Our 8 Days of DDP Dining 3/13 - 3/21/08 with photos

[Vavasmon]

We just returned from a wonderful spring break trip. The trip was planned last the last week of Jan - this presented a few challenges in the ADR arena but we were able to obtain one table service meal for each day we were there.

We stayed at the Pop Century and used the standard Disney Dining Plan - 1 table service, 1 counter service, and 1 snack per day. We had 10 snack credits left when we departed but the plan was still an excellent value.

We were a party of three: Myself, my DD who is 12, and a family friend (who I will refer to as DFr). DD and I have visited WDW 6 times since 2001 but DFr had not been to WDW since the 1970's when they were building Space Mountain. None of us are picky eaters (actually I am the pickiest of the three). DD does not drink any carbonated beverages or fruit juice.

I have photos of all the table service and some of the counter service meals. I plan on updating this first post as I complete the reviews. If you have questions please feel free to ask.

Table Service all were dinners except Coral Reef on the last day was a late lunch:
Mama Melrose (FDP) - post 2; page 1
Boma - post 9; page 1
'Ohanna - post 20; page 2
Garden Grill- post 24; page 2
Raglan Road - post 32; page 3
Whispering Canyon Cafe - post 41; page 3
Captain's Grille - post 47; page 4
Coral Reef - post 49; page 4

Counter Service:
Pop Century Food Court (Breakfast every day) - Each review post
Flatbread Grill/Studios Catering Company (DHS) - post 2; page 1
Flame Tree BBQ (AK) - post 9; page 1
Leaning Palms (Typhoon Lagoon) - post 20; page 2
Sommerfest (EPCOT - Germany) - post 24; page 2
Earl of Sandwich (Downtown Disney) - post 32; page 3
Columbia Harbour House (MK) - post 41; page 3
Anandupor Locals Cafe (AK Yak and Yeti Counter Service)= post 48; page4

We all agreed that the three best TS meals were: Boma, 'Ohanna, and Ragland Road. The exact raking of the three varies by person. We also agreed that the Garden Grill had terrific character interactions but the food and service were mediocre at best. I will most like not dine again at the Captain's Grille based on our service experience.
(Note I fixed the title on 3/23 to reflect that we dined for 8 not seven days)

 

[Vavasmon]

Day 1: Disney Hollywood Studios and Fantasmic

We arrived at the Pop a little after 2am due to a delayed flight. I got up around 7 am to start our adventure. I had to go to the front lobby to complete our check-in (the computer was down at 2am) and purchased two refillable mugs for myself and DFr.. My DD reused a mug from our last trip for her ice water - the “free” cups are too small.

The first stop on our dining adventure was the Pop Century Food Court where we ate breakfast every day. We had 2 Chocolate Chip pancake platters and 1 French toast platter, and some skim milk for DD – the total was 20.09 paid on my Disney Rewards card. The pancakes were fresh and DFr said the French toast was fine. Their bacon was hit or miss all week. Overall the meal was not bad for food court food.

Lunch that day was near the Backlot Tour. I always thought of the location as the Studio Catering Company which had been renamed to the Flatbread Grill. The receipt states “Terrace Grill” so I assume that is the correct name. DD and I had Pork BBQ sandwiches/chips and DFr had the Chicken/Rice/Black Beans. We had 2 sodas and 1 large bottle of water. We each had the cheesecake for dessert. The BBQ was served on steak sandwich type rolls. The pork tasted okay – not the best ever but not the worst either. DFr’s chicken was standard rotisserie - the rice and beans okay. DHS has always presented dining challenges for us but this location provided a nice change from Planet Pizza. The total before the DDP was approx. 41.00.

Our Lunches:


I was able to book a Fantasmic Dinner Package at Mamma Melrose’s (MM). DD and I have eaten at all three Fantasmic options. The Hollywood Brown Derby is our favorite but was booked when I tried (plus it is a two credit meal). We did not enjoy the Hollywood and Vine buffet a few years ago so I consider MM the only other Fantasmic option. We had a 4:20 ADR and arrived at approx. 4:00. When we arrived at the restaurant the waiting area was very busy - there were several large parties waiting for tables and people trying for walk-up seatings (who were turned away). We were given a pager and waited approx 10 minutes to be seated. We were seated near a drink station and the windows facing the park. DD ordered the Caesar salad, chicken parmesan, and chocolate gelato. DFr also started with the Caesar Salad, had the Pipette Pasta with Shrimp, artichoke hearts, and peas for a main course, and the chocolate truffle cake for dessert. I had the field greens salad, the penne alla vodka, and tiramisu. The food was not bad – basic Italian. The Cesar salads are served with bread chips with Parmesan cheese melted to them. I know DD would have preferred a standard crouton and DFr did not eat his either. DFr probably had the best of the three entrees . I personally think an Italian restaurant should serve bread before the meal – MM does not. Both of my complaints about MM from the last experience happened again – the entrees came too close to the salads for my personal liking and the serving assistants really wanted to rush plates off the tables – even if you are not yet done. I believe our server’s name was Younes – he did an excellent job of keeping the drink glasses filled and checked to see of the food was okay/etc. Younes did offer fresh cheese for the pasta and offered an apology for the person trying to take DD’s salad plate that she had not yet finished with. I only eat here because of the FDP. The total with tax before tip was 105.41. I left a 20.00 tip.

Salads (DFrs/DD, Mine):


Entrees (DFr's, Mine, DD's):


Desserts (DFr's, Mine, DD's):

 

[suzimar57]

looking forward to the rest of your food report - especially like the details at mama melrose!

 

[ampc3]

looking forward to hearing about Ohana's..
Thanks for sharing!

 

[MickeyNicki]

looking forward to hearing about Ohana's..
Thanks for sharing!

Same here! And Raglan Road, leave in 6 days!

 

[JenH1969]

Great reports- thanks for sharing! Jen

 

[drcbpearce]

First timer here and definitely interested in what you've got to say. I'm trying to find a recent review of Akershus PS lunch. If anyone who sees this has been recently, I"d love to hear about it. i've seen/heard mixed reviews, but they are from at least 6mos ago.

I"m trying to make my plans, so I'll be reading this thread w/great interest!

 

[dancemomnj]

Great review of MM. Looking forward to the remainder.

 

[Vavasmon]

Day 2 – Animal Kingdom and Boma

We once again started our day at the Pop Century Food Court. Today we had the waffles. Mine had the Strawberries and Whipped Topping DD and DFr had the breakfast meat. I also purchased the half pint of Milk for DD. By the time I had paid and got to the table my waffle was very soggy from the fruit. I decided that as much as I enjoy strawberry topping – it combined with the hot waffle and the wait to pay was too much – in the future only plain Pop waffles for me. DFr had coffe again this morning – it was not great but it was very hot. I had my usual Diet Coke. Also, I know that the soda offerings at the Pop were discussed in a thread somewhere (maybe the resort board?). I will report that at least two of the fountains had Sprite Zero and Coke Zero. The total – paid out of pocket was 19.45.

I gave the group the option of Flame Tree BBQ or the new counter service Chinese – the Flame tree was the unanimous choice. DD had the half chicken meal, chocolate cake, and a bottle of water. DFr had the Rib meal, Key Lime Pie, and a coke. I had the Rib Meal, chocolate cake, and a diet coke. We were able to find a nice table in the shade and enjoy the lunch. The ribs were very meaty and well seasoned. I shared some with DD who was regretting her choice. Her chicken was well prepared (not at all dry). We rated it better than DFr’s the day before. We used some of the BBQ sauce from the condiment stand. The meals also included BBQ baked beans (which were fine) and a large corn muffin. We had much better cornbread later in the trip. Also, to me, you need butter to go with cornbread and the Flame Tree does not have it available. The desserts were prepackaged from off-site (we saw the same chocolate cake later in the week) – they were not bad but not especially great either. We were all satisfied with the food and would eat there again. The total before the DDP was approx. 45.00.

For dinner, we had a 6:05 ADR at Boma. I was surprised that I was able to get an ADR in late Jan. This is on mine and DD’s must do list. We took the bus from the AK to the AKL and changed into jeans/polo shirts in the lobby restrooms. I was surprised that the check-in desk was now on the lobby level but it did greatly reduce congestion at the entrance to the restaurant. We were given a pager, told that it would be 15 – 20 minutes (we checked in at 5:45), and found a seat in the lobby. We no sooner sat down than the pager went off – I estimate less than 2 minutes. We were seated at a table for four in the rear of the restaurant along the bench row. DD and I had a view out of the window wall. I believe that our server’s name was Driss. He promptly greeted us, took drink orders, and explained the buffet in great detail since DFr had not dined at Boma before. He was prompt in clearing plates and keeping our sodas refilled. He also brought DD a second glass of milk. DFr and I split a bottle of wine – Driss explained that we would pay for this separately from the meal plan.

All the food on the buffet was fresh and appeared to be at correct serving temperatures. I like the fact there are chefs behind the buffet that can answer questions about ingredients. They were doing a good job of bringing clean plates and bowls to the serving stations throughout the meal. The food rotation included macadamia nut crusted salmon, prime rib, roasted vegetables, a coconut rice, carrot and ginger soup, a dish with lamb/beef that was similar to Shepard’s pie, ribs, a tofu/green bean curry, fufu, Afritude potatoes, and Jolof (Sp?) rice. Our dessert selections included the pineapple upside down cheesecake, zebra domes, flourless chocolate cake, cocomisu (sp? - coconut Tiramisu), chocolate mousse, cookies, and I think a bread pudding with sauce. They also still had the salads with four different dressings (I love the mango one) and a nice selection of fresh fruit. We did not try the hummus or cold salads but they looked to be well prepared. We also skipped the “kiddy” station of the buffet. I know they had chicken nuggets – the table next to ours was eating them. I normally do not like salmon – DD’s smell so good that I tried a bite of hers and had to have some. The nut topping combined with the spices were very appealing. DD was surprised by the lack of desserts without alcohol. Despite the alcohol, she had some of the mousse and cocomisu. She did not like the flourless cake. We completely enjoyed the meal. The only downer was at the end the seating coordinator was hovering. I am almost 100% certain that they needed our table to join with several others for a large party – I felt we were being rushed by her. Our server did not rush us (even after she talked to him). We were at the table about 90 minutes. We would all eat here again without hesitation. The three dinners covered by the dining plan were 88.67. Our bottle of wine (with tax) was 41.53. I left a 26.00 tip.

Some of the Entrees/Soup:


Some of the Dessert:

 

[dancemomnj]

Thanks again! We're doing MM and Boma for the first time in August.

 

[mom2fivecs]

Enjoying the reviews so far...thanks for sharing.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I look forward to reading more of your reviews.

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

Looking forward to the rest, so far a great review!!!!

 

[KatMark]

Enjoying your reviews and looking forward to the rest.

 

[disnut1149]

Great reviews!! Can't wait to read more. Thanks!!

 

[Vavasmon]

Thanks to all for your positive comments - I enjoyed many reviews over the past years. They have really helped me in the planning process. I will try and do days 3 and 4 tomorrow. I need to finish the laundry and prep for the family coming over for Easter dinner.

 

[drcbpearce]

This is terrific! The photos make me think I need an ADR at Boma! I can't wait to see more!

 

[AnninIowa]

Subscribing!!

 

[Gymbomom]

More!! More!!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Vavasmon]

Day 3 – Typhoon Lagoon and ‘Ohanna

We slept in until 10 am and then grabbed breakfast at Everything POP – Pop Century Food Court. DFr had French toast with meat, a banana, and coffee in the refillable mug. DD had the breakfast pizza and milk. I had the adult breakfast platter (scrabbled eggs, potatoes, meat), and a diet coke in the refillable mug. I had to wait for DD’s breakfast pizza so it was very hot. I can not say the same for my eggs/potatoes. DFr’s French toast was nice and warm. The bacon this morning was not as crispy and very fatty. The total – paid out of pocket was 20.51.

We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon at Typhoon Lagoon. Around 1pm we started to get hungry and decided to grab some lunch at Leaning Palms. The counter was very slow and they were beginning to close ½ of the cash registers due to the low crowds. DD and I both had the Hawaiian Pizza and DFr had the Buffalo Chicken Pizza. DD had a bottle of water, I had a diet coke, and DFr had a coke. Dessert is ice cream bars. We had a Crunch Bar, Mickey Bar, and Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich. When we picked up the food they told us to come back within 45 minutes to get the ice cream after we finished eating. We quickly found a table and sat down to eat. The pizzas were standard Disney pizza fare – medium thickness crust and sauce. Like most pizzas I have had at counter service locations the toppings were clustered near the center. DFr’s pizza could only be described as cold – It must have been sitting in the warmer for some time. I encouraged him to take it back. The person working the window went through three other pizzas before finding one that was nice and warm. They were not busy and some of the food had been sitting too long. He did enjoy the pizza. We all agreed that the ice cream made a much better lunch dessert than the cakes of the two previous days. The total before the DDP was 35.42.

For dinner, we had a 5:40 ADR at ‘Ohanna. We arrived at the Poly at about 5:15, checked in, and were given a pager. As with my past experiences, ‘Ohanna was very busy. They were turning away walk-ups. Our pager went off at almost exactly 5:40. We were seated at a table for three at the windows looking out on the Seven Seas Lagoon. This table was not quite in the main dining area but we could see the side of the cooking grill. We were almost perfectly lined up with the bus station door but had a slightly obstructed view of the castle Last time DD and I ate at ‘Ohanna we had a table behind the grill – it was almost like dining in a different restaurant. I prefer being in the main dining area.

Before discussing the meal, I want to state my opinions on some of the recent menu changes. DD and I dined at ‘Ohanna when shrimp were on skewers, there was rice instead of potatoes, and pineapple with caramel was the dessert. We loved it then and I am happy to see the shrimp back on skewers (I never like the sausage). The potatoes were very yummy but not very Polynesian. The new noodle dish fits better with the theme. I love the bread pudding with bananas foster sauce but would be ok if the pineapple came back. I personally love the pork filled wontons but the wonton chips were ok too.

The first thing I noticed when we were seated was that we were not given bread. Instead, the hostess wrote BREAD on the ticket she left at the table. A little strange but I can live with that. Our server came over and quickly introduced herself. Her name did not match the name tag she was wearing. The receipt has cast member Elena, her name tag was Cheryl, and we are not sure either name is correct. Anyway she did a good job. She quickly brought our drinks and salad. She noted the strange note about bread and promised to bring some (it did arrive about 20 minutes into the meal). Other tables, seated by the other hostess were being given bread. Our salad with the honey lime dressing quickly appeared. A few minutes later the appetizers appeared. We had the chicken wings, pork wontons, and the new noodle dish. The chicken wigs were unchanged. The pork wontons were very similar to the restaurant’s old wontons. I used some extra peanut sauce and could have had a dinner of just these. Each of us tried the noodle dish and rated it as fine. I would not describe it as Pad Thai – the noodles were closer to lo mein noodles, with bell pepper, small tidbits of pineapple, and peanuts. The dish had a definite ginger flavor in places. It was kind-of like a sesame noodle salad with peanuts instead of sesame seeds. They also brought out the vegetables (broccoli and pea pods) and the three sauces. The skewers quickly followed – actually too quickly. First we had the grilled shrimp (you peel them) and steak. Both were well prepared – we ate 16 – 20 shrimp between the three of us – it was the main component of our meal. The steak was cooked medium. We then waited around quite some time for the pork and turkey skewers. We used this time to eat the appetizers. The pork was very moist and flavorful. The turkey was overcooked and dry. We had to flag down the server for beverage refills and more shrimp.

Once we were done, we waited for the able to be cleared and dessert. It was the bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and bananas foster sauce. We ate every bite. At this pint (we had been seated for over an hour and fifteen minutes), they stated to do a coconut race. In the past, we would have had Hawaiian music, a hula, and coconut race in that time. They seem to be toning that part of the restaurant down and concentrating more on the food/service.

Looking back at the six times we have dined at ‘Ohanna no meal was ever perfect. At least one of the meats was usually over cooked. We have had hit or miss service but we always depart full, having overall enjoyed the meal, and having had a wonderful time. We would all eat here again without hesitation. The three dinners covered by the dining plan were 99.52. I left an 18.59 tip.

Salad/Bread:

Appetizers:


Veggies/Sauces:

Skewers:

Dessert: