Disney Dining Review – Narcoossee’s

Narcoossee's ViewWith so many restaurants to choose from at Walt Disney World it can take quite a while sometimes to make a repeat visit to one.  In the case of Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, it took us 26 years to dine there for a second time.  Certainly this wasn’t because we didn’t enjoy our first dinner there.  We really did have a great experience.  It’s just that on the next several Disney vacations, we had children with us and chose more kid-friendly options.

Disney Dining Review – Narcoossee’s

A few weeks ago we finally made our way back to Narcoossee’s and were pleasantly surprised that the experience was even better than we remembered!  Excellent menu, delicious food, top notch service, and a couple of seasonal extra-special surprises made the evening absolutely wonderful.  Narcoossee’s is a signature dining location, so it takes two table service credits if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan…is it worth it?  We think so.  (See current menu here.)Narcoossee's Dining Room

Narcoossee’s is located on the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon.  The décor is beautiful and, on the night we dined there, we were mostly among other adults with a few families that had mostly older children.  The tables offer great views (even if you’re not sitting right next to a window) and the open kitchen is entertaining in its own way.  Narcoossee's Open KitchenOne thing we noticed right away was that our server, Tom, was a professional – he knew how to pace our meal and how to add the extra touches that made what we thought would be a nice dinner into an extra special one.Narcoossee's BreadOf course, bread came first and we ordered appetizers and a bottle of wine.  The menu offered so many tempting items, we actually passed up an artisanal cheese offering (so unlike us!) in favor of the Maine Lobster Bisque for Raymond and the Prince Edward Island Mussels to share.  Narcoossee's Lobster Bisque Narcoossee's Mussels AppetizerWe were very pleased with our selections.  When we finished, Tom brought us warm towels for hand-washing and suggested we take our wine out onto the deck to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks.    Narcoossee's Hot TowelsTom promised to hold our entrees until we returned and encouraged us to enjoy the show.  How great was this??!!  We stepped outside and spent the next little while sipping wine and taking in the view.Narcoossee's view of MK fireworks Narcoossee's view of fireworks at MKAs promised, when we returned to our table, our entrees were delivered and they were delicious!  Raymond opted for the Key West Shrimp and Garganelli Pasta (“Wild Florida Shrimp, Spinach, Oven-roasted Tomatoes, Basil Pistou, Comté Cheese, and Chardonnay-Garlic Cream“) Narcoossee's Pasta Entreewhile I chose the Coriander and Shichimi-spiced Seared Ahi Tuna (“Charred Beans, Gai-lan, Green Papaya, and Sesame Sticky Rice with Ginger-Kaffir Lime Broth“), which sounds fussy and complicated, but was actually pretty straight forward in both presentation and flavor.  The seared tuna was the star of the show and the rest was a perfect supporting cast.  Narcoossee's Tuna EntreeGenerally, we’re huge fans of spicy, well seasoned foods and these entrees fit the bill perfectly.  Completely satisfied, we decided to catch the little boat from the Grand Floridian back to the Polynesian, then use the stroll from the boat dock to the Moorea building to digest a bit before calling it a night.  Grand Floridian Boat TransportationWe noticed the outdoor movie had drawn a small crowd and appreciated again how those great Disney touches can make vacations so magical.Polynesian Movie Night Inside OutWe gave Narcoossee’s a definite thumbs-up!  Have you enjoyed Narcoossee’s?  Was your experience similar to ours?  If you haven’t eaten there before, has this restaurant even made it onto your dining wish list?

 

Disney’s Kona Café Breakfast

If you’re staying on the monorail resort loop, you can’t go wrong with breakfast at Kona Café!  Best know for the World famous Tonga Toast, this awesome eatery in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is a great place to enjoy the most important meal of the day!  (Note:  Kona Café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and if you’re using the Disney Dining Plan, requires one table service credit per meal.)

Disney’s Kona Café Breakfast

Tonga-Toast-Kona-Cafe

World Famous Tonga Toast

We’re not normally the kind of Disney vacationers to waste time on a sit-down breakfast.  Usually, we like to get a jump on the day by arriving at our chosen park destination at opening (or shortly thereafter).  During our post-Christmas WDW visit, though, you may recall we’d decided to do things a bit differently and booked a ton of dining reservations…including breakfast!  Kona-Cafe-ViewWe’d only been to Kona Café for dinner once prior to our first breakfast there.  I was looking forward to trying Tonga Toast (even though I prefer savory over sweet most of the time at breakfast).  Our breakfast experience was wonderful!  So much so, Raymond specifically asked to go back one morning a few weeks ago.  Now that we have TWO breakfasts at Kona under our belts (LOL!  I crack me up!), I’ll tell you specifically why we love this place so much.

Convenient location from Magic Kingdom and any monorail resort.  Hit Kona early before heading to Magic Kingdom or rope-drop Magic Kingdom for an Extra Magic Hour then catch the monorail over to the Polynesian for breakfast.  Maybe you’d rather have a leisurely breakfast and relax.  If you’re staying at the Contemporary or Grand Floridian resorts, Kona Café is just a short ride away.

Very tasty menu options – sure to please everyone.  Yes, the Tonga Toast is famous, but we absolutely love the egg-white omelet with goat cheese which comes with a humongous bowl of fresh, gorgeous, delicious berries.  Kona-Cafe-BerriesNot enough?  Try the grits!  Seriously, if you’re a fan, these are without a doubt the best grits at Walt Disney World.Kona-Cafe-Breakfast

The Coffee!  It’s fantastic.  Of course, it’s Kona coffee!  Absolutely wonderful and the very best part?  Your server will be happy to prepare a to-go cup for you to take with you when you leave.  We enjoyed our coffee while waiting at the bus stop – we were still very sleepy!Kona-Coffee-To-Go

Top notch service.  Sure, it’s “only” breakfast, but the service is noteworthy.  The servers we had were kind, friendly, and very professional.  We thought it added a certain special-ness to the experience that started our day off with extra Disney magic.Kona-Cafe

Have you tried breakfast at the Kona Café?  Are you a Tonga Toast fan?

Trader Sam’s or Jock Lindsey’s?

When there’s something new at Walt Disney World, be it restaurant, show, attraction, or lounge, we are anxious to check it out!  Recently we had the opportunity to stop in for refreshments at two new (to us) Disney pubs – Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto (Polynesian Village Resort) and Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar (Disney Springs).Trader-Sam's-Wall-Decor

Since we were staying at the Polynesian in the new DVC Villas, we hit Trader Sam’s first. Having heard it was small and filled up fast in the evenings, we decided to get there right at opening time (4:00 pm).  It is indeed very small – a hole in the wall almost literally.  It’s located behind an unassuming door near Captain Cook’s on the ground floor of the Great Ceremonial House.  Trader-Sam's-Volcano Trader-Sam's-Menu-PageTrader-Sam's-Interior Trader-Sam's-DetailsWe ducked inside and were immediately impressed by a million details and no small amount of ambient noise.  It’s dark inside and feels very closed-in due to the many artifacts and items used to create the theme.  The bar was wide open, so be bellied on up and took our seats.Trader-Sam's-Raymond Trader-Sam's-Tentacles

What to order?  The menu was large and contained a wide variety of drink choices as well as some delicious sounding snack options.  I wanted a specialty drink, but knew that some of them could be quite pricey, so I chose the relatively economical Polynesian Pearl.  Raymond ordered the Kona Beer Flight and we decided on the Pan-fried Dumplings with Soy-Sesame Dipping Sauce to snack on.Trader-Sam's-Kona-Beer-Flight Trader-Sam's-Dumplings

Like many of the signature drinks, the Polynesian Pearl was made with quite a bit of ceremony and flair (no spoilers here).  Raymond’s beer flight was delivered in the customary way.  Not a fan of mixed drinks, I wished I’d have ordered something with fewer ingredients than the Pearl, but I enjoyed the presentation if not the actual drink itself (I did keep the drink container, but consumed less than half the contents).Trader-Sam's-PearlTrader-Sam's-Drink-CeremonyThe dumplings were very delicious.  Our take-away?  Service:  Adequate, not overly friendly. Mixed drink: so-so.  Beer flight: thumbs-up. Snacks: A-OK!  Atmosphere:  Cave-like and noisy from both people and special effects.   (Read all about Trader Sam’s theme and backstory plus many more details here.)Jock-Lindsey's-Sign

We found Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar just opening for the day when we happened to have a few spare minutes before our lunch reservation at Morimoto Asia.  Upon entering, we found a bright, very well-themed lounge with soaring ceiling, smiling servers and plenty of seating.  Jock-Lindsey's-Interior Jock-Lindsey's-Shelves Jock-Lindsey's-Flight-JacketLike Trader Sam’s, the details are absolutely incredible.  We became totally immersed in the theme.  Also like at Sam’s, seats at the bar were open, so we sat on down and were immediately greeted by our very friendly server, “Howdy” (a nickname she was given due to being from Texas).  She was full of interesting facts about the bar and was ready with suggestions about what we should order to eat.  When we told her we’d just stopped in for a beer and were headed to lunch across the way at Morimoto Asia, she was happy to offer her recommendations on what we might like to eat there.Jock-Lindsey's-Howdy Jock-Lindsey's-Bar-Seating Jock-Lindsey's-Beers Jock-Lindsey's-Bar

The menu is an entertaining book full of clever add-ins along with the bar’s selection food and beverages.  We ordered Orlando IPAs and, since there was hardly anyone else there, I wandered around looking at all the neat stuff – and there are a LOT of cool artifacts.  Jock-Lindsey's-Menu-Cover Jock-Lindsey's-Menu-Page Jock-Lindsey's-MenuAgain, no spoilers – you really need to see this place and discover all the fantastic surprises for yourself!  It’s sort of a cross between a museum and a hoarder’s garage, but the combo definitely works!Jock-Lindsey's-Details Jock-Lindsey's-Cast-Member Jock-Lindsey's-Reggie's-Revenge Jock-Lindsey's-Swizzle-Sticks

Between the two…Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto or Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar…which one do we most want to visit again?  It’s Jock’s, absolutely.  The atmosphere, service, and overall experience trumped Trader Sam’s (our opinion).  While we enjoyed both locations and were pleased with how well-themed and kind of funkily (is that a word?) retro they both are.  Jock’s left us wanting more and we are even now planning how to squeeze in another stop there on our next Walt Disney World vacation (two weeks to go!).

Have you been to Trader Sam’s or Jock Lindsey’s?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on them!

DVC Studio Review – Polynesian Villas

Polynesian-Check-In-Raymond-and-LisaJust back from our most recent visit to Walt Disney World and what a great time we had!  Everything from the weather to the festive holiday atmosphere to the great dining and surprisingly nice accommodations we enjoyed – all of it was magical.  We used our DVC points for a stay in the newly renovated Villas at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.  We booked later than we normally would and the only DVC room available on the monorail was at the Poly.  A studio was perfect since Raymond and I were taking a 5-night post-Christmas getaway alone.  Our home resorts are Bay Lake Tower and the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian – this was our first stay at the new Polynesian villas and our first stay at the Poly in about nine years.

DVC Studio Review – Polynesian Villas

We arrived on December 26th around noon.  We hopped off the Magic Express and headed for the front desk (we’d tried online check-in, but hadn’t heard anything back).  Polynesian-LobbyWe were greeted by a cheerful Cast Member (their costumes at this resort are gorgeous!) and informed that our room was not yet ready, but this friendly young lady was determined to find a room that was ready now.  Polynesian-Village-Resort-MapThis is where we were pixie-dusted from a standard view original request to a lake-view studio in Moorea.  What a great surprise!  We followed the path from the Great Ceremonial House right to our building and up to the second floor (2023).Polynesian-Tiki-Light Polynesian-Villas-Art

Right away we loved the colors and the theming – those little Disney touches always make everything seem that much more special.  The room was spacious, warm and welcoming.  The slatted doors on the closets and bathrooms (yes, I meant to make that plural) add to the airy, tropical feel.  The dark wood and finishes make the rooms feel luxurious and well-appointed.Polynesian-Villa-Room-Decor Polynesian-Villa-StudioPolynesian-Villa-Living-Area

These studios sleep up to five with a queen bed, queen fold-out sofa, a bunk-sized bed that folds down from a cabinet under the TV.  The artwork inside that little bed is an adorable picture of Lelo and Stitch. Polynesian-Villa-Fold-Down-Bed-Art The small kitchenette offers a sink, fridge, microwave, coffee-maker and toaster.  We didn’t bring our own coffee since we easily found delicious ground coffee in a resort gift shop last time we were at Disney World – this was a huge mistake!  There was no ground coffee (only beans) to be found anywhere!  After we used up our resort-provided serving on the first morning, we were coffee-less each morning until we struck out for our daily adventures.  We will be sure to be better prepared in the future.Polynesian-Villa-Kitchenette

Now, back to the bathrooms.  Yes – there are two! This split-bath setup makes a huge difference when multiple people are trying to get ready at the same time – even the two of us.  One room has a toilet, traditional bathtub/shower and vanity.  Polynesian-Villa-Bathroom-Vanity Polynesian-Villa-BathThe other has a vanity and a large shower with two showerheads to choose from!  One is a traditional showerhead (detachable) and the other is straight overhead for a rain or waterfall effect -heavenly!  Polynesian-Vanity Polynesian-Villa-ShowerBoth bathrooms have motion-sensors that turn on the fan automatically when the room is occupied.

Our balcony overlooked the new DVC Bora Bora Bungalows and Seven Seas Lagoon.  In the distance we had a lovely view of Cinderella Castle and Space Mountain.Polynesian-Villa-Moorea-Lake-View Polynesian-Villa-Moorea-Lake-View2I’d heard that the boat horns were a huge problem for people staying in lake-view rooms and we did notice them on the first night – I think being in a new place had a lot to do with it.  After that, we were so exhausted by our full 15-hours of park touring each day, no sounds bothered us and we slept like babies in our super comfortable bed.  The pillows and linens were fabulous!

Pros of the Polynesian DVC studios:  Roomy with great theming, split bathroom with deluxe shower, easy walk to every building from the Great Ceremonial House, and gorgeous, lush surroundings.  Moorea is a very short walk away from the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC).

Cons:  Boat noise bothers some people, current resort renovations are underway which means quite a few construction walls mar the beauty of the landscaping and walkways.  There are not as many restaurant choices as at the other monorail/Magic Kingdom resorts.

Are you a fan of the Polynesian?  What would you recommend about it?