We took Granny to eat at Disney, and we are full! UPDTED 11/18 Coral Reef

[Chelley00]

We just returned from a 10 night stay at Disney, staying at the Poly and using the regular DDP. I love reading other dining reviews, so I wanted to make sure we did a review of our experiences as well.

Who we are:

Granny - 50 something. Her first trip to Disney (her first vacation anywhere!) She's not a huge daredevil when it comes to food. Not a fan of seafood but will eat fish. She was impressed with the portions ("everything they serve is HUGE") and the availability of more than just "theme park cheeseburgers and fries" for counter services.

DD8. She's my salad loving, veggie eating, seafood devouring girl. She was upset she once again had to order off the kids menu because I wouldn't upgrade her. She can't wait to go back when she can order as an "adult"

DS5. He will try a tiny piece of everything, but has very definite tastes of what he will and will not finish.

Neither of my kids are terribly picky for the most part, but they do have their moments.

And me. 30 something. I'm not a truely adventerous eater, but I will try quite a bit. I have my favorites, and tend to order those things on each trip

Most mornings we started out eating breakfast either in our room or on the patio of our room. I ordered groceries from Garden Grocer for the second time and love that it's delivered before we arrive. I ordered muffins, donuts, breakfast bars, OJ, milk, apple juice boxes, bottled water and individual cereal boxes.


I will be reviewing, with pictures:

Captain Cooks at the Poly Completed

Yak & Yeti Counter Service Completed
Ohana dinner Completed

Columbia Harbor House Completed
Crystal Palace dinner Completed
Main Street Bakery snacks Completed

Akershus breakfast Completed
France bakery snacks
Coral Reef dinner Completed

Starring Rolls
50's Prime Time Diner

Crystal Palace breakfast
Columbia Harbor House (again)
Chef Mickey's dinner

Cosmic Rays
Pinnochio's Village Haus
Captain Cook's at the Poly

Hollywood and Vine Play N Dine breakfast
Sci Fi Drive In

Sunshine Seasons
Garden Grill

Earl of Sandwich
Goofy's Candy Company

 

[MickeyNicki]

I'm in!

 

[kylieh]

 

[Adrienne]

me too

 

[20thingamabobs]

Ooh can't wait to read your Dining Report too! I've been wanting some info on a lot of these places!

 

[Chelley00]

I'm in!

me too

Ooh can't wait to read your Dining Report too! I've been wanting some info on a lot of these places!

Yay! Hope you enjoy!




October 15th

We arrived at the Poly around 8pm after driving since 9am that morning. We had snacked enough after lunch on the road to be able to hold the kids off until we reached WDW. We checked in, dumped off our bags and walked to Captain Cooks for a late dinner.

I had left my camera in the room, so I took these with my phone. Please excuse the quality.

We found Captain Cooks ordering to be easy. You walk up to a touch screen, enter your order, then grab sides and drinks and pay, get a pager, and wait at your table. Our only problem was that we did have to wait a bit to get a screen to order.

Mom and I both ordered the grown up grilled cheese and chips. The chips were good. The sandwich was okay. Mom and I neither finished it. I had iced tea and pineapple, Mom asked for a salad for her dessert and was given the okay to do that, and she grabbed a Pepsi. Someone next to us had the pork sandwich and it looked good.

DD had a cheeseburger (unusual for her), grapes and pudding. DS had a turkey and cheese sandwich, applesauce and pudding. They both ate everything on their plates.

We didn't go back to Captain Cooks again. Not just for lack of time, but for lack of options that appealed to us. Ordering was crowded as was the condiment area, but there were plenty of places to sit.

 

[Chelley00]

Sorry! I forgot to resize the second picture!!!

 

[butiflfeet]

Great start! I can't wait for more!

 

[lblume91]

Hello fellow Hoosier!! Where are you from? We live about 15 minutes north of Evansville. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to your reviews!!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Joining in...

 

[disneyloveNY]

Joining

 

[Chelley00]

Great start! I can't wait for more!

Thank you!

Hello fellow Hoosier!! Where are you from? We live about 15 minutes north of Evansville. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to your reviews!!

We are just outside of Indy

Joining in...

Oct 16th was our Animal Kingdom day. My mom was with us for half the day, and then her best friend from high school who lives near Orlando picked her up and they went off to spend the day together. It was just the kiddos and I for lunch. We ALWAYS eat at Flame Tree. Honestly, we have NEVER eaten at another counter service there. I love the BBQ chicken salad there.

However, we decided to be brave, and this day we decided to try something new. Lunchtime found us back near Yak & Yeti.

DD ordered chicken nuggets, carrots and apple slices. She was sad there wasn't an Asian offering for kids, because she loves Japanese and Chinese food. I asked if she could have a side of honey or orange sauce to put on her chicken and was told no because it was an adult meal credit. You can see in the picture how dry her nuggets are

DS had a cheeseburger, carrots and apples. He took 2 bites of the cheeseburger and said it was too cold. You can see in the picture the cheese isn't even melted.

I ordered the honey chicken, a lemonade and chocolate cake. I was disappointed in the chicken. There was a little sauce drizzled on a couple of pieces of the chicken, but the rest were plain chicken nuggets like DD had. The rice and veggies at the bottom were good, but the whole thing needed just a little sauce. The chicken with the sauce was good, but the rest was just dry crispy chicken nuggets. You can see in the picture where they drizzled sauce on one side and nowhere else.

However, you have to love the chocolate cake! It's good cake for being a mass produced dessert. The kids and I split that, and then left disappointed in our lunch.

This made me really nervous for our dinner, as it had so many bad reviews. I was really thinking we were going to bed hungry and was already planning how to feed the kids dinner on snack credits *after our dinner reservation*

Coming up next: Did dinner at Ohana live up to it's recent bad reviews??

 

[nessz79]

I'm in!

 

[Chelley00]

I'm in!

We had originally scheduled Whispering Canyon for this night, but on the October ADR Cancelled thread, someone had canceled an Ohana for the same time. We had never eaten at Ohana, and since we were staying at the Poly, I quickly booked the Ohana and canceled the Whispering Canyon.

Then I read more reviews, and almost everyone seemed to hate Ohana. This made me very nervous, and after our bad luck at Yak & Yeti at lunch, I was even more nervous. But, the thought of just eating dinner and then walking to our room for the evening made it so appealing.

My mom was still out with her friend from high school, so this meal is just the kids and I.

We arrived about 15 minutes early, and the lobby area was packed. I was already on edge and having read about long waits, I had decided we would only wait 30 minutes after our ADR, and then we would leave. I wasn't waiting too long with grouchy hungry kids for mediocre food.

I was so surprised when our pager buzzed within a few minutes of sitting down, and we were seated early!

The hostess stopped to pick up the bread and show us dessert (to make sure we saved room) We were seated at a table by the window

with a view of the firepit

The pineapple coconut bread. I know a lot of people like it, but for me, it was a little too sweet for an appetizer bread. We were saving room, so we didn't really eat much.

The salad with honey lime dressing. So good. Riley ate almost half the bowl, and Owen even tried a few bites (and he hates salad) We have made the dressing at home twice since we've been back

Quickly, the food started to arrive. I had asked our waiter to keep us on a slow pace since I was eating alone with kids (who adore shrimp and I knew Owen would need help peeling) However, it must not have been relayed to his assistant, because the food began to arrive at a frantic pace, even when the kids left for the limbo and hula lessons.

Dipping sauces first. Peanut, sweet and sour and teriyaki. We finished the peanut sauce.

Chicken Wings. I think they said honey coriander? Riley and Owen enjoyed these. I tried one and the flavor was good, but I'm not a chicken wing fan

Dumplings. The kids and I ate all of these

and a brief break in the action to finally get my drink. The Lapu Lapu. Very good.

This when it gets crazy, and the pictures slow down to stop. They are throwing food on our plates left and right, I'm peeling shrimp for Owen and for me, dipping noodles etc and it was just too hectic to enjoy.

However, that is my only complaint. The noodles were great, the kids actually ate a piece of broccoli or two each. The shrimp was really good, chicked and beef were great. Our pork arrived a little cold, but at that point the kids were so overwhelmed I don't think they even tried it. Everything else was hot. The beef was not chewy as I had read in some reports. Our waiter made sure the kids cups were refilled frequently.

I did snap one picture of my plate with shrimp, noodles and something else on it.

Finally, dessert. The bread pudding was as good as everyone says it was. They brought the kids ice cream with Mickey sprinkles, but they were much happier sharing the bread pudding.

Other than everything coming out WAY too fast, and the cold pork, we had a great meal. I was so pleased and the kids really enjoyed themselves and we stuffed ourselves silly.

However, there was one major issue we had.

The entertainer.

It was bad. She was so cheesy and drug out all her words. "Can you say LUUUUUUVVVV. Ohana also means "LUUUUUVVVVVV" All the kids were rolling their eyes and you could see the parents snickering about her. It was like a bad episode of Sesame Street. It was annoying, especially how they broadcast her over the sound system in the entire restaurant. "Shaka maraccas" over and over. Ugh. The kids went up for the limbo and the hula lessons, and they came back laughing saying she talked to everyone like they were babies. This from a 5 year old! But, the did like learning the hula

We'd love to return, especially if they change performers. I was so glad this meal turned out so well, and was one of our favorites.

 

[mstmp]

Count me in!
I am so on the fence about O'hana - not sure to go there or Kona. I know my son would have a ton of fun doing the limbo and hula. Do you know if they offer white rice at all? My husband would not like the noodles. So I am trying to decide - if the beef and shrimp are great then he probably will not even care about what starch there is.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Looking forward to your report! We are staying at Poly for the 1st time I totally agree about the lady at O'hanas! They had a great gentleman our first year there, but I believe she's been there every year since. We aren't going back for dinner this trip.

 

[Chelley00]

I am so on the fence about O'hana if the beef and shrimp are great then he probably will not even care about what starch there is.

The shrimp was really good. I peeled a ton of them just for Owen

I totally agree about the lady at O'hanas! They had a great gentleman our first year there, but I believe she's been there every year since. We aren't going back for dinner this trip.

I thought there was a lady there after the guy, and that lady left as well, and this is lady #2? Either way, she was so cheesey awful.




The next morning we had breakfast on our patio, consisting of Garden Grocer delivered donuts, muffins, juice and milk. It was just a nice way to start the day.

My mom stayed behind to head out with her best friend again (beach day for them) and the kids and I headed to Magic Kingdom. We almost always eat lunch at Columbia Harbor House.

I had left my camera in the room (I NEVER am without my camera...it was awful, but I didn't realize it until we were already in the MK. I called Mom who shoved it in the safe, and I just used my phone camera for the morning, so please excuse the quality of the pictures!)

DS ordered macaroni and cheese, served with carrots and grapes.

DD ordered PB&J with carrots and grapes. Surprised me as she usually gets the salad with chicken.

I always get the Anchors Away sandwich. It comes with chips as the side, and I ordered the apple cobbler dessert. I love the fact that it's a light, non-greasy lunch, especially when it's hot outside. The bread was fresh and the apple dessert is really good (the kids ate more than half of it for me...wasn't that nice of them!)

We always sit upstairs to try and get a view of the Haunted Mansion, and we sit and people watch. Sometimes we count crying babies coming out of the mansion


Coming up next: Dinner at Crystal Palace before MNSSHP

 

[klacey1]

Joining in!! Really enjoying so far!

 

[Chelley00]

Joining in!! Really enjoying so far!

Thank you!



After a quick nap, the kids and I headed out to MNSSHP, arriving right at 4:00. Mom was trying to make it back for MNSSHP, but was busy beach bumming on her last day with her best friend, and they didn't quite make it back in time. Once again, it was just the kids and I for dinner at Crystal Palace at 4:30. This is one we do every trip, sometimes breakfast, sometimes dinner. We've never had a bad experience here, and we can always find something to fill us up. Plus, who doesn't love Pooh and Friends?

We were seated immediately, and more than half of the people in the restaurant had on Halloween costumes, making for a fun and festive atmosphere. We had a great waitress (I need to dig out our receipts for names!) and one of the CMs came over to pin trade with the kids....DS's first trade!

I have really random pictures of plates for some reason
Here's one of DD's. I know it's her because only she would eat mussels!

This is one of DS. Can I just say how much I love that he put broccoli on his plate!

Now, I have to explain some of my plates going forward. I have some major stomach and digestive issues, especially when my autoimmune disorder flares. On this day of our trip, I knew I wasn't feeling great, and unfortunately I do slide downhill a little and a couple of rough days on our trip. When this happens, I eat a lot of comfort food and a lot of carbs, if I eat at all (and take a lot of medicines) I can get very ill, but thankfully, it didn't happen. So my plate from Crystal Palace looks a little weak

The corn spoonbread is always so good. I was bummed my favorite dish wasn't out, the Asiago Basil Chicken Pasta. I have the recipe that I make at home frequently, but theirs is so much better! The chicken nugget was actually really good, and I'm not a fan of chicken nuggets.

We had really good, although somewhat quick, character interaction. The kids didn't care as they were in a hurry to go ride rides before the party started

DS fruit plate and ice cream with Halloween sprinkles for desset. He thought the sprinkles were the best thing ever

Now, I wasn't feeling great, but I wasn't about to pass up dessert. Caramel flan, key lime pie and apple crisp. I ate some of the flan and a couple bites of everything else. DS finished the crisp and DD ate the key lime pie.

And a quick picture of the kids with Tigger. DD was dressed as a Disney Animal Kingdom Zookeeper, and DS as a Cars Pit Crew Member.

Once again, we really have no complaints about Crystal Palace at all. Food, service and characters were all good. We do return later in our trip for breakfast with my mom (since she was missing dinner) and I'll review that later!