So much food...but only gained 2 lbs!! COMPLETED 5/5
- Thread starter sandym718
- Start date
Oh man! That's terrible! I'm glad you were able to enjoy your meal after that, but I would also have been pissed.
Yes, I really had to focus on- "Don't let this ruin the dinner", b/c I tend to be a hothead!
Thank you!! Here comes more!
Day 6 - Wednesday, March 30th - Pepper Market and Ohana
Another day, lots more yummy food to be had!!
Breakfast was again in the room, pastries from CC's!
We went to the MK this morning but were done by lunch time. We decided to try Pepper Market - DSis and DSB had eaten there a couple times already and really enjoyed it. Plus, lots of choices!!
Me- Chili Burger with fries, Diet Coke, Chocolate Cake
DH- Cheesesteak with chips, Iced Tea, Ice Cream Sundae
DSis- Cheeseburger with fries, Coke, Ice Cream Sundae
DSB- Cheesesteak with chips, Iced Tea, ?? (can't remember his dessert)
DS- Chicken nuggets (can't remember the kids' sides/dessert- I think chips and chocolate chip cookie??)
DD- Pasta
Overall, this was very good. There are SO many choices here, which is great, everyone can get what they want. DSis and I had both planned to get Nachos, but she said her burger was so good yesterday that she wanted another and I decided to have one too. They give you a TON of fries, we both shared with the kids and the guys. The guys' cheesesteaks looked delicious, I'd like to try one of those some time.
I remember my cake as just being "ok".
I did find the process a little confusing with the cards and the stamps, but DSis said by the 2nd time they ate there, it was much easier!!
Dinner this evening was at Ohana -a favorite and a must-do.
Our ADR was for 5:15 (all 6 of us). I was very pleased that we only had to wait behind about 4 groups to check in. That line can get CRAZY sometimes. We only waited about 10 minutes for our table, too.
Now in 2009 was our first visit here. I believe we came on a Monday. We had the MALE entertainer, not Lipoa. We have seen Lipoa before - for the Torch Lighting, and I never really thought much one way or the other. Now I don't want to be rude, and I know a lot of people love her, but she's just not for us at Ohana. We were seated in the midst of one "round" of entertainment. And her voice, oh, it was quite annoying to us. So high-pitched and fake-y sounding. She seems to be a very nice lady, and she does a good job with the kids, but ALL of us (including our kids) were kind of annoyed by it. Last time, DD participated in the activities, but she wouldn't this time. We were worried her voice would continue the entire meal, but luckily it didn't.
Onto the food - SOOOOOOO Good!! We started with bread and salad, that bread is to die for!! Then came the pot stickers, noodles, wings and veggies. I just love those pot stickers and noodles! The meat came quickly after that. In 2009, the meat was our least favorite part, we found it dry and needing the sauces. The sides more than made up for that, though. Well, this trip, the meat was PERFECT!! I loved the turkey and the beef, not the pork as much, though that was DSis's favorite. I think only DH had the shrimp -they're a lot of work.
We did feel a bit rushed through the meal, which is a common issue here. We did not experience that in 2009, but did have a touch of it here. Next time we'll make a conscious effort to just go slower.
Dessert- oh that delicious bread pudding - it did not disappoint!! DSB especially fell in love with it. DSis is not a bread pudding fan and did not like it, her and DD (cannot STAND bananas) just ate the ice cream. The guys ate a ton and even ordered more!!
Overall, we love Ohana - but not Lipoa. I *believe* she is off on Sundays and Mondays (no torch lightings those days), so I'm guessing those are the days the guy is there. Anyone know for sure? If that's the case, we'll be trying for an ADR on one of those days next time!! Again, not trying to be mean, it's just our personal preference. Ohana is definitely a must-do for us though!!
DH, DS, Dsis and DSB did a monorail tour this evening (it was storming good) and I know they got a few alcoholic beverages at the GF and Contemporary but not sure what. I'll try to remember to ask DH.
Another day, lots more yummy food to be had!!
Breakfast was again in the room, pastries from CC's!
We went to the MK this morning but were done by lunch time. We decided to try Pepper Market - DSis and DSB had eaten there a couple times already and really enjoyed it. Plus, lots of choices!!
Me- Chili Burger with fries, Diet Coke, Chocolate Cake
DH- Cheesesteak with chips, Iced Tea, Ice Cream Sundae
DSis- Cheeseburger with fries, Coke, Ice Cream Sundae
DSB- Cheesesteak with chips, Iced Tea, ?? (can't remember his dessert)
DS- Chicken nuggets (can't remember the kids' sides/dessert- I think chips and chocolate chip cookie??)
DD- Pasta
Overall, this was very good. There are SO many choices here, which is great, everyone can get what they want. DSis and I had both planned to get Nachos, but she said her burger was so good yesterday that she wanted another and I decided to have one too. They give you a TON of fries, we both shared with the kids and the guys. The guys' cheesesteaks looked delicious, I'd like to try one of those some time.
I remember my cake as just being "ok".
I did find the process a little confusing with the cards and the stamps, but DSis said by the 2nd time they ate there, it was much easier!!
Dinner this evening was at Ohana -a favorite and a must-do.
Our ADR was for 5:15 (all 6 of us). I was very pleased that we only had to wait behind about 4 groups to check in. That line can get CRAZY sometimes. We only waited about 10 minutes for our table, too.
Now in 2009 was our first visit here. I believe we came on a Monday. We had the MALE entertainer, not Lipoa. We have seen Lipoa before - for the Torch Lighting, and I never really thought much one way or the other. Now I don't want to be rude, and I know a lot of people love her, but she's just not for us at Ohana. We were seated in the midst of one "round" of entertainment. And her voice, oh, it was quite annoying to us. So high-pitched and fake-y sounding. She seems to be a very nice lady, and she does a good job with the kids, but ALL of us (including our kids) were kind of annoyed by it. Last time, DD participated in the activities, but she wouldn't this time. We were worried her voice would continue the entire meal, but luckily it didn't.
Onto the food - SOOOOOOO Good!! We started with bread and salad, that bread is to die for!! Then came the pot stickers, noodles, wings and veggies. I just love those pot stickers and noodles! The meat came quickly after that. In 2009, the meat was our least favorite part, we found it dry and needing the sauces. The sides more than made up for that, though. Well, this trip, the meat was PERFECT!! I loved the turkey and the beef, not the pork as much, though that was DSis's favorite. I think only DH had the shrimp -they're a lot of work.
We did feel a bit rushed through the meal, which is a common issue here. We did not experience that in 2009, but did have a touch of it here. Next time we'll make a conscious effort to just go slower.
Dessert- oh that delicious bread pudding - it did not disappoint!! DSB especially fell in love with it. DSis is not a bread pudding fan and did not like it, her and DD (cannot STAND bananas) just ate the ice cream. The guys ate a ton and even ordered more!!
Overall, we love Ohana - but not Lipoa. I *believe* she is off on Sundays and Mondays (no torch lightings those days), so I'm guessing those are the days the guy is there. Anyone know for sure? If that's the case, we'll be trying for an ADR on one of those days next time!! Again, not trying to be mean, it's just our personal preference. Ohana is definitely a must-do for us though!!
DH, DS, Dsis and DSB did a monorail tour this evening (it was storming good) and I know they got a few alcoholic beverages at the GF and Contemporary but not sure what. I'll try to remember to ask DH.
rlahansler
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2009
- Messages
- 615
Sandy, great reveiws!!!!
Thank you!
Ohana is definitely one of our must-do's - the entire family agrees on that!!
DD loves that dress. She's probably worn it more than any other dress she owns!
Day Seven - Thursday, March 31- La Cantina de San Angel, Captain Cook's, Crystal Palace and snacks
Rain threw a major monkeywrench in our plans for today. It wasn't just raining, it was POURING and storming. Tornado watch and tornado warnings close by, with I believe actual tornados spotted. NOT a nice day, and definitely not a Blizzard Beach day, as we had planned!!
DSis and DSB decided to just hang out at their resort, sleep in, etc. We decided to go to DHS, but we spent just the morning there. I did not eat breakfast in the room, so I was hungry after awhile and got a Minnie's Bake Shop cookie in the RnRC store. It was OK, I ate half of it.
Then we ended up splitting up. DD and I went to Epcot for a few hours and DH and DS went back to the Poly.
I know DH got the Aloha Pork Sandwich at Captain Cook's - he enjoyed the rest of mine earlier in the week and had to have his own. He's still talking about it! And a Dole Whip of course. Not sure what DS had.
DD and I decided to try Mexican at Epcot. I was still really craving Nachos after skipping them the day before. DD was tentative. She likes tacos at home, but when we go out for Mexican, she usually just gets a cheeseburger or something. She does love tortilla chips, though. I told we'd go see what they have and if there was nothing she wanted, I'd get her something else (REALLY hoping that wouldn't happen since it was a major DOWNPOUR). So we made our way to La Cantina de San Angel.
It was definitely Nachos for me - I got them with everything but the jalepenos. So that was: ground beef, nacho cheese, tomatoes, black beans (like a spread) and sour cream. I got a Diet Coke and Churros for dessert.
DD was inititally going to just get the kid's chicken tenders. However, I encouraged her to try the Cheese Empanada. She loves grilled cheese and I thought she would like this. The CM taking our order was SO nice, and explained to her exactly what it was like. He even told her if she didn't like it, we could come back up and get the chicken. Epcot was fairly empty, there were no lines here, and this guy was just so great. I wish I had his name - gotta be more on top of that, but with juggling ponchos and food and our stuff....it was a little nutty. So, DD got the Empanada and that came with grapes and tons of tortilla chips, and she got a chocolate milk.
We were able to eat inside, I believe this is actually the TS location Hacienda, but you can sit in there for lunch. And with the weather....a very good thing!! I loved the lighting in here, so pretty!
This lunch was SO GOOD!!! Definitely one of my favorites of the week. Forget Sunshine Seasons, I'm coming here again!! My nachos were a HUGE portion that I couldn't even finish. So delicious with tons of toppings. Yummy, messy goodness!!
DD LOVED her empanada!! I mean, LOVED it
She had plenty of food with the chips and grapes, but she wished she could have had TWO empanadas!! She definitely wants to go there again and has talked about it a lot since.
We shared the churros. They were OK, not great, but I was stuffed from my nachos. Also, they gave me a huge pop here. Unfortunately it was just too hard to carry it with me since I was on my own and with our ponchos, etc. But I drank a lot of it!!
We'll definitely be back here!!
After awhile, DD and I also got some snacks here. I have really wanted to try a School Bread, so we went to Kringla Bakeri og Cafe. I got the School Bread and DD got a Worms in Dirt. Not the best use of a snack credit, but she LOVED it. The School Bread was OK. don't think I'd get it again. I loved the coconut topping and the cream filling. But as others have said, the bread is NOT donut-like, or even sweet. It's like a regular bread. It's kind of odd. We were able to eat these in their covered area.
Dinner that night was all 6 of us at Crystal Palace. This is our 3rd time here and we just love it. My favorite buffet!! We waited only about 10 minutes, which is QUICK for CP. I think they were even taking walk-ins (for later), which is RARE. I think the weather had led to a lot of no-shows. It was still raining at this point.
There have been a few minor changes, the only one I really noticed was the Adobo Pork was missing, and I did enjoy that. I love the Corn SpoonBread here, and the mashed potatoes and Chicken Pasta. DH really likes their carved meats and jsut about everything. We all ate good, and filled up on desserts too. Their bread pudding isn't as good as Ohana's, but it's still really good. Tons of dessert choices plus the ice cream bar.
Our character interaction was great. They were nicely spaced and we saw all of them before we finished eating. As you can see, DS gave me a hard time with the photos. However, he let DSB take them just fine. So luckily I have copies of those and they're great. However, they don't show well on the computer for some reason, so I didn't include them here.
I almost forgot -the table next to us had a DEMON child. Kept interrupting our interaction, pulling on Eeyore's tail, etc. Parents were clueless. My kids were horrified. I had to ask him several times to go back to his table and sit down, wait his turn. People, wake up!!
Later that night, we used some more snack credits - I got a popcorn (I sure ate a lot this day!) and ate it during the Castle light show and Wishes. so good!! Then we actually used a couple for some waters, which I never do, but we hadn't brought any in the park with us and we were thirsty.
Coming up next - our LAST day of Disney food!!
Rain threw a major monkeywrench in our plans for today. It wasn't just raining, it was POURING and storming. Tornado watch and tornado warnings close by, with I believe actual tornados spotted. NOT a nice day, and definitely not a Blizzard Beach day, as we had planned!!
DSis and DSB decided to just hang out at their resort, sleep in, etc. We decided to go to DHS, but we spent just the morning there. I did not eat breakfast in the room, so I was hungry after awhile and got a Minnie's Bake Shop cookie in the RnRC store. It was OK, I ate half of it.
Then we ended up splitting up. DD and I went to Epcot for a few hours and DH and DS went back to the Poly.
I know DH got the Aloha Pork Sandwich at Captain Cook's - he enjoyed the rest of mine earlier in the week and had to have his own. He's still talking about it! And a Dole Whip of course. Not sure what DS had.
DD and I decided to try Mexican at Epcot. I was still really craving Nachos after skipping them the day before. DD was tentative. She likes tacos at home, but when we go out for Mexican, she usually just gets a cheeseburger or something. She does love tortilla chips, though. I told we'd go see what they have and if there was nothing she wanted, I'd get her something else (REALLY hoping that wouldn't happen since it was a major DOWNPOUR). So we made our way to La Cantina de San Angel.
It was definitely Nachos for me - I got them with everything but the jalepenos. So that was: ground beef, nacho cheese, tomatoes, black beans (like a spread) and sour cream. I got a Diet Coke and Churros for dessert.
DD was inititally going to just get the kid's chicken tenders. However, I encouraged her to try the Cheese Empanada. She loves grilled cheese and I thought she would like this. The CM taking our order was SO nice, and explained to her exactly what it was like. He even told her if she didn't like it, we could come back up and get the chicken. Epcot was fairly empty, there were no lines here, and this guy was just so great. I wish I had his name - gotta be more on top of that, but with juggling ponchos and food and our stuff....it was a little nutty. So, DD got the Empanada and that came with grapes and tons of tortilla chips, and she got a chocolate milk.
We were able to eat inside, I believe this is actually the TS location Hacienda, but you can sit in there for lunch. And with the weather....a very good thing!! I loved the lighting in here, so pretty!
This lunch was SO GOOD!!! Definitely one of my favorites of the week. Forget Sunshine Seasons, I'm coming here again!! My nachos were a HUGE portion that I couldn't even finish. So delicious with tons of toppings. Yummy, messy goodness!!
DD LOVED her empanada!! I mean, LOVED it
She had plenty of food with the chips and grapes, but she wished she could have had TWO empanadas!! She definitely wants to go there again and has talked about it a lot since.
We shared the churros. They were OK, not great, but I was stuffed from my nachos. Also, they gave me a huge pop here. Unfortunately it was just too hard to carry it with me since I was on my own and with our ponchos, etc. But I drank a lot of it!!
We'll definitely be back here!!
After awhile, DD and I also got some snacks here. I have really wanted to try a School Bread, so we went to Kringla Bakeri og Cafe. I got the School Bread and DD got a Worms in Dirt. Not the best use of a snack credit, but she LOVED it. The School Bread was OK. don't think I'd get it again. I loved the coconut topping and the cream filling. But as others have said, the bread is NOT donut-like, or even sweet. It's like a regular bread. It's kind of odd. We were able to eat these in their covered area.
Dinner that night was all 6 of us at Crystal Palace. This is our 3rd time here and we just love it. My favorite buffet!! We waited only about 10 minutes, which is QUICK for CP. I think they were even taking walk-ins (for later), which is RARE. I think the weather had led to a lot of no-shows. It was still raining at this point.
There have been a few minor changes, the only one I really noticed was the Adobo Pork was missing, and I did enjoy that. I love the Corn SpoonBread here, and the mashed potatoes and Chicken Pasta. DH really likes their carved meats and jsut about everything. We all ate good, and filled up on desserts too. Their bread pudding isn't as good as Ohana's, but it's still really good. Tons of dessert choices plus the ice cream bar.
Our character interaction was great. They were nicely spaced and we saw all of them before we finished eating. As you can see, DS gave me a hard time with the photos. However, he let DSB take them just fine. So luckily I have copies of those and they're great. However, they don't show well on the computer for some reason, so I didn't include them here.
I almost forgot -the table next to us had a DEMON child. Kept interrupting our interaction, pulling on Eeyore's tail, etc. Parents were clueless. My kids were horrified. I had to ask him several times to go back to his table and sit down, wait his turn. People, wake up!!
Later that night, we used some more snack credits - I got a popcorn (I sure ate a lot this day!) and ate it during the Castle light show and Wishes. so good!! Then we actually used a couple for some waters, which I never do, but we hadn't brought any in the park with us and we were thirsty.
Coming up next - our LAST day of Disney food!!
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- Sep 17, 2004
- Messages
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I didn't even notice that naughty kid in your picture until I looked at them a 2nd time. That would be annoying.
Good to know the La Cantina has good food. We haven't eaten there since the refurbishment, and before that it's been years.
Good to know the La Cantina has good food. We haven't eaten there since the refurbishment, and before that it's been years.
pumba
DIS PUMBARIZER
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- Dec 28, 1999
- Messages
- 24,003
love your reviews...At Biergarten I too love the dumplings and the potato leek soup which I hope they still serve....
My favorite sandwich at E o S is The Full Montagu too.....my most favorite...we always make room to go there and DEVOUR one......hahaha.
We had a monster child at Crystal Palace once, he had a sword from The Pirates and kept on hitting poor Tigger until the caretaker of Tigger told the parent to control their child........sad when an adult has to be told...
Looking forward to my trip now thanks to your reviews...
My favorite sandwich at E o S is The Full Montagu too.....my most favorite...we always make room to go there and DEVOUR one......hahaha.
We had a monster child at Crystal Palace once, he had a sword from The Pirates and kept on hitting poor Tigger until the caretaker of Tigger told the parent to control their child........sad when an adult has to be told...
Looking forward to my trip now thanks to your reviews...
LOL, I forgot he was in that pic!!
I would've told the kid to get lost too!
Thanks for reading!!! Great minds must have similar taste
Day 8 - Friday, April 1 - Captain Cook's, CRT, Yachtsman
Our last day of Disney food
This morning, I reminded DH that we were going to have 2 extra CS credits. I had told him all week to get the kids a breakfast at CC's, but he kept using snack credits. Today, he finally did, but he only got 1, so we did end up leaving 1 CS credit unused (that was all, everything else was used). The kids split a Bounty Platter. Looked good enough!!
Lunch, we were split up. DH and DS did Captain Cook's again, but I cannot remember what they said they got. No complaints, though.
Myself, DD, DSis and DSB had an ADR at CRT for lunch!! DD and I had done this in 2009. I wasn't sure if she would want to do it again, she's not AS into Princesses as she used to be. But she definitely did (she just didn't want to dress up like last time - oh, that was so sweet - but I understand). DSis wanted to join us and DSB thought he might want to as well - once DD heard that, he was absolutely coming!!
We had a 12:00 ADR, first lunch seating. I have to say, the one thing this place just can't get right is check-in. We waited for a good 30-40 minutes back in 2009 (for a 12:10 ADR). This time, we didn't have that long of a wait, but there was confusion and I got a little upset. I understand how 2 lines form here, it's not that I don't get that - keep that in mind. So we walk up about 11:55. There is sort of ONE line at this point. One family waiting at the door and then just behind them, another family who had a CM with them. The CM was talking with (checking in?) the 2 CM's behind the desk - both of them. There were NO other people here at this point, no other line. The CM's could clearly see me, I know. I got behind the CM who was "checking in" (still not sure what they were doing). I am waiting. Someone else comes up behind me. And then someone else comes up to the desk on the other side - where the check in line USUALLY is, but had not been at this point, and where there were no CM's at this point. The one CM right away goes over to them to check them in! I was kind of irritated at this point, I mean - what did they think I was standing there for. There was no signage. So, I left the place I was standing, went over and got behind that new family. The person behind me did NOT. Of course, the family has a problem of some sort, so it takes awhile. Meanwhile, the CM talking to/checking in the family who had a CM with them, finishes up. And starts talking with the person who was behind me before. WHAT?? What is going on here? Then the CM finishes with the family who had 'trouble" and I approach the desk. All of a sudden, a woman comes out of nowhere, steps right next to me and starts talking to the CM. Now I had HAD it! I said "Excuse me, I've been waiting here to check in for awhile now". They keep talking and then that woman walked away. The CM says to me - "she just had a question"!! I said, "well, I just need to check in and I've now been skipped over TWICE". She said, "Don't worry, you won't lose your spot". UGH!!! That's NOT the problem, the problem is the chaos here (at this point, more people had come in and it seemed like 2 check-in lines sort of intertwined with the line waiting at the door.) and the point that I was completely looked over and disregarded, made to jump around and try to figure this out while others were served.
Now, were we at home, I probably would have asked for a manager at this point. I did not like her attitude. However, this was the last day of our trip, I just wanted to enjoy it. I just let it go. That is NOT typical for me, so it was hard, but I did it. I'll make just one more remark about this situation. I have NO idea if this is part of the issue or not, but let's just say I noticed it. ALL of the people involved who were either providing or receiving service (including the "question" woman) were of the same race - not the one that I am. Again, no idea if that played into this or not, and it's not something I typically pay any attention to, but when this sort of thing occurs, you wonder.
My recommendation for Disney (not that they care!) is to more clearly mark the check in spot AND to move that away from the door to go in - the lines just get too mixed up, especially as things start backing up.
Anyways...on to the food!!! We waited about 15 minutes after checking in to see Cinderella (about 5 outside the door and 10 inside). DD had her photo taken alone. She was excited and happy, but not quite the same as last trip - she was 5 then and it was more special for her I think.
We then went up to the dining room. We were seated all the way to the left from when you enter, and, oh, it was a WINDOW table. EXCEPT - the windows are covered due to the refurb. Darn!! Would've been great!! Waitress came and took our orders.
DD- Chicken Strips
Me- Pork Three Ways
DSB - Pork Three Ways
DSis- Major Domo's Pie
Now, we always hear/read and most of us usually agree - CRT is mainly about the atmosphere, the experience, the Princesses, etc. Not the food. Well, not this time. The food was EXCELLENT. The pork was my favorite dish of the entire trip!!! I don't see it on any menu online. It's not the pork tenderloin on AllEars. it was a Shredded pork - like for BBQ pork, but not with BBQ sauce. It was served with a sauce with bacon in it (not sure of the "3rd" way of the pork, probably something else in the sauce) that was SO good, and it was over mashed potatoes. This dish was SO GOOD. DSB and I gobbled it up! It had an almost sweet flavor to it, just delicious. DD had a huge meal. Her chicken strips came with mashed potatoes, grapes AND cheese slices (as her appy, but with her meal). Oh, we did get the appy sampler, it was good. DSis enjoyed the Pie. I had gotten that last time and liked it. She did too, but I think she wished she had gotten the pork!!!
Now, as we are finishing eating, the chef was talking to a large group nearby about allergies I assume. DSis spilled her pop all over her plate, and on the table. Not a big deal. There were like 4 bites of food left on the plate. The chef and servers came over and helped us wipe it all up, clean up the ice cubes, etc. Chef asked if she wanted another dish and she said no, she was almost finished. Well, they brought a WHOLE nother one out anyways!! She couldn't eat any of it, but DSB put away about 1/3 of it, LOL!!
Character interaction was good. We saw Snow White, Belle, Aurora and Ariel. DSB was happy to see her again, as was DD - she's not a Jasmine fan (she doesn't like how she shows her belly, LOL). They were evenly spaced.
Now onto dessert. When Ariel came by, she looked at DD's charms. She asked which one was her favorite. DD answered her newest Tink one -with the "birthstone" for March on it. Ariel said, oh, it's your Birthday month. Then quickly realized it was April 1 and we laughed about it, said her bday was exactly a month ago.
Well, our server had overheard this (at least the first part) and when she brought dessert, said I heard it was close to your bday. We said not really, but she said that's OK...she brought DD BOTH kids desserts - the decorate your own cupcake AND ice cream. And a candle in the cupcake and we sang Happy Birthday. Kind of funny, but DD was thrilled. She got a card signed by the Princesses too.
The rest of us all got the Chocolate Mousse. I was so sad to see the Chocolate Cream Cheese Buckle gone, it was so good. But the Mousse was great too - nice and light, with a raspberry sauce. Perfect complement to the meal!!
I forgot about the Wishing Ceremony. When they started announcing it, DD didn't have her wand or star, so we had to ask another server to get one for her so she wouldn't miss it. They did, no problem.
Again, cute, but not as magical as last time when she was wishing SO hard!!
To sum up CRT - started off with horrible service, but ended with great service. Food was AWESOME. I doubt we'll be back soon, but only b/c DD is growing out of the Princess thing and it's 2 TS. I think we want to try HDDR, so I don't think CRT will be on our list next trip, but I'd love to have that pork again!!
And onto our final Disney meal....Yachtsman. Our traditional final night meal is LeCellier. However the menu changes didn't thrill us, so we decided to try Yachtsman. DH loves RibEyes and was enticed by that AND the Porterhouse AND the Lamb. We originally had a 5:45 ADR, but I was able to change it to 6:35 the day before, once we knew our plans had changed.
We paid OOP for this meal, as our credits were done. We used our Disney Visa rewards we had saved specifically for this purpose.
The bread we started with was delicious!! I didn't try any of the roasted garlic spread, as I didn't want to be oozing that smell in the car for the long drive home the next day!! You know how a lot of garlic can do that??
DH- Porterhouse (that's what he finally decided on)
Me- Filet (no question!)
DS and DD - both got the grilled chicken
The food was wonderful. Perfectly cooked and delicious. Kids didn't eat much. They filled up on bread and I think we were all just so full from the whole trip. DH ate ALL of his!!
The atmosphere here was nice, not too fancy, just right. I was suprised because the place was 1/2 empty!! The ADR times had seemed kind of limited, so I'm not sure why.
We ended up skipping dessert. All too full, and the kids wanted an ice cream bar back at the Poly, which they did get. I'm not sure we'll be back to Yachtsman. Again, not because of poor food, it was REALLY good. Just so many places to try, and it wasn't the most convenient location to get to - I really thought it was closer to Epcot than it was.
We also used the rest of our snack credits today - Got a few Chocolate Chip Crossaints to take home earlier in the day and then tonight I got a brownie and some other pastry (I forget!) to bring home as well.
That's it for Disney dining, but I'll have one more post with our food on the drive home and a summary "report"!!
Our last day of Disney food
This morning, I reminded DH that we were going to have 2 extra CS credits. I had told him all week to get the kids a breakfast at CC's, but he kept using snack credits. Today, he finally did, but he only got 1, so we did end up leaving 1 CS credit unused (that was all, everything else was used). The kids split a Bounty Platter. Looked good enough!!
Lunch, we were split up. DH and DS did Captain Cook's again, but I cannot remember what they said they got. No complaints, though.
Myself, DD, DSis and DSB had an ADR at CRT for lunch!! DD and I had done this in 2009. I wasn't sure if she would want to do it again, she's not AS into Princesses as she used to be. But she definitely did (she just didn't want to dress up like last time - oh, that was so sweet - but I understand). DSis wanted to join us and DSB thought he might want to as well - once DD heard that, he was absolutely coming!!
We had a 12:00 ADR, first lunch seating. I have to say, the one thing this place just can't get right is check-in. We waited for a good 30-40 minutes back in 2009 (for a 12:10 ADR). This time, we didn't have that long of a wait, but there was confusion and I got a little upset. I understand how 2 lines form here, it's not that I don't get that - keep that in mind. So we walk up about 11:55. There is sort of ONE line at this point. One family waiting at the door and then just behind them, another family who had a CM with them. The CM was talking with (checking in?) the 2 CM's behind the desk - both of them. There were NO other people here at this point, no other line. The CM's could clearly see me, I know. I got behind the CM who was "checking in" (still not sure what they were doing). I am waiting. Someone else comes up behind me. And then someone else comes up to the desk on the other side - where the check in line USUALLY is, but had not been at this point, and where there were no CM's at this point. The one CM right away goes over to them to check them in! I was kind of irritated at this point, I mean - what did they think I was standing there for. There was no signage. So, I left the place I was standing, went over and got behind that new family. The person behind me did NOT. Of course, the family has a problem of some sort, so it takes awhile. Meanwhile, the CM talking to/checking in the family who had a CM with them, finishes up. And starts talking with the person who was behind me before. WHAT?? What is going on here? Then the CM finishes with the family who had 'trouble" and I approach the desk. All of a sudden, a woman comes out of nowhere, steps right next to me and starts talking to the CM. Now I had HAD it! I said "Excuse me, I've been waiting here to check in for awhile now". They keep talking and then that woman walked away. The CM says to me - "she just had a question"!! I said, "well, I just need to check in and I've now been skipped over TWICE". She said, "Don't worry, you won't lose your spot". UGH!!! That's NOT the problem, the problem is the chaos here (at this point, more people had come in and it seemed like 2 check-in lines sort of intertwined with the line waiting at the door.) and the point that I was completely looked over and disregarded, made to jump around and try to figure this out while others were served.
Now, were we at home, I probably would have asked for a manager at this point. I did not like her attitude. However, this was the last day of our trip, I just wanted to enjoy it. I just let it go. That is NOT typical for me, so it was hard, but I did it. I'll make just one more remark about this situation. I have NO idea if this is part of the issue or not, but let's just say I noticed it. ALL of the people involved who were either providing or receiving service (including the "question" woman) were of the same race - not the one that I am. Again, no idea if that played into this or not, and it's not something I typically pay any attention to, but when this sort of thing occurs, you wonder.
My recommendation for Disney (not that they care!) is to more clearly mark the check in spot AND to move that away from the door to go in - the lines just get too mixed up, especially as things start backing up.
Anyways...on to the food!!! We waited about 15 minutes after checking in to see Cinderella (about 5 outside the door and 10 inside). DD had her photo taken alone. She was excited and happy, but not quite the same as last trip - she was 5 then and it was more special for her I think.
We then went up to the dining room. We were seated all the way to the left from when you enter, and, oh, it was a WINDOW table. EXCEPT - the windows are covered due to the refurb. Darn!! Would've been great!! Waitress came and took our orders.
DD- Chicken Strips
Me- Pork Three Ways
DSB - Pork Three Ways
DSis- Major Domo's Pie
Now, we always hear/read and most of us usually agree - CRT is mainly about the atmosphere, the experience, the Princesses, etc. Not the food. Well, not this time. The food was EXCELLENT. The pork was my favorite dish of the entire trip!!! I don't see it on any menu online. It's not the pork tenderloin on AllEars. it was a Shredded pork - like for BBQ pork, but not with BBQ sauce. It was served with a sauce with bacon in it (not sure of the "3rd" way of the pork, probably something else in the sauce) that was SO good, and it was over mashed potatoes. This dish was SO GOOD. DSB and I gobbled it up! It had an almost sweet flavor to it, just delicious. DD had a huge meal. Her chicken strips came with mashed potatoes, grapes AND cheese slices (as her appy, but with her meal). Oh, we did get the appy sampler, it was good. DSis enjoyed the Pie. I had gotten that last time and liked it. She did too, but I think she wished she had gotten the pork!!!
Now, as we are finishing eating, the chef was talking to a large group nearby about allergies I assume. DSis spilled her pop all over her plate, and on the table. Not a big deal. There were like 4 bites of food left on the plate. The chef and servers came over and helped us wipe it all up, clean up the ice cubes, etc. Chef asked if she wanted another dish and she said no, she was almost finished. Well, they brought a WHOLE nother one out anyways!! She couldn't eat any of it, but DSB put away about 1/3 of it, LOL!!
Character interaction was good. We saw Snow White, Belle, Aurora and Ariel. DSB was happy to see her again, as was DD - she's not a Jasmine fan (she doesn't like how she shows her belly, LOL). They were evenly spaced.
Now onto dessert. When Ariel came by, she looked at DD's charms. She asked which one was her favorite. DD answered her newest Tink one -with the "birthstone" for March on it. Ariel said, oh, it's your Birthday month. Then quickly realized it was April 1 and we laughed about it, said her bday was exactly a month ago.
Well, our server had overheard this (at least the first part) and when she brought dessert, said I heard it was close to your bday. We said not really, but she said that's OK...she brought DD BOTH kids desserts - the decorate your own cupcake AND ice cream. And a candle in the cupcake and we sang Happy Birthday. Kind of funny, but DD was thrilled. She got a card signed by the Princesses too.
The rest of us all got the Chocolate Mousse. I was so sad to see the Chocolate Cream Cheese Buckle gone, it was so good. But the Mousse was great too - nice and light, with a raspberry sauce. Perfect complement to the meal!!
I forgot about the Wishing Ceremony. When they started announcing it, DD didn't have her wand or star, so we had to ask another server to get one for her so she wouldn't miss it. They did, no problem.
Again, cute, but not as magical as last time when she was wishing SO hard!!
To sum up CRT - started off with horrible service, but ended with great service. Food was AWESOME. I doubt we'll be back soon, but only b/c DD is growing out of the Princess thing and it's 2 TS. I think we want to try HDDR, so I don't think CRT will be on our list next trip, but I'd love to have that pork again!!
And onto our final Disney meal....Yachtsman. Our traditional final night meal is LeCellier. However the menu changes didn't thrill us, so we decided to try Yachtsman. DH loves RibEyes and was enticed by that AND the Porterhouse AND the Lamb. We originally had a 5:45 ADR, but I was able to change it to 6:35 the day before, once we knew our plans had changed.
We paid OOP for this meal, as our credits were done. We used our Disney Visa rewards we had saved specifically for this purpose.
The bread we started with was delicious!! I didn't try any of the roasted garlic spread, as I didn't want to be oozing that smell in the car for the long drive home the next day!! You know how a lot of garlic can do that??
DH- Porterhouse (that's what he finally decided on)
Me- Filet (no question!)
DS and DD - both got the grilled chicken
The food was wonderful. Perfectly cooked and delicious. Kids didn't eat much. They filled up on bread and I think we were all just so full from the whole trip. DH ate ALL of his!!
The atmosphere here was nice, not too fancy, just right. I was suprised because the place was 1/2 empty!! The ADR times had seemed kind of limited, so I'm not sure why.
We ended up skipping dessert. All too full, and the kids wanted an ice cream bar back at the Poly, which they did get. I'm not sure we'll be back to Yachtsman. Again, not because of poor food, it was REALLY good. Just so many places to try, and it wasn't the most convenient location to get to - I really thought it was closer to Epcot than it was.
We also used the rest of our snack credits today - Got a few Chocolate Chip Crossaints to take home earlier in the day and then tonight I got a brownie and some other pastry (I forget!) to bring home as well.
That's it for Disney dining, but I'll have one more post with our food on the drive home and a summary "report"!!
Day 9- Saturday, April 2 -Driving Home! And Wrap Up, Favorites
Boo-hoo!! Our trip is over. We will have no more delicious Disney dining until 2012
But we do have some lovely fast food reviews
We left bright (actually DARK) and early on April 2 - 4:30 AM. Yuk!! But we had a long drive ahead and this got us home at a decent hour (10 PM).
Breakfast was somewhere in Georgia - I have no idea where - at McD's. We all ordered the exact same things as on the way down. Me- Sausage McMuffin, no egg; Kids shared a Big Breakfast and DH had Breakfast Burritos. Everything was good, I was happy to get my 2nd Sausage McMuffin of the trip!!
Lunch was in Mooresville, NC at Hardee's. BIG MISTAKE. Just all around, big mistake. They bring the food out to you, and it took FOREVER. We still had such a long way to go, we didn't want to be waiting. I know I had a Spicy Chicken Sandwich (not too spicy, fairly good). DH got some basket with burger sliders and I don't remember what the kids got. Except I know DS got an orange drink. B/c just before we left, he was messing around with it and I had to help him get the lid back on. So we left, and we're about 15 minutes up the highway and DH says, do you have your wallet?
I have NO idea what prompted him to ask, but thank God he did
because I did NOT have it!! I had set it down when I was helping DS with that derned cup and forgot to pick it back up!! Now usually I carry a purse, with my wallet in it, but I had just taken a large camera bag on this trip instead of my purse, so when I went in and out of the car, I just grabbed the wallet.
We turned around and drove back, I was SO frantic the entire time. There was about $70 cash in it and some credit cards. Luckily, some kind soul had turned it in, and the store had it in the safe. Everything intact. Thank goodness!!! I'm so glad DH realized so soon, otherwise I guess I would've been calling and begging the manager to take the cash, mail it back to me and keep the rest! So, alls well that ends well, but this added about 30 minutes to our trip, of course. (without this, we would've done it in 17 hours -great time!)
We snacked the rest of the way and DH and I were never really hungry for dinner. The kids were though, so we made our last stop of the trip across the Ohio border. They got Arby's roast beef sandwiches and curly fries, we all used the restroom and we filled up on gas. No complaints on the roast beef from them.
Then it was Home, sweet Home! We enjoyed the bakery snacks over the next few days. I was so sad when the last chocolate chip croissant was gone!!!
Summary-
We had a lot of great food on this trip. Nothing horrible at all!! Some iffy service issues. This is the first time on the DDP that we almost felt like it was too much food!! Just felt over-full sometimes. I think this might be because DH and I had been dieting for 3 months before we left and had reduced our intake a good bit. We'll still definitely do the DDP in the future. It's a good value for us, even if we don't eat every last thing. It also avoids DH's sticker shock. If the food wasn't paid for in advance, i could see him skipping meals, etc b/c it all costs so much!!
As far as value ...I estimate that we saved approximately $250 by using the plan. That's almost all of our CS for FREE! Not bad. Even if we hadn't ordered everything possible on the plan (CS desserts for example), we still stood to have a good savings. Again, avoiding the sticker shock is a biggie for us!! We did leave just that 1 CS credit unused.
Favorites -
Entree- Probably the Pork 3 Ways at CRT!!
Dessert - Chocolate Cannoli Cake at Mama Melrose
Best new (to us) Counter Service - La Cantina de San Angel! (CHH a close 2nd)
Best new (to us) Table Service - Mama Melrose
Not too impressed this time around - Sunshine Seasons, Biergarten
Definite must-do's for us- Ohana (without Lipoa), WPC, Crystal Palace and probably Mama Melrose.
Overall, another great Disney Dining Experience!!
Boo-hoo!! Our trip is over. We will have no more delicious Disney dining until 2012
But we do have some lovely fast food reviews
We left bright (actually DARK) and early on April 2 - 4:30 AM. Yuk!! But we had a long drive ahead and this got us home at a decent hour (10 PM).
Breakfast was somewhere in Georgia - I have no idea where - at McD's. We all ordered the exact same things as on the way down. Me- Sausage McMuffin, no egg; Kids shared a Big Breakfast and DH had Breakfast Burritos. Everything was good, I was happy to get my 2nd Sausage McMuffin of the trip!!
Lunch was in Mooresville, NC at Hardee's. BIG MISTAKE. Just all around, big mistake. They bring the food out to you, and it took FOREVER. We still had such a long way to go, we didn't want to be waiting. I know I had a Spicy Chicken Sandwich (not too spicy, fairly good). DH got some basket with burger sliders and I don't remember what the kids got. Except I know DS got an orange drink. B/c just before we left, he was messing around with it and I had to help him get the lid back on. So we left, and we're about 15 minutes up the highway and DH says, do you have your wallet?
I have NO idea what prompted him to ask, but thank God he did
because I did NOT have it!! I had set it down when I was helping DS with that derned cup and forgot to pick it back up!! Now usually I carry a purse, with my wallet in it, but I had just taken a large camera bag on this trip instead of my purse, so when I went in and out of the car, I just grabbed the wallet. We turned around and drove back, I was SO frantic the entire time. There was about $70 cash in it and some credit cards. Luckily, some kind soul
had turned it in, and the store had it in the safe. Everything intact. Thank goodness!!! I'm so glad DH realized so soon, otherwise I guess I would've been calling and begging the manager to take the cash, mail it back to me and keep the rest! So, alls well that ends well, but this added about 30 minutes to our trip, of course. (without this, we would've done it in 17 hours -great time!)We snacked the rest of the way and DH and I were never really hungry for dinner. The kids were though, so we made our last stop of the trip across the Ohio border. They got Arby's roast beef sandwiches and curly fries, we all used the restroom and we filled up on gas. No complaints on the roast beef from them.
Then it was Home, sweet Home! We enjoyed the bakery snacks over the next few days. I was so sad when the last chocolate chip croissant was gone!!!
Summary-
We had a lot of great food on this trip. Nothing horrible at all!! Some iffy service issues. This is the first time on the DDP that we almost felt like it was too much food!! Just felt over-full sometimes. I think this might be because DH and I had been dieting for 3 months before we left and had reduced our intake a good bit. We'll still definitely do the DDP in the future. It's a good value for us, even if we don't eat every last thing. It also avoids DH's sticker shock. If the food wasn't paid for in advance, i could see him skipping meals, etc b/c it all costs so much!!
As far as value ...I estimate that we saved approximately $250 by using the plan. That's almost all of our CS for FREE! Not bad. Even if we hadn't ordered everything possible on the plan (CS desserts for example), we still stood to have a good savings. Again, avoiding the sticker shock is a biggie for us!! We did leave just that 1 CS credit unused.
Favorites -
Entree- Probably the Pork 3 Ways at CRT!!
Dessert - Chocolate Cannoli Cake at Mama Melrose
Best new (to us) Counter Service - La Cantina de San Angel! (CHH a close 2nd)
Best new (to us) Table Service - Mama Melrose
Not too impressed this time around - Sunshine Seasons, Biergarten
Definite must-do's for us- Ohana (without Lipoa), WPC, Crystal Palace and probably Mama Melrose.
Overall, another great Disney Dining Experience!!
One last post - what we're considering for next trip!! Looks like we'll be returning in early March 2012 as part of a Grand Gathering with family and friends. We'll all be staying separately. I'm hoping for 8 nights at the Poly, with our first day being a very late arrival (maybe 10 PM or so? Thinking of driving straight through), so those dining credits being used on other days, would make it easy to do a TS. Dates would be March 2-10.
I'd like to try things a little bit differently this time. Maybe a couple lunches?? I think it would be nice to have some nights "free" with no ADR's, just get a CS wherever we decide to go. For our dinner ADR's, I'll definitely be making them later this time. I'd like more time in the afternoon for swimming AND naps. I often felt a bit rushed to make our ADR's this time. I'm not sure why, I don't recall that in the past. Maybe b/c the kids are older and wanted even more pool time? DD was quite tired most nights, but I think if she got a daily nap in, she'd be good to go later. Also, we probably won't have the 8AM Rope Drops at that time, so a bit more sleep in the morning.
Here's what I'm thinking for TS:
Ohana's dinner on Sunday or Monday
Wolfgang Puck Cafe for either lunch or dinner
Crystal Palace - probably lunch
Mama Melrose F! Pkg- we'll likely do this whether or not we plan to see F! - either lunch or dinner
Hoop Dee Doo Revue- dinner - I think we want to try this one. It seems like fun, especially if our whole group goes. The guys will like the beer included! The food is appealing to all of us.
The other two are??? Maybe Chef Mickey's for a brunch? We've done that before and it worked out nicely after a morning at MK. Wish they'd do lunch, though, so we could make it for 12:30/1 rather than 11:15.
Probably also a steak place. Maybe back to LeCellier but for lunch? Also considering Teppan Edo.
Of course, we'll be waiting to see what's in store for the DDP in 2012. Also, if by chance we get free dining (not the best deal at the Poly, but you never know), or even if we don't....we might consider bumping DS up to Adult status. He turns 9 on the 14th, so he'll be almost 10 on the next trip. His tastes are expanding, and SOME of the CS meals seemed a bit small for him next trip. DD has a fairly big appetite too, so I'm wondering with her at age 8 and him almost 10 if the Kid's plan for both won't be enough to cut it. They could easily share 1 kids' meal and 1 adult meal, plus it would allow for more variety in choices. We'll have to see on that though, I'll be running the numbers!! it may not be worth it at all if we do end up doing all those fixed-price TS meals. He can eat as much as he wants at the buffets, Ohana's and HDDR. So now that I think about it...probably wouldn't be worth it!!
May be better off just buying an extra CS meal here or there. We'll see..... Half the fun is in the planning!!
thanks for reading!!
I'd like to try things a little bit differently this time. Maybe a couple lunches?? I think it would be nice to have some nights "free" with no ADR's, just get a CS wherever we decide to go. For our dinner ADR's, I'll definitely be making them later this time. I'd like more time in the afternoon for swimming AND naps. I often felt a bit rushed to make our ADR's this time. I'm not sure why, I don't recall that in the past. Maybe b/c the kids are older and wanted even more pool time? DD was quite tired most nights, but I think if she got a daily nap in, she'd be good to go later. Also, we probably won't have the 8AM Rope Drops at that time, so a bit more sleep in the morning.
Here's what I'm thinking for TS:
Ohana's dinner on Sunday or Monday
Wolfgang Puck Cafe for either lunch or dinner
Crystal Palace - probably lunch
Mama Melrose F! Pkg- we'll likely do this whether or not we plan to see F! - either lunch or dinner
Hoop Dee Doo Revue- dinner - I think we want to try this one. It seems like fun, especially if our whole group goes. The guys will like the beer included! The food is appealing to all of us.
The other two are??? Maybe Chef Mickey's for a brunch? We've done that before and it worked out nicely after a morning at MK. Wish they'd do lunch, though, so we could make it for 12:30/1 rather than 11:15.
Probably also a steak place. Maybe back to LeCellier but for lunch? Also considering Teppan Edo.
Of course, we'll be waiting to see what's in store for the DDP in 2012. Also, if by chance we get free dining (not the best deal at the Poly, but you never know), or even if we don't....we might consider bumping DS up to Adult status. He turns 9 on the 14th, so he'll be almost 10 on the next trip. His tastes are expanding, and SOME of the CS meals seemed a bit small for him next trip. DD has a fairly big appetite too, so I'm wondering with her at age 8 and him almost 10 if the Kid's plan for both won't be enough to cut it. They could easily share 1 kids' meal and 1 adult meal, plus it would allow for more variety in choices. We'll have to see on that though, I'll be running the numbers!! it may not be worth it at all if we do end up doing all those fixed-price TS meals. He can eat as much as he wants at the buffets, Ohana's and HDDR. So now that I think about it...probably wouldn't be worth it!!
May be better off just buying an extra CS meal here or there. We'll see..... Half the fun is in the planning!!
thanks for reading!!
Disneyfreak616
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2010
- Messages
- 3,933
So sad this review is over!
Can't wait till your review next March!
Can't wait till your review next March!
basketlacey
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2003
- Messages
- 1,675
Great review - thanks for sharing!
So sad this review is over!
Can't wait till your review next March!
Thank you for reading!!
Thank you!
We love the YM so good! I totally understand about the garlic
Glad you get it, didn't want people to think I was nuts
thechesters420
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2009
- Messages
- 289
Loved your trip and dining report!
Thank you!!
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