Just another day in the Happiest Place on Earth! Completed April 24th!!

[suse66]

Everything looks quite amazing at the Wilderness Lodge for lunch. Your right that dip could feed a small army for sure. I have yet to try Beach and Cream but it looks like I am totally missing out by those pictures you shared.

You would LOVE Beaches and Cream. Lori! So good! Did you hear there is a new ice cream shop opening on the Boardwalk where Seashore Sweets used to be? I'll have to do a taste comparison between the two this summer.....purely for dining review research of course!

That dip was crazy (it said for 2) but the five of us happily munched away and had more than enough. The only thing I would have like a bit more of was the con queso, it was awesome!

Does Alexander like ice cream? Taking him for ice cream could be the perfect reason to check out Beaches and Cream!

 

[vettegirl]

You would LOVE Beaches and Cream. Lori! So good! Did you hear there is a new ice cream shop opening on the Boardwalk where Seashore Sweets used to be? I'll have to do a taste comparison between the two this summer.....purely for dining review research of course!

That dip was crazy (it said for 2) but the five of us happily munched away and had more than enough. The only thing I would have like a bit more of was the con queso, it was awesome!

Does Alexander like ice cream? Taking him for ice cream could be the perfect reason to check out Beaches and Cream!

I saw on FB that they are opening that new ice cream parlor. I can't wait to try it!! Alexander loves ice cream, we are going next month and will have to get into B&C for sure

 

[suse66]

Just found your reviews and loving them! Really neat to see your cost comparison vs DDP, especially since u have been eating pretty close to DDP style (with less desserts!) for each meal.

I am considering OOP for our next trip. Hoping to go with my brother and his family and been crunching numbers like crazy...with the price increases for rooms and tickets, I'm seriously considering an offsite villa.

We did OOP when we stayed at the Dolphin for 3 nights in Dec 2014. Couldn't tell if we saved though since we still splurged on every meal. It was certainly more flexible without juggling credits.

The quinoa cakes at WCC look amazing. I tried to tell DH to order that but he tends to default to fish when he sees it on the menu. I bet he would have liked the quinoa cakes more.

BTW, I noticed u flew out of Detroit - so do we! We live in Windsor

So happy to have you along, always nice to have a fellow Canadian on board! I am really enjoying your reviews as well! We are totally sold on paying OOP now, we love the flexibility and find we eat really well.

Yes, the quinoa cakes are so yummy! I need to find a recipe for them for sure. We live just outside Newmarket but chose to fly out of Detroit as we saved $2900 over flying out of Toronto. I have no problem driving 4 hours to save that much money! March Break planes fares are insane!

 

[suse66]

After being on the go for the last four days, we decided a lazy resort day was in order. I slept in until almost 9:00 and after getting ready for the day, we left our three sleeping boys and went in search of breakfast goodies. First up was coffee so we popped into the Ale & Compass to fill up our mugs. Initially we weren't sure what we wanted. We walked over to Marketplace but nothing there really struck our fancy. DH suggested a stroll around the Boardwalk and of course we had to go into Boardwalk Bakery to check out what was on offer. Well, we hit the breakfast jackpot there! After carefully checking out the many options we chose the following goodies;

Almond croissant for me and Jersey crumb cake for DH.

Blueberry muffins for all three boys.

We refilled our mugs with fresh coffee and headed back to the Yacht Club with our goodies. Of course, the boys were still sleeping (got to love teenage boys!) so DH and I settled in on the balcony with our treats, coffee and the newspaper. What a beautiful morning to just relax and enjoy the warm Florida sunshine! My almond croissant was super fresh, flaky, buttery, delicious goodness. Wouldn't I love to have one right now! DH enjoyed his crumb cake which was layers of brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. A lovely treat with fresh coffee.

Around 11:30 there was finally movement from the boys. They really enjoyed their muffins, there were tons of blueberries and they were very fresh as well. You could definitely tell that everything had been made that morning. With OJ and yogurt from our Garden Grocer order, this made a great late breakfast for them.

DS1 had some work to do for a school project so we left him on his own for a couple of hours and headed over to explore World Showcase with the twins. I had a super serious snack mission to fulfill........ one a long time favourite and the other a must try. Our first stop was France where we admired the beautiful topiaries for the Flower and Garden festival. We then headed to Morocco and on to Japan. The boys decided some Japanese candy was the order of the day so spent some time checking out the options.

Our next stop was Germany where I was able to find my first highly coveted snack item at Karamel Kuche....... The milk chocolate sea salt caramel! Oh. My. Goodness!! This is the most, delicious, creamy, bit of perfection ever.

We kept going on our stroll, taking time to check out the pop up shops set up for the Flower and Garden festival. I have to say Epcot is really at it's best at this time of year. Everything is just so beautiful! We were almost at Norway now and I was able to finally have a chance to try the School Bread! This was great, not too sweet and lovely with creamy custard and the toasted coconut. I ate about 2/3rds of it but had to give up. This is huge and it was a hot day. This might be a better cool weather day snack.

Up next is our Disney date night at Narcoosees!

 

[dizzy daisy]

Great reviews so far, and like so many others here I love seeing your OOP cost vs DDP cost!

 

[princessemsmom]

Love the reviews! We use DxDP but we are not great with CS meals and we still have a Disney Child. We eat many character meals and 2 TS a day. I am calculated that we will save about $80-$100 - not much but our goal is met - all paid in advance and at least broke even. With that said we are trying a split stay with YC CL so that I can convince the fam that there is another way to go

 

[TeresaNJ]

Loving your reviews! Can't wait to hear about your dinner at Narcoossee's!

 

[suse66]

Great reviews so far, and like so many others here I love seeing your OOP cost vs DDP cost!

Thank you so much! Glad to have you along for the ride!

Love the reviews! We use DxDP but we are not great with CS meals and we still have a Disney Child. We eat many character meals and 2 TS a day. I am calculated that we will save about $80-$100 - not much but our goal is met - all paid in advance and at least broke even. With that said we are trying a split stay with YC CL so that I can convince the fam that there is another way to go

The plan is terrific when you are doing a lot of signature and character dining. That's exactly how we did it when the boys were younger. Our first trip was with the DxDP, our second with the DDP and when we stayed CL last year we decided to try going OOP. With the boys being older, OOP works really well for us. We found we saved a lot as well by doing the Garden Grocer order for breakfast items, bottled water and snacks. There's really no right or wrong way.... just whatever works best for you and your family. Hope you enjoy your YC CL stay. We LOVED the Yacht Club!

Loving your reviews! Can't wait to hear about your dinner at Narcoossee's!

Thank you! So nice to have you joining in! Narcoosees was amazing...... one of our best Disney meals ever. Deets are coming up!

 

[kastoney]

Love a lazy disney morning (and looking forward to a few of my own soon). Your goodies from the boardwalk bakery look great. We've eaten here for lunch and evening snacks, but for some reason never for breakfast. The croissant especially looks divine.

So happy to hear your loved the caramel and school bread. Definitely two of my favorites. Though in the world showcase it's hard to go wrong with any snack.

 

[suse66]

Love a lazy disney morning (and looking forward to a few of my own soon). Your goodies from the boardwalk bakery look great. We've eaten here for lunch and evening snacks, but for some reason never for breakfast. The croissant especially looks divine.

So happy to hear your loved the caramel and school bread. Definitely two of my favorites. Though in the world showcase it's hard to go wrong with any snack.

I actually dream about that caramel......no other caramel has ever measured up! I finished it on our drive home, a little piece of Disney on the 4.5 hour drive home from Detroit airport! You must be so excited for your trip....only 4 days to go!

 

[suse66]

While we were enjoying our time exploring World Showcase, DS1 had been diligently working away on a project for school. He ended up going down to Hurricane Hannas and grabbed a burger and a Mickey ice cream bar for his lunch. When the twins, DH and I arrived back at the Yacht Club, we joined him down by the pool. The twins had plans to feast on their candy from the Japanese pavilion as well as some snacks from the room so weren't interested in ordering a real lunch. DH and I decided to split something as we did not want to eat too much before our Narcoosees dinner. We went for the Falafel flatbread with apple slaw. This was great! Three big pieces of falafel, diced tomato, lettuce and tzatziki sauce on a warm flatbread. Mmmmmmm! Washed down with a Sunken Treasure (me) and a Grand Margarita (DH), this was a great light option.

Soon it was time to get ready and head out for our Disney date night at Narcoosees! It was also a big night for the boys as they were going to Magic Kingdom on their own and were going to meet up with us after dinner. We were all excited for the evening's plans! Upon seeing the boys safely through security, we walked down to the resort launch area but there was a HUGE lineup. Plan B had us turning around and taking the resort monorail over to the Grand Floridian for our 7:25 reservation. We had about a 15 minute wait upon arriving at the restaurant but the time passed quickly. Soon we were led to a beautiful windowside table, yay!

Cocktails were the first order of the day! A Caesar for DH and the Fizzy Floridian for me.


Our server was Janet and she was amazing!! She had been at Narcoosees for 16 years and was so knowledgeable and friendly. We really felt we were in great hands! After checking out the menu we decided on our appetizers, DH went for the lobster bisque while I chose Aunt Debby's lovely romaine salad. The bisque was rich and delicious with many chunks of lobster in it. My salad was crisp and fresh and I LOVED the half dried tomatoes. Yum!


Next up were our amazing main courses. DH went for the NY strip with mashed potatoes and green beans. His steak was cooked perfectly to the medium rare he prefers. It was juicy and tender and he loved every bite! He chose the Cabernet Sauvingon flight to accompany his meal.

I have never had a scallop dish that I didn't love and my choice tonight did not disappoint!The pairings of the scallops with the golden raisins, marcona almonds, arugula and troifie pasta was incredible!I can't think of a meal I have enjoyed that much in a long time!

I chose the Chardonnay flight to accompany my meal.


After we finished our mains, the Electrical Water Pageant was going by so we slipped out to the verandah to watch it. I love this show! Then it was time to order dessert. Well, there was only one option for the us! The house made Narcoosees candy bar with chocolate gelato.....wow! Dark, intense, creamy chocolate with hints of mocha......it was sublime! Good thing we split this because I would not have wanted any of it to go to waste!

A perfect Disney date night! Janet was kind enough to take a picture of us at the end of our meal.

Up next is the day's totals and the boys' solo adventures at Magic Kingdom!

 

[TeresaNJ]

Wow! Your meals look awesome! We haven't eaten at Narcoossee's since my son's 21st birthday celebration back in 2002. We contemplated eating there on our upcoming trip, which will be just my husband & I, but we also want to do the new Sunday brunch at the Contemporary, and are trying to be somewhat frugal on this trip, so I keep going back & forth. Maybe if we just share counter services the rest of the trip, we can do both! You & your husband are adorable!

 

[vettegirl]

Everything at Narccoossees looks amazing! It is one of our favs and hope to get back there in Sept as we are doing deluxe dining for that trip.

 

[nataliej_vk]

I love seeing your report! This trip (in 6 days) me and my daughter are doing OOP, but we split so many meals this time we will see if it's cheaper also it's always good to see other Canadians who fly from Detroit! I'm from little Chatham

 

[suse66]

Wow! Your meals look awesome! We haven't eaten at Narcoossee's since my son's 21st birthday celebration back in 2002. We contemplated eating there on our upcoming trip, which will be just my husband & I, but we also want to do the new Sunday brunch at the Contemporary, and are trying to be somewhat frugal on this trip, so I keep going back & forth. Maybe if we just share counter services the rest of the trip, we can do both! You & your husband are adorable!

I would do both if you can manage it...... Narcoosees was SO perfect. I'm really glad we went. Thank you for your very kind compliment, you are so sweet!

Everything at Narccoossees looks amazing! It is one of our favs and hope to get back there in Sept as we are doing deluxe dining for that trip.

Lori, it was beyond delicious! I am seriously tempted to go and just have a meal at the bar when I am there in August. But I have so many other places I want to explore...... decisions, decisions! I know you'll have a great meal.

I love seeing your report! This trip (in 6 days) me and my daughter are doing OOP, but we split so many meals this time we will see if it's cheaper also it's always good to see other Canadians who fly from Detroit! I'm from little Chatham

I hope you do a dining report of your trip! One of my good friends lives in Ridgetown and my aunts always used to summer at Rondeau. Your part of Ontario is lovely! Hope your trip is great!

 

[suse66]

After finishing one of the best meals of our lives, we hopped on the resort launch to head back to the Magic Kingdom. We arrived on Main Street just as Wishes was starting...... how perfect is that?? Of course, I cried at the end and of course my lovely husband made fun of me but I can't help it. It gets me every single time....... We then met up with the boys at the Haunted Mansion, had fun riding with 999 happy haunts, did Pirates of the Caribbean, watched the Main St Electrical Parade and window shopped on Main Street. Such a perfect night!

While we were at our lovely dinner, the boys checked out Auntie Gravity's for ice cream and smoothies. After a while they were in a mood for something a bit more substantial so they went to Cosmic Ray's. Hot dog, chicken nuggets, french fries and sodas were their picks which they were all very happy with.

I love this castle shot from the end of the night.


Our totals from Wednesday, March 16th:
Boardwalk Bakery breakfast: $18.28
School bread: $3.40
Karamel Kuche: $3.99
Ds's lunch at Hurricane Hannas:$14.28
Falafel flatbread at Hurricane Hannas: $10.29
Cosmic Rays (boys' dinner):$37.32
Auntie Gravity's: $12.97
Narcoosees:$137.80
Total OOP costs: $238.33
Savings vs using DDP: $80.17

 

[TeresaNJ]

I did end up making a reservation at Narcoossee's after reading your post, for 6:15 on a Saturday evening, so we, too, can head to the MK, afterwards! I was even able to switch my SDMT fastpass for later in the evening!

 

[rachel09985]

I loooove Narcoossee's. My favorite signature!

 

[suse66]

Another gorgeous day was dawning in the Happiest Place on Earth and we were off to Animal Kingdom! We finished up the last of our Garden Grocer order for our breakfast today. DH went off for our run while the boys were still sleeping and I enjoyed my coffee and book on the balcony. We were originally planning on heading out by 10:00 but DH still hadn't returned and I was starting to worry. He had gone the wrong way past Epcot Resorts Blvd but thankfully was back by about 10:30. We headed out about 11:00 and still made it for our first FP at Dinosaur. After Dinosaur we headed off for Tough to Be a Bug. We were feeling hungry by this point but didn't want too much to eat as we had 2:00 reservations for lunch at Yak and Yeti. I had pretzels on the brain and spying two girls enjoying theirs, I asked them where they got them. We headed off to the Harambe fruit market near the safari and were soon enjoying these hot, fresh and delicious Mickey pretzels with cheese sauce for dipping. Why oh why does everything taste better when it is Mickey shaped? DS2 went for the fruit and nut trail mix as he was not in a pretzel mood.

After enjoying an awesome time on the safari, we were ready for lunch! This was our first time at Yak and Yeti and we were very pleased to have a lovely window table on the second floor. We loved the intricate theming of this restaurant, especially the statues and artwork. Our waitress was very bubbly and was full of suggestions on the menu. The only thing that bothered me a bit was that they seem to be very big on the upsell here. Oh well, we just ordered what we wanted and tried not to let it bother us. First up were our drinks and DH and I both chose the Yak Attack while the boys went for smoothies all round.

Super delicious and refreshing.... I can see how these would sneak up on you quickly as you can't really taste the alcohol at all. The boys loved their mango smoothies.

After going over the menus we decided not to go with an appetizer as we wanted to save a bit of room for dessert! I chose the Teriyaki Mahi Mahi which was fabulous. The fish was super fresh and cooked perfectly without being dry at all. The sauce was tangy and delicious with the mango salsa being a nice, fresh contrast to the sweetness of the sauce. I discovered that I am not really a fan of cooked shiitake mushrooms but really enjoyed the bok choy and other veggies. This was a massive portion and I only managed about 2/3rds of it. Must save stomach space for the cream cheese wontons, you know.......


Dh went for the Chicken Tikka Masala and asked for it extra spicy as he loves things with a bit of a kick. Well, this did not disappoint! They brought the spicy sauce out in a separate bowl but he added it all in and LOVED it. He devoured every bite!
Unsurprisingly, DS1 and DS3 chose the Kobe beef burgers with french fries. They loaded them up with cheese and ketchup but chose to forgo the more exotic toppings. The fries were piping hot and nice and crispy.

DS2 went for the Honey Chicken. He loved his choice and found the chicken to be very moist with a thin coating of batter. He loved the veggies on the side and ate every bite. I was thrilled to see one of my children actually choose something that wasn't a burger!

After reading so many positive reviews of the cream cheese and pineapple wontons, we knew we had to order them for dessert, They were fabulous, melt in your mouth goodness with the lovely tang of the fresh pineapple to balance the sweetness of the wontons. At times like this, I really wished I had an extra dessert stomach!

We all loved our first meal at Yak and Yeti and know we'll be back for more! We were happy to head back to the Yacht Club after lunch and enjoy some pool time before heading out for the evening at Disney Springs. We were too full to even think about dinner tonight and the boys were happy to snack on a few things in the room instead.

The boys ended up spending some time at the arcade that evening as Disney Quest closed at 9 pm and they weren't able to go as they had previously planned. While they were disappointed, they made the best of it by raiding Goofys Candy Co and purchasing ridiculously large bags of goodies. They still enjoyed the arcade and DH and I snuck over to Crew's Cup lounge as I was on a mission to sample the truffle fries.

These were french fry perfection. The shaved parmesan and truffle dip just put them over the top! If you haven't sampled these as yet, run don't walk to the Crews Cup and try them for yourself. So, so good!

I can never pass up with chance for a beverage so went with the Conundrum and DH chose the bourbon flight. He was clearly the winner as there were maybe three mouthfuls of wine in my glass while his pours of the bourbon were quite generous. Anyone else feel Disney can be a little stingy on their pours with wine? It was delicious, just wished there was a bit more.


Our totals for Thursday, March 17th:

Harambe fruit market: Pretzels and trail mix ~ $24.11
Lunch at Yak and Yeti ~ $138.17
Crew's Cup truffle fries ~ $5.50
Total: $167.78
Savings vs using DDP: $150.72

 

[vettegirl]

Yak and Yeti is one of our favs both the mahi mahi and the curry look delicious. I always get the seafood curry but next time I might just try the chicken curry.