Tinkerbelll
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2005
- Messages
- 476
Edit:: The "First Date" story is on pg 2 
First and Foremost, I feel compelled to apologize for the timing of this report. 4 months overdue is a little harsh, I know (This trip was 3/21-3/30...Eek!
). In my defense though, I wanted so badly to write an actual trip report. In fact, I had planned to write a report even months before going on my trip! So, like a good little DISer, throughout the ten days we were in the World, I saved all my receipts, took tons of pictures, and made mental notes of everything! I was all set to go... until I got home. With no future trips to look forward to, my Disney Enthusiasm got overthrown by the Post Disney Depression. I couldnt write about it at all! (Heck, I couldnt even go on the DIS for a couple weeks!) Hence, the trip report never got off the ground, and my pile of receipts frowns at me everyday, rubber-banded together, lying useless on my computer desk.
Lately though, Ive noticed an increasing number of questions regarding the DDE. It just so happens that DBF and I purchased the DDE before our last trip. SO, it dawns on me that maybe, just maybe, all those pouting receipts are good for more than just a daily staredown. They may actually hold some pretty valuable info for DISers looking for some comparable info on whether or not, (and if so, how much) the DDE would actually save them!
So I figured Id kill two birds with one stone: Id write a Dining Review (as an attempt to redeem myself from my failed Trip Report efforts) and help others who are contemplating the DDE in the process (and finally put those poor receipts out of their misery 
)
CAST
Me
- 21, Disney Fanatic since birth
Chris
DBF, 26, Disney Fanatic since our First Date (which was a super-spontaneous overnight trip to MK!! *see pg 2* )
*We tried to rate the each dining establishment with stars, but theres not really a science to it. Just kind of guesstimation*
3/21
Sci-Fi Drive In Theater (Lunch) : First of all, let me just say that we LOVED the atmosphere in this place. It really did feel like a drive-in! Although, we didnt get to watch much of the Sci-Fi shorts because we were too hungry to think about anything but eating! We forgot our DDE email, so this was the only day that we paid full price for all our meals. It took about 10 minutes after we checked in to be seated with our PS Me and Chris split a house salad, which was very fresh and had extra yummy ranch dressing. We both got burgers and fries and split a most delicious Oreo cookie milk shake! How can you go wrong with Burgers and Shakes? We gave this place a collective 4 out of five stars. It was everything we needed for some quick grub in the World. Just dont expect a 5 course meal. We did feel a little rushed to finish our meal by the wait staff, but this was understood considering the place was packed!! But for a burger joint, you really cant beat it, especially with the limited selection of sit-downs at MGM.
Summary: 1 Salad, 1 cheeseburger meal and 1 Bacon Cheeseburger meal (both with fries), 2 sodas, + one extra yummy milkshake = $37.74. DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (We forgot the email!!)
Everything Pop Food Court (Dinner): Weve eaten here before and ate here again this trip. Its definitely not the best food on property, but its more than satisfying after a long day in the parks. We didnt get down to the food court till around 11:30-11:45pm, and they werent cooking much because they close at 12. So we opted for a large pizza and chicken Caesar salad to split. The pizza is okay. Its a little greasier than I prefer, but Chris didnt seem to mind. (Plus, were from New York, so our Pizza standards are rather high
). The Chicken Caesar Salad was good, but the breadsticks that came with it were AWFUL! Hard and stale. But overall a decent bang for our buck.
Summary: 1 Large Cheese Pizza, 1 Chicken Caesar Salad w/ Breadsticks = $21.71 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (Still didnt have the E-mail!)
3/22
Flame Tree Bar-B-Que (Lunch): I have to admit, I did not love this place. In my opinion, it smells way better than it actually tastes. I give it 3 out of five stars, a whole star being granted based on smell alone. Chris enjoyed it more, and gives it 3.5 stars.
Summary: 2 Chicken Sandwich meals, 1 Fry Basket with Cheese to share, Large Coke, Large Diet Coke = $19.21 DDE SAVINGS = $4.51
Petals Pool Bar My parents, who were visiting Universal this week with my little brother (traders, I know
), came to hang out with us at the pool. We really liked the laid-back atmosphere here! There were lots of people sitting around and it was a nice little place to relax. I even got to take a dip in the pool after an accidental spillage of a cocktail 
and it was really warm! We both gave this 4 out of 5 stars, for the relaxing atmosphere and yummy beverages. Dad bought most of the drinks, but Chris ended up with a Tab anyway (Im a sucker for those fruity drinks, what can I say?). Strawberry Daiquiris here were great, and the $1 Rum floaters are a MUST!
Summary (Chriss Tab): Four Drinks + floaters + tip = 34.82.
Everything Pop Food Court (Dinner) Yet again, a desperate food run. This time the food quality a little bit better, which was probably due to the fact that it was around 9:30pm when we decided to eat this time and the CMs werent in a rush to close everything down and go home. Everything was good and we gave it 3 stars, mostly for sheer convenience, atmosphere (very fun!), and tummy-filling ability.
Summary: 1 Chicken Strips Basket, 1 Cheese Steak Wrap, 2 Large Sodas = $14.71
DDE SAVINGS = $3.45
3/23
Cosmic Rays (Lunch): For us, no trip to MK is complete without a Cosmic Rays meal. Remember how I mentioned that our first date was at MK? Well Chris and I had our first actual meal together at Cosmic Rays too! It was amazing! Anyways, we love the food here. And the air-conditioned atmosphere and toppings bar cant be beat! Chris loves Cheese Fries and Rays is one of the only places on property where you can get free cheese at the toppings bar to dip your fries in! 4 out of 5 stars, one for selection, one foe air-conditioned clean atmosphere, one for taste, and one complete star for sentimental value.
Summary: 1 Double Bacon Cheese Burger w fries, 1 Half Chicken w fries, 2 large sodas = $20.42 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (not a participating restaurant)
Cindys Castle (Dinner): OMG! I dont even know where to start! This was probably one of the most amazing experiences of our trip! As we approached the castle for our PS (which was 45 minutes before Wishes, 9:15 I think?) we realized that they had closed off the castle in preparation for the parade and fireworks! How were we to get through!
... Hakuna Matata! We told the security guard and he let us right underneath the rope! It was so cool. We walked right up to the Check-in counter and NO ONE WAS AROUND US! It was Spring Break Week and it felt like we had the castle all to ourselves! We waited in the waiting room with a few other families, we all took turns taking pictures of each other sitting in Cindys throne, and Chris spotted Jack and Gus-Gus hiding on the wall close to the ceiling (if youve never seen them, keep an eye out!). But then, the most magical thing of all came when the CM called our name
they brought us up the stairs, into the room, and right to the 2 person table right at the center window!!! Not only did we have an AMAZING meal, but we were sitting right next to the window for Wishes! They piped in the music and dimmed the lights and it was so romantic and amazing! I couldnt stop smiling! 
Prime Rib was juicy and nicely portioned... even the veggies were extra yummy! We especially liked that the silverware and the cups were reminiscent of a Royal Table
. 5 Stars for ALL-AROUND MAGIC!!!
Summary: 1 Prosciutto and Mozzarella appetizer, 1 Kingdom Cut Prime Rib, One Queen Cut Prime Rib, and 2 Sodas = $51.44 DDE SAVINGS = $12.08
3/24
Beaches and Cream (Lunch): I like this place because it has sentimental value for me, seeing as how my family stayed at the BC all the time when I was little. I was in LOVE with the mint chocolate chip milkshakes. So to go here again was lots of fun. The atmosphere is great, but the service seems to be slipping a little. It took over a half hour to get a burger and a chicken sandwich and the fryer wasnt even working, so we had to settle for snack packs (chips) instead of fries. Oh Well. The Milk shakes were still good! Love those outfits the servers wear and ONE DAY we WILL attempt the Kitchen Sink! 3 stars for atmosphere mostly, and the burger and chicken sandwich were pretty good.
Summary: 1 Chicken Sandwich w cheese, 1 Cheeseburger, 2 Shakes = $22.89 DDE SAVINGS = $5.37
Portobello Yacht Club (Dinner): We liked this place, but didnt LOVE it. We did get to sit outside, though, which was a huge plus. The hustle and bustle of DTD at night is VERY "Disney". The worst thing abouth the resturant was that it seemed understaffed and our waiter, who was EXTREMELY nice and VERY professional, was really stressed out. He messed up on our order three times, and even though these things dont bother us (we laughed it off with him), he "comp"d our appetizers anyway (makes me wonder if mgmt. has some kind of policy about messing up and "comp"ing food?). His name was Chris though, and he was a sweetheart! I started shivering about halfway through the meal and he got me an extra table cloth so that I could sit on it (metal chairs make for cold legs in skirts on chilly March evenings!) and wrap it around my legs! The food was pretty good, nothing to die for. He did give us free Sangria to start off though, which was yummy! So 4 Stars, one and a half just for our waiter! (Who also had to end up running after us after we left the restaurant because Chris forgot to sign his CC receipt! LOL. Guess we were a little too excited to go hit PI
).
Summary: 1 Glass of Wine, 1 Veal Chops Meal, 1 Penne Pasta Meal, and One House Salad = $59.76 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (not a participating restaurant), but with the AP 10% Discount, we saved = $6.24!!
3/25
Pinocchio Village Haus (Lunch): A nice break from the usual burgers and fries... instead, we got Turkey Sandwiches and Fries! LOL. The Sandwiches were tasty and a nice break from greasy burgers. Also an air-conditioned venue, which is a plus. And very clean and fast. So three stars for an above average counter service meal!
Summary: 2 Turkey Sandwiches w Fries, 2 Large Sodas = 20.41 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (not a participating restaurant, like many counter services)
Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (Dinner): We were late to this meal, so we didn;t see the very begining (thanks to a sudden Thunderstorm and massive stampeading crowds leaving MK. But no worries, we only missed the picture (which we didnt plan on buying anyway...). As soon as we got there, they brought our food right out (and my unlimited Sangria) and we chow'd to our hearts content! The food here was all really good. And the show was a lot of fun too. My favorite was the end give a nice young woman unlimited Sangria, some sexy ragtime music, and a washboard and see what happens
... All in all, worth the money, even though we sat upstairs. The players are great, the food is great, and that Strawberry Shortcake was TO DIE FOR! 4 and ½ Stars! (Missing 1/2 of a star for the PAIN and BLOATEDNESS I felt on the boat back to MK
I ate WAY too much!)
Summary: 2 Seats at Hoop-Dee-Doo that included unlimited fried chicken, pork ribs, a side dish of mixed corn, onion and pepper, strawberry shortcake and Sangria = $80.36 DDE SAVINGS = $20.08 (As a side note, the HDDR only gives DDE discounts on the 9:30 seating )
3/26
Main Street Bakery (Breakfast): Our new MUST DO Breakfast! An early morning stroll down Main Street always comes with that unavoidable smell of Cinnamon and Sugar free of charge but following your nose will inevitably cost you but its SO WORTH IT! We fell in Love with those Cinnamon Buns (and they have some hard competition... For those of you who know of the chain Cin-A-Bon, we ADORE their fatty concoctions of cinnamon, sugar and FROSTING!!). But these were probably just as good. A great breakfast (not to mention a super effective sugar high for a commando-style morning in MK
)
Summary: 2 Cinnamon Rolls, 1 Bottle of Diet Coke, 1 Chocolate Milk = $10.28 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (Doesnt participate...grr)
Liberty Inn (America in Epcot for Lunch): Everything was fine. Nothing great, nothing poor. Probably 3 stars A whole star granted for cheapness, seeing as how this was one of the least expensive Counter Service meals of the trip .but you get what you pay for, I guess. Really just mediocre.
Summary: 2 Cheeseburgers w/ fries, 2 large sodas = $17.22 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (You get the idea )
Le Cellier (Dinner): Probably the most scrumptious food we consumed throughout the entire ten days. We did feel a little rushed during the meal, but who could even pay attention to that with all the mouthwatering things being shoved down our throats! The waitress was really sweet too, and a true Canadian! (She even gave me a couple extra ounces of wine while no one was looking!). Those Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are HEAVENLY and the free pretzel bread really is amazing This is a MUST DO MEAL in WDW. Romantic, yummy, and fun! 5 Big Huge Shining Stars!! (And only ONE TS credit now on the Dining Plan! Bon Appetite, my friends!
)
Summary: 1 Iced Tea, 1 Diet Coke, 1 White Zinfandel, 1 cup of Cheddar Cheese Soup, Surf and Turf platter, and Filet Mignon with cream cheese Mashed Potatoes = $67.82 DDE SAVINGS = $15.92
3/27
50s Prime Time Café (Lunch): We had a good time at this place. Very fun atmosphere and we were very lucky to get Brenda as our waitress (Ive seen her mentioned on here before; shes a lot of laughs). Some people, though, did not have enthusiastic servers, and to us, this was a big part of the meal. That and the alcoholic Milk shakes with the glowing Ice Cubes! We got yelled at for our elbows by Cousin Brenda plenty of times and enjoyed seeing the man next to us spill something and get bibbed. LOL. Food was good, definitely worth a trip at least once.
Summary: 1 Almond Joy Shake, 1 Tutti Frutti Shake, 2 Chicken Sandwiches = $39.96 DDE SAVINGS = $10.08
3/28 Chris's Birthday!!
Crystal Palace (Breakfast): Chriss first big Birthday Surprise! This was followed by a Gift Basket from Feralpeg (a fellow DISer who creates beautiful gift baskets and delivers them to the resorts It was ideal! Thanks!) and a Wishes Fireworks cruise! Anywho, Eeyore is Chriss favorite character, so I knew this would be the perfect way to start his special day (No - he really is 26, I swear!! Kid at heart though, thats why I love him!) So, I had his birthday pin all ready (I got it on MK one of the first days we were there so I could surprise him first thing when he woke up), I had all the ressies made and even planned time left over to do whatever he wanted to do. Everything was arranged perfectly until we, of course, overslept!
Its really astonishing how fast you can get to MK when you are determined though, even with an oblivious innocent 26 year old guy wondering why in the world you woke him up at 8am on his birthday.
We ended up being about 30 minutes late to our PS in the HEART of Easter Week
I was so nervous that they would turn us away during the whole bus ride to MK. But this IS Disney after all, and Hakuna Matata reigns! Even though we were wayyy late, we were seated almost right away!! What Disney Magic!! (This seemed to happen often during our trip, because we are horrible with being on time. I know deep down that its probably less Disney Magic and more due to the fact that we only had a party of two, and two is pretty easy to sit anywhere, but I can pretend that our constant prompt seating is just because were special, cant I? Heh Heh).
Anyway, I had it noted on the PS that it was Chriss Birthday, so when the server brought us to our table she decorated it with confetti and streamers! It was so perfect! The food was really appetizing as well. They even made Chris Mickey Pancakes when they saw his birthday button! Tigger Waffles, Omelets, Hash Browns, Bacon It was all really yummy. And then, the best part of all was right before we left when the server brought out a card signed by the whole 100 Acre Wood Gang and a Birthday Cupcake with a candle in it! Our waitress really went above and beyond to celebrate a 26 year old guys birthday and he loved every second of it. 5 Stars for great breakfast food and outstanding Make-A-Magical-Disney-Moment service!
Summary: 2 Adult Breakfasts = $30.66 DDE SAVINGS = $7.66 Magical Birthday Moment PRICELESS!!
Backlot Express (Early Dinner): We actually crave this place sometimes. Everyone always complains about the counter service selections at MGM (or is it Disney Studios now? Someone will have to explain that one to me ) and I dont know why! Backlot is wonderful! We always get the turkey Sandwich, which is turkey and melted cheese on baguette bread (I think) with roasted peppers. Its amazing! It, like every other counter service meal in WDW, comes with fries (And Chris can get cheese for his fries here too, even though they charge for it). Anyway, we love these sandwiches. And the atmosphere is really cool too. 4 Out of 5 stars for good, fast, friendly service and a fun, air-conditioned atmosphere in which to stuff our faces.
Summary: 2 Turkey Panini Sandwiches with fries, 1 side of cheese, 2 large sodas = $20.40 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (Non-Participating DDE Member)
3/29
Cape May Café (Dinner): Simply stated, this place was phenomenal. I have stayed at the BC plenty of times with my family before, but we only ate at CMC for breakfast. Not only were we seated in 5 minutes during Peak Season Spring Break Week with no PS, but we were starving and must have spent 2 hours just pigging out! Every thing was fresh and flavorful. From the plentiful salad bar to the pizza and chicken fingers at the kiddie buffet to the mashed potatoes, penne pasta, fried chicken and desserts galore! And to make the last nights meal even more charming, Chris knows I love Crab Legs (usually we eat at Fultons, but we couldnt fit it into the budget this time around) and he saw another little boy with an overflowing plate of crab legs. So he asked our waitress where to get them, and she said for an extra $12.00, I could have a plate. I told her no, thank you, but he must have secretly motioned for her to bring them because ten minutes later I had like 6 clusters of crab legs sitting in front of me. And much to my surprise, they were some of the tastiest snow crab legs I have ever eaten! It was amazing! We definitely voted this the best tasting food for the best price in WDW. It was just great! 5 Stars just for the bargain!
Summary: 2 Adult Dinner Buffets, 2 sodas, and a TOWER of snow crab legs = $52.81 DDE SAVINGS $12.39
3/30
Earl of Sandwich (Last WDW Meal): These were good sandwiches at good prices. We did not think they were as AMAZING as everyone makes them out to be, but this could be attributed to many things, such as 1) What we ordered, 2) The week spoiled us with prime rib and filet mignon, or simply 3) that it was our last meal in the World.
How can you love that? But all in all it was a great deal and we will be eating there again (There are so many different ones to try, after all!). 3 ½ Stars.
Summary: 1 Full Montagu, 1 Original, and 2 Fountain Sodas = $14.28 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (No Participate...blahblah)
So there you have it! Total DDE SAVINGS for two people for 10 days was appx. $97.79!! Cost of DDE with AP Discount = $50.00.. Id say we made out pretty good! And thats only for two people! For a family of four or five, you would make our like bandits! Anyway, I didnt include all the snacks we ate each day, but I had to keep some dignity! (We eat like little piggies on vacation LOL). Hope this was entertaining for some and helpful to others If anyone even makes it this far! Thanks for letting me share Maybe Ill get to write a full trip report after we go again in October! Wish me Luck!
First and Foremost, I feel compelled to apologize for the timing of this report. 4 months overdue is a little harsh, I know (This trip was 3/21-3/30...Eek!
). In my defense though, I wanted so badly to write an actual trip report. In fact, I had planned to write a report even months before going on my trip! So, like a good little DISer, throughout the ten days we were in the World, I saved all my receipts, took tons of pictures, and made mental notes of everything! I was all set to go... until I got home. With no future trips to look forward to, my Disney Enthusiasm got overthrown by the Post Disney Depression. I couldnt write about it at all! (Heck, I couldnt even go on the DIS for a couple weeks!) Hence, the trip report never got off the ground, and my pile of receipts frowns at me everyday, rubber-banded together, lying useless on my computer desk. Lately though, Ive noticed an increasing number of questions regarding the DDE. It just so happens that DBF and I purchased the DDE before our last trip. SO, it dawns on me that maybe, just maybe, all those pouting receipts are good for more than just a daily staredown. They may actually hold some pretty valuable info for DISers looking for some comparable info on whether or not, (and if so, how much) the DDE would actually save them!
So I figured Id kill two birds with one stone: Id write a Dining Review (as an attempt to redeem myself from my failed Trip Report efforts) and help others who are contemplating the DDE in the process (and finally put those poor receipts out of their misery )
CAST
Me
- 21, Disney Fanatic since birthChris
DBF, 26, Disney Fanatic since our First Date (which was a super-spontaneous overnight trip to MK!! *see pg 2* )*We tried to rate the each dining establishment with stars, but theres not really a science to it. Just kind of guesstimation*
3/21
Sci-Fi Drive In Theater (Lunch) : First of all, let me just say that we LOVED the atmosphere in this place. It really did feel like a drive-in! Although, we didnt get to watch much of the Sci-Fi shorts because we were too hungry to think about anything but eating! We forgot our DDE email, so this was the only day that we paid full price for all our meals. It took about 10 minutes after we checked in to be seated with our PS Me and Chris split a house salad, which was very fresh and had extra yummy ranch dressing. We both got burgers and fries and split a most delicious Oreo cookie milk shake! How can you go wrong with Burgers and Shakes? We gave this place a collective 4 out of five stars. It was everything we needed for some quick grub in the World. Just dont expect a 5 course meal. We did feel a little rushed to finish our meal by the wait staff, but this was understood considering the place was packed!! But for a burger joint, you really cant beat it, especially with the limited selection of sit-downs at MGM.
Summary: 1 Salad, 1 cheeseburger meal and 1 Bacon Cheeseburger meal (both with fries), 2 sodas, + one extra yummy milkshake = $37.74. DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (We forgot the email!!)
Everything Pop Food Court (Dinner): Weve eaten here before and ate here again this trip. Its definitely not the best food on property, but its more than satisfying after a long day in the parks. We didnt get down to the food court till around 11:30-11:45pm, and they werent cooking much because they close at 12. So we opted for a large pizza and chicken Caesar salad to split. The pizza is okay. Its a little greasier than I prefer, but Chris didnt seem to mind. (Plus, were from New York, so our Pizza standards are rather high
). The Chicken Caesar Salad was good, but the breadsticks that came with it were AWFUL! Hard and stale. But overall a decent bang for our buck. Summary: 1 Large Cheese Pizza, 1 Chicken Caesar Salad w/ Breadsticks = $21.71 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (Still didnt have the E-mail!)
3/22
Flame Tree Bar-B-Que (Lunch): I have to admit, I did not love this place. In my opinion, it smells way better than it actually tastes. I give it 3 out of five stars, a whole star being granted based on smell alone. Chris enjoyed it more, and gives it 3.5 stars.
Summary: 2 Chicken Sandwich meals, 1 Fry Basket with Cheese to share, Large Coke, Large Diet Coke = $19.21 DDE SAVINGS = $4.51
Petals Pool Bar My parents, who were visiting Universal this week with my little brother (traders, I know
), came to hang out with us at the pool. We really liked the laid-back atmosphere here! There were lots of people sitting around and it was a nice little place to relax. I even got to take a dip in the pool after an accidental spillage of a cocktail and it was really warm! We both gave this 4 out of 5 stars, for the relaxing atmosphere and yummy beverages. Dad bought most of the drinks, but Chris ended up with a Tab anyway (Im a sucker for those fruity drinks, what can I say?). Strawberry Daiquiris here were great, and the $1 Rum floaters are a MUST! Summary (Chriss Tab): Four Drinks + floaters + tip = 34.82.
Everything Pop Food Court (Dinner) Yet again, a desperate food run. This time the food quality a little bit better, which was probably due to the fact that it was around 9:30pm when we decided to eat this time and the CMs werent in a rush to close everything down and go home. Everything was good and we gave it 3 stars, mostly for sheer convenience, atmosphere (very fun!), and tummy-filling ability.
Summary: 1 Chicken Strips Basket, 1 Cheese Steak Wrap, 2 Large Sodas = $14.71
DDE SAVINGS = $3.45
3/23
Cosmic Rays (Lunch): For us, no trip to MK is complete without a Cosmic Rays meal. Remember how I mentioned that our first date was at MK? Well Chris and I had our first actual meal together at Cosmic Rays too! It was amazing! Anyways, we love the food here. And the air-conditioned atmosphere and toppings bar cant be beat! Chris loves Cheese Fries and Rays is one of the only places on property where you can get free cheese at the toppings bar to dip your fries in! 4 out of 5 stars, one for selection, one foe air-conditioned clean atmosphere, one for taste, and one complete star for sentimental value.
Summary: 1 Double Bacon Cheese Burger w fries, 1 Half Chicken w fries, 2 large sodas = $20.42 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (not a participating restaurant)
Cindys Castle (Dinner): OMG! I dont even know where to start! This was probably one of the most amazing experiences of our trip! As we approached the castle for our PS (which was 45 minutes before Wishes, 9:15 I think?) we realized that they had closed off the castle in preparation for the parade and fireworks! How were we to get through!
... Hakuna Matata! We told the security guard and he let us right underneath the rope! It was so cool. We walked right up to the Check-in counter and NO ONE WAS AROUND US! It was Spring Break Week and it felt like we had the castle all to ourselves! We waited in the waiting room with a few other families, we all took turns taking pictures of each other sitting in Cindys throne, and Chris spotted Jack and Gus-Gus hiding on the wall close to the ceiling (if youve never seen them, keep an eye out!). But then, the most magical thing of all came when the CM called our name
they brought us up the stairs, into the room, and right to the 2 person table right at the center window!!! Not only did we have an AMAZING meal, but we were sitting right next to the window for Wishes! They piped in the music and dimmed the lights and it was so romantic and amazing! I couldnt stop smiling! Prime Rib was juicy and nicely portioned... even the veggies were extra yummy! We especially liked that the silverware and the cups were reminiscent of a Royal Table
. 5 Stars for ALL-AROUND MAGIC!!!Summary: 1 Prosciutto and Mozzarella appetizer, 1 Kingdom Cut Prime Rib, One Queen Cut Prime Rib, and 2 Sodas = $51.44 DDE SAVINGS = $12.08
3/24
Beaches and Cream (Lunch): I like this place because it has sentimental value for me, seeing as how my family stayed at the BC all the time when I was little. I was in LOVE with the mint chocolate chip milkshakes. So to go here again was lots of fun. The atmosphere is great, but the service seems to be slipping a little. It took over a half hour to get a burger and a chicken sandwich and the fryer wasnt even working, so we had to settle for snack packs (chips) instead of fries. Oh Well. The Milk shakes were still good! Love those outfits the servers wear and ONE DAY we WILL attempt the Kitchen Sink! 3 stars for atmosphere mostly, and the burger and chicken sandwich were pretty good.
Summary: 1 Chicken Sandwich w cheese, 1 Cheeseburger, 2 Shakes = $22.89 DDE SAVINGS = $5.37
Portobello Yacht Club (Dinner): We liked this place, but didnt LOVE it. We did get to sit outside, though, which was a huge plus. The hustle and bustle of DTD at night is VERY "Disney". The worst thing abouth the resturant was that it seemed understaffed and our waiter, who was EXTREMELY nice and VERY professional, was really stressed out. He messed up on our order three times, and even though these things dont bother us (we laughed it off with him), he "comp"d our appetizers anyway (makes me wonder if mgmt. has some kind of policy about messing up and "comp"ing food?). His name was Chris though, and he was a sweetheart! I started shivering about halfway through the meal and he got me an extra table cloth so that I could sit on it (metal chairs make for cold legs in skirts on chilly March evenings!) and wrap it around my legs! The food was pretty good, nothing to die for. He did give us free Sangria to start off though, which was yummy! So 4 Stars, one and a half just for our waiter! (Who also had to end up running after us after we left the restaurant because Chris forgot to sign his CC receipt! LOL. Guess we were a little too excited to go hit PI
).Summary: 1 Glass of Wine, 1 Veal Chops Meal, 1 Penne Pasta Meal, and One House Salad = $59.76 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (not a participating restaurant), but with the AP 10% Discount, we saved = $6.24!!
3/25
Pinocchio Village Haus (Lunch): A nice break from the usual burgers and fries... instead, we got Turkey Sandwiches and Fries! LOL. The Sandwiches were tasty and a nice break from greasy burgers. Also an air-conditioned venue, which is a plus. And very clean and fast. So three stars for an above average counter service meal!
Summary: 2 Turkey Sandwiches w Fries, 2 Large Sodas = 20.41 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (not a participating restaurant, like many counter services)
Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (Dinner): We were late to this meal, so we didn;t see the very begining (thanks to a sudden Thunderstorm and massive stampeading crowds leaving MK. But no worries, we only missed the picture (which we didnt plan on buying anyway...). As soon as we got there, they brought our food right out (and my unlimited Sangria) and we chow'd to our hearts content! The food here was all really good. And the show was a lot of fun too. My favorite was the end give a nice young woman unlimited Sangria, some sexy ragtime music, and a washboard and see what happens
... All in all, worth the money, even though we sat upstairs. The players are great, the food is great, and that Strawberry Shortcake was TO DIE FOR! 4 and ½ Stars! (Missing 1/2 of a star for the PAIN and BLOATEDNESS I felt on the boat back to MK
I ate WAY too much!) Summary: 2 Seats at Hoop-Dee-Doo that included unlimited fried chicken, pork ribs, a side dish of mixed corn, onion and pepper, strawberry shortcake and Sangria = $80.36 DDE SAVINGS = $20.08 (As a side note, the HDDR only gives DDE discounts on the 9:30 seating )
3/26
Main Street Bakery (Breakfast): Our new MUST DO Breakfast! An early morning stroll down Main Street always comes with that unavoidable smell of Cinnamon and Sugar free of charge but following your nose will inevitably cost you but its SO WORTH IT! We fell in Love with those Cinnamon Buns (and they have some hard competition... For those of you who know of the chain Cin-A-Bon, we ADORE their fatty concoctions of cinnamon, sugar and FROSTING!!). But these were probably just as good. A great breakfast (not to mention a super effective sugar high for a commando-style morning in MK
) Summary: 2 Cinnamon Rolls, 1 Bottle of Diet Coke, 1 Chocolate Milk = $10.28 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (Doesnt participate...grr)
Liberty Inn (America in Epcot for Lunch): Everything was fine. Nothing great, nothing poor. Probably 3 stars A whole star granted for cheapness, seeing as how this was one of the least expensive Counter Service meals of the trip .but you get what you pay for, I guess. Really just mediocre.
Summary: 2 Cheeseburgers w/ fries, 2 large sodas = $17.22 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (You get the idea )
Le Cellier (Dinner): Probably the most scrumptious food we consumed throughout the entire ten days. We did feel a little rushed during the meal, but who could even pay attention to that with all the mouthwatering things being shoved down our throats! The waitress was really sweet too, and a true Canadian! (She even gave me a couple extra ounces of wine while no one was looking!). Those Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are HEAVENLY and the free pretzel bread really is amazing This is a MUST DO MEAL in WDW. Romantic, yummy, and fun! 5 Big Huge Shining Stars!! (And only ONE TS credit now on the Dining Plan! Bon Appetite, my friends!
)Summary: 1 Iced Tea, 1 Diet Coke, 1 White Zinfandel, 1 cup of Cheddar Cheese Soup, Surf and Turf platter, and Filet Mignon with cream cheese Mashed Potatoes = $67.82 DDE SAVINGS = $15.92
3/27
50s Prime Time Café (Lunch): We had a good time at this place. Very fun atmosphere and we were very lucky to get Brenda as our waitress (Ive seen her mentioned on here before; shes a lot of laughs). Some people, though, did not have enthusiastic servers, and to us, this was a big part of the meal. That and the alcoholic Milk shakes with the glowing Ice Cubes! We got yelled at for our elbows by Cousin Brenda plenty of times and enjoyed seeing the man next to us spill something and get bibbed. LOL. Food was good, definitely worth a trip at least once.
Summary: 1 Almond Joy Shake, 1 Tutti Frutti Shake, 2 Chicken Sandwiches = $39.96 DDE SAVINGS = $10.08
3/28 Chris's Birthday!!
Crystal Palace (Breakfast): Chriss first big Birthday Surprise! This was followed by a Gift Basket from Feralpeg (a fellow DISer who creates beautiful gift baskets and delivers them to the resorts It was ideal! Thanks!) and a Wishes Fireworks cruise! Anywho, Eeyore is Chriss favorite character, so I knew this would be the perfect way to start his special day (No - he really is 26, I swear!! Kid at heart though, thats why I love him!) So, I had his birthday pin all ready (I got it on MK one of the first days we were there so I could surprise him first thing when he woke up), I had all the ressies made and even planned time left over to do whatever he wanted to do. Everything was arranged perfectly until we, of course, overslept!
Its really astonishing how fast you can get to MK when you are determined though, even with an oblivious innocent 26 year old guy wondering why in the world you woke him up at 8am on his birthday.
We ended up being about 30 minutes late to our PS in the HEART of Easter Week
I was so nervous that they would turn us away during the whole bus ride to MK. But this IS Disney after all, and Hakuna Matata reigns! Even though we were wayyy late, we were seated almost right away!! What Disney Magic!! (This seemed to happen often during our trip, because we are horrible with being on time. I know deep down that its probably less Disney Magic and more due to the fact that we only had a party of two, and two is pretty easy to sit anywhere, but I can pretend that our constant prompt seating is just because were special, cant I? Heh Heh). Anyway, I had it noted on the PS that it was Chriss Birthday, so when the server brought us to our table she decorated it with confetti and streamers! It was so perfect! The food was really appetizing as well. They even made Chris Mickey Pancakes when they saw his birthday button! Tigger Waffles, Omelets, Hash Browns, Bacon It was all really yummy. And then, the best part of all was right before we left when the server brought out a card signed by the whole 100 Acre Wood Gang and a Birthday Cupcake with a candle in it! Our waitress really went above and beyond to celebrate a 26 year old guys birthday and he loved every second of it. 5 Stars for great breakfast food and outstanding Make-A-Magical-Disney-Moment service!
Summary: 2 Adult Breakfasts = $30.66 DDE SAVINGS = $7.66 Magical Birthday Moment PRICELESS!!
Backlot Express (Early Dinner): We actually crave this place sometimes. Everyone always complains about the counter service selections at MGM (or is it Disney Studios now? Someone will have to explain that one to me ) and I dont know why! Backlot is wonderful! We always get the turkey Sandwich, which is turkey and melted cheese on baguette bread (I think) with roasted peppers. Its amazing! It, like every other counter service meal in WDW, comes with fries (And Chris can get cheese for his fries here too, even though they charge for it). Anyway, we love these sandwiches. And the atmosphere is really cool too. 4 Out of 5 stars for good, fast, friendly service and a fun, air-conditioned atmosphere in which to stuff our faces.
Summary: 2 Turkey Panini Sandwiches with fries, 1 side of cheese, 2 large sodas = $20.40 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (Non-Participating DDE Member)
3/29
Cape May Café (Dinner): Simply stated, this place was phenomenal. I have stayed at the BC plenty of times with my family before, but we only ate at CMC for breakfast. Not only were we seated in 5 minutes during Peak Season Spring Break Week with no PS, but we were starving and must have spent 2 hours just pigging out! Every thing was fresh and flavorful. From the plentiful salad bar to the pizza and chicken fingers at the kiddie buffet to the mashed potatoes, penne pasta, fried chicken and desserts galore! And to make the last nights meal even more charming, Chris knows I love Crab Legs (usually we eat at Fultons, but we couldnt fit it into the budget this time around) and he saw another little boy with an overflowing plate of crab legs. So he asked our waitress where to get them, and she said for an extra $12.00, I could have a plate. I told her no, thank you, but he must have secretly motioned for her to bring them because ten minutes later I had like 6 clusters of crab legs sitting in front of me. And much to my surprise, they were some of the tastiest snow crab legs I have ever eaten! It was amazing! We definitely voted this the best tasting food for the best price in WDW. It was just great! 5 Stars just for the bargain!
Summary: 2 Adult Dinner Buffets, 2 sodas, and a TOWER of snow crab legs = $52.81 DDE SAVINGS $12.39
3/30
Earl of Sandwich (Last WDW Meal): These were good sandwiches at good prices. We did not think they were as AMAZING as everyone makes them out to be, but this could be attributed to many things, such as 1) What we ordered, 2) The week spoiled us with prime rib and filet mignon, or simply 3) that it was our last meal in the World.
How can you love that? But all in all it was a great deal and we will be eating there again (There are so many different ones to try, after all!). 3 ½ Stars. Summary: 1 Full Montagu, 1 Original, and 2 Fountain Sodas = $14.28 DDE SAVINGS = $0.00 (No Participate...blahblah)
So there you have it! Total DDE SAVINGS for two people for 10 days was appx. $97.79!! Cost of DDE with AP Discount = $50.00.. Id say we made out pretty good! And thats only for two people! For a family of four or five, you would make our like bandits! Anyway, I didnt include all the snacks we ate each day, but I had to keep some dignity! (We eat like little piggies on vacation LOL). Hope this was entertaining for some and helpful to others If anyone even makes it this far! Thanks for letting me share Maybe Ill get to write a full trip report after we go again in October! Wish me Luck!
You may not believe me when I tell you though.. I will try to write it all down and post in within the next few days... Thanks for all the compliments! 
Back to the drawing board 
