Solo Dining 4/17-4/24

[HolRae]

Thanks for the great reviews!

You’re welcome. Thanks for reading.

Great reviews and pictures. I agree with you about LeCellier! The steak with risotto is very good.

Thanks. I am trying to figure out how to fit in again next time (not until September) but it’s hard to fit in everything I want to try

In my 20-some solo trips to WDW, I've never dined solo at the Wave. How was the experience, especially being in the center of the room!?

I enjoyed dining at the Wave. I was not excited when I saw where they were seating me. I much prefer to be tucked out of the way when dining solo but there was a friendly couple at the table next to me and the restaurant was not very busy.

 

[HolRae]

Day 4 lunch was at Mama Melrose’s.



The inside of this restaurant is so cute. My waitress here was great, , probably the best of the trip. I started with a coke and a glass of water. Bread and oil with spices was brought out as well.



The bread service was ok. I didn’t eat much of it as my meal arrived quickly. I ordered 2 appetizers as my main course - calamari and meatball.



The calamari was perfectly tender and the breading was light and crispy. The spicy dipping sauce paired nicely.

The meatball was flavorful and juicy. The marinara was good. I would have liked a bit more of the fresh ricotta. I would order both of these dishes again. Together they made a great lunch.
After lunch it was starting to rain a bit with much more rain on the way. I still had almost 3 hours before my boarding group was supposed to be called so I decided to head back to the hotel. As soon as I got off the bus it started to pour. By the time I got to my room it was raining so hard I could barely see across the lake. It rained for most of the afternoon so I just hung out and read a book.

 

[HolRae]

It finally stopped raining just before dinner. I had originally planned to hop to Epcot for dinner from HS but decided to try 3 Bridges at the resort instead. I arrived just before they opened and was 3rd in line. There were a few parties behind me by the time they started seating.

I was seated at a table along the water. They also have couches and chairs for seating. The views from here are beautiful.


I can’t resist a cocktail flight so I started with the Sangria Flight.




This was a cute presentation. I enjoyed all of them except the sparkling one at the top. I expected this to be my favorite but I did not care for it at all.
For my dinner here I tried the burger.


The burger was really good but could have used more aioli. The stars of this dish were the smoked paprika fries. The were hot, fresh and amazing. If I had discovered these on my first night here instead of my last I might have canceled all my ADRs and had fries for every meal.

Instead of ordering dessert I asked for hummus to go so I could have a snack later.


I really enjoyed this also. The cracker was basically a naan that was crisp and topped with sugar. At first I wasn’t sure about it but by the end I decided i liked it better than the regular naan.
Overall I really liked 3 Bridges. The food was great and so was the atmosphere. My server did not seem to be very excited about having a solo diner but was still efficient.

 

[HolRae]

Day 5 was moving day again. I dropped my bags at bell services and headed to Barcelona Lounge where I ordered a blueberry scone.

This was a really good scone. The blueberries were flavorful and it was not at all dry.
I wanted to arrive at Disney Springs for opening so I grabbed a taxi. The resort buses do not start running to DS until 10:30. I asked to be dropped off at Saratoga Springs. I wandered through the resort a bit before walking over to DS.
I hit a few stores I had skipped earlier in the week. The M&M store is so fun. It seems like a great fit for the Springs. As I walked past Gideon’s the line was very short. I though maybe it was virtual already but they said it was the actual line and would be about 15-20 minutes so I waited. I knew I would have a small freezer in my new room so I picked up a cookie to take home to my husband. It took a lot of will power to not eat that cookie over the next 3 days but it made it home in one piece.

 

[HolRae]

After finishing up my shopping I headed to Wine Bar George for lunch.

I was seated immediately upstairs in a hallway. It was literally a hallway between 2 dining areas. This was definitely the worst seat I was given all trip. I should have asked to move but always hate to do that especially these days. But it affected the overall feel of my meal so next time I will ask for a different table. I went with a sangria and ordered 3 small plates. This is one of those places where it’s nice to have someone to share with so you can try more items.


The sangria was great.
I had a hard time narrowing my small plate choices down. I went with hummus, meatballs and burrata.


This was really good but my least favorite of the 3. The naan was soft and fresh. I enjoyed the bit of heat from the chipotle. I did not finish this one, not because it was bad just not as good as the others.


These meatballs were juicy and flavorful. The polenta was creamy and cheesy. The tomato sauce finished it off perfectly.


The burrata was my favorite. I love burrata. The grilled bread added a nice texture and flavor. The tomatoes were a great addition. I was glad I didn’t have anyone to share this dish with.
After lunch I stopped y Amorettes for another eclair. This time I went with the hazelnut one.




I saved this for a snack after dinner. It was really good and I am glad I tried it but next time I would get the pistachio one.
After this I headed to my new resort. I planned to just drop off my packages with bell services and head to AK for a bit. I asked at the front desk if there was any chance my room was ready and they said it was not but should be shortly. I had a seat in the community room off the lobby and within 10 minutes I got my room ready text.

 

[HolRae]

I was assigned room 7728 at Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village. I had requested 2nd floor close to lobby. This was 3rd floor not close to lobby but definitely not the furthest from the lobby either.





After checking out my room I decided to skip AK and just hang out on the balcony for a couple hours. I had dinner reservations for Sanaa so this worked out perfectly.



I love the decor of this restaurant

I was seated right on time and this was the view from my table.


Hidden Mickey in table design.

 

[Erica Ladd]

Meatballs look delicious! And it’s nice to see the cucumber slices served with the hummus. I wonder if they’d give extra cukes?!?!

 

[HolRae]

Sanaa continued. I asked for an ice water with lemon and a margarita.

I really appreciate it when they bring extra lemon to the table. It is a very nice touch.


This is the same margarita offered at almost every Disney restaurant. I really enjoy it. There is a bit of heat but nothing extreme.
Of course I ordered the bread service because it’s Sanaa. I asked for 3 red Chile sambal and no garlic pickle or mango chutney. I also asked for the breads to be all naan varieties instead of the onion kulcha and the paneer paratha. My waitress commented on me liking things spicy and asked if I had ever tried the peri peri and I said no so she added that to my dips (that’s why there are 10 instead of nine).




I have had this a few times and it is always amazing. I love trying all the different flavors. The red Chile sambal is still my favorite but it is spicy so it’s nice to mix it up with some of the milder choices. The peri peri was definitely hot. I liked it but still prefer the flavor of the sambal. My plan was to take half of this to go so I could have it for breakfast the next day since there are few food options currently available at AKL.

I ordered the biryani with shrimp for my entree.


This was really flavorful and I enjoyed it. There were a lot of veggies under the rice. The shrimp were plentiful and everything worked together perfectly.
I passed on dessert so I could enjoy my eclair later. I spent the rest of the evening on my balcony watching the animals.

 

[HolRae]

Meatballs look delicious! And it’s nice to see the cucumber slices served with the hummus. I wonder if they’d give extra cukes?!?!

The meatballs were great. The servers here were great. I had interactions with multiple servers since I was sitting in a hallway. They all asked how things were and if I needed anything. One asked if I would like more naan so I am sure they would bring more cukes if you asked.

 

[HolRae]

Day 6 was Earth Day and I was headed to AK.
But first leftovers for breakfast.
This worked out great. The naan warmed up nicely in the microwave and I made tea in the room. I had enough left for breakfast again the next morning too.
I headed to the bus stop early. I was the first one there so I sat on the bench and read my book. By the time the bus arrived there were too many people to fit. I arrived at the entrance at 7:13 and made my way towards the safari. I stopped to take pics along the way. The otters were out and about so watched them for 10 minutes or so. They are so fun. I then headed into Africa and got in line for the safari at 7:40. It was basically a walk on it just takes a bit to walk it. The animals were very active this morning. I got right back in line and rode a second time. Then went to visit the gorillas. They are fascinating to watch. I walked the tree of life trails, did a bit of shopping, walked the Maharaja Jungle Trek, and watched Feathered Friends in Flight before heading to lunch at Yak and Yeti.

I was seated upstairs at a window seat. This is my favorite place to people watch.



I started with a pink Himalayan. I wasn’t planning on ordering an appetizer but my server said they had a special not on the menu- bang bang calamari. I couldn’t say no.




I love this drink. It is light and refreshing with a great combination of flavors. It goes down way too easy.

This was tender and crispy with a nice level of spice. It also had quite a few veggies in it.
I then ordered the Tuna Nachos for my entree. I know this dish is meant for 2 but oh well.




I I love love love this dish. It has so much good stuff all the way through not just on the top. The combination of flavors is amazing. It is definitely enough to share.
After lunch I went out to Rafikis and did the animation class. Then I did a bit more shopping, checked out the whale sand sculpture for Earth Day and caught a few character pontoons while hanging out at the relaxation station. Then I rode the safari again before dinner.

 

[HolRae]

Dinner was at Tiffins. I checked in early and was told it would probably be close to my reservation time before I would be seated. After about 5 minutes I received my table ready text. I was seated at a booth table in the large room(not sure what each room is called).





I ordered an Anna Purna Zing. My server brought the complimentary bread out as well.


This has been my favorite drink since the first time I tried it. Now the Pink Himalayan might have edged it out. I still love this drink it just seemed a bit sweeter than I remembered.

This is a pomegranate focaccia with pomegranate balsamic and oil dipping sauce? I really enjoy this. It is very different than your average bread service. I think it slowly grows on you.
I ordered the surf and turf for my main meal. I asked to sub shrimp for the scallops. My server asked if I would like my shrimp spicy or mild and I of course choose spicy.



My beef was a perfect medium rare. It was tender and the flavor was great. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and nicely spicy. The potato and the veggies were excellent. I cleaned my plate. I decided against dessert. My server told me my bill had been taken care of by an anonymous person and I was good to go. Talk about pixie dust. I left a nice tip and headed out.
I returned to my room to spend the last bit of daylight on the balcony with my new friends.



A perfect ending to a perfect day.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

My server told me my bill had been taken care of by an anonymous person and I was good to go.

How awesome!
Looks like that was an amazing meal. Tiffins is on my short list to visit soon.

Enjoying your dining report BTW

 

[Disneyhanna]

So many amazing eats!!! Those AK drinks both look fantastic. I wish Disney had more spicy options, the bread service is on my list at Sanaa (somehow we didn’t make it there during our stay at AKL) and I’ll have to try that dip. How nice of that person at Tiffins!

 

[HolRae]

How awesome!
Looks like that was an amazing meal. Tiffins is on my short list to visit soon.

Enjoying your dining report BTW

it was awesome. It really made my day seem extra special. Tiffins is so beautiful and a total escape from the crazy theme park outside. Definitely worth a visit.

[/QUOTE]

So many amazing eats!!! Those AK drinks both look fantastic. I wish Disney had more spicy options, the bread service is on my list at Sanaa (somehow we didn’t make it there during our stay at AKL) and I’ll have to try that dip. How nice of that person at Tiffins!

Sanaa is great and there is definitely some spice in some of the dips. It was very nice of them.

 

[Candice30]

wow you are really making your rounds. thanks for taking the time to post your pics and reviews. giving me ideas for my upcoming solo trip

 

[HolRae]

Day 7 was another AK day. After riding the safari I grabbed a breakfast sandwich at Harambe Fruit Market.

This was pretty much what it looks like. It was fine but nothing special. After breakfast I did Gorilla Falls Trail and rode the safari again. I then I spent some time exploring the rest of the park before lunch.
Lunch was at Yak and Yeti again today. My plan was to order iced tea and a burger. I was seated upstairs across from the window.





When my server came I ordered a pink Himalayan and a burger. So much for the iced tea.








I ordered the shiitake mushroom & scallion compote for the burger and cheese. This burger was one of the best burgers I’ve had. It was flavorful and juicy. The mushrooms were a perfect topping for it. The fries were not so good. They were not hot or fresh.

 

[HolRae]

I wanted to spend a relaxing evening at the resort and enjoy my balcony one last night. Dinner was at Sanaa. I had a nice view from my table.


Tonight I decided to drink my dessert before dinner. I ordered a Painted Lemur.



This was pure creamy, fruity, chocolaty yumminess. It was the perfect start to the last dinner of the trip.
I chose the samosas for my appetizer.



These were better than I expected. They reminded me of mini pasties. Up next was Today’s Sustainable Fish. The fish tonight was salmon.


The salmon was cooked perfectly. The seasonings were great. The rice was good but it was full of raisins. For me this was a negative but others might enjoy it. The greens and tomatoes were nice. My server this night was the worst of the trip. Not bad enough to ruin the experience but seemed annoyed to have to wait on me.
After dinner I once again spent the evening relaxing on the balcony.




The next morning I oredered breakfast to go from Sanaa and ate it in my room. Sorry. No pics. (This is why I don’t usually do dining reports- I forget to take pics).

I ordered the eggs scrambled and they were really good. The home fries were good but different with the African spices. I did not care for the sausage at all. It was very dry and the flavor was not good. The bacon was bacon and the biscuit was yummy. I wish I had picked up butter and jam to go with it but I didn’t want to go back down and get it.
Then it was time to pack up and head home. This was a great trip. I took it pretty easy. I didn’t do many rides or try to cram everything in. It was more relaxing than exciting. That is the advantage of a solo trip. It can be whatever you want it to be.

 

[kastoney]

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing all of these fantastic reviews. Pretty sure I should have put a bib on for all the drooling I've been doing. Between the burrata and ahi tuna nachos and bread service and and and and and. And then all of the drinks. You really did WDW right!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Great reviews. Sorry you got a weird table at WBG ... it's one of my favorite restaurants. LOVE the burrata and have always had fantastic service. I just recently tried the tuna nachos at Y&Y and am in love. SO good. Bread service. I am so hungry now!!!

 

[Ecomommy09]

Very inspiring trip report. Thank you!!