning, I decided to explore the Polynesian. With several insiders claiming that major construction (DVC) is on the way, I wanted to take some pics of the areas that might be changing. Unfortunately, I left my camera memory card in the room by accident, so these are from my phone."




"Apparently, two of the old longhouses will become DVC (Tahiti and Rapa Nui). Supporting this, there's a colorful new 'test design' in Rapa Nui. I actually saw two Disney officials leaving the room on the right."







"The beach in front of Tahiti (and partially in front of Hawaii) is where the waterfront bungalows will be placed. These bungalows are a neat concept - at least in places like Fiji and Bora Bora, where the water is crystalline and enticing. The Seven Seas Lagoon isn't exactly the same thing - you can't even swim in it."













"With all this talk of DVC and the Seven Seas Lagoon, I couldn't leave out the Grand Floridian's new building. That's because the building is an eyesore to me and I couldn't stop looking at it."

"I thought maybe the new building would start to blend in as it approached completion, but it's just not working for me. It looks flat and boxy, and it stands out from the rest of the resort. It overshadows everything in the vicinity - the Wedding Pavilion, the beach pool, and (from the Poly) the incredible main building."








"Instead of a lengthy white sand beach, the GF now has more rocks (that guests can't walk on)."





"Ironically, rooms in the DVC wing will probably have decent views of the main building."




"Even though I'm clearly not a fan of this new building, there are some positives to mention at GF. For example, the pool bar received a major refurbishment and now offers a unique menu. I haven't seen this location in the live thread yet."





Menu





"Piña Colada Cupcake on display."






"This is another quick service location where they bring the food to your table."





"Seating for this place is incredibly comfortable."





"The pool bar is convenient to the main building and to the DVC wing."





"I ordered the tomato, watercress, and feta salad with dijon mustard vinaigrette on the side. This was a great lunch, with juicy pieces of tomato, salty feta, sweet pickled onions, and lots of watercress. The dressing was also delicious."





"Grand Floridian's beach - I still can't believe how small it is now."




"Another positive (I suppose) is the new water play area. Personally, I didn't think GF needed one of these, and it wasn't very busy while I was there. Still, it's something to keep small children entertained. I've seen lots of complaints about GF not being kid-friendly, so this should help to address those concerns."





"Plus, the 'Alice in Wonderland' theming is pretty cool."








Citricos menu





Grand Floridian Lobby





"And to tie everything together, one last look at the DVC wing, pool bar, and water play area."



​

10 August Game Points Earned (for new location) + 13 Bonus Points for sign, menus, and misc. pics

 

[jabead]

Next in this afternoon was another update from Jeanette (JintyB).


She said, "Spaceship earth appears to be broken so here comes last night's dinner at..."






First some menu pics...








"We started with a cocktail..."



The Lodge Fizz - Grey Goose Vodka, Triple Sec, Cranberry Juice, and Sprite







NORTHWESTERN EXPOSURE - Ketel One Vodka, Amaretto, Kahlúa, and Cream
with a splash of Coca-Cola




"To start I had the Heirloom tomato salad. This was well balanced, fresh and bursting with flavour."



Heirloom Tomato Salad with House-crafted Fresh Mozzarella, Sea Salt, Fennel, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 8yr Old Balsamic




"DH had the Smokey Portobello Soup - better than the amazing reviews it gets."



Smokey Portobello Soup with Roasted Shiitakes, Chive Oil, and Sourdough Croutons




For their entrees, they chose...


"Slow roasted buffalo - transcendent!"



Slow-roasted 64°C Buffalo Strip Steak with Smoked Gouda-Yukon Gold Potato Smear, Romano Beans, Red Onion Marmalade, and Verjus Gastrique




"DD had slow cooked Chicken. The chicken was lovely but she was less keen on the accompaniments."



Slow-cooked Crispy Breast of Chicken with Farro Wheat, English Peas, Pancetta, Baby Artichoke, and Spring Garlic Butter




"My dish was the winner - if we go back, we'd all order this."




Wild Columbia River Cedar Plant-roasted King Salmon with Rainbow Cauliflower, Root Spinach, Lemon-Butter Sauce, Applewood Bacon Jam, and Short Rib Strudel


"I have never had salmon this good and everything that came with it perfectly complimented it. I had to be pretty handy with my fork to stop the other two eating all of it!!"



"DH and I had the wine pairings with our entrees and desserts."



And speaking of desserts...









"DH had the cobbler. The ice cream - drool!"




Artist Point Cobbler with Seasonal Berries and House-made Black Raspberry Ice Cream




"I had the vanilla bean Creme brûlée."



Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee with Chocolate-Hazelnut Biscotti



"And DD just had hot tea."





"We had wonderful meal and wouldn't hesitate to come back."​

5 August Game Points Earned + 3 Bonus Points for sign and menu pics

 

[jabead]

Time for me to call it night, but check back tomorrow for updates from Be Our Guest, Rose & Crown, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Columbia Harbour House, and the Dessert Offerings at WL's Old Faithful Club. Good night!

 

[Happy 2 B Me]

I live on the Columbia river -- Longview area--and can say that Fresh Salmon tastes great even cooked in hot oil on top of the stove with just salt and pepper seasonings. I know I know I guess I am just spoiled living in the PNW where the fish just jump into our boats LOL I have never ordered salmon at a restaurant but after reading some of the mouth watering reviews I am going to give it a try ---- Like Napa Rose / Carthay Restaurant some place I am pretty sure they cook better then me and they use "fresh" salmon.

 

[Linda67]

For their entrees, they chose...


"Slow roasted buffalo - transcendent!"



Slow-roasted 64°C Buffalo Strip Steak with Smoked Gouda-Yukon Gold Potato Smear, Romano Beans, Red Onion Marmalade, and Verjus Gastrique

Nice use of the word "transcendent"

 

[BlovesC]

First of all, am I the only weirdo who still kind of pauses when seeing DDW posting a picture of an alcoholic drink? I know, I know, our Disney Dining wunderkind is all grown up!

Secondly, Bluezoo looks amazing!

Third, holy cow, is there a seasonal PULL to certain restaurants, or what? I remember back in May when we were about to try YSH for the first time, it seemed like every other update Barb posted was from there. Now we're about to try AP for the first time in a few days, and sure enough, what, 6 updates from there in a week? Maybe AP makes everyone think of fall, and we're all so desperate for fall to begin!

Fourth, I'm so jealous of Barb's trip to Seattle (trying to schedule a trip out there next year) and it was awesome of Rachel to step in and cover for her! This thread takes so much effort, we are all indebted to the both of you! ALL HAIL BARB AND RACHEL!

Fifth (sheesh!), I'm making ADRs for a very last minute getaway and none of the restaurants we want are available for dinner, but Be Our Guest has two times available! What's up with that?