Most Recent Reviews
Review of Flame Tree Barbecue
Reviewed by jeconk Review Date: 01/07/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
This is probably one of the best "quick service" restaurants in all of Disney World. The line, even though it can get long, moves quickly and they are usually directing people to help the line move. The cashiers here also seem the most proficient at what they do. I credit much of this to good management at this location.
While the menu has changed some, it is still a good one and probably one of the most economical "for Disney World." Portions are good size and the food is usually very tasty.
Ribs/Chicken combo can be enough for two and the best value.
I know some people have complained about not having enough seating, but I have never experienced that, even with a long line. The seating section is quite large but spread out over several levels and areas. The seating area has overlooks and meanders around a small pond with some interesting birds that roam around. (don't feed them...but don't take your eye off them or they may snatch something off your plate!)
This is my favorite place to eat at Animal Kingdom and one of my favorite quick service in all of Disney World. (along with Sunshine Seasons.
Pros:
One of the best values for Disney. Line moves quickly. Plenty of seating if you lookCons:
Some of the birds in the seating area will nab your food if you walk away...lolReview of PizzeRizzo
Reviewed by StacyLovesDisney Review Date: 01/05/2018
Rating: (5) Recommended
I went here during the busy Christmas season (12/18ish) at 4:50 to grab dinner before the Christmas Shows began. Doors were locked and no one inside. I asked a cast member why and she said they close at 4pm. I was shocked that an eatery described as lunch and dinner was closed at 4 in the afternoon. So, I would say open for lunch ONLY is a more accurate description. If you go, plan on a lunch! It looks adorable inside, especially for a Muppets fan! Maybe next trip!
Pros:
Looks Great and Well ThemedCons:
Description says Lunch AND Dinner, but closes at 4pm?Reviewed by jeconk Review Date: 01/07/2018
Rating: (7) Recommended
Boma is an experience restaurant. A place to go to experience different foods. I am no the overly adventurous type when it comes to trying new foods and don't like spicy foods but I had no problem finding plenty to eat at Boma. Since it is a buffet, I was able to take small samples of various foods on my plate to try. If I didn't like it, not much is wasted, but if I did, I could go back for more.
The children's buffet is very traditional American which takes care of satisfying picky child eaters (and some adults...lol) and the main buffet has plenty of traditional dishes (with African flare) to satisfy adults. There are so many choices in all different areas that you can't go wrong.
The line for main entrees was long most of the time that we were there but most of the other action stations (soups, salads, desserts, children's buffet, sides) were not usually crowded and you could just walk up to those if you wanted to skip the main entrees. Our waiter was ok and cleared our plates quickly and kept our drinks full.
It is a quite expensive buffet ($50 a person), but after all, it is Disney and their buffets tend to be expensive.
Another benefit of visiting Boma is that you get to see Animal Kingdom Lodge, a very pretty lodge with decks you can walk out on and possibly see animals roaming.
Please note that if you are riding the Disney Shuttle to Animal Kingdom Lodge, you want to get off at "Jambo House" and not "Kidani Village." We were talking to a couple after dinner who had gotten off at the wrong stop....lol.
Pros:
Can sample different foods, plenty on children's buffet to keep them happy; Get to see Animal Kingdom Lodge.Cons:
Lines can be long for some stations. Very expensiveReviewed by Tanasigirl Review Date: 01/10/2018
Rating: (8) Recommended
My husband and I stayed in the Casitas building 4 Christmas Day through December 28, 2017. The Christmas decorations were beautiful. Although the parks were busy, the resort felt quiet and relaxed to us.
I would thoroughly recommend the Casitas section, especially Building 4, because it is very close to the first bus stop, which is #2. During the busy months, like late December, it is a boon to be able to get on and off the bus first.
The room had recently been renovated and all the changes are positive, except I miss the extra splash of color on the bedding. Otherwise, the room was clean and well-kept while we were there.
The pools were a bit chilly, but we were okay as long as we stayed in the sunshine. We preferred the nearby quiet pool to the feature pool just because of the crowds, though I love the slide at the feature pool. There were pool towels at the quiet pools also, which was nice.
We enjoyed walking around the grounds. The landscaping and the lake are very pretty. The construction is not too bad, but if we had had a water view room at the Casitas, we may have been able to hear it from across the lake. I think rooms in the Ranchos section would have less noise because of the angle. For now, I would avoid a room in the Cabana section because that is next to the construction site.
We will be returning in early December this year and hope to stay in the Ranchos area. That is my favorite because it reminds me of Arizona.
Pros:
Location and ThemeingCons:
ConstructionReview of 'Ohana Dinner
Reviewed by jeconk Review Date: 01/08/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
After hearing many others rave about this restaurant, we decided to give it a try for dinner. We choose dinner because we are not really into character meals and don't have any young children.
Not being a big fan of Polynesian food, I was somewhat nervous about eating here but boy was I wrong! The food is wonderful and very good even for a picky eater like me.
We were fortunate to get a table by the window facing the pool and Magic Kingdom just as the sun was going down so we got to see the lights coming on at the park. After we were seated, our waitress, Houda, came over. She explained how dinner works at Ohana and took our drink orders. She was very personable and we enjoyed her service.
Everything (except the meat) is served family style with serving plates placed on the table so each person could take as much or as little of each item as they liked. Houda told us that if we wanted more of any one item to let her know. The first course was a tossed salad with "Lilikoi" dressing. The dressing tasted pretty much like italian. Typical salad....don't fill up on this course because the best is yet to come...
Next we were brought a plate that had chicken wings, terriyaki noodles, pork dumplings and stir fry vegetables. There was more than enough of each item on this plate for the four of us!! (in fact, we couldn't eat it all.). Then came the main course(s). Houda came first with two skewers of chicken and put some on each persons plate....right off the skewer! The chicken was very moist, had a good flavor and was tender. Next, our waitresses came with two skewers of steak and did the same thing. The steak had an ok flavor (chicken was more flavorful) but was tender. Finally, she arrived with two skewers of grilled shrimp. Since I don't like shrimp, I skipped this course (everyone else just gave me some of their steak or chicken....although the waitress said she could bring more of any meat we wanted.) Those who ate the shrimp said it too was flavorful and tasty. There was more than enough meat for the four of us (and of course we were asked if we wanted more...)
Finally came the dessert....make sure you save room for this....Ohana Bread Pudding. I am not a fan of bread pudding but this is possibly the best bread pudding that I have ever had. Houda poured the warm sauce over it right at our table when she served it. (it was served family style like everything else). This was a wonderful ending to the meal (and the part we almost asked for more of....lol.).
While this is not a character breakfast, there was entertainment during the meal. A Hawaiian gentleman sang traditional songs and even taught a class in the hula for anyone brave enough to go up. Entertainment was a nice addition and not over the top.
The cost of this meal can be high for a large family but after all it is Disney World! This restaurant is definately one of the must do meals for those visiting Disney and is worth the cost.
Pros:
Great food served family style so each person can pick and choose and eat as much or as little as they want. Dessert is out of this world!Cons:
Must make reservations far in advance.Review of 50's Prime Time Cafe Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by jeconk Review Date: 01/08/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
I have written good reviews for Ohana, Liberty Tree and others, but I can safely say that 50's Prime Time Café is my favorite at Disney World and the food is best tasting of all the restaurants at Disney. MY HIGHEST RECCOMMENDATION, can I give this place a 12 instead of 10???
I made reservations at this restaurant and the rest of my family was not too excited about it but all left praising the food, the service (and my choice of restaurants....lol). After we checked in we waited in the "living room" which is next to the bar and has 50's style furniture (getting up off the lounger was an interesting experience...lol). They have several old style TV's in the waiting room and bar area that show clips from many old 1950's sitcoms (Car 54 Where are You?, I Married Joan, Topper, etc.) Classic shows that I started to get into but the clips of each show were short. (may have to find DVD's of those...). We were called and escorted to our table and since our table was in the back, we got to see much of the restaurant. Most of the seating areas are in "family kitchen" like set ups with the old fashioned tables and chairs. Each "kitchen" also had a table extending from a set of cabinets with a tv above them (got to see more sitcom clips!!). This table had four chairs at it and we were fortunate to be seated at one of them.
Our waiter, Scott F, was there quickly and told us the 'rules" (no walkie talkies at the table....err cell phones, no elbows on the table and sit up.) He also pulled up a chair from another table and sat down and went through the menu with us telling us a little about each item and then he took our drink orders. Scott, along with the other serving staff we observed were very fun and played up the "mom's kitchen" bit with the customers. (Scott kiddingly told one teenager at an adjacent table to "stop whining like a teenager."). It is a very fun atmosphere!!
Then the food came and as I said, it was the BEST! Between us we go the "Mom's Favorites Platter," Vegetable Lasanga, Dad's Stuffed Pork chops and the Blue Plate Special (which was Cod.)
My wife had the pork chops and raved about how tender it was, my mother in law had the vegetable lasagna and mentioned that it had plenty of vegetables and was a good size portion. My daughter had the Blue Plate Special which was cod with a side of rice. The rice was incredible (I had a taste of it....then I took another taste and another....lol). I find rice to usually be very bland no matter how it is prepared, but this rice had a ton of flavor.
Now for my meal, "Mom's Favorites." This plate comes with a small portion of the pot roast, two pieces of fried chicken and a small portion of the meatloaf along with mashed potatoes and green beans. Scott asked me what pieces of chicken I wanted and I chose the leg and wing. The chicken was ok, typical fried chicken, nothing to write home about. The meatloaf was extremely good! Good flavor and texture and packed well. (didn't fall apart like some meatloafs I have had.) The mashed potatoes were ok but again, there were much better items on the plate. I have found that it is hard to cook string green beans in large quantitys and those served by restaurants tend to be either mushy or not fully cooked. 50's Prime Time Café changed my opinion on this as the green beans were cooked perfectly, served hot and had very good flavor. I have saved the pot roast for last in my review for a reason....it was the BEST I have ever had....I could have eaten two meals of it. Very flavorful, very tender, very moist and just incredible. I also had the pot roast at Liberty Tree and the strip loin at Boma and this meat far surpasses those.
To be perfectly honest, this is one of the best meals I have ever had.
Finally for dessert, we each ordered something different and passed them around. Between us we had the Peanut Butter Layer Cake (ok), Mom's Brownie Sundae (very good), the no sugar added cheesecake (there was no sugar in it? could have fooled me...very good.) and my favorite, warm apple crisp ala mode. The apple crisp had just the right amount of cinnamon flavor and plenty of apples for the portion size.
Scott "pulled up a chair" and sat down with us several times to see how we were doing and asked us if we liked it. (even told us he would replace anything we didn't like but we didn't need to take him up on that...). He was truly one of the best servers we have had at our several trips to Disney....and we tipped him accordingly!
Some people may avoid this restaurant because of the name or the theming, but that would be a mistake! The food and service of this restaurant is sure to over ride any qualms one may have with the theme. Give it a try!!
Pros:
Incredible flavor of the food, excellent service, fun atmosphere, My highest reccommendationCons:
Some people may be turned off by the theme or "attitude"Review of Flying Fish
Reviewed by Silvia Bearly Review Date: 01/09/2018
Rating: (7) Recommended
We were so disappointed with the service here in November, I have to write this review. Flying Fish has been on our must-do list ever since 2007. The food has always been superb and so was the service. And for the price, that's what we expect.
Last November, ALL of the ladies at the front desk were extremely difficult to understand and they had a hard time understanding us.
We were seated in the main dining room and then we waited, and waited, and waited until finally, after about 10 minutes, our server was surprised to see us. He greeted us - "still chewing the dinner he just had in the kitchen" [sic]
The service did not get any better.
The menu seemed somewhat pared down and some of our new favorites had disappeared.
As for the new decor, it sort of does not fit into the beach-y, light, Jersey shore theme. It's awfully stiff and formal.
Going there again this coming March, because the food is very good, hoping to get better service
Pros:
the foodCons:
service, smaller menu, decorReview of Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
Reviewed by Tanasigirl Review Date: 01/10/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
We had our first visit to the HDDMR on December 26, 2017. We paid the extra amount to sit on the main floor (1st tier) and it was worth it. We had table #64, which we were told at check-in was a great table. It was right in the middle of the floor and the performers danced around us.
Since it was during Christmas, the room was decorated and the show incorporated some seasonal music. The performers were very great and it was a cute show with a good amount of audience participation.
When you walk in the salad and bread are on the table waiting for you. The fried chicken was great (the same you get at Trails' End BTW), the ribs were fine, and I liked the sides. Desert was strawberry shortcake. They will bring you as much food as you want. Bottomless wine, sangria, and beer are included. So if you drink, that will help justify the price.
We were staying at Coronado Springs and debated driving over because of the huge crowds, but I'm glad we didn't. We took a bus to the Magic Kingdom and then took the resort boat to Ft. Wilderness. We came back the same way. I love the campground, so we didn't mind wandering around a bit until it was time to check in.
I'm not sure we will go again since it is basically the same show. But I can say I have been and it was a fun experience.
Pros:
Fun, clean entertainmentCons:
Expensive and loudReview of Plaza Restaurant
Reviewed by Tanasigirl Review Date: 01/10/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
We dined at the Plaza on December 27, 2017. I had never eaten there before and was very excited about a new experience. We were the second reservation to check in and they tried to seat us inside next to the door of the kitchen. I found that rather odd, but I've worked in the industry before and I know there is a rotation. However, this being our first time, my husband asked if we could be moved. There was some consternation, but we were finally seated in the atrium area and had a perfect view of the castle.
My husband ordered the meatloaf and I tried the beef brisket mac and cheese. We were both very happy with our choices. It was a great venue for people-watching and I would definitely return.
Pros:
Great view of the castleCons:
None reallyReview of Caribbean Beach Resort (Moderate Resort)
Reviewed by toolmanjan Review Date: 01/10/2018
Rating: (4) Recommended
We stayed here in '89 When it first opened. Because we wanted to add 2 days to our stay last week. Our only choice was the CBR.
Our room was a Pirate room. Normally we wouldn't have any interest in a themed room but that was what we were offered. I can see if you have children that are into pirates they would get a kick out of the theming.
It didn't take long to remember what we didn't like about this resort our first time. It's way to big. In addition there is no food court at this time. The current food choices are very disappointing. I wouldn't recommend staying here until the construction is finished. We don't see ourselves staying here even as a last resort.
2 positives
1-our room was ready early
2-The room was clean and in great repair
