One part to go - excuse the length!
The Cast: My DH, me and our two sons 14 and 17.
The Scene: An eight night family vacation on the Dreammaker Silver Plan. This means we get wishes to use for our meals. The cost I list is what we would have spent including tax and tip. Most meals took one wish. Each meal includes an appetizer, entree and dessert for each of us.
Wednesday March 26 Dinner - Les Chefs de France
We arrived right on time for our ps and a mime was just starting his performance outside the restaurant. The kids were very interested so I checked in and told the hostess that. The CM suggested waiting until the mime was done. I was glad they were so accommodating. We were seated on the side sun porch with a nice view of the fountain. DH and I ordered Kir, something I remember fondly from a trip to France when I was in school. It didnt disappoint.
DS17 decided he wanted to try Escargot so we ordered them. Also La Planche Campagnarde, and a Lobster Bisque. I didnt taste the escargot but they seemed to enjoy them, especially the garlic butter sauce on bread. The bisque was too thin for my tastes. DS14 called it too lobstery. I wasnt sure what that meant but when I tasted it I agreed - basically just lobster flavor with nothing supporting it. The planche was a hit! A wonderful assortment of 3 or 4 cheeses, 2 kinds of pate, and 4 kinds of meats (salami-like) with condiments on a wooden cutting board set in the middle of the table. Everything was great but the chicken (sausage or smoked or ?) was absolutely wonderful. Our waitress kept bringing us more warm french bread to enjoy all of these things with. I think I could easily order one of these for my whole dinner.
For entrees, DH and DS17 had fillets, DS14 and I had the duck. The fillet was served with a black peppercorn sauce and a potato gratin. DH thought the sauce was bland - he really couldnt taste the pepper at all - but the meat was good. They really enjoyed the potatoes. The duck breast was sliced into rounds and served with a sauce. It had braised endive and lentils accompanying it. I dont like endive and this didnt change my mind. I usually do like lentils but these didnt do much for me. The duck was okay but nothing special. Again, I thought the sauce was rather bland. DH and I enjoyed a nice glass of Bordeaux.
DH wanted a cappuccino instead of dessert but our server said he couldnt do that on the silver plan. It seemed silly to me, but oh well. So, he and DS17 had Creme Brulee. It was a huge portion with a nice crisp sugar crust. DS14 had the Chocolate Profiteroles which he happily demolished. I had a Chestnut Mousse and Praline Parfait with warm chocolate sauce. It was fantastic! Lots of good flavors and not too sweet.
Severine was our server. She was very friendly, telling us about her stay at WDW when we asked and explaining menu items to us. She kept the bread coming for our appetizers and kept our food coming at a relaxed pace which we appreciated.
Grade B (Planche and dessert A) Cost: food $203.95 (used wishes), alcohol (with tip) $33.19
Thursday March 27 Breakfast - Boma
We were seated right away and started off with some Frunch, a very tasty combination of fruit juices. DH and I ordered a press pot of coffee. At home, my preference is African or Indonesian coffee so I had high expectations. It was definitely better than most of the coffee at WDW, certainly stronger which is good. The flavor was okay, but not on par with some of my favorite varieties at Starbucks. I grew up on the east coast but after 24 years in Oregon I am definitely a northwesterner, especially when it comes to coffee!
The buffet was good. Had some interesting and unusual African dishes on it but not as many as at dinner. DS14 and I had omelets made to order. This was very good. Eggs made fresh are definitely better than those in a warmer! I also enjoyed some fruit, potatoes with attitude, Boboti (a casserole with corn beef, eggs and other stuff) and bacon. Overall, it was much better than your normal breakfast buffet.
Grade B Cost $80.13 (used wishes)
Thursday March 27 Dinner - California Grill (just DH and I)
DH and I were celebrating our anniversary tonight. I made a 6:30 ps, fireworks at MK were at 7:15. CM taking ps noted our anniversary and requested a window table. We arrived right at 6:30 (took a little monorail ride for cocktails and got too relaxed at Mizners). It was packed! The restaurant was full, the bar was full, it was noisy and chaotic. My husband is not a Disney fanatic and is VERY crowd averse. We were told it would be 30-40 minutes. I didnt even mention the window. DH was getting grumpy. The view was gorgeous though - it had been raining and the sunset with the clouds was beautiful. We took a stroll out on the observation deck and enjoyed the view, walked around the restaurant, leaned on the bar. DH liked the look of the wine room and went to ask about it. They said it was closed because they didnt have enough staff for it. DH got grumpier. I was still hoping for a window seat but didnt think things looked good. I actually figured no one would leave until after the fireworks and told DH so. Then, our pager went off right at 7. Went to hostess and she took us over to the PERFECT table. It was in the corner on the end by the observation deck in front of the window. Couldnt get a better view of the castle. WOW. DH got a little less grumpy.
For appetizers we decided to share a sushi sampler and the portobello flatbread. Sushi was very nice except it was one piece of each thing and we both wanted to taste everything. I managed to cut them in half but they lost some of their flair that way. The flat bread was good but almost too mushroomy. I think I would try different appetizers next time although they werent bad.
We asked which chardonnay by the glass would be most buttery - the kind that I enjoy. Our server had 2 suggestions and brought us a taste of each, a nice touch. They were both good but not exceptional examples of that style. I picked the one I liked best and we each got a glass. About this time, the lights dimmed and the fireworks started. Very magical. Im glad we came here at this time and especially glad for the table we got.
DH was burned out on meat at this point. On the silver plan there was a tendency to try to get your moneys worth and order the most expensive thing, often steak. Id managed to avoid this but DH had steak almost every night so far. So, he ordered the vegetarian entree, black bean cakes. He says that they were nicely spiced, an excellent texture and great variety of flavors. The only steak I had so far was at Ohana so I ordered the fillet. Wow - it was incredible! Perfectly done medium rare, melt in your mouth tender, and a perfect match with the tamarind sauce. The potatoes served with it were wonderful as well. While we have great coffee in the NW our beef isnt as good as other parts of the country. This was SO flavorful. A tie for my favorite entree on the trip.
For dessert, DH had the Hazelnut Chocolate Crunch Pyramid which he said was great - his favorite dessert of the trip. I had the creme brulee trio - orange, coconut and butterscotch. It was very good - almost as good as the chocolate at Wolfgang Puck. I liked all 3 flavors here and would only put WPC chocolate above any of them. Great intense flavor, very creamy, nice crispy sugar crust. I think I need to get a kitchen torch and learn to make this stuff!
Our server was not our favorite. He was definitely competent, explaining when we asked, bringing what we needed, etc. Just not exceptional. I cant quite put my finger on it. Maybe distant is the word Id use. No bad experience, just nothing especially positive either. One example - he was asking us something when the lights dimmed and the fireworks started and kept right on instead of letting us fully enjoy them. Not a big deal, but noticeable.
Grade A/A+; Cost $120 (used wishes - this took 2 for each person), alcohol $33 (with tip)
Thursday March 27 Dinner - Rainforest Cafe DTD (DS 14 and 17)
While DH and I went out, the boys went to DTD and decided to go to Rainforest Cafe. Theyve been to the ones in DL, Las Vegas and New York so they knew what to expect. I was a little worried about the kind of attention theyd get being teenagers on their own but apparently it went very well. I dont know a lot about their meal except that we got a cell phone call while we were eating. They were very proud because they had ordered a lobster dinner and managed to run up a bill over a hundred dollars. Interesting to note that they spent $103.65 and used 2 wishes and we spent about $120 and used 4. One wish restaurants are definitely the better deal on the silver plan.
I do know that they had quesadillas and fried cheese for appetizers, the lobster dinner and a pepperoni pizza for entrees (talk about a contrast!) and shared a Volcano for dessert. DS14 says this was his favorite dessert. When I asked DS17 what he thought of his dinner he said It was a Rainforest Cafe. I think that means it was good but nothing special.
Grade ?; Cost $103.65 (used wishes)
The Cast: My DH, me and our two sons 14 and 17.
The Scene: An eight night family vacation on the Dreammaker Silver Plan. This means we get wishes to use for our meals. The cost I list is what we would have spent including tax and tip. Most meals took one wish. Each meal includes an appetizer, entree and dessert for each of us.
Wednesday March 26 Dinner - Les Chefs de France
We arrived right on time for our ps and a mime was just starting his performance outside the restaurant. The kids were very interested so I checked in and told the hostess that. The CM suggested waiting until the mime was done. I was glad they were so accommodating. We were seated on the side sun porch with a nice view of the fountain. DH and I ordered Kir, something I remember fondly from a trip to France when I was in school. It didnt disappoint.
DS17 decided he wanted to try Escargot so we ordered them. Also La Planche Campagnarde, and a Lobster Bisque. I didnt taste the escargot but they seemed to enjoy them, especially the garlic butter sauce on bread. The bisque was too thin for my tastes. DS14 called it too lobstery. I wasnt sure what that meant but when I tasted it I agreed - basically just lobster flavor with nothing supporting it. The planche was a hit! A wonderful assortment of 3 or 4 cheeses, 2 kinds of pate, and 4 kinds of meats (salami-like) with condiments on a wooden cutting board set in the middle of the table. Everything was great but the chicken (sausage or smoked or ?) was absolutely wonderful. Our waitress kept bringing us more warm french bread to enjoy all of these things with. I think I could easily order one of these for my whole dinner.
For entrees, DH and DS17 had fillets, DS14 and I had the duck. The fillet was served with a black peppercorn sauce and a potato gratin. DH thought the sauce was bland - he really couldnt taste the pepper at all - but the meat was good. They really enjoyed the potatoes. The duck breast was sliced into rounds and served with a sauce. It had braised endive and lentils accompanying it. I dont like endive and this didnt change my mind. I usually do like lentils but these didnt do much for me. The duck was okay but nothing special. Again, I thought the sauce was rather bland. DH and I enjoyed a nice glass of Bordeaux.
DH wanted a cappuccino instead of dessert but our server said he couldnt do that on the silver plan. It seemed silly to me, but oh well. So, he and DS17 had Creme Brulee. It was a huge portion with a nice crisp sugar crust. DS14 had the Chocolate Profiteroles which he happily demolished. I had a Chestnut Mousse and Praline Parfait with warm chocolate sauce. It was fantastic! Lots of good flavors and not too sweet.
Severine was our server. She was very friendly, telling us about her stay at WDW when we asked and explaining menu items to us. She kept the bread coming for our appetizers and kept our food coming at a relaxed pace which we appreciated.
Grade B (Planche and dessert A) Cost: food $203.95 (used wishes), alcohol (with tip) $33.19
Thursday March 27 Breakfast - Boma
We were seated right away and started off with some Frunch, a very tasty combination of fruit juices. DH and I ordered a press pot of coffee. At home, my preference is African or Indonesian coffee so I had high expectations. It was definitely better than most of the coffee at WDW, certainly stronger which is good. The flavor was okay, but not on par with some of my favorite varieties at Starbucks. I grew up on the east coast but after 24 years in Oregon I am definitely a northwesterner, especially when it comes to coffee!
The buffet was good. Had some interesting and unusual African dishes on it but not as many as at dinner. DS14 and I had omelets made to order. This was very good. Eggs made fresh are definitely better than those in a warmer! I also enjoyed some fruit, potatoes with attitude, Boboti (a casserole with corn beef, eggs and other stuff) and bacon. Overall, it was much better than your normal breakfast buffet.
Grade B Cost $80.13 (used wishes)
Thursday March 27 Dinner - California Grill (just DH and I)
DH and I were celebrating our anniversary tonight. I made a 6:30 ps, fireworks at MK were at 7:15. CM taking ps noted our anniversary and requested a window table. We arrived right at 6:30 (took a little monorail ride for cocktails and got too relaxed at Mizners). It was packed! The restaurant was full, the bar was full, it was noisy and chaotic. My husband is not a Disney fanatic and is VERY crowd averse. We were told it would be 30-40 minutes. I didnt even mention the window. DH was getting grumpy. The view was gorgeous though - it had been raining and the sunset with the clouds was beautiful. We took a stroll out on the observation deck and enjoyed the view, walked around the restaurant, leaned on the bar. DH liked the look of the wine room and went to ask about it. They said it was closed because they didnt have enough staff for it. DH got grumpier. I was still hoping for a window seat but didnt think things looked good. I actually figured no one would leave until after the fireworks and told DH so. Then, our pager went off right at 7. Went to hostess and she took us over to the PERFECT table. It was in the corner on the end by the observation deck in front of the window. Couldnt get a better view of the castle. WOW. DH got a little less grumpy.
For appetizers we decided to share a sushi sampler and the portobello flatbread. Sushi was very nice except it was one piece of each thing and we both wanted to taste everything. I managed to cut them in half but they lost some of their flair that way. The flat bread was good but almost too mushroomy. I think I would try different appetizers next time although they werent bad.
We asked which chardonnay by the glass would be most buttery - the kind that I enjoy. Our server had 2 suggestions and brought us a taste of each, a nice touch. They were both good but not exceptional examples of that style. I picked the one I liked best and we each got a glass. About this time, the lights dimmed and the fireworks started. Very magical. Im glad we came here at this time and especially glad for the table we got.
DH was burned out on meat at this point. On the silver plan there was a tendency to try to get your moneys worth and order the most expensive thing, often steak. Id managed to avoid this but DH had steak almost every night so far. So, he ordered the vegetarian entree, black bean cakes. He says that they were nicely spiced, an excellent texture and great variety of flavors. The only steak I had so far was at Ohana so I ordered the fillet. Wow - it was incredible! Perfectly done medium rare, melt in your mouth tender, and a perfect match with the tamarind sauce. The potatoes served with it were wonderful as well. While we have great coffee in the NW our beef isnt as good as other parts of the country. This was SO flavorful. A tie for my favorite entree on the trip.
For dessert, DH had the Hazelnut Chocolate Crunch Pyramid which he said was great - his favorite dessert of the trip. I had the creme brulee trio - orange, coconut and butterscotch. It was very good - almost as good as the chocolate at Wolfgang Puck. I liked all 3 flavors here and would only put WPC chocolate above any of them. Great intense flavor, very creamy, nice crispy sugar crust. I think I need to get a kitchen torch and learn to make this stuff!
Our server was not our favorite. He was definitely competent, explaining when we asked, bringing what we needed, etc. Just not exceptional. I cant quite put my finger on it. Maybe distant is the word Id use. No bad experience, just nothing especially positive either. One example - he was asking us something when the lights dimmed and the fireworks started and kept right on instead of letting us fully enjoy them. Not a big deal, but noticeable.
Grade A/A+; Cost $120 (used wishes - this took 2 for each person), alcohol $33 (with tip)
Thursday March 27 Dinner - Rainforest Cafe DTD (DS 14 and 17)
While DH and I went out, the boys went to DTD and decided to go to Rainforest Cafe. Theyve been to the ones in DL, Las Vegas and New York so they knew what to expect. I was a little worried about the kind of attention theyd get being teenagers on their own but apparently it went very well. I dont know a lot about their meal except that we got a cell phone call while we were eating. They were very proud because they had ordered a lobster dinner and managed to run up a bill over a hundred dollars. Interesting to note that they spent $103.65 and used 2 wishes and we spent about $120 and used 4. One wish restaurants are definitely the better deal on the silver plan.
I do know that they had quesadillas and fried cheese for appetizers, the lobster dinner and a pepperoni pizza for entrees (talk about a contrast!) and shared a Volcano for dessert. DS14 says this was his favorite dessert. When I asked DS17 what he thought of his dinner he said It was a Rainforest Cafe. I think that means it was good but nothing special.
Grade ?; Cost $103.65 (used wishes)
