Do You Wanna Eat Some Breakfast? Or Maybe Lunch and Dinner Too?

[bellebookworm9]

"Do you wanna eat some breakfast?
Or maybe lunch and dinner too?
I think a food review is overdue,
I've started drooling at the pictures in these threads!"

Sorry, it's 5am and I'm a little loopy! We are leaving for our trip in a mere 6.5 hours and I'm hoping to do a live dining review (my favorite)!

Here's our list of where we'll be eating.

December 14th
-Dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe
-Frozen Premium Holiday Dessert Party

December 15th
-Lunch at Via Napoli
-Dinner at Kringla Bakeri
-Holidays Around the World Snacks

December 16th
-Lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks
-Dinner at Hoop Dee Doo!

December 17th
-Lunch at Restaurant Marrakesh for the Candlelight Processional Package
-Dinner at French Bakery

December 18th
-Lunch at Kona Cafe
-Dinner at Pecos Bill's

December 19th
-Breakfast at Olivia's Cafe
-Lunch at Riverside Mill

 

[bam1004]

Can't wait to see your reviews!!!

 

[ksack]

On pins & needles to hear more!!

 

[EmilieK]

Hehe I actually heard that exsact melody when I read the headline and then opend the thread to see that was what you ment! Am looking forward to hear about all that yummy food, have a great trip!

 

[Whatsername]

Super excited for your reviews!

 

[EvilQueensRock]

We are right behind you! Leaving on Wednesday. I've been contemplating starting my review NOW and updating as I go. Just may follow your lead as things at work today have been a little slow, and well, let's face it, I'm pretty much worthless from now until the 26th.

Can't wait to follow along!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Argh! I started getting sick (sinus stuff) the day before we left. That progressed to my throat and now into my chest. I've been wanting to write but most of my downtime has been spent sleeping, trying to get better! I just made a late night trip to Centracare and then Walgreens for some antibiotics/cough medicine to help with this "acute upper respiratory infection". We're taking the morning off tomorrow so hopefully I can update then!

 

[ksack]

Argh! I started getting sick (sinus stuff) the day before we left. That progressed to my throat and now into my chest. I've been wanting to write but most of my downtime has been spent sleeping, trying to get better! I just made a late night trip to Centracare and then Walgreens for some antibiotics/cough medicine to help with this "acute upper respiratory infection". We're taking the morning off tomorrow so hopefully I can update then!

Feel better soon!

 

[HandA]

I'll definitely tune in for that Marrakesh review. It has been on my list, but haven't been able to talk the wife into it yet.

 

[ariane37]

I'll definitely tune in for that Marrakesh review. It has been on my list, but haven't been able to talk the wife into it yet.

Interested, too! We've wanted to eat there for awhile and are thinking of adding it to our quick anniversary trip in March. Every time I come across a positive review its followed by a couple negative ones but think we're gonna do it anyway.

Hope you felt better today!

 

[Aurora0427]

I'll definitely tune in for that Marrakesh review. It has been on my list, but haven't been able to talk the wife into it yet.

I'm not the OP, but RM has been our favorite for the past 6 trips. We ate there on 12/14, and for the first time, I was disappointed. BUT- I typically order one of the couscous dishes, and this time I ordered the chicken kebobs. They were super dry. But my husband enjoyed his fish tanjine, so maybe I just ordered the wrong dish!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Alright, so it's not live and it's a week belated, but let's get started, shall we?

50s Prime Time Cafe
This was my 5th time eating here since 2010! Our original plan for the evening was to give Boatwright's a try, but nothing on the menu was screaming EAT ME! So I was able to get an ADR at 50s for 5:20pm for two people. At the last minute my friend PB decided to join us so we figured we'd ask at the podium and hope for the best.

My mom's scooter delivery was set for 4-5 pm at POFQ, but it came at like 4:55. We sped to the Studios (thank God for rental cars, I dread to think about what a disaster this could have been trying to take a bus) and then there was a massive backup in the parking lot. PB was already there so I asked him to please check us in while we navigated our way through the slowly merging line. He was able to do so and they called us really fast! Mom and I hadn't even made it to the restaurant yet, which was a bit irritating to the CMs (understandably so, but hey, stuff happens).

It was no problem to add PB to the reservation and we were seated at a table with a TV in the small room right near the bathrooms. Our server, "Little John" arrived shortly thereafter and sat right down at the table with us to acclimate us to the restaurant and take our orders. He was too funny! We were introduced by name to everyone else in the section and he even told us all of their names-that's some true dedication! We were ready to order and when PB started, Little John interrupted him and said, "Ladies first". He gave us the rundown of how to behave and had us set the table.

PB and I each ordered a PB&J shake and John recommended it with chocolate ice cream because it tastes just like a Reese's cup. Dead on description and so good! We also asked for water. Since we had two drinks, he brought Mom two glasses of Coke!

As he was taking our orders back to the kitchen, he kept peeking around the corner and giving Mom the "I'm watching you" gesture.

PB started with the Onion Rings ($6.99) and Mom and I shared the Fried Herb and Garlic Cheese ($8.99). No pics of the onion rings because I think we all know what those look like, but here's the fried cheese (photo from 2012).

For entrees, PB and I both had the pot roast ($19.99) which was as delicious as it's been the last few times I've had it. I'm not sure if the portion got smaller or I was exceptionally hungry but I ate every last bite! So did PB, he actually used his fingers to wipe up the last drops of the gravy. Little John gave him about 20 Clean Plate Club stickers, which made PB's day, since he literally has drawers full of stickers.

Mom tried something new and went with Dad's Stuffed Pork Chop:
Gouda Cheese, Cranberry, Apples, and Herbs served with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots. In her words, "pure awesomeness".

We sang happy birthday to another "family member" in our section and I'm sure there were other shenanigans as well. This is what keeps us coming back time and time again. Dessert was declined, since it was time for the...

Frozen Premium Holiday Package Dessert Party
I booked this spur of the moment two days beforehand. It includes reserved seating at the Sing Along show, which I knew we wouldn't be using due to the timing of our day. It also includes reserved viewing of the Osborne Lights, a number of desserts, specialty alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and a special lithograph and pin. All this can be yours for the ridiculous price of $89/person. I booked it partly for the desserts, but mostly to have a place to watch the lights without fighting the crowds.

When we had entered the park, I saw that check in for the package was located at the Sid Cahuenga shop, so that's where I went while Mom and PB were taking care of the check at 50s. After waiting in line for a few minutes, a CM informed me that since it was now 7pm (when the party officially starts), check in would be at the party location. They've also changed where you enter the Lights area; now the entrance is from the Backlot Tour side, as opposed to around by the Muppets. I didn't know exactly where the party was happening, and it did take us a few minutes to find the gate (way around the back by Lights, Motors, Action). The CM said she'd been waiting for us and that we were the last group to arrive.

Mom parked her ECV outside and we ventured in...and were very disappointed. First of all, I had requested wheelchair accessibility, but there were only three tables designated for that and they were all full. The only tables that were obviously open were standing only. After we gathered our first batch of desserts, we found a table with seating that appeared to be abandoned (it was), and just pushed the previous occupants' garbage to the side to make do with what we could.

The view was certainly not bad:

We were right under the giant globe:

Here's my plate. On top we have a vanilla Elsa cupcake (they also had chocolate Anna ones). The Olaf cake pop had a carrot cake top and chocolate cake bottom, and the top was white chocolate (picture of Olaf not edible). There's also a Double Chocolate Smores Tart on the bottom left, a Snow Queen Cream Puff on the top right, a Valley of the Living Rock Rice Crispie on bottom right, and a Sven Key Lime Tart hiding somewhere.

Mom had several of the same things I did, with the addition of the Fondue-Infused Brownie, which she said was amazing. She had two helpings, one topped with fresh whipped cream!

Honestly, I thought the best thing was the Rice Crispie treats. The cake pop seemed mushy, like it wasn't baked thoroughly. The cupcake was boring. I didn't love either the Smores or Key Lime tarts. The Cream Puff tasted odd and the sparkly topping had a weird, very hard texture. They also had a No Sugar Added Lemon Curd and a variety of ice cream/frozen treats, which we didn't try. Maybe it was that I was so full from dinner still, or maybe the desserts really weren't that great, but it was definitely not worth $89. We also didn't try any of the specialty drinks, but did have quite a few mini bottled waters.

I planned ahead and brought some sandwich baggies with us. We took a few crispies for the road, as well as a cake pop to bring home for my brother, and a couple of the bottled waters. The Lithograph and pin are nice but I'm giving mine away to someone who had to miss their party due to illness.

What I really can't figure out is why this party is so darn expensive. The Wishes party at MK is only $25, but doesn't include alcohol. The IllumiNations party is $49/person and does include alcohol, but there's no seating. I actually had that booked originally but found such poor reviews that I canceled it. So are they charging me $40 more for this to get the reserved seating to the sing along and for the lithograph and pin?

While it was nice to be able to watch the Lights dance without the crowds, I wouldn't do this again and I'd be hard pressed to recommend it to anyone else. We stayed in the area from about 7:15-8:00, which is when the park officially closed. The party area is open until 8:30. There were evening EMH that night but the crowds were dwindling, so we were able to enjoy the lights on the Streets of America for another 45 minutes without being crushed.

 

[hockeygirl14]

Following along! My guess might be the extra bonus of the reserved seating at the show + frozen jacks up the price.
All these good reviews for 50s lately makes me want to put it on my list for next time!

 

[EmilieK]

That cheese looks good, it's def on my list of must try stuff.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Following along! My guess might be the extra bonus of the reserved seating at the show + frozen jacks up the price.
All these good reviews for 50s lately makes me want to put it on my list for next time!

Yes, definitely try 50s! I've been giving it fantastic reviews since 2010. Had just okay service once out of five times, and stellar service and great food all the rest.

That cheese looks good, it's def on my list of must try stuff.

Yes! It's my go to appetizer there!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory
We were in the food court by 10:15am on Monday morning. Since it was so late, it was easy to find a seat and the different stations had no lines. Mom had a good old Mickey waffle with bacon and raspberries ($7.79) and I had a croissant sandwich with bacon, cheese, and eggs ($6.49).

No complaints about the Mickey waffle. The croissant sandwich was okay at best. There were two measly slices of bacon, the cheese was cold, and the eggs retained the shape of the scooper until I spread them out a bit!

Holidays Around the World: Joy of Tea Stand (China)
A little before 12:30, we were back in the World Showcase at Epcot and ready for a snack. Since we were waiting for the Chinese Lion Dance to start, our choice for the time being was the Joy of Tea Stand, featuring Kaikouxiao (Happy Face Fried Cake) ($3.99) for HATW. I also ordered us the non-alcoholic "Tipsy Ducks in Love" drink ($5.50), which consists of cold coffee and tea mixed with chocolate and topped with whipped cream.

The "cakes" were very good, but more like a cookie. They weren't soft at all and definitely had a crunch to them. Just a little bit sweet and very unique. We liked them a lot! Tipsy Ducks in Love was great too. It was refreshing and the tea helped make it a thirst quencher. Could barely taste the coffee (fine with us) and it had a bit of the tea as an aftertaste. I'm sure the alcoholic one is great too, if you like bourbon.

Gelato Stand (Italy)
I'm not a big wine drinker but I was recently introduced to Fior D'arancio (Moscato). To me it tastes like grape juice, which is great-I love it when I can't actually taste the alcohol! When I discovered they sell this in Epcot I knew I'd have to stop and get a glass ($8).

Via Napoli (Italy)
We had a lunch ADR at Via Napoli at 2pm. Cut it a little bit close rushing back from the Hanukkah storyteller next door in America but it was okay. We had to wait about 5-10 minutes before being seated but that was fine. I still love this chandelier in the foyer!

And they had some holiday cheer going on too.

We were seated in the back right corner of the restaurant. There is a children's entree that consists of Bocconcini (breaded and fried Mozzarella bites) and we thought about seeing if we could get that as an appetizer, but ended up foregoing any appetizer at all in favor of more snacks later. I remembered the Individual Quattro Formaggi (white pizza, mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, provolone, $21) being huge and very good from my last visit here in 2013, so we decided to share that.

They call it individual sized, but this was definitely big enough for two people to share! And it was just as good as I remembered. I love white pizza and I adore cheese so this is one of the best pizzas ever, as far as I'm concerned. Mom thought it was really good as well.

And for dessert, we ordered the same thing I had the last time, the Coppa Brutti Ma Buoni (“Ugly But Good” Amarena cherry & vanilla gelato sundae, $14).

Now, I definitely don't think this is worth $14, but it is still very good. And mom liked the little egg white cookie things much more than I did.

Holidays Around the World: La Cantina de San Angel (Mexico)
Later in the afternoon, around 5:30 or so, we stopped to get a snack from Mexico. I forgot to take a picture, so I'm borrowing from Disneyfoodblog.The holiday offering here was a Sweet Tamale ($3.95).

Almost $4 for one not very big tamale seems a bit steep to me. It's served in a corn husk, and then the actual tamale is almost like a corn bread. There's a fruit filling (guava?) and a strawberry drizzle. Ours had more filling on one end than the other. Very yummy, but I wish there had been more to it!


Kringla Bakeri og Kafe (Norway)
After watching Norway's storyteller, I stopped into the bakery for some dinner around 7:30pm. The CMs taking the orders got a bit confused as to the order of the line, as the couple ahead of me only wanted drinks and then the family behind me was ordering sandwiches and I kind of got lost in the shuffle. But eventually I emerged with a Ham & Apple Sandwich (Ham, Apple and Jarlsberg and Muenster Cheese with a Sweet Apple Chutney on Toasted Multigrain Bread, $7.49), a School Bread for Mom ($2.99), and a HATW specialty of Rice Cream ($2.49) for me. The patio was uncrowded and it was very easy to get a seat.

It's been ages since we last had that sandwich (May 2010, I think) but it was so good! And huge, definitely big enough for the both of us. Mom devoured her school bread and I did the same with my rice cream. It might have been even better without the strawberries, even though it seems a bit blasphemous to say so.


Karamel-Kuche and Holidays Around the World: Prost! Stand (Germany)
After dinner, we went to Germany for a two-fold snack stop. I sent Mom to the Prost! stand to grab the famous "Hot Salted Caramel" beverage while I went to the Karamel-Kuche shop to pick up a milk chocolate apple. Now, I've looked at these apples for at least three years but can never bring myself to buy one because they're $10! But when we had been in Germany earlier that day, they were giving out free samples of them and OH MY GOD I knew I was going to have to cave and buy one. It's a tart green apple dipped in caramel and then milk chocolate. SO GOOD! The line in the store was long but moved along pretty quickly. I also recently read that they will pre-slice the apple for you to avoid making a giant mess as you try to eat it. That was another reason I had always deterred buying one: how in the heck do you eat it?! But the slicing was so helpful. I didn't take a photo of this beautiful, delicious item, but you HAVE to go get one the next time your are there!

In the meantime, Mom was picking up some piping hot liquid caramel ($3.49).

This was AMAZING. Probably the single best thing at Epcot for the HATW that we sampled. It was so hot you could see the steam coming off it and since it was kind of a chilly night, that was much appreciated. We could only do baby sips for awhile. Then we had to walk super slowly up to WS Plaza for IllumiNations because the cup was full and I didn't want to spill it all over myself. Once it cooled down a bit, it got even thicker. I can't recommend this drink enough!

And that was the end of our day at Epcot!

 

[Sandy321]

oh that apple does seem decadent - glad to know they will cut it for me!

 

[bellebookworm9]

oh that apple does seem decadent - glad to know they will cut it for me!

Yes, I was so glad to find that out!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Sassagoula Floatworks
We were supposed to go to Crystal Palace for breakfast on Tuesday but I woke up super sick and we canceled last minute. Some people have reported calling to cancel and not being charged when the reason is illness, but that was not the case for me. I will say that for several days we simply got quick things from the food court for breakfast, and we had no complaints at all about the cheese danish, the cinnamon buns, or the blueberry muffins.

Tuesday afternoon I was feeling well enough to go get some lunch. PB met us there. Mom ordered a burger (no photo, I think we all know what that looks like), PB had macaroni and cheese with chicken (which he devoured before I could get a picture), and I had the meatball sub.

Nobody had any complaints about their food. Mom had the option of fries or bean salad, and she didn't want either but went with the fries. She told me she really wanted chips with her burger and I said she should've asked; they probably would have accommodated her request! She was also not pleased with the RFID disposable cups. The first cup of soda she got was too much syrup, not enough fizz, so she went to get another, and had to wait because it was too soon to refill.

For dessert, we split a three pack of beignets. I didn't take a picture but they were A LOT smaller than I remember. When I placed the order, there were two CMs at the counter. One said to come back in about five minutes to pick them up, so I did. But at that point only one CM was there and he was busy with the fryer. He ignored me for several minutes before finally turning around and handing me the container that I probably could have just grabbed, as it was sitting on the counter in front of me all along.

Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review
We had an 8:30 ADR at HDD. PB and I did it in March for the first time and he said we would have to come back with my mom, so we did! He gets 50% off at the first and last shows, so that's a huge bonus. We booked Category 1 seats this time. We lined up to get our photo taken:

They had all the wheelchairs/ECVs gather on the side porch to be seated first, even if they were transferring to a chair, as Mom was. It got a bit crowded over there, especially when someone from the previous show was trying to exit. But PB and I are excellent at crowd control and we managed to get everyone arranged.

Our table was #42, which had a fantastic view!

Lee was our server and she was not fun or funny at all. Rob served us the last time and had us in stitches but Lee didn't do anything above and beyond. She was also slow with the drink refills.

The salad and cornbread was waiting for us when we sat down:

We devoured both loaves of bread. The salad dressing was much better than I remembered the last time and I had a huge helping of salad.

Let's raise the roof inside the Hoop Dee Doo!

There were more chicken and ribs, I was just the last one to get the buckets.

My plate:

I still think those are the best potatoes EVER and Mom and PB agreed. Everything was delicious; I didn't care for the sauce on the ribs but they loved them and asked for seconds.

Decorations inside the Hall:

When Six Bits and Dolly Drew were playing their game of "my side is better than your side", we were on Six Bits' side, but PB did the "toot toot" so loud that Dolly Drew came down to pick on him, and proceeded to do so for the rest of the show!

Time for Strawberry Shortcake! Yum yum!

And then some truly awful bear jokes:

Fun with washboards to close out the evening:

PB was soooooo happy that he had finally been picked to be part of a show!

And he was famous! We took the internal bus back to the parking lot and people were commenting both on his lipstick mark and how they were riding the bus with PB!

All in all, another great evening at this show!

 

[vettegirl]

Great review of HDDR, I really need to get us over there on a future trip!