The HoneymoonandBEYOND 's Disney review thread !~ 2/28 UPDATES IN PROGRESS ~! *PICS*

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

Hello all,

as our first thread out of the Welcome board, I figured we would make an ongoing and updating Disney restaurant review thread to share our thoughts and experiences.

Will try to get as many pictures as possible from here on out (our honeymoon trip was pretty scarce), and will not only review the food but the atmosphere, service, as well as give some of our own, individual, personal thoughts!

If you are confused as to why I keep referring to "us" and you haven't glanced at our Welcome thread, it is because my wife and I share this account. We are both young, married, college students. We are in our 20's and I wouldn't say we have the most explorative taste buds, but we do try to try different stuff while at Disney!

How we got to Disney is a kind of fun story. Me, having been to Disney a few times as a kid (and local FL resident) was due for a return, while my beautiful Wife (Fiancee' at the time) who grew up in Georgia had never been, so I had this bright idea one night while we were visiting Orlando on just an out-of-town date, to take her by the Disney grounds and let her just see a brief glimpse of something I feel everybody (especially in the south east) should experience at least once in their lifetime.

Instantly, a mere 2 months before the wedding, she wanted to change all the plans we had previously (a cruise) to come to this enchanted place! I was excited, and a bit overwhelmed, as even a brief ride through the entrance proved that Disney had changed mightily in the 10+ years I had not been.

So here we are 2 months later (September 2012) walking down the aisle in the Beautiful Crowne Plaza in Jacksonville, FL. excited as we can be heading off to Disney for her first time, and what might have well been mine (as again, it has changed so much).

We were armed with a 3 night stay at the BEAUTIFUL Port Orleans French Quarter, and the Magic Your Way Plus Dining package!

Anyhow, enough jibber jabber - ON TO THE REVIEWS!

*All of our TS are always Dinner, unless otherwise noted.

**All of our QS are generally lunch, unless otherwise noted.

Trip #1: September 3 - 6, 2012 (our Honeymoon!)


9/3/2012
QS @ the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory (Port Orleans French Quarter cafeteria)

TS @ the Rainforest Cafe' in the Animal Kingdom
9/4/2012
QS @ Casey's Corner in the Magic Kingdom

TS @ Portobello in Downtown Disney

9/5/2012

QS @ Backlot Express in Hollywood Studios

TS @ Via Napoli in Epcot

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Trip #2: September 3 - 8, 2013 (1st Anniversary!)


9/3/2013

QS @ Flame Tree Barbeque in Animal Kingdom

TS @ Rainforest Café in Animal Kingdom

9/4/2013

QS @ Liberty Inn in Epcot

TS @ Biergarten in Epcot

9/5/2013

QS @ Casey's Corner in Magic Kingdom

TS @ Tony's Town Square in Magic Kingdom

9/6/2013

QS @ Pizza Planet Arcade in Hollywood Studios

TS @ Le Chefs de France in Epcot

9/7/2013

TS @ Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney

9/8/2013

QS @ POP Century Resort

QS @ Cooke's of Dublin in Downtown Disney

Snacks

ICEE @ Club Cool in Epcot, Chips @ Northwest Mercantile in Epcot

Funnel Cake @ Sleepy Hollow, Dole Whip @ Aloha Isle, and a Goofy Glacier @ Big Top Souvenirs in Magic Kingdom

Cupcakes @ Starring Roles Café in Hollywood Studios

Chips @ Surf Doggies in Typhoon Lagoon

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Trip #3: February 1 - 5, 2014 (DH mom's first visit!)


2/1/2014

QS @ Flame Tree Barbeque / Restaurantosaurus in Animal Kingdom

TS @ Tony's Town Square in Magic Kingdom

2/2/2014

TS @ 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian resort and spa

2/3/2014

QS @ Cosmic Rays Starlight Café in the Magic Kingdom

TS @ The Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom

2/4/2014

QS @ Liberty Inn in Epcot

TS @ Biergarten Restaurant

2/5/2014

QS @ Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory in Port Orleans French Quarter resort

QS @ Sunshine Seasons in Epcot

TS @ Be Our Guest in The Magic Kingdom

Snacks

Chips @ Northwest Mercantile, Croissant Donut @ The Refreshment Port in Epcot

Dole Whip floats @ Aloha Isle, Sour Gummy Worms and Fudge @ Main Street Confectionery in Magic Kingdom

Cupcakes @ Starring Roles Café in Hollywood Studios

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

QS: Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at the Port Orleans French Quarter

What we ordered:

DW: Tuna Sub with homemade chips w/ Chocolate Chip cookie for desert

DH: Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with French Fries w/ chocolate cupcake for desert

Initial Impressions:

DW: Looked good, good portions, plenty of food.

DH: Messy, good portions, plenty of food

Food review

DW: The tuna in the sub was very dry. It was not up to my taste standards, and did not please. I do want to say that is of course a personal preference, if one likes dryer tuna, they may certainly enjoy this sub more than me. I believe I took 2 bites before I simply couldn't eat anymore of it. The chips were good, I would not say they were the best house chips I have ever had, but they were certainly above average. The best part of my meal was either my husbands fries (yes, I had a few! ) or my GIGANTIC cookie! The cookie was soft and tasteful, one of the best cookies I have ever had!

DH: The Buffalo Chicken sandwich was not what I was expecting. It was grilled and SMOTHERED (read: overloaded and far too much) in sauce. It wasn't a horrible flavor, not too hot, not too weak. Just wasn't very good. This may have been my biggest disappointment for food the whole trip. The bun was soft, but the chicken almost seemed undercooked. I ate maybe 3 to 4 bites, and called it a day on that one. The fries were very good however, and the cupcake was HUGE. This may have been one of the biggest gourmet cupcakes I have ever had. It was every bit as good as any gourmet cupcake shop, and made my sweet tooth very happy! My wife's chips were pretty good too (she is not the only one who steals food from the other )

Atmosphere

^ This picture is of the food bay, and some of the less minute details that are usually in most pictures of this place which generally focus on the seating area itself.

We liked the fun, open feeling of the cafeteria. It was bigger than pictures did it justice, and fit the theme nicely. It is loud, and there are kids everywhere if you go during lunch, but that it probably true of most cafeterias regardless of which resort. Best for a fun, carefree family setting.

Service

The service here was ok, I wouldn't say perfect, but definitely not bad. The hostess that does the checkout process at the cafeteria was very nice and clear about how we used our dining plans (we were clueless when we first got there), and she was also quite helpful. The people at the food windows were not as amazing. They were not rude by any means, but seemed to be lacking the "Disney magic" you come to expect from Disney employees.

Final Scores

DW: 4/5 - sides, desert, and cleanliness kept this score fairly high for me.

DH: 3/5 - I loved the atmosphere, the cleanliness was outstanding, but the entrée and some of the staff did keep me at bay, and not in a good way.

Overall score - 3.5/5. We have no plans of eating here again, but do happily visit plenty while at the resort for entertainment, drinks, and what not. A quick note, the staff outside of the kitchen area all seemed amazing, most had the Disney attitude and really made you smile. Though I thought the service was average when dealing with the food ordering, every other interaction was a pleasant one here! And I can't understate how clean they keep it, seems like somebody was always cleaning something when we were there, and it showed! Kudos!

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TS: Rainforest Café at the Animal Kingdom

What we ordered:

DW: Rainforest Burger with fries, Rainforest Ricky Freeze drink, Sparkling Volcano

DH: Rainforest Burger with fries, Orangesickle drink, Sparkling Volcano

Initial Impressions:

DW: Eye-popping amounts. A lot. Big burger.

DH: Plenty of food, plenty of fries, burger was certainly juicy and big.

Food review

DW: Burger was cooked exactly how it was suppose to be, which is huge for me. The burger was juicy, and I can honestly say I believe it was the best I have ever had! The French fries continued with the great taste, as they were perfectly seasoned and exactly what you imagine when you think of French fries. I couldn't even get close to finishing my meal, it was far to big. Not only were the fries plentiful, but the burger... it really is just gigantic. The Rainforest Ricky Freeze drink we got via the dining plan was a great, smooth taste. It was refreshing after a hot day in the animal kingdom, and I really liked it.

-Note, some of the fries have been snacked on pre-picture!

DH: My wife and I shared the same thoughts on this meal, happily! I too believe this is the best restaurant burger I have ever had the pleasure of eating (and I have tried many different burgers at many different places). It was perfectly cooked, juicy, the bun may have been the hidden secret as it was a perfect taste compliment to the patty. Fries were about as good as they can get, certainly not disappointed with any facet of this meal. The orangesickle frozen drink was good... however after tasting my wife's Rainforest Ricky, I don't think it compares to it. The Ricky is their famous frozen (non-alcoholic) beverage for good reason.

* The desert we ordered was the Sparkling Volcano. We had no idea what it was or what to expect... but WOW... when we got it we really were not disappointed! They bring it out in it's full glory, sparkling and seemingly a foot high. Thing is one great presentation in itself, and quite the beautiful work of food. We almost felt bad to eat it! After the loaded meal, it was tough to try to find room to fit the moist brownies and ice cream topped with healthy (or un-healthy I should say) amounts of whip cream, but one bite kept leading to another until we were about ready to bust. We had plenty to take home and eat later, and it was certainly making the trip with us! The brownie was the show stealer, and the chocolate sauce was REALLY good too!

Atmosphere

The atmosphere is a loud, rambunctious family venue. It is confusing to rate though, because it is so beautiful, that without the noise it may easily be one of the most romantic restaurants you could be in. Waterfalls in the middle, shooting stars streaking on the ceiling, vines and lush forest everywhere. If you wear ear-plugs, it could be a romantic meal for two! That being said, it was easily the loudest of the restaurants we visited, which was fine with us on that night as we had planned for it to be that way.

Service

Our waitress (I cannot remember her name - sorry), was very polite and helpful at suggesting and explaining our options. She also helped us understand more about our dining plan, which was very nice of her, and was spot on with basically everything she told us about the food. We left her a review card with very positive ratings, she deserved it for sure!


Final Scores

DW: 5/5 , healthy portions, combined with some of the best American classics ever make it a must eat for the Animal Kingdom!

DH: 5/5 , Ditto to my wife's review. The Restaurant was her suggestion and a REALLY good one. We will happily return many times (and actually have once since then), because everything about it was great and it is a unique and fun experience!

Overall score - 5/5 , everything was perfect! We can't rave enough about it!

 

[princess aleya]

Subbing ...great so far

 

[jacksmom]

Great start!

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

QS: Casey's Corner at The Magic Kingdom

What we ordered:

DW: The Hotdog Meal with a side of fries and cotton candy for dessert

DH: Barbecue Slaw Dog with a side of fries and cotton candy for dessert

Initial Impressions:

DW: Looked very appetizing, huge hotdog. Free cheese sauce at the topping bar amazed me.

DH: How am I going to eat this hotdog. It is immensely huge. Intimidating! (in a good way!)

Food review

DW: I am not even a hot dog fan, but upon entering the magic kingdom and have a CM telling us 'no doubt, Casey's Corner' in response to our 'can you suggest a good quick service here?' question, we opted to try it. Though I was not a hotdog fan entering, I must say this hotdog was one of the best hotdogs I have ever tasted! Juicy, with a soft bun, I got the basic hotdog and added ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise and was very happy with how it came out! Still not the biggest hot dog fan, but these hot dogs I am definitely a fan of. The fries were plentiful and really good. I can't get over how good the cheese sauce is, may seem like a small thing to some, but it won me over!

^ I want to note that about 1/3 to 1/2 of the hot dog was already consumed at this point. It is huge, this picture doesn't do it justice. It isn't just all bun either, plenty of dog there!

DH: After my initial shock of the sheer mass of this sandwich/ hotdog hybrid, I decided to go in for a bite... what didn't get on my clothes and face was taste bud bliss! I am generally not a pork eater, but kind of did the whole "when in Rome" thing when I chose this (glad I did). I like cole slaw and the mixture of the slaw and barbecue pulled pork with the very juicy frank hit the spot just right. It was certainly a nice suggestion by my mind, and kept me full for hours that day. Fries were really good here, and even more amazing dipped in the cheese sauce. I never thought hotdogs could have so much taste variety, but after eating here I tear up when having to settle for store-bought ones away from Disney. Amazing hot-dog, for sure!

^ I want to take this time to apologize for not having pictures of mine, but hey we were on our honeymoon so try to cut us a break! I promise I will get one on our return trip this September, and take pictures this time!

* For dessert we both had cotton candy, though two different colors/ flavors. The cotton candy tasted like fresh cotton candy, the kind you get at the circus or at the fair - not that bagged stuff. It wasn't just passable, it was very good, but very sweet (of course, it's cotton candy!) so be prepared for a sugar overload if you choose this for the dessert. It is a giant serving, comes in a bag not on a stick, so it can be carried/ saved for later rather easy (which we took advantage of).

Atmosphere

It felt like you were in an old-school American baseball park/ giant indoor concession stand. That is not a bad thing, it is quite Disney spec, from the ordering counters to the indoor seating (bleachers and tables) to the staff's attire. I will say, for the amount of people that eat here, the indoor eating space is small and it was a struggle to find a place to sit. It was worth it though! We always love a clean dining space too, and somehow they manage to keep it pretty spotless (which is incredible for the food and amount of people they serve).

Service

Everybody was nice here, and even though it was packed when we entered, a CM led us to the shortest line, and it took under 10 minutes total including line, ordering, and cooking to get our food. We were very impressed! Extra points for getting it done so efficiently in such a small space.

Final Scores

DW: 5/5 - very impressive take on a simple American past-time. Turned me into a fan of hotdogs!

DH: 5/5 - Besides having to buy bigger pants after eating this meal, I really can't think of a negative! Hotdogs don't get any better than this!

Overall score - 5/5, the small, competitive seating (seriously, trying to find a free space before someone else here should be an Olympic event) was not enough to put a dent in this QS meal. It is hefty in size, taste, and offers some nice twist for a simple dish. Very impressive!

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TS: Portobello Country Italian trattoria at Downtown Disney

What we ordered:

DW: Spaghetti with Meatballs with Chocolate Paradis for dessert

DH: Chicken Pizzaiola

Initial Impressions:

DW: Pretty basic, of course it was a basic dish. Looked pretty good though. Decent sized portion.

DH: Chicken was big, really pretty presentation. I was impressed, looked very good and very colorful.

Food review

DW: Meatballs were good, until husband revealed they were veal which kind of ruined me mentally. Spaghetti was not watery, it was good. Very filling dish, I only ate about half of it. Nothing to rave about here, but not a bad dish either. Cake was extremely rich and decent sized piece. I didn't eat much of it at all, but that was due to being overwhelmed with food that day, and because it was very rich. It was very good though, however I did give my husband as much of the toffee portion as I could (not the biggest fan of toffee myself).

DH: Chicken was cooked perfectly, cut easily with just a fork. The mixture of taste from all the toppings; garlic, basil, capers, tomatoes, mozzarella (I did leave off the anchovies) was really good and smooth, and the way it was all cooked together made it almost creamy. I was very impressed with the quality, and the cook did wonderful!

Atmosphere

Restaurant is beautiful inside and out. It is classy, the exterior is romantic (especially at night), and the inside was more of a mellow tone than many Disney TS. We were ready for a romantic dinner, and the setting surely fit the mood. A bonus to the atmosphere is how it is set within Downtown Disney. It is tucked away from the noise and busy main footpath just enough that it feels almost secluded in a sense.


Service

The one big issue we had with this place, and it was a glaring one. Our waiter (no name) was downright subpar. Not only was he lacking in the attitude department, but was slow and downright ignored us and spent time on another, bigger table than us. I honestly recall him only visiting our table two or three times, another waitress constantly stopped and refilled our drinks instead (and no, they were not working our table together - she was just attentive). We took her name and told the manager of how great SHE was even though SHE wasn't even OUR WAITRESS, as well as hinted as politely as possible that we were disappointed with the service (other than her)... but nothing was really done about it past that. Not even an apology issued or anything. This was crushing to us, as it is DISNEY and you simply expect everything to be magical. I am happy to say this subpar (putting it nicely) service is the exception with Disney, not the example. Unfortunately the service upset us so bad, I can't see us returning any time soon.



Final Scores

DW: 2.5/5 - I feel like the service wasn't even average, and at a place like Disney where everything is magical - this lack of service turned it off for me. The food was ok though, and the atmosphere pretty - if there is any silver lining.

DH: 3/5 - My dish was exceptional quality, however the service really is what knocks off the 2 points. Some people might think that is a bit extreme for simply bad service, but I ditto my wife's sentiments - at Disney where everything else is unreal, a hiccup like this is magnified and ruins an otherwise great experience. Honestly, I feel as though my 3/5 may even be a bit too generous here. My dish was fantastic though, and as my wife said - the atmosphere is romantic!

Overall score - 2.75/5, and our experience here deserves no better. I feel if we had been put with a better waiter/ waitress (perhaps the one who constantly stopped at our table to help even though it wasn't her responsibility) this restaurant may have garnered a 4 or even higher. It is quality food, and a classy atmosphere, we just can't overlook the service blunder.

* We would like to apologize for having no pictures here, but as I mentioned this was a more romantic meal for us... and well the service kind of just made it a forgettable one as well.

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

QS: Backlot Express at Hollywood Studios

What we ordered:

DW: 1/3 lb Fresh Angus Onion Straw Bacon Cheeseburger

DH: 1/3 lb Fresh Angus Onion Straw Bacon Cheeseburger

Initial Impressions:

DW: Looked good, excited due to the "onion straws" - I love these types of burgers!

DH: Burger was big, looks like a burger you would get at a mid-tier restaurant.

Food review

DW: Unfortunately even after my initial excitement, I was not the biggest fan of the burger. I think in large part my disdain was due to the sauce. It wasn't like similar house dressings to me, it was just a tad too strong. I ate just a little, and really could not stomach any more. The fries were great here, as most Disney QS restaurants are. The chocolate mousse dessert was FABULOUS! The mousse was very chocolaty and perfectly chilled (which is how I prefer my mousse), very refreshing break from the sun!

DH: Burger was cooked great, toppings were good, sauce was strong but flowed well in my opinion. I think it looked better than it tasted, if that makes sense. The patty was juicy, it tasted like genuine "Angus beef quality" rather than just a typical fast food burger. The bun was very soft, which complimented the rest of the burger well. I will say however that the flavors may be a tad overwhelming for some. There is a lot going on with this burger when it comes to taste buds. That is not to say it was bad, just that the burger is certainly in the "different" department of burgers, not as "classic" as some may prefer. The fries are what you come to expect from a Disney QS, fabulous. Very good fries for sure. The chocolate mousse was good, very chocolaty, but it is a tad on the richer side. I think with all the food you get with the meal, the portion they give you is perfect too.

Atmosphere

DW: I am not sure how I felt about the atmosphere here, not a big fan of the look of the buildings, however I know that is simply how it is themed. Loved the birds and squirrels in the outside area though, most seemed very use to human traffic and let you get pretty close to them.

DH: I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere here. It was themed perfect with it's name, "the backlot" and little details may have made this one of the most captivating QS restaurants in Disney to me. As my wife mentioned, the Squirrels and birds came near you, which was pretty cool. This probably had more seating than any QS restaurant out there, tables in different rooms with different settings indoor and outdoor. I thought it was cool!

Service:

The service here was super efficient, and everybody we dealt with was very friendly. These CMs did their job perfect, from suggesting and describing menu items well, to getting out food too us quickly. We were very happy with this part of the experience!

Final Scores

DW: 3.5/5 - I liked the fries, loved the dessert and their service gave them major brownie points. Wish the entrée would have been more to my liking though. Either way, still a decent experience overall!

DH: 4/5 - If we reviewed this from purely an initial impression standpoint, I would have given it a 5/5. Still, the atmosphere is among the best for a QS in all of Disney in many ways, the service was awesome, and the food was certainly good. This place is a great QS for any burger fan, and gives you a rush of taste in which a lot of people may enjoy. I would certainly recommend it, and I think I will visit again in the coming years!

Overall score - 3.75/5, though we have two very different reviews of a lot of the stuff here, overall it was still a good experience at the very least. The restaurant offers plenty in the way of seating out of the sun, and some cool experiences as well as cool style for movie buffs!

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TS: Via Napoli at Epcot

What we ordered:

DW: Pepperoni Pizza with Gelato Frizzante/ Gelati e Sorbetto

DH: Quattro Formaggi Pizza with Gelato Frizzante

Initial Impressions:

DW: Pizza looked cool because it was definitely not your traditional pepperoni pizza, looked like it was going to taste great!

DH: Pizza looks much more homemade than your typical pizza chain, smells very good as well!

Food review

DW: Looks can be a tad deceiving. Pizza certainly didn't look like an average pepperoni pizza, but I wouldn't say it was anything special taste wise. Not to say it was bad, no in fact it was good - just not a huge difference from any other slice of pepperoni pizza. I did like that it was not greasy, and was happy with the size of the pizza. It also had a perfect amount of pepperonis, I guess I would say the perfect pepperoni to cheese ratio! My Husband invited me to try a bit of his, and I already am not the biggest fan of different cheeses, and let's just say that didn't change here. Not a fan of his at all! The frizzante wasn't "horrible", but too bitter and not quite sweet enough for me. I ended up only taking a sip or two and replacing it with chocolate gelato. The chocolate gelato was a much better choice, it was very rich and very good!

DH: Wow, I loved this pizza! As a fan of Italian foods, especially Pizza, and somebody who loves cheeses, I really enjoyed my selection! The pizza wasn't super greasy, and my favorite part was how good quality the cheese tasted. It was seriously like you could separate each individual cheese taste in your palate! The four cheeses used (Mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, and provolone) we all great quality, and any cheese lover could easily appreciate that. I even got my wife to be a tad adventurous here and try this (out of her comfort zone of American cheese or occasionally smoked Gouda), and yeah that went as about as well as I predicted I tasted her Pepperoni as well, and I would not suggest it over the Quattro Formaggi - mine just had that touch of uniqueness to it that made it superb. Plenty of cheese, perfectly cooked, decent size. I was happy... until I tasted the dessert. The Gelato Frizzante was certainly NOT what I expected. Just too bitter for me. It wasn't to say it was bad quality, just not for my taste buds. I kept with it for a while, trying to force myself to like it - but it simply wasn't up my alley so to speak. I didn't hate it, but I didn't really care for it either. Hey though, "when in Ro..." err... "When in Italy" I suppose! Just happy I tasted something out of the norm!

* I have to apologize once more, no pictures were taken of this meal. Sorry!

Atmosphere

We both thought this was probably the most romantic of all the restaurants we ate at. From the ambiance outside to the beautiful inside, it just felt elegant. It was busy, but the way in which tables are set it felt private. It was also big and accommodating to space.


Service

Service here was exceptional. Our waiter was friendly, treated us like regulars. He got big points (and a mention on a survey) thanks to him noticing that the Frizzante was not a favorite selection and happily offering to replace it without either of us having to say a thing! After we stumbled onto these boards I have seen many raving post about how good their service is, and it definitely does not stop here. He was genuine, fast, and friendly - everything you want in a waiter!


Final Scores

DW: 4/5 - Atmosphere and customer service helped compliment a good pizza.

DH: 4.5/5 - Loved the pizza, glad I tried a new dessert, extremely pleased with service and atmosphere. The place is beautiful at night, and a great getaway for a romantic meal for two or a fun Italian meal for 6.

Overall score - 4.25/5 - Good quality for the most part, and may get a return visit sometime in the future.

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

Subbing ...great so far

Our first subscriber! Thanks, glad you have enjoyed it so far!

Great start!

Thanks for the positive remarks! Hopefully on our return trip we remember to get more pictures!!!

 

[Overexcited]

Keep it coming!

 

[LglBlonde]

Our trip is 9/2-9/8,

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

Our trip is 9/2-9/8,

Pretty cool coincidence!

Have you ever been there before during that time period?

 

[LglBlonde]

Pretty cool coincidence!

Have you ever been there before during that time period?

We have, but it's been about 8 years and not with the kids either... We have been in the heat of May & June though. I do remember Labor Day being less crowded than those times...

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

We have, but it's been about 8 years and not with the kids either... We have been in the heat of May & June though. I do remember Labor Day being less crowded than those times...

We were very happy with our trip last year!

We'll message you soon, give you a kind of update on what to expect (if it's anything like last year!)

 

[vettegirl]

Enjoying the reviews!

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

Back from our 1st Anniversary trip, and yet again - it was so magical! We really can't get enough of Disney, and really found ourselves enjoying parks more and more, even with some pretty hot weather thrown in! The French Quarter was a gracious host again (to say the least). We met some great people and again, had a blast! We even started pin trading (which has now turned into a minor obsession), and tried the legendary Dole Whip (more on that later )

* I need to take a second to apologize for some of the pictures, one of our cameras had some issues focusing, and it was not revealed until the pictures were enlarged.

Any who, onto the reviews!

QS: Flame Tree Barbeque at Animal Kingdom

What we ordered:

DW: Ribs and Chicken combo w/ Key Lime mousse

DH: Pork Sandwich w/ coleslaw and Chocolate mousse.

Initial Impressions:

DW: Looked and smelled yummy! Big portions meant I wasn't leaving here hungry.

DH: Run of the mill pork sandwich makeup - about the same portion of meat I would personally put on a pork sandwich... if ANYTHING, maybe a little more. Looks very good!


Food review

DW:

Now admittedly, I am not usually a rib eater, I decided to step out of the box here a little bit. The ribs honestly felt like every bite was full of fat. I am aware ribs have fat, but it really seemed excessive. I could barely eat a few bites before I had to call it quit of this dish. The chicken tasted like chicken off the grill, which is both good and bad. Good because it tasted very authentic, bad because it didn't grab me as anything special. The coleslaw was a little bit too out of my norm, so I gave it to my husband, so not much of an opinion here. The baked beans tasted like ingredients were lacking. Mainly, it felt like there wasn't enough brown sugar in the baked beans so it didn't really taste all that great. The Key Lime mousse was delicious! You need to like Key Lime to really enjoy it, but if you do it is very light and tasteful. Excellent!

DH:

Much like my wife I stepped out of my normal comfort zone a tad, agreeing to eat here rather than the plentiful burger stands/ QS venues. I generally am not a big pork fan, however I do enjoy pork sandwiches occasionally and this one was no different. The pork tasted genuine/ homemade instead of heated up (this is a big deal if you are familiar with pulled pork). It had a nice smoke flavor, the texture was very tender. The bun was soft (which I am a fan of), and added a little flavor, which complimented well. I eyeballed fat here and there, but overlooked it and ate it, and honestly I didn't ever taste it. That is a success! I tried it plain and sampled it with the spicy sweet barbeque sauce and separately with the regular barbeque sauce as well (both are available at the condiment stations throughout the seating areas). I am usually a fan of sweet barbeque, however this time the regular wins. The spicy sweet was less sweet and more kick than I prefer. Just a fair warning! The coleslaw was VERY good, though a tad on the dryer side. I wouldn't say dry, just a tad dryer than I usually prefer. It had a kick via pepper (at least that is how it tasted), so be prepared. The chocolate mousse was UNBELIEVABLY good. I thought it would be the same as the mousse I had @ the Backlot last year, but it certainly was not the same. This mousse was unreal light and creamy, and packed with chocolate flavor. The best part was that even though it was packed with flavor, it was not overwhelming for a midday dessert on a hot Florida day. I cannot rave enough about the mousse and could have happily eaten about 20 more!

Atmosphere

We were both very pleased with the overall atmosphere here. It was themed well, from big details to little ones, and had some breath taking views ( we sat at the closest seating to the water).

We had a duck visitor who nibbled on DW toes (DH finds this funny!), as well as a few other birds who seemed not to mind the humans around. That was a cool touch!

Service

Both of us were very pleased with the service here. They were very nice and helpful from the ordering counter to pick-up, and the food came out extremely fast! No complaints at all here!

Final Scores

DW: 2.5/5 - I loved the view while eating, the service was good - but besides the dessert, I really did not enjoy the food.

DH: 3.5/5 - food was good, just simply not great - BESIDES the mousse which was very impressive. VERY IMPRESSIVE. No, like, seriously - STOP HERE PURELY FOR MOUSSE even if you get nothing else. Atmosphere and service was lovely. Pretty good experience!

Overall score - 3/5, which is fair. It was good, but next time we eat here, we both may try something different (EXCEPT FOR THE MOUSSE, IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT YET REALIZED FROM OUR REVIEW, IT IS VERY GOOD!) and hope for better luck. Views don't get much better than here at the Animal Kingdom, it is a relaxing getaway kind of seating, and the details here make it over the top gorgeous.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

TS: Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom

What we ordered:

DW: The Beastly Burger w/ fries and a Raspberry Lemonade Freeze

DH: The Beastly Burger w/ fries and a Rainforest Ricky Freeze

Initial Impressions:

DW: Looks delicious!

DH: GIGANTOUS. Fries don't seem quite as plentiful as last year (which my waist was ok with)

Food review

DW:

These burgers were way too much meat. That was not a good thing on these. I am also extremely picky to having very well done burgers, extra well done is how it was ordered. The burger was red. I don't know how it was so undercooked, when my husband's was perfect and we ordered it the same way! The fries were very good, much like last year. The Raspberry Lemonade freeze was AMAZING, however be forewarned it is certainly sweet and sour. It definitely has the sweetness from the Raspberry and the tang from the Lemonade very bold, and it is not a drink to sip quickly - but if enjoyed slowly through out the meal, it was wonderful. I want one right now just thinking about it!

DH:

With such high expectations from last year I thought surely this would be a hit. We ordered virtually the same thing, just with 2 patties instead of one. No problem, right? After all, the Rainforest burger may have been the best restaurant burger I have ever had, so this should be just as good x2, right? WRONG. This was so disappointing to have to write, but the two patties ruined an amazing burger. There really is TOO much meat here, it taste like a giant meat loaf without barely anything to compliment it - the bun basically shredded away from all of the juice from the burger, without drowning it in condiments you cannot barely taste them from the meat overload. I will never get this again, and stick with the single patty dish which was AMAZING. I really would not suggest anybody try this, I don't know how anyone could enjoy it. The fries were great which was important as it was basically all I ate. Yet again my wife's intuition was correct when selecting a specialty drink. Last year, I found her Ricky Freeze to be slightly better than the orange freeze, this year my Ricky was not very good at all and her Raspberry Lemonade freeze was delightful!

* Yet again we selected the Sparkling Volcano for dessert (although we were almost denied this, more on that a little ways down), and yet again it was very good. The ice cream and brownie combo they use is very flavorful and compliments each other well! It is a rich treat, but very good! One of our brownies was broken in half and the ice cream and whip cream were barely standing, but being that we had seen it before - we didn't mind, it was just as yummy laying down as it was standing up.

Atmosphere

It is hard not to like the rainforest atmosphere. It is fun, yet romantic. I will say that our seating wasn't ideal for a couple this time. They knew we were on our first anniversary, and with plenty of open seats I feel like that could have been better, however still was fun and beautiful. Some people boycott eating here because it is a "chain", however if you ever eat here you will see it feels and screams DISNEY everywhere.

Service

Oh boy... this was a tad interesting. Our server will remain unnamed, but we were not very impressed. At first she seemed nice enough, though it felt forced - which is ok sometimes, long days can make a person tired. But as our dinner went on, she certainly lost points. We told her we wanted the Sparkling Volcano, which we said we had the previous year - in which she told us we were not allowed? She told us we had to have three people in a party to get it on the dining plan, and that it was the same way last year (which our server last year never even mentioned that and we were actually informed later it was only two people needed the previous year). She said she would ask the manager because it was a case by case thing (we told her not to bother, it wasn't a big deal). Apparently the manager allowed it, as we got it. Even with the initial denial, I wouldn't say it made her seem sub par to us, it was later actions that did this. She got more abrupt towards the check coming, even informing us once to rate her well on the comment card. The thing that may have been the worst though was how she CIRCLED the fact that we should tip the waiter/ waitress printed on the receipt. We kind of take offense to this because we are on the younger side and feel that this could have been the reason. Just not an overall wonderful experience like the year prior. Not that it was horrible, just kind of rubbed us the wrong way a bit.

Final Scores

DW: 3/5 - Just not as impressed as last year, service didn't help the situation.

DH: 3.5/5 - The score may be on the higher side because of the nostalgia of last years visit, but this time around it certainly took a dip. I still think this would be an exception, not the rule here - and would still recommend it to anybody and I believe we will happily eat here again on a future visit.

Overall score - 3.25/5, might not seem like a bad score to some, but with our former magical meals here and the very high expectations, this year it felt disappointing.

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

QS: Liberty Inn at Epcot

What we ordered:

DW: New York Strip Steak with Red Wine Butter, Fries, Steamed Broccoli and a Mixed Fruit Cup for dessert

DH: New York Strip Steak with Red Wine Butter, Fries, Steamed Broccoli and a Rocky Road Mousse Brownie for dessert

Initial Impressions:

DW: Looks deliccciouuussss!!!!

DH: Impressed with size for a QS steak meal, looks AMAZING, extremely happy with choice by the looks of it

Food review

DW: The steak is delicious, especially with the red wine butter! The steak is surprisingly juicy, and the butter really does a nice job of adding flavor. I feel like the broccoli was a little bit undercooked, but it was still good. I just feel like it was a little bit of cook time away from being its best. The French fries were good, like most the fries here at WDW. Plentiful too!

The fruit bowl was... ok. It didn't taste like fresh fruit. I wouldn't say you get all that much fruit either, it is a pretty small bowl. DH took a bite or two, and he seemed to think it was ok. I still wasn't crazy about it though.

DH: This may be the most impressive QS for your value at all of Disney. I mean, come one - it is a New York Strip! Some people may hold a slight reservation of "yeah, but how good can a QS steak be?", but I am here to put back any fears! The steak was an extremely good QS meal, and I could have just had it and one side and been completely thrilled, but they give you two sides just to really pack in the food. The steak was well-done, without request - and I am not sure it can be cooked any other way for those who like a rare steak (though I cannot confirm or deny this). I didn't mind one bit, it is extremely flavorful and the red wine butter sauce helps complete a firework display like taste bud explosion. The steak was thin, but tender and more juicy than you would imagine from a thinner steak. It had a nice grilled taste, and the red wine butter was not overwhelming, instead it was just the perfect amount of complimentary to the wonderful beef. I would certainly suggest anybody to try this if you like steak, and even if you are picky - I would not remove the red wine butter, it really is a beautiful combo. The fries, like normal with Disney QS (I feel like I state this constantly) were awesome, and the broccoli tasted of real restaurant quality, I could be wrong but to me they tasted far from run of the mill frozen/ bagged broccoli. I ate them without adding salt or anything, and found it to be very fresh tasting which was a nice complement and pallet cleanser when grouped with the steak and fries.

For dessert I scooped up the Rocky Road Mousse Brownie, even though admittedly I am usually not the biggest Rocky Road fan. It is important to note I said *usually not a fan, because in this instance I was. The first bite kind of confused my taste buds (could have been the meat, potatoes, vegetables combo I just finished), and I worried it may be a bit too rich. However with every bite I found it tasting better and better, it really seemed to improve once I adjusted to the taste, and I was very happy to have taken a chance on it! It was pretty decent size for a dessert too, and I would say it is a pretty perfect size being that any bigger may have left your stomach a bit overwhelmed.

Atmosphere

The theme here was met and exceeded. Very colonial American, beautiful seating area. The way the seating area is setup up with giant windows and a skylight casting light creating a super natural feeling - like a picnic but indoors. The little details made this place stick out with theming, whether it was old ceramic plates on display, or flags adorning the brick wall, it really felt like you were back in time. Loved it!

Service

Both of us came away with one of the best customer service experiences we have yet to have in all of Disney. Joseph took our order and was very polite and really seemed to know the menu. Any questions I had he answered with details, and seemed to really believe in his suggestions. He did a wonderful job and we made sure to inform Disney of this. While we waited for our steaks at the counter, Kodi held a very fun and entertaining conversation with us as he filled drinks and grabbed orders to take to people. I believe he is the perfect example of a Disney worker, he made such a normal experience (waiting in line) extremely magical! He talked to us like we were long lost friends, and the wait almost seemed not long enough as we enjoyed the conversation. We also happily notified Disney of his exceptional service. Great job!

Final Scores

DW: 4/5 - Service was great, theme was perfectly captured, and the food was delicious too!

DH: 5/5 - and if I could go higher, I would. Nothing but great things to say for Liberty Inn, and I would suggest it to anybody and everybody without any doubt in my mind!

Overall score - 4.5/5 - Props to everything here, really impressive job!

----------------------------------------------------------

TS: Biergarten Restaurant at Epcot

What we ordered:

DW: Buffet selections; Macaroni Salad, Toss Salad w/ Creamy Herb Dressing, Pretzel Roll, Regular Roll, Cucumber Salad, Pickles, Macaroni and Cheese, German Sausages, Cold Sausages, Pork Schnitzel, Potato Dumpling, Creamy Asparagus Soup. For dessert; Black Forest Cake, Bavarian Cheesecake, Chocolate Raspberry cake.

DH: Buffet selections; Macaroni and Cheese, Sausages, Pork Schnitzel, Spatzle, Pretzel Roll, Regular Roll, Green Beans, Roasted Potatoes. For dessert; Black Forest Cake, Bavarian Cheesecake, Chocolate Raspberry Cake, Vanilla Sauce and Vanilla Pudding.

Initial Impressions:

DW: I want to try it all!!! Ready for waitress to be done explaining stuff so I can get to the buffet quicker!

DH: This is a lot of food... Buffets are dangerous. Digging how everything looks!

Food review

DW: Starting off with the salads, the Macaroni Salad was delicious and I went back for seconds on this. Just the right amounts of ingredients used, nothing was too much. The temperature was perfect on this, which is important. The creamy herb dressing was like a close cousin to ranch, but I am really picky with ranch like dressings, so I didn't like this so much. The lettuce in the salad was fresh and I did not find one bad piece! The cucumber salad, even though I am a fan of cucumbers, was not really my thing. Very much on the soggy side. The pretzel roll wasn't anything special by itself, but dipped in the Creamy Asparagus soup, it was much more tasty! The regular roll was not very good, it didn't have any taste and felt like you were chewing on a brick. Even with butter, it didn't help, and I am a southern person who can usually get by with butter on something. I love pickles, but if you like sour pickles, these are not that - they are somewhere in between sour and sweet, a little weird for me. I Loved the Macaroni and Cheese, EXCEPT for the cheese skin on top was just too much. The german sausages were very good. The bratwurst tasted somewhat like a breakfast sausage, they were good but didn't compare to the other sausage. The other sausage was really, really good! It tasted like a sausage fresh off the grill. Just a very good sausage! I wasn't a big fan of any of the cold sausage, just not big on cold sausage anyway. The pork schnitzel was good but it wasn't my favorite thing. I didn't like the breading that was on the schnitzel, I just wasn't big on the texture. The Potato dumplings were disgusting. Moist and sticky, and I understand this may be how they are suppose to be but I just didn't like it. The creamy asparagus soup was my favorite thing! I don't even eat asparagus at all, but I LOVED this soup. The soup was hot, creamy and delicious.

When it comes to dessert, I loved the Bavarian Cheesecake! The Bavarian Cheesecake was very fluffy and light, and I love cheesecake! The Raspberry cake was way too strong with the raspberry. It didn't look overwhelming, but when you tasted it, it tasted just like a BIG FAT RASPBERRY, which I did not like. The black forest cake was ok, if you like cherry and chocolate. I still wouldn't choose it over the Bavarian cheesecake though!

DH: Where should I start... I ate here years ago as a kid and wasn't too terribly big on anything besides the scenery. My taste have evolved (though slightly), so I elected to try this (this is kind of a lie - the wife wanted to eat here and Happy Wife = Happy Life). I don't generally like sausage, so I really didn't have super high hopes here, and I can happily report that I was wrong for that! First off, I think I could probably live off the Macaroni and Cheese and the Pork Schnitzel! I usually do not eat pork at all (outside of Bacon, of course) but hey, this delightful treat has been in cartoons, shows, etc. Give a schnitzel a shot! Glad I did! This fried delicacy was beyond yummy, perfect texture and for pork it was extremely tender but had such a nice, flaky breading. It tasted like a chicken nugget except, well, pork. I seriously could have probably eaten 10 of these. The show stealer was the Macaroni and Cheese though. I can honestly say, I have never had better Macaroni and Cheese in a restaurant in my life! This Macaroni and Cheese didn't taste like typical Mac and Cheese, it was loaded with cheese, it was hot, and it was unbelievably creamy! I kid you not, I really think I could have dined on this alone all night for my Entrée, Side, and dessert. It was that good! I never would have expected the Macaroni and Cheese to be so good, but it was AMAZING. I tasted a few bites of sausage and bratwurst, but quickly passed those off to my wife. I could eat it, but it wasn't my favorite. I heard a lot about the Spatzle, so I was pretty pumped to try it. My enthusiasm wasn't delivered with AMAZING TASTE that I had expected, it was OK, but nothing I wanted more than a single serving of. It was kind of bland, and when compared with the Macaroni and Cheese it was a pass to me. Its texture is more that of mash potatoes, in my opinion, or maybe a super cheesy rice dish. I am also a huge bread fan, and man I had heard AWESOME things about the pretzel rolls here, I hadn't even realized they had regular rolls because people almost exclusively talk about the pretzel rolls. I didn't get the same satisfaction, however it could have been the major hype I came in with. It tasted... just like a pretzel? They were hard, and they didn't have any warm ones that night, am I am certainly more a sucker for soft, warm bread. The regular rolls were the same way, hard and cold - and though bread, still nothing I wanted more of. I had some great bread on this trip, and I would put none of these with some of those (more on that in later reviews). To wrap up the entrée and sides talk, I will leave on good notes. The roasted potatoes were pretty good. I wouldn't say they were something I would go back purely for, but they did their job as a side. The green beans were really good too! I am a big time green bean fan, so this was a super plus for me!

On to dessert! I tried basically a little bit of everything (minus the apple turnover). Most of the stuff was forgettable to me (probably because the cakes offered had fruit in them, which I am not usually a fan of in my desserts), but that doesn't mean it all was. The Bavarian Cheesecake was out of this world good. I found my self going back for seconds, thirds, fourths... (we'll just stop here)... it was very good, especially with some vanilla sauce on it. The vanilla sauce tasted like melted vanilla ice cream, and that is certainly not a bad thing. Yummy! The vanilla pudding was good, and presented in a very cool way (swirl top, cute dish, chocolate shavings), but I didn't think it was anymore special than homemade vanilla pudding. It is not a bad thing, it was good, just not Bavarian cheesecake good. The black forest cake and the other chocolate offering with fruit in the middle (I honestly cannot remember what it was) was just a tad too fruit filled for me. The fruit overpowered the chocolate and the black forest cake had a strange texture in my opinion - it was chewy, which I am just not a fan of. Being a buffet, I was not disturb by this though, I was very happy with their multiple offerings as I feel it showed good variety, and the cheesecake was a real show stealer!

* Was really disappointed that they did not offer meatballs on the night we were there. That is my only real gripe, but I was really looking forward to this!

Atmosphere

The atmosphere here is pretty, even with the communal tables. The other families there kind of had common interest and ignored us, which was ok being that we as a couple prefer to feel on our own. You are not squashed against others, it almost feels farther than other restaurants with crowded separate tables. It feels like you are truly outside with the inside, and it really makes you feel like you are sitting in a little piece of Germany.

The band came out while we were there, and it was fun and festive and a really entertaining bonus.

Service

The service here was ok, but not magical. Our waitress was quick with drinks, and smiled as she answered questions, it just felt as though she spent most of the time with the other families who were more interested in beer. We barely saw her past the initial drinks.

Final Scores

DW: 5/5 - I LOVED THE FOOD!

DH: 4.5/5 - I am extremely tempted to rate this a 5/5, but I will resist in preparation of another visit possibly attaining this in the future. It was really good, and may have been the most impressive dinner of the trip. Highly recommended, and I can honestly say we will happily return!

Overall score - 4.75/5, May as well consider this the first of many trips here for us as a couple. We will be back, and I would bet it would be more than just once. Wonderful food and atmosphere!

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

QS: Casey's Corner at The Magic Kingdom

What we ordered:

DW: Hot Dog Meal

DH: Barbecue Slaw Dog

Initial Impressions:

DW: Just thrilled to be back at Casey's, but the bun is different than last year which is kind of saddening.

DH: Why did I decide to get this monster of a hot dog again? Why do I continue to seek a growing pants size? Why is this place so addicting? YUMMY!

Food review

DW: Loved, loved, LOVED the cheese sauce. I suppose my addiction with this is not healthy, but it is so good. Originally (last year) my plain hotdog and my husbands Barbecue Slaw Dog were the same length and had the same bun, however I was slightly disappointed this time because the normal hotdog was clearly shorter in length and also had a PLAIN hotdog bun. Nothing special about the bun anymore saddened me and left me wishing I had grabbed one of the specialty hot dogs instead. Fries, yet again, were delicious and plentiful! They really don't skimp you on portions here, remember that if you are considering eating lunch here! Much like the last visit, the cotton candy melts in your mouth, and taste of extreme freshness. They give you such a large portion it is entirely impossible in my opinion to eat it within the same day.

DH: Deciding to return to my quest of trying to conquer the infamous Barbecue Slaw Dog, I found myself enjoying it yet again. Again, just as before, this hot dog was packed seemingly as high as it is long. I don't understand how anybody could possibly eat this cleanly, and I sometimes think Disney test this particular hotdog as a way to convince people to ride splash mountain afterwards so they have to buy the picture! Smart stuff Disney, but I am on to you! Anyhow, what I did not get on my clothes, yet again, starting a party in my taste buds! These hotdogs simply make any store bought hotdog seem like a snack, they are unreal juicy and packed with so much taste it will leave you wanting to take some home (and believe me I tried to come up with a way to do so, but it just wouldn't work. BUMMER! ) The slaw is perfectly balanced on the heaping mound of pork and the collision of a great American mixture dances wildly in rhythm with the wonderful frank itself! I could go on and on here, but you may get tired of it. Again, no change in the amazing fries or portion they give you, and if you haven't tried these dipped in the cheese sauce yet... SHAME ON YOU! Utilize you cheese sauce!!! Simply amazing, crisp, golden potato sticks. Absolutely awesome!

Atmosphere

This time around we sat in a different seat (not that there is many) and decided to view it from a different angle than from the bleachers we sat in before. We soaked in more of the details that Disney works so hard on to make everything magical, and appreciate it even more than before. It is PERFECTLY themed with its surrounding, from setup to outfits, to everything. It is a very fun venue, I just wish it was 2x the size!


Service

Yet again, service here was prompt and extremely friendly. Not only was our ordering process good, but again we also noticed workers cleaning nearly the entire meal through. This place is high traffic and small space, but they do a wonderful job of not letting you see a crumb or spec of dirt. We actually had an event occur here that highlights why Disney is so incredibly magic, as a little boy was running around and tripped. Though his trip and fall wasn't anything huge and certainly not Disney or the workers fault, CMs from Casey's and the shop bordering it ran to his side, and along with his parents tried to quickly calm the crying young man. Another CM came up shortly, with tears still streaming down his face, and turned his frown completely upside down by letting him pick a shirt out of a few they had brought up to take home! It was awesome to see and rejuvenates my faith in Disney as a family company. I love seeing this kind of stuff, props!

Final Scores

DW: 4.5/5 - the shorter dog and regular bun I got this year kept me from giving perfect marks here this time, but it didn't RUIN the experience by any means. Still a great hotdog and venue! Oh yeah, and CHEEEEEEESSSEEEEEEE!

DH: 5/5 - don't fix it if it ain't broke... however I may have to sew a new button on my pants soon because they may break.

Overall score - 4.75/5, do yourself a favor and get a hotdog here! And don't forget the FREE cheese sauce!

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TS: Tony's Town Square at The Magic Kingdom

What we ordered:

DW: Spaghetti with Meatballs and Marinara Sauce and Tiramisu for desert

DH: Chicken Parmisiana and Chocolate Cake for desert

Initial Impressions:

DW: Beautiful! Food is largely portioned! HUGE meatballs!

DH: Loved how crisp and large the Chicken was, every bit of our meal was presented very neatly (food was neat and well made).

Food review

DW: I loved the bread and oil they bring to start you off. I would visit again purely for this, their bread was outstanding. There is a LOT of noodles in the spaghetti dish, and I had 3 meatballs that were HUGE! The sauce to noodle ratio was perfect for me and the meatballs were very, very good.

I liked the Tiramisu a lot, it certainly has a distinctive coffee taste which I certainly enjoyed and approve of. To have cake, it was much lighter and airier than you would expect. I really enjoyed it!

DH: I concur with my wife, I absolutely loved the bread they brought pre-meal! I wish we could have gotten more, it was very addicting (especially for a bread person). The Chicken Parmigiana was refreshing, I didn't feel like it was too much breading and it wasn't your run of the meal pressed chicken dish. It was thick, very good size piece of chicken. It was tender and juicy and cut nicely with a fork. Most importantly, it was tasteful! Nothing overpowered the other, and it came together nicely for a very good dinner! Mine was cooked perfectly, and I thought it was presented nicely on a large portion of noodles! The noodles were good, but certainly (and obviously) a side that does better complementing the entrée than as a stand alone (which is fine, it is how it is meant to be). The sauce is a big thing in Italian dishes, and I liked the taste of mine. It was not so strong in tomato that it tasted like ketchup, it was just a nice blend of everything. Very good compliment to the rest!

The chocolate cake was a chocolate highlight for me, and I can say that the bite of tiramisu I had was relieving as well! The chocolate cake was so perfectly creamy and moist that it cut without much resistance, and instead of being a cake that clogs your mouth and requires a ton of chewing, it sits and expands, and you savor it more than chew it. Seriously good! It was a very rich cake, and if you are considering on getting it, keep that in mind! You need to like chocolate to enjoy this, but if you do like chocolate, I can guarantee the enjoyment! The hazelnut on the back of it really finished it off with a bang, and added a nice mixture of texture. Really can't rave enough about how good this was, I would suggest it any day!

Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Tony's is TOP NOTCH! This is a great example of what a Disney restaurant should be, as it is themed to the roof, and such small details can pop to a Disney nerd like us! There is a hidden mickey opportunity and just beautiful architecture abound (obviously, it is on main street), and who can resist being amazed by the romantic nature of the restaurant as it ties in so nicely to its romantic movie roots. Now, keep in mind though I do consider it a romantic restaurant, it is a hotspot for family dining with several kids abound, but that didn't affect us at all, it felt very elegant from the tiled floors to the gorgeous surroundings like our favorite piece:

The little details really do pop here:

Very beautiful restaurant, from wait area to dining room!

Service
This may be the only spot with a slight blip. Our server was ok, but I wouldn't say Disney spec great. As many people reading these will know, when it comes to dining at Disney, you come to expect superb, ok doesn't really cut it. We also waited probably longer here than anywhere else ever before at a Disney restaurant, which was ok because the waiting area is pretty and the Lady and the Tramp movie plays on a screen to view too, however I felt bad for the kids and adults attempting to enjoy the movie because a small pack of running and screaming children kind of ruined that notion. To salvage that, however, the woman who took us to our table was awesome in suggesting stuff, and even tipped us to some of the cool details and informed us of the hidden Mickey opportunity!
That all being said, when it came to actual food, this was probably the quickest table service food preparation we have EVER had. Within a couple minutes of us being seated we had our drinks and bread. It couldn't have even been 10 minutes from time of ordering to receiving our entrées, and desert came especially fast as well! The cooks were on their A game here, as everything was perfect and again - delivered in a very quick (not rushed) fashion. Whoever prepared the food on the plates was doing a magnificent job as well, presentation here is SEVERLY underrated. Our food was placed in a manner that highlighted the main portions, looked neatly placed and not thrown together, and even the deserts had nice touches (like the chocolate powder on the plate with the cake pictured above). Little things make me happy sometimes!

Final Scores

DW: 5/5 - Food was great, service was fast, and atmosphere was PERFECT!

DH: 5/5 - I loved everything placed in front of me, and with my wife and I being huge Lady and the Tramp fans, our first visit here exceeded our expectations!

Overall score - 5/5, I know this place garners mixed reviews but we had an incredible time and will be visiting here again! It was awesome and epitomizes a day at the Magic Kingdom! Great food, great venue, great job!

 

[WDWaddictt]

I am joining in...great reviews!

 

[wilma-bride]

Great reviews. It's interesting to see the comparisons between your September meals and your July meals. Looking forward to reading more

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

Thank you for the kind words everybody! Happy to provide pics and reviews, and am happily announcing that while we finish up these last few from our prior trip, we will also have new trip plans with new dining reviews that we will update on shortly!

Safe to say, this year you can expect plenty of reviews from us! Thanks again for all the subs and support!

 

[HoneymoonandBEYOND]

QS: Pizza Planet Arcade at Hollywood Studios

What we ordered:

DW: Pepperoni Pizza w/ Caesar salad and a chocolate chip cookie for desert

DH: Pepperoni Pizza w/ Caesar salad and a chocolate chip cookie for desert

Initial Impressions:

DW: Good amount of food for lunch, cookie is HUGE!

DH: Thick and fluffy decent sized pizza, salad looks good!

Food review

DW: I loved the pizza because it was CHEESY! The pizza had a lot of cheese on it, and I found it very filling! The salad on the other hand I was not a big fan of. You are limited here to a Caesar, and I was not a fan! This was not a surprise though, I am not a Caesar salad fan, and can say this didn't change my mind. The cookie was soft, and big and tasted GREAT!

DH: Starting with the salad, I didn't really expect too much (not that I had heard or expected anything bad, just that it is a side to a pizza dish) however I was actually very relieved and surprised with how good I felt the salad was. I happily gobbled up mine, and even ate some of DW's because she didn't finish hers off (her mistake!) On a warm day, the cool salad hit the spot just right, and I was happy with the quality as I noticed no bad pieces and very little if any stem! Starting of good!!! Pizza came out fresh and hot, and I could tell from picking it up the crust was light and the pizza was very "fluffy". These pizzas are a little bit thicker than your average pizza slice, and there is plenty of hot cheese and in my opinion, the Pepperoni was evenly placed and proportioned nicely. Honestly, presentation wise it is spot on, looks like they legitimately take time to make a clean and well rounded personal pan. My first bite attempted to fry my taste buds, but naturally as a man I kept going (hiding the tears all the while) until it cooled off about half way through (smart, huh?). The pizza was good... but I wouldn't say great, and I had certainly built up some hype to try it after seeing several glowing reviews. It wasn't bad, don't get me wrong, it just had a bit too much crust for my opinion, I think a more recessed pie of that portion would have possibly served the taste buds a bit better. The crust, as thick as it was, overwhelmed the rest of the taste which resulted in a good but not great pizza. I have however admittedly reserved myself for another try one day, as I know it is somewhat possible that maybe it was just so far off of what I expected that is somewhat hampered the actual result as I didn't expect it to be so fluffy and crust laden. Rereading my review makes it seem more negative than I mean it to, again - it is good, just didn't AMAZE me like some of the other venues I have been to have. I do expect I will try it again one day soon however, and see if my opinion has changed knowing what I am getting.
The cookie was soft and VERY tasteful, definitely could have enjoyed another of those if I didn't worry about having to stay in my current clothes size. Good sized, actually I think it was perfect sized for the amount of food you get, it filled me up nicely!

* DH here, just want to apologize for not waiting for the pictures to take a bite. It was too tempting... *

Atmosphere

How could you NOT love this place?! It is BEATIFULLY crafted after one of the most iconic movies of all time, and takes you into a quick service and BEYOND! in my honest opinion! This is a hot spot for young ones, so be aware that it will be noisy - but honestly, you have to expect that at a place as iconic and fun as this is! Details galore as you see your favorite little green guys hanging in giant form from the ceiling with a look of "awe" for a possible pick from "the claw!", the design from down stairs to upstairs and floor to roof is incredible and flows with EXACTLY how you would have expected a large scale Pizza Planet to look and feel. The CMs here do an INCREDIBLE job of keeping this place clean and tidy for how high traffic it is, and it makes you want to spend incredible amounts of money just staying and playing as it does on the good food! Such a cool little joint. We decided to go up stairs and found a table away from people that overlooked the arcade so we could marvel at the details while we ate, and we really enjoyed doing so. The venue itself should be enough for one to stop in and try, you are missing out if you don't!

Service

Our service here was prompt and quick. Our experience when ordering was fine, and as I noted prior, they keep this place incredibly clean for the amount of sheer traffic and excitement passing through. We even witnessed a child began bleeding while we were in line to order, and CMs were around him and helping him to first aid in the blink of an eye. The staff here deserves high marks, for sure!


Final Scores

DW: 4/5 - I liked everything here, just wish there was more than a single salad to choose from. I don't feel offering solely Caesar is fair to us ranch lovers .

DH: 4/5 - I really liked this place, and the food was good. I honestly found myself enjoying the salad here more than I thought, and I love pizza so it was a good fit for the day! The Venue was the true icing on the cake here, so much fun! I look forward to eating here again one day!

Overall score - 4/5, we were very happy with the overall experience here, how could we not be - it is one part of the amazing universe that inspired our username! Just being here will have you submerged into wonderful Disney detail, and have you looking around for Woody, Buzz and co. sneaking around attempting to help toys and fight the good fight for Andy! This place happily takes you to infinity and BEYOND!

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TS: Le Chefs de France at Epcot

What we ordered:

DW: Grilled Tenderloin of Beef with Original Potato Gratin and Green Beans and Fresh Strawberry and Crème Cake for desert.

DH: Grilled Tenderloin of Beef with Original Potato Gratin and Green Beans and Crème Brulee for desert.

Initial Impressions:

DW: Looked very nice when it came out.

DH: Beef looks good, potatoes look creamy and it is portioned very generously!

Food review

DW: Never having a baguette before I didn't know what to expect. The tough exterior caught me a little off guard but the inside was very good and soft. I enjoyed it! Starting with the green beans, which I normally love, I was not a big fan here. I didn't like the taste, I don't know if it was how they were seasoned or lack thereof, or maybe even how they were cooked. They simply did not sit well with my taste. I cannot comment on the potatoes fairly because I do not like Potatoes Gratin, so I tried them once which still wasn't my cup of tea, and gave the rest to my husband (he was happy to accept the offering!). I liked the steak, but I wish they would have had a seasoning option outside of the peppercorn sauce which I did not like. I think it would have been very good with something else to heighten the flavor as it was extremely tender and I had no distracting pieces of fat at all. The desert ramped up the meal for me though, I am happy to say! The cake was presented so gorgeously and was absolutely amazing. I loved this cake! It was so light and fluffy, it almost seemed unreal. The strawberry sauce was absolutely perfect, it was one of my favorite parts of the cake, but it would be hard to say what part wouldn't have been - it really was that good! My husband who usually doesn't care for fruit deserts, absolutely loved the bite I gave him too, so that should help to validate how good it really was. They didn't skimp on the slice either, it is a nicely sliced piece of cake! One of the most relieving things about this wonderful desert was that at the end of eating it, I didn't feel bad at all. My stomach felt happy with my mix of food that evening, even when that superb cake took its place inside it too.

DH: I knew this would be a good night as soon as I bit into the delicious baguette. Man that thing was incredible! It was ripe with flavor, and the inside was so soft it really kicked off the appetite with a nice jump. Being a green bean lover, once our dishes arrived I excitedly submerged my fork to cut down upon one of the precious green stalks and take a bite. I was not disappointed! The green beans were fresh and cooked perfectly, not under or over. They had just enough snap they tasted crisp, but soft enough you knew they were cooked just right and cut nicely - really good! This was not the highlight however, as moving on to the potatoes left me wishing I could order some to go... every day... throughout the year! These potatoes were unreal good, so creamy and cheesy, and really delightful. The creaminess helped them dance on my taste buds, and I could almost feel them melting in my mouth. Truly decadent, and the cheese was superb, not overbearing at all! The steak, I ordered well done, and that is what I got - which I was happy with. I decided (like my wife) to order the peppercorn sauce on the side and dip it as I was unsure if I would like it, so that is what I did. The peppercorn sauce was ok, but it wasn't something that I though heightened the flavor. If anything, I thought it may detract from the beef, so I sampled it a few times, but then let it be and ate the rest of the tenderloin plain. Even without a heavy seasoning (as obviously the sauce was suppose to originally be on there), it was a very good cut of beef. I am a big steak guy, so I was already hyped for the tenderloin and it delivered. The steak, even at well done, was tender and cut easy. It had a wonderful taste, and I found zero pieces of fat as it was marbled so fine within the beef it didn't detract or change the tenderness. I was delighted with that, as I didn't have to cut around or worry about wasting meet, but retained a wonderful tender bite! Yum! Next came out the Crème Brulee, which admittedly was the main reason I got to choose Le Chefs de France for dinner that evening (thank you DW!). Right away I noticed that it was a very large serving (in fact, I have never been served such a large serving of Crème Brulee anywhere prior), pictures don't do it justice. I think it could be split between two people, honestly. The top was cooked ok, but I noticed like some had said prior, parts of it looked a little burnt. Upon tasting the caramelized burnt portions, it was obvious they were. The taste was strong and charred in some places, which was a bit of a bummer, but under the initial coating helped smooth that blip over. The Crème Brulee itself may have been the lightest, and most perfectly balanced Crème Brulee I have yet to eat. I have had Crème Brulee in the past in which it was so sweet that it was hard to finish, I am happy to say that while this was sweet, it was not overly sweet, and it was so light it almost seemed like whipped cream rather than the normal pudding like texture. It was a great way to finish of a lovely meal, however I couldn't quite finish it all unfortunately, as I was far too full!

Atmosphere

Chefs de France is a beautiful restaurant and we both found it extremely romantic. Your views of outside, depending on where you are sitting, are exquisite and the lighting, service, and vibe scream fine dining even without the price tag. The restaurant feels very mature at night, and even with the crowded tables it contains, we never once felt distracted.

Service

Our server was very nice and attentive, we never ran out of drink and all of our questions were answered with absolute knowledge of the menu. She helped us decide on what to choose and even alerted us to menu items we did not know exist before we arrived. No complaints here! We had a few experiences in which we briefly spoke to other CMs as well and they were all excellent as well. Again, great experience service wise!

Final Scores

DW: 3/5 - the majority of my food wasn't to my liking, but I would go back just for the cake!

DH: 4.75/5 - Great array of food with a signature dining atmosphere left a VERY good taste in my mouth!

Overall score - 3.875/5, though our experiences here differed somewhat, we both agree that we would like to eat here again one day!