Just Returned-The Good, The Bad, and The Yummy (Long)

ashresiren

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 11, 2005
We just returned from a one week stay at Old Key West. Here's what we ate...

First, let me begin by stating that we were traveling with my husband's extremely temperamental nephews (ages 11 and 12). The 11 year old is EXTREMELY picky and as such, we begged him to look over menus months ahead of time. He assured us the restaurant selections we made were fine. Once in the World, however, he REFUSED to eat anything but french fries. Also, I planned 11 table service meals and only accomplished 8 of them. So here goes:

Day 1 (Arrival Day)

We had planned to eat at Olivia's cafe, but we were tired and wanted to stretch our legs so we made the short drive over to the Boardwalk. Just as an aside--we had never visited this area on any of our trips. WOW, this resort is so unbelievably beautiful. What a wonderful place to eat!

Spoodles Pizza Window
1. Meatball sub and breadsticks--Hubby and I shared these. I thought both were really good. The breadsticks weren't bursting with flavor, but they were still pretty good.
2. Calzone--Nephew (12) had this and basically picked all of the sausage and cheese out of the breading. I had a taste, though, and I thought it was actually pretty good.
3. Nephew (11) got breadsticks and picked at them for about half an hour. He never really ate them, though.
We give this place a thumbs up and will return. The view alone is worth the trip!

Day 2--Epcot Day

Electric Umbrella
1. French Toast Sticks--I had these along with bacon. They were pretty standard fare, very similar to what you would get at Shoney's. Really good for a quick bite.
2. Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel--Both Hubby and Nephew (12) had this. Both thought it was pretty good. It tasted mostly like the McDonald's version only the bagel was a little bit harder.
3. Nephew (11) got some bacon and hash browns and picked at both for a little while until Nephew (12) finally inhaled what was left over. His meal came with a cheese omelet, which hubby and nephew (12) finished.
We always eat here the day we go to Epcot. I really like having breakfast here because there's plenty of seating and it's relatively inexpensive. The food is pretty good, and the wait isn't exceedingly long.

Sunshine Seasons
Okay, this was a complete and total NIGHTMARE. Nephew (11) took one look at the menu, saw there were no french fries, and launched into an hour-long bawl and pout. So, even within the context of such a setting, I still have to say that the food here was REALLY good.
1. Turkey and Muenster Foccacia--Hubby, Nephew (12), and I all chose this sandwich. It came on really tasty bread with a chipotle sauce. Also the portion was really huge, so we actually could have shared.
2. Pre-packaged hummus--I had this as a side, using pieces of my sandwich bread for dipping. This was some of the best hummus I've ever tasted.
This restaurant was really great, and we will definitely return. The only downside was that the seating area was EXTREMELY packed, and there were flies buzzing everywhere even though we were indoors--YUCK!!
3. Nephew (11) ate nothing here. Instead, he had a pretzel from a stand outside. Did I mention he's annoyingly picky?

Planet Hollywood
First, let me begin by stating that a waiter has to be fairly horrific in order for me to reduce their tip. I tipped this waiter exactly ZILCH. This was quite possibly the rudest service I have ever had anywhere. Our waiter acted as though we were the biggest hassle he'd ever encountered and actually sighed when he had to bring drink refills.

1. L.A. Lasagna--These are fried lasagna rolls with sauce and cheese. Really very tasty. I wish I could have enjoyed them more...
2. Club Sandwich and Fries--Hubby had this and really enjoyed it. The bread could have used a little more toasting, but other than that it was good.
3. Kids spaghetti w/ garlic bread--Nephew (12) had this and REALLY liked it. He's sort of kid's pasta connoisseur, so I guess that means this was a cut above other restaurants.
4. Nephew (11) had french fries and breadsticks. Are you seeing the pattern here?
I guess we would eat here again, but if the service was rude a second time I would definitely never return. Too pricey to be treated that way...

Day 3--Magic Kingdom Day

Crystal Palace
Incomparable for breakfast, as usual. Even nephew (11) ate here. It's a buffet, so we tried a little of everything. The breakfast lasagna (a mixture of blueberry pancakes, waffles, and other yumminess) was delicious. As always, two thumbs way up!

For lunch this day we had planned to do counter service at Cosmic Ray's. We ended up getting the kids hot dogs and fries at Pinocchio's Village Haus before our afternoon break. Hubby and I ate leftovers from Planet Hollywood at the resort.

The Plaza Restaurant
If we hadn't already been treated so rudely at Planet Hollywood, I might have thought this service was terrible. We waited over an hour for a table, and we kept noticing that people on the standby list were being taken in ahead of us. My husband politely asked how much longer it would be, and we were told two parties were ahead of us. Eight parties were seated before us after that. Our waiter was "just ok" here, not really rude, but not overly polite either.

1. Grilled Chicken Sandwich with provolone and ham--I had this and it was pretty good. The chicken was really pretty dry though and the German potato salad was not all that great.
2. Tuna Salad Sandwich--Hubby said this was pretty good, but not great. He also did not enjoy the potato salad.
3. Grilled chicken skewers with white rice--Nephew (12) had this and it was not enough to fill his hollow tooth (as my mother used to say). He said it was just ok and ended up sharing my food.
4. Nephew (11) got a grilled cheese and french fries. I'll give you one guess what he ate.
We will not eat here again. The food is no better than counter service, but has a table service price tag.

Day 4--Rest Day
Simply calling it "rest day" makes me fall over in a half-deranged laugh. This day was the biggest fiasco of all. Breakfast at Chef Mickey's was good, but didn't have nearly the selection offered by Crystal Palace. In the future, we'll do Chef Mickey's first. (Just as an aside...has anyone else noticed that the characters can sometimes smell like wet dogs?) After breakfast we took the kids to Disney Quest to have a low-key day of relaxation. After experiencing most of the attractions here we decided to have a SMALL pre-lunch snack at the Cheesecake Factory. Since this was to be a SMALL snack, we asked the kids to pick a dessert to share. MELTDOWN. Now, when I was a kid, my dad would have just pulled out the duct-taped paddle and gone to town, but I guess that's being discouraged these days. As such, this SMALL snack gradually devolved into hubby and I throwing a walkie talkie at the kids and leaving them in Disney Quest with no lunch. Meanwhile...

Fulton's Crab House

Hubby and I always eat lunch here on our rest day. The prices are much lower at lunch, and we think the food is wonderful.
1. Crab and lobster bisque--Hubby and I shared this. It was a really wonderful cream-based soup.
2. Crab club with rosemary potato chips--We both had this sandwich, which we should have shared because we ended up leaving pretty much a whole sandwich.
3. Mai Tai--This was the best one I had in Disney World.
The food here is just wonderful. I don't understand how anyone could dislike this place because I don't even like seafood, and I love it here!

We were supposed to have Concourse Steakhouse for dinner (as we always do on the rest day), but the boys began round two of their three part meltdown, so we didn't have time to go here before visiting Magic Kingdom in the evening for extra magic hours. Instead, we had dinner at

Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Cafe
1. Pork BBQ with fries and baked beans--This was my choice and was actually quite tasty. I really hate fries but I smothered them with cheese from the toppings bar. And...as we all know...anything is better smothered in cheese.
2. Bacon cheeseburger--Hubby said this was really good as far as cheeseburgers go, but I think he was still in mourning for the Concourse crab cakes.
3. Nephew (12) also enjoyed the BBQ and cheese fries.
4. Nephew (11) picked at the pretzel that I waited in line for at the pretzel and churro cart for about 25 minutes. So we really aren't supposed to spank them anymore?

Day 5--MGM Day

No Breakfast--Too excited about the Tower of Terror. Plus, I was trying to starve the picky eater into submission--no such luck.

Toy Story Pizza Planet

We had 3 cheese pizzas and 1 pepperoni pizza. I thought these were really pretty good for theme park fare. Nothing like the bad reviews I had read on the boards. Overall, I'd say better than frozen, a little less tasty than Pizza Hut.

Mama Melrose's

AND THE CLOUDS BEGAN TO LIFT!! I'm not exactly sure how I will survive in the real world without this restaurant. It's so beautiful I would like to cry. If you like Italian, wear a pair of extra big pants and come on in!

1. Fra Diavolo--As I'm writing this hubby is drooling out both sides of his mouth thinking of this dish which has mussels, clams, shrimp, and calamari.
2. Spicy Italian Sausage with Penne Pasta--I had this and it was oh so very good. By the way, this isn't spicy for those of you who are worried. (Do you think Mama Melrose is married?)
3. Mini Chicken Parmesan--Nephew (12) practically licked the plate this came on when he was finished, and, as previously mentioned, this kid knows his pasta.
4. Nephew (11) pouted and picked at the free bread which he only ate the center out of because he didn't like the "sunflower seeds" (sesame seeds) on the outside. :crazy: He also HATES nuts, but really enjoys a good walnut brownie. Oy...
5. For dessert the kids had chocolate gelato. Hubby and I ordered both the tiramisu and the Happiest Celebration on Earth selection (coffee tartufo). Both were delicious.

Day 6--Animal Kingdom Day

We were supposed to have breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe, which is one of my husband's favorite WDW restaurants. However, after a week of pre-teens acting like pre-schoolers we were so tired that we slept through the priority seating. Instead, we had breakfast at

Tusker House
This was really a pleasant surprise. Breakfast for the four of us was under $20 here, and we were all stuffed (excluding the 11 year old, who is simply a scientific marvel).

1. Biscuits and Gravy--Nephew (12) got an order of these and Hubby and I also shared an order. These were really good along with the eggs we all shared from the 11 year old's breakfast platter which had bacon and hash browns as well. (He only ate the bacon).
2. Sticky bun and apple turnover from the bakery in the Tusker House--I thought the sticky bun was a little bit dry, but hubby REALLY liked it. We both really enjoyed the apple turnover which we shared with the 12 year old.

Rainforest Cafe
We ate like pigs here, but still couldn't make a dent in what was on the table. Hubby wanted to see if we could have it all shipped back to the room. :rotfl2:

1. Awesome Appetizer Adventure--The name pretty much says it all, though I think it comes with way too much calamari. Everything on the plate is delicious, and there's plenty to go around.
2. Clam Chowder--Hubby ordered this, though he didn't eat much of it. He said it was good, but a little bland. Skip this if you really like a good clam chowder.
3. Brave New World--This is a bbq chicken pizza, which I had. For some reason I always have the same thing when we eat here. I guess I figure it's best to stick with what you know is good, and this is GOOD.
4. Kids Shrimp and Fries--Nephew (11) ordered this which has breaded popcorn shrimp. I had finally had enough, so I confiscated the french fries and force-fed him the shrimp. Surprsingly enough--shrimp tastes good!
5. Kid's Cheese Pizza--Nephew (12) had this and ate every bite. He gave it two thumbs up and thought it was much better than Pizza Planet.
6. Chocolate Diablo Cake--We all shared this dessert which was delectable.
We always love it here and never have any wait with a priority seating.

AND FINALLY...
'Ohana
After hopping back over to MGM to close out our trip, we went here for dinner. I gave in to dehydration and drank two bottles of water before we got here so I was kind of queasy when we arrived. The host seated us at a table next to a window in direct view of the Magic Kingdom. Our priority seating was for 9:00 pm so we arrived just in time to see Wishes and the Electric Water Pageant at the close of our meal from the best seat in the house! This place was a big hit with everybody. I didn't have the best experience, but I'm sure it was because I came in with an upset stomach. The kids really loved the virgin strawberry daquiris and hubby LOVED the Lapu Lapu. I also had a Mai Tai, which was not as good as at Fulton's but still tasty. We don't usually drink when the kids are present, but the waitress asked in such a way that it made it seem like our drinks were virgin too. So, we went for it. The pineapple and caramel was also a great way to end the evening.

Toward the close of dinner Wishes began. 'Ohana synchronizes the sound from the show from inside the restaurant so you get the full experience. This was really magical...UNTIL...about fifteen scantily clad teenage girls came over and stood in front of the window, blocking the view for the entire window-side of the restaurant. This, folks, is why our prisons are so crowded. Hubby-the-great-diffuser, however, managed to get me calmed down, so I was perfectly primed for the 12 minute sprint in torrential rain that ended our Disney experience. Well I hope this has been informative.... We forgot to take pictures at most of the places we visited, but we will be posting some photos on the food pictures board. Happy Eating!
 
Thanks for sharing! I am trying to make AR decisions right now and some of your recommendatiosn have come right in time!
 
Great reviews! It sounds as if you dealt with nephew (11) as well as was possible. Sorry about the bad experience with the teenagers at the O'Hana's window during the fireworks. I'm surprised that the O'Hana's staff didn't clear them away. O'Hana's is one of our favorite restaurants at WDW and I'll know not to try to ever book to see the fireworks from there.
 


Those are great reviews. Sorry you had trouble with your nephew. I took my cousins who were 11 and 12 last year and they ATE EVERYTHING they were given. No eating off any children's menu. They were so easy when it came to food. After reading your report I realize how much I took for granted when it came to feeding them. LOL.
 


RE: ... , The Bad, and ...

(copied from another forum)

In case of bad or rude restaurant service, summon the manager as you are finishing. Point out the problem and propose an across the board one third discount. Chances are you/they will settle for a total price equal to the bill with no tip.

RE: ... scantily clad ...

"People in glass houses ..."

I mean, if not voluntarily in response to chanting "down in front" those young ladies are quite vulnerable to touching.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm
 
I work at a middle school. Guess what almost all of them eat when they select school lunch?

You guessed it!

FRENCH FRIES!

My son is almost 11, and he eats everything. Sometimes he even eats adult portions.

Honestly, most 6th graders that I work with have a "french fry phase", especially if they are boys. Girls won't do that because they know how fattening it is .
 
I have to say I'm glad I wasnt drinking anything while reading, I was LOL!! I cant wait till those 2 hmmm maybe 10 or 20 years, and can imagine thier memories!! How AWESOME for you and your dh to spread the magic!! I could add something about the FF boy, but why bother?! I've been beaten down by my last, and those paddles, and duct tape are truly tempting! (ok roflol, only kidding, just in case the humor didnt translate thru the puter!)

My oldest kids are now much more adventurous (17yr old eating borscht! ) DD is still into ketchup, she has fries with that! I truly try and appeal to her intelligence, and a "healthy" diet... its always nice to know I'm not the only one battling!!
 
Very good reviews. :)
Hopefully next time the nephews get left behind and you and DH actually enjoy your trip. :)
I agree with The Plaza: "The food is no better than counter service, but has a table service price tag."
I think they are popular due to their milkshakes.

I hope your next trip is more enjoyable. :wave2:
 
I loved your report - you had me lol throughout. :rotfl2: I can so relate to taking to pre-teen boys to WDW, with one who is so picky it's amazing he survives. On our 2001 trip, when my guys were 9 and 11, my older DS ate nothing but hamburger the entire trip. Not hamburgers as in the sandwich with bread and toppings, but rather hamburger patties with nothing else. If we ate somewhere that didn't have hamburger, he just didn't eat. He survived the entire week on hamburger, with bacon occasionally thrown in for breakfast. :rolleyes:

The poster that mentioned most middle-school-aged boys going through this was right - older DS is now 15, and while still a little picky, he eats much better now! Luckily, younger DS never got quite that picky or I'm not sure I would've survived.
 
Thanks for the great reviews! they were informative and very entertaining to read! I can't believe you had such rude service at PH! We never eat there, simply because we have one nearby, and we try to eat at restaurants that are unique to WDW. That is the ONLY reason I will leave a poor tip is if I get rude service. I do not care if the food is late, or my order messed up...but I just cannot tip when a server acts like I am a bother.

The only thing I do not agree with is your review of Fulton's. DH and I ate there once and we will NEVER go back. We had poor service and awful food. I think it funny that you like Fulton's but usually hate seafood. DH and I LOVE seafood...but we hate Fulton's! LOL! Oh well, everyone is different. thanks again for sharing!
 
My DD ate chicken fingers for lunch and dinner 11 days in a row when she was around 10..... :teeth: :teeth:
 
Thanks for the reviews. I have a nephew (age 7) that pretty much survives on plain pasta, bread, french fries, potato chips, red licorice, bananas, vanilla yogurt and milk. When we cruised last year he had french fries and plain macaroni every single lunch and dinner and by the end of the cruise even my sister's normally adventurous kids (twins, also 7) wanted plain pasta and french fries for dinner.
 
You are a Saint!

We take our GS with us on many trips a year and I thought he was difficult when it come to food....whew! We usually have a plan, if he doesn't eat what HE orders, then he gets no desert and we stick with it. We just returned from our own trip a week ago and ate at all of our favorite places and places we knew he would not eat at--we were there 16 days, so we fulfilled our needs. Next month, July 20-25, the GS will go with us, and I've made PS at the places I know he will find something to eat, or have really good deserts (see my method?). That is too bad about the Plaza. It is one of our favorite places to eat and we've never had a bad experience. We just ate there 3 times the first 2 weeks of May. We do plan to take the GS to Cape May for the first time and I'm hoping he'll find something to eat, but he's still 11, so we only have to pay the child's price. Trail's End is high on his list, with AYCE pizza, mac and cheese, chicken, & jello....can't go wrong here.

Loved your candid reviews--you didn't sugar-coat anything.
 
at least it sounds like the 12 yo was able to find something to eat along the way. As for the 11 yo, there isn't much you can do if they refuse. My belief is that they are not going to die if they don't eat and eventually they will.

Our 7 yo is a great eater (almost too good IMHO) but our almost 3 yo is the challenge. Not that he has a fit, but rather doesn't find food as appealing as his mother! Some days are good, others not so good. I just figure it all comes out in the wash and try to pick places that will at least keep him entertained while we enjoy the meal.

What a nice thing you did taking them with you. Hopefully, when they are older, they will have good memories of their time with you.
 
The duct tape reference almost made me fall off my chair :rotfl: ....and made me remember traveling with one of my siblings who would only eat bacon and maple syrup as a kid!!!!! Thanks for the reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Thanks for the reviews. I'm sorry you had to deal with your picky nephew. My ds12 is somewhat picky...no green things in food type of thing. He may be eating off the kids menu alot but I don't care, at least he eats.
 

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