Most Recent Reviews
Review of La Cantina de San Angel
Reviewed by WeLoveTheHouseOfTheMouse Review Date: 01/02/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
DH and I ate here on the first night of our trip in November. We went to Epcot for extra magic hours and grabbed a bite to eat here while waiting for the line at Soarin' to clear out.
I had the empanadas, and they were awesome! DH had the tacos, and he enjoyed them as well. We both had the churritos with milk caramel for dessert.
This was something a little different than the normal quick service meal, and it will definitely be a place we will return to.
Pros:
everything!Cons:
noneReviewed by JessicaBonnell Review Date: 02/16/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
we dined here for dinner on jan 26, 2016. the food was some of the best i have had at any restaurant. i had the porkchop and it was delicious, as was the macaroni that was with it. my husband liked the salmon. our 6 year old loved the macaroni and cheese from the kids menu. it was not the usual kind that most places serve, it was much better quality. the appetizer/salad bar was full of choices, and things you would not normally eat. it was very good, although ran empty quickly. the desserts were amazing. i especially loved the rice pudding, which i was not expecting.
the interactions with the princesses were also very good. the only downside was the proximity to the other tables. in the area we were seated, all the tables were quite close. so it was a little awkward, and you could hear everything the table next to you was discussing. then, you would also have other people all up in your photos with the princesses.
the service was also fantastic. our server was so sweet, and she told us all about Norway and how she came to be working at wdw. we asked her, she did not just tell us her life story for no reason!
Overall, it was a great experience! the food was delicious. the staff was friendly and attentive. and it was a great use of a table service credit, especially when you consider the out of pocket cost.
Pros:
food, service, atmosphereCons:
proximity to the next tableReviewed by pselias Review Date: 02/15/2016
Rating: (9) Recommended
this would be a 10 if it weren't so darn loud! Seriously, it is like cafeteria loud. It is not somewhere to go for a relaxing evening.
However, the food is delicious. We were amazed, and had so much fun trying all of the new flavors. My niece declared the salmon dish the best salmon she had ever had. The zebra domes live up to they hype, and they can mix a stiff cocktail. It is also beautiful. We were a party of 10, and they sat us at one very large table. It was a stunning cross section of a tree. Incredible. The service was also great. Plates were cleared quickly and discreetly, which is very important at a good buffet.
We will be back despite the volume.
Pros:
food, service, decorCons:
so loudReview of Cinderella's Royal Table Dinner
Reviewed by mishawnam Review Date: 02/16/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
Our group ate dinner here on 1/26/16. It was our first time. After reading the reviews I was nervous. We had a great experience. After waiting just a few minutes to get my daughters picture with Cinderella we were seated. We loved going up the stairs, view of the lobby was gorgeous. We were seated close to a window an enjoyed our view. Our server John was amazing. We never had to ask for a thing because he was on top on things.
Of course my 4 year old loved meeting all of the princesses. She met Ariel, Aurora, Snow White and Jadmine. Our food was delicious. For appetizers we had a salad, the cheese platter and the little one did cheese and grapes. I loved the cheese platter and would highly recommend it. For entrees we had the chicken, steak with shrimp and the kiddo had chicken nuggets. My mother said her chicken dish was very good and she liked it. My steak was cooked perfectly and the shrimp was great. The sauce served with the steak was amazing. For dessert my daughter had a yogurt parfait and the adults had cheesecake. We both loved the cheesecake. It was so moist and creamy, yum. My daughter ate four bread rolls and none of her meal. However they boxed it up for us and gave us a bag to carry it in. We headed back to our resort not long after our meal so the food was fine. That night she ate her entire meal.
Overall we loved our visit here. We thought that for the price it was worth the two dining credits. We will do this again with our little one.
Pros:
Atmosphere, views, service, foodCons:
NoneReview of Columbia Harbour House
Reviewed by JessicaBonnell Review Date: 02/16/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
this is one of the best counter service restaurants in all of wdw. we dined here for lunch on 1/24/16 lobster rolls and cobbler are the best! the fish, shrimp, and chicken nuggets are all good too. i like to get some of each, and then all share it, in order to get a little bit of everything. (only downside, is the lobster mac & cheese is not available at lunch.) the cobbler filling changes, but has been delicious each time. it tastes homemade.
we arrived right at opening, there was zero line, and we were able to eat upstairs with the entire place to ourselves. also, we had a seat by the window, watching out over liberty square. it is an awesome people watching spot.
i cant recommend this place enough!
Pros:
food, atmosphere, views,Cons:
—Review of Chef Mickey's Dinner
Reviewed by mishawnam Review Date: 02/18/2016
Rating: (9) Recommended
Our group are here on 1/27/16. It was our first time having dinner here. To start with our group was having a hectic afternoon, so by the time we arrived for dinner we were all tired and cranky. After checking in and getting our pictures we were seated right away. Our server came right over and took our drink order and we were off to the buffet. Loved the variety of salads and fruits. I personally loved the eggplant parmasean and mango ribs with cornbread. My 4 year old ate 3 plates of food, it was by far her favorite (lots of fruit and yogurt). We only had a few desserts but there were so many to choose from. We agreed that the cream puffs whew apocrypha favorite. We were all very happy with our meal and would go again.
The characters were great and my daughter just loved them. We did miss Goofy as the little needed a bathroom. We were able to tell our server and he came back to see us.
Our server was a bit slow with the drinks and the bill, but nothing too horrible. Other than that we really enjoyed ourselves. Our group definitely left much happier than we arrived.
Pros:
Food, charactersCons:
ServiceReviewed by mishawnam Review Date: 02/18/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
This was our second time dining here for lunch. My 4 year old loved it here on our last visit the year before that she asked to dine here again. After checking in we only waited about 5 minutes before being seated. The food was just as good as we remembered. Nice salad and fruit selection. The buffet has a nice variety. I personally loved the bbq meatballs and corn casserole. Everything we tried was delicious. You can't beat the dessert buffet. Loved watching the chocolate fountain. The chocolate covered strawberries are amazing. Tip: my little is a big fruit eater, you can ask for any of the fruit at the dessert station. We had a plate of apples and strawberries.
The characters were great and my daughter loved the singing and dancing. However the singer, Anthony, was less than enthusiastic. He didn't really dance and he kept forgetting the words. Compared to our last visit we were underwhelmed. My daughter still had a great time.
Our server, Patrick, was amazing. We never had to ask for refills and we never had dirty plates on our table. He made the meal even more enjoyable. Overall the staff here was fantastic. Everyone was very friendly and helpful.
If your child/children are into DISNEY Junior then they will love it. It is great too if they love to sing and dance. My daughter just loved dancing with Doc and Jake. We enjoyed our meal here and will be back in the future.
Pros:
Food, atmosphere, serviceCons:
SingersReview of Pirate Adventure from Grand Floridian
Reviewed by Alhio Review Date: 02/18/2016
Rating: (7) Recommended
Children in my family took part in the Pirate Cruise from the Grand Floridian one Saturday in February of 2016. The cost was $37/child.
After attempting to research the Pirate Cruises offered online at both official and fan sites, as well as in travel books such as Passporter and Fodor’s [there’s not a whole lot out there about them], and here on allears.net, I called the reservation hotline and made reservations around 90 days ahead of our vacation.
We were staying at Port Orleans – French Quarter, and although they offer a cruise from Port Orleans – Riverside, they were not having one that particular Saturday morning, and so they suggested the Grand Floridian location.
This was dismaying, because of the loss of convenience that would have been departing in the morning from the resort to which we could get quick travel (via boat on the Sassagoula or Internal Resort Shuttle).
<B>Travel to</B>
To get to the Grand Floridian before 9:30am, we had to leave in time to catch a bus to the Magic Kingdom (without entering the park), walk to get the resort monorail line, and ride it through stops at the Contemporary, Ticketing and Transportation Center, and the Polynesian before coming to our stop at the Grand Floridian.
This proved less trouble than I worried it might be, but it was still not as convenient as attending one at Riverside.
According to my research, each cruise is meant to be specific to the surrounding area it involves (for example, Port Orleans cruises from Riverside, titled by Disney as “Bayou Pirate Adventureâ€, talk about real pirate Jean Lafitte). Disney’s Pirate Adventure from The Grand Floridian uses Gasparilla (real name: Jose Gaspar) as their pirate.
<B>Ages</B>
When I reserved for my children, I asked to reserve for my three-year-old, who would turn four within ten days of the sailing and was toilet-trained (listed as non-negotiable).
After being put on various holds I was told that would not be possible. The cruises are for 4-12 year olds.
When we arrived on property, I thought to try and secure him a reservation again using a face-to-face with the concierge at our hotel.
After explaining how very close he was to being four, she worked the system and secured him a reservation. “For the purpose of the cruise, he is four,†she told me.
We arrived that morning to the Grand Floridian and asked at the Front Desk were we were to go for the cruise. And were startled to find out that the Cast Member behind the desk we had approached had no idea about the cruise or where it left from.
She asked around until she found an answer and was able to direct us to the correct dock, giving us a resort map (helpful, because we were not staying there and were not at all familiar with its geography beyond the main building and its shops and restaurants.
We proceeded to the shed that rents boats, etc. They gave me a legal release to sign for my children. It asked for their names, ages, and birthdates.
I filled it out truthfully, for several reasons. First, I’m not a liar. I had assumed the concierge had managed the situation in a way that would not require me to deceive Disney, or lie on a legal document. Secondly, as we were resort guests, my children have MagicBands, and so Disney is already aware of what I have listed as their true birthdays (I am sure it would have only taken a few key strokes for them to call this up).
The Cast Member at the rental shed looked over my form and noted that my child was not yet four. I explained his imminent birthday, she attempted to contact a supervisor, telling me this never really happened (younger children being allowed to book the cruise). Though it was unnecessary (I wasn’t going to throw a fit) the supervisor came to the rental shed to meet with me and tell me my three-year-old could not attend due to legal issues.
Which was disappointing, but of course I always had known this was a possibility.
My two children got their wristband and lifevests (cannon-proof vests, I believe they were called. They were black). My third was sad not to go, but manageably so.
A second family came with the other two children who had reservations.
(I will note that we were fifteen minutes early for the 9:30am start time, and they were ten or more late. I do not know if the cruise is meant to depart at the immediate start time or not, but here it could not, as not everyone had arrived.)
Their daughter, who was to turn four in two months had also been given an advance reservation (by someone different from the concierge I dealt with), and yet had to be turned away. This child was more upset by this than was mine. The Cast Members told us this was not a situation that usually happened, and they could not believe they had run into it twice in one cruise.
I feel sure there may have been reprimands and re-trainings for those granting reservations after this.
And I feel sorry for the concierge who helped me, because she was only trying to manage what I asked of her.
<B>In short: The ages are 4-12. Non-negotiable.</B>
<B>Cruise</B>
Three boys attended this cruise (since the two other children booked for it were disqualified by age). They were given paper black wristbands (meant to show I had completed the legal paperwork—and probably needed to keep track of things on cruises with lots more kids to wrangle), and then got black lifevests, which they were told were cannon-proof vests.
The cruise left the dock at the Grand Floridian a few minutes before 10am, with two Cast Members (both female) who wore red vests and one had a striped sash around her waist (they looked only vaguely piratical). The boat they took was a standard open (no roof) pontoon party boat. It was not decorated in any way. None of the flags I have seen in pictures of the cruises online, and my children did not received scarfs (as also has been reported online).
I tried to get my middle child to take his camcorder with him to take pictures (not the least of which was because I was very curious about what he was about to do), but he said he would rather not.
Parents were expected to return at 11:30am to pick-up their pirates, with a valid photo ID. The legal documents that were filled out had required the names of people permitted to collect your children.
At 11:30am-ish we returned, the cruise docked, and we were told they were still searching for the treasure. [A Cast Member told me that they were going to find the treasure here so the two under-4 children they had had to turn away could take part in finding it. So I don’t know if the final treasure is always found here or not.] The three-year-old girl had not been brought back by her family to pick-up her brother, but I had my rejected child with me, and his was pleased to see his siblings and run after the Cast Members as they searched.
A large chest was found among the landscaping just outside one of the Grand Floridian buildings, and opened to show a treasure hoard of plastic doubloons, plastic gemstones of several colors and sizes, multiple shiny silver skull and crossbones rings and what we would think of as Mardi Gras beads (necklaces). A Cast Member took out little pirate-themed bags and packed each of them with treasure for the three that went on the cruise and one for each sibling that had been turned away.
The rest of the treasure, she said, would be left so the Grand Floridian pirates (the Cast Members) could buy another ship. (Apparently they were meant to have been without a ship, and the boat they took off in earlier they were meant to have borrowed/stolen).
There was no swordfight among pirates (I had read in more than one place that this was the stylish capper of pirate cruises at Disney, one poster even going so far as to say not to miss it—but nothing like this happened at our cruise).
<B>In my kid’s words</B>
According to my kids, they sailed to about four locations beside the Grand Floridian, including what they believed to be an island. The Cast Members told “bad†pirate jokes, as well as the story of the pirate Gasparilla (of whom one of them claimed to be descended).
They saw a shipwreck, received pirate nicknames (the first letter of which corresponded with your name, so “Matey Michael†for example).
They visited horses and ponies (which I reckon were at the Wilderness Lodge) and spoke with someone in the stables there. They played pirate games near what they describe as a large Tiki. They were on a white sand beach with palm trees (the Polynesian), they were given a snack of water and Disney’s version of goldfish crackers.
They were taken on a step-by-step hunt for items they needed, such as a key to open the final treasure chest.
My two children are: one closer to the upper end of the age for this cruise, and one firmly in the middle.
The older one told me his favorite thing about it was simply being in that boat out on the water of the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake (I cannot argue against him, there).
<B>My own feelings about the cruise</B>
For me, this seemed a nice time, a way to let my kids have a unique experience while at Walt Disney World on a day we were not going to the parks (we were flying home later that day).
I say nice, because I don’t think it clocked in as ‘great’. Neither for them nor for me.
And that comes down to the Disney touch, which I felt was largely absent from it. Just down to the pontoon boat, which wasn’t at all decorated or even as charming as the launches to the Magic Kingdom you can take from that resort. It had no personality or uniqueness at all. They received nothing (such as a bandana or other piratical keepsake, though the official Disney website for the cruises references that they’ll wear pirate bandanas) that I could not have bought at my local party store or from Oriental Trading, the snack was uninspired. The Cast Members’ costumes for the event were barely there. The energy-level with regard to the event (by Cast Members) was low, almost sleepy.
The Cast Members did a fine job, but certainly (that I was party-to) nothing that rose above the level of your average babysitter.
That said, I don’t know if our experience during an off-peak time, few children having reserved it, it being the Grand Floridian Disney Pirate Adventure cruise rather than a cruise from another resort—I don’t know enough to know if these things had a bearing on it.
On a 10-scale, I think I’d give it a 6 or 7.
But I certainly don’t see myself reserving this particular adventure again.
<B>About the length</B>
I wrote this review at this length because trying to learn about this event online proved very frustrating; there is really not more than a paragraph or so of information available about these Pirate Cruises that I could find. And what there is to find is not at all recent.
Pros:
Kids-only experience treasure hunting on Disney propertyCons:
Not as unique as expected from DisneyReview of Casey's Corner
Reviewed by mishawnam Review Date: 02/18/2016
Rating: (9) Recommended
My first time eating here. Basically ate here for the convenience of its location. Loved the theming and atmosphere, really cute. Ordered the basic chili dog with fries and cotton candy. After ordering we headed out and got a seat. Loved our view of Main St. and the castle. My chili dog was so good. My daughter enjoyed the fries and watching the castle show as we ate. The cotton candy was so good. You could easily share your meal here. It was great for a quick bite to eat. But I wouldn't want to do the rides after this heavy meal.
Pros:
Food, seating, cotton candyCons:
—Review of Blue Bayou Lunch
Reviewed by cjsljs624 Review Date: 01/01/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
We ate here during our June 2012 visit. Got there for an early lunch and we were seated quickly. Service was great. I had the Monte Cristo, hubby had crab cakes, and daughter had ribs. All were wonderul. Wait staff noticed my birthday button on a bag and broght me a dessert without us ever mentioning it. I have noticed the reviews with bad service mentioned. We were there for the week that Carsland opened and still had wonderful service.
