The jabead Family went to Disney World! 3/23-3/30/13 COMPLETE

[jabead]

Oh my, I have woefully neglected my dining report. My sincerest apologies for not welcoming and thanking each of you individually. But instead I'm going to have to cheat this one time and say...

and to all of you who have joined in so far and posted such nice comments.
​

I fully intend to get this dining report up and running this weekend, but until then I will leave you these teasers. If you followed my "Where in the World is jabead" updates on the Live Thread, you already know exactly where we dined during our week at Disney World. What you don't know though is which of these meals were and which were ? Which of my Disney food/beverage favorites (there were at least 3) totally let me down this trip? And of course, what new items have now been added to my list of favorites?

So if you are interested in finding out the answers to these (not at) all-important questions or if you just have nothing better to do , then you've come to the right place.

Oh, and since every good dining review installment should have at least one visual aid...
​

The Stars of this Disney Dining Adventure: Allison, Barb, & Andy (plus an occasional appearance by my DH, Don)​

 

[Goofyluver]

I've been waiting! Wheeee!

 

[emmysmommy]

Yippeee!! Can't wait to see what bombed and what was wonderful!

What a great photo of you and two of the kids!

 

[Linda67]

Hello Barb
That is such a great family photo, really looking forward to reading along

 

[smile4stamps]

Can't wait to read your reviews! Maybe it will help me in my decisions for my upcoming trip. I still have not made any ADR's!

I will though! I just need to decide when and where I am eating!

 

[jabead]

WARNING: Since I'm pretty sure that doing both a Dining Report and Trip Report plus keeping the Live Thread going would be biting off more than I can chew (like the eating reference? ) , I will be including a few non-food stories, pictures, etc. from our trip in this Dining Report in lieu of doing a separate Trip Report. I will try to keep these at a minimum and my Dining report primarily focused on the food, which I know is what you are all here for. I do promise there will be plenty of food, but please bear with me if I occasionally get side-tracked, like for instance now...



As some of you may know, this trip had been on-again, off-again since I first made our room reservations back in September. But each time it appeared to be hopeless, I kept the faith and also those hotel reservations. Finally, less than 6 weeks before our departure date, I was given the Green Light to go ahead with the plans for a trip to Disney World. Of course, by this time I would have had to give up at least one arm and leg to purchase airfare for 4 to Orlando during Spring Break week here in Central Illinois. I therefore resigned myself to making the 18 hour drive... I mean with 4 drivers, how bad could it be? DH and I figured the kids could do the overnight driving, since they are always up long after he and I are fast asleep.

So my goal was to leave at 3:00ish on Friday afternoon, March 22, but my family doesnt do so well with time deadlines and we didn't leave the Lexington city limits until after 6:00. My DS asked to take the first driving shift and lasted a mere 2 hours before he said he didn't feel well (coming down with a cold). DD was up next, downing a Red Bull and cranking up the music from her iPod...she lasted about 3 hours. Yes folks, we had just left Illinois and entered the state of Kentucky. That left 13 hours of driving for DH and me, half of it during the overnight hours! But somehow we persevered and at 1:30 p.m. (ET) on March 23rd I was deliriously happy to pull up our mini-van to this...

Disney's Wilderness Lodge​

We were surprised to find that our room was ready, so dropped off some of our way overpacked bags in the room before going back downstairs to have lunch. Oh, and in case you were wondering, we had a standard room booked and the room we were assigned was on the 5th floor overlooking the resort's beautiful...

ROOF TOPS!

(Sorry for the lack of a visual aid here, but I seem to have forgotten to take a picture of the lovely view from our balcony ).



But no worries, because each time we walked out our door we were treated to this gorgeous view...

...which my iPhone photo does not come close to doing justice. ​

We were also lucky that our room was conveniently located by the stairs and that we were on the OPPOSITE side of the lobby from this...

...which just so happens to be the location of the first Disney meal of our trip!
​

Next up: Lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe (and yes, finally some food pics! )

 

[jedijill]

Barb...I don't mind non-food stories at all! Feel free. Can't believe your kids didn't last longer! I bet you were so glad to finally pull up at WL!

Jill in CO

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Barb...I don't mind non-food stories at all! Feel free. Can't believe your kids didn't last longer! I bet you were so glad to finally pull up at WL!

Jill in CO

I agree! Love the extra stories! As for the kids, its funny but Andrew was way more tired this trip than any previous one. Although I know you made it to rope drop! I think because we went during the school year & he was just drained. Maybe should have planned the trip for the 2nd half of his break rather than the first! Or maybe I am just giving your kids an excuse to make you and hubby drive!

 

[smile4stamps]

I don't mind the non-food stories either! I should have just done one review in one. Instead I have two reports going where I am mainly talking to myself lol.

I hope the kids did better on the drive back! That had to be an exhausting night!!

LOVE the Wilderness Lodge!! I should have told you to say hi to Stewart at the pool bar lol.

 

[jabead]

Let the Adventures in Eating Begin!!!

​

At 2:00 (they serve lunch until 2:30), Whispering Canyon Café was uncharacteristically quiet (those of you who have had dinner at WCC know what I mean ). With the restaurant at least half-empty, we were of course immediately seated without an ADR and given these Lunch menus...

(Oops, I seem to be missing some of the Entrees part of the menu. Not a big surprise since at this point I was running on only a few hours of sleep in the backseat of our van. )




But hey, I got most of the Cocktail Menu covered...

​

Anyway, our server (I don't remember his name, but was probably something like Yosemite Sam ) encouraged us to chow down on a big 'ole platter of their All-you-can-Eat BBQ (which I actually didn't know was still available at lunch, but apparently is). We graciously declined though, knowing that if we attempted to put that much food into our overly-tired bodies, we would go into a sleep coma and not wake up until it was time for them to evict us from our room on Tuesday. So being more tired than hungry, we decided to go a much lighter route and ordered two meals for the four of us.

DD and DH shared this...

1/2 of a Slow-smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich on a Brioche Roll, served with Cowboy-style Baked Beans, Cole Slaw, and Sweet Ancho-Barbecue Sauce, and also served with your choice of House-made Idaho Potato Chips, French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, or Cucumber Salad - Their Rating 4/5*


*Note: Until such time that my DD decides that our rating system is too boring and unimaginative, Im going with simple numbers.


We were all too tired for much discussion regarding each other's food, so let's just say they thought it was good and cleaned their plates.





But the star of this meal, was the sandwich shared by my DS and me...

1/2 of a Grilled Herb-marinated Chicken Sandwich on a Corn-dusted Roll with Roasted Peppers and Chipotle Spread and again served with your choice of the previously listed sides - Our Rating 5/5

And a topless view!

​

This was wonderful, a big hit with both us! I'm not sure what the herbs were that that chicken was marinated in, but I highly suspect they are illegal. Seriously though folks, that chicken sandwich was mighty good! Tender, juicy and full of flavor...a definite winner in our book. And my DS is quite the expert when it comes to sweet potato fries (he orders them whenever they are an option) and he said these were excellent! After he had quickly devoured the 1/2 share on his plate, I caught him sneaking fries off of mine. The nerve of that young whippersnapper!


Oh, and in case you were wondering, our server was friendly but barely "messed" with us. I'm sure he took one look at our glazed-over, bloodshot eyes when we sat down and thought better of it. But once we had a little good food in our stomachs and it began to sink in that we were actually finally here, we decided to take matters into our own hands.

Yes, my DS popped the big question...​

"Can I have some ketchup, please?"​

And another FYI, the restaurant was relatively subdued at this time of day. While we refrained from taking part in the Pony Express ride (although the elderly man with no children at the table next to us happily jumped on a stick horse and trotted around the room ), we couldn't resist the urge to sing a couple of verses of "If you're happy and you know it, say YEE HAW!"

'Cause we were happy, we were finally at Disney World!​

YEE HAW!!! ​

Next Up: A Pre-dinner Visit to Territory Lounge

 

[AlohaAnnie]

Love both of your update Barb. That Chicken sandwich looked very good, yum!

I also enjoyed your arrival story and Wilderness Lodge check-in.

Thank you for the updates!

 

[happy2012]

Mmmm the chicken sandwich looks delish!!! Yummy!!!

Barb, we are thinking of staying @ WL for 4 nights after our WBC stay. It's one of our top picks! It's breathtakingly beautiful in person. So if you have anymore pics I'd love to see 'em! ~Maura

 

[autumnpalm]

Loving the reviews so far! The Wilderness Lodge is so gorgeous.

We had a great experience at WCC for lunch a few years ago, so I have a soft spot for it! We won't have time to fit it in our ADR schedule for the upcoming August trip, but we do have an ADR at Artist Point so will get to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of WL!

 

[MrsB1228]

Great start! I'd also love for you to continue including non-food reports, I really enjoyed reading about your adventure getting to WDW. DH and I have done long-haul drives like that (we're from Ontario, just north of Toronto) and I know all about arriving at Disney feeling like you could sleep propped up in a corner somewhere ... Looks like your first taste of Disney dining was a winner at WCC, that chicken sandwich looks divine!

Can't wait for more!

 

[rachel09985]

Lol you are cracking me up!! so happy you started this.

And please, the more non dining stories the better! I love it when food reports include trip stories!!

 

[jabead]

The Live Thread was unusually quiet today with no new updates to report. So I guess Ill use this time to write one more installment for my Dining Report.


Following our tasty lunch at Whispering Canyon, thankfully we had only a few flights of stairs to ascend before we could crash on the comfy beds of our Wilderness Lodge room.

Here is one of those comfy beds...

...picture taken just seconds before my DS did a body slam onto it and was out like a light. ​

And because of my hurry to take the picture, I see that I completely cut off one of the best parts of the bed, the animal wood carvings at the top of the bedposts. That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it.


Now I tried to lay down and take a nap, but in all honesty I was just way too excited, or maybe it was that 5 hour Energy drink that I took while I was driving a couple of hours ago. Anyway, I did some unpacking, posted my WCC update on the Live Thread, and headed to Downtown Disney to purchase my Annual Pass and Tables in Wonderland membership. Now Downtown Disney on that late Saturday afternoon was a madhouse. I have never seen it that busy before, and I only went as far as Guest Relations from the bus stop. YIKES! But I successfully completed the task, and with my precious TIW card in hand I was ready to do some real Disney Dining, starting with before dinner drinks and an appetizer at the Wilderness Lodge's...

Here is the menu...

Notice you can order the Artist Point Berry Cobbler here.



And we chose to share this...

Sharp Cheddar-Beer Fondue along with bread cubes (pretzel and homemade sourdough), apples, and dried figs for dipping - Overall Rating 4.5/5
(the girls giving it a 4 and the guys a 5)




Here's another picture...

While we all really enjoyed this, DH was particularly enamored with the fondue cheese. After we had polished off all the dippers, he was using his pick (those things that look like tiny sabres ) like a spatula to try and scoop up every last drop of the remaining cheese in our pot.


DH had a Moosehead here (one of his favorite beers), but DD and I had something a little more special.

DD chose this for her first vacation cocktail...

Habanero Lime Margarita - Her Rating 4/5

While I went with something sweet and fruity...

Bahama Mama - My Rating 4/5

​

We were all happy with our drink choices. And we were all glad that we decided to give this place a try. It was quiet for a lounge (at least it was the night we were there, which was on a Saturday evening) and we could easily carry on a conversation. Another plus was that the chairs weren't terribly uncomfortable. So it had two qualities that were severely lacking at another WDW resort lounge, which will later make an appearance in this report.

In conclusion, if you are planning to stay at the Wilderness Lodge or planning to dine at Artist Point, I highly recommend that you include a visit to the Territory Lounge in your plans. Oh, and dont forget to show your TIW card here if you have one, for a 20% discount on your food and drinks.


Next Up: Dinner at Artist Point

 

[jedijill]

I have got to get back to Territory Lounge...love it and looks like the food offerings are really starting to pick up. Love that you can get the berry cobbler from AP now and that fondue looks delicious!

Btw, you can pick up your TIW card from the MK Guest Services right outside the park....saves the 8th circle of hell that DTD is on a weekend.

Jill in CO

 

[jabead]

I bet you were so glad to finally pull up at WL!

Jill in CO

Glad is putting it mildly, I was downright giddy!

I agree! Love the extra stories! As for the kids, its funny but Andrew was way more tired this trip than any previous one. Although I know you made it to rope drop! I think because we went during the school year & he was just drained. Maybe should have planned the trip for the 2nd half of his break rather than the first! Or maybe I am just giving your kids an excuse to make you and hubby drive!

Ok, I'll cut the kids some slack this time. But if they ever try to pull this on us again, I'm leaving them in Kentucky.

LOVE the Wilderness Lodge!! I should have told you to say hi to Stewart at the pool bar lol.

I'm ashamed to admit to you Paula that I didn't even make it out to the pool bar during the 3 days we stayed there. I remembered how much you enjoyed it, so I really wanted to. But it turned pretty cold shortly after we arrived in Florida and I thought it might look a little odd sitting out by the pool sipping a frozen beverage with my winter coat on.

Love both of your update Barb. That Chicken sandwich looked very good, yum!

I also enjoyed your arrival story and Wilderness Lodge check-in.

Thank you for the updates!

Thanks for reading Tina!

Mmmm the chicken sandwich looks delish!!! Yummy!!!

Barb, we are thinking of staying @ WL for 4 nights after our WBC stay. It's one of our top picks! It's breathtakingly beautiful in person. So if you have anymore pics I'd love to see 'em! ~Maura

Hi Maura! I think I have a couple more pics that I took with my iPhone (so not the best quality) that will soon be making an appearance.

Loving the reviews so far! The Wilderness Lodge is so gorgeous.

We had a great experience at WCC for lunch a few years ago, so I have a soft spot for it! We won't have time to fit it in our ADR schedule for the upcoming August trip, but we do have an ADR at Artist Point so will get to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of WL!

If I had to choose just one, I too would definitely go with Artist Point. But the WCC was definitely a pleasant surprise!

Great start! I'd also love for you to continue including non-food reports, I really enjoyed reading about your adventure getting to WDW. DH and I have done long-haul drives like that (we're from Ontario, just north of Toronto) and I know all about arriving at Disney feeling like you could sleep propped up in a corner somewhere ... Looks like your first taste of Disney dining was a winner at WCC, that chicken sandwich looks divine!

Can't wait for more!

Thanks much, Carol!

Lol you are cracking me up!! so happy you started this.

And please, the more non dining stories the better! I love it when food reports include trip stories!!

Believe me, I'm just getting started Rachel!

I have got to get back to Territory Lounge...love it and looks like the food offerings are really starting to pick up. Love that you can get the berry cobbler from AP now and that fondue looks delicious!

Btw, you can pick up your TIW card from the MK Guest Services right outside the park....saves the 8th circle of hell that DTD is on a weekend.

Jill in CO

You know, I knew that Jill. But somehow I got it into my head that I could sneak in just a little bit of shopping while I was downtown. Yep, just me and about 10,000 total strangers!

 

[emmysmommy]

What a great start to your family's trip! Glad your son wasn't short on ketchup at WCC. The sweet potato fries look oh so good.

Territory Lounge is definitely on my radar now. I like the idea of a casual drop in for some cocktails and appetizers. Lovely start!

Please, please, please feel free to share it all here. It makes it easier for me to not have to sub to another thread!

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Oh you've done it now! I have to stay at the Wilderness Lodge next time. I've booked it twice before and then changed resorts but it looks amazing!

Also I think we've all taken an unofficial poll and decided that we don't mind a trip/dining report combo platter!

So glad you had a great time and what a nice arrival!