It's hard to believe that we have been home from Disney for a month already. Time has absolutely flown by. While we were at Disney I had told myself I would come home and write a review for each table service restaurant we ate at as soon as I could so that I would remember the specific details of the meal. Well, with my Grandmother passing away while we were at Disney World, then heading straight to Iowa for the funeral seven hours after returning home, it was a little crazy around here. So, today starts the first of ten reviews over the coming weeks, and I can only hope I remember the details I tried to focus on while we were there :)
Our first meal of the trip was at Portobello in Downtown Disney. We had reservations at 6:30 as we knew we would be driving all day long and were hoping for a nice, relaxing way to kick off our vacation. We had never eaten here, but it had always been high on my list as a new one I wanted to try. This was the first year it was available on the dining plan, so we happily booked this one 180 days before our trip and anxiously looked forward to it all summer long. I only wish the meal itself had lived up to the hype I had created inside my head!
It started off pretty promising. Since we started our trip a little earlier than we had planned, we arrived in Disney around 2:00 pm. Our room was ready at All Star Sports so we were able to get moved in and settled by 3:30. We decided to head on over to Downtown Disney and see if we could get an earlier seating. By the time we got there, it was about 4:30 and there were only a few guests in the restaurant. It was looking good to us. After explaining our situation to the hostess, she said that she could seat us then, and that she would be with us in a moment. We stood in the lobby with another family for what seemed like 10 minutes. I did not time it, but it definitely was a while. She finally came back and took both of our families to our tables. Once we were there we sat, and sat, and sat waiting for our server. Finally, our server arrived and took our drink orders. Then we waited a long time again for them to be brought to us. Finally we placed our order and sat back to enjoy the meal. A few minutes into our wait, they sat a very large family at the table to next to us. The table was so close that we literally had to get up and move our table over into the aisle as they were continually hitting my arm with every little move they made. The bad part was that the restaurant still wasn't that crowded at that time so they could have seated them anywhere in the restaurant. However, we fixed the problem and were ready for our meals.
While we were waiting they brought us a basket of bread. I am a huge bread eater so I was thrilled! However, I was quickly disappointed. One of the breads had a very odd taste to it, and the other was so hard I could barely cut it to spread butter on it. Next came our entrees. I had settled on the Chicken Farfalle (snow peas, asparagus, tomatoes, and parmigiano cream sauce) and my husband had the Ravioli Gigante (handcrafted ricotta and spinach filled pasta, tomato, basil, and toasted garlic). Truthfully, I can't remember what my daughter had, but I am guessing it was pizza as that was her main meal every day. My husband really enjoyed the taste of the ravioli, but the sauce was super thin. It was like a broth. This may be authentic Italian, but he just didn't like the consistency of it. However, he did enjoy the taste as did my daughter who kept stealing bites of it. I wish I could say the same about my Farfalle. I think it would have been really good if I had ordered it without the snow peas. I personally like snow peas, but apparently not on my pasta. The taste was so strong, that I could taste it in every bite I had, whether I actually ate a snow pea or not. It was very garden tasting (I know that is a weird description, but I don't know any other way to express this taste). I only ate about half the meal, and was really looking forward to dessert.
The dessert was not that great either. I actually had to look at the website to see the dessert options to remember what I ate. I had the Fragole con Saba e Caramello. Although it sounds really fancy, it was just berry sorbet with marinated strawberries. By berry sorbet they mean the strongest raspberry flavored sorbet you can imagine with super soggy overcooked strawberries. I guess it was a little too fancy for me. Just give me plain ice cream please :). My husband had the Chocolate Paradis, which was Rich chocolate layer cake, chocolate ganache and toffee crunch. He was actually pretty happy with his, though it wasn't the best cake he's ever had. He is a dessert person, but he probably wouldn't go back just for the dessert alone. My daughter loved her dessert. It was a create your own sundae. They brought her ice cream, chocolate sauce, mickey sprinkles, and whipped cream (all in separate bowls) and she was able to mix to her hearts content. She was in heaven.
As soon as we ordered our dessert, we said that we were also ready for our check. We had been there a long time, and were ready to head to Disney Quest for some fun before collapsing in our hotel. However, even after taking our time eating our dessert, we were still waiting on our check. My husband finally had to go looking for someone to get our server so that we could get our check and go. I don't know if our server had too many tables, or was just forgetful, but we had to ask multiple times for refills and various items throughout our meal. Slow would be an understatement to describe our meal.
So, would I go back? Maybe. The food wasn't the greatest, and the service was far from good, but maybe they were having an off night. I definitely would not pay out of pocket for this meal. Our bill came to over $80 for the three of us, and that was just entree, colas, and dessert for each of us. Nothing special. If I had the dining plan (for free) again, and needed one more meal to fill the week I might would try it again in a few years. It is definitely at the bottom of my list though. With so many wonderful restaurants at Disney World, I would definitely choose several others over Portobello!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Travel Tip Tuesday
Another short and sweet one. You're welcome :) As I prepare for my wonderful trip in less than two weeks, I have a million things running through my mind. I also have a list a mile long of things I still need to do, so I am going to give an easy tip today.
Did you know that you can call T-Rex directly for dining reservations? There are a few made available via the Disney World website, but the majority of their reservations are taken directly through the restaurant itself. The phone number is 407-828-TREX (8739). So, if you have a little one who has their heart set on eating there, call the restaurant directly if the website shows no availability. Chances are very good that you can get a seating at the time you want!
On a side note, if you have ever thought about eating here, I highly recommend it. Especially now that the restaurant is on the Disney Dining Plan. We have eaten here many many times and my daughter (who is almost 9) absolutely loves it. It is a little loud, but the fun factor definitely makes up for the noise in my opinion!
Did you know that you can call T-Rex directly for dining reservations? There are a few made available via the Disney World website, but the majority of their reservations are taken directly through the restaurant itself. The phone number is 407-828-TREX (8739). So, if you have a little one who has their heart set on eating there, call the restaurant directly if the website shows no availability. Chances are very good that you can get a seating at the time you want!
On a side note, if you have ever thought about eating here, I highly recommend it. Especially now that the restaurant is on the Disney Dining Plan. We have eaten here many many times and my daughter (who is almost 9) absolutely loves it. It is a little loud, but the fun factor definitely makes up for the noise in my opinion!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Travel Tip Tuesday
Here is a really quick tip. The check in time for Disney resorts is 3:00 pm. However, you should definitely check with the front desk if you arrive in the area early as we have gotten lucky several times and were able to get into our room as early as noon. You can check in at any time during the day, but your room may not be available. If you want to hit the parks as soon as you arrive in Orlando, check with your hotel whenever you arrive. If your room isn't available, you can leave your bags with the baggage area and they will hold them until you return from the parks. We have been lucky enough to have them delivered to our room before, but that doesn't always happen. At least you know your bags are being safely taken care of while you are playing in the parks!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Maximizing the Dining Plan...Part 2
Finally, I have found five minutes to write my follow up to Maximizing the Dining Plan that I started probably a month ago! When are we going to get that extra hour in our day? I keep losing hours out of my days :)
So, you have made the decision to get the dining plan for your Disney World vacation. Maybe you were lucky enough to get it for free and it doesn't really matter where you eat (what a nice treat). However, if you had to pay for the plan and want to figure out how to make the most of it, here are a few tips. My first post talked about the sit down meals, but here are a few tips for quick service. Hope they help!
First of all, make sure you order every item that comes with the plan. For quick service meals, each person gets one entree, one drink, and one dessert. As a side note, most restaurants have combo meals where you also get a side with your entree. One exception to this is the turkey legs. They do not come with anything else, so you will only get the leg, a drink and a dessert. When you order, make sure you get a drink and dessert, even if you don't want it at the time. If you are eating at the hotel and can use your refillable mug for coffee or a soft drink, get a bottled drink and stick it in your bag for later (remember you can always get a free cup of ice at a counter service location so you can have a refreshing drink later if you don't want it with your meal). If you don't want the dessert and the restaurant doesn't have a cookie or rice krispy treat you can stick in your bag for later, see if they will let you have a bag of grapes or carrots instead. Disney is all about healthy eating so they will often let you substitute something from the healthy kids selections as a dessert. Not all will, but it doesn't hurt to ask. This makes a great snack later! Also, always ask for a large size drink. You can get either a medium or large size with the plan, and if you don't specify, they will give you a medium with your meal.
Most plans offer enough credits for two meals a day (either one table service and one quick service on the Regular Dining Plan, or two quick service meals on the Quick Service Plan). So, what do you do for the other meal? Bring your own breakfast! You get the most value money wise out of a quick service meal at lunch and dinner. These meals simply cost more. Besides, it is a whole lot cheaper to bring donuts, or bagels, pop tarts, and bread to toast in the food court than it is to pack your own sandwiches for lunch or dinner. We only use a quick service meal at breakfast when we have extra meals.
How do you get extra meals if you only are allotted enough for two a day? We share meals in a few of the restaurants where the food portions are extra large. I have written a separate blog on this in the past, but a few of the ones we share at are Yak and Yeti counter service in Animal Kingdom (sweet and sour chicken and rice), Pizza Planet at Hollywood Studios (pizza with a salad), Cosmic Rays at Magic Kingdom (BBQ chicken and rib plate) and Sunshine Seasons at Epcot (cashew chicken and rice). Sometimes we get one adult meal and one child meal, or just two adult meals. The quick service credits are lumped into one big pot, and are not broken down into a set amount of child and adult meals. Some counter service restaurants do not offer a kids meal, so they have to order off of the adult menu. We don't share every meal, but usually do two or three over the course of ten days. This allows us to get two or three meals at breakfast to break up our monotony of donuts and bagels!
So, there you have it. A few suggestions for making the most of the counter service meals. If you always order a dessert and a large drink, you will maximize your money. Also, instead of wasting food you are too stuffed to eat, get something to save for a snack later in the day. Then you can save your snack credit for a super yummy snack instead of a drink...maybe a Butterfinger cupcake at Starring Rolls in Hollywood Studios, a homemade ice cream sandwich or cinnamon roll at the Main Street Bakery in Magic Kingdom, or a truly unique treat from one of the countries of World Showcase at Epcot!
So, you have made the decision to get the dining plan for your Disney World vacation. Maybe you were lucky enough to get it for free and it doesn't really matter where you eat (what a nice treat). However, if you had to pay for the plan and want to figure out how to make the most of it, here are a few tips. My first post talked about the sit down meals, but here are a few tips for quick service. Hope they help!
First of all, make sure you order every item that comes with the plan. For quick service meals, each person gets one entree, one drink, and one dessert. As a side note, most restaurants have combo meals where you also get a side with your entree. One exception to this is the turkey legs. They do not come with anything else, so you will only get the leg, a drink and a dessert. When you order, make sure you get a drink and dessert, even if you don't want it at the time. If you are eating at the hotel and can use your refillable mug for coffee or a soft drink, get a bottled drink and stick it in your bag for later (remember you can always get a free cup of ice at a counter service location so you can have a refreshing drink later if you don't want it with your meal). If you don't want the dessert and the restaurant doesn't have a cookie or rice krispy treat you can stick in your bag for later, see if they will let you have a bag of grapes or carrots instead. Disney is all about healthy eating so they will often let you substitute something from the healthy kids selections as a dessert. Not all will, but it doesn't hurt to ask. This makes a great snack later! Also, always ask for a large size drink. You can get either a medium or large size with the plan, and if you don't specify, they will give you a medium with your meal.
Most plans offer enough credits for two meals a day (either one table service and one quick service on the Regular Dining Plan, or two quick service meals on the Quick Service Plan). So, what do you do for the other meal? Bring your own breakfast! You get the most value money wise out of a quick service meal at lunch and dinner. These meals simply cost more. Besides, it is a whole lot cheaper to bring donuts, or bagels, pop tarts, and bread to toast in the food court than it is to pack your own sandwiches for lunch or dinner. We only use a quick service meal at breakfast when we have extra meals.
How do you get extra meals if you only are allotted enough for two a day? We share meals in a few of the restaurants where the food portions are extra large. I have written a separate blog on this in the past, but a few of the ones we share at are Yak and Yeti counter service in Animal Kingdom (sweet and sour chicken and rice), Pizza Planet at Hollywood Studios (pizza with a salad), Cosmic Rays at Magic Kingdom (BBQ chicken and rib plate) and Sunshine Seasons at Epcot (cashew chicken and rice). Sometimes we get one adult meal and one child meal, or just two adult meals. The quick service credits are lumped into one big pot, and are not broken down into a set amount of child and adult meals. Some counter service restaurants do not offer a kids meal, so they have to order off of the adult menu. We don't share every meal, but usually do two or three over the course of ten days. This allows us to get two or three meals at breakfast to break up our monotony of donuts and bagels!
So, there you have it. A few suggestions for making the most of the counter service meals. If you always order a dessert and a large drink, you will maximize your money. Also, instead of wasting food you are too stuffed to eat, get something to save for a snack later in the day. Then you can save your snack credit for a super yummy snack instead of a drink...maybe a Butterfinger cupcake at Starring Rolls in Hollywood Studios, a homemade ice cream sandwich or cinnamon roll at the Main Street Bakery in Magic Kingdom, or a truly unique treat from one of the countries of World Showcase at Epcot!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Travel Tip Tuesday
I stink at keeping up! Now that school is back in, this will be better! Anyway, today's travel tip is for all of you have someone with food allergies in your family. If someone has an allergy, or special diet that they must follow, then Disney is the vacation to take with your family. All of the chefs at Disney are wonderful and trained to deal with a plethora of dietary restrictions. Many of the menus already include vegan options, while some even have gluten free or sugar free options as well. If you don't see something on the menu that you feel comfortable with, or if your food needs to be created in a nut free zone, they can probably accomodate you. All you have to do is ask to speak to the chef and tell them you have food allergies. The chef will come to your table and work with you to create a meal that your special eater can fully enjoy.
On a side note though, Disney takes food allergies very very seriously. If you have a slight one and want to chance eating what is on the menu, don't mention the word allergy around your server. Case is point, my daughter has a slight milk allergy. In her case, her face breaks out after she is exposed to a lot of dairy. Seeing as my daughter lives on pizza and Mac and cheese at Disney, this often happens towards the end of our trip. She doesn't get sick, doesn't go into anaphylactic shock, and the spots don't bother her. They are just blemishes on her face. I have the same issue if I drink too much milk. So, a few years ago we were eating at the super expensive Cinderella castle as her special birthday meal. This was a big deal to her. As we were going over the menu and she was saying she wanted macaroni and cheese, I asked my husband if we should let her have it since she had spots on her face. The waiter walked up just as I mentioned the milk allergy. He said he would get the chef, even though I was not talking to him. I told him not to worry about it, it wasn't a big deal. He insisted that he had to get him since I "mentioned the word allergy". The chef comes out and refuses to allow her to have the macaroni. He then spent at least ten minutes at our table trying to come up with something my super picky then five year old would eat. We finally settled on plain pasta with sauce on the side. When it was time for dessert, he again said no to the birthday cupcake as it has a small amount of milk in it. I tried to explain that her allergy is not affected by milk baked into objects, only pure milk or dairy products and that she could have the cupcake. He still refused, but sent out some sorbet that I told him she wouldn't eat. My daughter was devastated and wanted the cupcake, but he wouldn't give in. While I completely understand that he was doing his job and trying to keep an allergy reaction from occurring, I wish he would have stopped when I told him about how the reaction is limited to straight dairy. At least let her have the cupcake! It was a very emotionally draining meal, and definitely not worth the price that night (we have eaten there before and totally loved it though so this was an isolated incident strictly linked to the allergy issue). I will never mention the word allergy again at Disney in regards to my daughter's milk allergy.
I told the story not to bash Disney or that Chef, but to illustrate the extreme seriousness the Chefs have in regard to food allergies. Just keep it in mind if you have someone with a milder allergy!
On a side note though, Disney takes food allergies very very seriously. If you have a slight one and want to chance eating what is on the menu, don't mention the word allergy around your server. Case is point, my daughter has a slight milk allergy. In her case, her face breaks out after she is exposed to a lot of dairy. Seeing as my daughter lives on pizza and Mac and cheese at Disney, this often happens towards the end of our trip. She doesn't get sick, doesn't go into anaphylactic shock, and the spots don't bother her. They are just blemishes on her face. I have the same issue if I drink too much milk. So, a few years ago we were eating at the super expensive Cinderella castle as her special birthday meal. This was a big deal to her. As we were going over the menu and she was saying she wanted macaroni and cheese, I asked my husband if we should let her have it since she had spots on her face. The waiter walked up just as I mentioned the milk allergy. He said he would get the chef, even though I was not talking to him. I told him not to worry about it, it wasn't a big deal. He insisted that he had to get him since I "mentioned the word allergy". The chef comes out and refuses to allow her to have the macaroni. He then spent at least ten minutes at our table trying to come up with something my super picky then five year old would eat. We finally settled on plain pasta with sauce on the side. When it was time for dessert, he again said no to the birthday cupcake as it has a small amount of milk in it. I tried to explain that her allergy is not affected by milk baked into objects, only pure milk or dairy products and that she could have the cupcake. He still refused, but sent out some sorbet that I told him she wouldn't eat. My daughter was devastated and wanted the cupcake, but he wouldn't give in. While I completely understand that he was doing his job and trying to keep an allergy reaction from occurring, I wish he would have stopped when I told him about how the reaction is limited to straight dairy. At least let her have the cupcake! It was a very emotionally draining meal, and definitely not worth the price that night (we have eaten there before and totally loved it though so this was an isolated incident strictly linked to the allergy issue). I will never mention the word allergy again at Disney in regards to my daughter's milk allergy.
I told the story not to bash Disney or that Chef, but to illustrate the extreme seriousness the Chefs have in regard to food allergies. Just keep it in mind if you have someone with a milder allergy!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Maximizing the Dining Plan Part One
I have written several posts on the dining plan in the past. By now it is probably obvious that I am only a fan of the plan if you get it for free (or if your family really enjoys having a sit down meal every day). We have been very lucky to get it for free almost every trip so I definitely wouldn't turn it down, but I also did not pay to add it to the last two trips we took to the World. Why? Truthfully, the amount of food you have to eat on it to make it worth the money is way too much for our family. I have kept our receipts for the last few years when we had free dining and it was about a wash with the price for the plan. I added up every penny we spent on snacks, counter service meals, and dinner and compared it to the price we would have paid to add the dining plan to our stay. Every time we came out almost even. In other words, we wouldn't have saved any money by adding the plan. In fact, we probably would have spent more because there were many times we were eating food we wouldn't have purchased out of pocket (mainly desserts). We were "forced" to get a dessert at every meal, and truth be told, we don't often spend money on desserts. I am not saying we didn't enjoy eating them, but very often we left food on our plates because it was way too much. I have written posts in the past about how we stretch the dining plan and share meals which allows us a few extra meals, plus it eliminates excessive waste of food. Even taking that into consideration though, we still wouldn't come out ahead as we would share those meals anyway if we were paying out of pocket.
Whether or not you pay for the plan, or if you are lucky enough to get it for free, I have a few tips for maximizing the plan to get the most value out of it. My husband always makes it his personal challenge to get the most expensive food and dessert at each restaurant so that he can make the most of the plan. So, based on his "research" I have a few tips.
Part one: Maximizing the Dining Plan Using Sit Down Meal Credits
First of all, I am not a big fan of using the dining plan on signature restaurants (these take two dining entitlements) or in room pizza delivery. I would rather have two sit down meals instead of one that takes two credits, and truthfully, I can get two pizzas at Pizza Hut for $20, and even if I have them delivered and pay a delivery fee it is cheaper than wasting a sit down meal credit. We have had Giordano's delivered to Pop Century before when we didn't have access to a car so I know that there are restaurants that deliver if you just don't want to go out. There are so many amazing restaurants to choose from on property so why do I want to waste a sit down meal on a pizza that is made at the food court (and really isn't that good)? As for the signature restaurants, I just don't feel like you can get your money's worth for two credits. Now, I must admit that I have done this once. A few years ago my princess wanted to eat inside the castle so we did use two credits a piece for this meal. While this did include gratuity (not usual for dining plan anymore) and a photo package with Cinderella, I probably wouldn't do it again unless she really begged. I would rather eat with Cinderella at 1900 Park Fare where the atmosphere is more relaxed, and the food is much much better.
Secondly, I wouldn't do breakfast unless it is something that your family really enjoys. You get much more food at lunch or dinner, and you aren't wasting a credit on bacon and eggs. We have had breakfast at a few sit downs now, and I walked away every time feeling like I just spent my life fortune on pancakes and waffles. None of the food was any different than what I could make at home (with the exception of maybe a casserole or two). Since our family isn't really into eating big breakfasts, we would rather have cereal or bagels at the hotel and save our meals for later. We had quick service for free last year and my daughter begged to eat at Chef Mickey's on her birthday. After looking at the prices, we decided to try their breakfast since it was considerably cheaper than dinner. Since we were paying out of pocket, we wanted to eat as cheap as possible. So, we took the plunge and tried it. After waiting in line to take our picture and get seated, we were starving by the time we were taken to our table. However, Mickey Mouse was really close to our table so we waited to see him. Then we raced to the buffet and filled our plates. By the time we got back, Goofy was one table away, so we spent the next few minutes getting ready for autographs and pictures. By the time he left and we started eating, our food was getting cold (as breakfast foods often do). So we ate a little then went to get more, only to come back to Minnie Mouse heading our way. So the cycle started again. By the time we had seen all of the characters it was an hour later and I had only eaten a few Mickey waffles, some scrambled eggs, some potato casserole and a muffin. I felt full as I was utterly exhausted, so we paid our bill and left. Our meal cost us $90 out of pocket by the time we paid for three buffets and left a tip. I really did not feel like the three of us had eaten $90 worth of food, and truthfully that is almost my whole grocery budget for a week. If we had eaten there for dinner as we usually do, we would have eaten a lot more food and I would have felt like I had gotten better value for my money since I would have had fresh carved beef, or ham, and lots of other goodies. I guess I just have a hard time spending so much on breakfast food that is really pretty cheap to make. Even if we had used a dining entitlement for our breakfast, and we had gotten the dining plan for free, I would have walked away from that meal feeling like I just threw money out the window. I am not saying we won't do breakfast again on the dining plan, but it will definitely only be when we get the plan for free. I am sure doing one or two breakfasts wouldn't be a big deal, but if you want to get your money's worth from the plan, breakfast is not your best value.
Finally, there are certain restaurants to avoid to get the best value out of your plan. The in room pizza delivery is number one on my list. Second choice would be The Plaza restaurant in Magic Kingdom. The prices are super cheap here, and the atmosphere is pretty laid back. The prices really aren't much higher than those at counter service locations, so you just can't get a good deal if you are on the plan. Now if you want a cheap sit down meal to pay out of pocket, then this is an awesome place to go. I would also avoid most of the sit down restaurants at the moderate resorts. These are geared towards the guests at those resorts, so again the prices are pretty affordable. Not only are the prices cheap, but the atmosphere is pretty laid back and simple (for example, Shutters at Caribbean Beach is open in the morning as extra seating for resort guests eating in the food court). The food may be good at these restaurants, but it is far from fancy and the value is not there if you are using the plan. One final restaurant that stands out as a low value for the plan is Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club. Here you will get burgers or sandwiches, and the desserts on the plan aren't as great as I would hope. you get a simple sundae or other small ice cream treat. I would rather go here for dessert only and enjoy a Banana Split or Kitchen Sink sundae out of pocket. Most other restaurants on property are going to be a decent value. If you are looking for a few that will give you your money's worth I suggest O'Hana, Teppan Edo, Portobello, Wolfgang Puck (lower dining room), T-Rex, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Boma or a Character Buffet for dinner (1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, Akershus, or Crystal Palace). These are all pricier options with either big portions, yummy desserts, or a great atmosphere. I would put all of these at the top of my must do list for all newbies to the plan.
In the coming days (hopefully) I will post my tips for maximizing the plan with quick service options.
Whether or not you pay for the plan, or if you are lucky enough to get it for free, I have a few tips for maximizing the plan to get the most value out of it. My husband always makes it his personal challenge to get the most expensive food and dessert at each restaurant so that he can make the most of the plan. So, based on his "research" I have a few tips.
Part one: Maximizing the Dining Plan Using Sit Down Meal Credits
First of all, I am not a big fan of using the dining plan on signature restaurants (these take two dining entitlements) or in room pizza delivery. I would rather have two sit down meals instead of one that takes two credits, and truthfully, I can get two pizzas at Pizza Hut for $20, and even if I have them delivered and pay a delivery fee it is cheaper than wasting a sit down meal credit. We have had Giordano's delivered to Pop Century before when we didn't have access to a car so I know that there are restaurants that deliver if you just don't want to go out. There are so many amazing restaurants to choose from on property so why do I want to waste a sit down meal on a pizza that is made at the food court (and really isn't that good)? As for the signature restaurants, I just don't feel like you can get your money's worth for two credits. Now, I must admit that I have done this once. A few years ago my princess wanted to eat inside the castle so we did use two credits a piece for this meal. While this did include gratuity (not usual for dining plan anymore) and a photo package with Cinderella, I probably wouldn't do it again unless she really begged. I would rather eat with Cinderella at 1900 Park Fare where the atmosphere is more relaxed, and the food is much much better.
Secondly, I wouldn't do breakfast unless it is something that your family really enjoys. You get much more food at lunch or dinner, and you aren't wasting a credit on bacon and eggs. We have had breakfast at a few sit downs now, and I walked away every time feeling like I just spent my life fortune on pancakes and waffles. None of the food was any different than what I could make at home (with the exception of maybe a casserole or two). Since our family isn't really into eating big breakfasts, we would rather have cereal or bagels at the hotel and save our meals for later. We had quick service for free last year and my daughter begged to eat at Chef Mickey's on her birthday. After looking at the prices, we decided to try their breakfast since it was considerably cheaper than dinner. Since we were paying out of pocket, we wanted to eat as cheap as possible. So, we took the plunge and tried it. After waiting in line to take our picture and get seated, we were starving by the time we were taken to our table. However, Mickey Mouse was really close to our table so we waited to see him. Then we raced to the buffet and filled our plates. By the time we got back, Goofy was one table away, so we spent the next few minutes getting ready for autographs and pictures. By the time he left and we started eating, our food was getting cold (as breakfast foods often do). So we ate a little then went to get more, only to come back to Minnie Mouse heading our way. So the cycle started again. By the time we had seen all of the characters it was an hour later and I had only eaten a few Mickey waffles, some scrambled eggs, some potato casserole and a muffin. I felt full as I was utterly exhausted, so we paid our bill and left. Our meal cost us $90 out of pocket by the time we paid for three buffets and left a tip. I really did not feel like the three of us had eaten $90 worth of food, and truthfully that is almost my whole grocery budget for a week. If we had eaten there for dinner as we usually do, we would have eaten a lot more food and I would have felt like I had gotten better value for my money since I would have had fresh carved beef, or ham, and lots of other goodies. I guess I just have a hard time spending so much on breakfast food that is really pretty cheap to make. Even if we had used a dining entitlement for our breakfast, and we had gotten the dining plan for free, I would have walked away from that meal feeling like I just threw money out the window. I am not saying we won't do breakfast again on the dining plan, but it will definitely only be when we get the plan for free. I am sure doing one or two breakfasts wouldn't be a big deal, but if you want to get your money's worth from the plan, breakfast is not your best value.
Finally, there are certain restaurants to avoid to get the best value out of your plan. The in room pizza delivery is number one on my list. Second choice would be The Plaza restaurant in Magic Kingdom. The prices are super cheap here, and the atmosphere is pretty laid back. The prices really aren't much higher than those at counter service locations, so you just can't get a good deal if you are on the plan. Now if you want a cheap sit down meal to pay out of pocket, then this is an awesome place to go. I would also avoid most of the sit down restaurants at the moderate resorts. These are geared towards the guests at those resorts, so again the prices are pretty affordable. Not only are the prices cheap, but the atmosphere is pretty laid back and simple (for example, Shutters at Caribbean Beach is open in the morning as extra seating for resort guests eating in the food court). The food may be good at these restaurants, but it is far from fancy and the value is not there if you are using the plan. One final restaurant that stands out as a low value for the plan is Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club. Here you will get burgers or sandwiches, and the desserts on the plan aren't as great as I would hope. you get a simple sundae or other small ice cream treat. I would rather go here for dessert only and enjoy a Banana Split or Kitchen Sink sundae out of pocket. Most other restaurants on property are going to be a decent value. If you are looking for a few that will give you your money's worth I suggest O'Hana, Teppan Edo, Portobello, Wolfgang Puck (lower dining room), T-Rex, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Boma or a Character Buffet for dinner (1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, Akershus, or Crystal Palace). These are all pricier options with either big portions, yummy desserts, or a great atmosphere. I would put all of these at the top of my must do list for all newbies to the plan.
In the coming days (hopefully) I will post my tips for maximizing the plan with quick service options.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Our sit down choices for our upcoming Disney trip
It is hard to believe, but it has already been three months since I woke up at the crack of dawn to make my dining reservations. On the flip side of that, it is even harder to believe that we are only three months out from our exciting trip to Disney World. If the next three months pass even half as quickly as the last three, I will be sitting on the new Dumbo before I even know it and eagerly anticipating that nights yummy meal. As I was re-writing my itinerary for the upteenth time it hit me that it has been a while since I posted on sit down restaurants (or really since I had posted at all thanks to summer and traveling). So, I thought I would share the list of restaurants we chose for our upcoming meal, and why we chose them. Hopefully it will help someone else who is planning a trip.
Before I list them, let me give you a little background on our travel party so some of my choices may make a little more sense :) It is myself, my husband, and our eight year old daughter (who will celebrate her ninth birthday while we are there). We are going for ten nights, and were able to snag the free dining promotion for our entire trip. Since we are staying at a value resort, we are getting the quick service plan for free (two counter service meals and one snack per day, per person). We chose to upgrade to the regular dining plan though which is an additional $36.31 per day total for all three of us. The regular dining plan includes one snack, one counter service, and one sit down meal, per day, per person. We have done the quick service plan for the entire 10 days and found ourselves getting really tired of the hamburgers, pizzas, and wraps by the end of our trip. Thus the reason for the upgrade :). This trip we also get the pleasure of my Aunt and Cousin joining us for four nights at the end of our trip, so that played a part in deciding which restaurants we chose as well. So, that is the background, and now I will get to the choices!
Day 1
We have a reservation at Portobello at Downtown Disney. I chose a time after 6:00 as I don't anticipate us staying late at the parks that day after driving late into the night to get there the night before. I have always wanted to try Portobello as our family really enjoys Italian meals, but in the past they have not been on the dining plan. Since this is the first year they are on the plan, I figured we had better try it in case they change their mind next year :). We also really enjoy trying new restaurants while we are at Disney, so this one was a perfect fit.
Day 2
We have dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. I cannot believe I finally talked my hubby into trying this one. I have been trying for years, but he always fights me. To give a little background, this restaurant is set with a 1950s theme and the waitresses are all supposed to be like your Mom...telling you to eat your vegetables. Well, seeing as most meals come with veggies, and my hubby has a gag reflex with most things green, it has never appealed to him. Add that to the fact that most of the menu is homecooked "favorites" (meatloaf, fried chicken, potpie, etc) which we don't eat a lot of, and you can see why it hasn't been high on our list. However, I know several people who love this restaurant and make it a must do every trip. Crossing my fingers that this one works out for us, and my hubby doesn't spend the evening in the corner for not eating his veggies.
Day 3
We have dinner with the Princesses at Akershus in Norway at Epcot. This is another one that took a lot of convincing for my hubby to book. We have eaten here three different times, and every time he swears we will never do it again. However, my daughter begged for it. After realizing that our little girl is very quickly growing up and will soon think she is too cool to eat with the Princesses, he relented and said he would give it one more try. A quick note, the food here is Norweigen for lunch and dinner for adults, but pretty normal American fare for the kids.
Day 4
We have dinner at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. Surprisingly, this is one of only three character meals this trip (this really makes me sad). This is an all you can eat buffet inside the park with Winnie the Pooh characters. We have eaten here before, but it was my daughter's first trip and she was only 22 months old. To say that she was terrified of the characters would be a gross understatement. She spent the entire meal under the table and her Daddy and I had to hold up napkins around her so she couldn't see the characters in order for her to eat. I am definitely ready to try this one again, and hopefully have a little less stressful meal!
Day 5
We have dinner at Les Chefs de France at Epcot. This is one that my hubby has been wanting to try for a while now. I am not usually an adventurous eater so I have resisted as long as I could. However, since he is letting my do 50's Prime Time, I really didn't have much choice :) Plus, Remy (from Ratatouille) visits the dining room on a meal cart most nights for dinner and interacts with the diners. I am looking forward to that the most! Crossing my fingers that this one works out for us as well.
Day 6
We have dinner at Captains Grille at the Yacht Club resort. This is another new one for us. I really like crab legs, and my hubby really likes crab cakes so we are hoping to enjoy a tasty seafood treat that night. Most of the restaurants that we wanted to try for seafood took two meal credits, and this was one of the few that took only one. By default, this one was the choice for the evening. Since we will be spending the day at Animal Kingdom and the water parks, and they both close at 5:00, it was the perfect day to eat at a resort for dinner.
Day 7
We have lunch at Sci Fi Dine In at Hollywood Studios. This is one of my daughter's favorite restaurants. What child wouldn't enjoy eating their dinner inside of a parked car while they watch clips from old movies on the big screen as if they were at a drive in movie? This is the first day our extra special guests will be with us, so I wanted something affordable for them since they probably won't be on the dining plan. Also, we are going to get Giordano's pizza that night, so we didn't want a super big and heavy lunch :)
Day 8
We have dinner at Teppan Edo at Epcot. This is a Hibachi steak house with the best food and cooking show of any Hibachi restaurant I know. We have only eaten here once, but I can already taste that super tender steak hot off the grill! I am not sure if my extended family will be eating this meal with us or not since it is pretty pricey, but I have a second reservation just in case that I will cancel as the trip gets closer and we are more sure of their plans. This is one meal that I don't want to miss so I made a reservation in my Aunt's name just to be safe!
Day 9
We have dinner at Paradiso 37 at Downtown Disney. This will be another new restaurant for us. This is the first year on the Dining plan for it as well, so I definitely wanted to give it a shot. It too is somewhat affordable since it has burgers and sandwiches on the menu, so I figured it was a good one to try with the family visiting as well. This restaurant has kind of a Mexican/American mixed menu that looks super yummy. I can't wait to try it!
Day 10
We have dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, and her step sisters at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian resort. We have done this one almost every single trip for the last few years. This will be my daughter's actual birthday, so she got to choose dinner for that night. This meal is an all you can eat buffet, and the prime rib here is always super tasty, along with the strawberry soup. With the characters and the yummy food, this is one of my favorites as well.
So, there you have it. Those are our choices for this year. I am still in shock that we aren't going to Chef Mickey's or Whispering Canyon, but I know that we will love the ones we chose in their place. Off the top of my head I can't think of any restaurants on property that I just refuse to ever eat at again. I definitely have my favorites, but all the restaurants are very yummy and we always walk away with a smile on our face. I can't wait to try our new choices this year and see if our streak of good luck with restaurants continues!
Before I list them, let me give you a little background on our travel party so some of my choices may make a little more sense :) It is myself, my husband, and our eight year old daughter (who will celebrate her ninth birthday while we are there). We are going for ten nights, and were able to snag the free dining promotion for our entire trip. Since we are staying at a value resort, we are getting the quick service plan for free (two counter service meals and one snack per day, per person). We chose to upgrade to the regular dining plan though which is an additional $36.31 per day total for all three of us. The regular dining plan includes one snack, one counter service, and one sit down meal, per day, per person. We have done the quick service plan for the entire 10 days and found ourselves getting really tired of the hamburgers, pizzas, and wraps by the end of our trip. Thus the reason for the upgrade :). This trip we also get the pleasure of my Aunt and Cousin joining us for four nights at the end of our trip, so that played a part in deciding which restaurants we chose as well. So, that is the background, and now I will get to the choices!
Day 1
We have a reservation at Portobello at Downtown Disney. I chose a time after 6:00 as I don't anticipate us staying late at the parks that day after driving late into the night to get there the night before. I have always wanted to try Portobello as our family really enjoys Italian meals, but in the past they have not been on the dining plan. Since this is the first year they are on the plan, I figured we had better try it in case they change their mind next year :). We also really enjoy trying new restaurants while we are at Disney, so this one was a perfect fit.
Day 2
We have dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. I cannot believe I finally talked my hubby into trying this one. I have been trying for years, but he always fights me. To give a little background, this restaurant is set with a 1950s theme and the waitresses are all supposed to be like your Mom...telling you to eat your vegetables. Well, seeing as most meals come with veggies, and my hubby has a gag reflex with most things green, it has never appealed to him. Add that to the fact that most of the menu is homecooked "favorites" (meatloaf, fried chicken, potpie, etc) which we don't eat a lot of, and you can see why it hasn't been high on our list. However, I know several people who love this restaurant and make it a must do every trip. Crossing my fingers that this one works out for us, and my hubby doesn't spend the evening in the corner for not eating his veggies.
Day 3
We have dinner with the Princesses at Akershus in Norway at Epcot. This is another one that took a lot of convincing for my hubby to book. We have eaten here three different times, and every time he swears we will never do it again. However, my daughter begged for it. After realizing that our little girl is very quickly growing up and will soon think she is too cool to eat with the Princesses, he relented and said he would give it one more try. A quick note, the food here is Norweigen for lunch and dinner for adults, but pretty normal American fare for the kids.
Day 4
We have dinner at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. Surprisingly, this is one of only three character meals this trip (this really makes me sad). This is an all you can eat buffet inside the park with Winnie the Pooh characters. We have eaten here before, but it was my daughter's first trip and she was only 22 months old. To say that she was terrified of the characters would be a gross understatement. She spent the entire meal under the table and her Daddy and I had to hold up napkins around her so she couldn't see the characters in order for her to eat. I am definitely ready to try this one again, and hopefully have a little less stressful meal!
Day 5
We have dinner at Les Chefs de France at Epcot. This is one that my hubby has been wanting to try for a while now. I am not usually an adventurous eater so I have resisted as long as I could. However, since he is letting my do 50's Prime Time, I really didn't have much choice :) Plus, Remy (from Ratatouille) visits the dining room on a meal cart most nights for dinner and interacts with the diners. I am looking forward to that the most! Crossing my fingers that this one works out for us as well.
Day 6
We have dinner at Captains Grille at the Yacht Club resort. This is another new one for us. I really like crab legs, and my hubby really likes crab cakes so we are hoping to enjoy a tasty seafood treat that night. Most of the restaurants that we wanted to try for seafood took two meal credits, and this was one of the few that took only one. By default, this one was the choice for the evening. Since we will be spending the day at Animal Kingdom and the water parks, and they both close at 5:00, it was the perfect day to eat at a resort for dinner.
Day 7
We have lunch at Sci Fi Dine In at Hollywood Studios. This is one of my daughter's favorite restaurants. What child wouldn't enjoy eating their dinner inside of a parked car while they watch clips from old movies on the big screen as if they were at a drive in movie? This is the first day our extra special guests will be with us, so I wanted something affordable for them since they probably won't be on the dining plan. Also, we are going to get Giordano's pizza that night, so we didn't want a super big and heavy lunch :)
Day 8
We have dinner at Teppan Edo at Epcot. This is a Hibachi steak house with the best food and cooking show of any Hibachi restaurant I know. We have only eaten here once, but I can already taste that super tender steak hot off the grill! I am not sure if my extended family will be eating this meal with us or not since it is pretty pricey, but I have a second reservation just in case that I will cancel as the trip gets closer and we are more sure of their plans. This is one meal that I don't want to miss so I made a reservation in my Aunt's name just to be safe!
Day 9
We have dinner at Paradiso 37 at Downtown Disney. This will be another new restaurant for us. This is the first year on the Dining plan for it as well, so I definitely wanted to give it a shot. It too is somewhat affordable since it has burgers and sandwiches on the menu, so I figured it was a good one to try with the family visiting as well. This restaurant has kind of a Mexican/American mixed menu that looks super yummy. I can't wait to try it!
Day 10
We have dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, and her step sisters at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian resort. We have done this one almost every single trip for the last few years. This will be my daughter's actual birthday, so she got to choose dinner for that night. This meal is an all you can eat buffet, and the prime rib here is always super tasty, along with the strawberry soup. With the characters and the yummy food, this is one of my favorites as well.
So, there you have it. Those are our choices for this year. I am still in shock that we aren't going to Chef Mickey's or Whispering Canyon, but I know that we will love the ones we chose in their place. Off the top of my head I can't think of any restaurants on property that I just refuse to ever eat at again. I definitely have my favorites, but all the restaurants are very yummy and we always walk away with a smile on our face. I can't wait to try our new choices this year and see if our streak of good luck with restaurants continues!
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