Most Recent Reviews
Review of Crystal Palace Breakfast
Reviewed by allears2014 Review Date: 04/06/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
We always have breakfast here and it is a must do for my family.
At breakfast, we've never had a bad server and on March 30, 2014, our server did not disappoint. He was friendly, funny and seemed happy to be there- - it looked like he was having a good time working!
The buffet is typical breakfast food. They do have an omelet bar, but the line is usually long and since I don't want to miss a character coming by our table, I always pass.
For eggs, bacon, fruit and pancakes, the meal overall is quite pricey; however, since it is a character dining experience I feel that makes up for the cost.
The downside is characters race through and since the meal is pricey, I feel like the characters should slow down a little. There is limited to no interaction with the kids. I can barely focus my camera and the character is waving "bye" to my son.
They also do a parade around the restaurant, but again, it's like the characters do not get what being Pooh or Tigger means. I saw several obviously shy kids not joining in and the characters walked right by them without offering a hand or motioning them to join. The characters need to get "in character" and not just put on a Pooh suit and race through the restaurant. An extra 10 or 15 seconds per table is not going to ruin the day, but it would make all the difference in the world to those kids.
Pros:
Great serviceCons:
—Review of Wolfgang Puck Express Marketplace
Reviewed by WarEagleAuburn Review Date: 04/06/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
We ordered the meatloaf sandwich, which was good but had too much rosemary for our taste. Our boys each had a pizza and loved it. Servers were quick to fill our drinks. Great choice for a quick dinner. Reasonable prices, too.
Pros:
No reservation needed, helpful serversCons:
NoneReviewed by WarEagleAuburn Review Date: 04/06/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
Once again, Splitsville didn't let us down. We had three pizzas: meatlovers, BBQ chicken, and pepperoni--loved all three. Had the california roll as well. Great, great service. Highly recommend.
Pros:
Fun atmosphere, good foodCons:
Little loudReview of Spice Road Table
Reviewed by WarEagleAuburn Review Date: 04/06/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
We really enjoyed the two different sample platters. The chicken rolls tasted and looked exactly like the egg rolls from Chili's. The service was awful. Our server waited at least 5 minutes to approach our table and we felt like he didn't want to be there at all. The beautiful young lady at the entrance was so engaging and knowledgeable about each and every dish--best thing about the restaurant. We did get seated immediately, though.
Pros:
Easy to get inCons:
Slow serviceReview of Yak and Yeti Restaurant
Reviewed by WarEagleAuburn Review Date: 04/06/2014
Rating: (6) Not Recommended
We so wanted to like this restaurant and thought we would after reading the reviews. I had the steak and tempura shrimp. The steak was very tough and wrapped whole around a mound of rice, which was cold. My son had the chicken lo mein, which was also cold. Best thing was my husband's tempura shrimp. There are better places to eat for the money.
Pros:
Interesting decorCons:
Cold, bland foodReview of Garden Grocer
Reviewed by WarEagleAuburn Review Date: 04/06/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
Garden Grocer is a must for every single trip. You can order the staples you need without having to make a trek in your car. We order things such as milk, bagels, cream cheese, cereal, juice, and most importantly, cases of water. Never had a single issue with them.
Pros:
Convenient, freshCons:
NoneReview of Bay Lake Tower (Disney Vacation Club)
Reviewed by WarEagleAuburn Review Date: 04/06/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
Bay Lake Tower is a beautiful hotel. We used our vacation points to book a 2 bedroom and were happy to find 3 full baths! Location just can't be beat--you can walk to Magic and take a monorail to Epcot. Negatives: loud music coming from the pool area that reached the 6th floor, even with noise cancelling fans. Cast members were using a very loud microphone, too, and this was during normal nap time for kids...1-3pm. The food court they share with the Contemporary is simply awful. Food was all sitting in steamer bins or microwaved.
Pros:
Beautiful hotel, fabulous locationCons:
Pool area noise travels, terrible quick food courtReview of Be Our Guest Dinner
Reviewed by allears2014 Review Date: 04/06/2014
Rating: (8) Recommended
I called as far out as I could in advance for a dinner reservation here for our ADR on March 30, 2014. I wanted a reservation around 6pm, but was informed 8:40pm was the only slot open that entire evening. Reservations apparently fill up months in advance.
We checked in at approximately 8pm hoping we could get in a little earlier. I was given a pager and told to "wait on the bridge" and do not "leave the bridge" or we could lose the reservation.
I asked if we would be seated early or closer to the ADR and was informed it depends on how fast people eat. Never got that before from a hostess. Had I known we actually would not be seated until 9pm, I would have waited a few minutes later to check in.
I would guess around 40 people waiting at that time on the bridge- - all standing since there is no seating. After about 20 minutes, I asked if there was somewhere we could sit- my son was exhausted as was his grandmother. We were told we could sit on a rock past the gate, but that we could not get up or walk around- - "you must stay seated".
Once inside the castle, it was beautiful and felt like a real castle. We were seated in the main Ballroom and watched the snow falling through the windows.
Tables are too close together, but that is true for most Disney restaurants. Our server was very good and was able to appear pleasant and friendly despite how busy they clearly were.
I started off with the salad trio, it was ok-- I would not order it again. I got steak for my entree and it was wonderful! I ordered it medium and it was perfectly medium, well seasoned and seared nicely. Instead of ketchup, the fries are served with a mayo dipping sauce, which I enjoyed as well.
For dessert we all got the "grey stuff" which is a beautiful chocolate dessert with a grey cream (like a whipped cream) on top with grey edible pearls as garnish. It really was delicious!
Afterwards, we were told we could look into the other dining rooms and then meet the Beast for a photo before leaving, but were strictly instructed that "you must see the Beast last, because after meeting him you must leave the restaurant."
In sum, I found the food, our server and the decor great, but the many "rules" such as "you not leave the bridge", but being expected to stand for long waits with no seating and no estimate on the wait time; when my DS's grandmother could not stand any longer, told we could sit on a rock "but could not get up or walk around"; then, as we were leaving, the issue with being required to exit after meeting Beast all seemed a little rigid and odd, especially for the normally accommodating service from Disney, which is why I could not give Be Our Guest a 10.
Pros:
Great mealCons:
—Review of Raglan Road
Reviewed by allears2014 Review Date: 04/05/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
We made our third trip here on March 29, 2014. The food and service has been great each time. We had ADR and I would strongly recommend them. We checked in about 30 minutes early and still waited until a few minutes after our time.
I had the salmon swoon and it is the best smoked salmon I've eaten anywhere else at Disney. For the entree, we both had the it's not bleeding chowder. It is a creamy seafood chowder and is wonderful. I had the lemon dessert and it was a perfectly tart and fresh finish to the creamy meal.
This place gets very crowded. It is very loud and noisy between the full house of people, lively Irish music and the dancing. It is not going to be a quite meal, so if that's what you're in the mood for, plan on finding a different venue.
During the meal a few of the dancers pulled kids up from their tables, showed them a couple of steps and danced a little with them. My DS really enjoyed that, it's a great photo opportunity and he was given a certificate with his name on it for dancing. Very nice!
My family really loves this restaurant.
Pros:
Lively entertainment, great foodCons:
Very crowded, long waitsReview of Disney's Boardwalk Inn Concierge Level
Reviewed by fdmarks Review Date: 04/05/2014
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
Stayed in room 4225, club level during the week of March 31st. The best part of the trip was leaving this DELUXE?? resort for the trip back to the airport. When we got to the room, the curtain on the patio door was half way down and the ipad/ clock did not work. But the most gross part was the deluxe bathroom with its rust, mold and paint peeling off the walls. The tub had some kind of granite four inch shelf on the back with caulking that was obviously done by someone as a joke. The bathroom floor was so filthy and disgusting that towels had to be spread over it. The deluxe double sink had a simulated marble and non matching granite shelf. Holiday Inn Express room are much nicer and definitely cleaner than this deluxe $675 a night room. The carpeting was frayed and away from the wall. There was a large filthy hand smear on the white wooden wall surface. The room was totally disgusting and obviously no one cares or these things would be taken care of before turning them over to a guest. The club staff was so immersed in their own little world and spent much of the time just hanging out together. There were no paper cups near the coffee machines and when I told one CM that I needed one, she seemed bothered to have to do her job. The strawberries were rotten inside and I showed one to the CM who shrugged and took it away behind the door to their little room hangout. I needed change for valet parking tips and the concierge woman said she was all out. She told me to go to the concierge at the entrance door . After walking down the long hall to see this person, I was told he did not have change and to ask the lady at the lounge area. I told him that she sent me to see him. Finally went down to the lobby and got change at the registration desk. Now that's what I call deluxe
service. This experience was just a complete waste of money for the type of room and service that this resort offers. I told the concierge CM at the entry point about all these issues and he
seemed distant and obviously did not give a damn. I will try to contact the General Manager to see if he is aware of the condition of the rooms he is offering and the incompetence of some of the Cast Members when it comes to customer service. Disney magic can only go so far unless you are goofy!
