We're DOPEY to eat this much! A RunDisney DR

[StayAwake]

The Plaza

This was where I made a mistake- after scoring our Chef Mickey's reservation, I should have cancelled the Plaza for lunch. There was only 90 minutes or so between when we left Chef Mickey's and when our ADR was at the Plaza. We were so not hungry! But since we would owe $20 to skip the ADR, we thought we 'd go and see if we could find something that sounded good. Originally we thought we'd maybe just get ice cream sundaes, but it stayed cool (40s) and started raining, so something cold was the last thing we wanted.



They did grudgingly let me be seated even though Ariel was still on the bus to Magic Kingdom after I promised I could start ordering drinks for both of us. We were seated at a 2 top right by the doors to the kitchen, which wasn't a great spot considering the restaurant had just opened and was still pretty empty.



It wasn't listed on the menu except as a side that could be added, but our server did let us know that we could just order a cup of soup if that's what we wanted. So that's what Ariel did. She ordered tomato bisque.


I got hot tea and the turkey sandwich with fries, since I do not care for tomato soup.

I wish I had been hungrier- I managed half the sandwich and between the two of us we ate all the fries. They were kind enough to pack the sandwich up for me to take with us, but I just never felt like it and ended up tossing it out later that night. The sandwich was really fresh- the bread was lightly toasted and everything tasted very cool and refreshing. This would have been perfect on a warmer day. The fries were the real winner though- hot, crispy, plenty of potato. I love a thicker cut fry like these and they were just great.

With our Tables in Wonderland card, our total bill was $20.93. So we only spent $.93 more than if we'd skipped the reservation, and we did get some tasty food. Our TiW savings was $4.05 bringing our trip savings to $69.47.

The Plaza was another new restaurant for me. The food quality was very high for just a few more dollars than a counter service, so I would absolutely eat there again. Just not after a breakfast buffet.

 

[ursalita]

The Plaza looks like a great value for TS, we have to make an ADR there someday.

That's too bad about the characters at Chef Mickey's. If they only knew you were a very dedicated supporter of the runners with a cowbell and everything.

 

[Vernie822]

Love your reviews so far. I don't even like hot dogs usually, but Casey's just looks so good!

 

[StayAwake]

The Plaza looks like a great value for TS, we have to make an ADR there someday.

That's too bad about the characters at Chef Mickey's. If they only knew you were a very dedicated supporter of the runners with a cowbell and everything.

I know, right? I think I just got put into the role of photographer for both Ariel & Belle, which made the characters think that I didn't want photos for myself.

Love your reviews so far. I don't even like hot dogs usually, but Casey's just looks so good!

Thanks for joining in! I've never gotten the excitement over Casey's but now that I've tried it, I get it.

 

[StayAwake]

Tony's Town Square

I know this place gets a lot of bad reviews here on the Dis, and we probably wouldn't have eaten here except that the runners wanted to carb-load before the half marathon and we didn't want to miss out on too much Magic Kingdom time. So Tony's it was. Belle joined us for dinner, and again the CM was very gracious about adding an extra person to our ADR. Just a note for those who've never dined there- the bathroom area is tiny. There was already a line of 2 people, and we were adding another 3, so I thought I'd get smart and pop over to the City Hall bathrooms- which was a great idea until I exited to find they'd put up the parade ropes and so crossing the flagpole area became very tricky. So much for saving some time!


Lady & the Tramp were still decked out for the holidays!

I was still very chilly because the weather never warmed up that day, so when I heard that the soup of the day was butternut squash, I knew I had to order it. I am a huge fan of butternut squash soup, and this was delicious! After mine was delivered to the table, Belle asked our server if she could have a bowl also. She enjoyed it as well.



Both Ariel & I went with the cannelloni.

This was a very large portion. I felt the dish wasn't balanced very well- the cannelloni is stuffed full of meat but it got very dry inside the pasta. There was too much red sauce for the white sauce- it was as though the white sauce wasn't even there. So it wasn't as good as my favorite Italian restaurant at home, but it was warm and filling.

Belle got the Chicken Parm

She thought it was quite good. It had been the recommendation from our server.

We were too full for dessert, and the runners didn't want any before the half marathon anyway, so we settled our bill. Belle bought her own, so with just two of us on the check we saved $9.05 with Tables in Wonderland, bringing the total trip savings to $78.52.

I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again, but I didn't have the massive dislike that some people have. If I knew the butternut squash soup would be on the menu, I would eat that again any day. Otherwise it was just OK.

 

[StayAwake]

Kona Cafe

This is our traditional post-half-marathon breakfast, ever since Ariel & I ran the half marathon in 2012. This was my most difficult cheering day because I was trying to catch both Ariel & Belle on the race course, and they were no longer running together. I think I could have been OK without the Poly construction- but the walk from the Poly to the TTC was blocked off and the alternate route added 5-10 minutes, so I missed Belle both times. It wasn't 13.1 miles, but I clocked in almost 6 miles in my pursuit of the runners from EPCOT to the TTC to the road between the Poly & Shades of Green, back to the TTC, back to EPCOT, back to the TTC, and back to between the Poly & Shades of Green before breakfast.

Ariel had made it to Kona before I did, and so checked in and got seated, but forgot to ask for our favorite server Maria. We ended up at a table near her section, and she stopped by to say hello and ask how the races were going and see how we were doing. I know some people have reported uneven service at Kona- I would ask for Maria's section if she's working and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

We order the same thing every year:

Ariel has the Big Kahuna and the press pot of Kona coffee. I have the pineapple macadamia nut pancakes and POG juice. I've seen a few people comment about the pancakes on the Big Kahuna seeming ordinary- and they are. They are regular plain pancakes with pineapple and nuts sprinkled on top. If you order the pineapple macadamia nut pancakes, they are made with the nuts cooked into the batter.

The pancakes are a huge serving, and I've never been able to finish them before. This year, I did it! I guess I need to do at least 5 miles before eating here if I don't want leftovers.


This continues to be my favorite breakfast spot at WDW. We saved $6.99 with TiW, bringing our total savings to $85.51.

 

[StayAwake]

Namaste Cafe food truck

Our plan for the day had been Typhoon Lagoon, but it was closed because of the cold weather. With the full Marathon the next day, she didn't want to be trekking around a park, so Ariel headed over to the hot tub. I settled in for a lovely 3 hour nap, then thought I'd head over to Downtown Disney because I didn't know if there would be time on any of our other days. With all the construction, only the Marketplace bus stop was open. I knew I wanted to check out the food trucks, but I wasn't exactly sure where they were, so I just started wandering. Finally I found them over on the West side.





There were quite a few stand up tables, but no many other spots, so I ended up sitting on this concrete planter while eating.

I got the butter chicken with pickled vegetables and rice.

This was very good. It was spicy in the way I like- a ton of flavor but not so my mouth is on fire and I can't taste anything else. The crispy vinegary pickled veggies gave a nice bite and helped cleanse the palate. The chicken was a little dry in a few bites. The bigger downside was that it wasn't a very bit portion and it cost $9.50.

I would recommend the food trucks if you're looking for a quick bite on the go, you're already on the West Side, and you don't have a very big appetite. Otherwise you can get much more for the same or less money at Earl of Sandwich.

 

[StayAwake]

Splitsville Luxury Lanes

As I continued my meander through Downtown Disney West Side, I came to Splitsville. I'm a terrible bowler on a good day, but I'd heard they have a pretty good menu, so I made my way up to the outdoor bar area and sat down at the bar. The sun had been out and it had finally started to warm up into the low 70s. As a lover of frozen alcoholic drinks, I was immediately focused on the six or so machines that were spinning frozen alcoholic goodness- I know they had regular margarita, strawberry daquiri, mango (either margarita or daquiri), something called a gator bite which was orange and some other stuff, pina colada, and at least one more.

I started with the frozen mango concoction. I was asked small or large, and when I responded large, this was what arrived:



My server let me know that I could bring the bottle back anytime and get a refill for the small price ($10) instead of the large price ($15). If you like frozen fruity alcohol and are going to be in Downtown Disney a lot, this could be a really good investment. Sadly, we were almost at the end of our trip and so I never made it back. Another reason for a trip back!

Since I was still a little hungry, I decided to order some sushi as well.

The volcano roll. Tempura shrimp roll topped with spicy crab.

This was fantastic. Great crunch from the tempura and a nice spice to the crab without being too spicy (there was plenty of wasabi on the side for those who like to spice it up). It was a little tricky to eat with chopsticks, but overall I was really happy.

I had forgotten that Splitsville took Tables in Wonderland, but I asked, just in case, and they did! So I saved $8.00, bringing the total TiW trip savings up to $93.51

 

[ursalita]

That is a huge margarita container. I guess it keeps the frozen drink frozen for a long time. Too bad you couldn't have taken advantage of the refill a couple more times while you were there.

I would never have guessed you could get sushi that looks that good at a bowling alley. Not around here, anyway. It looks delicious!

 

[StayAwake]

That is a huge margarita container. I guess it keeps the frozen drink frozen for a long time. Too bad you couldn't have taken advantage of the refill a couple more times while you were there.

I would never have guessed you could get sushi that looks that good at a bowling alley. Not around here, anyway. It looks delicious!

Yes, I'm really looking forward to using my new frozen drink container this summer- it is actually very nice. And know I've got one more thing to pack for my next trip to WDW (Glow with the Show Ears, Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Cards, etc.)

The sushi was quite good. I am a bit spoiled in having a fantastic sushi place with an all you can eat lunch buffet not far from me that charges $15.95. It's hard for me to order sushi other places as the prices are always quite high in comparison. This was a large portion for $15.00, and it tasted great, so it was worth a vacation splurge.

 

[StayAwake]

Trattoria al Forno

We were excited to grab an ADR at this newly opened restaurant for the night before the marathon carb-load. I hadn't eaten at Kouzzina, so I can't compare the two, only give my impressions of the new place.





The entryway had a rustic feel. The wine fridges were prominently displayed in the entry area and gave something to look at while we waited for our table.


We had the longest wait of the week here, waiting about 15 minutes after our check-in time, although only about 4 minutes after our ADR time. We were brought to a two top with a great view of the kitchen, at least for Ariel. I had my back to the action, and constantly felt like I was a bit in the way as the servers went back and forth from the dining room to the pass.


We were brought some bread, as well as the little table to put it on. This did help free up space on the small table, so it was a nice idea. It was a warm foccacia, and they did bring oil to dip the bread in. It was tasty but nothing special.


No wine for Ariel before the big race, so I ordered a Quarto of a nice Pino Grigio. I appreciated the glass and a half serving size for much less than 2 glasses would have been. There were a number of wines that came in this option, which is great if not everyone is a wine drinker.


We split the Caprese salad as an appetizer. The fresh mozzerella was delighful, and the yellow tomatoes added nice flavor with a twist from a regular red tomato.


I ordered the tagletelli carbonara. This was a giant disappointment. Our server mentioned that almost all the pasta is gluten free, so I don't know if that's what the problem was, but this was more like chewy cardboard than homemade pasta noodles. The sauce was way too salty and had almost no other flavor. Except when I made myself cry by biting into an almost whole peppercorn that was hidden underneath a bite of pasta. I was bummed. I did eat more than half of it before giving up, and did give my feedback to the server- stressing that I wasn't expecting anything off the bill because I did eat it, but for the feedback to please be given to the kitchen.


Ariel ordered the lasagna based on the server's recommendation and she liked it quite a lot. I should have learned my lesson from this, but instead allowed my dessert order to be swayed by the dishes I saw going by.


I'm a sucker for anything with hazelnuts in it, so I ordered the Piedmont Hazelnut Chocolate Cake with oranges. This had a strange texture, more like a banana bread than a cake. And it just wasn't very good tasting. Ariel had 1 bite, I had two and ate the oranges and gave up.

The restaurant hadn't even been open for a month, so I hope they will settle in. But with so many other great Italian restaurants in Disney, I don't think I'll be putting this one on my repeat-visit list for quite a while.

With Tables in Wonderland we saved $13.49, bringing our total trip savings up to $107.00.

 

[StayAwake]

First Breakfast

Knowing marathon day was going to be a long day, I started off the day with a plan to eat like a hobbit. First breakfast was a collection of food that had been gathered over a series of days and made it back to the room.


Banana from Chef Mickey's, School Bread from Norway in EPCOT, and applesauce pouch out of the runner's snack box that Ariel wasn't going to eat.

Eat your schoolbread fresh. It does not improve over several days. I should have known better.

Second Breakfast: Fairfax Faire at DHS


Bacon, egg & cheese english muffin sandwich and yogurt.

The yogurt was good, although I prefer the Dannon Oikos that was available at some places. The breakfast sandwich wasn't good. You could still taste the powder the eggs were made of, the bacon had no flavor, and the muffin was barely warmed. I should have just eaten a cupcake at Starring Rolls or grabbed another carrot cake cookie. But after having been to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and DHS and cheered on Ariel at all three places before 10 am, I thought some protein would be helpful, as I waited for Belle to make her way through DHS.

 

[StayAwake]

Pizza Planet

After cheering in the rain for a good 45 minutes because runner tracking was overloaded so I wasn't sure what time Belle would make it through, I finally saw her on the Streets of America. She came over and gave me a big hug. I told her that I knew she could do it, and I knew she was hurting but she couldn't give up now. We hugged again and she was off towards the finish line. (Spoiler: She did finish ) Since it was now around noon and I hadn't eaten in 2 whole hours, I decided to add another new restaurant to my list and popped into Pizza Planet.

There was hardly any line to order, but it took forever to get the food. I don't know if DHS was just off that day, because I had the same problem at Fairfax Faire earlier in the morning. Once I finally got my food, I headed outside since it had stopped raining.


I got the Meat Lovers pizza which came with a side salad. The salad greens were nice and fresh, and there was a good amount of dressing and cheese. This was the highlight.

I'd never eaten "Disney" pizza before- I don't think Via Napoli counts- so I was interested to see what everyone was talking about. The pizza had a visible amount of oil on it, so I had to blot it. A lot. The meats were flavorful, and the sauce and cheese were fine. The crust was very dense and chewy. I ended up leaving all my crusts behind as they were just too much for me.

I'm glad that I checked this one off the list, because I don't think I'll ever come back. There are too many other places to try.

 

[vettegirl]

Enjoying your reviews

 

[Adgie128]

Popping in to say how much I am enjoying your reviews. Looking forward to more!

 

[Disnut4925]

Your reviews are great! Hope you have time to finish your report

 

[DnA2010]

Great reviews so far!