Ultimate Foodie Report- 9 Days DxDP, V&A QV Room, F&W Premium, & WL Club Level-Done!

[mgentry210]

Thanks for reading my post. Here's our background. I've been a long time lurker on the boards, but never posted. When we started planning this trip, I thought it would be a great post for all you other Disney Foodies out there. So, since I'm new to this, feel free to provide me any feedback. Time to pay it forward to all of you have helped me over the years.

Here's what the review will include: 9 days of the Deluxe Dining plan with all signature restaurants except Fulton's and Citricos, Victoria and Albert's Queen Victoria room, Food and Wine Festival Premium package (with after hour party) and Wilderness Lodge Club Level. We tended to wake up late, eat an early lunch, ride our 3 fastpasses, head back to the club lounge, and then eat a late signature dinner. And repeat. I've been home for 2 weeks and I'm still full!

Why all this food and splurge? This is where I tell you my personal stuff so skip this paragraph if you only care about food pictures. My husband proposed to me after the fireworks at Narcoossee's and on 9/23/13 we were married at the wedding pavilion. So this was our 1st anniversary trip. We call it the circle of life. When you get married at Disney, they give you an annual pass, so we've been trying to make the most of it this year. This trip brought us to 29 days. Since we've been quite a bit, the rides and rope drop are not our priority. This trip it was eating!

Some other things about me. I don't like abbreviations and even text with full sentences and punctuation so this may be a bit wordy. Sorry, no judgement to those who do though. It's my own personal OCD. (Like how I used an abbreviation - wink!) We tried our best on the pictures, but there are some missing. We are also not professional or even good photographers, so bear with us.

Let's get this post started. Here's the lineup.

Artist Point
Tusker House Breakfast
Yak & Yeti
California Grill
Hollywood Brown Derby (lunch)
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Food and Wine Premium Package, Gift Bag and After Hours Party
Food and Wine (Mexico to America)
Flying Fish Cafe
Whispering Canyon Cafe
Victoria and Albert's - Queen Victoria Room Part 1
Victoria and Albert's - Queen Victoria Room Part 2
O'hana
Narcoossee's
Food and Wine (World Showcase to France)
Le Cellier
Mama Melrose's
Monsieur Paul
Yak & Yeti
Jiko- The Cooking Place
Wilderness Lodge Old Faithful Club

Post Report Remarks and Restaurant Rankings
Using Tables in Wonderland with the Dining Plan

Thanks again for reading! I will try my best to get this up quick.

 

[2manypets]

Really looking forward to your reviews. You've got 6 out of the 10 places that I've got booked for February. I can't wait to hear your opinion of them.

Congratulations on you 1 year anniversary!!

 

[mgentry210]

First evening arrival - Artist Point

It seemed like an obvious choice since it's in our resort. This is our second time staying at the Wilderness Lodge but first time at Artist Point. This was also our 3rd time on the deluxe dining plan. On past trips, the menu had never appealed to me enough to make it on the list. This time however - there was a buffalo and lobster dish. Sign me up!

Here's where it went downhill for me. No buffalo and lobster on the menu when we got there. Boo! It was replaced with a Buffalo 3 ways dish. In fact, the Disney website menu still has not been updated.

You will notice some trends in my choices as we progress. One I am mildly lactose intolerant so no ice cream for me. Cheese is ok though. I eat lots of sorbet at Disney. Second, I rarely eat red meat at home. However, at Disney, I eat a steak at practically every meal. Why? I dunno, it just always seems to work out that way.

On to Artist Point Appetizers

Hubby ordered: Jumbo Lump Crab Cake
Stone-ground Mustard Rémoulade and Cotswold Peppadew Pepper
$15.00

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He said it was a good crab cake - nothing too special. The remoulade was very, very mustardy. You had better like mustard to order this.

My choice: Signature Field Greens Salad
Seasonal Fruit, Sunflower Seed Granola, Drunken Goat Cheese, and Ice Wine Vinaigrette
$11.00

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It was the best thing I ate there. The goat cheese was good and went really well with the nectarines in my salad. That being said, there was not enough fruit or cheese for the amount of lettuce in my bowl. So at the end, I had a bowl of lettuce.

Artist Point Entrees

Hubby chose: The Buffalo 3 Ways. Since it's not on the website, here is our best recollection. Buffalo Tenderloin, Buffalo Sausage and Buffalo Macaroni and Cheese.

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He really liked the tenderloin. The sausage was good but a tad dry. And he LOVES sausage. The macaroni was good but we never figured out where the buffalo was. Maybe in the cheese?

My choice: Hickory Char-crusted Filet Mignon
Roasted Summer Squash, Marble Potatoes, Truffle Aïoli, Horseradish Cream, and Cabernet Au Jus
$43.00

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This was the worst steak of my trip. It was dry and chewy, but not overcooked. Either I got a bad cut or the quality of beef is not up to standards for a signature restaurant. I did like the sauce and wound up eating the potatoes in the sauce. I don't remember any squash on the plate - oh well.

Artist Point Desserts

Hubby Choses: Gianduja Chocolate Ganache Cake
with Amarena Cherries, Chocolate Macaroon, and Smoked Sea Salt-Caramel Ice Cream
$14.00

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Neither of us remembers this dessert. So it was neither really good or really bad. Probably a safe choice.

My choice: Artist Point Cobbler
with Seasonal Berries and House-made Black Raspberry ice Cream
$11.00

There's no picture of this. Sorry! You can see it in the corner of the picture of his dessert. Mine came with raspberry sorbet instead of ice cream. The cobbler was made with raspberries. The sorbet was good. The cobbler was overwhelming sweet. We both agreed and only ate a few bites.

That's it for Artist Point. Here's a link back to the original post: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505

 

[mgentry210]

A little help - anyone know why the pictures aren't displaying? I'm using the insert image button and linking to photo bucket. I'll keep looking for answers.

 

[thebigman65]

A little help - anyone know why the pictures aren't displaying? I'm using the insert image button and linking to photo bucket. I'll keep looking for answers.

Hover over your picture....click on the gear on the top right corner and choose "Share Photo"....then use the IMG code, cut and paste.....should be good to go then.....

 

[mgentry210]

It worked! They are huge but at least they are there. Thanks for the quick help!

 

[mgentry210]

This one will be short and sweet. We didn't take any pictures of the buffet, but I found a good link to the Disney Food Blog folks. They have some great pictures and it's all pretty much the same. http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/10/21/review-tusker-house-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/

We generally stay away from buffets (too many little princesses and pirates), but eating options are limited at Animal Kingdom and we have dining credits to burn, so off we go! It's pretty a standard breakfast buffet. The eggs were those mass produced kind and mine were cold. The bacon was the heat and serve kind. There are Mickey waffles and a ham carving station. The highlight for me was the breakfast potatoes. There are some African specialties too, but I found them bland and lacking seasoning. So I mostly ate ham and potatoes.

Right in front of the Tusker House is the Dawa Bar. It serve's one of my top 3 drinks in all of Disney. Lost on Safari and its grown up sister Pangani Punch. I usually drink wine with dinner, but on vacation I am known to hit the booze! I love the punch in the Lost of Safari. It's also not too strong for the Florida heat. This time, I felt they packed a little more punch than Christmas. The bartender said that the punch consists of orange, pineapple and cranberry juices. Add rum and yum!

Here's a picture of us with Goofy to prove we really were there:

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Back to the original post: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505

 

[Pfau]

I'm in! You lived my dream Disney vacation! Sleep in and eat well!

 

[mgentry210]

Really looking forward to your reviews. You've got 6 out of the 10 places that I've got booked for February. I can't wait to hear your opinion of them.

Congratulations on you 1 year anniversary!!

Thanks! Feel free to ask me any questions on your other choices too. We've probably eaten there!

 

[2manypets]

The only restaurant I've not been to on your list is Victoria and Albert's so I'm extremely interested in that one.

I agree with your Artist Point review. It's good but not WOW good. We're skipping this one this time.

Looking forward to your next review!

 

[mgentry210]

After our lackluster breakfast at Tusker House, we decided to see if we could get a last minute reservation at Yak & Yeti. There was one at 3p, so we grabbed it! By my calculations, we were going to have 4 dining credits leftover, so we still had plenty to use. I have a spreadsheet that I use if anyone wants to see if it would be worth it for you.

Since we still had a big dinner coming up, we decided to share one credit together.

Appetizer

It was a crispy shrimp dish in a chili sauce.

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It's not on the main menu and not listed on the website so I can't tell you the exact name or price. It was on a promotional menu card. They were pretty good. They reminded me of the Bang Bang Shrimp at PF Changs if you have ever had those. There was plenty of shrimp too.

Entree

Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli Flank steak, broccoli, brown sauce
$18.99 with Chicken Fried Rice

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This is my favorite entree there. I get it almost every time. It's a big portion and easily fed us both. The sauce can be a bit salty, but its pretty good for theme park chinese food. My steak was very tender. I cut it with a fork. This was our first time getting the fried rice. It was bland and the chicken was dry. Not worth the extra expense if you aren't on the dining plan.

Dessert

Sorbet
A trio of mango, lemon and raspberry
$6.99

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This is my favorite sorbet in all of Disney. The lemon is tart and refreshing. The mango is sweet and the raspberry is a nice balance of both. They are also super smooth, not icy at all. The first time I had it, I actually made them check the label for milk. It's that good.

That's it for Yak and Yeti. Here's the link back to the main post: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505

 

[mgentry210]

Next stop California Grill. This was our first time there. I have a personal bias towards the Contemporary resort and do my best to avoid the hotel at all costs. We had breakfast on our wedding day at Chef Mickey's. Enter a broken elevator and monorail and me sweating in 95+ degree heat while stressing about getting back to the hotel in time to get ready = I WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN THE CONTEMPORARY RESORT AGAIN!

Well I broke my resolve since we were staying at the Wilderness Lodge and I could take the boat over. I still will never take the monorail to that resort or stay there. Gotta have my boundaries!

We were lucky enough to score a table by the window with a perfect view of the castle and space mountain. I doubt there was a better seat in the restaurant. Here's our view:

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For the most of the trip, we had good or great service. This trip our server was particularly memorable. He was a talker! Nice, but you know that kind of server. I can retell his life story and everywhere he has lived. If you go there and you get him (I'm terrible with names) you will know it. Now onto the food.

I keep forgetting to mention but for my non alcoholic beverage I ordered Pellegrino at every meal. I like bubbles. In past trips, I received inconsistent replies on whether or not it was covered, size of bottle, etc. This trip it was very good. I was never denied. At the one credit restaurants I was given a half liter bottle and at the two credit restaurants I received a full liter bottle. Thought it was worth mentioning to those who like sparkling water. There must have been a memo...

Appetizers

Hubby Chose: Dragon Roll
Spicy and Tataki Tuna, Shrimp Tempura, Avocado, Dragon Sauce, Hijiki-Shirataki Salad
$25.00

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He liked it. It was fresh and the spice was good. Best sushi ever - no, but really good.

My choice: Heirloom Tomato BLT Flatbread
Marinated Tomatoes, House Bacon, Romaine Chiffonade, Lemon Mayonnaise
$16.00
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It was OK. There was way too much of the mayo on the flat bread. I would have really liked it a lot more with about half of the mayo. My suggestion, order it on the side and add it back to your taste. The housemade bacon was great! It was crispy and the best bacon I ate the whole trip. I love bacon as much as hubby loves sausage. I wound up picking the bacon off the whole flatbread.

Entrees

Hubby Chose: Bison Tenderloin
Benziger Olive Oil Potatoes, Baby Brussels Sprouts, Cherrywood Bacon, Dried Cherry Demi
$50.00

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He chose the bison since he liked the tenderloin at Artist Point so much. He said Artist Point was much better. So, if you want bison, this may not be the best place to order it. Still it was a good entree.

My choice: Oak-fired Filet of Beef
Heirloom Tomato Risotto, Baby Vine Tomatoes, Tiny Basil, Tomato Butter
$49.00

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This was one of the better steaks I had this trip. Good solid choice. I loved the tomato butter and the risotto was cooked perfectly. I think I ate more risotto than filet.

Desserts

Sorry! I think we got distracted by wishes right around this time and forgot to take some pictures.

Hubby chose: Chocolate Pudding Cake
Luscious Chocolate Cake with Nutella Filling, Meringue Kisses, and Chantilly Cream
$14.00
He loves anything with Nutella. I think he licked the plate.

My choice: Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecake (No Sugar Added)
Local Florida Blueberries, Huckleberry Sauce, Almond Tuile, Lemon Whipped Cream
$13.00
I don't remember much about this dessert other than being too full to eat more than a bite or two. Too much bacon, filet and risotto. I think I ate the blueberries.

It was a good meal and I would go back if staying at the Wilderness Lodge. No monorail! Part of the magic was also that wonderful table. Highly recommend the small tables by the window. We didn't even get up to watch wishes. The patio area was very crowded.

Here's the link back to the main post: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505

 

[mgentry210]

For me our lunch at Hollywood Brown Derby was the worst meal of our trip. However, hubby on the other had was very pleased with his selections. We both agreed, our server was terrible. I think we saw her 3 times. We eat here every trip for two reasons. It's usually pretty good and when on the deluxe dining plan, it's one of only 3 two credit restaurants open for lunch. The others are LeCellier and Fulton's. Gotta maximize those credits. This was by far the worst of our 10 or so trips here. Here we go:

Drinks

Hubby ordered the martini flight. Our server forgot to place it and I think it finally came after the appetizer and we flagged someone down.

Martini Flight of the Stars -
Tasting of three martinis
Shelby Mayer - Grey Goose and Dry Vermouth
Honey Darling - Bombay Sapphire and Dry Vermouth
Dorma Nesmond - Ketel One Citroen Vodka, pomegranate liqueur and cranberry juice
$11.25

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He liked them all. They were a bit on the small side. The vodka and gin were pretty standard. He thought the pomegrante was too sweet.

Appetizers

Hubby chose: Blue Lump Crab Spring Rolls
Snow Crab Claw, and an Asian Slaw with spicy Miso Aïoli
$14.00

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He gets this almost every time we go to the Brown Derby. It was good and consistent with previous trips. The crab claw is a large snow crab claw and there is plenty of meat in the egg roll. Its a good choice.

My choice: “Our Famous Cobb Salad”
with Finely Chopped Greens, Turkey Breast, Bacon, Egg, Tomatoes, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Avocado, Chives, and Cobb Dressing
$9.00

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It was OK. Not the first time I've had the salad and I generally like it. This was the worst version I've had of it. It was dropped off by someone (not our server) and not tossed at all. Part of the fun is the table side service. There was WAY too much dressing. I love dressing but this one is very tangy so it dominated the flavor. There was also a weird flavor in the lettuce. I kept tasting and I think it was curly parsley. And a lot of it. Maybe they confused the chives with parsley? Next time, I'll go back to the prawn and grits unless something else catches my attention.

Entrees

Hubby chose: Grilled Wagyu Beef Burger
with Gruyère Cheese, Pastrami, Heirloom Tomato, Avocado, and a Fried Egg on a Toasted Brioche with Cognac-Mustard Aïoli and Hand-cut Steak Fries
$22.00

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It was HUGE! He loved it. Said it was one of the best lunches on the entire trip. It's going on the must have list for next visit. Pretty sure he only made it about halfway through the burger.

My choice: The Original Fettucine Alfredo with Chicken
topped with Prosciutto Brittle and Parmigiano-Reggiano
$21.00

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Everything about this was bad. Dry, unseasoned chicken on top. Bland watery alfredo sauce. Burnt prosciutto on top. Bread that was toasted but with no butter or any other kind of seasoning. I think they ran out of salt. I tried to help it by requesting some Parmesan cheese. It was beyond help. My server made one of her elusive appearances and offered to get me something else, but we had been there over an hour and I was done. I'm losing hope for dessert...

Dessert

Hubby chose: Mini Dessert Trio (Select three) Double Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée, Milk Chocolate Crémeux with Mojito Concoction on Almond Rocher, Banana Toffee Cake on Cocoa Crunch and Strawberry-Banana Pearls, and a bonus dessert for our anniversary: Chocolate Sphere
with Hazelnut Praline Chocolate and Orange-White Chocolate Mousse

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They were all good. Nothing stood out for hime. The chocolate sphere was his favorite. The creme brulee was good, but pretty standard.

My choice: Mini Dessert Trio (Select three) Chocolate Sphere
with Hazelnut Praline Chocolate and Orange-White Chocolate Mousse, Brown Derby Original! Mini Grapefruit Cake, Amaretto Flan and Opalys White Chocolate Whip with an Almond Cookie, and a bonus dessert for our anniversary: another Chocolate Spherewith Hazelnut Praline Chocolate and Orange-White Chocolate Mousse

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The chocolate sphere was just OK for me. Hubby ate most of mine. I've had the grapefruit cake before but it had a weird chemical like taste this time. The clear winner was the amaretto flan. I could have eaten 3 of those. It does taste very strongly of amaretto so only order it if you love amaretto. What's not to love?

So it was a tale of 2 meals. Order with caution and avoid that alfredo at all costs!

Here's the link back to the main post: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505

 

[mgentry210]

We discovered the Yachtsman Steakhouse on our last trip. I had a great meal that time and really wanted to come back. Truthfully, there is really only one reason - the onion rolls and roasted garlic. I think I've had a sexy dream about those rolls. There is other bread in the basket, but who cares. It's all about the onion rolls. I've linked a picture from the food blog.

You take the roll and put a little bit of butter, then smear the roasted garlic. Who needs anything else for dinner? Yes, I do love these rolls. There was more food though...

Appetizers

Hubby chose: The Land Garden Greens
Goat Cheese, Marcona Crumble, Mission Figs, Green Goddess
$14.00

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He was full after that lunch at the Brown Derby so chose a salad. It was good. Nothing outstanding, nothing bad. Order it if you are saving room for steak. Plus it's cool to eat lettuce that they grew at the Land.

My choice: Peekytoe Crab-stuffed Donuts
Sweet Corn Succotash, Ramp Tartar Sauce, Guanciale
$17.00

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This was weird. Powdered sugar and crab should not be in the same dish. I didn't care though - more room for rolls. Hubby liked it though. His opinion is that there is no such thing as a bad donut.

Entrees

We both chose: 32-oz Porterhouse for Two
Trio of Classic Steakhouse Sides, Potato Gratin, Garlic Butter (21 Day Dry-aged)
$110.00

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It was good. The steak wasn't the most tender, but it had really good flavor. The butter sauce was excellent. The potatoes were pretty good. It was a standard gratin. The sides were creamed spinach (very good), mushrooms and caramelized onions. I think we barely ate half of the steak. With an extra side this could easily feed 3 or 4.

Desserts

Sorry no pictures of these. I think we were in a meat coma and forgot.

Hubby chose: Chocolate-Peanut Cake Pretzels, Salted Caramel Gelato, Liquid Ganache
$12.00

Chocolate, peanut butter, pretzels and ice cream. It's not possible to make that combo taste bad.

My choice: Seasonal Sorbet Trio
Coconut Tuile and Fairy Tale Celebration Cuvée
$10.00

These don't stand out in my memory at all except the Cuvee sorbet. I'm also a bit sentimental since that was the champagne we served at our wedding. I think one may have been a cantaloupe that I didn't care for at all.

It's a must do for those onion rolls alone. Did i mention that I love those onion rolls? I think my stomach just growled.

Here's a link back to the main post: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Joining in!

Sorry you didn't enjoy your alfredo at Brown Derby - we've really enjoyed it when we've had it the last two times.

That steak from the Yachtsman looks great!

 

[mgentry210]

One of our favorite events is the Food and Wine Festival. We purchased the Premium package that was new this year. At first glance $199 a person seems way expensive, but stick with me and it actually worked out to be a very good value. Of course this means the price will go up next year.

Here's what's included. Everything is per person. A gift bag in the room that included a special magic band, a bottle of wine, wine glass, chocolate truffles (in a chocolate box), and a $50 gift card. You get access to the premium areas (there were 10) where servers bring you your food instead of standing in line. You have unlimited access all week (Monday to Thursday). We also got access to the after hours party on Thursday night. Also included with the party was a drink in a souvenir cup and 6 tickets for any food or beverage items.

So when you add up the values of all of the items (assuming you would have bought them all), it works out that you are spending roughly $25 to $30 for the premium areas and service. Anyone who has done the first weeks of food and wine in the heat will probably agree - Sign me up!

We were there the very first week and the very first day for this package. We arrived on the Friday before and I assumed that the gift bag would be in the room - Nope! I asked the club level staff and they hadn't even been briefed on the package. One of the nice staff offered to investigate. He found me after dinner and let us know it would be delivered on Sunday. Ok- but I wanted to wear my cool magic band now! Regarding the magic bands, they were not activated. Luckily I had the staff check before we used them or that would have been a really long line at guest relations in Epcot. If you purchase this package, verify before you leave for the park. On a related note, we had a problem with our annual pass renewal while we were there. Hubby stood on a guest relations line that didn't move for 20 minutes. I decided to try and with the new system the regular ticket agents can do 95% of what guest relations can do. With no Line! Keep it in mind if you have any issues.

The gift bag was fun but it could use a few tweaks. There was a bottle of red wine with a cork but no corkscrew. I borrowed one from the lounge. It was a red Chianti from Italy and was pretty tasty. It was a well balanced wine that drink well straight out of the bottle. The wine glass is a logo glass, but it's made of glass. Not the best choice for those of us flying in. TSA always checks my luggage! Finally, the chocolate truffles were good. There was a salted milk chocolate, a white chocolate, a dark chocolate, and another milk chocolate with orange. I liked the salted milk chocolate the best. Hubby ate the box.

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On the back of the credential was a map showed all of the locations for the premium areas. Each of the 10 areas served specific booths. So eat at all the kiosks, you would have to visit all of the areas. All of the cast members were excited to be part of the program and very friendly! Executives were wandering around everywhere and constantly asking for feedback. All of the areas had tables, but very few had seating. The seating that was there would be a bench that was already in place in that location. Some of the spots were in the full sun so the addition of umbrellas would be good too. The whole week we were usually the only couple in the area. Sometimes another couple would show up, but there were never more than 2 parties. There were about 3-4 cast members in each area, so they were eager to chat and help. I think they were bored. Keep in mind this was the very first week of this ever, so I am sure it will change if it continues. Apparently this is a test year for a larger package to coincide with next years's 25th anniversary of the festival. From what the execs were saying, it sounds like it's going to be huge.

The after hours party was fun. It is only half of the world showcase and the premium areas are not open during the party. The side that is open is the right side from Canada up to France. Poor planning on our part, we actually ate that side of world showcase all day. We also had dinner at LeCellier before the party, so we were stuffed. We just used our 6 coupons for what seemed to be the best value - champagne!

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We spent the rest of the evening chatting and making friends over champagne. There was a band that was pretty good and a DJ playing an eclectic mix of music.

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This is the glow cup. It's plastic, no logo and made me slightly queasy with the flashing. It came with a white cranberry cosmo. It was all white cranberry juice. Glad it was free because this is not worth even a few dollars. I wound up giving mine away to a little girl a few days later. At least it made someone happy!

That's pretty much it for the package. I am happy to answer questions. We would definitely do it again. I know they were receiving the same feedback regarding seating and umbrellas so I am confident those will show up next year or maybe even this year.

Here's the link back to the main page: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505

 

[vettegirl]

Wow that premium package sounds amazing!!

 

[mgentry210]

First day of eating our way around the world. We were pretty good for the first few kiosks with pictures - after a few more drinks, we forgot some. Anything I didn't get a picture of, I will link over to the Disney Food Blog. I don't always agree with their reviews, but they take great pictures. Definitely better than ours.

Here's our strategy to tackle to world. We sit down with the menu before we leave and create a list of what we want to try both food and beverages. We order only one of each and share. Usually I take a bite and he finishes. This is a marathon so pace yourself. If I don't like it, I don't eat it. Save room for the good stuff. I am better at this than hubby. Stay tuned for Food and Wine part 2 for more details. We use snack credits for the food and we used both of the $50 package gift cards for alcohol. We pay out of pocket for water. Bad use of credits. And here we go!

The booths open at 11a, but the premium areas don't open until noon. We wandered around looking for one and finally figured it out after noon. Just a heads up if you are using the package.

Patagonia

Beef empanada

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We liked it. Beef was tasty and well seasoned. I'm pretty sure it was the same as last year.

Grilled beef skewer with chimichurri sauce and boniato purée (gluten free)

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Hubby liked it. I found the meat overcooked and chewy. The chimichurri was good though.

Terrazas Reserva Malbec - pictured with the skewer. One of the better red wines we sampled.
Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier - pictured with the empanada. I love me a Viognier and this one was pretty good.

Australia

Garlic shrimp with roasted tomatoes, lemon myrtle and rapini (gluten free)

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They were big shrimp. It's a good value choice. Neither one of us remembers much about the flavor other than that they were good.

Pavlova: Crispy meringue shell with fresh berries and vanilla custard

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This is not a traditional pavlova. It is a meringue and a very sweet one. The berries were fresh though. Skip it for something else.

St. Kilda Chardonnay - I really don't remember much about this one. Probably means it was just OK.

Mexico - We live in south Texas, so we always skip this booth. Sorry, but our Mexican food is the best.

China

Mongolian beef in a steamed bun with chili mayo

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My favorite dish of the entire festival. The beef was tender, sauce was good and the the chili mayo was super tasty. I kept trying to get back for a second one, but we never made it back. There's always next year.

Black pepper shrimp with Sichuan noodles - We forgot the picture on this one. It was just ok. The shrimp were small and they noodles were under seasoned. Here's the link: http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/china-2014-epcot-food-and-wine-festival/

Kung Fu Punch with vodka and triple sec - Neither of us cared for this drink. It had quite a bit of alcohol if that's the goal!

Poland

Kielbasa and potato pierogi with caramelized onions and sour cream

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It was good, but your typical polish sausage. It was sausage so he ate the whole thing.

Italy

Ravioli alla caprese: Cheese ravioli, tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and basil

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Chef Boyardee. Enough said.

Cannoli al cioccolato: Chocolate-covered cannoli filled with sweet ricotta, chocolate and candied fruit
Unremarkable and tasted like the kind that come in the frozen dessert assortment at Sam's Club.

I am also pretty sure I had a glass of prosecco here too. As you should know by now, I like my bubbles.

Morocco

Kefta pocket: Ground seasoned beef in a pita pocket

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You think Morocco and you think flavorful and spicy. This was neither. It was meat in a bun.

Hops & Barley

Baked lobster alfredo - Our last stop of the day and we forgot to take a pic. This was good. I ate first and thought it lacked lobster. Hubby took over and apparently it had all sunk to the bottom. Dig deep in the bowl if you are sharing!

La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay - Widely available at home and a decent Chardonnay. It paired well with the lobster.

That's all for the first half. Here's the link back to the main page: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505

 

[mgentry210]

Flying Fish Cafe is one of my favorite Disney restaurants. It was just as good this time. Keep in mind, we ate this the night after the first part of Food and Wine. I don't think either of us finished anything, but we put in a good effort.

Appetizers

Hubby chose: Flying Fish Café Crispy Crab Cake
Savory Vegetable Slaw, Roasted Red Pepper Coulis, and Ancho Chile Rémoulade
$17.00

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He says it was yummy. Lots of crab and well seasoned. Better than the crab cake at Artist Point. I had it last time we were there and liked it as well.

My choice: Mozzarella di Bufala alla Caprese
Florida Yellow Beefsteak, UgliRipe and Tiny Tomatoes, Aged Balsamico, Exotic Peppercorns, Petite Basil, and Sicilian Olio Verde
$15.00

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This is where I discovered that whomever is supplying Disney with tomatoes this time of year is going an amazing job. The tomatoes were perfectly in season. Tender, not mealy. Just really fresh and good. Spoiler: There are more tomatoes in my future this week.

Entrees

Hubby chose: Citrus and Exotic Pepper-crusted Yellowfin Tuna
Opal Basil, Fennel, Caper, Olive, Golden Raisin and Pine Nut-laced Epcot Land Pavilion Eggplant Caponata Siciliana with a Lake Meadow Naturals Poached Egg
$40.00

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He loved it! Cooked and seared perfectly. Seasoned perfectly. Best fish of the trip. If you like Tuna, you will like this.

My choice: Char-crusted Angus New York Strip Steak
Thyme-roasted Garlic Vinaigrette-laced Panzanella Salad of Local Greens, Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Cucumbers, and Pole Beans with Local Artisan Bread Croutons, and Classic Sauce Foyot

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I had this last time and loved it and it was just as good last time. I know it looks burnt with the crust, but that crust makes the steak. So good. The sauce is great too. My favorite steak of the trip.

Sides

Aged Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano Potato Gratin
$8.00
They are pictured with my steak in the picture above. They gooey, cheesy goodness. Yes, they cost extra, but they are worth every penny!

Desserts

Hubby chose: Spiced Bing Cherry and Chocolate Bread Pudding
Roasted Pecan Brittle, Sinful Chocolate Sorbet, and Sweet Kiln-dried Cherry Compote
$9.00

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He says it was chocolate and it was good. I liked it. I think the desserts are beginning to blur at this point.

My choice: Seasonal House-made Sorbets
with fresh Berries and a crisp Tuile
$7.00

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More sorbet. It was raspberry with fresh berries. Tasty and light after a long day of eating.

Cocktails

We both enjoyed a martini after the entrees and with dessert. I found another favorite cocktail! I cannot find a link to what the actual names of the martinis were, but I'll give a good description.

Mine was ruby red grapefruit flavored. Fresh grapefruit juice and vodka. Tasty and refreshing!

His was a pretty typical chocolate martini but he declared it to be delicious.

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[mgentry210]

We ate here the morning of our anniversary for several reasons. We wanted to sleep in. It was in our resort. And most important we needed to save room for Victoria and Albert's that evening.

We had the very last breakfast seating and it was dead. Only one or two calls for ketchup the entire meal. That was fine with us. Our waitress was a hoot and lots of fun without being over the top.

All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Breakfast Platter
Scrambled Eggs, Western Home Fries, Bacon, Sausage, Waffles, Buttermilk Biscuits, and Sausage Gravy
$16.49

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Better than Tusker House, but nothing special. The biscuits are good, but nothing else stands out.

It was convenient and worked for us this trip. Go for the fun, not the food.

Here is the link to the main page: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3338505