Dreamin' Disney
Pirate Princess
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2002
- Messages
- 265
Here's a review of where we ate around Disney on our 6 night visit, November 6-12, 2004. We were a large group of 12 people - 6 adults and 6 kids, ages 8, 12, 13, 15, 15, and 19. Along with myself, DH and our 3 kids were DH's parents, DH's sister, husband and their 3 kids.
Breakfasts: We stayed on the Concierge Level at the Boardwalk Inn which includes a full continental breakfast in the room rate. So breakfasts were quick and convenient. Plenty of fresh cut fruit like cantaloupe, honeydew melon, strawberries and pineapple, yogurt, cinnamon buns, croissants and other pastries, bagels for toasting along with cream cheese, peanut butter, jams and jellies, cereals like fruit loops and raisin bran, whole milk and no-fat milk, chocolate milk, orange and apple juice, coffee and tea. There were also bowls filled with apples, oranges and bananas. A great start to every day.
For Lunches, we had casual counter service in the parks. For dinners, we had a PS every night at a different Disney restaurant. Budgeted $50 per lunch and $125 per dinner for our immediate family of five. I am so glad we had a PS for dinner every night. The parks and restaurants were all very busy and we would not have got into anything without them, especially with our large group. Even if you are unsure of where to go, I would recommend making a PS for dinner at any restaurant you might be interested in. We overheard many people being turned away unless they had a Priority Seating.
Day 1: Dinner at Spoodles on the Boardwalk. PS at 8:30 pm. Checked in at 8:25 pm. Seated at 8:40 pm at one table of 12, although PS only had us at 2 tables. We realized with a total group of 12 people, that it would take some time to be seated. Keeping that in mind, we learned to go with the flow and not get too anxious about waiting. The kids were not interested in anything on the regular menu and had no trouble ordering from the kids menu, despite their ages. DH ordered the steak while I ordered the Osso Buco, which was absolutely delicious. We also ordered a bottle of red wine, shared by DH, DFIL, DBIL and myself. DMIL and DSIL had water. Total costs with tax and 15% automatic gratuity was $315 for 12 people.
Day 2: Lunch at Pinocchio's Village Haus, Magic Kingdom. I tried the salad, which was comprised of mixed greens, peach slices, walnuts and blue cheese in a vinaigrette dressing. It was very nice, but the dressing was a bit tart. DH had the cheeseburger and fries, which was good but nothing special. DS just had fries, while our two DS's had the cheeseburger from the regular menu, as only hotdogs were available from the kids menu. Total cost including beverages for 5 people was $34 including tax.
Dinner at Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki, Epcot. PS at 5:45 pm. Arrived by 6:00 pm. Seated by 6:15 pm (I learned very quickly that it was very difficult to get a group of 12 people moving quickly). Split us into two groups, but in the same room. The kids all sat together with another couple, while the adults sat together with another couple, as the counter around each cooking station seats 8 people. The kids had a blast by themselves and got off to a good start by saying "Kanichiwa (which means hello in Japanese) to their server, who was very impressed. Excellent food and very entertaining, although pricey. Kids meals were $117 while the adults meals with a glass or two of wine or beer for the 4 drinkers in our group was $308, both including taxes and tips.
Day 3: MGM-Disney Studios - Since we had an early PS for dinner with the Fantasmic Dinner Package, DD1 and I shared a frozen lemonade from Anaheim Produce which was delicious and some McDonald's fries from Fairfax Fries for a mid afternoon snack. Total cost for 2 was under $5. DH, DD2 and DS just snacked on crackers back at BWI Concierge, since they had left early to go for a pool break.
Dinner at Hollywood & Vine in MGM. PS at 4:40 pm. Arrived at 4:35 pm and waited about 15 minutes. Seated at 2 tables of six adjacent to each other. Although I have dined at both Mama Melrose and Brown Derby on a previous visit, I was happy that I made this PS, as having a buffet with so many great choices was the best thing for our large group. We had salads first along with peel and eat cold shrimp. Hot items included pasta, chicken, grilled salmon and steak, which they carved in thin strips and was very good. The dessert bar included soft serve ice cream - vanilla, chocolate and twist with various candy toppings along with mini finger desserts like pumpkin tarts, brownies and assorted slices. There was also warm apple cobbler and blueberry cobbler. I tried pecan caramel slice with a bit of vanilla soft serve. It was lovely. Non-alcoholic beverages were included for everyone, although DH, DFIL, DBIL and myself all ordered a beer. Total cost was $349 including automatic 15% gratuity and tax for 12 people. The downside is that anyone over 9 years old is charged the adult price of $23.99. Still figured it was worth it, as we had guaranteed seating to Fantasmic.
Day 4: Non-Park Day - Lunch at Cheesecake Factory in the Millenia Mall. Nice to sit down and have a break. Food was plentiful and delicious. Total cost was $75 for 4 adults and 1 kid. I had a glass of wine while DH ordered a beer, while DFIL had an Irish coffee and DMIL had a hot chocolate. Others in our group went to food court. I gave our two DDs a $20 bill and never saw the change.
For dinner, the kids were happy to stay in the rooms and order room service from the Boardwalk. They ordered pizza which supposedly came from Spoodles but they didnt like it, for whatever reason. The adults all ate at Flying Fish Café on the Boardwalk. PS at 7:45 pm. Arrived at 7:35 pm. Seated by 8:00 pm. The food was very good but very eclectic not for the ordinary taste buds. Glad the kids were not with us. DH and I shared the Peeky Toe crab cake appetizer as I heard they were a specialty of the house. It was very good. I ordered the halibut, while DH ordered Mahi Mahi, both of which were excellent. I was able to switch the side dish that came with my fish from another entrée that I preferred without any problem. Total cost for 6 was $295 including tax and tip. I had a glass of white wine, while DH, DFIL and DBIL shared a bottle of red wine. You guessed it, DMIL and DSIL had water.
Day 5: Princess Storybook Breakfast, Restaurant Akershus in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot. PS at 11:10 am. Seated at two round tables of 6 by 11:30 am. Great interaction with Mary Poppins, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, Jasmine and Snow White. When we were seated, a plate of cinnamon buns and a bowl of fresh cut fruit were already on the table. The server came around with coffee and juices. She then brought out skillets filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and hash browns that were easily refilled when emptied. It was nice to have a full breakfast after a few days of continental breakfasts.
Dinner at California Grill. PS at 7:50 pm. Arrived at 7:55 pm. Once we took the elevator upstairs, we were told it would be quite a wait for our group, so we tried to find a seat in the lounge. Enjoyed an awesome view of Magic Kingdom and the castle from the panoramic windows from this top floor restaurant of the Contemporary Resort. After 20 minutes, we were told we could have two tables of 6 in opposite sides of the restaurant in about 10 minutes or a table of 12 in about 20 minutes, so we decided to wait it out. Our original PS was split up into 3 tables, but they didn't even have 3 smaller tables available. We didnt get seated until 9:00 pm, after waiting over an hour. I didnt mind so much as I was enjoying my 2nd Cosmopolitan at this point. DSIL and kids had had enough and decided to leave just as we were called to be seated. Our kids were real troupers and enjoyed coloring and doodling on paper tablecloths. The food here was the best meal so far. DH and I shared a sushi appetizer. DH ordered steak, while DMIL and DFIL both had pork tenderloin. After being disappointed that there was no tuna at Flying Fish Café, I was thrilled to order the grilled tuna. It was fantastic. DD1 had pumpkin soup and the ravioli appetizer, DD2 just had ginger ale and they brought her some goldfish crackers, which she happily nibbled on, while DS had Mickey shaped pasta. I didnt see the bill for this meal, but it was probably close to $300. DFIL and DMIL were able to share a half bottle of white wine, while DH and myself shared a half bottle of red wine. This was a nice option if you didnt want a full bottle of wine.
Day 6: Lunch at Cosmic Rays in Magic Kingdom. Lots of choices for everyone but separate lineups for different food offerings meant it took a lot longer. I had the roasted chicken sandwich with came with fries or a bag of fresh carrots. I opted for the carrots, as the sandwich was plenty filling. It was a fresh roasted boneless breast of chicken where you could top it with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms, and condiments like mustard or mayo. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for an alternative to burgers or hot dogs. DD1 had a Caesar salad with chicken, which was also yummy, but we had to line up again on the other side to order this one. DD2 had a cheeseburger and DS had a hot dog from the third food station, but were able to line up with my two nieces. Yes, it was just 5 kids, and myself as everyone else in our group went back to meet some relatives and had lunch at ESPN Club on the Boardwalk. Total cost for 6 was about $40.
Dinner at 1900 Park Fare for Cinderellas Gala Feast, Grand Floridian Resort. The buffet food here was very good but the real treat were the characters. We met Fairy Godmother in the restaurant lobby and had visits from the two mice, Suzy and Perla, along with Cinderella and Prince Charming. The buffet had lots of great choices featuring prime rib. The buffets are great for large groups, but the trade off is that everyone over 9 years old has to pay the adult fare.
Thats it in a not so little nutshell. We tried to mix up the restaurants to experience a little bit different each night and we really succeeded. All our meals were absolutely delicious, although definitely not cheap! For a longer trip, I dont think Id have a big dinner every night, but for 6 nights, it was great to experience a wonderful mix of Disney restaurants and not cook or do the dishes for an entire week!!!
Breakfasts: We stayed on the Concierge Level at the Boardwalk Inn which includes a full continental breakfast in the room rate. So breakfasts were quick and convenient. Plenty of fresh cut fruit like cantaloupe, honeydew melon, strawberries and pineapple, yogurt, cinnamon buns, croissants and other pastries, bagels for toasting along with cream cheese, peanut butter, jams and jellies, cereals like fruit loops and raisin bran, whole milk and no-fat milk, chocolate milk, orange and apple juice, coffee and tea. There were also bowls filled with apples, oranges and bananas. A great start to every day.
For Lunches, we had casual counter service in the parks. For dinners, we had a PS every night at a different Disney restaurant. Budgeted $50 per lunch and $125 per dinner for our immediate family of five. I am so glad we had a PS for dinner every night. The parks and restaurants were all very busy and we would not have got into anything without them, especially with our large group. Even if you are unsure of where to go, I would recommend making a PS for dinner at any restaurant you might be interested in. We overheard many people being turned away unless they had a Priority Seating.
Day 1: Dinner at Spoodles on the Boardwalk. PS at 8:30 pm. Checked in at 8:25 pm. Seated at 8:40 pm at one table of 12, although PS only had us at 2 tables. We realized with a total group of 12 people, that it would take some time to be seated. Keeping that in mind, we learned to go with the flow and not get too anxious about waiting. The kids were not interested in anything on the regular menu and had no trouble ordering from the kids menu, despite their ages. DH ordered the steak while I ordered the Osso Buco, which was absolutely delicious. We also ordered a bottle of red wine, shared by DH, DFIL, DBIL and myself. DMIL and DSIL had water. Total costs with tax and 15% automatic gratuity was $315 for 12 people.
Day 2: Lunch at Pinocchio's Village Haus, Magic Kingdom. I tried the salad, which was comprised of mixed greens, peach slices, walnuts and blue cheese in a vinaigrette dressing. It was very nice, but the dressing was a bit tart. DH had the cheeseburger and fries, which was good but nothing special. DS just had fries, while our two DS's had the cheeseburger from the regular menu, as only hotdogs were available from the kids menu. Total cost including beverages for 5 people was $34 including tax.
Dinner at Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki, Epcot. PS at 5:45 pm. Arrived by 6:00 pm. Seated by 6:15 pm (I learned very quickly that it was very difficult to get a group of 12 people moving quickly). Split us into two groups, but in the same room. The kids all sat together with another couple, while the adults sat together with another couple, as the counter around each cooking station seats 8 people. The kids had a blast by themselves and got off to a good start by saying "Kanichiwa (which means hello in Japanese) to their server, who was very impressed. Excellent food and very entertaining, although pricey. Kids meals were $117 while the adults meals with a glass or two of wine or beer for the 4 drinkers in our group was $308, both including taxes and tips.
Day 3: MGM-Disney Studios - Since we had an early PS for dinner with the Fantasmic Dinner Package, DD1 and I shared a frozen lemonade from Anaheim Produce which was delicious and some McDonald's fries from Fairfax Fries for a mid afternoon snack. Total cost for 2 was under $5. DH, DD2 and DS just snacked on crackers back at BWI Concierge, since they had left early to go for a pool break.
Dinner at Hollywood & Vine in MGM. PS at 4:40 pm. Arrived at 4:35 pm and waited about 15 minutes. Seated at 2 tables of six adjacent to each other. Although I have dined at both Mama Melrose and Brown Derby on a previous visit, I was happy that I made this PS, as having a buffet with so many great choices was the best thing for our large group. We had salads first along with peel and eat cold shrimp. Hot items included pasta, chicken, grilled salmon and steak, which they carved in thin strips and was very good. The dessert bar included soft serve ice cream - vanilla, chocolate and twist with various candy toppings along with mini finger desserts like pumpkin tarts, brownies and assorted slices. There was also warm apple cobbler and blueberry cobbler. I tried pecan caramel slice with a bit of vanilla soft serve. It was lovely. Non-alcoholic beverages were included for everyone, although DH, DFIL, DBIL and myself all ordered a beer. Total cost was $349 including automatic 15% gratuity and tax for 12 people. The downside is that anyone over 9 years old is charged the adult price of $23.99. Still figured it was worth it, as we had guaranteed seating to Fantasmic.
Day 4: Non-Park Day - Lunch at Cheesecake Factory in the Millenia Mall. Nice to sit down and have a break. Food was plentiful and delicious. Total cost was $75 for 4 adults and 1 kid. I had a glass of wine while DH ordered a beer, while DFIL had an Irish coffee and DMIL had a hot chocolate. Others in our group went to food court. I gave our two DDs a $20 bill and never saw the change.
For dinner, the kids were happy to stay in the rooms and order room service from the Boardwalk. They ordered pizza which supposedly came from Spoodles but they didnt like it, for whatever reason. The adults all ate at Flying Fish Café on the Boardwalk. PS at 7:45 pm. Arrived at 7:35 pm. Seated by 8:00 pm. The food was very good but very eclectic not for the ordinary taste buds. Glad the kids were not with us. DH and I shared the Peeky Toe crab cake appetizer as I heard they were a specialty of the house. It was very good. I ordered the halibut, while DH ordered Mahi Mahi, both of which were excellent. I was able to switch the side dish that came with my fish from another entrée that I preferred without any problem. Total cost for 6 was $295 including tax and tip. I had a glass of white wine, while DH, DFIL and DBIL shared a bottle of red wine. You guessed it, DMIL and DSIL had water.
Day 5: Princess Storybook Breakfast, Restaurant Akershus in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot. PS at 11:10 am. Seated at two round tables of 6 by 11:30 am. Great interaction with Mary Poppins, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, Jasmine and Snow White. When we were seated, a plate of cinnamon buns and a bowl of fresh cut fruit were already on the table. The server came around with coffee and juices. She then brought out skillets filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and hash browns that were easily refilled when emptied. It was nice to have a full breakfast after a few days of continental breakfasts.
Dinner at California Grill. PS at 7:50 pm. Arrived at 7:55 pm. Once we took the elevator upstairs, we were told it would be quite a wait for our group, so we tried to find a seat in the lounge. Enjoyed an awesome view of Magic Kingdom and the castle from the panoramic windows from this top floor restaurant of the Contemporary Resort. After 20 minutes, we were told we could have two tables of 6 in opposite sides of the restaurant in about 10 minutes or a table of 12 in about 20 minutes, so we decided to wait it out. Our original PS was split up into 3 tables, but they didn't even have 3 smaller tables available. We didnt get seated until 9:00 pm, after waiting over an hour. I didnt mind so much as I was enjoying my 2nd Cosmopolitan at this point. DSIL and kids had had enough and decided to leave just as we were called to be seated. Our kids were real troupers and enjoyed coloring and doodling on paper tablecloths. The food here was the best meal so far. DH and I shared a sushi appetizer. DH ordered steak, while DMIL and DFIL both had pork tenderloin. After being disappointed that there was no tuna at Flying Fish Café, I was thrilled to order the grilled tuna. It was fantastic. DD1 had pumpkin soup and the ravioli appetizer, DD2 just had ginger ale and they brought her some goldfish crackers, which she happily nibbled on, while DS had Mickey shaped pasta. I didnt see the bill for this meal, but it was probably close to $300. DFIL and DMIL were able to share a half bottle of white wine, while DH and myself shared a half bottle of red wine. This was a nice option if you didnt want a full bottle of wine.
Day 6: Lunch at Cosmic Rays in Magic Kingdom. Lots of choices for everyone but separate lineups for different food offerings meant it took a lot longer. I had the roasted chicken sandwich with came with fries or a bag of fresh carrots. I opted for the carrots, as the sandwich was plenty filling. It was a fresh roasted boneless breast of chicken where you could top it with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms, and condiments like mustard or mayo. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for an alternative to burgers or hot dogs. DD1 had a Caesar salad with chicken, which was also yummy, but we had to line up again on the other side to order this one. DD2 had a cheeseburger and DS had a hot dog from the third food station, but were able to line up with my two nieces. Yes, it was just 5 kids, and myself as everyone else in our group went back to meet some relatives and had lunch at ESPN Club on the Boardwalk. Total cost for 6 was about $40.
Dinner at 1900 Park Fare for Cinderellas Gala Feast, Grand Floridian Resort. The buffet food here was very good but the real treat were the characters. We met Fairy Godmother in the restaurant lobby and had visits from the two mice, Suzy and Perla, along with Cinderella and Prince Charming. The buffet had lots of great choices featuring prime rib. The buffets are great for large groups, but the trade off is that everyone over 9 years old has to pay the adult fare.
Thats it in a not so little nutshell. We tried to mix up the restaurants to experience a little bit different each night and we really succeeded. All our meals were absolutely delicious, although definitely not cheap! For a longer trip, I dont think Id have a big dinner every night, but for 6 nights, it was great to experience a wonderful mix of Disney restaurants and not cook or do the dishes for an entire week!!!
