Most Recent Reviews
Review of Cinderella's Royal Table Lunch
Reviewed by WDWDad1974 Review Date: 05/13/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
You're doing this because your little girl wants to do it. Has to do it. She will feel sad leaving the park every day that she does not do it. She will need therapy in later years if she doesn't get to go. She'll always wonder if you really love her. But you already know that. Will it be total misery for you if you do it?
We had a great time. There's a great atmosphere of sheer anticipation, punctuated by shrieks of delight from young girls. Actually, it is not that bad--not chaotic or loud at all. The princesses were nice; my son (his review would be significantly worse, but he's 7) actually enjoyed coming up with smart-alek questions for all of the princesses ("hey Snow White, do you still eat apples?"), and they sweetly took time to engage him. My daughters loved it because, well, princesses.
The room is pretty impressive; if you can get by a window I imagine it is even better.
The food is not terrible. I was told there would be Filet Mignon, and there was not Filet Mignon. There were short ribs, which were passable. Like Peter Pan's Flight, which makes one feel as if one is flying over London, one feels at Cinderella's Royal Table as if one is eating in a nice restaurant. But one is not. One is only there for the princesses. One would probably not be able to enjoy really good food amid all the anticipation anyway. The appetizer plate and the dessert were good. The portions were not very large. So as a stand alone meal, I would have felt that it was not a very good deal considering the quality and size, but then again you're not paying for the food. You're paying to pretend to eat a nice meal while you meet princesses. And that is worth every penny.
I had heard that you feel rushed, but we did not.
Pros:
Did you hear that it is in the castle? That the princesses come?Cons:
Food and portion size not worth what you payReview of Tusker House Lunch and Dinner Buffet
Reviewed by WDWDad1974 Review Date: 05/13/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
If you don't like ethnic food, don't bother (I guess you could make do, but why?). Really good food, nothing too spicy (though I do like spicy), but flavorful. Huge buffet, with a carving and dessert station. Those here who say little selection I am guessing just did not like what they did have. But my sense is that many of these would have been good dishes to order as individual plates. We ate our fill, and didn't need dinner that night!
We went on a very busy day, but it did not feel busy. The characters spent plenty of time--we even had Safari Mickey come back to our table, and he seemed to be wandering around a bit looking for things to do!
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Best food at WDWCons:
noneReview of Hollywood and Vine Dinner
Reviewed by WDWDad1974 Review Date: 05/13/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
Went for the Disney Jr. lunch. The kids loved it. The characters took their time, and even had organized dances periodically.
We ate at around noon and were not hungry the rest of the day. The food was tasty and varied. I was expecting a little more standard buffet line, but they had some good salads and some good hot entrees--like salmon and a really tasty Asian-inspired chicken dish (I forget the name). The desserts were really good. My son loved the make-your-own pasta station, which can feel like a nice break from the usual pre-cooked meal you have elsewhere in the park.
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Good dishes, good selectionCons:
A bit crowdedReview of Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
Reviewed by WDWDad1974 Review Date: 05/13/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
When on the dining plan, I try to pack as much value into each meal to stretch the plan and my cash out so that I can splurge on the really good food. This place is an awesome deal for the dining plan. A rack of ribs AND a half chicken, plus sides? My son and I split one, and we had leftovers. There are not a whole lot of options, so if you don't like ribs and chicken, well.....
And everything tasted good too. My wife had the pulled pork, which was good. The chicken was not dry or flavorless--which I had expected. I really like good ribs, and these were not bad, but not the best I've had. Not fabulous, but certainly an enjoyable meal. And, again, an AWESOME DEAL for the dining plan.
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PortionsCons:
crowd, optionsReview of Contemporary Resort (Deluxe Resort)
Reviewed by WDWDad1974 Review Date: 05/13/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
We stayed in the Garden Wing, which I was a bit nervous about; I mean, the Contemporary is beautiful, a great hotel that looks like a spaceport and a marvel of modern architecture--why stay in the Garden Wing? It turned out to be a great experience, and the savings were well worth it.
First of all, you cannot beat the Contemporary for location. We walked to the MK several times, despite having cranky kids (and one in a stroller), because it was just so close. The walk isn't "magical," per se, but you get to walk under the Monorail and get a good look at Space Mountain on the way. Of course the Monorail is extra cool--my kids liked it as much as any other ride. Quick trip to Epcot, and even a quick trip via bus to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom (they told us to plan 40 minutes, but it was probably more like 15). From what I could tell, everything stopped at the Contemporary first on the way home, although on the way in you go through the Polynesian and Grand Floridian first. But that's actually a bonus--first off at the end of a long day, first on ahead of the other riders at the start of the day. For my money, staying at a Monorail resort is well worth it.
And the contemporary is cool--I think the coolest resort aesthetically. It does not get enough love as a Disney resort, in my mind, but that's mainly because the others are so lavishly themed, and the charm of the Contemporary is so subtle. Yes, it is somewhat dated in terms of the conception of what is "contemporary." But it does not feel stuck in 1971 in any way, just always someone's idea of futuristic. The concourse with the Monorail coming through makes the whole thing feel like it is perfectly conceived and planned. And as an adult, I think that many of the other resorts leave one feeling a bit silly. This is a hotel you're proud to come home to.
The Garden Wing is off to the side and the worst thing that can be said is that it is a bit of a hike to and from transportation, restaurants, etc. It is on the opposite side of the resort as the MK walkway, those hallways start to seem pretty long, and the elevators are not incredibly conveniently placed. To get to the restaurants or the Monorail you walk across the property, then take an elevator or escalator to the 4th and 5th floors. This could be a bit of a pain--it was especially so when I wanted to go get coffee from the Contempo Cafe in the morning and bring it back to the room. If you think this is a problem, however, I would be sure to check out cross-resort walks at other resorts--I remember staying at Port Orleans once, and the walk was probably comparable. And when I was waiting for the elevator, I figured that anyone in the tower would also have to wait for the same elevator--they just would not have to walk that far to get to it! On the whole, however, I found it that the walk was not that bad--and that's dragging two elementary-aged kids and a pre-schooler.
So about the Garden Wing itself: I worried that we would feel like we were in the low class wing, but we never felt like we were going cheap. In sum, you get all the benefits of the Contemporary's location and amenities, for a little cheaper, and as a bonus you're close to the pool. One major benefit that I was not expecting--and that even the bellhop did not know about--is that we could see the fireworks from our beds. Not the full show, mind you, but the "top part" of the fireworks, just enough to thrill my kids as they were going to bed, and enough to make the room feel extra cool. You should note two things: 1.) this only will work in Garden View rooms, and probably not all (my sense is that the closer you are to the lagoon, the better your view would be--and you probably have to be on the third floor, which is what we wanted anyway); and 2.) to see fireworks in the Tower requires a Magic Kingdom View room, which I think may be as much as $200 more--compare prices for yourself. While I'm on the topic of fireworks: there is an observation deck on the 4th floor from which you can watch the MK fireworks (with the Monorail coming in just above your head), and I was told (on the last night, when it was too late for me to check out) that you can see the fireworks and get the music from the show at the California Grille restaurant.
The Garden Wing is just outside of the pool/beach area, and the pool is really nice. They have a water slide and a little splash area. You can't swim at the beach, but my kids really liked playing in the sand after their swim. The lifeguards are fantastic. Also, they have lots of activities around the pool area, including a nightly movie. I believe that the pools at some of the resorts are more elaborate--the Beach Club areas, especially. But from what I can tell from the pics of the Art of Animation, etc., resorts, the pools are not better, just more themed.
The decor is really cool. One of the things that led us to choose the Contemporary is that it is not drenched in Disney decor, so my wife and I felt like we were staying in a place that was partly for us. If you want to feel like you're in a really nice, well-designed, modern hotel, this is a great place. It was not standard hotel decor by any means--it feels like an upscale boutique hotel in New York or LA; the rooms are sleek and modern, with some cool lighting features. The bathroom is encased in marble, which felt really luxurious. I know some people want to be totally enmeshed in Disney, and if you want mouse ear lamps and Lion King bedspreads, you should go someplace else--although my kids loved the deconstructed hidden Mickeys in the hallway artwork and carpet. This was their first trip; maybe if they had been in one of the over-the-top themed resorts before, they would have missed the characters. As it was, however, they loved it too; when we wanted extra Disney magic, we turned on the TV and played Donald Duck cartoons.
Before I booked, I wanted a good, thorough review that took account of the Garden Wing, and I couldn't find it. Hopefully this suffices for the next guy. Take the walking and the theming into account, compare with the other resorts, but I do not think you'll be disappointed.
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Location, Location, Location--even for the Garden WingCons:
moving through the resortReview of Sci-Fi Dine-in Theatre Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by Dfan79 Review Date: 05/12/2014
Rating: (6) Recommended
The food was just average, but you don’t go here for the food you go for the atmosphere. It’s a pretty cool feeling to be able to sit in a Drive In movie theater from the 50‘s. They don’t have that many where I live anymore. Plus there’s no chance of being rained on in this one because it’s in a huge soundstage.
The cartoon and b-movie Sci-fi clips are hilarious, like "The Cat that hated People". I enjoy the regular tables in the middle the most, they seat 4 or more. The cars are cool looking, but the light inside them seems too bright. Plus last time I went the speaker just outside the vehicle was really messed up.
It was a really fun time though.
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AtmosphereCons:
Average foodReview of Crystal Palace Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by Dfan79 Review Date: 05/12/2014
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
I went for dinner with my family at Crystal Palace. The characters are a big reason why kids will love this place. The food is a major reason why they won’t though. I guess Disney figured they could serve anything because of the character interaction with Pooh and his gang are so great. But I wouldn’t serve this food to a dog.
Even the usually dependable ice cream had no flavor. There was also a hard cookie section, the day old ones at my local supermarket tasted fresher. The Macaroni and Cheese looked like it was left over Stouffers from the night before and I didn’t want to even go near the chicken either.
There wasn’t many choices and what they did have wasn’t good. I looked around the corner to see if there was another section that I might have missed, but nope there was just more tables.
The atmosphere is abnormally bright inside because of all the windows and the unusually large amount of round lights.
Another strike against Crystal was the price. It was the most expensive meal I have ever had at Disney and it was the worst.
Stay away.
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CharactersCons:
What they called Food, AtmosphereReviewed by Dfan79 Review Date: 05/12/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
This is the best meal I’ve ever had in Disney World. I love everything about this place, from the food to the characters.
The banquet starts when the waiter brings out a basket of rolls with maple butter and a large bowl of salad.
After that the waiter brings out long platters with Carved Beef, Tilapia, Turkey, Mash Potatoes and Stuffing. Everything tasted delicious, so we asked for double the meats the next go around.
The Berry Cobbler with whipped cream was a good way to end the meal. It tasted like the world’s best Blueberry Muffin.
The characters were great, especially Chip and Dale. They communicated with my nephew about his favorite video games (Call of Duty) by using funny gun movements and even a bouncing betty. All of the characters were great, dressed in their farm outfits. I must admit, Mickey was looking especially good in his overalls and a flannel.
The place rotates very slowly in a circle like a merry go round, but its so slow you can’t even tell it’s moving. It also overlooks the ride “Living with the Landâ€.
Spectacular
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Food, CharactersCons:
—Review of Fishing Excursions
Reviewed by pfdragstrem Review Date: 05/12/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
My oldest son and I experienced the wonderful fishing at WDW this past April. Our guide Brian put us on many fish and we got spoiled from all of the action. We are definitely going to do this again. We departed out of the Contemporary at around 7:00 am and my son was reeling in a good two pounder by 7:05 am. This action did not stop until both he and I got a double and it was time to catch up with the family at Animal Kingdom.
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—Reviewed by Khoward Review Date: 05/11/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
My family stayed in two Royal rooms at POR from 4/13/2014 to 4/21/2014 , 8 nights. My husband's and my room was a handicap accessible room with a roll in shower. It was wonderful to be able to get in and out of the shower easily and safely! There was always an abundance of clean towels available too
The Royal rooms are very luxurious and make everything seem just a little more special. My grandchildren loved the lighted headboards!
Our rooms were not too near the lobby so it was somewhat of a walk to get to it. I had an electric scooter(which was great), but the rest of my family had the walk all the time. 🙁
The beds we had were Queen size -two in each room. They were comfortable and cozy. I felt the room could have been a bit bigger. It was a tight squeeze maneuvering the wheelchair around.
The pools at POR were great fun. For anyone interested, there is a handicap lift for anyone who needs it to get in and out of the pool. I love to swim but I wouldn't have been able to get in the pools if not for these lifts.
The only table service restaurant at POR is Boatwright's. It is relatively small, has a small menu, and only serves dinner. The food is good and the wait staff is very attentive. There is one counter service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It serves snacks, sandwiches, and assorted hot foods, it is usually quite busy so you get bumped and jostled a lot.
The grounds and landscaping at POR are outstandingly beautiful. Staying here is like staying in a fine old southern mansion. If I stay again at a moderate priced resort, I will stay at Riverside once more.
