becka
<font color=green>Proud Mommy of sweet Nathan and
- Joined
- Aug 17, 1999
- Messages
- 13,852
We just got back from WDW and I thought I would post some quick dining reviews. We were at All Star Movies from Feb 1-5 and at AKL from Feb 9-11. We are a family of 4 not on a dining plan: DH and myself, DS (3 1/2) and DD (12 months).
Tusker House Lunch - ***** (5 stars)
DH and I both had the ½ rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies. DS had the kids mac and cheese with applesauce and Mickey cheddar crackers. I shared my meal with DD and DS shared his crackers with her as well. This was a very good meal especially for counter service. We ate out back on the patio and it was very pleasant. It was very relaxing and we felt a million miles from the world. The food was tasty and hot. A define must-do on return trips.
Mara Lunch - **1/2 (2 1/2 stars)
I had the tandori chicken pizza. DH had the fish and chips and DS had a cheese pizza. I got a fruit cup from the grab and go area for DD. The food was decent but nothing to write home about. Just OK. We will more than likely eat here again when staying at AKL.
1900 Park Fare Character Dinner - **** (4 stars)
This was a little bit of a split verdict. I thought the food was great for a buffet but DH was not overly impressed although he did find several items he really enjoyed. I really liked the vegetable egg rolls, the prime rib with horseradish sauce and the pasta with shrimp and asparagus on the pasta bar. The only thing I really didnt like that I tried was the curry chicken. There was a good variety of food for everyone and no one left hungry. DS mostly ate cheese pizza from the kids buffet and DD sampled lots of things from my plate. Mostly she was too excited by the characters to eat too much. The dessert bar was the best anywhere IMHO. The key lime tarts were fantastic and I am not even a huge fan of key lime. DS liked the soft serve ice cream.
The characters were wonderful. They make my DD so happy and she was just in awe of Cinderella and she also really liked the mice. The little girl at the next table was terrified of the mice and I was a little worried that they would rush at our table so as not to frighten the girl any more but if they did we did not notice. They took there time at our table and at the same time seemed to be very sensitive to this little girl who just wanted to see Cinderella. I was so happy for her when Cinderella got to our tables. I can imagine my DD acting the same way in a few years. Such fun excitement .
Garden Grill Character Dinner - ***1/2 (3 ½ stars)
This was another split verdict with me liking the food more than DH. This is probably our 4th time at the garden grill and the menu had changed slightly since our last visit. The Ceasar salad was very weak and none of us really liked it. The bread was decent but we didnt like the butter. I really enjoyed the catfish, the potato casserole and the veggies. DH mostly ate the flank steak which was a little drier than I would have liked even with the sauce. DS ate the chicken tenders and fries from the kids offerings. DD ate a few piece of chicken tenders but mostly filled up on the veggies and the bread from the adult platter. Mostly she was once again too excited by the characters to eat too much. The dessert sampler was good but I really could not eat very much of it because I was so full. DH liked the lemon tart thing so he ate his and mine. The chocolate-ly brownie thing was very rich..unfortunately after just a few bites I couldnt eat any more.
The characters here were also wonderful. We were seated just as they opened at 4:30 so there were not many other tables so our kids saw the characters probably 4-5 times before our meal was over. They were really able to spend time with the kids and that alone made the dinner worth it. We have always had wonderful character encounters at GG and I am glad to see that has not changed.
Boma Dinner - ****1/2 (4 1/2 stars)
This was one of my favorites. DH has an allergy to legumes (nuts, beans and peas) so he was limited as to what he could try. The chef took him on a guided tour of the buffet before we ate so they could point out what was safe. DH still had plenty of things he could eat. He really loved the seafood soup and he commented that he could have just eaten several bowls of it and been happy. I tried lots of things and while I did not like some of them (Fufu and Couscous Marrakesh) I did really enjoy the roasted meats with some kind of spicy pepper sauce, salad with the chili cilantro vinagrette and the tomato/red pepper hummus with the African flat breads). I think I could have eaten those three things for days and been perfectly happy. The desserts were pretty good but IMHO they were not as good as 1900 Park Fare. The famous zebra domes were pretty good but I think I preferred the key lime tart. DS and DD ate off the kids buffet which was pretty standard mac and cheese type stuff. Boma dinner will be on our return list for our next trip.
Boma Breakfast - ** (2 Stars)
This was our last morning breakfast and we were not overly impressed. I didnt like any of the African breakfast foods so that left me pretty much with just traditional breakfast foods. I didnt even like the famous frunch. The fruit selection was nice and my DD ate quite a bit of the fruit. DS loved that they had bagels with cream cheese so he was happy. DH liked the apple scones. Overall it was just okay and it is probably not something we would choose to do again.
Mama Melrose Lunch - ***1/2 (3 ½ stars)
We have never had much luck with food at MGM with the exception of the Brown Derby. Since we had our two little ones with us we did not want to go to BD so we decided to try the remaining table service restaurant we had never been to and go to Mama Melrose. I really liked the atmosphere and the server here was very good. It was a nice calm break in the middle of a crazy day. DS got the cheese pizza and they were able to add black olives to it so he was very happy. DH got the shrimp and pasta dish and it was not really his taste. He says he expected it to taste differently. Even though he did not like the dish a whole lot he figures the food there is probably pretty good if he had ordered the right thing for him. I had the Tuscan Chicken Bruschetta. I also was surprised because I figured it would have more tomatoes for the bruschetta and I was not overly thrilled with the marinade for the tomatoes but the dish overall was quite tasty and I was pretty happy with it. The chicken was very tasty. We liked our meal here enough that we would definitely return if we want table service at MGM and we dont want to go to the Brown Derby.
Columbia Harbour House Lunch - ****1/2 (4 ½ stars)
We actually ate lunch here both times on our MK days. The first day it was very cold and rainy and CHH was such a nice respite. We found a corner table out of the way and it was a nice place to have lunch and regroup. DH had the chicken and fish with fries. He liked it pretty well although he preferred the fish to the chicken. DS had the kids mac and cheese and he once again shared his crackers with DD. DD slept through most of the meal so she just ate a few crackers and I gave her some fruit later on that day. I got the tuna sandwich and it was very, very good. The bread was nice and grainy just like I like it and the tuna was nicely prepared. It really hit the spot that day.
Since we had such a nice visit on our first MK day we decided to hit CHH again for our second MK day. DH got just the fish with fries this time no chicken. DS got the mac and cheese again. I ordered DD her own mac and cheese meal and I went with the ham sandwich. It was good and I liked the broccoli slaw but it was not nearly as good as the tuna and I wished I would have ordered it again.
Cosmic Rays Dinner - ***1/2 (3 ½ stars)
We were looking for a place to eat a quick dinner before Wishes and since we had eaten at Rays in the past and we liked it we decided to head that direction. DH got the BBQ chicken and ribs combo platter, I got the ribs platter and DS got chicken nuggest. I shared my meal with DD. There was quite a bit of food at our table and it really ended up being a little more than we needed. DS ate his meal and then promptly fell asleep. DD ate pretty well and she loved listening to Sonny Eclipse. She was entertained the entire meal and DH and I actually could have a conversation. LOL! The ribs were better than I expected and DH liked his platter but he said he preferred the ribs to the chicken.
All-Star Movies Food Court Dinner - ** (2 Stars)
This was our arrival night dinner. We were all too tired to go out so I ran down to the food court to bring dinner back to the room. There is no easy way to get take-out from the food court and I think that is something they need to change. I was trying to balance our meals on a tray and take it back to our room and it was not easy. I just hit the pizza/pasta station because I didnt want to have to go to multiple stations and DS had requested pizza. DS got the a individual cheese pizza. I got DH the meatball sub and I got the chicken parm. I also grabbed some fruit from the grab and go area for the kids. Overall the meal was just average at best. Even by Disney standards it seemed like too much money for what we got.
All-Star Movies Food Court Breakfast - ** (2 stars)
We had breakfast here twice. One morning we all ate in the food court and the last morning I just did take-out back to the room. DH and DS had cereal the first morning. I got DD a banana and some cereal and I got a croissant with some strawberry jam. The second morning I got DH and DS Mickey waffles, some cereal and a banana for DD and a chocolate croissant for me. The waffles were decent and of course being shaped like Mickey gave them extra points
. The regular croissant was pretty good but the chocolate croissant looked better than it tasted. The cereals was just cereal. Overall it was easy and convenient but nothing special.
Enchanted Grove Snack - ***** (5 stars)
I included this here because I had never really noticed it but on a trip into Fantasyland on our last afternoon it caught my attention because the sign said lemonade slush. I really love lemonade slushes but in the past at Disney that meant those frozen lemonade blocks of ice that were not good however I noticed a slushy machine inside so I had to stop and ask. They had real lemonade slushes. It was not the best in the world but I was so happy to find them that I give them 5 stars just for that.
Main Street Bake Shop - **** (4 Stars)
We needed a quick breakfast after my DDs first haircut and we wanted to get out of the rain so we braved the crowds at the bake shop. DH got a giant cinammon roll (very good), DS got donuts (really good he loves donuts) and I got a croissant that I shared with DD. Overall it was pretty tasty but the atmosphere was not too great because it was so crowded and we were all pretty wet and feeling yucky.
Various Other Snacks - ****1/2 (4 ½ stars)
We didnt really snack a whole lot because we ate so well at our meals but we did have a few things. At MGM before the parade DH and DS got Mickey bars and I had a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. The weather was probably too cool for ice cream but somehow the parade would not have seemed right without it. At MK before the parade I discovered a little shop next to Country Bear Jamboree that I never noticed before. I got DD a pack of those Mickey cheddar crackers that she loved so much, DS got a big M&M cookie he ate on it for parts of the rest of the day. DH got a giant rice krispie treat without chocolate and I got a chocolate covered pretzel. All of it was very good and they were nice snacks during the parade.
Well I hope someone gets some use from these reviews. If you have any questions just let me know. Thanks!
Tusker House Lunch - ***** (5 stars)
DH and I both had the ½ rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies. DS had the kids mac and cheese with applesauce and Mickey cheddar crackers. I shared my meal with DD and DS shared his crackers with her as well. This was a very good meal especially for counter service. We ate out back on the patio and it was very pleasant. It was very relaxing and we felt a million miles from the world. The food was tasty and hot. A define must-do on return trips.
Mara Lunch - **1/2 (2 1/2 stars)
I had the tandori chicken pizza. DH had the fish and chips and DS had a cheese pizza. I got a fruit cup from the grab and go area for DD. The food was decent but nothing to write home about. Just OK. We will more than likely eat here again when staying at AKL.
1900 Park Fare Character Dinner - **** (4 stars)
This was a little bit of a split verdict. I thought the food was great for a buffet but DH was not overly impressed although he did find several items he really enjoyed. I really liked the vegetable egg rolls, the prime rib with horseradish sauce and the pasta with shrimp and asparagus on the pasta bar. The only thing I really didnt like that I tried was the curry chicken. There was a good variety of food for everyone and no one left hungry. DS mostly ate cheese pizza from the kids buffet and DD sampled lots of things from my plate. Mostly she was too excited by the characters to eat too much. The dessert bar was the best anywhere IMHO. The key lime tarts were fantastic and I am not even a huge fan of key lime. DS liked the soft serve ice cream.
The characters were wonderful. They make my DD so happy and she was just in awe of Cinderella and she also really liked the mice. The little girl at the next table was terrified of the mice and I was a little worried that they would rush at our table so as not to frighten the girl any more but if they did we did not notice. They took there time at our table and at the same time seemed to be very sensitive to this little girl who just wanted to see Cinderella. I was so happy for her when Cinderella got to our tables. I can imagine my DD acting the same way in a few years. Such fun excitement .
Garden Grill Character Dinner - ***1/2 (3 ½ stars)
This was another split verdict with me liking the food more than DH. This is probably our 4th time at the garden grill and the menu had changed slightly since our last visit. The Ceasar salad was very weak and none of us really liked it. The bread was decent but we didnt like the butter. I really enjoyed the catfish, the potato casserole and the veggies. DH mostly ate the flank steak which was a little drier than I would have liked even with the sauce. DS ate the chicken tenders and fries from the kids offerings. DD ate a few piece of chicken tenders but mostly filled up on the veggies and the bread from the adult platter. Mostly she was once again too excited by the characters to eat too much. The dessert sampler was good but I really could not eat very much of it because I was so full. DH liked the lemon tart thing so he ate his and mine. The chocolate-ly brownie thing was very rich..unfortunately after just a few bites I couldnt eat any more.
The characters here were also wonderful. We were seated just as they opened at 4:30 so there were not many other tables so our kids saw the characters probably 4-5 times before our meal was over. They were really able to spend time with the kids and that alone made the dinner worth it. We have always had wonderful character encounters at GG and I am glad to see that has not changed.
Boma Dinner - ****1/2 (4 1/2 stars)
This was one of my favorites. DH has an allergy to legumes (nuts, beans and peas) so he was limited as to what he could try. The chef took him on a guided tour of the buffet before we ate so they could point out what was safe. DH still had plenty of things he could eat. He really loved the seafood soup and he commented that he could have just eaten several bowls of it and been happy. I tried lots of things and while I did not like some of them (Fufu and Couscous Marrakesh) I did really enjoy the roasted meats with some kind of spicy pepper sauce, salad with the chili cilantro vinagrette and the tomato/red pepper hummus with the African flat breads). I think I could have eaten those three things for days and been perfectly happy. The desserts were pretty good but IMHO they were not as good as 1900 Park Fare. The famous zebra domes were pretty good but I think I preferred the key lime tart. DS and DD ate off the kids buffet which was pretty standard mac and cheese type stuff. Boma dinner will be on our return list for our next trip.
Boma Breakfast - ** (2 Stars)
This was our last morning breakfast and we were not overly impressed. I didnt like any of the African breakfast foods so that left me pretty much with just traditional breakfast foods. I didnt even like the famous frunch. The fruit selection was nice and my DD ate quite a bit of the fruit. DS loved that they had bagels with cream cheese so he was happy. DH liked the apple scones. Overall it was just okay and it is probably not something we would choose to do again.
Mama Melrose Lunch - ***1/2 (3 ½ stars)
We have never had much luck with food at MGM with the exception of the Brown Derby. Since we had our two little ones with us we did not want to go to BD so we decided to try the remaining table service restaurant we had never been to and go to Mama Melrose. I really liked the atmosphere and the server here was very good. It was a nice calm break in the middle of a crazy day. DS got the cheese pizza and they were able to add black olives to it so he was very happy. DH got the shrimp and pasta dish and it was not really his taste. He says he expected it to taste differently. Even though he did not like the dish a whole lot he figures the food there is probably pretty good if he had ordered the right thing for him. I had the Tuscan Chicken Bruschetta. I also was surprised because I figured it would have more tomatoes for the bruschetta and I was not overly thrilled with the marinade for the tomatoes but the dish overall was quite tasty and I was pretty happy with it. The chicken was very tasty. We liked our meal here enough that we would definitely return if we want table service at MGM and we dont want to go to the Brown Derby.
Columbia Harbour House Lunch - ****1/2 (4 ½ stars)
We actually ate lunch here both times on our MK days. The first day it was very cold and rainy and CHH was such a nice respite. We found a corner table out of the way and it was a nice place to have lunch and regroup. DH had the chicken and fish with fries. He liked it pretty well although he preferred the fish to the chicken. DS had the kids mac and cheese and he once again shared his crackers with DD. DD slept through most of the meal so she just ate a few crackers and I gave her some fruit later on that day. I got the tuna sandwich and it was very, very good. The bread was nice and grainy just like I like it and the tuna was nicely prepared. It really hit the spot that day.
Since we had such a nice visit on our first MK day we decided to hit CHH again for our second MK day. DH got just the fish with fries this time no chicken. DS got the mac and cheese again. I ordered DD her own mac and cheese meal and I went with the ham sandwich. It was good and I liked the broccoli slaw but it was not nearly as good as the tuna and I wished I would have ordered it again.
Cosmic Rays Dinner - ***1/2 (3 ½ stars)
We were looking for a place to eat a quick dinner before Wishes and since we had eaten at Rays in the past and we liked it we decided to head that direction. DH got the BBQ chicken and ribs combo platter, I got the ribs platter and DS got chicken nuggest. I shared my meal with DD. There was quite a bit of food at our table and it really ended up being a little more than we needed. DS ate his meal and then promptly fell asleep. DD ate pretty well and she loved listening to Sonny Eclipse. She was entertained the entire meal and DH and I actually could have a conversation. LOL! The ribs were better than I expected and DH liked his platter but he said he preferred the ribs to the chicken.
All-Star Movies Food Court Dinner - ** (2 Stars)
This was our arrival night dinner. We were all too tired to go out so I ran down to the food court to bring dinner back to the room. There is no easy way to get take-out from the food court and I think that is something they need to change. I was trying to balance our meals on a tray and take it back to our room and it was not easy. I just hit the pizza/pasta station because I didnt want to have to go to multiple stations and DS had requested pizza. DS got the a individual cheese pizza. I got DH the meatball sub and I got the chicken parm. I also grabbed some fruit from the grab and go area for the kids. Overall the meal was just average at best. Even by Disney standards it seemed like too much money for what we got.
All-Star Movies Food Court Breakfast - ** (2 stars)
We had breakfast here twice. One morning we all ate in the food court and the last morning I just did take-out back to the room. DH and DS had cereal the first morning. I got DD a banana and some cereal and I got a croissant with some strawberry jam. The second morning I got DH and DS Mickey waffles, some cereal and a banana for DD and a chocolate croissant for me. The waffles were decent and of course being shaped like Mickey gave them extra points
. The regular croissant was pretty good but the chocolate croissant looked better than it tasted. The cereals was just cereal. Overall it was easy and convenient but nothing special.Enchanted Grove Snack - ***** (5 stars)
I included this here because I had never really noticed it but on a trip into Fantasyland on our last afternoon it caught my attention because the sign said lemonade slush. I really love lemonade slushes but in the past at Disney that meant those frozen lemonade blocks of ice that were not good however I noticed a slushy machine inside so I had to stop and ask. They had real lemonade slushes. It was not the best in the world but I was so happy to find them that I give them 5 stars just for that.
Main Street Bake Shop - **** (4 Stars)
We needed a quick breakfast after my DDs first haircut and we wanted to get out of the rain so we braved the crowds at the bake shop. DH got a giant cinammon roll (very good), DS got donuts (really good he loves donuts) and I got a croissant that I shared with DD. Overall it was pretty tasty but the atmosphere was not too great because it was so crowded and we were all pretty wet and feeling yucky.
Various Other Snacks - ****1/2 (4 ½ stars)
We didnt really snack a whole lot because we ate so well at our meals
but we did have a few things. At MGM before the parade DH and DS got Mickey bars and I had a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. The weather was probably too cool for ice cream but somehow the parade would not have seemed right without it. At MK before the parade I discovered a little shop next to Country Bear Jamboree that I never noticed before. I got DD a pack of those Mickey cheddar crackers that she loved so much, DS got a big M&M cookie he ate on it for parts of the rest of the day. DH got a giant rice krispie treat without chocolate and I got a chocolate covered pretzel. All of it was very good and they were nice snacks during the parade.Well I hope someone gets some use from these reviews. If you have any questions just let me know. Thanks!
