Category Archives: Disney Dining

So Many Disney Food Pictures!

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Happy Weekend, Disney Fans!  This week’s Saturdays with Nick is all about FOOD!…Well, food pictures at least.  Like Nick and Barbie, I inexplicably take an enormous number of food pics when I’m on a Disney vacation!  How about you?  How many of your Disney trip pictures are of food or dining-related activities?

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Don’t Play With Your Food. Photograph It!  So Many Disney Food Pictures!

I’m going through every photo from our Disney vacations, and I see a lot, I mean A LOT, of pictures of food.  I know I’m not the only person to take pictures of food, I used to write Trip Reports for the DVC fan sites I belong to, and now write restaurant reviews for this blog and photos are integral to these articles.  But I also take these photos because it helps me remember a good, great, or even bad, meal.

All these examples are from early October, 2009.

We take photos of where we are eating.

 Sanaa, Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village
 Wolfgang Puck Express, Downtown Disney

We take photos of what we are eating.

 Wolfgang Puck Express

Beaches and Cream, Yacht and Beach Club

Pictures of food being made.

Beaches and Cream

 Pictures of waiting for the food.

Beaches and Cream

The food being eaten.

  Beaches and Cream

A photo of food theft! Blatant food theft!

Wolfgang Puck Express

Before photos…

Beaches and Cream

…and after photos.

For more on the Banana Split at Beaches and Cream, please check out this post.

Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival at Walt Disney World is our favorite time to take pictures of food. We pose it as attractively as possible.

So, remember, Mom said don’t play with your food, but she didn’t say anything about photographing it!

Disney World Dining – Best 1-Credit Table Service Restaurants

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RM-Be-Our-Guest-Stained-GlassOnce again, in the interest of full disclosure – I’m not a picky eater.  This is, you know, my blog and thus, my opinion.  I get asked a lot about the Disney Dining Plan in general and table service restaurants in particular.  Disney Dining Plans can be a great value (even if you pay for them and don’t get the free dining promotion), but to maximize your investment, you kind of need to choose wisely (if you care about such things).  There are some terrific web sites and blog posts that work out the details on where you can actually get the best value (Here’s a highly detailed great article from 2014) .  I’m not really into that per se.  I’m more about the overall dining experience versus straight up where-is-the-most-expensive-place-I-can-eat-for-one-table-service-credit.

Bearing in mind that these choices are based on my own family’s experiences – unless otherwise noted, we’ve actually eaten in every restaurant listed.  To make the list, we had to like the food, the selection, the service, and the ambiance as a whole.  Oh, and we’d have to want to eat there again.  So, if we’re all on the same page (HA!) here we go!

Disney World Dining – Best 1-Credit Table Service Restaurants

Exterior Rooftops / Animal Kingdom LodgeBoma Dinner Buffet (Animal Kingdom Lodge) – Boma’s also available for breakfast, but we haven’t tried anything but dinner.  We’ve eaten here several times because the variety of foods on this amazing buffet is simply unbeatable.  Soups, salads, breads, meats, stews, casseroles, kid-friendly fare, unique desserts – it’s all available at Boma.  As an added bonus, arrive early or stay late and enjoy the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s gorgeous lobby and savannah overlook for animal-spotting, entertainment, and educational opportunities. (More about Animal Kingdom Lodge for an evening out here.)

RM-Sanaa-BreadSanaa Dinner (Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village Section) – We recently ate at Sanaa for the first time and thought the atmosphere, service, and food were all excellent.  A bit more adult-oriented than Boma (our opinion), we adored the bread service starter and felt perfectly comfortable lingering over a leisurely dinner.  Romantic? Yes!

Olivia's at Disney's Old Key WestOlivia’s Café (Old Key West Resort) – We discovered this unique restaurant mostly by accident.  We were staying at Old Key West, but honestly had no intention of eating there!  At the very end of our vacation, we found ourselves starving at supper-time with no ADR (Advance Dining Reservation) booked.  Olivia’s welcomed us with open arms.  Great service, broad selection (for all tastes and appetites), and cozy, welcoming atmosphere – Olivia’s won us over!  (Full review here.)

‘Ohana Dinner (Polynesian Village Resort) – This place has wide appeal for the entire family.  All you care to eat, great setting, tasty Brazilian-barbeque-style dinner, decent service – you won’t leave hungry!  If you’re tempted to give this place a try, you must book your ADR 180 days out.  You snooze, you lose…if you want to eat at this uber-popular restaurant.RM-Be-Our-Guest-Sign

Be Our Guest Dinner (Magic Kingdom) – Out of pocket, I thought this was an expensive dinner (review here), but for one table-service credit?  Absolutely I’d book an ADR at Be Our Guest.  It’s gorgeous, the service is great, and the food is fine.  Best, most gorgeous dining room(s) in Magic Kingdom.  Let’s put it like this – if you must book a table service restaurant in Magic Kingdom, make it Be Our Guest where, no matter your opinion on the food or atmosphere, you can at least enjoy an adult beverage with your meal if you like. (Full review here.)IMG_0931

Rose & Crown Restaurant (UK Pavilion, Epcot) – We loved this place.  When we ate there (once so far), we were outside on a lovely evening with a great water view.  The service and food were both great.  We love the UK pavilion – enjoying dinner there is just one more great way to immerse ourselves in its awesomeness.

50’s Prime Time Café (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – This place is so cool!  The “props”, the atmosphere, the humorous servers, the comfort-food-based menu – it all adds up to a fun place for the whole family.  A good experience and value for one table-service credit.  I’m a notorious anti-fan of the Studio’s restaurants in general, but this place is a winner in my book.

Character Dining:

 Meeting Minnie at Chef Mickey'sChef Mickey’s (Breakfast or Dinner Buffet / Contemporary Resort) – For years (and years!) we ate at Chef Mickey’s on every single Disney World visit.  First for dinner, then when the kids were older, for breakfast.  We’d eat there again – and probably will next time we’re all together on vacation.  The Fab Five and a decent buffet – especially during the summer, this combination at an indoor venue, for a meal, just a monorail stop from Magic Kingdom is a pretty good deal!  (Review here.)

1900 Park Fare / Drizella and Anastasia1900 Park Fare Dinner (Buffet / Grand Floridian Resort and Spa) – We loved meeting Cinderella and her Prince, but Lady Tremaine and the Step Sisters steal the show.  What this restaurant lacks in atmosphere, it makes up for in character-meeting experiences and a good variety of tasty food.  We saw families of all ages there and our family of four adults had a great time! (Check out all the details here.)

Honorable Mentions:  Places we haven’t tried, but are on our to-try list because we’ve heard great things:

  • Kona Café (Polynesian Village Resort)
  • Whispering Canyon Café (Wilderness Lodge)
  • Cape May Café Dinner (Buffet)
  • Tusker House Dinner (Buffet)

Your turn!  Which table service restaurants would you recommend?

 

Best Walt Disney World Foods of 2014

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Pineapple Dole WhipI did extensive research to come up with this list of food!  See, no sacrifice is too great for you and I’m carrying around a few extra pounds to prove it.  I made the most of the two-weeks-worth of Disney food consumption opportunities I had in 2014 and now organizing my thoughts on my favorite flavors and experiences is more challenging than I thought it would be.  Since we rarely eat out for breakfast (we bring granola bars from home), listing foods by meal is out.  I’m going with four categories:  Quick Service, Table Service, Snacks, and Food & Wine Booth Foods.  This is going to be fun!  Surely I’m not alone in the fact that when I think about Walt Disney World, I think about food first!

Best Walt Disney World Foods of 2014

Quick ServiceRM-Be-Our-Guest-Stained-Glass

Overall Experience:  Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom) – While I was not thrilled with the French Onion Soup or dessert, I was completely happy with the hearty and delicious braised pork (with mashed potatoes and green beans).  Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie and the details in Be Our Guest take you right into the movie in a way only Disney magic can create.  This restaurant offers quick service for lunch and table service for dinner.  After trying both, I highly recommend lunch over dinner.IMG_3779

Runner Up: Gaston’s Tavern (Magic Kingdom) – The roasted pork shank is incredibly delicious.  The décor is pure Gaston!

Table Service

Disney's Flying Fish Cafe InteriorOverall Experience:  Flying Fish Café – the food and service stand out above all the other places we enjoyed this year.  And that’s saying a lot!  We certainly enjoyed our dinners at Sanaa, Citricos, and California Grill, but there was something special about the Flying Fish.  We loved the location (on the Boardwalk), the atmosphere in the dining room, and the top shelf service.  The food was delicious.  From the artisanal cheese appetizer to the decadent chocolate dessert (with bacon on top!), everything was perfect.

Raglan Road RisottoRunner Up:  Raglan Road – a perennial favorite for the food, atmosphere, and entertainment.  This year’s visit was especially outstanding.  Not a place for a quiet meal, it’s a little rowdy and a lot of fun.

Snacks – I consumed a LOT of snacks!  Strictly for research purposes.  It had to be done and I was up to the challenge.  Here are the winners!IMG_3812RM-Epcot-Italy-Gelato-Affogato

Sweet Snack (It’s a TIE!):  Croissant Donut (a.k.a. Cronut) from Epcot’s Refreshment Port and Espresso Gelato “Affogato” from the Italy Pavilion.  I couldn’t choose a favorite between these two.  I loved them both the same.  One’s a warm, flaky, cinnamon-sugar-covered morsel from heaven.  The other’s cold and refreshing with a punch of espresso and cookies on top!  I’ll have to try them both again on my next visit to Epcot and see if that’ll break the tie.

IMG_3355Savory Snack – Jalapeno Cheese Pretzel:  We enjoyed this surprisingly delicious treat in Animal Kingdom.  The blend of flavors was just right to make it a perfect salty snack.

Food & Wine Booths – We tried as much as we could and loved nearly everything we ate.  There were many more winners than losers in our taste-testing and not a single dish went unfinished.  Picking ONE best dish is very difficult, but if I have to…

RM-Epcot-Food&Wine-Crispy-Pork-BellyBrazil’s Crispy Pork Belly – If you read about our experiences at the Food & Wine Festival, you’ll remember how much we loved this treat.  A nice bit of “bacon” served on a bed of black beans.  Simple yet scrumptious.

RM-Epcot-Food&Wine-Pepper-Bacon-HashRunner Up:  Pepper Bacon Hash – are you sensing a theme here?  Maybe I’m pork-deprived in my everyday life.  This dish from the Farm Fresh Booth tasted like something you could make at home.  It combined hearty potato and bacon hash with a rich and creamy hollandaise sauce, then topped it all with a few jalapeno slices.  It was rich, a little spicy, and a lot delicious!

Have you tried any of my favorites?  What foods did you like best in 2014?

Disney Dining: Worth Two Table Service Credits?

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RM-California-Grill-MenuIf you’ve chosen a Disney Dining Plan (or are thinking about it), you may be wondering – WHY do some “signature” dining restaurants, character dining experiences, and dinner shows require the use of TWO table service credits?  I get asked about this quite a bit and let me tell you – if you select some dining package other than the one for just quick service dining, you might find yourself puzzled and perplexed by the restaurant choices!

Yes, you could totally save time and money by avoiding the restaurants/experiences that burn two of your table service credits for one meal, but then again, some of the most popular and highly coveted reservations are at these two-credit places.  What to do…how to choose…  Ah, once again, the beauty of having my own blog is a place to express my own opinions!  However, I’d love to start a discussion here, so go ahead and share your opinions along with mine.  I’m pretty thick-skinned, so if you don’t Citricos-Windowagree with me, shout on out.  For the benefit of readers that don’t have a lot of (or any) dining experience at Walt Disney World – your opinion matters!  All points of view are welcome.  Plus, I’m only talking about restaurants in which I have previously dined.  If I haven’t tried a particular dining experience, it won’t be on the list.

For ease of understanding, I’m using three categories to discuss the two-credit dining choices I’ve experienced.  These are:  Definitely Worth It, Might be Worth It, and NOT worth it at all.  Ready?  Let’s go!

Disney Dining: Worth Two Table Service Credits?

Definitely Worth It:

California Grill (Disney’s Contemporary Resort):  This place is fabulous.  The food, the service, the atmosphere – all top shelf.  The big bonus though, is the ability to watch Wishes from the outdoor viewing area no matter what time your dinner reservation was for.  It’s a pretty grown-up place, but is surprisingly kid-friendly.  My own experience can be found here.

Hoop-Dee-Doo-Musical-ReviewHoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review (Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground):  Dinner (all you care to eat) and a show!  Adult beverages included!  It’s basic food (fried chicken, ribs, sides, strawberry shortcake), but filling and tasty.  The show’s good with singing, funny skits, and great characters.  Full review here.

Might be Worth It:

Jiko – It’s one of our most favorite places to eat and it’s got the added bonus of being at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  If you’re looking for a romantic evening out OR your children have more sophisticated palates, Jiko might be a great choice.  Animal Kingdom Lodge is not only gorgeous, but the savannah viewing area just off the resort’s lobby is a wonderful place to hang out before dinner.  Arrive early to allow plenty of time for exploring and animal watching.

Citricos (Grand Floridian Resort and Spa)– The food and service are amazing.  This is a place I’d The Flying Fish Cafe / Walt Disney World Boardwalkpick for a romantic dinner for two or for a grown-up evening out.  Get to the Grand Floridian early and enjoy a cocktail in Mizner’s Lounge before dinner.  I love the restaurant’s décor and quiet elegance. (Review here.)

Flying Fish Café (Boardwalk) – Like Citricos, but in a completely different setting.  Food and service are excellent and the Boardwalk is a great place to visit.  Arrive early or stay late – the Boardwalk has a lot to offer by way of street performers, shops, lounges and bars. (Review here.)

Le Cellier (Epcot’s Canada Pavilion) – You may have noticed that, up until this point, all my recommendations have been outside the parks.  Le Cellier is extremely popular and some people find it overrated.  We like it, though, and have never had a bad meal there.  It’s dark and cozy inside, which is often a great respite from the Florida sun and Epcot crowds.  If you’re going to be in Epcot and want the convenience of enjoying a pretty good steak dinner without leaving the park, Le Cellier’s a good choice for dinner.  Try the cheese soup!

NOT Worth It:

Magic Kingdom / Cinderella CastleFairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table – If you want a character dining experience, there are tons of 1-credit choices!  Unless you feel you must burn two credits just to say you ate in Cinderella Castle, it’s not worth it!  If you want to eat in a castle, chose Beast’s abode in Fantasyland and dine at Be Our Guest.  If you must dine with princesses, head on over to Epcot and enjoy Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.  Personally, I’m particularly fond of dining with the Fab Five at Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary Resort) or with Cinderella, her Prince, Lady Tremaine and the Step Sisters at 1900 Park Fare (dinner / Grand Floridian Resort and Spa).  And, if I’m NOT at Cinderella’s Royal Table, I at least have to option of buying (and enjoying) an adult beverage if I choose.

Pizza Delivery – There are absolutely times when in-room dining holds a certain appeal, but Pizza Delivery at WDWblowing two table service credits to get a pizza, two single-serving, non-alcoholic beverages, and two desserts is a very poor use of those credits.  The pizza at Walt Disney World is notoriously awful.  Grab some snacks from a quick-service place or sundries shop (if one is handy) to take back to your room and save the table service credits for something truly extraordinary.  No food delivered to your resort room will be extraordinary in a good way.  Ever.

Your turn!  Agree with my assessment?  Have places to add?  Tell me what places you think are two-credit worthy!