Most Recent Reviews
Review of Le Cellier Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by zookpr46 Review Date: 10/01/2014
Rating: (4) Not Recommended
I really wanted to love Le Cellier. Everyone I spoke to loved Le Cellier, but I am not a big meat eater (perhaps there is my problem) but my daughter and husband are. We went for lunch, a 2:50 seating, we were seated about 15 minutes after our priority seating time. The atmosphere was very nice. Tables were close together but I didn't think it was too bad. There is not much difference in price at all between lunch and dinner. We ordered the cheese soup and poutine as appetizers. My husband and I enjoyed the cheese soup, it does have a bit of a bite to it. The poutine was very tasty. For dinner my daughter ordered the ribeye, which was a very nice cut and came out perfectly done (it should be for $50) I had the mushroom ravioli (again, not much of a meat eater and yet I am in a steakhouse) I found it to be very very very bland, just ground mushrooms , it did not taste like there was much seasoning at all in it. I didn't even finish it ,it was so bad. My husband ordered the pork dish, he was very disappointed. It had that frou frou presentation where it was a small cube of meat decorated with some berry compote and squiggle of sauce. We spent $200 on a meal and left feeling very empty, perhaps that was just our wallets.I know Disney restaurants are expensive but I expect to get some value for what we are paying. Luckily Food & Wine was going on so we could get a snack after our meal...recommendation...if you really have a hankering for the cheese soup, skip Le Cellier and hit the Canada cart for Food & Wine. We've been to Le Cellier once, and once was enough. I will say that our waitress was very nice and all the staff who worked there were very pleasant, so I guess that is a plus.
Pros:
atmosphere, staff, pretzel bread,cheese soupCons:
price, bland flavors, portions/valueReview of Boardwalk Inn (Deluxe Resort)
Reviewed by Imjustababyduck Review Date: 10/01/2014
Rating: (6) Recommended
The Boardwalk Inn is a small (by Disney standards you could almost call it "boutique")deluxe hotel, which, for me, is a positive aspect. Since we were doing Food and Wine this trip, The Boardwalk was a perfect location given the closeness to EpCot.
We had a great room with a king bed and a view of Disney Studios. We could see the fireworks every evening while getting ready for dinner. That part was lovely.
However, the hallways (and to a lesser extent) the general areas of the hotel had a very distasteful odor that was inescapable. We were very lucky that this did not permeate our room; otherwise, I would have never been able to stay there. Also, the hallway from the elevator to our room was consistently dirty. It would be littered with trash and room service trays regularly. I found this to be off-putting, especially when paying for a premium hotel. We did not utilize housekeeping while we were there (personal preference), but I will say that our room was clean when we arrived.
The pool was a little on the small side. The slide was cute, but tiny. In truth, I found the pool area to be similar to Port Orleans (and that is a moderate resort), but The Boardwalk is a small resort and the pool was never crowded so no big deal.
The adjoining shops, restaurants, and bars areas are really nice and make for great ambiance and, to a degree, are what makes this hotel a deluxe hotel (that, and the closeness to two parks).
I would stay here again if doing the Food and Wine Festival simply for the major convenience it offers with respect to EpCot.
Pros:
Close proximity to two parksCons:
Smell and not too cleanReview of ESPN Club
Reviewed by LLSS Review Date: 09/30/2014
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
I started coming to the ESPN Club probably about 10 years ago. It was incredible. Over the last 5 years or so, things have started REALLY going down hill. The service has gotten terrible. No matter how many open seats there are, they force you to wait in their line for at least a few minutes. I am not exaggerating in that we were one of 3 tables in the dining room, and had to wait at the front to be seated. I will say our waitress was the best I have had here in half a dozen years (they are usually horrendous).
But on to the food. I remember the Dinger sandwich being essentially 3 or 4 dingers on a hoagie roll with fries for like $7, and the nachos being piled high enough for 4 of us. Fast forward to today, the sandwich has doubled in price, you get a third of the fries, and a single chicken patty on a bun. The nachos are no longer piled up high, and while they try to fancy them up on a rectangle plate, they are still the nacho cheese sauce (not using real melted cheese except sprinkled over top).
With the prices going up and food quality dropping, this is probably the last time we head here to eat, which is sad with how big of a sports fan I am. Maybe some drinks at the bar during the game, but I doubt we come back to eat.
Pros:
TVs, fun atmosphereCons:
service, foodReview of Crystal Palace Breakfast
Reviewed by LLSS Review Date: 09/30/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
We went here for breakfast before the parks open. The food is great. My favorites are definitely the french toast and the potato casserole. The characters do a great job interacting with the Children, and service is great.
Pros:
Characters, foodCons:
—Review of Columbia Harbour House
Reviewed by LLSS Review Date: 09/30/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
The All Ears video praising this place led us here on our last trip. They weren't lying, the food was to die for. The lobster roll was incredible. The line seemed extremely long (out the door), so we hesitated a bit, but the line moves incredibly fast and efficient, and is well worth the wait.
Pros:
FoodCons:
—Review of Biergarten - Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by LLSS Review Date: 09/30/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
This place is a hidden gem around Epcot. If you like German food, place is a must. The food is outstanding. Of all of our buffet experiences, this had by far the best service. So good in fact, I actually pulled a manager aside just to praise our waitress. The beers are MASSIVE. And the show is a lot of fun. Just a great experience all around.
Pros:
Food, atmosphere, serviceCons:
—Review of Akershus Royal Banquet Hall - Breakfast
Reviewed by LLSS Review Date: 09/30/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
Let me start where most do, the potatoes, which are worth the price alone. They are unreal. The rest of the food is also excellent. And if your little one (or, admit it, you too) love the princesses, this is a great way to see them. We got to see Aurora, Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella, and of course Belle. They were all very nice and took their time with our little one. Belle was especially great.
If I had one complaint, it is waiting to get in is a pain with a little one. You are in a little corral area waiting your turn, and then you wait in another line for entry. Maybe a pager system would make it a bit better, but when you are getting the free picture with a princess, you expect to wait a little. Overall just a great experience, and we will be back.
Pros:
Princesses, PotatoesCons:
Wait to get inReview of Yorkshire County Fish Shop
Reviewed by LLSS Review Date: 09/30/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
Fish and Chips are just incredible. This is a staple any time we go to Disney World. Lines can get a bit long, but they go quick due to the limited menu.
Pros:
—Cons:
—Reviewed by LLSS Review Date: 09/30/2014
Rating: (7) Recommended
Let me start with the food, which was delicious. The lobster mac and cheese was great. Also, there were lots of chances to interact with the characters which was great.
However, this also lead to a lot of chaos. First, reservations don't exactly get you in on time. We had 11:10 reservations, and were seated probably around 11:40. It feels like the restaurant was a bit to big for just the two lines. When my wife went for food while I sat with the little one, she missed Jake coming to the table (lines for food were around 5 minutes plus). When I went, I missed Sophia (which is the little ones favorite), as well as Handy Manny. There were people running around everywhere as well. We actually didn't even get to see Doc as we had the Frozen show to get to at 12:30 and since it took so long to get seated, we had to bolt. Overall it's great for the little ones, but make sure you block a good amount of time for it.
Pros:
Great food, charactersCons:
Complete ChaosReview of California Grill
Reviewed by LLSS Review Date: 09/30/2014
Rating: (6) Recommended
My wife and I went for an anniversary dinner to California Grill. The view is absolutely spectacular.
We started with the appetizer meatballs. The flavoring was great, though they were a bit dry. We had the fillet and Seafood pilaf for our meals. The filet was good, but far from the best I have ever had. The seafood pilaf was actually quite good. We each had desserts which were good, but once again, not over the top great.
After dinner we hung around to see the fireworks from the deck, which was quite spectacular. Honestly, you are paying for the view here, not the food. The food was good, but nothing to write home about for the price we paid. Next time I think we will head elsewhere for a bit better food.
