The Incredible Expanding Women - 14 days on the DxDP ~ COMPLETE!

[MrsB1228]

Wow what a fabulous review and vacation you both had!! Loved all your pictures and great reviews as well as your descriptions of each restaurant. I personally was so happy to see Artist Point as your top signature meal since we are staying at WL and this will be our arrival day meal : ) We do have Narcoossee's on our Nov trip ADR so I'll let you know what we think. I did have California grill yet years ago I had a not so fabulous meal and after reading a dozen or more reviews with ok reviews I cancelled our reservations. Incredible review all around so thank you for letting us follow along and enjoy your dining experiences

Thank you so much, I'm very happy you enjoyed my DR! We were sorry to have missed Narcoossee's, but after our wonderful first visit, we decided we really wanted to return to Citrico's instead. It just gives us something new to try on a future trip, right? I'd love to read about your experience at Narcoossee's! Are you planning on writing a DR? Please feel free to send me a PM and let me know when you post it!

Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

Thank so much for sharing your reviews! I love Via Napoli as well! Our Signature choices differ quite a bit though! CA GRill is our Fav but that is heavily influenced by our friendship with Chef Eddie

I love how consistent VN is, we've never had a bad meal there. I hope I haven't jinxed it now with that comment, LOL!

I SO wanted to love California Grill! I really enjoyed the sushi but the rest of the night was just a bust, food and service wise. There are so many mixed reviews for CG lately. Such a shame as they used to be almost universally positive.

I mostly lurk the Dining Reviews but I wanted to let you know I read every entry and enjoyed your report very much. We usually do DxDDP so those are always particularly interesting to me! Really need to make a spot for Artist Point, it is the only signature I have never eaten at, I believe. CG has always been hit or miss for us but the overall experience keeps reeling me back in!

Thank you for leaving a comment and I'm very happy you enjoyed my review. We're happy we tried the DxDP as it gave us an opportunity to try most of the Signatures and find new favourites. AP was fantastic, we were so happy it was our last dinner at WDW as it certainly ended our vacation on a high note. As for CG, I'd be happy to return for sushi, drinks and that incredible view!

Hi, I'm new to these boards, and I'm still learning how to navigate. Specifically I'm looking for reviews of the Wishes dessert party, and if there is a wishes dining. I've tried searching, but it only comes up with whole threads...is there a better way? Or should I start a new thread? I don't want to break any rules

We've never done the Wishes dessert party unfortunately. I had it in my mind to try it on our upcoming trip, but decided too late and haven't been able to get an ADR as they go fast! I know many people here have done it though. You should try posting a new thread on the general restaurant board, I think you'll get more answers there.

 

[emmysmommy]

What a great wrap Carol! Jiko is among my favorite Signatures as well. Citricos has always been a favorite for the delicious olive bread!

You've inspired several new places for me to try in the future including RR's Sunday Brunch.

Thank you for sharing your dining adventures. And thanks for sharing about the birth of your new grandson, Lincoln, along the way as well.

 

[rebelbuddhist]

Sorry, but we would disagree strongly with Artist Point being the best signature!
Our experience was vastly different than yours. We found AP to be in no way a signature experience. Our waiter was cool and aloof acting as if he was doing us a favor serving us. The food was bland and pretty much tasteless and portions were unusually small. We think AP in no way deserves the signature dining classification and was the worst choice for 2 TS credits on the DDO! Too bad you didn't get to Narcoossee's. It truly is a signature dining experience!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Great to see you back on the boards DDW, have you finished your studies for the summer?

Truthfully, I was a little leery of AP since the reviews can be so mixed but we were very happy we kept the ADR. Every component of the meal was spot-on and we had a lovely experience. It's definitely on our "must-do" list for the future!

Yep, finished up earlier this month. Now I'm trying to figure out what happens next!

Honestly, I feel like all the Disney signatures are pretty similar in quality. However, they're inconsistent and prone to off nights, and because they change their menus frequently, some dishes will be more or less successful than others. AP (and Jiko) stand out for me because of their calmer atmospheres and the interesting flavors they use, so I'm glad they were successful for you. I wish more people recognized this inconsistency, instead of writing off a restaurant forever. After all, if I wrote off a restaurant based on one negative experience, I'd probably skip every TS restaurant.

Raglan is one of my favorites as well, and while it's been years since my last meal at Via Napoli, I always enjoyed the pizza there.

 

[MrsB1228]

What a great wrap Carol! Jiko is among my favorite Signatures as well. Citricos has always been a favorite for the delicious olive bread!

You've inspired several new places for me to try in the future including RR's Sunday Brunch.

Thank you for sharing your dining adventures. And thanks for sharing about the birth of your new grandson, Lincoln, along the way as well.

Thanks Brenda! I hope you enjoy RR's Sunday Brunch as much as Nancy and I did! It's a different atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon, a little quieter and more subdued, but still fun with the music and dancers, we loved it.

I enjoyed sharing our reviews, it's like living a little bit of your holiday over again!

Aw, thanks for the comment about Lincoln. It's hard to believe he's almost 7 months old now and has two teeth!

I just saw the link for your new DR in your signature and I'll be heading over there shortly! Love your reviews!

Sorry, but we would disagree strongly with Artist Point being the best signature!
Our experience was vastly different than yours. We found AP to be in no way a signature experience. Our waiter was cool and aloof acting as if he was doing us a favor serving us. The food was bland and pretty much tasteless and portions were unusually small. We think AP in no way deserves the signature dining classification and was the worst choice for 2 TS credits on the DDO! Too bad you didn't get to Narcoossee's. It truly is a signature dining experience!

I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience at AP. A lacklustre server can really make or break your experience, as I noted above, and any restaurant can have a bad night. We were incredibly disappointed with our experience at California Grill, but there are many people on these boards whose opinion I trust, who absolutely love it. We obviously were unlucky enough to catch them on a bad night. I fully intend to give CG another try before I would write it off forever. I've also read many a bad review of Narcoossee's, Jiko, Le Cellier, HBD, etc. I think the only thing consistent about the WDW restaurants is their inconsistency, LOL. I respect your opinion, but it doesn't alter mine. For my sister and I on that night, Artist Point hit all the high notes and absolutely deserved its 5/5 score. We both had absolutely no hesitation in naming it our favourite of the trip. Others mileage may vary.

Yep, finished up earlier this month. Now I'm trying to figure out what happens next!

Honestly, I feel like all the Disney signatures are pretty similar in quality. However, they're inconsistent and prone to off nights, and because they change their menus frequently, some dishes will be more or less successful than others. AP (and Jiko) stand out for me because of their calmer atmospheres and the interesting flavors they use, so I'm glad they were successful for you. I wish more people recognized this inconsistency, instead of writing off a restaurant forever. After all, if I wrote off a restaurant based on one negative experience, I'd probably skip every TS restaurant.

Raglan is one of my favorites as well, and while it's been years since my last meal at Via Napoli, I always enjoyed the pizza there.

Congrats on finishing your semester! Will you be returning to school or is that one of the things you're trying to decide?

I completely agree with you concerning the WDW Signatures, and to varying degrees, all TS restaurants in the World. We loved AP and Jiko for exactly the same reasons. The atmosphere is less frantic and more conducive to slowing down and enjoying the experience. Citrico's has a more relaxing atmosphere too, but I found it a bit more formal, probably due to the more formal vibe of the resort itself.

DH and I love both RR and VN and are looking forward to our next visit.

Thanks for reading and I hope we can look forward to more DDW reviews and gorgeous photography soon?

 

[MrsB1228]

Apologies for all the broken picture links, Imageshack is being a right PITA. I'm in the process of uploading them to another image host and will be replacing them as soon as I can.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Congrats on finishing your semester! Will you be returning to school or is that one of the things you're trying to decide?

I completely agree with you concerning the WDW Signatures, and to varying degrees, all TS restaurants in the World. We loved AP and Jiko for exactly the same reasons. The atmosphere is less frantic and more conducive to slowing down and enjoying the experience. Citrico's has a more relaxing atmosphere too, but I found it a bit more formal, probably due to the more formal vibe of the resort itself.

DH and I love both RR and VN and are looking forward to our next visit.

Thanks for reading and I hope we can look forward to more DDW reviews and gorgeous photography soon?

Thanks! Actually, I just graduated and am hoping to move to the West Coast, as I love it there (even more than Orlando).

Agreed with your point about the signatures and WDW restaurants in general. Honestly, Citricos doesn't rank as highly for me because Mediterranean food is common where I live (especially compared with African Fusion or Pacific Northwest cuisine), but that shouldn't take away from anyone else's experiences there. Admittedly, another grudge I hold against Citricos is that they removed my favorite dessert (tres leches cake) a few years ago, but kept everything else exactly the same. I expect more creativity from a signature (even if the remaining desserts are good).

Didn't start a new thread, but I posted some pictures in the live update thread a few days ago (including the 24-hour event and Sunday brunch at Raglan). In fact, I'll be back in Orlando for a few more nights in June (booked the flights when I was considering moving there, but I've already ruled it out so now it's just a vacation). I'm actually hoping to visit a different Disney destination this summer, although the plans are still uncertain.

 

[MrsB1228]

Thanks! Actually, I just graduated and am hoping to move to the West Coast, as I love it there (even more than Orlando).

Agreed with your point about the signatures and WDW restaurants in general. Honestly, Citricos doesn't rank as highly for me because Mediterranean food is common where I live (especially compared with African Fusion or Pacific Northwest cuisine), but that shouldn't take away from anyone else's experiences there. Admittedly, another grudge I hold against Citricos is that they removed my favorite dessert (tres leches cake) a few years ago, but kept everything else exactly the same. I expect more creativity from a signature (even if the remaining desserts are good).

Didn't start a new thread, but I posted some pictures in the live update thread a few days ago (including the 24-hour event and Sunday brunch at Raglan). In fact, I'll be back in Orlando for a few more nights in June (booked the flights when I was considering moving there, but I've already ruled it out so now it's just a vacation). I'm actually hoping to visit a different Disney destination this summer, although the plans are still uncertain.

Congratulations on your graduation!! I wish you the best of luck with the move, whatever you decide. Personally, I think Orlando is great for a visit, but I don't think I'd want to live there. It's not really the nicest place outside of the Disney bubble.

Mmm, tres leches cake sounds divine! I don't blame you for being miffed regarding its loss, especially since little else has changed. I was just reading Paula's (smileforstamps) DR and she mentioned the desserts at Citrico's haven't changed in 5 years.

I'm going to check the live thread and look forward to reading about your experiences during the 24-hour event. I'm intrigued regarding the other Disney destination your planning. California? Hawaii? Paris?

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Congratulations on your graduation!! I wish you the best of luck with the move, whatever you decide. Personally, I think Orlando is great for a visit, but I don't think I'd want to live there. It's not really the nicest place outside of the Disney bubble.

Mmm, tres leches cake sounds divine! I don't blame you for being miffed regarding its loss, especially since little else has changed. I was just reading Paula's (smileforstamps) DR and she mentioned the desserts at Citrico's haven't changed in 5 years.

I'm going to check the live thread and look forward to reading about your experiences during the 24-hour event. I'm intrigued regarding the other Disney destination your planning. California? Hawaii? Paris?

Thanks so much! We'll see what happens, but I definitely agree that living in Orlando doesn't sound that appealing to me.

That tres leches cake was just fantastic - it was served with fresh strawberries, a tasty chocolate lattice, and even some balsamic vinegar. It was actually on the menu in summer 2011, so clearly they've been making small changes to the dessert menu...but then they undo their changes and keep the other dishes as they are. I know some of those desserts are great (such as the chocolate banana torte and the berry gratin), but I also like to try new things, and Citricos hasn't sparked my interest lately. Then again, maybe it would be good to visit a signature where dessert doesn't tempt me at all.

It's looking more likely that the next Disney destination will be happening. Not DL, since I don't have a SoCal trip in the works (although I'd love to return!). Not Hawaii, although it would be great to visit one day (even if Aulani is out of the question). As for your last guess...peut-être.

 

[MrsB1228]

Thanks so much! We'll see what happens, but I definitely agree that living in Orlando doesn't sound that appealing to me.

That tres leches cake was just fantastic - it was served with fresh strawberries, a tasty chocolate lattice, and even some balsamic vinegar. It was actually on the menu in summer 2011, so clearly they've been making small changes to the dessert menu...but then they undo their changes and keep the other dishes as they are. I know some of those desserts are great (such as the chocolate banana torte and the berry gratin), but I also like to try new things, and Citricos hasn't sparked my interest lately. Then again, maybe it would be good to visit a signature where dessert doesn't tempt me at all.

It's looking more likely that the next Disney destination will be happening. Not DL, since I don't have a SoCal trip in the works (although I'd love to return!). Not Hawaii, although it would be great to visit one day (even if Aulani is out of the question). As for your last guess...peut-être.

Excellent, ressemble à un merveilleux voyage! I hope it all works out for you! When are you hoping to go? Will this be your first visit to France?

Hawaii is gorgeous, highly recommended! We've never been to Aulani, but we've visited Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii (the one they call the Big Island) and loved every minute. We keep saying we're going to get back again one day, I'd love to visit Kauai. Never been to California at all, but it's on my bucket list.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Excellent, ressemble à un merveilleux voyage! I hope it all works out for you! When are you hoping to go? Will this be your first visit to France?

Hawaii is gorgeous, highly recommended! We've never been to Aulani, but we've visited Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii (the one they call the Big Island) and loved every minute. We keep saying we're going to get back again one day, I'd love to visit Kauai. Never been to California at all, but it's on my bucket list.

Merci, j'espère aussi que tout se passe comme prévu. The planned visit is actually really soon (July!), and while it won't be my first visit to France, seeing DLP would be a first. I love France, although my last visit was 7 years ago, so I'm excited to explore and see Paris again.

Hawaii definitely looks incredible - I think the hardest part of planning a trip there would be choosing which islands to visit! Oahu seems like a must, since it appears to be the 'main' island with Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, etc. (Plus, it wouldn't be too difficult to visit Aulani while there). As for California, it's a must! Both San Francisco and the LA area have won me over, and a SoCal trip would be a great reason to visit Disneyland.

 

[WDWaddictt]

What a great review! I have never been to a signature, didn't think my kids would really enjoy it. If I ever get to go with just my husband again, we will have to check them out.
Our next trip we are going to Raglan Road and Via Napoli for the first time. I am looking forward to them, especially after such great reviews.

Thanks for sharing!!

 

[MrsB1228]

Merci, j'espère aussi que tout se passe comme prévu. The planned visit is actually really soon (July!), and while it won't be my first visit to France, seeing DLP would be a first. I love France, although my last visit was 7 years ago, so I'm excited to explore and see Paris again.

Hawaii definitely looks incredible - I think the hardest part of planning a trip there would be choosing which islands to visit! Oahu seems like a must, since it appears to be the 'main' island with Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, etc. (Plus, it wouldn't be too difficult to visit Aulani while there). As for California, it's a must! Both San Francisco and the LA area have won me over, and a SoCal trip would be a great reason to visit Disneyland.

I really hope it goes as planned too! How fun to visit the French version of Mickey Mouse, lol! Bon voyage!

As for Hawaii, Oahu is definitely a must, there's so much to see there. Aside from Pearl Harbor and Waikiki Beach, there's Punchbowl Crater (National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific), the USS Arizona memorial, the Polynesian Cultural Center, etc. I'd love to get back for another visit myself! Hubby and I keep saying we're going back one day ... maybe after we retire.

What a great review! I have never been to a signature, didn't think my kids would really enjoy it. If I ever get to go with just my husband again, we will have to check them out.
Our next trip we are going to Raglan Road and Via Napoli for the first time. I am looking forward to them, especially after such great reviews.

Thanks for sharing!!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy Raglan Road and Via Napoli as much as we do! DH and I are heading to WDW at the end of September and we have ADR's for both. In fact, we're going to RR twice, once for dinner and once for Sunday brunch. I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I really hope it goes as planned too! How fun to visit the French version of Mickey Mouse, lol! Bon voyage!

As for Hawaii, Oahu is definitely a must, there's so much to see there. Aside from Pearl Harbor and Waikiki Beach, there's Punchbowl Crater (National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific), the USS Arizona memorial, the Polynesian Cultural Center, etc. I'd love to get back for another visit myself! Hubby and I keep saying we're going back one day ... maybe after we retire.

Merci encore! The flights and rail transport are booked - I can't wait. DLP looks beautiful, and my visit overlaps with the opening of a new Ratatouille ride (as well as a restaurant, although the food looks underwhelming). That's one thing about DLP that doesn't look too enticing: the food. On the bright side, they have an Earl of Sandwich with free wi-fi!

I can't wait to visit Hawaii one day. Sounds like there's a ton to see on Oahu, and (in addition to the real tourist attractions) I'd love to visit Aulani. Doubt we'd stay there, but it would be fun to have lunch and stroll the grounds to see what Disney has created there. I hope you can go back sometime!

 

[MrsB1228]

Merci encore! The flights and rail transport are booked - I can't wait. DLP looks beautiful, and my visit overlaps with the opening of a new Ratatouille ride (as well as a restaurant, although the food looks underwhelming). That's one thing about DLP that doesn't look too enticing: the food. On the bright side, they have an Earl of Sandwich with free wi-fi!

I can't wait to visit Hawaii one day. Sounds like there's a ton to see on Oahu, and (in addition to the real tourist attractions) I'd love to visit Aulani. Doubt we'd stay there, but it would be fun to have lunch and stroll the grounds to see what Disney has created there. I hope you can go back sometime!

How exciting!! July is fast approaching, I imagine the anticipation is building on a daily basis. I hope you're planning to do a trip/dining report? I'd love to read about your experiences! It's rather ironic that the one thing about this part of your Paris trip you're not excited about ... is the food. Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised, fingers crossed!

Thank you, I hope we can return to Hawaii one day too. I would also like to visit Aulani. Like you, I doubt we'd stay there but having lunch and looking around sounds like a great plan! However, I think our next non-Disney trip will be another cruise as we haven't done that in a while. We're still undecided as to destination. I'd really love to do a European river cruise while DH wants to make it a longer cruise in the southern Caribbean. I'd honestly be happy with either choice but before that, we have our fall Disney trip to look forward to. I can't wait!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

How exciting!! July is fast approaching, I imagine the anticipation is building on a daily basis. I hope you're planning to do a trip/dining report? I'd love to read about your experiences! It's rather ironic that the one thing about this part of your Paris trip you're not excited about ... is the food. Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised, fingers crossed!

Thank you, I hope we can return to Hawaii one day too. I would also like to visit Aulani. Like you, I doubt we'd stay there but having lunch and looking around sounds like a great plan! However, I think our next non-Disney trip will be another cruise as we haven't done that in a while. We're still undecided as to destination. I'd really love to do a European river cruise while DH wants to make it a longer cruise in the southern Caribbean. I'd honestly be happy with either choice but before that, we have our fall Disney trip to look forward to. I can't wait!

I may do a trip/dining report, but if not, I'll still post some pictures from the trip. And don't worry, it's only DLP where I'm worried about the food (and DLP isn't the majority of the trip, thankfully). I remember the food in Paris being amazing, which is why it's rather surprising that the food at DLP looks subpar. That's why Earl of Sandwich sounds like a nice backup option, but I'll definitely give something in DLP a try!

I've never been on a cruise, but I'm sure it would be really fun (whichever location you choose). And how exciting that another WDW trip is coming up! Looks like it's around F&W, which is a great bonus.

 

[dzneelvr]

Your reviews and photos are the best I've ever read on these boards IMO. thank you for them. I am in awe (and looking forward to dining at several of the same places soon).

 

[duckyshortcake]

This was so helpful and fun to read! I'm going on a girls trip in feb and we just decided to upgrade to DxDP! We were wondering how much weight you gained, given the title of your review? Lol!

 

[MrsB1228]

This was so helpful and fun to read! I'm going on a girls trip in feb and we just decided to upgrade to DxDP! We were wondering how much weight you gained, given the title of your review? Lol!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the report and found it helpful! Have a wonderful time in February, my DH and I will be there in January/February as well and are so looking forward to it!

As far as weight gain goes, I think we both gained about 5 pounds during our two week food marathon, LOL. It was actually less than I was expecting, based on how full we were all the time but I guess all the walking and activity helped to offset some of the calories consumed. That and the fact that we rarely ate everything, we usually took a few bites of the appetizers and desserts and left the rest. Thankfully we were able to lose it within a couple of weeks after returning home and getting back to our normal eating habits.

Thanks for reading and leaving a comment, and once again, I hope you have a magical trip!!

 

[duckyshortcake]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the report and found it helpful! Have a wonderful time in February, my DH and I will be there in January/February as well and are so looking forward to it!

As far as weight gain goes, I think we both gained about 5 pounds during our two week food marathon, LOL. It was actually less than I was expecting, based on how full we were all the time but I guess all the walking and activity helped to offset some of the calories consumed. That and the fact that we rarely ate everything, we usually took a few bites of the appetizers and desserts and left the rest. Thankfully we were able to lose it within a couple of weeks after returning home and getting back to our normal eating habits.

Thanks for reading and leaving a comment, and once again, I hope you have a magical trip!!

You are so nice to reply; thanks for answering and not thinking that was rude. We work out together but also pig out together and we're looking forward to pigging out no matter the toll it takes on our bodies, but this is very reassuring. and one of us will be eating for two, so we are very excited! We are eating at a lot of the places you went to and we've added Via Napoli and Raglan Road after reading this pretty much because of this review All your stops are on my bucket list! Thanks again.