"No photos, please.." -a newbie's reviews, without a lot of paparazzi

[mousekatool]

We just got back from our first family trip to WDW, and after using many of your reviews and food porn to help plan our ADRs, I felt that I needed to give back to the DIS community by posting my own little tidbits.

We got such a great deal on the room that we actually purchased the dining plan. DH is a numbers geek, and after running all the meals we wanted to do, it seemed like a good deal. There were 3 of us (me, DH and DD5) on the DDP, and DS2.5 just grazed.

Here's a rundown of our days, and the corresponding meals. Unfortunately, DH thought I was nuts when I tried taking pics of our food, so you won't find much food porn in my review.

Saturday, 1/29 - arrival day
Dinner: Kona Cafe

Sunday, 1/30
Breakfast: Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Snacks in room
Dinner: Captain Cook's

Monday, 1/31
Breakfast: Main Street Bakery
Lunch: Captain Cook's
Dinner: 'Ohana

Tuesday, 2/1
Lunch: Pizzafari
Dinner: Liberty Tree Tavern

Wednesday, 2/2
Lunch: Starring Rolls Cafe
Dinner: La Hacienda de San Angel

Thursday, 2/3
Lunch: Yakitori House
Dinner: Chef Mickey's

Friday, 2/4
Lunch: Pecos Bill's
Dinner: Le Cellier

 

[mousekatool]

Our trip down seemed to take forever! Maybe it was just the anticipation, or riding 10 hours with 2 small kids, or my general anxiety, but I was terrified we would miss our 7:10 ADR, so I got online via my iPhone and made a later ressie. Naturally, we got there in plenty of time for the first one, so we went ahead then, since the kids really needed to go to bed.

We got there, checked in and got a pager a few minutes early. Before we had even gotten 3 steps from the hostess stand, our pager went off. We were seated, and our server brought a loaf of killer Hawaiian bread with macadamia nut butter that we all could've eaten by itself. We actually downed 2 loaves of the stuff, and DS2.5 probably would've been down for a 3rd if our food hadn't come!

I had the Teriyaki New York Strip with pineapple salsa, broccolini and sticky rice.

The steak itself was fabulous! I ordered it medium, but it was probably more on the medium-rare side, which was ok with me. The marinade was delicious, and the salsa really added to the Polynesian flair. The broccolini was crispy and tasty. The sticky rice was just that - sticky rice. I kind of thought it might have some other background flavor. I'm not a huge rice fan, so I didn't eat it all, but it was ok.

DH had the Pan Asian Noodles with shrimp. He really liked it, and I tasted it and thought it was really good, too.

DD had the grilled chicken strips, with pasta and tomato sauce and grapes. This was a huge portion, so she shared with DS (actually, he ate a lot of my steak, too!).

For dessert, DS and I shared the Kona Kone because he was dying for ice cream. I mean, really, how can you go wrong with 2 flavors of ice cream, M&Ms and cotton candy, all in one dessert?? DD had the kids' ice cream sundae. DH abstained, and I totally chastised him for not getting something to go!(He learned )

Overall, it was a great meal!


And I totally lied about no pics - I did manage to sneak a few!

 

[mousekatool]

For our first day, I planned a princess breakfast at Akershus. I didn't tell DD, who is princess crazy, where we were going, except out to breakfast, and she that might want to wear her princess costume.

We arrived, checked in, and were immediately next in line for a pic with Belle. This is when DD realized what was going on, and she flipped!! The kid was so excited, I don't think she ate a bite! But it was totally worth it!

The food itself was actually very good. We started with the cold buffet. It contained a good variety of things, including yogurt, granola, bagels, croissants, cherry danishes, lingonberry muffins, apple turnovers, fruit such as strawberries, grapes, blackberries, and a mix of melons, and some Scandinavian foods, such as smoked salmon and pickled herring. Everything was very fresh and tasty. DD did make the mistake of trying the smoked salmon - he said it was so strong, he not only needed an additional drink to get rid of the taste, but he had to switch forks!

The server brought a hot platter to the table which contained scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage links, and a potato casserole that reminded me of my favorite hash brown casserole from Cracker Barrel. You can kind of see the platter in the foreground and the buffet in the background here.

Also, since DS was under 3, he got to eat for free here!

We thought the food was good, but the selling point here was the character interaction. There were 5 princesses there that morning - Belle, Aurora, Snow White, Cinderella, and Ariel, and each one took time at each table. My DS wasn't sure about the first one (Aurora) who came by, but he warmed up very quickly to Snow White! So much so that she planted a HUGE red kiss on his cheek, which he wouldn't let us wash off! After that, he enjoyed getting hugs from the pretty ladies! I would highly recommend this meal, as it saved us from a lot of standing in line for pictures, and was a great way to start our visit to the world.

 

[mousekatool]

After a huge breakfast, we just snacked on some stuff in the room when we went back to rest a bit. By the time we were ready to go to MK mid-afternoon, everyone was hungry, so we went to Captain Cook's in our resort (the Poly) for an early dinner.

DH was boring and ordered the 1/3 lb. Angus cheeseburger with Polynesian chips. I had been drooling over the thought of the Aloha Pork sandwich since I saw the menu description online, so I had that with the Polynesian chips. Well, we both thought the meal was just ok. DH's burger was a bit dry, otherwise ok. But the pork was disappointing. The meat itself tasted like BBQ from the refrigerated section at the grocery store. It was supposed to be topped with pineapple coleslaw, but I never found anything pineapple-y about it. It actually seemed more like the Asian mixed veggies listed as a side. And the pineapple-coconut roll was more like a chewy baguette. Don't get me wrong, it was ok, but not up to my expectations. The chips were like Terra chips - thick and chewy.

DD split the kids' chicken nugget meal with DS, with grapes and a cookie as their sides.

For dessert, DH had what he called a "very good" oatmeal raisin cookie, which he did not share with anyone. I split a Dole Whip with DS, and (don't flame me...) was underwhelmed with it, as well. It just had a strange aftertaste that I didn't like. Oh well, different strokes, I guess.

 

[mousekatool]

The previous night, we stayed at MK a bit for Wishes and a little of EMH. On the way out, we used some snack credits at Main Street Bakery for breakfast the next day. We had a gigantic cinnamon roll that could've fed all of us! It was still soft and gooey the next day, so I bet it was unbelievable the night before when it was hot and drippy from the oven. We also got a cherry danish that was nothing special, a chocolate croissant that was yummo, and an apple turnover that was good, as well.

Sorry, no pics!

 

[mousekatool]

I am such a detail person, but here is where my dining review gets a little fuzzy. We spent the morning at MK, and my plan was to have lunch there before returning for naps. Unfortunately, an unplanned long wait at Tomorrowland Speedway set us back further on schedule, time-wise, and it was prime lunching time when we headed into Cosmic Ray's. The lines were not bad, but the dining area was packed, so DH decided we should go back to the resort to eat. I was NOT happy with veering from my plans, but since everyone was grumpy and in need of a nap, I relented.

Back to Capt. Cook's we went. One thing DH had not factored in was that this was prime lunching time at the resort as well, and once we had placed our orders, we ended up waiting a good 10-15 minutes for our food. He and the kids got the same things as the day before, but I cannot remember for the life of me what I had! I am such a detail person, but I have scoured the online menus, and nothing sounds familiar. I do recall that I had an enormous chocolate cupcake with fudgy frosting for dessert, though.


*insert crickets chirping* Is anyone actually reading this??

 

[mousekatool]

After some much needed rest, and exploring the resort, we got ready for our dinner at 'Ohana. I had looked forward to this with much anticipation (and a little trepidation, after reading all the negative reviews recently).

We checked in and got a pager. The wait there was the only time all week we waited for one of our ADRs, and it was about 20-25 minutes. The hostess seated us, and brought us a loaf of Welcome bread. It was good, and took the edge off our hunger, but it wasn't nearly as good as the bread at Kona. It was more on the crusty side, and not warm. Probably a good thing, so we didn't fill up on it.

Next, our server brought salad with honey lime dressing. We all really liked it, and surprisingly enough, my DD5 said it was her favorite part of the meal. Next came the sticky wings, pot stickers, and broccoli. Can I just tell you that I could've eaten a dozen wings?? They were fabulous - just the right amount of sweet and spicy. The pot stickers were a little on the dry side, so I only had 2, but they were tasty. The broccoli was actually mixed with snow pea pods, and appeared to have some shredded carrot, too. It was good- I was jonesing for some veggies by now, and DH named this dish as his favorite of the meal, which surprised me since he's a dyed-in-the-wool meatatarian.

Then, the skewers of meat starting coming. And coming. And coming. Seriously, it was a lot of meat. I tried it all - steak, chicken, pork and shrimp. My favorite was the steak. The pieces we got were cooked to a perfect medium, and I thought it was actually better without the sauces. The chicken was my least favorite. It was pretty dry, but the seasoning was nice, and it was ok dipped in the peanut sauce (our favorite of the 3). The pork was delicious. It reminded me of good ole North Carolina smoked BBQ. The shrimp was probably my next favorite. Yeah, peeling it was kind of a pain, especially since my DS2.5 had by this point fallen asleep in my arms and wouldn't let me put him down. They did appear to have been deveined, though, contrary to some previous reports.

Up to this point in the meal, everything had gone like clockwork. Then, Wishes started. (Don't get me wrong, we had a window seat, and the view was beautiful. In fact, you don't really notice how well the music coordinates with the show until you can hear it without the booms from the fireworks.) But once the show began, our server disappeared. We were offered meat from other servers, but we were ready for dessert and the check. After Wishes had been over for at least 15 min., she still hadn't resurfaced. But thank God for kids! The next "cousin" who happened by with meat was told by my DD that we didn't want any more meat, we just wanted dessert! Bless his heart, he didn't miss a beat - he walked right in the kitchen, and returned with an ice cream sundae for her, and manna from heaven, uh, I mean, the pineapple-coconut bread pudding with ice cream and bananas foster sauce, for us. O.M.G. This stuff was ahhhmaaaazing!!! DH was really full, but I had saved room, and practically ate the whole thing myself! Naturally, as we're finishing dessert, our server comes to our table with.....dessert. She got really snippy when she saw we already had dessert, and immediately brought our check without another word! I couldn't believe it, but at that moment, I was just ready to leave and didn't care.

I had no complaints about our meal at 'Ohana. It was very good, and I would go back. But the service just broke down there at the end.


ETA: I totally forgot about the noodles! We did get those, and we all liked them!

 

[mousekatool]

On Tuesday, we headed over to AK for the day. It was a fabulous day. The weather was perfect, and we walked on every ride, including EE (3 times! Wouldn't have gotten off if DD had had her way, lol). By lunchtime, my touring plan had taken us right up to Flame Tree Barbecue, which was what I had my heart set on.....until DH complained that he just didn't want barbecue. (Do you see a pattern emerging here?) Well, I was disappointed, but I did have Pizzafari down as a backup, so off we went.

DD and I got pizza. She had the kids' cheese pizza with grapes and a cookie. I had the veggie pizza with salad and a strawberry parfait. DH had the hot Italian sandwich, chips and chocolate mousse. The salad was good, and it allowed me to share my pizza with DS. The pizza was decent, but the veggies were kind of ground up, not in chunks, like a normal veggie pizza, which I thought was strange. The NSA parfait was like vanilla pudding with strawberries, but we enjoyed it. DH inhaled his sandwich, so I assume it was ok. He doesn't eat chocolate, he mainly got the dessert for the kids, and we all tried it. The top layer was good- kind of fudgy- but the bottom was just like plain chocolate pudding. The kids liked it. Their pizza and grapes were fine, too.

I hate we didn't get to eat at Flame Tree, but this was a good backup, plus, it was close to our next stop - Festival of the Lion King!

 

[tluvstink]

Great reviews!! I can't wait to read the rest

Terri

 

[Patty3976]

For Ohana
What time was your ADR I know you said you wheren't actually taken for 25 min but I was wondering how you timed it with wishes. Thats what we want to do.

 

[bluejasmine]

Great reviews!

 

[phabric]

Enjoyed reading your review with pictures. We will be going to some of your restaurants.

 

[pumba]

fantastic reviews with or without the photos.....I can imagine seeing it all......Thanks for the reviews ..

Cant believe your DD did EE .....I have an instant fear just looking at it....hahaha...

 

[phabric]

I will be making our reservations on Tue. You went to both Kona and Ohana, which one would you recommend over the other. It is for two adults.

 

[Busymom85]

Thank you for posting. I'm enjoying your reviews.

 

[Jonesloonybin]

Great reviews! We are doing Akerhaus too for breakfast. I am really glad to see you enjoyed it.

Terri

 

[mousekatool]

Yay!! Somebody's reading!! I was starting to feel abandoned!

For Ohana
What time was your ADR I know you said you wheren't actually taken for 25 min but I was wondering how you timed it with wishes. Thats what we want to do.

Our 'Ohana ADR was at 7:15, I believe. By the time we were seated, and several courses had been brought around, it was time for Wishes. This was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise!

 

[mousekatool]

I will be making our reservations on Tue. You went to both Kona and Ohana, which one would you recommend over the other. It is for two adults.

Hmmm... this is a toughie. We liked both very much. I think 'Ohana is as much about the experience as the food. While we were there, they did the coconut races with the kids (my DD participated), and there was a man with a ukelele who strolled around singing. You get to see the fire pit where the meat is prepared, etc. We liked the food, but it's a pre-set menu, so not much flexibility in ordering.

Kona is more of a restaurant feel. It is pretty open, though, so you get all the noise from the rest of the 2nd floor of the GCH, so it's not a quiet atmosphere. Still, the food was very good, and you have lots of great choices.

 

[mousekatool]

After a nice day at AK, we rested a bit, then headed back over to the MK for dinner at LTT. This was another place where reviews had been so-so, but I booked it anyway because the menu sounded like something my kids would at least consider eating!

We were seated immediately after checking in. Our server brought out a basket of warm rolls with honey butter that melted in your mouth. Next was the Declaration salad with strawberry vinaigrette. It was very good, but DD maintained that the dressing at 'Ohana was better. The rest of the meal was served family style. There was platter of meats - turkey with stuffing, ham, and flank steak. My favorite, surprisingly, was the flank steak. It was marinated, and very tender. The ham was everyone else's favorite. The sweet mustard glaze reminded me of my Mom's. The turkey was meh - it had that processed quality that you find in cafeterias. It wasn't bad, just not my fave. The veggies were all tasty. We had the previously mentioned stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese, and sauteed green beans. Dessert was apple cobbler with ice cream.

All in all, my family enjoyed this meal. It wasn't fancy dining, by any means, but it was good comfort food.

 

[mousekatool]

The next morning, we headed to DHS. After a fun morning including character meet and greets, TSM, and ToT, we decided to have lunch. I had been kind of ambivalent about where to eat at this park based on all the negative reviews, but the one thing that intrigued me was the Starring Rolls butterfinger cupcake. I had decided that whether or not we ate lunch there, I HAD to have one. So, we headed over and DH and the kids took a seat on the patio. Then, we realized that Starring Rolls doesn't have any type of kids' meal. (Note: Later, we realized they had the uncrustable pb&j, but DD wouldn't have eaten that, anyway.) We did a quick check of the map and my Undercover Tourist app, and found a nearby place that did, so I headed over to Rosie's All-American Cafe with DD, got her requisite chicken nuggets with grapes and a cookie, and headed back to Starring Rolls.

Now, the food menu at Starring Rolls is limited to turkey or ham sandwiches, so DH and I both got the turkey on foccacia. Holy cow - at first glance, this sandwich didn't look that impressive, but it was huge! The wedge of focaccia appeared to be about 1/4 of the loaf! The turkey was piled high, and it was topped with lettuce, tomato, and a roasted red pepper mayo. It was so impressive looking, that I had to borrow a pic from the Disney food blog:

It came with either chips or fruit. DH had his with the chips, while I got a banana I could share with the kids.

But there was no need. All any of us really wanted was dessert. I got the butterfinger cupcake, as planned, and DH was boring with another apple turnover. I could have easily gotten bogged down by all the choices, but I had already made up my mind, so here it is, in all its glory:

Ok, it was delicious, but not quite what I had expected. The big point on top was a crunchy chocolate shell rolled in butterfinger crumbs. Beneath it was a huge mound of vanilla frosting. The cake itself tasted like devils' food, and inside was another surprise - a chocolate fudge filling. It was sooo rich, but I made a valiant effort (with Little Man's help, lol). Even so, we couldn't finish it.

My take - if you're coming here for lunch, it's a nice change from burgers, etc. But the real draw is the overwhelming array of baked goods.