DXDP - Signature Restaurants. Your best and worst?

[jf256]

Evening All,

I have never been to WDW. But have been on these boards quite a lot over the last 6 months. We are going in September 2020 ( I know long time away). But we have the DXDP (Free UK dining upgraded for £580) for 10 days.

We are doing a cruise (DCL - 3 Night Dream) then 2 nights Royal Pacific Universal and then 10 days AKL.

I feel like they are going to have to roll us out - having visions of violet in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Anyway: A lot of the videos regarding signature restaurants rankings etc are quite old. I was watching the dis one with Pete and Craig and many of the 'worst' are no longer on property. (Dec 2017)

Was just wondering what you guys think?

Which ones are worth the 2 credits. Which are not?

Also: I have heard that on the DXDP some of the Springs 'signatures' are quite complicated. Does anyone have any experience of this?

We are planning on splitting a couple of counter service meals - as we only upgraded didn't pay full price. But will mostly do breakfast / lunch (1 Cred) and then a 2 Credit Signature.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[alltwelve]

We just returned from a long weekend WDW on the DxDP and did the Sunday brunch at Homecomin' (1 credit) and California Grill for dinner Monday night (2 credit). Originally, the plan was to follow up the Homecomin' brunch at 11am with a late dinner at Trattoria al Forno (1 credit), then have lunch at the Wave the following day (1 credit). After the Homecomin' brunch, however, we quickly realized there was absolutely no way we could have dinner that night (we both felt like Augustus Gloop!), so we went to the podium at Trattoria that night and explained the situation and they canceled our reservation without penalty.

We definitely got our plan's worth at Homecomin'! For a 1 credit restaurant, you get a lot of really good food! There were 2 of us, here is what we ordered:

Appetizers: Thigh-high chicken biscuits (great!) and Jasper board (good)
Entrees: Mahi and Shrimp (excellent!) and Hallelujah biscuit with grits (too much like the thigh-high chicken biscuits, but the grits that came with it were unbelievably good!)
Desserts: Key Lime Pie (okay) and Shine Cake (great!). We've had the hummingbird cake on a previous visit and were looking to try something new, but wish at least one of us had gotten it this time around
Drinks: Old Fashioned (excellent!) and Basil Haydens on the Rocks (also excellent!)

Total without gratuity: $144.84

California Grill was 2 credits, and though we did feel like it was a 2-credit restaurant, we both agreed that if we were paying out of pocket, we wouldn't have ordered as much as we did. The sushi and flatbreads offered there count as appetizers, which baffles me as some of the sushi rolls are pretty substantial and expensive. This is what we ordered:

Appetizers: Spicy Kazan sushi roll (sooo good!!!) and Cheese 5 ways (not that great)
Entree: Oak grilled filet (absolutely excellent!) and Alaskan Halibut (amazing sauce!)
Dessert: Chocolate Pudding Cake (not that good at all) and Creme Brulee (sadly disappointing)
Drinks: Sake Martini (unbelievably good!) and Sazerac (great!)

Total without gratuity: $226.85

For our snack credits, we got ice cream at Ample Hills at the Boardwalk Sunday night instead of the Trattoria dinner, which was a really good use of snack credits. The next day, we each got a bowl of chili at Wilderness Lodge as a small lunch, using our refillable mugs for drinks.

The DxDP was $232.50 total for us both and with the meals and snacks and mugs, we would've easily spent over $400 if we had paid out of pocket. I will say that Homecomin' is definitely worth 1 credit and CG is worth 2. However, if you get a chance to do the California Grill brunch instead, I think its a better meal and experience than the dinner, though the total saved versus out of pocket may not be as much as the dinner.

Have a great time!

 

[epcotobsessed]

Yachtsman and Jiko have been consistently excellent for us. Dinner at either can easily pay for the cost of an entire day on the DXDP, making it as if you get the other credit and two snacks for free. We also like Flying Fish and will be trying Narcoosee's for the first time in a long time this trip (I remember it being good but that was nearly 10 years ago). I think Monsieur Paul is NOT worth 2 credits but Chefs de France is one of the best uses of 1 credit.

 

[CraigInPA]

In the definitely worth it category are California Grill, Narcoossee's, Boathouse, and Jiko.

In the definitely not worth it category are Hollywood Brown Derby, Be Our Guest, and le Cellier. HBD because it is just not impressive. BOG and LC because they are signatures only due to popularity, not because of the food.

 

[Pygoplites]

Jiko, CA Grill and Flying Fish are worth two credits. Morimoto Asia and Jaleo* are, as well, if you plan on ordering higher-priced items. These places are worth it for me, even when paying cash.

Be Our Guest, Cinderella's Royal Table and Spirit of Aloha are not worth 2 credits, based on food quality.

Most of the other Signatures are OK uses of 2 credits: Narcoossees, Citrico's, Yachstman, Monsieur Paul (extra cost applies), Brown Derby, etc., but not so good at the cash prices. I've had satisfying and disappointing dinners at each (mostly good, but not stellar).

* I not eaten at this Jaleo yet, but I have had excellent meals at other Jose Andres restaurants (and the early reviews for the DS location have been good).

 

[heidijanesmith]

We really like Tiffins, California Grill, Flying Fish and Le Cellier. These are worth the 2 credits for us.

Yachstman, Monsieur Paul, BOG and Brown Derby were not worth it for us.

 

[HolRae]

Cali Grill brunch and Jiko are my favorites. Last time I stayed at AKL for 7 nights I ate at Jiko twice.

 

[jf256]

Thanks for all the responses.

I really want to do cali brunch - as it is unlikely that we will be able to get the palo brunch on the cruise as we are 1st time disney cruisers. Homecomin' brunch and dinner sounds great but unfortunately i am allergic to eggs so it is a bit difficult - cali has the allergy stuff online.

We were thinking:

1) Cali Brunch
2) Cali Dinner
3) Jiko
4) Flying Fish
5) Yachtsman
6) Morimoto / Jaleo - boyfriend isn't sure on either really.
7) Boathouse.
8) Possibly Tiffins ROL package - but might do Tusker instead.
9) BOG - Massive Beauty and the Beast Fan - so i think this is a must.
10) CRT - Breakfast no interest in the food but boyfriend wants to sit in the castle - he says if you're going to go to disney one time (which is what he thinks is going to happen - i know better ) then you have to eat in the castle.

Have no interest in the new japanese restaurant - boyfriend will not eat sushi and isn't a massive asian food fan. I really struggle with french food as well - Its just far to rich for my stomach - but in a different way to african and spicy food.

Good to see that the ones we are thinking about are considered to be the better ones. However; we will have to wait and see - things will probably change by the time we get there!

 

[sjmac42]

Don’t forget Hoop De Doo, the show is worth the price of admission.
Loved California Grill, Boathouse and Jiko although recent reports say Jiko is not what it once was and the menu has been a little “dumbed down” and not as adventurous. But I’ll defer to other more recent visitors.
Agree that BOG is not worth it for the food, it’s more about the experience.
All the best.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Your choices are solid, but I would swap out the California Grill dinner for Narcoosees if you get the Brunch. The brunch is the better experience IMO and includes mimosas.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Your choices look great to me!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I think you have great choices! I would just suggest, since you are on DDxP and have 3 credits per day, you may want to throw one 1 TS credit Mickey character meal in there. Especially if this is your first trip to WDW - you have to eat with Mickey!!!

 

[jf256]

I think you have great choices! I would just suggest, since you are on DDxP and have 3 credits per day, you may want to throw one 1 TS credit Mickey character meal in there. Especially if this is your first trip to WDW - you have to eat with Mickey!!!

Oh definitely - I was just thinking about the signatures.

From what i can see the 1 table credits definitely seem to change more often in food quality/ experience and menus etc.

But want to do Boma, Sanaa for sure as we are staying at AKL along with Storybook Dine and one or two mickey meals.. but i am driving the other half mad with all the planning already - so i am trying to keep to one thing at a time and not look into 1 credits too much yet - he doesn't understand how quickly you get sucked into the community and excitement! But i am an overplanner when it comes to holidays - i always have a timetable because otherwise i cannot relax even when we stay in the UK. So WDW to me is a planning dream!

Anyway i digress.. I was just interested in what everyone thought - as the DFB and DIS videos are both quite old now and wanted to know peoples more up to date opinions.

 

[KenHutch]

Well the girls usually make me go deluxe plan so we eat at a lot of signature restaurants. For me the best place to eat in all of WDW is Jiko. We love meat and the beef short rib is incredible. The worst plat we have tried is Le Cellier. The menu keeps getting smaller and we have had some major issues with the wait staff. I have to be completely honest thou once we convinces them that 2 of us really wanted rare steaks the food was great. It took 2 hours thou and calling a manager to get it fixed.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

WORST Le Cellier. Nothing else even comes close..... This should not be signature and the only think "deluxe" is the pricing RUN RUN! (And yes I was an idiot and let them rip me off more than once!)

BEST. That one is tough. Jiko is the one I return to over and over again so it probably wins. California Grill was a great experience the few times I have been there but it's just not my favorite (location defeats me )

Is Boathouse a "Deluxe" (I don't do DDP). If so, it's probably slightly ahead of Jiko.


In a class by itself. Victoria & Alberts.

 

[gharter]

We don't do the DDP as we found after the one time we had it free, it was more food than we wanted.

Worst Use: Le Cellier, Be our Guest
Best Use: California Grill, Jiko, Flying Fish, Monsieur Paul.

Overall, your choices look good.

 

[eccobleu]

Best: Jiko and Monsieur Paul
Worst: Cali Grill - Food was meh, and the restaurant is so loud. Definitely did not feel like a signature experience.

We have also enjoyed CRT (not for food, tho) and The Brown Derby.

 

[elaine amj]

We happen to love Le Cellier. To the point that we will pay OOP for the filet too. Miss the 1 TS days though.

Cali Grill brunch was a wonderful experience. And Hoop Dee Doo is a lot of fun.

 

[Erzengel]

Barring Victoria & Alberts, I'll echo what other people said here about Jiko, the Continental and Narcoosee's.

We also recently tried the Ale & the Compass and that was really good too.

 

[OfCourseTheresAlwaysMyWay]

Finishing up my trip and Jaleo and Jiko were the dining highlights. Tiffins was also excellent. Everything else I could take or leave.