Most Recent Reviews
Review of Kringla Bakeri og Cafe
Reviewed by nick6300 Review Date: 09/11/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
This is the first 10 rating I've given from our 9/1-9/8 trip and maybe the 1 quick service I'm most excited to return to for it's awesome baked goods, large and tasty sandwiches, decent side salads, and friendly staff. Normally, I've seen this tiny place packed, with lines easily forming outside. We planned ahead to know what to order and to get here early (11:15ish). WS opens at 11, so I was the only person ordering: Norweigian Club, toasted, with side salad (can also choose a fruit bowl which looked good) and the famous school bread and Simply Orange OJ with my dining plan credit on 9/5. Because we had a FP to maelstrom, and wanted to make it to a few WS show times, we got everything to go, and the friendly staff was accommodating. The salad had like a sliced provolone (I think) and tomatoes on it, and much better than the normal packaged tossed side salads you find elsewhere. The school bread, which was much anticipated, fell a little short of expectations. It wasn't bad at all, but not as good as many raved about. There was a little bit of creme filling and a cocunut cream topping, but many bites were of just plain bread. The troll horns and many of other baked goods look awesome, and I can't wait to try other things next time. The meal was split, and still very large, very tasty. I recommend coming early to get a table, and because you are put on the spot with so many baked good choices... I'd plan a few choices ahead of time.
Pros:
baked goodies, sandwiches, friendly staffCons:
small space for lines/ordering, not an abundance of seatingReview of Tangierine Cafe
Reviewed by nick6300 Review Date: 09/11/2014
Rating: (6) Recommended
1st of all, we're not real big on mediterranean. And of the few times I've had it, this place was probably better. I'd probably recommend it to mediterranean food lovers. We had the lamb/chicken shawarma plate with "Morrocan Bread" which was just pita, hummus for dipping, and tiny bit of couscous and tabouleh. The overall portion was large and we split this as a quick service, perhaps one of the best values for a quick service credit relative to portion size and price (I think around $15). We ate everything, but the tabouleh was our least favorite... funny tasting, sort of sour, I think. But I think it tasted the same as previous versions I've had (and didn't love). The couscous was good, and lamb was excellent. It was so tender that we easily cut it with the sides of our plastic forks! No exaggeration. The chicken, as others have commented, is not as good, and we'd either get just the lamb shawarma or the pitas or something else next time. Pita/hummus was good - although never something I've craved. The baklava for dessert is tiny, but very tasty. It is a flaky, crisp on outside, and nutty/chewy/honey gooey on the inside:). We wanted to say we've had lamb before, and it was hard for me to order the red wine steak at Liberty Inn or something more familiar over this... since we were at the world showcase and emersed by the different cultures.
Pros:
Unique foods, tender lamb, big portionsCons:
very limited indoor seatingReview of Fairfax Fare
Reviewed by nick6300 Review Date: 09/11/2014
Rating: (6) Recommended
This has been rated the worst quick service at HS by Allears members primarily for the long waiting, ordering system, and partially due to food quality. On 9/6 we ordered the chicken/ribs which comes with beans/slaw at 130, right after a 1pm Beauty show. The confusing ordering system that was mentioned in other reviews was nonexistent. We ordered directly at the counter as you would expect, and no one was line! Maybe they do the weird ordering system during peak season, I'm not sure. We got our food immediately, because like other Disney quick service, they ramped up orders in anticipation of lunch crowds. I'm one of the least picky eaters I know, and I eat just about anything. So a 6 rating from me is reflective that the meal was edible, but that I probably would pick just about any quick service at HS over this one. The chicken/ribs, while not bad, was far from what you'd find at an average sit-down restaurant (think a notch below Applebee's). The ribs weren't super tender but still tasty, the chicken was alright. You can get packaged BBQ sauce but there was enough on the meat. The very small sides of beans and slaw were ok, not great. The meal was luke warm from sitting out. You can get the banana pudding with wafers or vanillia cake with custard. We got the latter, and it was a mistake. It came in a small 4 in deep jar, half filled, but it had gone bad from being old. anyway. I think if you paid for this meal outside the dining plan it's around $16, which I'd much rather get the burger at Rosie's next door, and we didn't order a single burger during the entire 8 day trip.
Pros:
Ribs, along w/ Sunset Blvd restaurants: open the latestCons:
limited dessertsReviewed by nick6300 Review Date: 09/11/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
This is actually our 2nd favorite quick service option (after Starring Rolls) at HS. Not because it's especially good, but because there aren't a ton of great options. They offer a capuccino or specialty cupcake or cookie for dessert. Had both cupcakes, and both were very good. The specialty last week was the Olaf cupcake that was carrot with white cream cheese frosting, and white chocolate Olaf-shapped candy topping with milk chocolate stick arms. I liked the cappucino one slightly better.
We got the meat pizza both times w/ the caesar salad. The pizza had few pepperoni and chunks of sliced meatballs... not very much meat. The pizza tasted better than expected. The salads here, I liked better than the usual side salads... but I prefer caesar over tossed greens. We wish we ordered the meatball subs, because they looked fantastic. They were covered with mozzarella on top, unlike the one we ordered from MK's Pinnochio's, which was still good.
It can get kind of crazy in there, despite a lot of seating, because it's Toy Story themed, and has an arcade. The lower area was packed both times we visited (lunch and at early dinner), with a lot of arcade playing noise. Upstairs has its own set of restrooms. I did slip and fall down the last few stairs coming down during a long rain one night.
We love Toy Story, and as others mentioned, the theming could be better. There are aliens hanging from the ceiling, and a few other characters present, but it doesn't scream Toy Story. The pizza or sandwich/salad/cupcake meal is definitely splittable (we did that twice), and pretty good.
Pros:
Decent pizza, cupcakesCons:
loudReview of Starring Rolls
Reviewed by nick6300 Review Date: 09/11/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
We visited twice during last week's vacation, and it was one of our favorite quick service places to use the dining plan. You can get sushi rolls, or deli turkey or ham on focaccia plus a banana or apple or small bag of lays chips. We split the ham one day and the turkey on the other. I tend to prefer turkey over ham, and thought it tasted better. Neither of us loved the dressing on the ham (not sure what it was, sorry). For drink options, they had a cooler full of teas, juices, milks, plus you could get sodas, you specialty coffees (hot or cold). The bakery is what sets this place a part. They have a large selection of bagels and pastries that rival what you'd find at EPCOT. The butterfinger cupcake was our favorite dessert option. It's served chilled with a chocolate filling, hard chocolate and butterfinger pieces on the outside, and huge! You can't really cut it in half easily because of the hard exterior, but it's definitely for splitting (i.e. 1000+ calories). We favored this over the ice creams at the MK's Parlor, which we ordered 4 times, and choices at places such as Kringla La Bakeri (spelling)?.
The main knock on this place is that it's mainly open from breakfast through 4, and it was changed to until 2pm starting Labor Day. So our window was 11-2pm. There are only about 10-15 tables outside, so it's best to come early or late. We weren't able to find a table on the occasion we arrived at 1230 but found a few empty ones when arriving at 1130.
A lot of people consider the ordering system to be a mess. It's simple once you do it. Upon entering near the drink frig entrance, grab a tray and cold drink (if that's your choice for drink), then as you approach the sandwich/sushi/coffee counter, ask for your sandwich or sushi, coffee, and some of the pastries. Then at the checkout counter, you can ask for a specialty cupcake (Olaf or Elsa, red velvet, PB, butterfinger, etc.) and check out. People complain when they don't order their drink before the check out counter and have to go back, and there is a line formed at that point. It's poorly organized because it's such a tight space. You just have to see what's offered at each station before moving on to the next one. The sandwiches were ok, but this is still my favorite HS quick service for it's desserts and coffees.
Pros:
Great dessert and drink optionsCons:
limited hours, confusing lines, limited seatingReview of Be Our Guest -Counter Service Lunch
Reviewed by rrhiannon99 Review Date: 09/10/2014
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
I just came back from a Disney World trip and I was VERY disappointed in Be Our Guest for lunch. Food wasn't great, even for quick service. There were TONS of wasted server time bringing out lunches ONE TABLE AT A TIME in their carts - meanwhile tons of people were waiting outside with plenty of empty tables inside. The lack of efficiency was such a huge blow. We had our receipt checked multiple times at our table with a good number of cast members standing around in each dining room having to double and triple check receipts - we never figured out why, these cast members never introduced themselves or said why, they just rudely came over and picked up our receipt and checked and left without explanation. Obviously there are kinks to be worked out, I just hope that Disney actually gets them worked out instead of everyone being so starry-eyed over the restaurant in general. I won't be back for lunch, and am only partially convinced I should even try for dinner service. Anyway, totally disenchanted with the experience...and the grey stuff cupcake was a bomb. Went over to Animal Kingdom the next day and picked up their zebra cupcake from quick service and it was twice the size and actually had flavor.
Pros:
The venue is beautifulCons:
VERY disorganized serviceReview of ABC Commissary
Reviewed by nick6300 Review Date: 09/10/2014
Rating: (5) Recommended
ABC tends to get the worst or close to the worst ratings at HS quick service (Fairfax being the other poorly rated restaurant). I come here every year, and I typically think it's ok in terms of food taste. The menu for food entrees is probably the biggest. It's air conditioned with a decent amount of inside seating. Sometimes slow on service. On 9/6... it was storming outside and we came here for shelter and try to order the chicken tenders and potatoes that was on the mydisneyexperience menu. It wasn't available. The line was also huge. Even though it was raining hard, I was dissappointed enough to make the trek to Pizza Planet, rather than order something here. I would put Pizza Planet's meatball subs and meat lovers pizza and Starring Rolls sandwiches with that awesome bakery (butterfinger cupcakes!) over ABC. But it's probably preferred over getting a turkey leg at Min and Bills or the chicken/ribs at Fairfax.
Pros:
larger entree menu, mousse added to usual cupcake dessert optionsCons:
see belowReview of Pizzafari
Reviewed by nick6300 Review Date: 09/10/2014
Rating: (7) Recommended
Came here for breakfast (usually come for pizza lunch) on an off-peak season day (9/3) and it was dead. There was 1 other person in line, and we saw maybe 2 other groups eating. We usually stop in even if not eating, just to look at the coloful wall art, find a few of the several hidden Mickeys. We ordered the bounty plate breakfast that had something like 2 sausage patties, scrambled egg, 2 slices of bacon, 2 waffle sticks. We had the free QS dining plan and found that we needed use up meals because it's a ton of food. Even though lunch and dinner on the dining plan includes a dessert... after 3-4 desserts a day, every day, you get sort of sugared out. I didn't want to waste meals so we tried to spread out meals from like 9 am to 10pm and split 4 between 2 of us. The bounty plate was the same that you get at the All Star Sports hotel... not super good or filling but it's better than most of the breakfast options, in my opinion.
Pros:
Colorful wall decorCons:
noneReviewed by 5busyrussells Review Date: 09/10/2014
Rating: (4) Not Recommended
We had previously attended MVMCP, which was much more crowded - but much more worthwhile. This felt very "thrown together". We did trick or treat, although most of the cast members were very crabby and scolded the kids if they returned for more candy (especially in the Werther's line). The best part was virtually no lines for any of the rids including Seven Dwarfs Mine ride. The fireworks, though, were phenomenal - no one quite knows how to do fireworks like Disney! We experienced it, but I can't say I would highly recommend and we definitely would not do it again.
Pros:
Nonexistent wait lines for ridsCons:
—Review of Be Our Guest -Counter Service Lunch
Reviewed by 5busyrussells Review Date: 09/10/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
We had Fastpass+ reservation for 1:45-2:15 on Tuesday, September 9. We arrived at 2:00 and went through the check-in process very quickly and efficiently. We then found a table to seat our party of 5. It was fun wandering through the different themed rooms. We went and filled our cups and obtained silverware, and upon returning to our table, lunch arrived! Everything was delicious - no complaints at all. My husband loved the braised pork, 2 kids had the Croques Monseur, one daughter had the turkey sandwhich and I had the quinoa and salad which was fabulous and very tasty (I was worried it would be bland). Two had triple chocolate cupcakes, two of us had the Master's cupcake and one had the chocolate cream puff - all delicious. Would definitely not hesitate to do this again and forego dinner at BOG. My only complaint was that we felt rushed at the end of the meal as they were setting up for dinner. But we did not let it bother us and we had a relaxing and enjoyable lunch!
