"Quick we can hide our extra food in my milkshake cup" 2 weeks on the DxDDP

[Rosiekins]

Hello there and welcome to my very delayed dining report! My husband and I visited the world for 2 weeks last Oct/Nov for my 30th Birthday. We splurged on the DxDDP and now can never go back with out it!

Here is a little introduction to us

Me, Rosiekins 30 years old soon to be 31 *sigh*. I love sewing, crafting and of course Disney.lol.

My DH, we will call him Pookie, 34 year old contractor who was surprised to find out he loved Disney World. He gave me a trip in 2008 for our 3rd wedding anniversary and it was truly a gift of sacrifice. He did not want to go, but on the first night had to eat crow and admit he loved it!

Schmooney....Our special friend who travels with us. We found him while visiting family in NC and I could not leave him behind. He is so much more photogenic then us so he gets his picture taken instead. What is he exactly? Well he is a bear, skunk, bobcat, fawn, beaver, rabbit, raccoon. He is quite friendly and loves to meet new people. We find that people either take a step towards us or 3 steps back when they see him.Most people have their hands out to hold him before we even finish explaining him and he loves having his picture with them.

 

[Rosiekins]

28th
Narcossee
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=42694893&postcount=9
29th
Via Napolia
Biergarten

30th (My 30th Birthday!!!)
Crystal Palace
Tea @ GF
Cinderella Castle

31st
Flame Tree
Brown Derby Fantasmic

NOV

1st
Whispering Canyon Cafe

2nd
Planet Hollywood
Yachtsman

3rd
Columbia Harbor House
Le Celier

4th
San Angel Inn
50's Prime Time

5th
Kona
Yak and Yetti
Jiko

6th
Sci Fi
Ohana

7th
Akurshurs
Marakesh
Rose and Crown

8th
1900 PF
Raglan Road


9th
Teppan Edo
Coral Reef

10th
Chef Mickey
Tutu Italia
Le Chefs De France

11th
Plaza
California Grill

 

[jude&jonah]

Nice touch to do cali grill last night- just did a bunch fo signatures and it was by FAR our favorite!! looking forward!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

I'm in ... great line up of restaurants!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Great lineup!

 

[lizzyb]

Count me in!

 

[Rosiekins]

Everyone!!! I am excited to see you all!


I had really wanted to do a cost break down for the DxDDP but seem to be missing some slips. I think my husband may have them squirreled away somewhere but if not I will get the prices off All Ears or something and do an approximate one. I don't want to wait to start on the fun part!

We payed to upgrade from "Free" Quick Service but we were doing DxDDP anyhow. But it did mean that we only had to recoup I think $42 a day rather then $72 we would have paid. However while we were were there we tried to look at the plan as $72 a day instead of $42 so that we could make sure it was worth it even if we paid full price. I do remember that just in our mental calculations it was more them worth it, some of our meals more then wiped out the plan cost in one sitting (if we counted the $42 price we actually paid most of them did). Any way enough chatter and on to the fun stuff!!!

 

[deenbrad]

 

[Rosiekins]

This was our first meal of the trip and we were quite excited for it!

Schmoodul got us checked in and we had a short little wait (which was perfect as I needed to make a visit to little girls room, I remember them being very clean) A well dressed man came to seat us and I have to say I will never forget him. As he approached in his suit I began to get a little nervous, I mean here we were 2 adults carrying a Stuffed Animal (Don't tell him I called him that) in to our pretty fancy meal. I was worried they would not react well to our little friend. Well as we set down I found I had no need to worry. This man in his nice suit looked at Schmoo and then looked at me and said "I see we have a first time visitor" (Schmoo had his pin on of course) "I only have 2 settings on the table, would he like his own or is he okay sharing with you" in a completely serious tone with a friendly few laughter twinkles in his eyes. I stared at him in shock for a moment before laughing and assuring him that we could share. I just loved that moment, it totally put me at ease and I really enjoyed that they happily played our game with us. (A quick not on Schmooney, we love traveling with him because we great pictures that our families and friends love and he helps us make new friends. We call him our traveling companion and he is no way our "child", I really hate when people say that. When they do we normally tell them no he is our designated driver. He is a game we play and one we are very fond of)

Once we got settled the waiter brought menus including a special one for my birthday that I missed getting a picture of some how. Schmoodul perused his before telling me what we should order.

Of course we just had to get one of these...he is such a lush. I on the other hand just wanted the glow cube. They also brought us some yummy bread and butter that had pretty salt on it.

Hubby decided on ordering the Mussels and I got the crab cakes. He really liked the Mussels but the thing I really remember was those crab cakes, they were so SO good! I ate every nibble barely letting Hubby have a nibble and chasing Scmooney away when he tried to share.

Sometime around now Hallowishes started, they dimmed the lights and played the music. This was so fun and we had a great a view. We had skipped the party this year so this was a real treat! I was completely enchanted by this.

Not a great shot but you can see the view we had. I didn't get any of the fireworks cause I wanted to enjoy them. My one complaint was all the people who crowded outside our window for a view. But we could see so we didn't mind too much.
Our entrees came out at some point

Grilled Fillet with Potatoes Au-gratin and Brocolini for me. I can still remember really enjoying this even with the sauce on top (I am not always a huge sauce person and tend to get it on the side) it was flavorful and really tender. The potatoes had a cheese I don't love in them so I was really surprised that I liked them and the veggies were cooked just right and had a nice garlicky flavor.

Scallops for Hubby and he ate every single nibble and tried to make me eat one (No thank you! but later in the trip I will fall victim to a scallop and love it) I am pretty sure that was Risotto in the middle and that he did not like it but I want to say I kind of did. He does not like Risotto we discovered.

Cheese platter for Hubby's dessert, the first of many. He loved this and ate it all even the blue style cheese that was on it which surprised him.

I had know I was going to order this since I picked this place. I love Gelato and it is really hard to find up here. I am so glad I did order it too, it was so tasty and I loved that there were only a few bites of each kind, the prefect portion and I was able to eat it all.

All and All this meal was a winner. The food was good, the atmosphere nice and the service was excellent. My only negative was the swamp of people outside the windows to watch Hallowishes but that wasn't too bad.

Since this is one of the missing slips I don't have exact prices at this momemt. I do remember that the meal with out our alcoholic drinks knocked out pretty much an entire day of the plan price. It was a 2 credit meal.

 

[butiflfeet]

I can't wait!

 

[Rosiekins]

Up next was one I was really looking forward to. I was really excited it was open but a little apprehensive as I am a picky eater and I heard there were a lot of issues during the soft opening with substitutions including asking for no dressing. I was hoping that was only for the soft opening and that we would have not troubles. We did have a little trouble (funny trouble) but not with that so I was pleased.

The cool face ovens. They were really neat and set off the place perfectly. The atmosphere was fresh and bright and Busy. We liked it. Our waiter came right over, told us about himself a little, handed us menus and I want to say water. He told us a little about the restaurant including why the pizza crust was so yummy. Special water! Then took our drink orders and left us to pick our lunch. He was really sweet, and had a thick accent, He was also very eager to please which would come in to play later.

I am pretty sure I had lemonade or something that they made there to drink and Hubby had Sprite..I think anyway.
I can't find this slip either but I took a pic of the menu! So at least I have prices.

Schmooney and Hubby shared the Calamari and liked it quite a bit. It was hot, crispy and not too Chewy. The sauce I am told was also very good.

Mozzarella Caprese for me. I loved it, this is my favorite things I am pretty sure this was the best one of the entire trip. I ate every bit and did NOT share lol.

Up next as our Pizza.

Carciofi for Hubby (Artichokes, Peccorini, Mozzarella and Truffle Oil) Hubby really liked it and ate pretty much all of it.

Peperoni for Miss Boring. Now I must tell you how much I love love loved this pizza then I am going to tell you a funny story about it. So first the pizza. The mozzarella was creamy and tasty, the peperoni was flavorful and not too spicy. The sauce was sooo good, it really had a nice tomato flavor that went so lovely with everything. And the crust...Oh the Crust! It was so good, chewy with a nice taste to it and just crispy enough. Just thinking about this pizza makes me want to get in the car and drive to Florida...Right NOW!

Now my funny story. The waiter swung by to ask after our food and we assuered him all was fine. A minute or two later I was happily eating my pizza when I glanced on my plate and saw something purple in the pizza there. I gave it a poke and was inspecting it deciding it was a little rubber band. I showed Hubby and figured I would alert the waiter to it when he returned as I was not overly concerned and honestly I was pretty full and not going to eat the second half anyhow. Well as we were laughing a little and checking it out a manager saw and came whizzing over asking if there was an issue. I pointed out the little bit and before I could say it is fine I am done anyhow he had apologized and whisked my plate away and ordered me a new pizza! Which I have to say was out to the table fast! And out of guilt (Oh twist my arm lol) I ate a piece of it.
During this time however the waiter came zipping over in a total panic because he thought I had decided not tell him and went for a manager instead. I tried explaining that I saw it after he asked after us but I am not sure he got that. I think he was really worried he would be in trouble over it. I felt so bad but at the same time his earnestness was really funny. I am pretty sure he never took his eyes off our table after that, coming over if I so much as raised my eyebrows funny. But he was really sweet and attentive anyway.
The manager swung by to check on my new pizza and to let me know that it was a bit of the Vegetable rubber bands (You know the big purple ones that come on them in the market?) that they think flew on when someone snipped it off some veggies. I had figured as much and while I was not worried over it I really appreciate their attentiveness to the situation. I told him how great our waiter was and we made a few jokes about my extra chewy pizza before he headed off to another table.

We ordered our dessert and Schmoo the lush had a drink.

Schmoodul's Lemoncello. I helped him out and it was really tasty.

Birthday treat complete with singing. It was a cookie cake treat with lime and very tasty, not too sweet.

Coppa di Brutti Ma Buoni "Ugly but Good" and it really was. Yummy cookies and Vanilla and Cherry Gelato (*swoon*) And fat juicy cherries mixed in. I didn't finish it but I enjoyed every bit of I did eat.

Tiramisu for Hubby. He pronounced it good and enjoyed it.
We really liked this place, liked our food and will be back with bells on!

Caprese Salad $6
Calamari $14
Pep Pizza $16
Car. Pizza $16
Ugly but Good $10
Tiramisu $8
Drink 3
Drink 4.50 (I remember now, I had an Italian Soda)
77.50
Tax...Ummm I don't know lol For now I am going with 6% 4.65
For a grand total of (Not including the alcohol we payed OOP for)
82.15
And a $15 tip OOP.
So We pretty much equaled what one of us paid for the plan that day (and if you count the lower free dining price we paid both of us)

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Joining in! Great start! I Via Napoli.