11 Days of Deluxe Dining,BOG and LOTS of SIGS! Completed

[sweeteypie1118]

It was a dark and gloomy day. No, actually it was the most perfectly beautiful day which made it that much worse that this would be our last day in Disney We got up super early, took care of everything we needed to at the resort for gulp....checkout, and made it over to GF for an 8AM breakfast. This was our first time at GFC. I have really been looking forward to eating here. The dining room looks so inviting and relaxing.

AmericanTwo Eggs served with Bacon, Sausage, Biscuits, Breakfast Potatoes, and a choice of Juice

This is what my son got. He is not a pancake, waffle, or french toast eater which really bummed me out last year on our mother and son trip. We had breakfast at Kona Cafe and I wanted to try the pineapple pancakes AND the tonga toast. He wouldn't order either one and got an omelet... the stinker I can't really say much about it. I mean, it's your basic breakfast type platter. He enjoyed it.

Vanilla-laced French ToastBrioche Bread dipped in our Vanilla-flavored Batter served with Bacon or Sausage

This was my choice. Actually, I couldn't decide between this and the citrus pancakes since before we even left NY Luckily, DH was deciding between the same two, so we agreed to share both. It doesn't look like much in the picture, but wow, this was yummy!! It was neither too dry, nor too soggy. It had a nice crispness on the outside. You could really taste the vanilla in this. I loved it!!

Citrus Pancakes - Roasted pecan and sun dried cranberry pancakes served with house made orange butter

This was also delicious. The pancakes were light and fluffy and had a generous amount of cranberries and pecans. The yummy orange butter and fresh fruit on top was a wonderful addition. It worked out perfectly because I liked the french toast a bit better and DH liked the pancakes better. I still had planty of both though I would definitely come back here. Good food, and a relaxing atmosphere = a great way to start the day!

Next up....Kona Cafe for our final meal in Disney and lots more snacks

 

[CaliBear]

"It was a dark and gloomy day." Great reviews!

 

[kstgelais4]

I just caught myself up with your reviews! Fabulous! Dh and I are planning our first trip without the kids next Jan. and we will have the DxDP. Your reviews were so helpful to me!

 

[Tracerr00]

I would love to go to GFC for breakfast! I've only read good reviews. I will have to go with someone that would also like to share the french toast and the pancakes. I'll be doing afternoon tea there next month though which I'm really excited about!

Can't wait to see your Kona and snacks reviews!

 

[sweeteypie1118]

I would love to go to GFC for breakfast! I've only read good reviews. I will have to go with someone that would also like to share the french toast and the pancakes. I'll be doing afternoon tea there next month though which I'm really excited about!

Can't wait to see your Kona and snacks reviews!

You cant go wrong with either choice, I really enjoyed GFC! Such a nice way to start the day. Lovely atmosphere. OOOhhhh...I would love to do the tea. I definitely have nobody to go to that with!

 

[sweeteypie1118]

Our last meal in Disney This was going to hurt no matter what, but it was made worse by the fact that we had a perfect perfect morning in Magic Kingdom after our Grand Floridian breakfast. The weather was spectacular, the holiday crowds thinned. My son was off playing sorcerers of the MK. I had seen and rode everything I had wanted, so this was going to be a morning where I took it slow, appreciated the beauty of MK and stopped to "smell the roses" I started by doing something I had never done in all my times in Disney....I rode the horse drawn trolley down main street. I can't believe I never did this before! It was such fun. It really did have such a magical feel. I don't know if it was the serene feeling from making the decision to just take it all in and not rush down main street to a ride or see something else, but I felt great!
After that, I walked around and did whatever appealed to me at the time. No plan. Visited some shops, bought lots of goodies to use up the last of my snack credits, watched the trolley show which I had never seen either, rode a few rides, but mostly just appreciatd the beautiful day.

Ok...on to the food!! This was our first time at Kona Cafe for anything besides breakfast and I was very much looking forward to it. We were seated immediately. Our server was so friendly and attentive. She chatted with us a lot because it hadn't gotten busy yet.

Sticky Wings - Glazed chicken wings with a tangy mustard drizzle and toasted sesame seeds

These were quite tasty. This was the 3rd time we had chicken wings during our trip, We had them at 'Ohana, and Yak & Yeti also. Yak & Yeti was my favorite, but these were a very respectable second. Sorry to knock 'Ohana but they were very rubbery and not exactly hot when we were there. These had a very nice sauce. Not as crispy a Yak&Yeti, but not rubbery. The chicken inside was nice and moist. I also liked the little salad that came with them.

Pot Stickers - Wok seared duck dumplings with a creamy ginger-soy sauce

OMG....were these delicious!!! I wish I had 2 orders of these. We inhaled them!! These were amazing...the meat inside was juicy and flavorful. The sauce was fantastic. I liked these so much more than 'Ohana which I found to be way too crunchy on the outside and kind of dry inside. Sorry again to knock 'Ohana. I know it is a favorite on the boards. Maybe we were there on an off night. It was our first time there, so have nothing else to compare it to, but we found Kona Cafe's food to be much better.

Grilled Beef Satay - Skewers of marinated Grilled Beef, served with Bulgogi Sauce

This was another winner. The meat was nice and tender and had a great flavor. The sauce had a nice kick to it and also very flavorful. Still, the dumplings wre my favorite!

Big Island BBQ pork taco - Pulled pork slow cooked in housemade BBQ sauce with tomatoe salsa and jalapeno lime sour cream. served in a house made shell with pasta salad and smokey bacon slaw

My son and I both ordered this. It was pretty darn good. My son confiscated my pasta salad because he polished his off pretty fast. I was saving room for dessert, so I didn't finish both tacos. My only complaint about this which is really terrible and embarrasing, but I wish the shell was crisper and dare I say....greasy!! It tasted a little too healthy

Polynesian Plate Lunch - Pan fried chicken with coconut mango sauce served with sticky rice and macaroni salad

DH got this. I'm glad he did because I was very curious about it. I don't usually order chicken dishes because they rarely thrill me. This was AWESOME! The outside had such a fantastic crispness. It wasn't a heavy breading. It was light and crisp. Inside was what I think is the moistest, most tender chicken I have ever tasted! The sauce was delicious. I would definitely get this for myself the next time I came here.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Lemon Grass and Caramel Sauces

This was DH's choice and a very good one at that. The cake was really good. Not dry at all.

Kona Kone

This was my son's dessert. He was ecstatically happy with it. I can't even imagine how much sugar is involved in this dessert! There was a ton of chocolate candy under the cotton candy.

Banana-Chocolate Crème Brûlée with a Chocolate Spiral

I already knew this was going to be the dessert I would get. I love banana desserts. This was sooo good!! So creamy and delicious and look....there is a banana on the side...fruit...it must be healthy!

This is a place we will absolutely return to. I recommend it highly...especially to those bummed about not being able to get an ADR for 'Ohana. The food is great and you still get to enjoy looking around the Polynesian resort.

Next up...snacks, snacks, and more...snacks

 

[partyof2]

So sad that your DR is almost at an end!

You have done a wonderful job; your pictures and descriptions have been perfect. I have to commend your DS on his adventurous eating, I have been very impressed.

 

[sweeteypie1118]

So sad that your DR is almost at an end!

You have done a wonderful job; your pictures and descriptions have been perfect. I have to commend your DS on his adventurous eating, I have been very impressed.

Thanks so much! I'm happy you enjoyd them What a nice thing to say about my son Yes, he is quite adventurous...except with dessert! He even eats things that I wont eat...calamari, RABBIT!! He's definitely a foodie. He loves reading the posts here and looking at the menus and pics

 

[disnmooner2013]

Thanks so much! I'm happy you enjoyd them What a nice thing to say about my son Yes, he is quite adventurous...except with dessert! He even eats things that I wont eat...calamari, RABBIT!! He's definitely a foodie. He loves reading the posts here and looking at the menus and pics

Your son is learning well. You can never be too young to appreciate good food and be a Disney fanatic.

 

[Leigha]

I've really enjoyed this! When can we see Snacks Part 2??

 

[DLFan123]

I'm glad your last day was such a good one. I love that too-lingering on Main Street and taking it all in when you don't need to make a mad dash to Space Mountain or to grab a FP somewhere.

 

[sweeteypie1118]

I've really enjoyed this! When can we see Snacks Part 2??

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I took a little break from the boards. I will finish it up this week

 

[sweeteypie1118]

Ham and Cheese Sandwich from Mainstreet Bakery

I ran around MK on the last day using up whatever credits we had left before having to go back to WL to catch the ME. I never leave Disney without using every single credit! I bought this to take with us to the airport. As you can see it is loaded with ham! It was quite good and made a substantial snack to share while waiting to board our flight.

Mozzarella and Tomato Sandwich

This one was pretty good, not great. I expected more flavor from it.

Carrot Cake Cupcake from Roaring Forks

We got this and ate it outside after returning from the parks one night. I wasn't extremely hungry ( I never was since we were on the Deluxe Plan) but damnit, it was on my list of things to try, so I sucked it up and got one The cake was quite moist and flavorful. I really enjoyed the icing too. It wasn't overly sweet and had a real cream cheese flavor.

Magic Cookie Bar

This was also on my must try list. It was SWEET!! Granted, with what is in there, how can it not be? I took a bite here and there over the next few days. I think its definitely something best shared and eaten in small quantities.

Mickey Ice Cream Bar

In all my trips to Disney, I had never had a Mickey ice cream bar. Shocking, I know!! I finally corrected this serious oversite on Thanksgiving day in AK while waiting for the parade to start. There was a few tables right by the ropes of the parade route which was right next to a cart selling these babies. If that wasn't a sign that I was meant to have it...... There's just something special about a Mickey shaped ice cream eaten at the park. Well, it was just special! Creamy, yummy, and refreshing.

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Pretzel

Another on my must try for the first time while at AK was this baby. Not a great pic...sorry. I got this while waiting for my son to ride Kali River Rapids. I wasn't in the mood to get wet. I really enjoyed this. It was hot and fresh tasting. A nice amount of filling. Spicy, but not too spicy. Unfortunately, it must not have been a long line for the ride, because I was only half done before my son finished the ride, stole my other half and got back on line to ride again

Peanut Butter Brownie Sandwish from EoS

Another on my must try list was the brownie sandwich from Earl of Sandwich. I talk about my "list" a lot lol. This wasn't some mental list of things I may or may not remember to have. This was a serious typed out list people! Things I needed to try, where to find them and when

I could not wait to try this after reading about it so much here. I live in NY and even went into the EOS in Manhattan before my trip to score one, but they didnt have them!! It was after a Broadway show I saw with my son. We came out, and it was pouring, but I walked 10 blocks out of our way to find this. Boy, was I disappointed and WET!!! Sooo, I had to wait for our Disney trip to finally get my hands on one. It was love at first bite! It was sooo good. The brownie was very moist and chocolatey. What can make a great brownie even better? Peanut butter...that's what! I had this baby all to myself because DH hates pb and my son is not a big fan of any cake like desserts.

I also bought one with the white frosting but wasn't in love with it like the pb one. I thought the white frosting was too sweet. Peanut butter is the way to go!

Starring Rolls Red Velvet Cupcake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake

We had skipped breakfast this morning, so after our obligatory mad dash to Toy Story Mania after rope drop, we headed over to SR. I had the red velvet cupcake last year, but wanted it AGAIN, and also wanted to try the peanut butter cupcake. Now, my dilemna was that my son doesn't eat cake, and DH somehow had it in his crazy head that cupcakes are not breakfast food and bought himself a danish! Again, he also hates pb, so I was on my own with this. I knew at least half of these would end up in the trash because I wasn't toting the leftovers around with me and we had lunch reservations at the Brown Derby, so there was really no other time to eat them, but I got them anyway!

The red velvet was as good as I remembered from last year. Nice and moist, yummy cream cheese frosting, and toffee and that blob of cheesecake on top to send it over the edge. I had a few bites of it before moving on to try the pb cupcake. I had not had the peanut butter one, but it was on my infamous list, so I had to get it. I was a little disappointed in this one. I only had a few small bites. I love pb and chocolate together, but this was sugar overload. I couldnt taste the peanut butter over the sugar! I moved back for a few more bites of the red velvet before chucking the rest. I felt bad about wasting so much food..even if it was junk food

 

[sweeteypie1118]

LeFou's Brew

First on my list was to get my picture taken with Gaston , second was trying LeFou's Brew. My son was off on his own, so he didn't get to try it. I think he would have liked it. I split this with DH before getting in line for the Haunted Mansion. This would be more refreshing on a really hot day. It was tasty, but very sweet.

Chocolate PB Rice Krispy Mickey

I got this for my son, but had to have some too. Yummy

Writer's Stop Carrot Cake Cookie

Always one of my Disney must haves. I love this! Nicely moist, great flavor, and yummy cream cheese filling.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

I used a lot of credits in Writer's Stop. Everything looked so good! We shared bites of everything and kept the rest to bring back to the room. The cookie was loaded with big chocolate chunks. YUMMY!

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie

Another favorite of mine. Lots of macadamie nute and big chunks of white chocolate.

Ummm....some kind of toffee cookie?

LOL...I dont remember exactly what this was called, but I liked it!

Apple Cinnamon Muffin

This was DH's. Something about cookies not being breakfast food...blah, blah Its all flour, eggs, and sugar, I dont see the difference if it is in muffin or cookie form, or danish, or cupcake form!

Well, that's it for the pics folks. Two other snacks I had that didn't get pics of was the PB&J shake from 50's...always delicious, and the pumpkin funnel cake in MK after the Candlelight Processional. I didn't love the pumpkin one and I really thought I would. It came out rather dark, and drier than regular funnel cake. Could also have been that I was still stuffed from dinner, and was trying to cram it in my bloated gut while hoofing it to the reserved area for Illuminations! What?...it was my last opportunity to try it!!

Overall, a wonderful trip with some amazing food. I don't think I would do deluxe again because it was simply too much food to fully enjoy without being disgusted with myself, but hey, I got to try all the signature restaurants that I had wanted, so it was still worth it to me. Well, that and because we upgraded from free regular dining I hope you all enjoyed reliving our meals with us. Thanks for reading

 

[Avery&Todd]

FABULOUS Dining TR!!!!!

You guys ate at some of our favorite places and some places that I need to now put on OUR "must do" dining list for next year's trip!!!

Cant wait to read your next TR after the next trip!!

 

[sweeteypie1118]

My son is already asking when that will be! Glad you liked the report Curious which restaurants it made you want to try

 

[Avery&Todd]

My son is already asking when that will be! Glad you liked the report Curious which restaurants it made you want to try

We have never been Narcoossees but my boys (and DH) love a good lobster!! so that might HAVE to be on our list....

and YM was a FAVORITE of ours from the last trip..along with Via Napoli and LTT...and Y&Y (those wings are the best, right???)

but then again, my youngest was just telling me last night that we need to make sure we go back to the "fish place at the Boardwalk"..aka Flying Fish - he really enjoyed their potato wrapped fish for dinner and the muscles for an appetizer!!

and we've never eaten at Kona.... and ...I know, I know...but my boys just LOVE 'Ohana for b'fast and dinner...but that may change if I show my youngest pics of the Tonga Toast....

and we've never eaten at the Brown Derby..we LOVE LOVE LOVE 50's PT, and just cant seem to stay away from that place!! We ate there for 2 lunches on our last trip....

we've been 3 times and always had the DxDP - we always travel in June and my DH thinks that by lunchtime he's ready to sit inside in the cold a/c and have many glasses of something cold to drink brought to him while he re-charges....even if we dont eat all the food served to us, he likes that we have 3 times a day to come together as a family, and sit and regroup...

this last time we changed it up a little and did some TS breakfasts, and then some "shared" lunches and then Signature dinners..and that worked out well for us..but there are some TS lunches, that we just cant give up - like Y&Y....

I know that some folks say that 3 TS meals a day is a lot of food and a lot of time to take away from the parks but our boys are older (11 and almost 14) and can "keep going" after dinner so our night can be longer...and we dont feel that for us the time spent enjoying these meals is taking away from the parks..

and my boys LOVE that they can order whatever they want off the menus even if they're never had it before - b/c in my eyes, I've already paid for it, so why not just try it! and with 4 of us eating, we get 4 appetizers to share so if you dont like yours, you can have some of mine!! My boys learned to LOVE muscles and scallops and fish (other than salmon) on our last Disney trip!!

(now that I've talked your ear off......)

 

[sweeteypie1118]

We have never been Narcoossees but my boys (and DH) love a good lobster!! so that might HAVE to be on our list....

and YM was a FAVORITE of ours from the last trip..along with Via Napoli and LTT...and Y&Y (those wings are the best, right???)

but then again, my youngest was just telling me last night that we need to make sure we go back to the "fish place at the Boardwalk"..aka Flying Fish - he really enjoyed their potato wrapped fish for dinner and the muscles for an appetizer!!

and we've never eaten at Kona.... and ...I know, I know...but my boys just LOVE 'Ohana for b'fast and dinner...but that may change if I show my youngest pics of the Tonga Toast....

and we've never eaten at the Brown Derby..we LOVE LOVE LOVE 50's PT, and just cant seem to stay away from that place!! We ate there for 2 lunches on our last trip....

we've been 3 times and always had the DxDP - we always travel in June and my DH thinks that by lunchtime he's ready to sit inside in the cold a/c and have many glasses of something cold to drink brought to him while he re-charges....even if we dont eat all the food served to us, he likes that we have 3 times a day to come together as a family, and sit and regroup...

this last time we changed it up a little and did some TS breakfasts, and then some "shared" lunches and then Signature dinners..and that worked out well for us..but there are some TS lunches, that we just cant give up - like Y&Y....

I know that some folks say that 3 TS meals a day is a lot of food and a lot of time to take away from the parks but our boys are older (11 and almost 14) and can "keep going" after dinner so our night can be longer...and we dont feel that for us the time spent enjoying these meals is taking away from the parks..

and my boys LOVE that they can order whatever they want off the menus even if they're never had it before - b/c in my eyes, I've already paid for it, so why not just try it! and with 4 of us eating, we get 4 appetizers to share so if you dont like yours, you can have some of mine!! My boys learned to LOVE muscles and scallops and fish (other than salmon) on our last Disney trip!!

(now that I've talked your ear off......)

LOl....ears still attached Yes, those Y&Y wings ROCKED!! I've never tried Flying Fish. I haven't been to 50's since going with my son too. I really want to go back, but he's not into all the stuff that comes along with it. Narcoossees was fantastic. I think you would really like it. Your sons sound like adventurous eaters too. It's great, but somtimne I wish my son didnt have the same tastes as me because my food is never safe around him! Give Kona a try for lunch too. The food really is awesome. The dumpling were amazing and so was the chicken that dh had.

I really like the idea of the deluxe plan, but my overstuffed stomach did not agree with me. I wish apps were included on the regular plan instead of dessert. Thats my favorite part of the meal.

 

[1andrea]

Thank you for writing such a detailed dining review for us to enjoy.

Your pictures are great and I've definitely added some must try's to my list for our next visit in August (mine is an actual list too!)

Please go again soon and write another great report!

Andrea :0)

 

[dgagnon519]

Great review, really enjoyed it!!