No Longer coming to you Live from Disney World! Take 3 DDW'S TAMBU LOUNGE 8/6

[jabead]

Following our breakfast at Akershus, Em and I headed back to the Boardwalk, as she needed to do some more school work and I needed to pack up for my final move of the trip, this time to the..

Wilderness Lodge



Once my bags were packed and I had arranged for their transfer to the Wilderness, I had some time to kill before I needed to head to Magic Kingdom. I had three goals that I wanted to accomplish before leaving the Boardwalk area though, so I was off to the Screen Door General Store to see about completing the first. I had admired a bag that Beth had and decided to see if I might be able to get one like it for myself. I didn't have any luck finding it there, but then I went to the small hotel gift shop (Dundy's Sundries) that is located just off the lobby and voilà...








With my first mission accomplished, I turned my attention to the second. For this I went to Guest Services right there at the Boardwalk. I had enjoyed the Candlelight Processional so much that I decided I wanted to see it again with my daughter, who was arriving at Disney World that afternoon. After discussing this with her, we decided that we wanted to do the CP dining package on Thursday and she was feeling like Asian food so requested that we dine at either Teppan Edo or Nine Dragons. Though I inquired about both, I was pretty confident that there would only be openings at Nine Dragons. But much to my surprise, the CM told me that neither of these were available. I then asked what was available for Thursday. She then refreshed her screen and voilà...availability came up at both restaurants. Wow, this was my lucky day...or so I thought. (but you will have to wait until our Thursday reviews to find out the final outcome of this story). Anyway, I chose the Teppan Edo lunch CP package that was available and handed over my credit card for the required guarantee. The CM gave me the whole spiel about the cancellation policy, which with the CP package requires 48 hours notice of cancellation otherwise you are charged the full amount of the meal (not just $10 per person). She then handed me a reservation ticket, which I promptly stuck in my purse along with my credit card and happily was on my way to accomplish my third goal at the...









But first a Napoleon history lesson...





No, not that one silly.



I'm talking about one of my favorite Disney World dessert snacks...

The above photo of the Boulangerie Patisserie Napoleon was taken a couple of years ago. This version was wonderful...loved it!!!




Then a travesty was committed when following the bakery makeover which occurred in late 2012, they came out with a different version of the Napoleon.




{Photo taken and review done for the live thread by DonaldDoleWhip}



This version looked very much like the one offered by DHS' Starring Rolls Café...




I had tasted this one and didn't like it nearly as much as the old Boulangerie Patisserie version. The icing on top was sickly sweet and the custard filling was not as good.


My suspicions regarding the new French bakery version were confirmed when DDW gave it a negative review. I sadly resigned myself to the fact that one of my Disney World favorite desserts had "deserted" me. But then later in his trip DDW sent photos and a very positive review of the Napoleon at the Boardwalk Bakery...and once again I had hope.



So my final goal before leaving the Boardwalk was to try the Napoleon. I entered the bakery for the first time (as it was still under construction during my last trip in March) and was impressed by the larger size. There was no one in line in front of me so knowing exactly what I wanted, I went straight up to the counter to order. I was told that they didn't have any of the Napoleon pastries available for purchase...but wait, they would have a fresh batch out in about 15 - 20 minutes. Since I still had plenty of time, I had no problem with waiting...plus it gave me a chance to check out and photograph the other offerings in their display cases.



First some breakfast pastries...



Chocolate Chip Mickey Muffins, Assorted Muffins (including blueberry and chocolate chip), Sticky Buns, and Cinnamon Buns






Danish, Brioche Rum Raisin Twists, Apple Tarts, and Jersey Crumb Cake






Cranberry-Orange Muffins, Chocolate and Plain Croissants





And then some desserts...



Holiday Cupcakes, Tiramisu, Salted Caramel Ganache, Cheesecake Brownies, Mango Vanilla Panna Cotta, Cannoli, Carrot Cake, Fruit Tarts, and Minnie Oreo Head Cakes






Strawberry Cupcakes, Mickey Oreo Head Cakes, and Key Lime Tarts






Oreo Cupcakes, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar Cakes, Lemon Meringue Tarts, Eclairs, and Peanut Butter, Banana, & Candied Bacon Pies




Soooo...as I'm standing there waiting on my Napoleon, I can't resist the temptation to get a few other things. After all, I now had that big bag that would make it easy to carry my purchases, right???




I got a couple of things that I knew my daughter would like...






Chocolate Croissant - $2.99







Chocolate Chip Cookie - $2.39





And just because it looked soooo good...




Holiday Cupcake - Chocolate cake with Peppermint Frosting $4.19



Once they brought out my Napoleon, I asked that they put it on a plate and box up the other three items to go. Then I went outside and found a table along the boardwalk so that I could eat my Napoleon. But first I removed the croissant and cookie from their box to take a picture of each, and then opened the plastic container which held the cupcake in order to get a better photo of the cupcake. It was about this time that I noticed that the people sitting at the table next to me were watching me take photos of my food and were quite amused. So being the ornery person that I am, I decided to really put on a show for them by taking another photo of my cupcake...





Moving it slightly, I then took another...






...and yet another.






I carefully placed everything back into their containers and put them in my bag, then turned my attention to the ...




Napoleon - $3.99




Then moved it and took a photo from a slightly different angle...






...and then another.






Then I couldn't keep a straight face any longer, so I looked at the people who were still watching me intently, winked, and started giggling. Gotcha!



Anyway, getting back to the primary reason that I was here, the Napoleon. I'm happy to report that it was just as good as the old version from the French bakery. In fact, with the added bonus of the chocolate-dipped strawberry on top, it may have been even better.



So with my missions accomplished, it was time to get myself to Magic Kingdom...but that's a whole other story, which I'll save for the next review.​

 

[jabead]

We received one more live update from Disney World last night, this one from Patty (emmebear).


She said, "I had dinner at The Mara tonight."



"The falafel sandwich was excellent. There was a sun-dried tomato hummus applied to the pita which was so tasty. I wish the falafel was more crunchy but there was also some tomato, cucumber, and lettuce for texture."




"I enjoyed the yogurt sauce and got an extra side. The couscous salad was on the sweet side but had great flavor."




"I ate on the balcony while Emme slept, as she was so tired from our day. It was so calm and surreal to see all the animals roaming freely about."



"My dining companions."



"For Emme's dinner, she got...



Kids Pepperoni Pizza



"She devoured this thing and it had pepperoni on it (another food item added to her small list of edible things). The pizza was not covered in sauce like at other QS places and the dough was still soft and chewy Two thumbs up!"





"I subbed her favorite mashed potatoes as a side item. Carb-a-Licious dinner for Emme!"


"I really really liked Mara as a QS option. There is a really nice variety and the food is very fresh and delicious."



"I am totally falling in love with this resort. It's fantastic!!"


​

 

[Couchy]

Barb- you got the bag I saw it the other day in my closet and was wondering if you bought it or not. Glad to see you did. It is so useful for so many things

 

[Linda67]

Enjoying seeing Rachel and Patty's live review - it's like the good old days Barb!
Nice bag by the way
Mmm, that Napoleon certainly looks good. DH would love that

 

[buzz1121]

Dee-Dee... we were also staying at the WL and had our first meal of the day there... however ours was just a kids Turkey sadwich right as Breakfast turned into Lunch... I took a picture of it but I can't find it now. My husband enjoyed the tiny chocolate milk that came with it and we both had half the sandwich and fries with it.

Vicki! I totally remember that Hate Florida Day!! I remember feeling like it was TOO HOT for December while we were there. I was really hoping for milder temps and less humidity... but I prefer what we had to freezing like I did that last time I was there in December!

I thought I remembered that you and Hunter were at WL during your trip. I wish we had run into you guys while we were all there. If I'm not mistaken several of us ended up at WL, you and Hunter, us, Barb, Linda at the Villas, and maybe even Brenda and Em towards the end of their vacation as well.

It was pretty warm while we were there. What was truly crazy was that there was a 30-40 degree temperature difference just seven hours away back home!

 

[jabead]

Another live update was received from Patty today, this one from their breakfast this morning at...




Patty said, "We started our day at Chef Mickey's."





"Our family portrait."



"As soon as we were seated, the characters were making their rounds. This made for a very rushed meet & greet but we still managed to have some fun."




"Best buddies. We are celebrating Jessica's (Rachel's sister) birthday!"




























Then the food...











"The cheesy potatoes were delicious but it still had me craving the potatoes at Akershus."



"Overall a nice start to our day. It was awesome to share a meal with Rachel and Jessica. Service was non-existent and the characters coming so quickly made me feel rushed but the food was yummy."​

 

[buzz1121]

We had an absolutely wonderful time in Animal Kingdom. Little DD2 was absolutely precious with her reactions to the animals on the safari ride. We had not had a very large breakfast, and with big plans later on in the evening, we had an early lunch planned at one of DH's most favorite dining spots at Disney.

On the third day of our Christmas trip, our family chose to eat...Lunch at Yak and Yeti.

We were just treated to Patty's live report from Yak and Yeti where she did a great job of capturing some of the interior decor. It really is amazingly decorated, to such a degree that I always forget that I am in a Disney park. Yak and Yeti is owned by Landry's. Landry's also owns T-Rex and Rain Forest Cafe in Disney. They also own a great restaurant at the beach back home that we make it a point to go to during beach vacations. At the beach version, Landry's Seafood, we usually order grilled salmon with a lemon pepper rub that is so good.

So due to our beach association with it's sister restaurant and due to DH's affinity for Yak and Yeti, we typically dine here almost every trip.

DH selected two appetizers, pot stickers and egg rolls, with a side of rice as his entree. The rice was planned as a "share" with little DD.



DH has tried most of the entrees here and has enjoyed them all, but on this day he decided to stick with two of his appetizer favorites. The pot stickers come with a soy-lime dipping sauce that DH finds makes them really special as far as taste is concerned.


I chose the Crispy Honey Chicken with an upgrade to chicken fried rice.



I typically get sauces on the side so I can control the amount I use. The sauce itself is delicious as I do not find it to be overly sweet. I decided to try the chicken fried rice, but honestly I wish I had stuck with the regular jasmine rice. My portion of the fried rice was very dry and had little to no flavor. Overall though, my entree was a good pick. The veggies served with the chicken and rice were very good.


DS went with the kids chicken tenders and fries.



There was literally an avalanche of fries on his plate. He could not eat them all and despite sharing with the baby, there were many fries left on his plate at the conclusion of our meal. I'm thinking he ordered a double portion of fries.


DD1 chose the kids chicken tenders with fries and jasmine rice as her sides.



There is not a type of rice that DD1 does not love. Usually she likes to order the chicken fried rice entree, but on this particular day she decided to order the chicken tenders.

After walking around AK, both kids were hungry and the meal itself was pretty quiet.

It is always so hard for me to resist the pineapple cream cheese wontons, but resist I did because I had something else I wanted us to try.

I like to read the Disney Food Blog as I find they are usually quick to post about new food finds in the World.

DH and I are both big fans of peanut butter and chocolate so when I saw there was a peanut butter chocolate brownie at the Mara at AKL, I knew I wanted to try it.

We drove the quick hop to AKL and walked to The Mara. When I went to the display case I actually decided to get two brownies for us to try, the peanut butter brownie and the candy bar brownie.



This brownie was the perfect blend of creamy peanut butter and dense chocolate. It was well worth the drive to AKL.




The candy bar brownie was good as well. It was the favorite of DS. DH and I both gave the win to the peanut butter brownie, but to DS the candy assortment on top and the dense brownie underneath was a perfect dessert.

DD1 did not care to sample the two brownies and instead went with her old tried and true favorite, a chocolate croissant.



Lunch eaten and new dessert offerings tried, we left The Mara.


We had a busy evening ahead of us, so we headed back to WL to get a nap for the kids. We had a big night planned with some marching toy soldiers at MK!

 

[jabead]

Patty sent us another update yesterday, this one from her first visit to the Flower & Garden Festival.









Patty said, "Emme had a loooong day yesterday which included going down the waterslide 20 times. Lucky for me, she passed out and so I headed to Epcot for the Flower & Garden Festival."



"I had some fun at the new Goofy soccer topiary."





"First up:







Ghost Pepper-Dusted Tilapia with Crisp Winter Melon Slaw and Mint Oil featuring The Original Sauce Man's Kick It Up Rub - $4.75






"Oh man! This was sooo amazing! There was definite heat but the ghost pepper wasn't at its full heat potential. I really appreciated the heat and it was a very large portion. The slaw was cool and mildly sweet so it was a great contrast. Two thumbs way up!"



More topiaries...











"Then I went to the Smokehouse and got the Smoked Turkey Rib. Also stopped at the BBQ sauce stand and added some hot BBQ sauce."




"The smoked turkey rib was a giant portion and really cost effective. It was tender and had a nice smoky flavor."



"I paired it was a Bell's Oberon Ale from...









"This was a great choice. I really enjoyed both items."



"Emme was still asleep so I continued on to France....




...where I got the Gnocchi."



Gnocchi Parisien à la Provençal – Parisian-style Dumplings with Vegetables, Mushrooms, and Goat Cheese - $4.75


"I paired this with...



La Vie en Rose Frozen Slush – Vodka, Grey Goose Orange, St. Germain Liqueur, and White and Red Cranberry Juice - $9.75



...which made a perfect Parisian lunch eaten on a bench."



"It was a large portion of gnocchi and I absolutely loved the goat cheese. I suspect this portion will get small as the festival continues. Also, there was quite a bit of alcohol in my slushie (not that I'm complaining ), but I was pleasantly surprised."


"France was my most expensive spot of the day."



"Emme finally was awake so we headed back down to Italy from France to get the one thing she would eat from...






Three Cheese Manicotti - Egg Pasta stuffed with Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Tomato Sauce, and Béchamel - $5.75

"This thing was $5.75! Again Italy manages to make me angry. Last year, it was because of the overpriced lobster and asparagus travesty. This year it is this puny manicotti."


"You can tell from the picture that the manicotti was "sitting" around...it was kind of dry but I liked the sauce. Emme wanted another but I refused to pay another $5.75. I'm boycotting Italy for the rest of the trip."







"So we didn't make it past France from Mexico but will return again this week to sample more food. So far though, I've enjoyed everything I've eaten minus the manicotti...but Emme seemed to like it enough." ​

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Great F&G update! It is making me so wish that Andrew and I were back there this year! Reminding me of very happy memories from last years trip!

And yes, that manicotti is crazy overpriced!!

 

[starousse]

Great F&W Update. I'm so excited that they added these booths to the festival. We'll be there on May 16th, so I'm super excited. Can't wait for the gnocchi and frozen slushie.

 

[Linda67]

Loving all the live updates everyone

Anyway, time to get back to our December trip and next on the plate is our Liberty Tree Tavern lunch

Liberty Tree Tavern is somewhere we must have walked past a million times on our previous trips but we had never dined there (OK so a million is an exaggeration but you know what I mean! )

The big draw here was the need (yes need!!) to try the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake that I had read about in so many reviews, not least of all Brenda’s!

Would it live up to all the hype?, well let’s see.



Philip and I arrived at the restaurant to find Barb, Vicki, Paula and Hunter already waiting outside. Brenda had sent a text to say that she was having some bus issues so may be a little late.

It was a super-hot day so Paula decided to try and check us in right on our ADR time but the CMs informed us that we had to wait for our entire dining party

We all sat in the shade outside the restaurant chatting about our day so far and once we received another text from Brenda saying that her and Em were nearly there, Paula went to check in again and may have told a little white lie about us all being here now

Brenda and Em arrived just a few minutes later and within seconds we were called through to our table

For those who may not know, although I am guessing that’s probably not anyone who is reading this! Liberty Tree Tavern is themed after a late 18th century home, the restaurant is divided into different rooms decorated to reflect famous names from the United States’ Revolutionary period, including Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson.(thanks Disney Food Blog )

And do I have any idea what room we were sitting in? …… urm …. no (fail!) perhaps the others were paying more attention!

Our server for lunch today introduced herself and was fabulous!

Service was friendly professional and quick. No long waits for the cheque to be divided with multiple TiW cards here

Drinks were soon served in these very cool glasses



Anyway, on to the food

I’m not sure if anyone ordered appetisers but we dived straight in entrees

DH was in the mood for a burger



Angus Chuck Cheeseburger
topped with your choice of Bacon and Cheddar or Mushrooms and Provolone served with fresh Fruit or Tavern Fries
14.99

As you can see, he elected to have the Tavern Fries

He loved this burger, and he loved the fries!

He said that everything was hot, fresh and well prepared and compared it to the burger and fries at the Plaza Inn which he also loves so high praise indeed

I already had my eye on the desert menu so I ordered the salad (minus the chicken)



Colony Salad
featuring Ocean Spray® Craisins® BRAND with Washington Apples, Sweet Pecans, Applewood-smoked Cheddar, Craisins® Dried Cranberries and Grilled Chicken tossed with Field Greens in a Honey-Shallot Vinaigrette
14.49

This was delicious, I really enjoyed it. I am a sucker for craisins (which is just as well as Disney seen to stick them in everything!) and the smoked cheddar stopped the salad from being too sweet. I asked for the dressing to be on the side as I hate it if a salad is over dressed but the dressing itself was wonderful

As a side note, when we got the bill at the end of the meal, our server had taken $5 off my entrée as I didn’t have the chicken. This was a nice surprise and totally unexpected

Right, here we go …… drum roll please



Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake
Vanilla Cake with a Gooey Toffee Filling, Caramel Sauce, and Vanilla Ice Cream


DH and I decided to split this between us but ended up re-creating some kind of Colonial style spoon battle as we endeavoured to get more than our fair share each

Yup, it was every bit as ooey and gooey and yummy as I had hoped it would be and I would grab another lunch ADR here just for this alone

All in all, we were both hugely impressed with LTT and wondered why we had just kept walking those 1 million times previously

 

[smile4stamps]

What a great intro Linda!

I remember while we were waiting there were several of us complaining about the bug bites we had on our legs! Those took quite awhile to go away for me!

But onto the food.

LTT is a place that Hunter and I have been to on two other occasions. Our first time when we were on the Deluxe Dining Plan and our second visit when we were using TIW but Hunter wasn't feeling great.

To start on both the prior occasions we had the Fried Cheese (sadly just mozzarella sticks now)

We weren't about to break from tradition this time!

These are always presented Hot and Fresh!

For our main course we decided to choose two items and to share them.

The Colony Salad with the Grilled Chicken

And the Pot Roast

The picture of the pot roast is a little deceiving as you can't see the mashed potatoes but trust me they are under there!

I began with the salad in front of me and the pot roast in front of Hunter and we both ate about half of each and then switched... However as much as I loved the Pot Roast I really also enjoyed the salad! In fact Hunter must have heard me enjoying it as he offered to let me finish it off when he had enough!

Both entrees were great choices and we were both very pleased with the meal! Nothing fancy but just really good food!

Hunter and I did have enough to eat and chose to pass on dessert. I REALLY wanted the Ooey Gooey Toffee cake but I knew I would never be able to eat it all and Hunter would only have a bite so it just wasn't worth it to order a whole one. Thankfully though Brenda and Emily chose to order different desserts and Brenda kindly allowed me to have some of hers. I thankfully took two bites of it to satisfy my craving but not seem like I was eating it all! Thanks Brenda for sharing those bites!!

The service here was great. Iced Teas were dutifully refilled and no issues at all when it came time for our bills! (Still not sure why it was such an issue at a few places but not one at all at others?!?!)

This was truly a delightful meal with wonderful company!

Before leaving though I did take a picture of this gingerbread "House" in the lobby.

 

[jabead]

I have one minor correction to make to Linda's review. I actually was also late to lunch along with Brenda and Em. After reestablishing my love affair with Napoleon at the Boardwalk Bakery , I went to the Boardwalk bus stop to catch a bus to Magic Kingdom. I took a seat and waited, and then waited some more. After I had been waiting for about 20 minutes, Brenda and Em showed up, also hoping to get to Magic Kingdom in time for our lunch at Liberty Tree. After waiting another 15 - 20 minutes while multiple busses for all the other parks came and went, I finally picked up the bus stop phone and called to find out where the heck the MK bus was?!?! First they tried to tell me that there had been one there at the Boardwalk stop about 10 minutes ago. Ummmm....NOOOO! Then they said there would be another one coming in about 10 minutes, which also proved to be inaccurate information, as it was at least 20 more minutes. So that was why were late and almost missed our lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern...
DISNEY BUS TRANPORTATION!!!

Ok, my rant is now officially over and I'm moving on to something much more positive, our lunch at...





First some menu pics...









"I started with a freshly brewed Iced Tea...



...served in a Liberty Tree Tavern glass mug."




While I really like the pot roast and the burgers at Liberty Tree, my heart belongs to the...



Colony Salad with Washington Apples, Sweet Pecans, Applewood-smoked Cheddar cheese, Craisins Dried Cranberries, and Grilled Chicken tossed with Field Greens in a Honey-Shallot Vinaigrette -$14.49


I love everything about this salad...wouldn't change a thing about it!




And of course, I too had to have the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake for dessert. I shared this with Vicki, so I actually didn't take a photo because I think she did. However, since I never get tired of seeing this, here is a photo from my last visit to Liberty Tree...




Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake - Vanilla Cake with a Gooey Toffee Filling, Caramel Sauce, and Vanilla Ice Cream - $7.49

As long as this is not served cold (which it was the first time I had it ), this dessert is ooey gooey delicious!!!


Though the food, service, and my dining companions were all great here, I have to admit that I was a bit distracted by my excitement over my daughter's arrival at the Orlando airport. When she texted me that she had boarded the Magical Express bus, I couldn't contain my excitement any longer and sent her this greeting from the group...



...even our server got in on the fun. ​

 

[buzz1121]

Linda, Paula, and Barb, your LTT reviews are great! I love the Colony Salad so much that LTT is a must do for us every trip.

Linda, your picture of the salad is terrific!

 

[smile4stamps]

I thought I remembered that you were also running last Barb! I didn't want to say anything though in case my memory was faulty!

Beth.. we are dining at LTT later in the week with Barb and Brenda.. sad you can't join us!

 

[jabead]

Patty and Emme were at DHS today and had lunch at...





Patty said, "I booked this at about 8 a.m. this morning and we had an 11:30 ADR."



First a menu pic...




and the Kids menu.




Patty started with a Bud Light...





Milk and water for Emme...





"Emme was a big girl and set the table."





"For lunch, Emme chose:



Mickey's Choice Chicken Penne meal to which I asked for everything to be separated for Emme."


"I chose:



The Kid's portion of Liz's Fried Chicken. It was the perfect portion. I only wish that there was some greens. I asked but she said no (no pixie dust again)."



"Emme really enjoyed her lunch, as did I. I wasn't overly stuffed but still very satisfied. We both are members of the Clean Plate Club."





"Emme had a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a side of sprinkles for her dessert."




"Prime Time Café accepts TIW and the meal was a very good deal. We were both happy with our choices. What a steal for fried chicken!"

​

 

[starousse]

Did they give you any problem ordering off the kids menu. I'd love to do the same, as I plan on getting a P&B shake.

 

[Linda67]

Oh how funny Barb - I was sure your were with us outside LTT!
It's my age you know - all those margaritas are slowly killing off my brain cells

 

[jabead]

Patty sent me an update yesterday from their Afternoon Tea at the...





Patty chose the Prince Edward Tea...



First Course - Assorted Pates and Cheeses served with Cumberland Sauce





Second Course - Buttery Scone and Jam Tart (subbed for Onion Tart served with first course)



Accompanied by a glass of Port, which Patty subbed for champagne and your choice of tea...













Oh, and by the way, Rachel & Jessica were offered banana trifle, so that must be the current trifle flavor. They chose the strawberries and cream though so no review.​

 

[jabead]

Then today Patty, Emme, Rachel and Jessica were at Epcot and Patty sent us this update.


She said, "At 9:30 a.m. there is a 5 hour wait for Anna and Elsa."


"I started my day with a ham and cheese croissant and a mimosa at Les Halles while Rachel held our place in line at the Frozen Meet & Greet."











"And I had a whole baguette in my bag for Emme."







"Then Jessica and I had La Vie en Rose Slushes...







"Approaching hour 4 in our wait at...











And then finally...







More from their day at Epcot coming soon! ​