RllngRckBrw
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2006
- Messages
- 1,701
I have included our 7 sit down and 7 counter service restaurants for our trip last week. Our cast was myself, wife, parents and 2 kids (age 10 and 3)Note: we were on the dining plan so I wasn't as concerned with price and got dessert at each meal even when I didn't want them. Also we haven't been to WDW in almost 4 years so comparisons are going to be a bit dated.
Day 1:
Staring Rolls (Lunch)
A good change of pace from the burger spots. The sandwiches are huge and pretty good for a relatively standard ham or turkey sandwich. The issue here is that the sandwiches are made large and then are cut into wedges to serve so I imagine special requests would be difficult. The fact that this is a bakery is a plus as the dessert selection is huge.
Sci Fi (Dinner)
This was the worst of the sit down restaurants we went to. That being said it was an ok meal. I had the ribeye and it was decent but not worth the listed price. The sandwiches (both burgers and chicken) were over cooked but edible. We didn't have high expectations of this meal and got what we expected. This choice was solely for the atmosphere as my father never ate here and he loved that aspect.
Day 2:
Harbor House (Lunch)
Not a bad choice for us in the MK. My parents enjoyed the lobster roll but I did notice there was a lot of mayo as many have posted. I had the salmon and while it wasn't the best fish I have ever had it was ok for a cs.
Chef Mickey's (Dinner)
This was the biggest decline in food since our last trip here four years ago. The selection was ok but the food was just kinda blah. I don't really know how else to describe it. I did really enjoy the seafood salad they had. It was a sweet/sour tasting cold dish. The biggest plus here is still the characters and my DS3 loved it.
Day 3
Backlot Express
Standard food. I do like that they have upgraded the burger with bacon and onion rings but it is exactly standard food for a cs. Nothing special.
50's Cafe (dinner)
Just as I remember it. Good food, even tho the menu is all home cookin type food. Our waiter was good and played the part well, I am pretty sure he could tell we were eating it up. I had the sampler and the pot roast is my fav and didn't disappoint. The brownie sundae has always been my fav dessert on property and it stayed the same after this trip.
Day 4:
Tangerine Cafe (Lunch)
Our fav cs in WDW. The portions are huge, the food is quality and the dishes are just exotic enough to be different but not so out there that some more picky eaters (like my parents) were disappointed. I had the sliders and thought they were very good and a good taste of each.
San Angel Inn (Dinner)
Pretty good meal. I have always enjoyed Mexican food and thought this was a bit less authentic as many places off property. That being said the food was pretty good and the flavors hit what I was looking for in Mexican food. The steak I had was cooked perfectly and while it wasn't the highest quality steak I have ever had it was very well seasoned and prepared.
Day 5:
Tusker House (Late Lunch)
This was a great choice. A huge selection, good food with some different flavors but still not to scary. The characters did a great job of interacting with each other and the guests. We weren't to sure about this restaurant going into it but were pleasantly surprised.
Movies food court (dinner)
Blah. Had the quesedea (sp?) and it was fine. Very forgettable. At least it did come with beans guacamole and salsa.
Day 6:
Pecos Bills (Lunch)
Standard fare but the fixins bar as many know makes such a difference. I am happy to see that with all the cuts Disney has made none were made from here. Being able to make my own cheese fries and pile just about everything possible on my burger was worth it.
Crystal Palace (dinner)
Disappointing! The characters seemed rushed, the food was just ok and the selection seemed to get smaller than I remember. The peal and eat shrimp were frozen and some were completely inedible but ice crystals in my shrimp wasn't appetizing anyway. The food tasted as if it were under a heat lamp to long even tho it was full and the food was turning over. The dessert selection and bar was pretty good tho. The bread pudding was really good, almost made me forget about the avg meal.
Day 7: (Lunch)
Sunshine Seasons
I see why this gets such great reviews. Just smelling the wood fired rotisserie on the way in was enough to make me love this place. I got the chicken with beans and rice. The rice was moist and perfect, the beans flavorful and the chicken was perfectly cooked. Moist meat with a crispy, smoky skin.
Garden Grill (Dinner)
I wasn't to sure about this meal going in but I am a convert. This was the best meal of the trip! The food was great. The steak perfectly cooked with a very flavorful sauce, the fish was awesome (it was talapia), the turkey was well cooked but nothing especially outstanding. What really made this meal was atmosphere. The rotating dining room is a cool idea even if the ride it overlooks is kinda lame, it still makes for a nice view. The character interaction here was the best we have ever had. Some of it may be because the place is much smaller than other character meals but whatever the reason it allowed for the characters to stop and play with each kid. Each character made it around twice while we were there and the still spent time with us on the second round. The playful rivalry between chip and dale was very cute and they both took the time to play with my DS3's plush chip and dale. He ate that up.
Sorry for the long post, but if anyone has any questions about our experiences I will be happy to answer. Overall I think many of the menus have been simplified but it appears the food quality on our trip was still pretty good.
Day 1:
Staring Rolls (Lunch)
A good change of pace from the burger spots. The sandwiches are huge and pretty good for a relatively standard ham or turkey sandwich. The issue here is that the sandwiches are made large and then are cut into wedges to serve so I imagine special requests would be difficult. The fact that this is a bakery is a plus as the dessert selection is huge.
Sci Fi (Dinner)
This was the worst of the sit down restaurants we went to. That being said it was an ok meal. I had the ribeye and it was decent but not worth the listed price. The sandwiches (both burgers and chicken) were over cooked but edible. We didn't have high expectations of this meal and got what we expected. This choice was solely for the atmosphere as my father never ate here and he loved that aspect.
Day 2:
Harbor House (Lunch)
Not a bad choice for us in the MK. My parents enjoyed the lobster roll but I did notice there was a lot of mayo as many have posted. I had the salmon and while it wasn't the best fish I have ever had it was ok for a cs.
Chef Mickey's (Dinner)
This was the biggest decline in food since our last trip here four years ago. The selection was ok but the food was just kinda blah. I don't really know how else to describe it. I did really enjoy the seafood salad they had. It was a sweet/sour tasting cold dish. The biggest plus here is still the characters and my DS3 loved it.
Day 3
Backlot Express
Standard food. I do like that they have upgraded the burger with bacon and onion rings but it is exactly standard food for a cs. Nothing special.
50's Cafe (dinner)
Just as I remember it. Good food, even tho the menu is all home cookin type food. Our waiter was good and played the part well, I am pretty sure he could tell we were eating it up. I had the sampler and the pot roast is my fav and didn't disappoint. The brownie sundae has always been my fav dessert on property and it stayed the same after this trip.
Day 4:
Tangerine Cafe (Lunch)
Our fav cs in WDW. The portions are huge, the food is quality and the dishes are just exotic enough to be different but not so out there that some more picky eaters (like my parents) were disappointed. I had the sliders and thought they were very good and a good taste of each.
San Angel Inn (Dinner)
Pretty good meal. I have always enjoyed Mexican food and thought this was a bit less authentic as many places off property. That being said the food was pretty good and the flavors hit what I was looking for in Mexican food. The steak I had was cooked perfectly and while it wasn't the highest quality steak I have ever had it was very well seasoned and prepared.
Day 5:
Tusker House (Late Lunch)
This was a great choice. A huge selection, good food with some different flavors but still not to scary. The characters did a great job of interacting with each other and the guests. We weren't to sure about this restaurant going into it but were pleasantly surprised.
Movies food court (dinner)
Blah. Had the quesedea (sp?) and it was fine. Very forgettable. At least it did come with beans guacamole and salsa.
Day 6:
Pecos Bills (Lunch)
Standard fare but the fixins bar as many know makes such a difference. I am happy to see that with all the cuts Disney has made none were made from here. Being able to make my own cheese fries and pile just about everything possible on my burger was worth it.
Crystal Palace (dinner)
Disappointing! The characters seemed rushed, the food was just ok and the selection seemed to get smaller than I remember. The peal and eat shrimp were frozen and some were completely inedible but ice crystals in my shrimp wasn't appetizing anyway. The food tasted as if it were under a heat lamp to long even tho it was full and the food was turning over. The dessert selection and bar was pretty good tho. The bread pudding was really good, almost made me forget about the avg meal.
Day 7: (Lunch)
Sunshine Seasons
I see why this gets such great reviews. Just smelling the wood fired rotisserie on the way in was enough to make me love this place. I got the chicken with beans and rice. The rice was moist and perfect, the beans flavorful and the chicken was perfectly cooked. Moist meat with a crispy, smoky skin.
Garden Grill (Dinner)
I wasn't to sure about this meal going in but I am a convert. This was the best meal of the trip! The food was great. The steak perfectly cooked with a very flavorful sauce, the fish was awesome (it was talapia), the turkey was well cooked but nothing especially outstanding. What really made this meal was atmosphere. The rotating dining room is a cool idea even if the ride it overlooks is kinda lame, it still makes for a nice view. The character interaction here was the best we have ever had. Some of it may be because the place is much smaller than other character meals but whatever the reason it allowed for the characters to stop and play with each kid. Each character made it around twice while we were there and the still spent time with us on the second round. The playful rivalry between chip and dale was very cute and they both took the time to play with my DS3's plush chip and dale. He ate that up.
Sorry for the long post, but if anyone has any questions about our experiences I will be happy to answer. Overall I think many of the menus have been simplified but it appears the food quality on our trip was still pretty good.
