sleepydog25
Been here awhile
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
For those of you late to the party, you can catch my reviews of the following in earlier posts: Brown Derby, Le Cellier, & PSB. I'd give you a link, but I'm too darn lazy and hassled by a head cold that is currently kicking my bum. . .
Earlier, our daring family of eating machines had found themselves pitted against the likes of Hollywood, Canada, and Norway. Now, the true tests awaited. . .
Day 4 (continued): Having enjoyed PSB earlier in the day, and having survived BBB, we continued the Princess for a Day theme and wound up at 1900 Park Fare (for those who are keeping score, my dinner check says FARE, not Fair, Faire, nor Fairie). We had not eaten here before, and we almost didn't this time. Though the BBB was an overall fun experience for our 5-yr old daughter, it was a hectic place despite our ressie. In short, we left DTD at 5:35 heading for VWL to shower and change before driving to the Grand Floridian. Oh, yeah. We made it. . .6:08 to be exact for 6:10 ADR. For the uninitiated, when they say parking is available across the street, they mean ACROSS THE @$!# STREET! I dropped off my party and had to hoof it back to 1900, which was no mean feat given that I had been my 5-yr old's favorite ride the past four days, what she liked to call the "Daddy Express." You know, kid on shoulders, straddling your neck, weighing you down like an albatross who needed to be on Weight Watchers. I was 6' 1" to start the trip; I'm now 5' 5" tall. Again, my James Joycean tendency for stream-of-consciousness thinking. My apologies.
Back to 1900. I dashed to the restaurant to find my dear, lovely wife yelling, "Hurry up!"
Aargh! As if I had been strolling down the nature trail at VWL. I guess she missed the sweat streaming down my brow like a snow-fed stream during break up in Alaska. Anyway, our lovely daughter was dressed like Snow White after the BBB, and guess who was waiting for her at the entrance to 1900? Yep, Snowie herself. It was a very sweet moment, and I have pics to prove it! We were seated immediately, greeted by our server less than a minute later, and hitting the buffet line two minutes after that. Okay, the wife and another guest with us did that. . .DD5 and I were left waiting since the mice (Suzy and Perla?) were milling nearby, as was Cindy herself. I finally got to the buffet about 15 minutes later.
But, what a treat it was! The salads, the soups, the side dishes, and the main courses were all very delectable. I feasted on the portobello ravioli, the made-in-front-of-your-eyes alfredo with shrimp and fresh asparagus, the prime rib (actually mostly medium rare and not charbroiled to leather), the spring rolls, the chicken curry w/couscous, the salmon, and the list goes on and on. This is what a great buffet should be about. The youngster had her own kid's buffet bar, though she it was hard for her to eat since she was waxing poetic about how if you gave Suzy (or Perla for that matter) a cheddar Goldfish they'd be friends for life. Young Miss Snow was a bit too shy to dance with Prince Charming, and he gets an "A" for his dedication to spending time at every table, dancing with anyone who asked (and a few who didn't).
Back to the food. It was superb. Okay, we were starved from having had only a PB&J since about noon, but the food truly was excellent. Once I'd had my fill of the main food bar, I switched my focus to the dessert bar. My wife, temptress that she is, had actually gotten the bread pudding topped by bananas foster--yeah, she roasted those 'nanas right on top of the pudding! She's a seductress, I'm telling you. We sampled lots of desserts, but the most notable beyond the Fostered 'nanas and bread pudding was the strawberry cheesecake tart and the key lime tart. Both were very good (though I will brag that my key lime pie is still the best I've ever had!). Further, our service at 1900 was topnotch--attentive but not too pushy. In total, I have to give the place high marks. 1900 PF: 
Day 5: Okay, this is the ADR we live for, we plan for, from the very start of our decision to go back to WDW. . .Artist Point (key the violinist, the pianist, the chorus. . .
). Yes, we make AP our last meal every year, and the past two years we've gotten wiser. Though our young daughter is well-behaved, she does get bored in nicer restaurants. Thus, we discovered what a good deal the Cubs' Den is at WL. We make a ressie for her there followed by one for us 15 minutes later at AP. We showed up just slightly early for our 6 p.m. ADR, requested a window seat if one was available, and waited a whopping two minutes to be seated. . .at a window. Being in no hurry, we leisurely decided upon our wine choice. It was hard to turn down the three-wine flight (and they also offer a four-wine flight, as well) but we saw a syrah we liked--Rock Block from Oregon, a 2001 vintage if I remember correctly. Not only does AP have a great wine list, but they know how to present the wine and serve it. You don't get a cheapo wine glass. . .no, siree, you get a classic giant red wine goblet, about half the size of my Pilot's gas tank. The wine is well-pedigreed and didn't disappoint: full of berry notes with a hint of spice and pepper. The finish was long, yet subtle. What a seductive wine this was. I'm glad my wife isn't easily turned jealous. 
Though we love our dear daughter, it is such a pleasure to take our time at a meal just talking, walking out on the balcony to catch the geyser (twice!), and reflecting on how grand a vacation this had been.
In case you haven't been, AP isn't cheap, but it is so worth the price of admission for us. She chose the Chef's Selection which entitled her to a bowl of the dreamiest soup at WDW, the Smoky Portobello with chive oil, a salad (she opted for the field greens with roasted beets, bleu cheese, and a blackberry vinaigrette), the Buffalo Sirloin (medium rare, natch) on a bed of sweet potato gratin w/a sweet onion jam, and the Coffee Two Ways. I was all set to do the Cedar Plank Salmon or the Pan Seared Scallops, but my caveman mentality wouldn't let me do it. I had the Buffalo, too, for the nth time in a row (medium rare. . .anything more cooked is a sacrilege). Before that, I had the best appetizer I've ever had at the World--Duck Confit with pear slices, baby greens, apple cider dressing, and duck prosciutto. I swear, it is nearly a meal in itself. The duck serving is huge for an appetizer (a whole leg and part of a thigh). Talk about luxurious. . .oh. . .my. . .gosh. The syrah was an excellent choice to pair with it, too. For my dessert, I had the only other viable option, the Berry Cobbler. Excellent down to the last creamy, berrylicious bite.
And for those of you who covet a good cup o' joe while at WDW, AP's French press coffee is about as good as it gets. We inhaled the first pot, and had to have another pot to finish off our desserts. In case you can't tell, we really liked the food. And the service? Impeccable. Gracious. Attentive. Timely. Friendly. Helpful. Artful. What really amazed us, however, was that the restaurant wasn't busy on this Thursday night. By 8 p.m., I counted seven empty tables. That number increased to 11 by the time we left a half hour later. Frankly, I'm glad to see that AP is still a relatively undiscovered gem. I hope it stays that way. It doesn't hurt that it is located at a quiet resort or that it is a costly signature restaurant. We love it. We feel as though it is our sanctuary among the masses. As good as the other places were, AP still delivered more thrills and great memories than the others combined. It is our romantic, adult-oriented, fine dining experience while on site. And so it shall be. Oh, but I doubt any of you would like it. I highly recommend that you seek out other places to dine. . .please? AP: 
Well, that's it. My views on the dining options we chose. We weren't disappointed in a single one. My wish to each of you is that you find your own magic at Disney whether it be dining or spending time with your loved ones. If you have any questions about areas I didn't cover, don't hesitate to ask. Good eats!
Earlier, our daring family of eating machines had found themselves pitted against the likes of Hollywood, Canada, and Norway. Now, the true tests awaited. . .
Day 4 (continued): Having enjoyed PSB earlier in the day, and having survived BBB, we continued the Princess for a Day theme and wound up at 1900 Park Fare (for those who are keeping score, my dinner check says FARE, not Fair, Faire, nor Fairie). We had not eaten here before, and we almost didn't this time. Though the BBB was an overall fun experience for our 5-yr old daughter, it was a hectic place despite our ressie. In short, we left DTD at 5:35 heading for VWL to shower and change before driving to the Grand Floridian. Oh, yeah. We made it. . .6:08 to be exact for 6:10 ADR. For the uninitiated, when they say parking is available across the street, they mean ACROSS THE @$!# STREET! I dropped off my party and had to hoof it back to 1900, which was no mean feat given that I had been my 5-yr old's favorite ride the past four days, what she liked to call the "Daddy Express." You know, kid on shoulders, straddling your neck, weighing you down like an albatross who needed to be on Weight Watchers. I was 6' 1" to start the trip; I'm now 5' 5" tall. Again, my James Joycean tendency for stream-of-consciousness thinking. My apologies.
Back to 1900. I dashed to the restaurant to find my dear, lovely wife yelling, "Hurry up!"
Aargh! As if I had been strolling down the nature trail at VWL. I guess she missed the sweat streaming down my brow like a snow-fed stream during break up in Alaska. Anyway, our lovely daughter was dressed like Snow White after the BBB, and guess who was waiting for her at the entrance to 1900? Yep, Snowie herself. It was a very sweet moment, and I have pics to prove it! We were seated immediately, greeted by our server less than a minute later, and hitting the buffet line two minutes after that. Okay, the wife and another guest with us did that. . .DD5 and I were left waiting since the mice (Suzy and Perla?) were milling nearby, as was Cindy herself. I finally got to the buffet about 15 minutes later.But, what a treat it was! The salads, the soups, the side dishes, and the main courses were all very delectable. I feasted on the portobello ravioli, the made-in-front-of-your-eyes alfredo with shrimp and fresh asparagus, the prime rib (actually mostly medium rare and not charbroiled to leather), the spring rolls, the chicken curry w/couscous, the salmon, and the list goes on and on. This is what a great buffet should be about. The youngster had her own kid's buffet bar, though she it was hard for her to eat since she was waxing poetic about how if you gave Suzy (or Perla for that matter) a cheddar Goldfish they'd be friends for life. Young Miss Snow was a bit too shy to dance with Prince Charming, and he gets an "A" for his dedication to spending time at every table, dancing with anyone who asked (and a few who didn't).
Back to the food. It was superb. Okay, we were starved from having had only a PB&J since about noon, but the food truly was excellent. Once I'd had my fill of the main food bar, I switched my focus to the dessert bar. My wife, temptress that she is, had actually gotten the bread pudding topped by bananas foster--yeah, she roasted those 'nanas right on top of the pudding! She's a seductress, I'm telling you. We sampled lots of desserts, but the most notable beyond the Fostered 'nanas and bread pudding was the strawberry cheesecake tart and the key lime tart. Both were very good (though I will brag that my key lime pie is still the best I've ever had!). Further, our service at 1900 was topnotch--attentive but not too pushy. In total, I have to give the place high marks. 1900 PF:
Day 5: Okay, this is the ADR we live for, we plan for, from the very start of our decision to go back to WDW. . .Artist Point (key the violinist, the pianist, the chorus. . .
). Yes, we make AP our last meal every year, and the past two years we've gotten wiser. Though our young daughter is well-behaved, she does get bored in nicer restaurants. Thus, we discovered what a good deal the Cubs' Den is at WL. We make a ressie for her there followed by one for us 15 minutes later at AP. We showed up just slightly early for our 6 p.m. ADR, requested a window seat if one was available, and waited a whopping two minutes to be seated. . .at a window. Being in no hurry, we leisurely decided upon our wine choice. It was hard to turn down the three-wine flight (and they also offer a four-wine flight, as well) but we saw a syrah we liked--Rock Block from Oregon, a 2001 vintage if I remember correctly. Not only does AP have a great wine list, but they know how to present the wine and serve it. You don't get a cheapo wine glass. . .no, siree, you get a classic giant red wine goblet, about half the size of my Pilot's gas tank. The wine is well-pedigreed and didn't disappoint: full of berry notes with a hint of spice and pepper. The finish was long, yet subtle. What a seductive wine this was. I'm glad my wife isn't easily turned jealous. Though we love our dear daughter, it is such a pleasure to take our time at a meal just talking, walking out on the balcony to catch the geyser (twice!), and reflecting on how grand a vacation this had been.In case you haven't been,
AP isn't cheap, but it is so worth the price of admission for us. She chose the Chef's Selection which entitled her to a bowl of the dreamiest soup at WDW, the Smoky Portobello with chive oil, a salad (she opted for the field greens with roasted beets, bleu cheese, and a blackberry vinaigrette), the Buffalo Sirloin (medium rare, natch) on a bed of sweet potato gratin w/a sweet onion jam, and the Coffee Two Ways. I was all set to do the Cedar Plank Salmon or the Pan Seared Scallops, but my caveman mentality wouldn't let me do it. I had the Buffalo, too, for the nth time in a row (medium rare. . .anything more cooked is a sacrilege). Before that, I had the best appetizer I've ever had at the World--Duck Confit with pear slices, baby greens, apple cider dressing, and duck prosciutto. I swear, it is nearly a meal in itself. The duck serving is huge for an appetizer (a whole leg and part of a thigh). Talk about luxurious. . .oh. . .my. . .gosh. The syrah was an excellent choice to pair with it, too. For my dessert, I had the only other viable option, the Berry Cobbler. Excellent down to the last creamy, berrylicious bite. And for those of you who covet a good cup o' joe while at WDW,
AP's French press coffee is about as good as it gets. We inhaled the first pot, and had to have another pot to finish off our desserts. In case you can't tell, we really liked the food. And the service? Impeccable. Gracious. Attentive. Timely. Friendly. Helpful. Artful. What really amazed us, however, was that the restaurant wasn't busy on this Thursday night. By 8 p.m., I counted seven empty tables. That number increased to 11 by the time we left a half hour later. Frankly, I'm glad to see that AP is still a relatively undiscovered gem. I hope it stays that way. It doesn't hurt that it is located at a quiet resort or that it is a costly signature restaurant. We love it. We feel as though it is our sanctuary among the masses. As good as the other places were, AP still delivered more thrills and great memories than the others combined. It is our romantic, adult-oriented, fine dining experience while on site. And so it shall be. Oh, but I doubt any of you would like it. I highly recommend that you seek out other places to dine. . .please? AP: Well, that's it. My views on the dining options we chose. We weren't disappointed in a single one. My wish to each of you is that you find your own magic at Disney whether it be dining or spending time with your loved ones. If you have any questions about areas I didn't cover, don't hesitate to ask. Good eats!
