mla973
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2004
- Messages
- 1,119
CAST:
He: 28 years old. Likes meat, potatoes, anything fried. Doesn’t like vegetables and anything “unpronounceable”.
She: 28 years old. Likes chicken and sweets. Will do anything for a frozen mocha. Doesn’t like exotic foods.
TABLE SERVICE: (all ADR’s made 180 days out)
Kona Café (dinner)
Total bill: About $105, plus drinks and extra tip
He ordered: Sticky Wings, Char-Crusted Filet Mignon, White Chocolate Cheesecake
Kona Longboard Lager - $5.25 (cash)
He said: Service and food were good. Steak was cooked as requested. Overall good meal.
She ordered: Lump Crab Cakes, Shrimp and Scallops, Kilahua Torte
Kona Cool Sundown - $9.25 (cash)
She said: Kona Café was my favorite restaurant from the last trip, and it did not disappoint this year. The crab cakes are to-die-for! The shrimp and scallops were okay (I think I was starting to get full), but they could use more sauce to accompany them. We got dessert to go, and it was still good back in the room. Service was great – A+. We checked in early and were seated within a few minutes. This will be top of my list for the next trip.
Spoodles (dinner)
Total bill: $103.98
He ordered: Coke, Four-Cheese Flatbread, Oak-fired Steak Kebabs, White Chocolate-Orange Cake
He said: Limited menu choices that I found appealing. Flatbread was really good. Steak kebabs were a little chewy and had a lot of spice on them. Portions were large. Service was good, but it was not busy. Cake flavor and consistency was good.
She ordered: Diet Coke Mediterranean Dips, Oak-fired Steak Kebabs, White Chocolate-Orange Cake
She said: I really wanted to try Spoodles after seeing all of the photos on the DIS. It turns out there was not a lot on the menu that I really wanted to try. The dips were the best part. I could have eaten only those. The kebabs were good – I liked the spicey sauce on top and the rice was good too. We got dessert to go and it was pretty good. I think they had just opened, and it wasn’t very busy.
Mama Melrose (dinner)
Total bill: $68.26
He ordered: Coke, Caesar Salad, Grilled Pepperoni Flatbread, Crema Limone
He said: Different Caesar salad from last year – this portion was larger. For a flatbread pizza, this was large and filling. Pizza has pepperoni, peppers and onions, which I really liked. For a sugar free dessert, the lemon creme tasted great. Service was a little slow, but the restaurant was packed.
She ordered: Sprite, Mozzarella and Tomatoes, Vine-Ripened Tomato Flatbread, Tiramisu
She said: We ate here once before (not on the DDP), and I wanted to try it again when we had “free reign” to eat what we wanted and not have to worry about the price. The mozzarella and tomatoes appetizer was very good. The vinegar was a great touch. I hadn’t realized that I virtually ordered the same thing on a pizza for my entrée. The pizza was okay – a bit too much pesto for me. I had been looking forward to trying the tiramisu all week, and it was also just okay. Needed more rum.
Our waiter had several large parties he was waiting on, so we didn’t get much attention.
Crystal Palace (breakfast)
Total bill: $57.25
He ordered: OJ, Adult Buffet
He said: Large buffet with a lot of different choices. The potato casserole was really good. Good French toast too. Service was good – my orange juice glass was always full. The restaurant was pretty busy, and there were several distracting parties around us. (I watched one boy take food off another family’s table!)
She ordered: OJ, Milk, Adult Buffet
She said: This was our longest wait after checking in for the ADR – about 15 minutes. I was most looking forward to waffles here, but they looked soggy, so I didn’t try one. The eggs and puffed French toast were very good. There were many choices for picky eaters as well. The pineapple was great too. We had a very attentive server. We got a few character photos but didn’t wait around for the whole group. Too many families were being pushy with their kids and going up to the characters out of turn that we found it better to just leave than get in their way.
Cape May Café (dinner)
Total bill: $77.17 plus drinks and extra tip
He ordered: Coke, Adult Buffet, Sam Adams (cash)
He said: We’ve done this buffet several years in a row, and there weren’t as many main dish items as I remember having before. Still a good meal though. Still really like the Oreo bon-bons.
She ordered: Adult Buffet, Pomegranate drink (cash)
She said: We’ve always had good food and service here, so we thought we’d give it another try. Now, this may be a strange choice for two people who don’t really like clams or mussels, but there have always been plenty of other choices. I did feel there weren’t as many this time. I really liked the steamed shrimp last year, but they only had cold cocktail shrimp. There was fried tilapia, but it was very greasy, and I couldn’t find the tartar sauce. The carved beef was good, as was the fruit and the salads. I left feeling a bit disappointed, and I’m not sure if I want to return. Our service was good, and they did have the Oreo bon-bons well stocked.
Restaurant Marrakesh (dinner)
Total bill: $58.99
He ordered: Coke, Split Combination Appetizer for Two (Beef brewat rolls, Chicken bastilla and Jasmina salad.), Beef Shish Kebab, split Bastilla for two (Crispy leaves of pastry topped with vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with toasted almonds.)
He said: I was a bit scared that there wouldn’t be anything on the menu I would like. (My wife picked this ADR.) I was very surprised that I liked most everything I ordered, especially the beef brewat rolls. They were a good mixture of meat and sweet. The shish kebabs were much better than the ones at Spoodles. Service was slow, but it was very busy.
She ordered: Sprite, Split Combination Appetizer for Two, Chicken Kebabs, split Bastilla for two.
She said: We were seated quickly here, but watched many people get turned away. The food was good overall, but the service was very slow. There were times when we sat waiting for the next item. The appetizer was good, and I did like the chicken kebabs. They had good flavor, as did the accompanying rice. The dessert was huge, and we barely finished half of it. The entertainment was nice.
COUNTER SERVICE: (wherever the parks take us, we stop)
Sunshine Seasons: Split turkey sandwich and strawberry shortcake: One of the best CS meals of the trip. It was large enough to split and both items were fantastic. (Paid cash for a kids mac-and-cheese, which was really good.)
Backlot Express: Split a burger/fries and cheesecake. We both remember Backlot having a large topping bar, but that has disappeared. It was pretty good, despite having just a few condiments. Cheesecake was very sweet, but good.
Earl of Sandwich: Had BLT, Earl’s Club and each had a cupcake. Can’t say enough about Earl’s! Sandwiches were great and it was the shortest line we’ve ever seen there!
ABC Commissary: Split sausage, egg and cheese bagel, which came with two drinks (we chose apple and orange juice). This was quite a surprise. It was a nice, big bagel full of egg and sausage. Very good!
La Cantina (Mexico): Each had the combination plate with a churro. Everything looked pretty good and tasted good too. It was pretty hot in the sun where we were able to find a table, so that may have been one reason why I didn’t finish mine.
Sunshine Seasons: Each had a breakfast plate with chocolate milk and an extra drink for later. He said food was pretty good, with a big portion for breakfast. She said the bacon was cold and the potatoes were still crunchy. Eggs were good!
Wolfgang Puck Express: He got turkey hero sandwich with chips and cookie. He said sandwich was really good, with a great salsa on it. She got chicken tenders with fries and a cookie. She said she’s very picky about good chicken fingers, and these were great. The serving was pretty big with tons of fries – could easily be split. We’re definitely coming back here on a future trip.
Sunshine Seasons: Split Asian two-entrée platter with rice, vegetables, sweet and sour chicken, and some type of spicy chicken with a key lime pie. Everything on the platter was fantastic – and so big I couldn’t eat it all. (Paid cash for another turkey sandwich).
SNACKS:
Miscellaneous drinks and treats. Used several at Goofy’s Candy Company for the “create-your-own” masterpiece snacks and a few for muffins/pastries for breakfast.
Overall, the DDP worked well for us this year. I like not having to worry about how much I'm spending on food and just order what I want. I'm not sure we'll do it for future years, given the upcoming changes.
He: 28 years old. Likes meat, potatoes, anything fried. Doesn’t like vegetables and anything “unpronounceable”.
She: 28 years old. Likes chicken and sweets. Will do anything for a frozen mocha. Doesn’t like exotic foods.
TABLE SERVICE: (all ADR’s made 180 days out)
Kona Café (dinner)
Total bill: About $105, plus drinks and extra tip
He ordered: Sticky Wings, Char-Crusted Filet Mignon, White Chocolate Cheesecake
Kona Longboard Lager - $5.25 (cash)
He said: Service and food were good. Steak was cooked as requested. Overall good meal.
She ordered: Lump Crab Cakes, Shrimp and Scallops, Kilahua Torte
Kona Cool Sundown - $9.25 (cash)
She said: Kona Café was my favorite restaurant from the last trip, and it did not disappoint this year. The crab cakes are to-die-for! The shrimp and scallops were okay (I think I was starting to get full), but they could use more sauce to accompany them. We got dessert to go, and it was still good back in the room. Service was great – A+. We checked in early and were seated within a few minutes. This will be top of my list for the next trip.
Spoodles (dinner)
Total bill: $103.98
He ordered: Coke, Four-Cheese Flatbread, Oak-fired Steak Kebabs, White Chocolate-Orange Cake
He said: Limited menu choices that I found appealing. Flatbread was really good. Steak kebabs were a little chewy and had a lot of spice on them. Portions were large. Service was good, but it was not busy. Cake flavor and consistency was good.
She ordered: Diet Coke Mediterranean Dips, Oak-fired Steak Kebabs, White Chocolate-Orange Cake
She said: I really wanted to try Spoodles after seeing all of the photos on the DIS. It turns out there was not a lot on the menu that I really wanted to try. The dips were the best part. I could have eaten only those. The kebabs were good – I liked the spicey sauce on top and the rice was good too. We got dessert to go and it was pretty good. I think they had just opened, and it wasn’t very busy.
Mama Melrose (dinner)
Total bill: $68.26
He ordered: Coke, Caesar Salad, Grilled Pepperoni Flatbread, Crema Limone
He said: Different Caesar salad from last year – this portion was larger. For a flatbread pizza, this was large and filling. Pizza has pepperoni, peppers and onions, which I really liked. For a sugar free dessert, the lemon creme tasted great. Service was a little slow, but the restaurant was packed.
She ordered: Sprite, Mozzarella and Tomatoes, Vine-Ripened Tomato Flatbread, Tiramisu
She said: We ate here once before (not on the DDP), and I wanted to try it again when we had “free reign” to eat what we wanted and not have to worry about the price. The mozzarella and tomatoes appetizer was very good. The vinegar was a great touch. I hadn’t realized that I virtually ordered the same thing on a pizza for my entrée. The pizza was okay – a bit too much pesto for me. I had been looking forward to trying the tiramisu all week, and it was also just okay. Needed more rum.
Our waiter had several large parties he was waiting on, so we didn’t get much attention. Crystal Palace (breakfast)
Total bill: $57.25
He ordered: OJ, Adult Buffet
He said: Large buffet with a lot of different choices. The potato casserole was really good. Good French toast too. Service was good – my orange juice glass was always full. The restaurant was pretty busy, and there were several distracting parties around us. (I watched one boy take food off another family’s table!)
She ordered: OJ, Milk, Adult Buffet
She said: This was our longest wait after checking in for the ADR – about 15 minutes. I was most looking forward to waffles here, but they looked soggy, so I didn’t try one. The eggs and puffed French toast were very good. There were many choices for picky eaters as well. The pineapple was great too. We had a very attentive server. We got a few character photos but didn’t wait around for the whole group. Too many families were being pushy with their kids and going up to the characters out of turn that we found it better to just leave than get in their way.
Cape May Café (dinner)
Total bill: $77.17 plus drinks and extra tip
He ordered: Coke, Adult Buffet, Sam Adams (cash)
He said: We’ve done this buffet several years in a row, and there weren’t as many main dish items as I remember having before. Still a good meal though. Still really like the Oreo bon-bons.
She ordered: Adult Buffet, Pomegranate drink (cash)
She said: We’ve always had good food and service here, so we thought we’d give it another try. Now, this may be a strange choice for two people who don’t really like clams or mussels, but there have always been plenty of other choices. I did feel there weren’t as many this time. I really liked the steamed shrimp last year, but they only had cold cocktail shrimp. There was fried tilapia, but it was very greasy, and I couldn’t find the tartar sauce. The carved beef was good, as was the fruit and the salads. I left feeling a bit disappointed, and I’m not sure if I want to return. Our service was good, and they did have the Oreo bon-bons well stocked.
Restaurant Marrakesh (dinner)
Total bill: $58.99
He ordered: Coke, Split Combination Appetizer for Two (Beef brewat rolls, Chicken bastilla and Jasmina salad.), Beef Shish Kebab, split Bastilla for two (Crispy leaves of pastry topped with vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with toasted almonds.)
He said: I was a bit scared that there wouldn’t be anything on the menu I would like. (My wife picked this ADR.) I was very surprised that I liked most everything I ordered, especially the beef brewat rolls. They were a good mixture of meat and sweet. The shish kebabs were much better than the ones at Spoodles. Service was slow, but it was very busy.
She ordered: Sprite, Split Combination Appetizer for Two, Chicken Kebabs, split Bastilla for two.
She said: We were seated quickly here, but watched many people get turned away. The food was good overall, but the service was very slow. There were times when we sat waiting for the next item. The appetizer was good, and I did like the chicken kebabs. They had good flavor, as did the accompanying rice. The dessert was huge, and we barely finished half of it. The entertainment was nice.
COUNTER SERVICE: (wherever the parks take us, we stop)
Sunshine Seasons: Split turkey sandwich and strawberry shortcake: One of the best CS meals of the trip. It was large enough to split and both items were fantastic. (Paid cash for a kids mac-and-cheese, which was really good.)
Backlot Express: Split a burger/fries and cheesecake. We both remember Backlot having a large topping bar, but that has disappeared. It was pretty good, despite having just a few condiments. Cheesecake was very sweet, but good.
Earl of Sandwich: Had BLT, Earl’s Club and each had a cupcake. Can’t say enough about Earl’s! Sandwiches were great and it was the shortest line we’ve ever seen there!
ABC Commissary: Split sausage, egg and cheese bagel, which came with two drinks (we chose apple and orange juice). This was quite a surprise. It was a nice, big bagel full of egg and sausage. Very good!
La Cantina (Mexico): Each had the combination plate with a churro. Everything looked pretty good and tasted good too. It was pretty hot in the sun where we were able to find a table, so that may have been one reason why I didn’t finish mine.
Sunshine Seasons: Each had a breakfast plate with chocolate milk and an extra drink for later. He said food was pretty good, with a big portion for breakfast. She said the bacon was cold and the potatoes were still crunchy. Eggs were good!
Wolfgang Puck Express: He got turkey hero sandwich with chips and cookie. He said sandwich was really good, with a great salsa on it. She got chicken tenders with fries and a cookie. She said she’s very picky about good chicken fingers, and these were great. The serving was pretty big with tons of fries – could easily be split. We’re definitely coming back here on a future trip.
Sunshine Seasons: Split Asian two-entrée platter with rice, vegetables, sweet and sour chicken, and some type of spicy chicken with a key lime pie. Everything on the platter was fantastic – and so big I couldn’t eat it all. (Paid cash for another turkey sandwich).
SNACKS:
Miscellaneous drinks and treats. Used several at Goofy’s Candy Company for the “create-your-own” masterpiece snacks and a few for muffins/pastries for breakfast.
Overall, the DDP worked well for us this year. I like not having to worry about how much I'm spending on food and just order what I want. I'm not sure we'll do it for future years, given the upcoming changes.
