Discounted Food Is Always the Yummiest! Update 1/23

[bellebookworm9]

I'm baaaaaaaaack! We just got back from Disney three days ago, so I guess it's time to start my dining review! Now, what's this about discounted food, you ask? Well, when you sell your soul to Disney and work for them, you get some pretty awesome discounts. We were able to purchase the dining plan (our first time using it!) for $32.99/person/night. Plus I also received one each 50%, 40%, and 30% off meal coupons as part of the holiday celebration. Here's the list of places I'll be reviewing (they'll become active links once they're posted).

12/17/12
-Roaring Fork Lunch
-50s Prime Time Cafe Dinner

12/18/12
-Roaring Fork Breakfast/Snack
-Liberty Tree Tavern Dinner

12/19/12
-Crystal Palace Breakfast
-Flame Tree BBQ Lunch
-Trail's End Dinner

12/20/12
-Roaring Fork Breakfast
-Chefs de France Lunch
-Sunshine Seasons Dinner

12/21/12
-Whispering Canyon Breakfast
-Earl of Sandwich Lunch

 

[bellebookworm9]

We headed down to Roaring Fork for lunch around 1:45. This was our first time using the dining plan, but we didn't find it hard to figure out. We split this meal, and chose the Pork & Slaw Sandwich with a side of house made chips, and a Magic Cookie Bar.

The sandwich was very good. I was a little wary of the coleslaw being mixed with the pulled pork, but I shouldn't have been. The chips were a bit on the salty side, but I still enjoyed them-very similar to the chips served over at the Poly, which I love. And we thought the Cookie Bar was very good as well. I could have done without the coconut, not one of my favorite things to eat, but the rest was delicious!

 

[livinlife25]

Looks great!

 

[dad4dis]

Yum!

 

[Ro Z]

 

[debjk4]

I'm in! Can't wait for more!

 

[jecskc]

I'm in, too !! We loved Roaring Fork when we stayed at WLV in September. Just love that resort !!

 

[librarygeek]

Yum! I tried the magic cookie bar on my last visit, it was quite good! I found it very filling though.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Our ADR here was for 8:20pm. We checked in around 8:10, and Mom went to use the restroom while PB and I went to sit in the "living room". Well, we were called almost immediately and the hostess took us on the most circuitous route possible through the restaurant to a room that was basically off of the check in area. Mom never would have found us, so I went out to get her.

We were using a 50% off meal coupon here, which "included" an appetizer, entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage per person. For the appetizer, PB chose the onion rings, I got the Fried Herb and Garlic Cheese and Mom ordered the Blue Crab Salad. (I'm assuming everyone knows what onion rings look like, so no picture of that.)

Mom and PB loved their selections, and my fried cheese was delicious. I enjoyed the apple slices but the grapes were really, really sweet. There could have been more toasted bread as well, but I just ate the cheese by itself when I ran out, that's how good it was!

We went pretty standard with the entrees. Mom and PB both got the meatloaf. (I had it in January, so this picture is from that experience.)

I chose the Pot Roast.

Everything was delicious! Mom and I ended up taking leftovers home, but PB became a member of the clean plate club! He chose not to order desser, however. I asked for a PB&J shake for dessert and Mom asked our server, Carole, if they had something light that she could get to go. Carole recommended the smores. Mom had a few bites before we left and could not believe that it tasted like it had been cooked right over a fire!

Carole was an awesome waitress. She was fun without being over the top obnoxious. When we sat down to she reminded us to keep our elbows off the table and to set the table because we had chores. She fed a mom at another table the last bites of her dinner while we all made airplane noises. That family also had a Guest Relations our guide with them, and Carole fed him his vegetables while the whole room banged on the tables and yelled "Chugga Chugga Chugga!" Carole was also nice enough to explain to us that although the coupon "included" the appetizer, it did not have to be purchased. I thought the discount wouldn't apply unless everyone got all that was included, so that was nice to know. Mom said she would have been fine with an appetizer and dessert alone.

50s is our favorite (of the two we've tried) at DHS, and this was another great experience. Definitely go if you get the chance!

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Loved your last reviews and looking forward to these ones too. Great start.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Tuesday morning I went down to Roaring Fork for some breakfast to bring back to the room. We were originally going to order room service, but the current menu is different from any of the ones online, and none of the selections sounded all that great. So we checked the allears menu for Roaring Fork (also out of date) and Mom told me to get her pancakes and bacon. When I got down there, I was very happy to see they do have Mickey waffles, in three kinds: Strawberries & Cream, Chocolate Lover's, and Banana's Foster.

There was virtually no line at either station, and they even gave me fresh pancakes, even though there were still a few sitting in the serving dish.

I paid for this meal out of pocket, but I did get a 20% cast member discount. The food was absolutely delicious. Mom adored the pancakes and fruit, and my waffles were out of this world. A perfect start to the day!

That afternoon, we took our leftovers from 50s down to Roaring Fork to heat them up in the microwave, and we also used a snack credit to get a Carrot Cupcake for dessert.

This cupcake was massive! Very moist and the frosting was amazingly creamy-I think it may have topped the Carrot Cake Cookie from Writer's Stop at DHS! All of the cupcakes in the case looked good, and I wouldn't have minded trying the Smores one, but alas, we never got around to it.

 

[butiflfeet]

The Mickey waffles from Roaring Fork look delicious!

 

[librarygeek]

I'm going to 50's Prime Time next month and I'm looking forward to it! Everything looked tasty, but especially that crab salad and the s'mores! Also the waffles at Roaring Fork sound amazing.

 

[bellebookworm9]

The Mickey waffles from Roaring Fork look delicious!

Also the waffles at Roaring Fork sound amazing.

They were! I highly recommend them.

 

[bellebookworm9]

We entered Magic Kingdom right around 4pm and headed straight back to Liberty Tree Tavern. We've eaten there for lunch twice before, but never for dinner. Our ADR was for 4:25, and we were seated a few minutes before that. The table was in the room to the left right next to a pillar. Our server was Amy.

We were started off with some warm rolls with honey butter and a salad with strawberry vinaigrette dressing.

The rolls were amazing. The salad, not so much. We could barely taste any dressing and I thought it tasted entirely of onions. I think I ate two bites and then scooped it back into the bowl. Just gross.

Then came the entrees and sides. We had mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, green beans, roasted veggies, and the meat platter (pork, carved beef, and turkey) with stuffing under all the meat.

The mashed potatoes and mac 'n' cheese were great. I probably could have eaten that whole bowl of macaroni by myself! I tried the green beans and Mom had the other veggies. I thought the beans were too garlic-ey. I don't remember what she thought about the root veggies, so they couldn't have been too inspiring. The stuffing was fine. Neither of us tried the turkey but we both agreed the beef was the best of the meats.

In between courses, Mom took some pictures of me in my "costume".

Dessert was served and we loved it!

It was a vanilla cake with craisins and apples topped with ice cream. The texture was almost like a bread pudding, which I normally don't care for, but this was pretty delicious. And of course, Mom loves the vanilla ice cream!

We used my 40% off coupon here, which made the meal a little more affordable. Overall, we thought this was just kind of an average dining experience. Nothing really wowed us. We'd come back for lunch but not for dinner.

 

[librarygeek]

I haven't done Liberty Tree Tavern, and it's never really stuck out as me as something I've been dying to try. Your review certainly doesn't change that, though I agree that when I inevitably do it (I'm going to try every Disney restaurant at some point, of course!), I'll want to do lunch. Dinner just doesn't look all that special! Though I do love honey butter, and I'm disappointed to hear the salad was so onion-y, since I hate onions but strawberry vinaigrette sounds like it could be really good.

 

[lovedworld]

We have eaten there for both dinner and lunch. Both were good but in different ways. The dinner is served family style and there are alot of good things. The lunch has its own menu, I had the turkey dinner and I loved it and will be going back sometime to get it again. But the main thing I will be going back at lunch for is the ooey gooey toffe cake. Oh my goodness, I dream about it. Go for lunch and get it for sure.

 

[smiths02]

I haven't done Liberty Tree Tavern, and it's never really stuck out as me as something I've been dying to try. Your review certainly doesn't change that, though I agree that when I inevitably do it (I'm going to try every Disney restaurant at some point, of course!), I'll want to do lunch. Dinner just doesn't look all that special! Though I do love honey butter, and I'm disappointed to hear the salad was so onion-y, since I hate onions but strawberry vinaigrette sounds like it could be really good.

There have been reports of people requesting (and receiving) the rolls and honey butter at lunch

 

[orangetiggs]

Loving the report, tempted to try ltt after those pics

 

[bellebookworm9]

I haven't done Liberty Tree Tavern, and it's never really stuck out as me as something I've been dying to try. Your review certainly doesn't change that, though I agree that when I inevitably do it (I'm going to try every Disney restaurant at some point, of course!), I'll want to do lunch. Dinner just doesn't look all that special! Though I do love honey butter, and I'm disappointed to hear the salad was so onion-y, since I hate onions but strawberry vinaigrette sounds like it could be really good.

I had that goal too. But I've eaten at all the places I really wanted to try, and the menus at the other restaurants are just kind of "meh". Our lunch there in 2010 was awesome, one of the best meals of that trip. I also ate there in 2012 on my birthday, and while the entree (pot roast) was good, the dessert was pretty bad, and the appetizer had been changed from the previous visit-less food for the same price.

We have eaten there for both dinner and lunch. Both were good but in different ways. The dinner is served family style and there are alot of good things. The lunch has its own menu, I had the turkey dinner and I loved it and will be going back sometime to get it again. But the main thing I will be going back at lunch for is the ooey gooey toffe cake. Oh my goodness, I dream about it. Go for lunch and get it for sure.

Ooey gooey toffe cake! One of our favorites!

Loving the report, tempted to try ltt after those pics

Thanks for reading!