No carbs till Disney! 4 days of splurging on the (mostly) good stuff (DONE)!

[ShannonMB]

Great reviews! DH and I actually did the same thing. We started eating Paleo in April and have really enjoyed the results. We feel much better. We did a four day trip to the world in August and pigged out! But right back to Paleo when we got home. Can't wait to see the rest of your reviews!

I don't know the logistics of Paleo, but it does just make sense to eat like a caveman since that's how we're genetically designed. 21st century food sure is entertaining, but probably not what we are meant to eat! I will have to look into it since I definitely feel better with a much less processed diet light on the 'white' stuff. Thanks for reading my review!!!

I can white knuckle it for a month if I know I have disney to look forward to. It seems my year revolves around losing for disney, gaining in disney then starting over again lol

To me H&V food is like eating Golden Corral. I like to eat food at disney that I don't normally eat at home!

Lose weight for Disney, gain, repeat! Agree about the Golden Corral, although I've also seen someone on here say that the comparison is an insult to Golden Corral! Thanks again for reading!!!

Thanks for the advice. Maybe I'll give that "white knuckle" a try.
I'm looking forward to the rest of your review.

Just finished your review and enjoyed!! Make sure to post another one for your December trip (which I'm very jealous of, BTW!)

 

[ShannonMB]

DAY 2 - EPCOT

So day 1 wasn't our most exciting Disney food adventure. The highlights for me were probably the Olaf cupcake from Pizza Planet and the Fantasmic! popcorn. We can do better than that. If day 1 was a little blazee (sp), day 2 was downright exciting!!! We were at F&W after all, and if you can't find something interesting to eat there, then you aren't paying attention! I love the choice of TS places at EPCOT, but I have tried eating and drinking around the world and THEN topping it off with a full dinner, and I was green around the gills afterward. Not making that mistake again.

We opted for a nice sit-down breakfast as our only TS meal of the day, and it was definitely a wise choice!



We took a bus from CBR, then the resort boat to the Polynesian. It is a dream of ours to someday stay at the Poly, but thank goodness we didn't do it this time. It is so torn up beyond all recognition, and with the monorail running on dumb hours it would have been a total waste. As it was, our transportation worked out great and we enjoyed the boat ride over to breakfast.

'Inserts random Lily pic'



This was our first time having breakfast at Ohana, and we really, really enjoyed the whole experience!

First off, the bread basket...



This was probably the best part of the whole meal! There were 2 kinds, one with raisins, but the star was the pineapple-y one. It was so fresh and soft, a little yeasty, and just really to die for. I could have easily eaten it all, but shared. Lil doesn't eat much in the morning and I think skipped it, but Nana agreed with me that it was one of the highlights here.

Next came the skillet, which we had already started pilfering before I took the pic...



and my plate, with that lovely juice most of us know and love in the background...



Pretty standard breakfast fare, but I will say that it was brought out fresh and hot and was the perfect amount for the 3 of us. A special shout-out to the sausage links at Disney. They are like the popcorn, head and shoulders above anywhere else! And if you haven't tried the juice, it is I think the same they serve at Boma and Tusker House. Sweet and tropical!

The characters here were darling! Lily really liked pluto, we haven't met him very often.



And here are Lil and I with the star of the show...



So as not to leave Nana out, here she is with Lil and the Mouse himself...



Love you, Mickey! xoxoxox

Ahhh, lovely memories of breakfast at Ohana. We will definitely do this again!

 

[ShannonMB]

DAY 2 - EPCOT

With our breakfast behind us, time to head to EPCOT. We took the monorail to TTC, then switched to the EPCOT one and were there pretty quickly. Our breakfast had been for 8:40am, so we probably got there around 10 or so.

Permit me to throw in a little commentary here about FP+. I know everyone has a different touring style and the reviews are mixed, but I will say that this is THE most relaxed I have ever been on a WDW vacation. I am a rope dropper to the core, but I now know that is only because I HAD to get that first FP in my pocket the second we got to the parks, which just HAD to be before everyone else. It wasn't so much that I enjoyed the rope-drop speed walk to Soarin' and then the trot over to TT while everyone else was leisurely strolling. In fact, that was a PITA in retrospect! I loved having those priorities already scheduled. We did a couple less of the biggies than we normally do, but since we've been enough now that was fine with us. I can TOTALLY see how it would stink for the way some people tour. Especially if one's family likes to ride the headliners multiple times (which we do not). The tiering is a bit blah, but overall I have never enjoyed such a relaxing time! If it's not for you, I'm sorry and I really get why it could be a problem.

Anyhoo, we got our stuff done in Future World in a very leisurely fashion and it was time for some FOOD. And DRINK!!

 

[butiflfeet]

Your reviews are great! I really can't blame you for thinking the popcorn was a highlight of day 1. There's just something about Disney World popcorn that makes me want to eat all of it all of the time!

 

[ShannonMB]

DAY 2 - EPCOT (cont)

Now I do hate to brag, but I will say that for one small, one medium, and one large girl, we tore up the F&W festival!!!! I didn't try every single thing I wanted, but for a one-day shot, I made a serious dent!

We took a left when entering World Showcase, toward Mexico way. La Cava was calling my name, and after all, it's 5 o'clock somewhere! Our strategy going in was, if you want to try something, we are stopping! It was a Thursday a little before noon when we got started, and while there were some lines for the booths they went quickly and we had no problems getting what we wanted in a timely fashion.

AUSTRALIA

First stop, right off the bat, was Australia, and I opted for the 'Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies'...



A sign said 'cooked to order', but I wasn't bothering with all that. I took the one they gave me and I was pleased it was cooked to a medium temp - which is how I like my meat. Sometimes lamb is served a little rare for my taste. The pesto wasn't overly minty and very herbaceous, and the potato crunchies, I'm pretty sure, were crushed up Lay's chips. I love them, so it worked for me! My Lil tried at least a taste of most everything (proud!), and she liked this also. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Would definitely get again, but not in my top 3.

MEXICO

Next stop, Mexico. Nana opted for the Rib Eye Taco, and I had been eyeing the Sweet Corn Cheesecake on the boards before we left...



I had a taste - it was a nice meaty taco. I recall it being a tiny bit spicy, not overwhelming, and I really liked the corn tortilla. Nana wasn't doing cartwheels, but I think she enjoyed this choice. I'm sure she'll correct me if I'm wrong!



Are you kidding me? Where has this little beauty been all my life?? This was indeed amongst my top 3 of the day. Very corny, but velvety, not overly sweet. Nana loved this one, too, she was going to try to find a recipe on Pinterest when we got home. This is one I think Lily skipped. I'm calling this a 9.5 out of 10, but only because a 10 would be the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. Don't miss this one!!

After a quick ride on the Mexico boat ride that Lily adores, it was time for La Cava... laaaaaaa

I opted for the Avocado Margarita...



Dark pic, but I'm painting a picture of being in that gorgeous pavilion with this in hand! I love La Cava de Tequila, and one of these days I'm going to go have a seat in there and enjoy some snacks and a margarita or 5 - but that will have to wait till Lily's a grown-up I suppose! Anyway, I loved the Avocado margarita, but I think I liked the blood orange one I had last year a little better. These are a bit potent, but since we would be eating all day I knew I would be okay even though there were a few more libations coming my way!

CHINA

China was next, and Lily, who loves a fancy beverage, opted for the Mango Green Tea with Poppin' Bubbles...



She really enjoyed this, it was so interactive! The light, almost invisible bubbles would burst in your mouth and the dark colored ones were like the chewy tapioca I usually associate with a bubble tea. At one point she accidentally bursted a bubble and squirted Nana. This was sweet, mango'y, and something Lily would and did really enjoy. I'll give this one a 7 out of 10. Maybe a 7.5 for the fun factor!

I decided to try Mongolian Beef in a Steamed Bun with Chili Mayo, being a lover of the steamed bun and all...



Another top 3 pick! Bursting with Asian flavor, very spicy, and soft steamy bun. I would not hesitate to have this again, and it's one that every once in awhile I get a taste for here at home. Mouthwatering! 9.5 out of 10!

Nana got chicken potstickers here, which she and Lily really liked, but I think I must have been preoccupied with my bun because I don't see a pic.

Nice job, China!!!

SOUTH KOREA

Moving on to South Korea, I had my eye on the Kimchi Dog with Spicy Mustard Sauce...



Strange little hot dog with a sweetish slaw (I guess that's the kimchi. I must confess that I am more gourmand than gourmet and I don't really know what kimchi is - just knew I wanted to try it!) and the mustard was very spicy! I liked it pretty well, wouldn't really bother with it again, and give it a 6 out of 10.

Also in South Korea was the Soju Fruit Slushy featuring Jinro Chamisul Soju (some sort of liqueur)...



Tasty and refreshing, I think Nana said it lacked flavor? No big opinion on this except that it was a hot day and it cooled me off. No 1-10 rating. Take it or leave it.

Stay tuned - there's plenty more F&W where that came from!..

 

[ShannonMB]

Your reviews are great! I really can't blame you for thinking the popcorn was a highlight of day 1. There's just something about Disney World popcorn that makes me want to eat all of it all of the time!

A fellow Disney popcorn lover! Why is it so much better?!

Thanks for reading my report!!!

 

[ShannonMB]

DAY 2 - EPCOT

Okay, so we left off after South Korea. We skipped a couple of the booths, but I wanted a Sultan's Colada from the permanent stand in Morocco...



These are slushy, a little creamy, and very almond'y on account of the amaretto. I usually have one whenever I'm in EPCOT, and it was even more enjoyable because I was jamming out to Mo'rockin while I ordered. Too bad they are gone forever - so happens this was their last performance. I never have been one to hang out to watch the World Showcase Players, but it was fun to hear the music blasting as you go through the countries. The drink was a 7 out of 10.

GERMANY

Our next stop was Germany for the Roast Bratwurst in a Pretzel Roll...



Nana and Lily each wanted their own here! What a funny, skinny long wiener in a short little bun! I didn't try a taste, but they both loved it. Nana said she wished bratwurst was always this skinny because she could eat more of them in real life. Nana philosophy!

POLAND

Poland was up next, which for us meant Kielbasa and Potato Pierogi with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream...



I was taking an eating break for a couple stops and didn't try this either, but it sure looks good, huh? Lil and Nana polished it off and they enjoyed it, but neither of them was ooohing and aaahhhing like with the bratwurst.

ITALY

Next up, Italy. Lily ordered the Ravioli alls Caprese...



I didn't try it, but Lil and Nana were wholly unimpressed. They described it as tasting like a Lean Cuisine. Glad I didn't bother.

I, on the other hand, made the smart choice of trying the Frozen Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila...



To say I enjoyed this beverage is an understatement! I don't know if I've ever had a better margarita in my life, even from my beloved La Cava! Who knew Italy even MADE a margarita, let alone one this amazing. This one was a 9 out of 10 and I only wish it were available year-round!

ESPRESSO, COFFEE and PASTRIES at the AMERICAN ADVENTURE

Lily tried the Apple Maple Spice Latte with Cinnamon Whipped Cream, served over ice...



She likes a sweet latte a'la Starbucks, and this was much too strong for her taste. I tasted it and it was heavy on the espresso (which I didn't mind). We didn't get the apple, maple, OR the spice. Couldn't really find the cinnamon in the whipped cream either, for that matter. We didn't end up finishing this one. Would have been a nice strong cup of coffee for an early morning, but not really a culinary delight for us. 6 out of 10 from me.

 

[ShannonMB]

DAY 2 - EPCOT (cont)

MOROCCO

Now the Morocco stand must have been a bit away from the actual country or something, because I'm sure I had that margarita AFTER the Sultan Colada and they were trying the German and Polish stuff. Anyway, at whatever point the Morocco booth was located, Nana wanted to try the Kefta Pocket...



I tasted a bite of this one and thought the meat was very flavorful. Nana wasn't overly impressed with this one, thought the sandwich as a whole was a little dry. She is a tad particular about her Middle Eastern food since she spent a lot of time in Turkey when my uncle was there for years in the Air Force. Overall, not memorable and perhaps a 6.5 out of 10.

BELGIUM

Now I know the girls were wanting to try one of the sweet waffle offerings here, but they were losing steam. I have to say I was getting a little full, too, but I still had some work to do!

Potato and Leek Waffle with Beer Braised Beef...



I would pick savory over sweet any day of the week, and this was very tasty. I think Nana tried a bit of the beef, but Lily was not interested at all. I loved that the waffle really tasted potato/leek'y, and the beef was like a nice pot roast. I would definitely have this again. Say, and 8 out of 10.

And because I love Stella Artois, AND I love cider, had to try the Stella Artois Cidre...



Came in a nice little sample glass, which I appreciated. I loved it! I have figured out to stay away from beer at EPCOT, because it's just too bloat'y for me when I'm trying to snack around, too. Last time the chewy caramel bar followed by the chinese beer - Not sure why the sweet, slushy cocktails go down so much better, but for me they do! So I didn't go beer crazy, but glad I tried a couple swigs of this one! I'll say 7.5 out of 10.

BRAZIL

Pao de Queijo - Brazilian Cheese Bread...



Wow! If this looks good to you, you will love it. It was full of gooey cheese and the bread was almost like a really thin biscuit. Can't say a bad word about it. 9 out of 10. And Lily wanted to show her Disney manicure in the pic!

FRANCE

I can't believe we are still eating and drinking at this point, but I have the pictures to prove it, so on we go!

Any Grey Goose slushy they have, I am ordering! Here is La Passion Martini Slush...



Delicious. Not too sweet. As good as the original. 9 out of 10!

Lily couldn't wait to try the Tartlette aux Escargots, being a huge fan of the previous F&W escargot dish (the little bread bowls with the escargots swimming in the garlic butter)...



Poor child, she liked the other one better. I thought this was totally amazing. Extremely rich, but I was thinking about it for days afterward! The crust was so flakey and buttery, and an amazing amount of flavor. This rounds out my top 3 along with the corn cheesecake from Mexico and the Mongolian beef bun from China. 9.5 out of 10. Sorry, Lil, I liked it better than the original!

More to come...

 

[ShannonMB]

EPCOT - DAY 2 (cont)

Alas, we had to pass by the Ireland booth. I had wanted to try the Lobster and Seafood Fisherman's Pie and the Warm Chocolate Pudding with Kerrygold Irish Cream. It was not to be, because I had a couple more must-try's ahead...

CANADA

I had had my eye on the Seared Rainbow Trout with Bacon, Frisee, and L8 Harvest, Minus 8 Vinaigrette, but I almost caved and got the filet. It was so much more expensive and such a better value for a snack credit! I went for what I really wanted, though...



This was absolutely delicious! Just a hint of the vinaigrette, crispy skin, the lettuce. This was a very close 4th to my top 3. Matter of fact, I better just make it a top 4. Would love to have this for dinner at any fine dining restaurant. 9.5 out of 10!

And now, last AND least...

GREECE

At this point the girls were seriously done, but I had one more must-try on my list. The Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey...



So much potential, but it wasn't there for my portion. This stand was by far the busiest we had encountered during the day, and most had a decent line. I liked that there was a bustle this day, because everything was coming up fresh and hot. Maybe it was because we were approaching evening, or maybe it's just a really popular booth, but it was slammed and the cheese griddler was pumping these things out as fast as he could. As a result, the 'crust' fell off mine, and while nice and toasty on the outside (the crust part off to the side), the cheese was ice cold in the middle. It made it not so appealing to me. The flavors were neat, but quality control was not there on this one. 6 out of 10.

There were a handful of other selections we would have loved to try. I know Nana had her eye on the pulled pork from Hawaii, and I plain missed the dessert trio I had REALLY wanted, but overall we definitely experienced a lot of what Food and Wine had to offer in the short amount of time we had there. We will definitely be back for this event!

We left EPCOT around 6:30pm or so (I believe), and got back to the resort in time to rest a bit then watch Illuminations from the pool area at CBR. Of course you can't see the low-liers from there, but it was definitely more relaxing that staying 3 more hours and fighting the crowds back to the busses afterwards. I think Lil and Nana may have had a CS meal back at the resort, but if so, I didn't get a pic and I can't remember what it was. I do recall getting one of these at the gift shop (my first of 2 of these pumpkin Mickey cookies!) and it being great for a crunchy cookie! Watch out for the black frosting turning your mouth and fingers black, though!

 

[nanhol]

Thanks Shannon, the food AND the drinks look fabulous! Thanks so much for posting the pics & your adventures, I'm really enjoying reading about your trip.

Do you pay cash for some of your F&W treats and put others on snack credits? I've never done F&W, but it's on my Disney bucket list!

 

[ShannonMB]

Thanks Shannon, the food AND the drinks look fabulous! Thanks so much for posting the pics & your adventures, I'm really enjoying reading about your trip.

Do you pay cash for some of your F&W treats and put others on snack credits? I've never done F&W, but it's on my Disney bucket list!

Glad you are liking our trip. It was really just so great!!!

We were on the regular dining plan, so for our 4 night trip we had a total of 12 snack credits. Since most of the offerings could be counted as snack credits (even the expensive $7-8 offerings), we chose our more expensive choices to use as snacks. Alcohol can't be charged as a snack, of course, so we paid OOP for those and any of the less expensive ones (like the $3-something cheesecake that was almost my favorite thing!) Then on our other days we just paid OOP for any snacks we would get. It definitely was an effective use of snack credits for future reference!

 

[cwiklamama]

I am loving your reviews! I am actually more excited when I find reviews without a ton of signature dining so yay for that!

 

[ShannonMB]

I am loving your reviews! I am actually more excited when I find reviews without a ton of signature dining so yay for that!

Well then you've come to the right place! I think next trip I'm going to try at least one. I've always had my eye on Narcoosee's, so maybe. DD thinks it should be California Grill. Maybe both! It seemed like a waste when she was littler, but now I think she could really appreciate those places.

Thanks so much for reading my humble dining report!

 

[ShannonMB]

DAY 3 - MNSSHP!

What a heavy day of chowing down at the Food and Wine Festival on day 2! We enjoyed it a lot, but I will say I missed having a dinner at EPCOT. Anyway, there's always next year!

Friday, 9/26 was our day to attend MNSSHP, and since Nana and I are generally morning people, I knew it was going to be hard for us to keep going all evening if we had a full day planned. We opted to just relax that morning/afternoon, and up until a week before, we were just going to wing it for a late lunch before showing up at the party. Being the planner I am, I ended up not being able to do that! We had to use a TS that day to use them all, and I started noticing a lot of the monorail resort restaurants aren't really open for lunch. Even Shutters at CBR, which I thought could be a last resort, doesn't appear to serve lunch. I heavily considered DTD, but on such a short trip and as torn up as it sounds like it is I didn't think we'd feel like dealing with it.

I decided to book Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge. I wish I could offer you a picture of the restaurant or even the lodge, but we were running extremely late (arrived at 2:31 for our 2:10 - and they only serve lunch till 2:30!! Close call that we even got seated, and I appreciated it a lot!) I just plain forgot to snap any pics on the way out because I was anxious to get to the party.

So we were indeed late, we had taken the bus to MK, then the boat to WL, and I guess I thought it would be as quick as the launch to the Poly the day before. Ended up taking a little longer. It was raining and Lily was grouching me around, I was nervous about the weather because it had been a couple hours of drizzle and didn't seem to be wanting to let up. After ponying up the money for the tickets AND the Soiree, I didn't want any of the party festivities to be impacted by the weather. I was concerned about having my 'costume' on all evening (hot/uncomfortable?), and I was just not used to starting a Disney day at 2pm. I guess I was chomping at the bit and feeling stressed.

WOW, when we got off the boat at WL, what a sight! We have never set foot before on that property, and part of my booking WCC was for a chance to see it. Magnificent!!! We will 100% be staying here at some point! As I said, we were late for our ADR, but the kind host seated us and we could relax a little bit. I have found that just when things start to get a little tense and overwhelming at WDW, a nice TS meal can take the edge right off!

All these challenges led to my most lackluster picture documentation of the meal, I didn't even get a pic of the cornbread, which was very moist and tasty.

Nana decided she was going to try the fish and chips...



The chips were sweet potato fries, which she liked a lot. She also enjoyed the tartar sauce, which she is very picky about in general! She doesn't like it to have anything sweet in it, such as miracle whip, sweet pickles, etc. I tried it and thought it was very interesting - thinner than most and with a slight herb-y taste. Very good with the fish!

Lily got a burger and fries...



She enjoyed it and ate most of it. She must have been starving because while Nana and I had had the bounty platter at CBR for breakfast that morning, Lily had skipped breakfast altogether. Come to think of it, that's probably why she was being a snot on the boat to WL - hangry! What a neglectful mother! Then again, she's old enough to go get herself something and she had been to the pool, so I can't take all the blame for the child starving. The burger was cooked well to order and what else can you say about a good burger and fries?

I figured, 'when in Rome' and ordered the skillet...



From 12 o'clock, mashed potatoes (tasty), corn on the cob (a little tough, not like Ohio sweet corn in August!), chicken (extremely moist and pretty tasty), pulled pork (marvelous - juicy and full of flavor with just a hint of smokiness), BBQ ribs (decent. Not remotely fall-off-the-bone tender, but a nice tangy sauce), smoked sausage (delectable!). In the center are obviously the baked beans, which I could totally take or leave - but I don't care much about them in general. They also served me a basked of corn bread which they said I could share with my group. No pic scared, but it was moist and enjoyable. I could have opted for more of any of it, but it was plenty and I didn't refill my skillet.

Now, I ask, what kind of person planning on doing a dining review doesn't take pics of the dessert? I had gotten a text from work saying to check my email right away for time sensitive material, so I was messing around with my new smartphone trying to access my work email when the dessert was ordered, delivered and eaten. New to the smart phone world, I have to say I'm already hooked, but that whole scene made me so mad to even be AWARE that there was a time sensitive email at work. Turns out it didn't require action until 7 days from that day so I would have been fine seeing it when I got home. As much as I love having the world at my fingertips, I do NOT like that work can contact me at dessert time at WCC. My own fault though!

We got apple caramel pie - that I do remember, and it was very good. We might have gotten cheesecake or key lime pie? But the best was this campfire chocolate cake thingy served in a pot and very mushy in the middle. Woah! That got my head up from the ding-dang phone for a sec!

We got on the boat back to MK to arrive there right around 4 for our check-in to the Villains Sinister Soiree and MNSSHP!

 

[ShannonMB]

DAY 3 - MNSSHP

After a drizzly boat ride back to MK from WL, we were ready to get the party started. The Villains Sinister Soiree had been going on almost a month by this time, so it was actually bizarre how difficult it was to check in for it. There was a check in place off to the far right and down by the fence, which we had missed. When we asked, a CM told us to just wait and check in at the castle. I knew there was a place to check in at 4 and get our credentials, which I really wanted to do so as not to have to take the time later. We kept looking and finally found the spot. This wasn't the last (OR most annoying) time we were led astray by a CM at this event. I am just thankful I know what I'm doing when I go to WDW! We got in line for the booth and they had people jumping over the rope if they were just there to pick up the MNSSHP tix, and it was overall a weird scene.

We had a great time from 4-7 even though it was drizzling with the threat of real rain the whole time. Lil got a chance to meet Ariel at her Grotto for the very first time ever, we rode a few rides, then we were 2nd in line to see Lotso right at 7pm! A huge line formed behind us and I was so glad I knew where he'd be. We skipped the 7 Dwarves and Jack and Sally since we knew we'd be meeting a lot of characters at the soiree!

Okay, I know all that chatter isn't about the food! So I will get back to it. But first, let me say we absolutely LOVED the reserved spot for the parade and fireworks! We were right on the rope facing in to Liberty Square for the parade, and we actually found a bench to sit on for Hallowishes. I am sure that was a once in a lifetime experience! Those fireworks are the most amazing I have ever seen in my life, and I'm glad I got to experience them!

On to the Soiree! We went to the 10:15 seating, so went straight there after Hallowishes. I'm not going to go into the jerky CM who tried to send us on a massive wild goose chase to go to the check in place, but just suffice it to say that once again, I'm glad I know what I'm doing at WDW!!!!

When we were seated, there was a cheese plate already at the table...



We had already dug into it before I took the picture, but you get the idea. There were some tasty things on here. The blue cheese seemed to have an apricot jam with it, which was interesting. Lily really liked the brie (which had a raspberry sauce with it), and the melted cheese fondue in the little pot was really tasty! We enjoyed a good bit of this along with our not-so-poisoned brew...



This was a green apple concoction of some sort which was a little sweet but enjoyable (Lil and I love green apple flavor). We also had goblets of water, which were appreciated!

I'm sure everyone has seen at least 70 pics of the desserts, but here is mine...



The apple was nothing I'd care to eat but was beautiful on the plate. The Maleficent pistachio thing was the most delicious and both Lil and my favorite, the Tarot Card was full of walnuts which I stay away from, and Cruella's cake was a dark chocolate thing with raspberry. Very dark-chocolate (bitter) tasting. I liked it but imagine it would be a bit much for kiddos. Lily didn't comment. And Nana wasn't feeling like eating dessert so she didn't touch much of hers. Overall, it was a very impressive display, but the desserts at WCC were more enjoyable!

We ended up doing okay with the rain this day - our Headless Horseman got rained out, but we saw the parade and fireworks. When we left the Soiree, the skies opened up and it was a monsoon! Nana tied park gift shop bags on her feet to keep her tennis shoes from getting drenched and we trudged to the HM to ride it sometime after 11 (which was totally awesome and my absolute favorite in any park!!), then called it a night.

We had been to MVMCP in the past which I wasn't too impressed with, but decided to try MNSSHP since we heard it was the best one (plus I am a sucker for all things Halloween)! I loved the parade and Hallowishes, and the soiree was a neat once in a lifetime experience, but I think I am over the evening ticketed parties. Lil and I ended up having our very best day on our plain old regular MK day (and it would have been even better if we weren't out till 1am the night before at the dang party!).

 

[ShannonMB]

DAY 4 - MK

Alas, our last park day on this quick-ish trip, but MK is always our favorite day and so we are ending with a bang! Poor Nana started feeling a little under the weather and ended up bailing a little early, but she made it through our meals anyway!

I (and especially Lily) had wanted to dine at BOG for dinner, but I had ended up changing our dates to get in on free dining, and even though I stalked the cancellations thread until we left I wasn't able to make it happen. We had had dinner there on our previous trip and loved the experience so much!! But at least I was able to get a FP for lunch, so that was our first meal of the day (check in between 10:30-11am).

I had pre-ordered the braised pork entree...



This was delicious! The only problem with the pre-ordering was that I was really wanting fries that day for some reason. I could have changed it at check-in, but didn't bother. I much enjoyed this dish, though!

Lily went with the Croque Monsieur...



She liked this a lot, but I bet she would have liked it better with a less dense, grainy bread. I happen to love this kind of bread and the bite she gave me was lovely!

Nana got the steak sandwich...



Nana isn't too big of an eater lately, but she ate all of this. A lot of it was probably that we hadn't had a real meal since 2pm the previous day and we were all half-starved and withering away! But she also said it tasted good.

For dessert I had the strawberry cream cheese cupcake...



Moist and strawberry-y with just a hint of cream cheese flavor. Loved!

Lily went, of course, with the Master's Cupcake, topped with the grey stuff...



Nothing bad to say about this one!!

And Nana tried the tropical cream puff...



A sucker for a good cream puff, she loved this. I tried a bite and the tropical cream was very smooth (not grainy) and sweet-tart. As good as the cupcakes, for sure!

We loved the BOG lunch FP. I loved the pre-order option (even though I second guessed my choice), because it allowed us to skip the ordering kiosks (which give the whole experience a decidedly counter-service feel), and go straight to our seats. Felt more relaxed and upscale. I would do this again in a split second, especially if I couldn't get dinner (which I WILL for our next trip! )

A couple hours after lunch, we were in the neighborhood of Gaston's Tavern, and even though we had an early dinner scheduled, I had always (since it opened!) wanted to try this pork shank...



I'm sure this couldn't really be considered a snack, because it literally had to weigh 3 pounds! It's also not a snack on the DDP and I think cost around $9. Oh my goodness, though, was that to die for. You have to love pork (as Lil and I do), but if you do this is the king of pork. Juicy, tender, full of flavor. Lil and I ate a good bit of this and I don't think Nana touched it.

Lily also wanted Le Fou's Brew...



which if you haven't tried it is very strange. The body of it is an apple slushy, but it also has marshmallow in it somewhere, and has a super-sour passionfruit foam on the top. Way too sweet but fun to try. Lil liked it and it was hot out, so refreshing!

We also saw this guy over there...



He was an amazing character interaction and HIGHLY recommended!

You can't really see the drink, but this is my cutie drinking a raspberry lemonade slushy...



These have GOT to be the most refreshing thing in WDW on a hot, steamy day!

Okay, so after a perfectly marvelous afternoon at MK doing all kinds of awesome attractions and using our FP+ selections (Festival of Fantasy was rained out, which disappointed Lily since we haven't seen it yet ), it was time to have dinner at Crystal Palace. We checked in around 4:20 for our 4:35pm ADR with no problem and were seated promptly. Let me say we have dined at CP on probably every trip, but only once before for dinner. Usually we try to do a breakfast before park opening, which is still my fave. I wouldn't have minded trying something different than this dinner, but it is very convenient eating in the park if you aren't ready to leave yet, and it just seemed like the thing to do when I made the ADRs in the absence of BOG availability. We like LTT okay, but haven't booked it since the characters left sad1. One of these days we will try the Plaza and/or Tony's.

Anyway, I loved the view out our CP window...





Gorgeous!

And here was my plate...



Very perfectly lumpy mashed potatoes on top, salmon with an herby crust that was very moist and mild, some weird chicken I wouldn't bother with again, sausages from the mixed grill with were very delicious (I have never had sausage at WDW I didn't like!), fine green beans, and a southwestern corn pudding that had a jalepeno flavor and I really enjoyed! I didn't take pics of the other's plates, but I will mention they had a really nice broccoli soup and Nana loved the turkey from the carving station. She said it tasted like real Thanksgiving turkey. The prime rib or rib roast, she also said was okay but not as good as the turkey.

I did manage a couple dessert pics...



This was key lime, which I love and see a lot around Disney. Fresh with a very good graham cracker crust.



Bread pudding with a raspberry sauce on it that was a bright play-doh purple nature never intended (stealing that from Stephen King). It tasted good, but I guess they were trying to appeal to the kiddos with that fluorescent purple sauce that the pic really doesn't do justice.

Here's one more gratuitous pic of my favorite DIS touring partner...



Piglet is getting dirty and needs a bath!!

Crystal Palace is a beautiful place and the Pooh characters are always fun, but I am ready to take a break from dinner buffets at WDW (except BOMA, haven't been there in awhile and need to get back!). The food was decent, but now that the characters aren't must-meets for us and my little baby child is a teenager, we can probably give it up for awhile in exchange for some more grown-up experiences. We will still probably do the breakfasts, though, especially pre-opening ones!!

 

[ShannonMB]

CONCLUSION...

So that was our glorious 4 night trip told through our dining experiences. We had some good stuff, but I have figured out a few things about us and the way we will dine at WDW in the future...

We are staunch Disney Dining Plan fans, the one TS, one CS, and one snack per day has always been perfect for us. I can foresee mixing this up in the future, though - at some point on a shorter trip I am going to skip the dining plan altogether so we can eat some more of the snacks we never have room for between meals!!! I really wanted to try an ice cream sandwich made out of 2 big chocolate chip cookies! Absolutely no chance to try the new loaded waffle fry options at the Outpost (I wanted the gravy ones!), and we barely managed to get the pork shank! No Sleepy Hollow waffles, not even a funnel cake on any of our days because of all the meals. Disney is just so much to eat, so little time, and one of these days we are going and snacking our butts off without worrying about the next meal!

I can also envision a luxury trip with the Deluxe Dining Plan - a combo of breakfasts and signature dinners with some counter service and a snack here and there thrown in. I've always been traveling with a child and it never seemed too worth it to drag her around to the signatures, let alone pay those prices since she went to 'adult' status at age 10, for what she really wouldn't have appreciated. Now that she's a teen, I think all this has changed and it's time to start exploring!

Luckily we will never be on our last trip, so plenty of time to do all these 'experiments'! We are sad to be home, but I literally have already started planning a trip for next year, and in the next few days I'm going to switch over to the Cruise section of the DIS and start dreaming about our next adventure, Spring Break 2015!!

Thanks for reading!

 

[Dislover1991]

While lunch & dinner buffets do typically have a larger selection of different foods, I agree that breakfast is always the best meal at buffets. Despite a smaller variety, the food usually just tastes better. We plan to do CP breakfast on our next trip - hoping to get a pre-park opening!!

After reading that BOG review, I am dying to try lunch there but not sure how that would work since we probably wouldn't be too hungry after breakfast at CP - do you know how late they serve lunch?

 

[ShannonMB]

While lunch & dinner buffets do typically have a larger selection of different foods, I agree that breakfast is always the best meal at buffets. Despite a smaller variety, the food usually just tastes better. We plan to do CP breakfast on our next trip - hoping to get a pre-park opening!!

After reading that BOG review, I am dying to try lunch there but not sure how that would work since we probably wouldn't be too hungry after breakfast at CP - do you know how late they serve lunch?

Thanks for reading! Looks like your trip is coming up, hope you score the breakfast reservation!

I don't know exactly what time BOG ends lunch service, but I seem to recall when I booked the FP, one of my windows was a pretty late time - 1:30-2pm I think. What if you went in at the 27 day mark and saw what times are available and go from there? Seems like ~2pm would be doable if you had breakfast at 8-ish! You may know this, but don't wait for Disney to send you an invite for BOG FP. You can go in on your own at exactly 27 days and book. After I did mine, I got the email 2 days later and I had to laugh, assuming that everything would have been gone if I had waited for their official invite!

Have fun planning and a GREAT time when you go!!!

 

[nanhol]

at some point on a shorter trip I am going to skip the dining plan altogether so we can eat some more of the snacks we never have room for between meals!!!

I can also envision a luxury trip with the Deluxe Dining Plan - a combo of breakfasts and signature dinners with some counter service and a snack here and there thrown in.

Luckily we will never be on our last trip, so plenty of time to do all these 'experiments'! We are sad to be home, but I literally have already started planning a trip for next year, and in the next few days I'm going to switch over to the Cruise section of the DIS and start dreaming about our next adventure, Spring Break 2015!!

Thanks for your trip report, Shannon, it was a fun read! I completely agree on all the dining plans and wishes for future trips.

What cruise are you taking in the Spring? We did the Dream last year and looooved it. We're doing a RC cruise next summer, because longer Disney cruises are just so darn expensive for families of 5--but with the $$ we'll save we'll get to tag on a few days at Disney waterparks after the cruise. I'm so excited for next summer to come!

Happy planning for your cruise!