Dining Reviews Sep 2008 & Feb 2009 Update 8/13 - Complete!

[disneyfav4ever]

Hello everyone, I got back a few days ago from twleve nights in the World. I was on the deluxe plan, and had a total of thirty table service meals.

It was a lot of food, more then I would ever normally eat, but it was totally worth it, and I ate at some wonderful restaurants. I enjoyed almost everything, though some stuff really stood out, and a few things were dissapointing.

I also have pictures of all the food from the table service restaurants, as well as all my drinks, but not my snacks, as it was just too complicated to take out my camera when I was trying to eat while walking around the parks.

I really want to get started on these reviews as soon as possible, and hope not to drag them out forever, but even if I'm able to write a review a day, it would still take a month to write them all.

The reviews to follow, (in order,) are;

Planet Hollywood
California Grill
Cinderella's Royal Table
Crystal Palace - Lunch
Artist Point
Yak and Yeti
Jiko
Cape May Cafe
Yachtsman Steakhouse - Part One
Yachtsman Steakhouse - Part Two
Coral Reef
Spoodles
The Wave
Ohana - Dinner
Raglan Road
Boma
Tusker House
Rainforest Cafe
Kona Cafe
Akershus
Le Cellier
1900 Park Fare
Brown Derby
Beaches and Cream
Flying Fish
Crystal Palace - Breakfast
Grand Floridian Cafe
Citricos
Tokyo Dining
Narcoossees
Ohana - Breakfast
Snacks Around the World
Drinks Around the World
Tips & Cost Breakdown
My Thoughts on the Deluxe Dining Plan

February 2009

Introduction
Rose & Crown
Narcoossees
Tusker House
Yak and Yeti
Boma
50's Prime Time Cafe
Brown Derby
Grand Floridian Cafe
Citricos
Liberty Tree Tavern
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Akershus
Tutto Italia
Territory Lounge
Chef Mickey's
California Grill
Crystal Palace
Cost of Meals / Tips

 

[John's Mom]

Count me in!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I would like to start this by talking a little bit about myself and my likes and dislikes before I get into the actual reviews.

For those of you who don't know, I am 24 years old and have been going to Disney at least once a year solo ever since I turned 21. This was my fourth solo trip, and my longest one yet, with the most meals yet.

I am usually not a big breakfast eater, my breakfast most mornings is diet Coke, but I love the characters, and had all those credits to use, so I had six different character breakfasts at Cinderella's Royal Table, Cape May Cafe, Tusker House, Akershus, Crystal Palace, and Ohana. I thought that lineup gave me a nice variety of food, as well as characters.

I work late most of the time, so my big meal of the day when I'm at home is usually lunch, so I had no problem with the three course meal and having a nice big steak or something for lunch, especially on the days I didn't have breakfasts.

Dinner was another matter. I was never hungry, and if I hadn't had the deluxe dining plan, I would of probably cancelled some of my meals. But, since I did have the plan, and the meals were already paid for. . .

As far as my likes and dislikes go I will eat almost anything. I do however really enjoy nice steaks and good seafood, certain fruits like pears, peaches, and bananas, and my three favorite desserts of all time are creme brulee, cheesecake, and bread pudding. The only thing I really hate are mushrooms.

Also I gave a little rule to myself that at every a la carte restaurant, I would order something that I hadn't ordered before, and try as much new stuff as possible. I also listened to the servers recommendations a lot, even if I wasn't sure about something. I was pleasantly suprised by some of my selections.

 

[jeminni]

I'm in

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Count me in!

I'm in

Hello and welcome to both of you.

 

[CanadianPaco]

I'm in - can't wait to read all about it!

 

[MickeyNicki]

OMIGOD I am so excited I cannot sit still....BRING IT ON!

 

[HonnyDipp]

I'm in!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I'm in - can't wait to read all about it!

OMIGOD I am so excited I cannot sit still....BRING IT ON!

I'm in!

Welcome! I am writing the Planet Hollywood review now, it should be up soon.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I would just like to add one small request before I start my reviews. Please don't take any of my pictures and use them on other sites without my permission. I don't care if they are posted elsewhere on the DIS, but I'd like them to stay on the DIS.

I've seen my pictures on other sites before, and maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal, since it's just pictures of food, but they are my pictures, and I find it rude to take them and repost them without asking.

I know a lot of DISers probably wouldn't do this, but it has happened before, to a picture I only posted on the DIS, so I just wanted to post this. Thank you for understanding.

Will now be posting the Planet Hollywood review.

 

[HonnyDipp]

Have you thought about leaving watermarks on your pics?

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Can't wait for the reviews. Some great restaurants

 

[raftislander]

This looks like fun. I may gain weight just reading about these meals!

 

[TigerKat]

I AM SO READY!!!!!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

After an early morning flight, which actually arrived early, and put me ahead of schedule, and checking in to my resort, I was hungry, and decided to find some lunch.

I wasn't going to a park this day, I only had a ten day ticket, but had eleven full days in Disney, so my only options were the resort restaurants, and the restaurants at Downtown Disney.

Since I had booked a Magic Your Way package I had recieved a $15 voucher for Planet Hollywood, so I decided to give that a try. I had never eaten there before, so any chance I have to try a new restaurant, is a good thing, especially since I had that voucher.

Planet Hollywood is at Downtown Disney in Pleasure Island, and after a lucky break of getting a bus right away to Downtown Disney Marketplace, I made the short walk over there.

I arrived at the restaurant at about 12:30, and was seated at a small table for two right away. Planet Hollywood is a huge restaurant with three levels, but it seems that they only use the ground level at lunch. My first thought was that it was very crowded, with the tables very close together. It was also very noisy, which didn't bother me, but if I had been with someone it would've been very hard to have a conversation.

Some of the noise came from a giant movie screen in the middle of the room, which was surronded by cutouts of characters from movies, I noticed Richard Gere and Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman, one of my favorite movies, right away. They showed movie clips, music videos, and stuff like that throughout the meal, which I found entertaining, and there were also two smaller tvs that showed top ten lists and such.

My server today was Alicia, and she was very nice, but a little slow. I noticed she had six or seven tables, so it wasn't so much that she was slow, but just very busy.

For my main meal I had an appetizer, the burger sliders, which were three small golf ball-sized cheeseburgers, topped with Russian dressing and pickles. The menu said they were served with waffle fries, but they came with potato chips.

These were good, but nothing special, and I felt the portion was very small for the price. Though I wasn't really paying for this, so it didn't bother me, but if I was paying out of pocket, it wouldn't of been worth it.

For dessert I had bananas foster cheesecake. It was a nice light slice of cheesecake, with a large amount of bananas foster sauce.

For those of you who don't know bananas foster is a sauce made from rum, brown sugar, and butter, with sliced bananas. It is one of my favorite desserts, ever since the first time I had it back in high school.

I thought the cheesecake and the sauce went nicely together, except with the amount of sauce it was quite rich, and I wasn't able to eat all of it.

After my meal I was told I could go up to the second and third levels if I wanted to and look at all the movie memorabilla. I did, and saw quite a few props from movies I have seen.

Overall I liked Planet Hollywood, but I didn't think it was anything that special, and overpriced for small portioned basic food, so I don't think I'll be returning, unless I get another voucher. I am glad I ate there once though, and got to see all the movie memorabilla, I thought that was pretty cool.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Have you thought about leaving watermarks on your pics?

That's a good idea, as you can see, I used it.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Can't wait for the reviews. Some great restaurants

This looks like fun. I may gain weight just reading about these meals!

I AM SO READY!!!!!

Hello everyone, I hope you enjoy reading my reviews.

 

[DisneyJo]

Great review so far, I don't like bananas but that cheesecake looks yummy

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Great review so far, I don't like bananas but that cheesecake looks yummy

That sauce is really good for a lot of fruit. My cousin and I were cooking dinner for our family together once and were doing grilled pineapple with a rum sauce, and the recipe for the sauce was the same as for bananas foster.

 

[disneydreamin247]

I loveeee bananas foster. When I went to Vegas I stayed at the Bellagio and they have a bananas foster waffle. I ate one EVERY day. I can't wait to hear the rest!