The Deluxe Dining Adventures of a Princess & her Mommy (Updates: 12/30)

[M-J's Mommy]

Riverside Mill
December 13th

After a freezing day at Epcot, MJ decided that we needed to leave just about an hour shy of our reservation at Via Napoli. I was pretty tired and cold, too, so I just obliged her. We went back to our room and rested for a while before walking over to the food court for some dinner.

I had the make-your-own pasta and basically had they make me chicken fettuccine alfredo. It looked good and they give you a lot of it, but the sauce really had no flavor. Because MJ had since been booked as an adult, I got her the 8-piece chicken nugget meal. We both ended up sharing each others', so it worked out in the end.

For dessert, I got what I think is called a Magic Cookie Bar and MJ got a cupcake.

That cookie bar was really awesome. I think MJ liked her cupcake, too.

After this, we went back to our room and got to bed early. We had an early morning at Hollywood studios coming up!​

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Hollywood and Vine
December 14th

We got to the gates before anyone else that morning and it was still cold as hell. Once we go through the gates and checked in, they wouldn't even let us wait inside, which I thought was pretty stupid.

Anyway, we were called in a little bit later and seated by the buffet. After getting our juice and getting some pictures with Handy Manny and Oso, we hit up the buffet. These are our plates:

I don't know if we were there on a good day or something, considering how much people talk about this place being horrible, but I thought that it was great. They had the same potatoes as Akershus, only with some cheese melted over the top. They did have the paper-bacon, but that isn't unique to this place at all. The characters were great. Every time Manny would walk by, he would wave his arm over MJ's head because the static from his outfit would make her hair stand up. I thought that it was cute. He also came over and visited her more than once.

Also, when you dine here, you get your own little area to wait for the Toy Story Mania dash in the morning. I could see the wall of people on the main drag waiting, but we only have maybe 15 people in our immediate area, so that was nice.

In a similar vain, I never once saw anyone push or act rude to get to that ride. Granted, I wasn't going to run to be first and there were a ton of people trying to get there, but I didn't think it was as bad as some people make it out to be. But then again, maybe it was just too cold for people to get feisty!

Up next: Sci-Fi!​

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Sci Fi Dine-In Theater
December 14th

Once I told MJ about this place, it was all over. After checking in, I took her to the bathrooms. While you're walking down the hallway, you can see in to the seating area and she just thought that it was the coolest thing ever!

We only waited a little while to be seated and I got to chat to another awesome Eagles fan while we waited, so it was all good.

Once we got into our car, we ordered our drinks and had a quiet couple seated behind us. We never really talked to them or anything, but it certainly wasn't awkward.

A few more minutes later, I was brought my milkshake and MJ got her drink, too.

The waitress then took our orders and we got to sit back and enjoy the clips that they play up on the screen. MJ thought that the clip from the movie about the giant man was hilarious.

For my appetizer, I got the onion rings, which were really tasty with the horseradish dipping sauce that they came with. They look a little burned in this picture, but I can assure you that they were cooked perfectly.

MJ just got a hot dog, which I didn't take a picture of. I got the burger with bacon and cheese.

This burger had real bacon, but as you can see, it was a bit under-cooked. I pulled off some of the more floppy pieces. The actual burger was juicy and very good. It was going to be the best burger that I had while at The World, only to be de-throned at the very end of our trip!

For dessert, I had the apple cobbler with ice cream.

This is good, too, but I was getting pretty full. I only ate some of it and couldn't go on! Overall, the meal was great, but the theming was even better. We will certainly be back someday!​

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Ohana
December 14th

We headed over to the Polynesian resort for our dinner. I was really excited for this one. I would also like to take a moment to say that I loved having a rental car for this trip. Getting to other resorts was a breeze and it was nice to not have to stand in line for what seems like forever (Magic Kingdom, I'm lookin' at you) after fireworks for a bus.

Anyway, we were greeted with a mass of people. I swear, this place was mobbed! We got our pager and were taken to our table within 20 minutes. During the course of the meal, MJ was able to get a few leis and liked to wear them. I think that she likes being reminded of our trip to Hawaii earlier this year.

After being seated, we were brought our bread.

Neither of us really liked this. It was really dried out and chewy. I don't know if it had been sitting out for a while or what, but I only had a small piece of it. Up next was the salad.

This was pretty good, though neither of us are big on salad. I still ate a bit, though. The dressing was good, if not a little bitter. We were also brought our dipping sauces around this time. I liked the spicy one the best, though they were all really good.

After that, it was a bit of a wait for the next course: potstickers and wings.

I loved both of these. MJ even ate some of the wings, and she can be pretty picky. The potstickers were great with all of the sauces. But as I said, I really liked the spicy one the most. After that, we got our noodles and broccoli.

The broccoli was just average, nothing special. MJ and I both loved the noodles. They were a little sweet but were delicious. Once we had all of this, the meats started to arrive. Here is my plate somewhere along the line.

You can see pork, chicken and beef (from front to back). Honestly, they were all a bit over-cooked and the beef tended to be kinda tough with a lot of gristle. We did get shrimp later and they were good, even if you do have to peel them.

Finally, there was dessert.

This was really good. MJ had some of the ice cream and the sauce, but I thought that it was great.

Overall, it was pretty good. I would be willing to try this place again, because the meats this time left a lot to be desired. I also have to say that I understand about the lady who sings the songs and stuff. I didn't think that she was loud or anything, she just sounded so fake.

As we were leaving, MJ found the tiki statue with the bare butt. We have a running game in our house where we sneak up on each other and pinch each others' butts, so she thought that it would be hilarious to pinch the tiki guy's butt. It was.

I think that maybe next time we will try the breakfast here.​

 

[hill6]

Great review. Bummer about the cold weather.

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Rainforest Cafe
December 15th

I could have gotten a reservation for Tusker House for this morning (and we actually did have a reservation there for later in the trip), but MJ loves "Rainforest", so my hands were a little tied there. As you can see, MJ was very excited about it.

We had to wait until they opened at 8:30, so we just hung out outside (in the cold!) and looked around. The waiting area is really pretty with a cute waterfall area. Unfortunately, it shortly became a smoking area.

This is something that I feel the need to vent about now. At Disneyland, it seems like they went out of their way to get smokers away from the visitors (except for myself the designated smoking area by Matterhorn). At Disney World, it was like everywhere I went, I was met with a face full of smoke. I'm not going to say that Disney is made solely for kids, but with the sheer amount of kids here (and even people like me, who have quit for their health and the health of their kid), Disney should do something about this. It was like they didn't even try to put smoking areas off to the side and away from people who don't want to breathe it. That is something that I would like to see fixed sometime.

Anyway, back to the food!

Once we were let in at 8:30ish, we waited for a little bit and looked around the shop. We were seated first. As we were walking in, MJ asked to be seated under the elephant and the host obliged her. Yay, noisy elephant!

We placed our order shortly after being seated, though the food took a little while to get to us. The people next to us, who had been seated after we ordered, were finishing their food as we were getting ours. But whatever.

I ordered an omelett with sausage, bacon and cheese. It came with breakfast potatoes and toast. It was all good and very hot when it was brought out.

MJ had the bacon and eggs, which also came with potatoes and toast. She ate a little bit, but "Rainforest" is always way too exciting for her.

We were able to finish the meal around 9:15 and get into the parks to explore and hit the few rides that MJ was tall enough for. Overall, the meal was okay and cheap by Rainforest Cafe standards. I don't remember exactly how much it was (I paid out of pocket because they don't take the dining plan), but it wasn't bad. I was also able to use some coupons that someone linked to here to get a discount at the retail store.​

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Tusker House
December 15th

I had made reservations for this place in order to get reserved seating for the Nemo show later that day. Unfortunately, MJ was not having it this day and we ended up going to this lunch early then leaving for some naps. I think that, after a few full days in the parks over the days preceding, she was just worn out.

So anyway, we were allowed to check in early and were seated after waiting probably 15 minutes or so. We placed our drink orders and were on our way to the buffet.

My first plate was a large pile of stuff. I'd rather get a big pile of stuff and not have to get my daughter up over and over again to go back and get something else.

I really loved the sliced meats that they have there. The glaze that is on the outside lends a nice, balanced flavor to them. As much as I don't like to get up and go back again, I did end up going back for some more of that meat for myself and MJ. I also got a bowl of white rice and curried chicken.

This was okay, but I had never had curry before and I was expecting it to be a little bit spicier. It was just okay.

MJ had some mac and cheese with a little bit of rice, fish and corn dog nuggets.

I don't know why she insisted on getting some fish, because she wouldn't eat it. She also normally loves rice, but she wouldn't eat this rice. Maybe it had too much flavor. Who knows. The little corn dog nuggets were cute, though. She ate plenty of those and the mac and cheese.

Up next was dessert.

The baklava was so good! That little chocolate cake that you can see was pretty good, too. Everything else was just okay. And maybe it was just me, but I swear that the lemon bar in there smelled like wet dog. Is it wrong that I still tried a bite after that? It didn't taste like wet dog, if that helps.

MJ enjoyed her rather large cookie.

She did also like the chocolate cake, but focused on the big cookie. I tried to get her to try some baklava as she loves any kind of nut, but she wasn't having it.

Overall, we will probably be back (and will actually go for the Nemo show next time). I want some more of those carved meats!​

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Le Cellier
December 15th

I had to try and get this reservation for some time (thanks to the cancellation thread are in order here) and I was really excited for the dinner. I will tell you now that this ended up being the best steak dish of the trip! It was great.

We checked in and had no wait to be seated. I ordered a raspberry smoothie.

It was pretty good, though I didn't end up drinking a lot of it. I didn't really want my mouth to be saturated with the flavor of raspberries when I ate my steak.

We were brought out our breadsticks, which ended up just being okay. I didn't see what the fuss over the pretzel bread is.

I think that I ended up skipping the appetizer here. I was starting to feel the Deluxe Dining effect by that point and a really wanted to save room for my steak.

I ordered the filet, but with mashed potatoes and no mushrooms.

This steak was amazing! And actually, the sauce over the top make it even better. I will say now that I thought it was a tiny bit over-cooked, but it was so juicy and tender that I was highly impressed. You could tell that it was an excellent cut of meat to begin with. The mashed potatoes were also smooth and excellent. Once again, it was the best steak of the trip, without question.

MJ just had a hot dog, which I didn't bother taking a picture of. I got the chocolate moose for dessert.

MJ thought that it was hilarious and loved eating his "eyes and ears". The actual mousse was pretty good, I was feeling a bit full at that point. I think only half of it got eaten.

This meal was great and I will certainly be back, even when it does become a 2-credit meal. It was worth 2 credits on the night that we went!

After the meal, we went and got a seat for Illuminations. I got some popcorn and one of those cream cheese pretzels.

Talk about a disappointment! It was so yeasty and tough! I don't think I had any more than a couple of bites.​

 

[branv]

They had the same potatoes as Akershus, only with some cheese melted over the top.

Okay, these must be some seriously good potatoes, b/c a friend of mine just got back from her first trip to the world, and the one food she gushed about were those Akershus potatoes.

After getting drinks, we were brought our bread.

The bread was still warm and it was really good. But again, what's with all of the flour that they leave on the top? Who knows. Shortly after that, my appetizer (the Land and Sea) came out.

For dessert, MJ didn't want anything. It was too cold for ice cream and she doesn't eat fruit. I had the creme brulee.

I think I asked someone this question once about the flour, and was told that sometimes it's just decorative, but many times the breads are shaped and left to rise in floured containers or floured cloths to prevent sticking. When they are removed, the flour sticks, but can't be brushed off b/c the dough is still wet. Sounds logical, though I can't say for a fact the person wasn't making it up

BTW: my niece is also a sometimes dessert passer-upper, which does not remotely compute for me When I was a kid, passing up dessert for me would have been a sign something was seriously wrong. Hmmm..which probably explains a few of my problems today.

Good reviews, look forward to reading the rest.

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Chef Mickey's
December 16th

I was a little apprehensive for this meal, but the concern ended up not being warranted. We had no wait to get to our table after taking our picture with the Mickey statue.

After having our drink order taken, we hit the buffet.

The breakfast pizza and everything else were really good and fresh. The only thing that I didn't like was the cheesy hash browns that you can kinda see under the bacon on the left of the plate. It was just too rich. I wasn't a big fan.

I also got this:

The Mickey waffles here were a little soft, but otherwise okay.

MJ's plate:

The characters didn't spend lots of time at the table, but it was fun regardless. We would probably come back next time.​

 

[M-J's Mommy]

I think I asked someone this question once about the flour, and was told that sometimes it's just decorative, but many times the breads are shaped and left to rise in floured containers or floured cloths to prevent sticking. When they are removed, the flour sticks, but can't be brushed off b/c the dough is still wet. Sounds logical, though I can't say for a fact the person wasn't making it up

BTW: my niece is also a sometimes dessert passer-upper, which does not remotely compute for me When I was a kid, passing up dessert for me would have been a sign something was seriously wrong. Hmmm..which probably explains a few of my problems today.

Good reviews, look forward to reading the rest.

Yeah, I've baked bread and everything before, but dang! Some of these places got a little crazy with the flour on top. Though honestly, The Wave was the worst one.

Thanks for following along! It's been pretty fun to re-live some of this stuff through this report. But it just makes me want to go back even more.

 

[gardengirl628]

Ohhhhh....so glad I found your report! Enjoying it immensely! BTW, my DD 10 is also named Tatum! Not too many of you around She was very excited to see your report as well!

 

[klacey1]

Great reviews!! I can't wait to read the rest!

 

[*sarah*]

Really enjoying your reviews so far!!! The CRT one got me all excited, so I can't wait to eat there next month. But ohhh it looks so cold!! I hope it is not that cold when we are there. Can't wait to read what you have next. And your daughter is precious!!

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

Hollywood and Vine
December 14th

Also, when you dine here, you get your own little area to wait for the Toy Story Mania dash in the morning. I could see the wall of people on the main drag waiting, but we only have maybe 15 people in our immediate area, so that was nice.

In a similar vain, I never once saw anyone push or act rude to get to that ride. Granted, I wasn't going to run to be first and there were a ton of people trying to get there, but I didn't think it was as bad as some people make it out to be. But then again, maybe it was just too cold for people to get feisty!

Up next: Sci-Fi!​

[/SIZE]

Hi! I'm enjoying reading your reviews, although I hope it's not quite as cold in February - our girls have that same coat (well, one's in the solid pink), but they're wearing them here (in VA) plenty.

Onto my question, though... do you think that dining at H&V beforehand was beneficial for the TSM rush? I'm debating it a bit - our girls don't really know all the characters there well, but if it avoided some of the craziness of TSM, it might be worth it. Do you have any thoughts?

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

thanks for wonderful updates, enjoying reading your food reviews.

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Thanks for the replies from everyone!

For the poster who asked about the TSM rush, I would say that it was absolutely worth it. You don't get a distinct advantage over the masses waiting to run there. However, I thought that it was absolutely worth it in terms of the fat that you aren't mashed in with the throbbing mass of people on the main drag. You get to leisurely stand there with ten or so people on your own little side street and wait. Once the rope drops, however, you're in it with everyone else.

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Liberty Tree Tavern
December 16th

I was really looking forward to this reservation and it did not disappoint!

We checked in a little bit early and were seated pretty quickly. As we were walking to our table, MJ was too busy looking around and ran into a wall, nose-first. Sigh. She does this sometimes; she's a bit of a space-case. But once we were over that drama, we were seating in a little alcove with a couple of other families. We ordered our drinks and placed our food orders.

The waitress here was awesome about drink refills. I never went without. I also purchased one of the mugs and she wrapped it up very nicely and bagged it for me.

For my appetizer, I ordered the fried cheese.

These were awesome. And I would agree with numerous other posters: I loved the little bites the most. The breading on those were light and crunchy with the cheese being soft, melty and stringy. Both were really good, but the little pieces take the cake.

For my main course, I had the pot roast, which was tender and pretty good. The mashed potatoes underneath weren't the best, but overall it was a good dish.

MJ had the mac and cheese, which she ate a little bit of. She actually got in on my pot roast more.

For dessert, she had the sundae.

She was a little offended that she didn't get to make it herself, but she got over it. I got the wonderful, amazing Toffee Cake!

This was, by long and far, the best dessert of the trip! It is baked individually, so the entire outside is chewy and hot, while the middle is soft. It is topped with ice cream, sprinkles and bits of crunchy toffee. I wouldn't dare miss out on this again when we go back!

Overall, the meal was great and the service was excellent. I can't wait to go back!​

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Crystal Palace
December 16th

By this point, MJ and I were feeling really bad. Well, I was. I had felt something brewing in my throat for a couple of days, but it started to get bad just as we checked in for dinner. I tried to check us in early, but we ended up waiting until just before our reservation time.

After being seated, we had to wait a little while to place our drink orders. Once that was taken care of, we could go and get our plates. This was mine:

The meats were okay, if not a bit dry. The mashed potatoes were pretty good and there is some mushroom chicken down there underneath everything that was really good.

MJ's plate:

By this point, I can only assume that her throat was bothering her, too. She wasn't eating much. It wasn't bad food, though.

This was dessert for MJ:

And dessert for me:

It was just okay, but I really wasn't feeling well and wanted to get out of there. Of course, this is when our waiter decided that he would just disappear for literally 20 minutes. I had to ask another waiter to go find him.

While we were waiting, I noticed something kinda gross. In the back, the workers had all of the milk jugs just sitting out on a counter. They were up there for the whole time that we were there.

I checked MJ's milk to make sure that it was actually cold before letting her drink it, but I didn't think that it was very smart to just leaving milk sitting out like that.

After what seemed like forever, we finally got out and into the sold-out crowd for the Christmas Party. Overall, there is no way that this place would be worth it if paying out of pocket. I probably won't be back, even if we are on the dining plan. There is just way too much going on here to have a peaceful meal.​

 

[M-J's Mommy]

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
December 16th

What a disaster! By the time we left our dinner, the streets were lined with wall-to-wall people. There was one spot on the curb open with some lady on an ECV and her husband behind her. I didn't really need to ask, but I asked anyway if me and MJ could sit on the curb in front of them. This jerk actually said no! If I didn't feel so sick, I probably would have told him to suck it and sat there anyway, but I wasn't down for an argument.

We walked around for a little while, but MJ asked if we could please leave and go to the doctor. I agreed. We both needed to go.

On the way out, I stopped by guest services to see if maybe we could get our money back for the tickets since we had to go to the hospital. I thought that he might do it, but he ended up telling me no. I just thought that it sucked since we had to leave before the first parade even started. I don't blame the guy or anything, but it would have been nice to get back my 100+ dollars. Oh well.

We drove out to the hospital in Celebration and were there for a while. Everyone there was very nice. MJ fell asleep on the bed once we got one and I got to listen to the guy next door who had run into one of the benches at the Norway show and sliced his leg open while driving an ECV. I also got to listen while he got like 20 stitches. He was a good sport, though you could tell that he felt really stupid.

Once we were done with the hospital, we had to drive out to Kissimmee to get to a 24-hour pharmacy. When it was all said and done, we were back to the hotel and in bed by 2am. What a night!​