Breakfast at Cape May Café in the Beach Club

Enchanted Tiki TalkAgain!  Can you believe how lucky we are?  Last week, we had an awesome planning post by Keith from the Enchanted Tiki Talk Podcast and today, I’m super stoked to bring you a post by my friend Sean who also happens to be a host in the Tiki Hut!  Sean’s bringing us a great restaurant review – those of you who love character meals will love this post! (For lots more Disney fun, be sure to follow Sean and Enchanted Tiki Talk on Twitter and Like Enchanted Tiki Talk on Facebook, if you haven’t already, please give the podcast a listen – Sean, Keith, and Alan do a great show and score awesome interviews!)

Breakfast at Cape May Café in the Beach Club

By Sean from Enchanted Tiki Talk Podcast

There are several good character breakfast buffets at Walt Disney, but one of my favorites is at Cape May Café in the Beach Club resort.

My wife Sharon and I have grown to love Cape May Café. Not only is the resort a great place to visit but Cape May Café is much quieter than Chef Mickey’s. Granted Mickey doesn’t make an appearance here but you do get Goofy, Donald and Minnie Mouse. But you also get them in their swimming suits which is a nice touch. Disney certainly plays up the beach atmosphere at the resort which adds to the charm of your breakfast there.

Now Cape May Café is smaller and a little less rowdy in my opinion. The food selection is a bit smaller as well but they still serve all the basics like, pancakes, eggs and Mickey Waffles among other things.  The staff was always attentive and we never felt like we needed to get out of there for the next guest to sit. We also like to book the later times for character breakfasts just because it usually is a little less crazy.

The thing that we really have come to love is the character experiences. The last few times we have gone we have noticed that the characters spent a little more time with the kids. Just as an example Goofy drew his name on my sons paper mat on the table and then Minnie Mouse came for pictures with my son and then noticed my daughter sleeping in the stroller. Next Minnie wanted a photo-shoot covering her mouth with 1 finger showing us that we need to be quiet with a sleeping baby there.  Then you have Donald who stole my hat. You would think after Mickey’s Philharmagic he would have learned his lesson. Sean's Cape May Cafe Review 1

In many ways I felt it was more of an intimate experience with the characters. I think some of that comes into play because it does feel smaller and there isn’t ever a rush to get to the Magic Kingdom.  It is just less chaotic overall and that’s what I love about eating there.

I know lots of people prefer to eat in the parks or feel like they don’t want to stray too far from the parks, but just taking time to explore the Beach Club Resort is worth the trip. Just as an example take a look at Stormalong Bay which is the pool that is shared by the Beach and Yacht Club. It has a sandy bottom and probably one of the best water slides on property.  As a non-resort guest you probably can’t explore the pool area but maybe if you ask nicely they might let you have a look.

I think the biggest thing for me here is that it’s a great idea to get out of the parks and explore the resorts a little more.  You can certainly kill a few hours exploring the Epcot area resorts especially at night. But for something a little different take a look at Cape May Café for breakfast. Oh did I tell you that at night it’s a seafood buffet with all the crab legs you can eat! Well now you know. Only thing is it’s not a character meal but did I mention all you can eat Crab Legs!!!

Have you tried Cape May Café?  Where is your favorite character dining experience at Walt Disney World?

 

Disney Dining – Flo’s V8 Café at Disney California Adventure

Saturdays With Nick!  For this week’s installment, I choked back some very unbecoming jealousy over Nick and his wife, Barbie, having visited Disneyland in 2013 to bring you an awesome dining review.  I’ve dreamed of going to Disneyland forever, but every time I mention it to Raymond, he makes some dire statement about California being the “onramp to the apocalypse” (if it’s not shaking, it’s burning or there’s a horrific mudslides or epic drought).

Never one to give up on a dream, I’ve devised a plan for possible 2017 implementation (we’ve already planned our 2016 Disney vacations) which would get me, finally to Disneyland.  I’m going to propose we visit Aulani (Disney’s Vacation Club property in Hawaii) and stop on the way there for a couple of days at Disneyland.  I’m pretty sure I can make this happen…I’ll keep you posted.  In the meantime, we’ll just have to look back on Nick and Barbie’s adventures….

Disney Dining – Flo’s V8 Café at Disney California Adventure

A few days ago, I shared a video from Flo’s V8 Cafe at Disney California Adventure. Today, I’d like to share a more thorough review of the food.

I’d read that the food was good, but I had no idea just how good!
Let’s start with our first lunch.
This was literally the first place we stopped on our visit to Cars Land, as it was near lunchtime, and we were very hungry.

Upon entering, we were handed a menu by a cast member.

There are also displays of the menu choices in a case in front of the order station/ registers.

And, if that weren’t enough, they are also clearly displayed over the food counter.

I ordered the Pork Loin with Coca Cola BBQ Sauce. For sides I got the Roasted Corn Medley and cole slaw, for $11.49.
First off, several of my favorite words are in the entree name “Pork”, “Coca Cola”, and “BBQ”.
And this did not disappoint!  In fact, I honestly think Disney should be bottling and selling this sauce. It is excellent! I loved my meal.

Barbie ordered the kids Macaroni and Cheese meal, with a bag of carrots and a bag of apples. When asked if she would like the souvenir Lightning McQueen Racer, she said “No”.
I immediately said “Yes she does!” It’s awesome! The mac and cheese was very good too.

This cost $11.99.
We also got a strawberry milkshake, $4.29, and a chocolate milkshake in a souvenir cup for $9.59. Both were creamy without being too hard to drink through the straw. We also split an Apple Cheddar “Pie-O-Rama” for $4.99, also delicious.
We sat in a wonderfully themed dining room overlooking the Radiator Springs Racers attraction.
There is also ample outdoor seating.
So, how much did we like the food here?
We ate 3 more meals at Flo’s!
I’m running out of adjectives, so before I go any further, and this is going to sound like hyperbole, but I’m being honest, we loved everything we had, which was just about the entire menu by the end of our 5 day trip.
We shared a breakfast with my wife’s cousin, Jill, and Jill’s husband, Zach.
American Breakfast with scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon and a biscuit for $7.99, and the Chicken Tamale Breakfast with chicken tamale, scrambled eggs, salsa verde and pico de gallo – $7.99
On another night, my wife had the Citrus Turkey Breast with Old Fashioned Turkey Gravy– $11.49 , with mashed potatoes and the corn medley.

I had the NY Strip Loin with Home-Style Beef Gravy – $11.99, with potatoes and cole slaw.

For dessert we split a Chocolate Mudd pie. Wow, is that rich!
At night, the neon makes Flo’s extra lovely!
We also had lunch with new friends, Tips From the Disney Diva writer, The D’land Diva, and her family, and tried the kids meal sandwiches. I suggest asking for gravy on the side, as they were a bit dry without, but the gravy makes them delicious! We split the Seasonal Fruit Pie, which was pear and cherry.
I really can’t recommend a meal (or 3) at Flo’s V8 Cafe more, so stop in if you need a fill up!
You can read all about Nick, Barbie, and their passion for all things (and places) Disney:
Disney Musings Blog / Disney Musings on Twitter / Disney Musings on Instagram / Disney Musings on Facebook

 

Have you been to Disneyland?  What was your favorite dining experience?

Disney Dining and the Two-Strike Rule

RM-French-Regional-Lunch-DessertI believe everyone deserves a second chance, including restaurants.  With Walt Disney World dining, if my first experience in a restaurant isn’t all I’d hoped for, I’ll gladly give the place another try.  I have come to realize though, that two tries is my limit – if a table-service eatery cannot make me happy after a couple of meals, it’s unlikely that I’ll ever darken their door again.  I’ve come to think of it as the Two-Strike Rule.

I am not a picky eater and I don’t think my restaurant requirements are all that stringent.  All I want is a decent table location (not near the kitchen and a window seat is a nice bonus) and a server who paces the meal well and is attentive without hovering.  I’m usually not in a hurry and prefer a leisurely dinner.  The food has to be fresh and well prepared – hot foods hot, cold foods cold; and I’m hoping for a good, moderately-priced red wine selection, but will make do with beer if necessary.  I don’t have any allergies or special dietary needs and will eat nearly anything but black licorice and tuna-noodle casserole.  See?  It’s really not hard to make me a happy restaurant consumer.RM-Brown-Derby-Outdoor-Seating

When we ate at Disney Hollywood Studios’ Hollywood Brown Derby the first time, the service was poor and slow (we were basically ignored except when our order was taken and our food delivered).  The food was good and we loved the Derby’s atmosphere, but strike one.  Poor service has a major impact on overall dining satisfaction!  The next time we ate at the Brown Derby we were on the patio for wine and cheese and loved everything about it.  SAFE!  We’ll be going back!RM-Kona-Entrance

I fully expect the next time we eat at Kona Café (Polynesian Village Resort) to be a better experience than our first.  All the components of a great meal were there, but the execution left us dissatisfied.  I’m also willing to give Tutto Italia (Epcot’s Italy Pavilion) another try, but not for a LONG time since we used to love it, but found our last meal there to be a disaster on every level.

Same thing with Le Cellier (Epcot’s Canada Pavilion) – we were, until this year, staunch supporters with years of happy family meal memories there.  RM-Le-CellierSadly, the reports you hear now about it being over-hyped, over-priced, and over-booked are absolutely true.  We ate there in February and I was absolutely miserable.  Bad food, so-so service, and the bill was staggering for what we experienced.  We were crammed in the middle of three tables-for-two, so close to the ladies sitting next to us, we at least had their entire dinner conversation to entertain us – we had no choice but to hear every single word.  We might as well have been sitting at the same table.  RM-Le-Cellier-Entree-2015The servers appear to have a hard time making their way between tables and really have to stretch to deliver plates to some guests.  Now we’ll just leave Epcot and eat at Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Club) if we want an excellent steak dinner.  If I hear things have changed for the better, I will absolutely try Le Cellier again.RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Waterfall

Has anyone struck out?  Have we tried a restaurant twice and decided we’re through forever?  As a matter of fact, we have.  I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I believe in total honesty.  I’m allowed to dislike a restaurant and still love the resort where it’s located, aren’t I?  I love Wilderness Lodge!  The grandeur, the beauty, the massive lobby and fantastic details – yes, indeed, Wilderness Lodge is wonderful!  RM-Artist-PointArtist Point?  Not so much.  It’s not for us.  There.  I said it.  Artist Point struck out and we will not be going back.  We tried it for the first time in 2010 and thought…meh.  For the price, we just didn’t feel the love.  Everything was extremely mediocre.  There are so many restaurants at Disney World that we think are extraordinary, we don’t need to spend money on mediocre.  But, the Two Strike Rule, right?  We had to give Artist Point another try.  And we did in February.RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Exterior

We arrived at Wilderness Lodge with enough time before our reservation time to stroll around, take some pictures, explore the lobby, and stop by the Territory Lounge for a glass of wine.RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Lobby RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Lobby-Totem RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Territory-LoungeSo far, so good!  We soaked up the atmosphere and felt hungry, but relaxed and ready for a great meal.  The dining room was as I remembered it – nothing remarkable, but cozy.  Our server was clearly overworked – we noticed that at once.RM-Artist-Point-Artisanal-CheesesWe ordered the artisanal cheese platter appetizer and a bottle of wine.  After we ordered our entrees, things went downhill fast.RM-Artist-Point-Swordfish RM-Artist-Point-Entree

I won’t bore you with every detail, but I, the non-picky eater, ate about three bites of my burnt, dry fish and was ready to get back to Bay Lake Tower for dessert at the Top of the World Lounge.  You can see in the picture that my fish was black – I don’t mean blackened – I’m from Louisiana and I love blackened fish. RM-Artist-Point-Burnt-Fish I wasn’t going to utter a word of complaint, but the experience was truly awful and we had to wait so long to catch the server’s attention to get our check.  When he looked at my plate and asked me if he could box up my leftovers, I couldn’t be quiet.  I said, “No, thank you, but for the folks that come after me, please let the kitchen know that this was the driest, most burnt piece of fish I’ve ever been served.”  Here’s the key part of this story – he never made eye contact, never said he was sorry, he just mumbled, “I take that off your ticket” and that was it.  He did!  My entrée was not on our bill and it seemed like a normal, regular thing.  THAT, friends, was what caused strike two.

Have you tried a Disney World Restaurant that you want to visit again and again?  What about one that you can live without?  If you have a bad experience, will you return?

On Twitter or Instagram?  Find me here and here.  Are you a Disney fan who loves podcasts?  Please try The Disney Exchange where you can listen to….ME! (and my Disney-loving co-hosts, Nick and Dave)

 

 

 

 

Disney World Dining – Columbia Harbor House

P-Columbia-Harbor-HouseMagic Kingdom is SUCH a great park!  Fantastic lands, awesome theming, wonderful attractions AND pretty darn good food!  Snacks aplenty, ask any Disney World fan and they’ll tell you that the popcorn on Main Street, the pretzels in Tomorrowland, the churros in Frontierland, and the, dare I say it? Dole Whips in Adventureland make Magic Kingdom the very best park for snacking.  Snacks are all well and good, but when I want a quick meal on the spur of the moment?  I’m choosing Columbia Harbor House in Liberty Square.

Disney World Dining – Columbia Harbor House:

As you may expect, I can share FIVE great things about dining at Columbia Harbor House for you to consider:

1. Location!  You think it doesn’t matter?  Oh, but it does to us!  When Magic Kingdom opens, we head on over to Frontierland to ride the two mountains there first:  Splash and Big Thunder.  What a way to start the day!  Then we have some leisure time (built into our plan, which I highly recommend).  We can see the Country Bears, tour the Haunted Mansion, chillax in the Hall of Presidents and, hungry now, are perfectly poised for an early lunch at Columbia Harbor House!RM-Columbia-Harbor-House-Menu

2. Variety – CHH has an excellent, broad menu – sure to please everyone in your party.  From the Disney website, ” Reel in fried fish, shrimp or chicken baskets, lobster rolls, New England clam chowder, grilled salmon, vegetarian chili and salads. Specialty sandwiches include the Anchors Aweigh, made with white tuna, and the Lighthouse, made with hummus and broccoli slaw. Kids can enjoy macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets and more. Top off your meal with seasonal cobbler, yogurt and fountain drinks.”  Me?  I’m partial to the Anchors Aweigh and will split a sandwich if Megan is with me to save room for snacks or a table service ADR (advance dining reservation) later in the day.  Raymond and Joseph love the fried fish basket.  We’ve never left unhappy.RM-Columbia-Harbor-House-Tuna-SandwichRM-Columbia-Harbor-House-Fish

3. Quality – The food is consistently good.  We’ve enjoyed lunch at Columbia Harbor House many times over the years and have never had an “off” meal.  For an eatery to reliably deliver exactly what we expect, every time we visit, that’s what keeps us coming back!RM-Columbia-Harbor-House-CM

4. Service – Sure it’s counter service restaurant, but the folks are swell!  Friendly staff, clean dining area, and a sense of urgency to keep the line moving – these make for an excellent experience and get us back out into the park pronto!RM-Columbia-Harbor-House-Window-Table RM-Columbia-Harbor-House-View

5. Seating – There’s ample seating both main floor and upstairs.  We always head on up to the second level where it’s usually a little quieter and, if we get there early or are especially lucky, we can find a table with a view!  Yup, window-side seating gives guests an awesome view of Liberty Square’s goings-on.  Except for the inside of Beast’s Castle at Be Our Guest, what other lunch place can boast a better view?RM-Columbia-Harbor-House-Decor

Is Columbia Harbor House one of your must-do’s?  What other Magic Kingdom counter service restaurants do you love?