Most Recent Reviews
Review of Carriage and Wagon Rides
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 12/21/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
My mom, a friend, and I participated in the 6pm wagon ride on 12/16. This is a very inexpensive thing to do at Disney, for $8/adult. Our driver was Austin and our horses were Rookie and Chief. The wagon was full (about 30 people) but we were all comfortable. I saw some people brought blankets to keep warm.
We got a beautiful view of the Contemporary and Magic Kingdom at one short stop. Also a great way to see all the campground decorations, which are stellar!
After the ride, we went to the stable to say hello to the horses and I was surprised to find a nice exhibit on the role that horses have played in the Disney company. It was very nice (and free!), and there is also a calliope from the early 1900s that plays music!
Pros:
Inexpensive, great way to see the groundsCons:
—Review of Everything POP! Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by kelhalmom Review Date: 12/23/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
We were very pleased with the food court food during our stay the week of December 7th. We ate here several times and also ordered pizzas once. The pizza was great, the roasted chicken with potatoes and green beans were amazing (even the kids ate it up), and the kids say the mac and cheese was some of the best they ever had. The only thing that wasn't great was a buffalo chicken flatbread my mother and husband ate. Every thing else was fantastic. There is a little area to sit near the ice cream that has TVs that play cartoons and kid sized tables and chairs. It was never crowded and my kids enjoyed it there!
Pros:
fast, easy, yummyCons:
noneReviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 12/21/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
Buses: We only used the internal buses within Ft. Wilderness one time, to get to and from Pioneer Hall. Just a few minutes wait at Outpost Depot for a bus (I think it was purple) and the bus driver was very courteous in loading and unloading our scooter. Coming back after the 8:30pm Hoop dee Doo show was a bit chaotic. In addition to the internal buses, they also had the "Zoned" buses going back to other resorts. Due to this, the driver didn't see us waiting to board and loaded a bunch of people onboard before us and our scooter. This led to a bit of frustration and stress for my mom trying to drive the scooter onto the bus, as well as for the other guests.
Boats: We used the Friendships twice to travel within Epcot. Both times they were either on their way or already at the dock. Captains were friendly and the journey was short and pleasant.
Monorail: On the night of MVMCP, the Express monorail line was very long and Resort monorail was in the station with no wait at all.
Pros:
Fast and convenientCons:
—Review of Trattoria al forno - Dinner
Reviewed by mickeyflex Review Date: 12/21/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
We ate here tonight. It was good, but I'm sure will improve. The bread and olive oil were super. My wife ordered the lamb shank, which was spectacular and the polenta made a perfect pairing. I had the Braised Beef "Bolognese." I was disappointed in this as it was on the dry side and the sauce was more a barbeque sauce than a traditional red gravy I was expecting. The house made cavatelli was the highlight of the dish. Our kids both had the Campanelli Pasta Marinara with Turkey Meatballs and it was superb. The pasta was perfectly al dente and tasty, the meatball juicy and flavorful, and the gravy had a deep tomato taste with perfect seasoning. For desert, my daughter had the vanilla gelato while my son had the strawberry basil. Both were exceptional, but my son's choice was incredibly tasty, with the basil adding just the right amount of peppery herbaceousness to counter the sweetness of the strawberries. My wife had the Bomboloni, which my kids both said were okay donuts. I had the tiramisu, which was the best I've ever had.
Pros:
kids' spaghettiCons:
beef BologneseReviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 12/20/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
Saw the lights on 12/14, a Sunday. We booked the Frozen dessert party just to be able to see the show without the crowds, since my mom uses a scooter. Watched from our table until about 8pm, when the park officially closed, then ventured into the Streets. There were EMH that night but the area wasn't too crowded by that point. I thought the lights danced more often in years past but maybe not. Lines for Photopass pics were long at all stations, so we didn't get any. Found the hidden cat completely by accident! A great start to the holiday season and a good way to begin our trip.
Pros:
Amazing showCons:
—Review of Candlelight Processional (Epcot)
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 12/20/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
We attended the 5pm Processional on 12/17. Chita Rivera narrated for us. We did have the dinner package. Joined the line at 4pm; my mom was in a scooter and decided to just stay in it for the show so we were directed to a special non-transfer line and were the fourth group there. They allowed the person in the scooter/wheelchair plus two others.
Our line was seated first and we had an excellent spot: close to the center of the theater and in the first row behind the VIP section. The show was beautiful, and can be enjoyed even by those who are not religious, like myself. All the performers do a fantastic job and are a joy to watch. Definitely a show to get you in the Christmas spirit!
Pros:
Beautiful, uplifting showCons:
—Review of EPCOT Storytellers Around the World
Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 12/20/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
This was our first time seeing any of the storytellers, and we managed to get to most of the shows over two days, only missing Morocco and the UK. We really enjoyed the performances at many of the countries, particularly Mexico through Italy. The Joyful! Gospel choir was also very good. The Canadian musical act was nothing particularly special and the show was loud. Very enjoyable way to spend the day at Epcot but difficult to work them in over just one day, or even two, if you're trying to also enjoy everything else the park has to offer.
Pros:
Great overviews of holiday traditionsCons:
—Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 12/20/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
Our last time attending the party was 2012, and it was not a great experience, in part due to our own lack of planning. This year we attended on 12/18 and had a great time. The party was sold out but I didn't think the park felt crowded at all.
We entered early and did some rides before lining up to meet the Seven Dwarfs at 5:30pm. At that time, there were three groups ahead of us (one or two people each). The Dwarfs came out by 6:50 and we were on our way before 7. By 7:45 I had also met Snow White & Snow Prince and Aurora & Prince Philip, as well as Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore.
After that we headed to Main Street for the 8pm castle lighting, which we viewed from the Liberty Square side of the hub. My only complaint is that better crowd control is needed in this area to help keep walkways open. Our view of the stage was slightly obstructed but we could see the castle itself just fine.
We proceeded to Pecos Bill for dinner around 8:15 and could see/hear much of the first parade as it passed by. Also stopped in for some cocoa (very good) and cookies (just okay) at Tortuga Tavern before heading to the Adventureland bridge to watch Celebrate the Magic and Holiday Wishes. Our view was clear, if not straight on, and the bridge remained fairly uncrowded. After the crowds dissipated we went to the stage to view Celebrate the Season at 10:05. This was a very cute show.
Then we went on to Liberty Square for the 10:30 parade. Unfortunately, the handicapped viewing area was already full and cast members were very unhelpful in assisting us. We ended up near the rope just by the Diamond Horseshoe with a pretty good view.
After the parade it was time for characters in Storybook Circus. I met Minnie and Santa Goofy with minimal wait and then Daisy, Donald, and Scrooge after about 20 minutes. Finally, I caught part of the Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show, which was not that great, and met my mom on Main Street. She was disappointed that the Confectionery closed promptly at 12, and went to get a snack in the Emporium, where there were long lines and not enough cashiers. After obtaining a few photopass pictures, we left around 12:15. There was no wait for the resort monorail at that time.
We definitely got our money's worth this time around, even with the elevated cost for this date. The only thing I wanted to do that we just didn't have time for was the Frontierland dance party. If you go in with a plan and try to avoid Main Street as much as possible, you'll have a great time!
Pros:
Special characters, parade, fireworks, showsCons:
Main Street crowd controlReview of Biergarten - Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by PolynesianStitch Review Date: 12/20/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
Good, hearty food, but could have had a few more salads or vegetable dishes. Nice variety in the desserts. Felt very wedged in against rail and was somewhat difficult to get out to get food at the buffet.
Pros:
food was freshCons:
crowded seatingReview of Flame Tree Barbecue
Reviewed by PolynesianStitch Review Date: 12/20/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
The chicken and ribs platter was not only outstanding but large enough for two of us to share. The staff were very accommodating about substituting fruit for the coleslaw. Staff brought out menus to look at in line so it speeded up ordering. A little difficult to find seating, due to popularity, but that gave us an opportunity to see how many creative locations they had for eating in the pavilions and we ended up with a lovely water view. There are a fair number of birds around looking for hand outs, but they're easily shooed away.
