Pudge Controls the Weather-A Dining Report (Updated 9/1-Bfast at EG-Closing Thoughts)

[AmericangirlinFrance]

So, I have some sad news ...... nothing tragic, but sad nevertheless. DH has done an accounting of our finances and has decreed that we need to "spend less". And if I wanted to renew our annual passes, I better find a way to save some money. So, I got to thinking and I figured we could save about $400 by going from the DDP to the QSDP. I mean that right there is the cost of one of our annual passes. (We get DVC renewal rate of $385 a piece). So today I cancelled all of our ADR's. Wah, wah, WAH !!! I will still do dining review of our QSDP and it won't all be burgers and fires !!

If ANYONE has any advice regarding good QS places with a good value and great food, please share !!

Hi! I am totally a lurker on the dining review board (because I love Disney food porn ) but I had to chime in when I saw this. We are Florida resident AP holders and thus NEVER get the dining plan. We also usually eat quick service to save money and touring time in the parks (it is really freeing not to have to plan your park days around ADRs!).

What I would suggest is take all the $$ you would spend on the Quick Service DP for your family, and instead of purchasing the plan, put the $$ on a Disney gift card. Then, your meals are "pre-paid", but you have the flexibility to order whatever you want. For example - most people don't want dessert at lunch (and usually quick service dessert is a gross prepackaged cake)... so save the $$ you would have spent on dessert, and you can use it towards an extra snack. Another example - Disney soft drinks are huge, so instead of getting a huge drink for every family member (this would come with the plan!), get 2 to split, and then drink water (it's healthier anyway, particularly in the heat!). You can either spend the leftover $$ on the gift card on other food, or on souvenirs!

I think most people would save sooo much money if they did this instead of purchasing the dining plan. And the gift card gives you the "feeling" of your dining being paid for already (which I think is what most people like about the dining plan, anyway).

Because we eat a lot of counter service, here are some of our favorite CS spots!:

Epcot: Sunshine Seasons in Future World (love the salads, roasted chicken, soups, homemade desserts - no burgers!); Tangierine Cafe in Morocco (couscous and roasted meats, baklava)

Magic Kingdom Columbia Harbor House! They have fried fish/chicken, but I love the hummus and tomato sandwich, soups, steamed broccoli, and other healthy options. Plus the theming is awesome - sit upstairs and you can look out over Fantasyland. Toppings bar at Pecos Bill is good, but burgers are so-so. Aloha Isle in Adventureland for Dole Whips; Main Street Bakery/Sleepy Hollow for ice cream cookie sandwiches (homemade cookies with a big scoop of ice cream smushed between them)

Animal Kingdom We like Flame Tree BBQ - the roast chicken is enough to split. We find the other CS options to be fairly middling.

Studios Probably the worst park for CS. We like Studios Catering Company (near the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area) - they have a Greek salad and pressed panini sandwich that is good. Starring Rolls is supposed to be good for sandwiches.

We really like the CS at the Polynesian, Captain Cook's. The grown-up grilled cheese and the Aloha pork sandwich are good.

 

[jecskc]

Can't wait to try Pink! The picture of you and DH is great! And all those breakfast pastries......yummmmmm!

Pink is a nice little place. Who doesn't love pink sparkly things anyway. i was glad we got to spend some time there. Thanks, we really like the photo and it is my Facebook profile photo.

I know - I love me breakfast pastries. Too bad the coffee they had to go with them was so horrible. WHY does Disney use the Nescafe stuff ??? Ew.

 

[jecskc]

Hi! I am totally a lurker on the dining review board (because I love Disney food porn ) but I had to chime in when I saw this. We are Florida resident AP holders and thus NEVER get the dining plan. We also usually eat quick service to save money and touring time in the parks (it is really freeing not to have to plan your park days around ADRs!).

What I would suggest is take all the $$ you would spend on the Quick Service DP for your family, and instead of purchasing the plan, put the $$ on a Disney gift card. Then, your meals are "pre-paid", but you have the flexibility to order whatever you want. For example - most people don't want dessert at lunch (and usually quick service dessert is a gross prepackaged cake)... so save the $$ you would have spent on dessert, and you can use it towards an extra snack. Another example - Disney soft drinks are huge, so instead of getting a huge drink for every family member (this would come with the plan!), get 2 to split, and then drink water (it's healthier anyway, particularly in the heat!). You can either spend the leftover $$ on the gift card on other food, or on souvenirs!

I think most people would save sooo much money if they did this instead of purchasing the dining plan. And the gift card gives you the "feeling" of your dining being paid for already (which I think is what most people like about the dining plan, anyway).

Because we eat a lot of counter service, here are some of our favorite CS spots!:

Epcot: Sunshine Seasons in Future World (love the salads, roasted chicken, soups, homemade desserts - no burgers!); Tangierine Cafe in Morocco (couscous and roasted meats, baklava)

Magic Kingdom Columbia Harbor House! They have fried fish/chicken, but I love the hummus and tomato sandwich, soups, steamed broccoli, and other healthy options. Plus the theming is awesome - sit upstairs and you can look out over Fantasyland. Toppings bar at Pecos Bill is good, but burgers are so-so. Aloha Isle in Adventureland for Dole Whips; Main Street Bakery/Sleepy Hollow for ice cream cookie sandwiches (homemade cookies with a big scoop of ice cream smushed between them)

Animal Kingdom We like Flame Tree BBQ - the roast chicken is enough to split. We find the other CS options to be fairly middling.

Studios Probably the worst park for CS. We like Studios Catering Company (near the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area) - they have a Greek salad and pressed panini sandwich that is good. Starring Rolls is supposed to be good for sandwiches.

We really like the CS at the Polynesian, Captain Cook's. The grown-up grilled cheese and the Aloha pork sandwich are good.

First of all, I am honored that you would take the time to come out of lurkdom to comment. I really appreciate all of your advice and suggestions. It really does help to have an objective input.

That grown up grilled cheese sounds really yummy. We will have to try that this coming trip.

I love me some food porn, too. Just between you and me, I never read a Dining Review that doesn't have photos. I mean .... what would be the point ???

 

[jecskc]

Breakfast at Enchanted Garden

We had a tough time getting the kids up, but we finally managed. We went to Enchanted Garden for breakfast and it was just regular buffet food. It was OK. Again, the breakfast stuff just wasn’t that great. Or, at least I didn’t think it was.

Some buffet photos from the internet.

DD said the Mickey waffles didn’t taste as good as they did in the parks.

I am giving this and Edna rating again

Just your regular breakfast food nothing spectacular.


After breakfast, we explored the boat a little and we got some REAL coffee from the Cove Café.

We drank it out on the front of the boat. Wonderful weather on this trip !!

And this I will give a Mrs. Incredible rating.

Because the FREE coffee on the ship is just that Necrappe stuff. And seriously, it is nasty. Why doesn’t Disney DO something about that coffee !!!

 

[gardengirl628]

Is the coffee at Cove Cafe free? I'm guessing not......and i agree....the nescrappe just doesn't do it for me.

 

[jecskc]

Is the coffee at Cove Cafe free? I'm guessing not......and i agree....the nescrappe just doesn't do it for me.

It is not free, but it is nirvana after five days of Nescrappe. They have another coffee place that I got some from as well. Vista Cafe. Both places were hopping. I still don't understand Disney and the Necafe thing ......

 

[butiflfeet]

It is not free, but it is nirvana after five days of Nescrappe. They have another coffee place that I got some from as well. Vista Cafe. Both places were hopping. I still don't understand Disney and the Necafe thing ......

Good to know you can get something other than nescafe on the cruise. I have to admit that's something that really worried me

 

[jecskc]

Good to know you can get something other than nescafe on the cruise. I have to admit that's something that really worried me

I understand completely !! Some people would bring a French Press and get hot water from the drink station and make their own coffee in their rooms. That Nescafe stuff was seriously nasty. I drank it anyway though. Because I NEED coffee.

The day we left the ship, a REAL cup of coffee was the first thing on my mind. Starbucks should have a store right there outside the terminal. They would make millions just on that one store.

 

[jecskc]

Lunch at Flo's and Cabanas, Goofy's Golf and glow-y pirate drinks.

After we got back from our Nassau excursion, DS went straight to his club and DD, DH and I went up to deck 11 for some grub. DD and I got some pizza from Flo’s. Which for some reason I didn't take a photo of. Maybe DH had the camera. I dunno. It was a slice of pizza on a plate. I promise the photos at dinner are good !!

DH wasn't feeling the fast food stands so he went to Cabanas to get some food from there.

We gave our lunch an Edna rating

It was good and filled us up. Nothing unusually spectacular.

After that DD went to get some ice cream when she was finished, we went up to the sports deck

To play some Goofy’s mini golf.

This course was just precious and it was really fun to play. Only nine holes, so it didn’t take too much time. And of course, the weather was amazing.

This night was pirate night so we were just waiting around and relaxing in the afternoon while the kids enjoyed time in the kids clubs.

Here was our invite

And DS’s invite to the Edge

Lots of people dress up for pirate night, so I made all four of us some t-shirts to wear for fun.

So DS came back from his club wanting to get his pirate stuff on.

Then he took off again to hang with his buddies.

Then DH went to go get DD so we could all get ready and go to the Pirate Party. The counselors at DS’s club were taking those kids, so he wanted to hang with them. We said OK.

When we got up on deck, we HAD to get the glow-y drinks.

You can’t tell from these photos but mine had a bottom that glowed and changed colors and DD’s straw glowed. They were fun.

I will give the glow-y drinks a Mrs. Incredible rating.

Because drinking glow-y drinks while dressed up in pirate gear on one the most beautiful cruise ships ever is just the best !!!

 

[Pixie Princess]

Nescrappe...

I always take my own tea bags to WDW b/c the tea I like is almost always only available as decaf...DECAF!! The only other option is Nescafe bags, and I'm sorry, it isn't even as good a Lipton. Last time we went I took containers tea for iced tea and kept it in the room in the fridge. It was nice to have that as the iced tea is also pretty bad at most places around the World.

 

[jecskc]

Nescrappe...

For realz. That stuff is nasty ......just sayin' ....

 

[lblume91]

Thanks for sharing your reviews! We have been to Liberty Tree for dinner but not for lunch. I've added it to our list of options for our upcoming trip. Your photos look yummy!!

 

[jecskc]

Thanks for sharing your reviews! We have been to Liberty Tree for dinner but not for lunch. I've added it to our list of options for our upcoming trip. Your photos look yummy!!

Thanks so much for stopping by to say hello !! LTT was a fantastic lunch and we can't wait to go back. Everything was great about it !!

 

[jecskc]

Dinner at Animator’s Palate – Part 1

After the pirate party, we head down to dinner which was at Animator’s Palate.

They brought us some bread. I loved the basket.

The cornbread was sooo good. I had to try hard not to eat too much so I wouldn’t get too full too fast.

This was one of our table mates. She had on a great outfit.

DD got the kid’s macaroni.

She ate all of it, so it must have been good.

For appetizers, I had - Pirate’s Golden Pot Stickers – Oriental pork “dumplings’ deep fried and served with Tamarind – Ginger soy sauce and pickled vegetables.

These were so tasty. And the sauce they came with was really good. Kinda sweet with a little heat.

DH ordered – Pearls of the Caribbean – Crabmeat, shrimp and salmon mixed in pearls of couscous with lemon grass infused vinaigrette.

I don’t remember him saying anything bad about it and he ate all of it, so it must have been good.

DD got a hold of the camera and took these.

She completely cracks me up.

Continued in next post

 

[jecskc]

Animator’s Palate – Part 2

For the next course, I ordered – Mr. Smee’s Bibb Lettuce Salad – with bibb lettuce, baby greens, chicory, tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and raspberry vinaigrette.

Very fresh and good. Loved it.

DH ordered – Caribbean style conch chowder – with sherry, sweet peppers, onions, tomatoes, thyme and garnished with diced potatoes and crispy bacon bits

I remember him talking about this and how good it was.

For the main course, I ordered – Jack Sparrow’s barbeque marinated beef short ribs – Rubbed beef Short Ribs with tamarind barbeque sauce served with onion red bliss mashed potatoes and plantain chip.

These were amazing !! Cut with your fork tender. I really enjoyed them.

DH ordered – Treasure –of-the-seas Grilled Shrimp and Seared Scallops served on strings of pasta and fresh tomato sauce.

He really enjoyed it. Said it was really good.

For dessert DD had her standard Mickey Bar

And DH and I both had - Sweet Temptations – a trio of fruit cobbler, floating island and chocolate cake.

This was a good mix of desserts. Normally, I wouldn’t chose a cobbler over chocolate, but I have to admit the cobbler won this round. Sweet, with and little bit of tangy. Soooo good.

Photos from dinner – Our servers. Warren and Ibriham. Wonderful !!

DH and I in our pirate gear.

And DH, DD and I (DS was at his club)

A very enjoyable meal. DD wanted to go to some pajama party they were having at her club, so we got her changed into her pajamas and took her over to her club. She said she was a hamster here.

I am going to give this meal a Mrs. Incredible rating.

Our meal here was very enjoyable and I was looking forward to going back again the next night.

 

[vettegirl]

Wow that meal looks incredible!

 

[jecskc]

Wow that meal looks incredible!

It really was !! We very much enjoyed all of the dinners on the ship. Can't wait to go back !!

 

[Pixie Princess]

I just love this girl!!

And I want some of those paintbrush butter knives. Sooo cute!

 

[jecskc]

I just love this girl!!

And I want some of those paintbrush butter knives. Sooo cute!

She is sooo funny !! She makes me laugh every day !!

All of the decor in Animator's Palate was so cute. I wanted to take all of it home, too !!

 

[jecskc]

Friday, April 13, 2012

Anyhoodle, we slept in on this day. DH and I got up around 9 AM. The kids didn’t want to get up so we didn’t make them. We just went to have breakfast by ourselves. We went to Cabanas and I didn’t take my camera, but my breakfast was more the same from the previous post about breakfast at Cabanas. Way too many carbs, but yummy anyway. Oh, and the eggs and coffee were still gross.

We brought some food back for the kids.

Again, an Edna rating.

Most of it was good, but nothing great.