Most Recent Reviews
Review of Yachtsman Steakhouse
Reviewed by Duva Review Date: 02/24/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
Everything about this place is amazing we come every year and every time we come down we have to eat there at least once or twice. It is our favorite fine dinning restaurant here
Pros:
EVERYTHINGCons:
NONEReviewed by mgilmore Review Date: 02/24/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
I was seated promptly for my breakfast reservation....Solo diner on the Deluxe dining plan.
I had 2 servers on this visit...one was earning his Ears. They were both pleasant, and efficient.
Service was prompt. After receiving my coffee & juice (which was like the jambo juice served at Tusker house.) the cinnamon roll bake and Fruit were delivered.
The meal is served family style. The Cinnamon Roll is Huge, warm and gooey...delicious! It reminded me of the cinnamon rolls Main Street bakery used to have but bigger and more gooey.
The large bowl of fresh fruit cup was the freshest most delicious strawberries, cantalope, honeydew, blueberries and pineapple. I wonder if this fruit is grown in the Land greenhouses. It tasted so fresh and pure.
Then came the breakfast platter, loaded with Scrambled eggs, Mickey Waffles, tater tots and Bacon, and warm chocolate hazlenut sauce for the waffles. There was supposed to be ham on the platter but I asked them to leave it off because I knew it would be too much food. There was also a separate platter of Sausage gravy and biscuits.
Everything was so good. The cinnamon roll was fantastic and the chocolate sauce for the waffles...I could have drank it by itself...LOL
The characters came around several times Farmer Mickey, Chip n Dale and Pluto. Interaction was not rushed and I had a really good meal here. My servers packaged up my left over cinnamon roll, and I had it for breakfast the next morning! The meal was not rushed. It didn't take me long to eat and see all the characters because the restaurant wasn't crowded.
My ADR was at 8am with a 9am park opening, and at the end of my meal, around 8:40am my server informed me that Soarin was open for Garden Grill diners to ride! Bonus!
Soarin is down now for the refurb but that was such a nice bit of magic!
I'm looking forward to another Breakfast here in March for my birthday trip.
Pros:
The Cinnamon Roll bake!Cons:
noneReview of Disney Dream Overall Experience
Reviewed by Bucation Review Date: 02/26/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
After boarding at the Port Canaveral terminal and exploring the ship a bit, we decided to make our way to the adults only area known as “The Cove.†To our surprise, we found The Cove abandoned. We had the pool, bar, and both lower and upper decks of lounge chairs all to ourselves. We cannot express how delightful it was to spend so much time during our cruise in The Cove. Throughout our cruise, The Cove bar and pool was our own private paradise. Disney Cruise Line really has a nice balance of adults only, teen clubs, kids clubs, and other activities to keep everyone happy.
Our stateroom, 9608 was on the ninth floor truly in the center of the ship. We reserved a Deluxe Family Oceanview Room with Verandah, Category 4A. If the price is right, we highly recommend reserving this category stateroom. We were conveniently located between the midship and aft staircase. The location of our stateroom was convenient to both the midship elevators, which allowed quick access to The Cove, but our stateroom was also a short walking distance from the ship’s aft staircase which ascended to the entrance of Cabanas, the Disney Dream’s breezy breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet. Our verandah was also a nice retreat during the busier times on the ships upper decks. Our verandah was the perfect way to take in the spectacular views and fresh vitamin sea. We cannot praise our stateroom host enough for his excellent service and attention to detail. Wijaya went above and beyond during our time on the Disney Dream.
The Disney Dream’s Senses Fitness area located on deck twelve, forward, offers the same state of the art equipment that you will find in a number of the Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts as well as Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Senses Fitness Area also offers a number of free and a la carte fitness classes with complimentary abdominal and yoga classes offered during each of our morning visits, and these classes are sure to help you show last night’s dinner who’s boss!
One thing worth noting is that we were completely unaware of the family style dining that takes place on Disney Cruise Lines. Unfortunately we were seated with a group that was not enjoying their time onboard, to say the least. One of the lovely couples we met during our cruise recommended we not waste another second of our trip as unhappy diners. In result, we went to guest relations where they made this change for us. For the rest of our cruise we were seated at a private table which was a dream!
Disney Cruise Line’s dinner service, at least in our experience, does not include any major productions or fanfare during your dinner seating. If you plan to dine at the Royal Palace to see Disney princesses, you will be highly disappointed. Unlike Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom, there were no characters, and there was no song and dance during dinner service at any of our meals. For us, this was a nice change from the norm of other cruise lines.
The Buccaneer Blast Fireworks at Sea show is the perfect example of how Disney Cruise Line pulls out all of the stops with its daily entertainment. From deck parties to Broadway style shows that rival those in its parks, Disney certainly knows how to put on a show. There is truly nothing like the Fireworks at Sea show, and this alone is completely worth every penny.
We truly believe the purchase and development of Castaway Cay is one of the best decisions the Walt Disney Company has ever made. We were so glad our cruise itinerary included a stop at Castaway Cay. The island is perfectly laid out with endless activities, and there is a flawless balance between family and adult where one does not impede on the other. The only down side was that we eventually had to leave this perfect island in the sun that had as wanting to sign up as permanent residents by the time our day had ended!
Although we've enjoyed our time aboard other cruise lines in the past, we can say without a doubt that the level of service we received, the amount of included onboard amenities, the quality of food offerings, and the unique dining opportunities with rotational dining on the Disney Dream far surpassed any of our experiences on other lines. Our Disney Cruise Line experience was truly a dream come true. For all of these reasons and so much more, Disney Cruise Line has made repeat cruisers out of us and we are very much looking forward to our future sailings with DCL.
Pros:
Fantastic food, luxurious staterooms, no casinos, adults-only & kid/teen areas done very well!Cons:
—Review of Best Friends Pet Care
Reviewed by pchefmary1 Review Date: 02/27/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
Our pup, Echo has stayed at Best Friends at least 5 times in the past 3 years and each time has been a great experience. Last stay was Dec. '15 and have 2 more booked so far this year. Stays have ranged from 3-10 nights and he is well cared for each day. The resort is extremely clean and the staff is always friendly and loving toward the animals (even as pup pulls them down the hall). I've never heard a lot of barking and think it's well insulated from the fireworks (which Echo is not a fan of). They put on his thundershirt nightly for comfort and provide toys and treats for me. It is great to be able to check in throughout the vacation and spend time with pup in the dog park- which has plenty of space to run (we bring a ball), water spurts, and shade. They offer special add ons and grooming. Echo has never smelled like "kennel" when leaving, but have used the service before. It's located directly across from Port Orleans which was great place to stay close to pup for pop in visits. I have nothing but glowing reviews for Best Friends and know Echo is looking forward to his stay over Spring Break.
Pros:
Extremely clean and friendly!Cons:
noneReview of Tony's Town Square Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by Winston123 Review Date: 02/28/2016
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
We have been to Disney many times, and eaten at a LOT of the restaurants around all of the parks & property. We had not been to Tony's in a few years, and decided to give it try once again. How disappointing it was! The atmosphere was fine (like it is at all of the restaurants), but the food was marginal at best, and we felt VERY hurried to get "in and out" by our server. We were not even lose to finishing our appetizer when he was coming with the entrée, and he seemed a bit put off that we were not ready. We all the spaghetti, and at $18 a plate.... way overpriced for the portion and taste.
So, if you want to sit down and eat at the MK, go to the Plaza or Liberty Tree. I know that we won't be going back to Tony's again.
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AtmosphereCons:
FoodReview of Biergarten - Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by Winston123 Review Date: 02/28/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
This is a "must go" restaurant for us on every trip, not only for the food, but for the Oktoberfest beer. Ahhhhhh........! It's just a fun place. Just be prepared for the shared seating - sometimes you get great table mates, sometimes not. Just don't let that ruin your visit if you do!
Pros:
FOOD and FUNCons:
None reallyReview of Keys to the Kingdom - Magic Kingdom
Reviewed by jamesjoe Review Date: 02/29/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
Fair warning, the first paragraph is basically negative experience leading up to the tour. My actual review starts at the second paragraph.
I had wanted to take this tour for a long time. I've always found mixed reviews and was hesitant (and I also couldn't find the time). Finally I decided to book for my mother's 60th birthday. When I booked it in January I specified that my mother would be in an electric wheelchair (the ones you rent at the park) and was told there would be no problem because the tour is accessible. Fast forward to the day before we are scheduled to take the tour, I call to make sure everything is all set. It didn't occur to me that we would actually have to check in before the park even opened (we booked the 9am tour but had to check in 15 minutes prior). The cast member on the phone told me I should get there at least by 8:30 am so I would have enough time to rent the electric wheelchair. I asked to make sure they would even be open to rent them out. She assured me they would be. My mother has her own wheelchair but it’s so much easier to have her ride an electric one instead of pushing her all day. But I worried that she would have a hard time getting to the front of the park and hoped there would be courtesy wheelchairs at the front of the park to make it easier on her. Lo and behold there were a plethora of wheelchairs located near the handicap parking. We took one and walked to the ticket center. A cast member approached us and told us we were not allowed to take the wheelchair past the ticket center but also mentioned we could rent the wheelchairs from the store right next door. She literally took the chair from us. When we went inside, the cast member there told us they only rent the manual wheelchairs and we couldn't take a wheelchair and exchange it when we arrived at the Magic Kingdom and that we also couldn't take the courtesy wheelchair either. We really didn't have time to argue since we had to still take the ferry and then rent the chair on the other side and then check in. Thankfully there was a ferry waiting for us. When we got to the other side I sent my brother ahead of us to start the process of renting the chair as I helped my mother walk to the bag check line (because she had to have her purse with her). By the time we made through, my brother called my cell phone to tell me he couldn't rent the chair for her because they needed her license and her signature and he was having trouble with the cast member because they couldn't find our name for the tour. In all the confusion, my mother and I made it to the front of the line (we had to fight our way through the crowd waiting for the opening ceremony) and that cast member was able to find our name (since I booked it, they couldn't find my brother's name). My brother met us right under the train station (I took a moment to admire an empty main street). (No matter how many times I visit Disney, I forget how magical it is even for an adult). This is when I found out we had to go back outside the rope so we can rent the wheelchair. By the time we had my mother sitting in her chair and checked in, my brother and I were exhausted and frustrated with everything. We were so angry and were venting to each other that this is the reason we stopped coming to Disney. He hates the crowds and he always finds something that angers him no matter how highly anyone speaks of Disney. A cast member made an announcement that there might be rain and we should be prepared. Of course they conveniently sold $10 rain ponchos with Mickey's face on them.
They finally called our group to gather. I thought for sure we would be an inconvenience to the group because of the wheelchair. The cast member that led our group was Stephanie from Texas. She made sure we caught up to the group if for some reason we were separated (we had to find ramps whenever the group was on a sidewalk or if we had to maneuver around obstacles). I'm not a complete Disney nerd so there were some facts and trivia I didn't know about that Stephanie incorporated into the tour. Lunch was better than I expect it. We had the salad, the dressing was delicious. The highlights for me were the warehouse where the floats are kept and walking backstage. Previous to booking the tour, I read reviews that mentioned the utilidors weren't all that exciting so I was trying not to get my hopes up. All those reviews were wrong. I was excited and thrilled and almost quit my job so I could apply to Disney (I'm still considering it). By the end of the tour we had forgotten all about the miserable time we had leading up to the start of the tour.
I recommend the tour, highly. Especially to those who really enjoy Disney. If you don't like Disney and don't usually enjoy the behind the scenes "secrets", this tour is not for you.
Pros:
A lot informationCons:
Trying to get into the park before it openedReviewed by mcreynj Review Date: 03/07/2016
Rating: (9) Recommended
We stayed here 4 nights (1-31-16 to 2-3-16) to get out of winter. We have stayed at Kidani 3 times before. This is probably our favorite "villa" resort, due to the animals and the exotic nature of the resort, and the extra bathroom in the 2 bedroom villa. This time we stayed on the "Zazu" end (the end closest to Jambo). It was our first time on that end. We were on the very end room, second floor, savannah view. Great views! It seemed the best view for animals of our four times. Zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, and ostrich were common. We like to shop and eat out over in Kissimmee a few times, so it is a very convenient drive from the back of the resort area. There is a little known road that runs from close to the AKL entrance over to Erlo Bronson highway. The only drawback is the walking. From the Zazu end especially, the furthest rooms are a long walk as the last elevators are only about halfway around. My wife has arthritis and would not have made it but for renting a scooter. The lightweight ones can easily be navigated to and from the room, and into the rental car. Other than a little wear and tear in the kitchen, the room was nice. We will stay at Kidani again. Spent a good deal of time out on the large balcony. There is a lack of choices for eating at this resort, but we usually fend for ourselves in our rental car and we know the area well, so it doesn't seem a drawback to us. For a family without a car, or new to Orlando, these negatives honestly would be bigger and maybe outweigh the novelty of the animals.
Pros:
Great views of the animals. Exotic feel to the resort. Convenient to off-site retail in Kissimmee.Cons:
Much walking. Distance from parks, you need a rental car here.Review of Garden View Lounge Tea
Reviewed by margesse Review Date: 03/01/2016
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
I registered just to review this experience. Since 2006, my husband and I have enjoyed Afternoon Tea annually. It was always relaxing, and delicious, and with very attentive but not smothering service. I think I remember we used to pay about $35 for the tea, and that included a nice sized glass of sparkling wine or champagne; it is now $45 a person. For that increase in price, you get less delicious food, in smaller servings, with ugly china and not even real tea leaves in the tea pot. This past time...the server was terse and unpleasant. The food has all changed- no more generous portions and fresh trifle. Instead we were served hunks of boring cheese, stale crackers, and smaller portions of less tasty tea sandwiches. You now have to choose this or that, rather than just getting some of everything. The trifle that used to be served here was something I tried many times to recreate at home, but could never get it just right. The trifle I had in September 2015 was "seasonal", and it was awful. It was tart, and a small serving, and mixed with stringy citrus fruits which ruined the entire taste/texture of the dish. It was so bad I switched it out for the pathetic swan monstrosity that was offered as the other dessert choice, which was also not good. This experience was so bad, and I heard others seated after us comment negatively on the changes to the servers, who seemed to be indifferent. It still makes me so sad, and bothers me so much, that 5 months after I last ate here I felt I had to review it. I emailed and then spoke with someone from Disney about the experience, and they gave us a dining credit to use on our next visit to WDW, but that hardly makes it better. I loved this tradition with my husband, and we no longer have it. I would suggest anyone who loved it when they first tried the afternoon tea to pass, because you will be sorely disappointed.
Pros:
nostalgiaCons:
menu has changed significantly, higher price, worse serviceReview of California Grill
Reviewed by disney 522 Review Date: 03/02/2016
Rating: (6) Recommended
The first word that comes to mind is disappointed - we first ate here 2 years ago and i have been dying to return - i was so excited this time when we were able to fit it in to our trip - however, i will not make another reservation here - first of all, the dress code policy applies to no one! There were the sloppiest looking people eating there - i know we are on vacation and busy all day but i did like the fact that we could have one night of getting dressed nicely(khakis) and have a Nice dinner atmosphere - then the food was not nearly as good as i remember - it was no better than any other higher scale chain restaurant - i did like the new decor and we had a wonderful view of the fireworks but really if i was not on the dining plan i would have been upset for the amount i would have paid for a just ok meal
