Just back 11/9-11/16 - Quick Reviews

sullyfam

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
We just got back from a great 8 day trip to the World. For those considering going this time of year - the weather was great (high 80's most days and little to no rain). We had one chilly day at the end of our trip (60's) and it felt downright cold. So be prepared with warm clothes if you travel. It was CRAZY busy the weekend of Veteran's Day especially (to put it in perspective, Living with the Land had a 50 minute wait at one point, Small World was up to an hour). I would not go again during this time. Way too many people, lines for everything were super long, buses, rides, food, you name it. It was nuts. We navigated it though with FP and rope drop and made the best of our trip and had a great time.

This is my first time doing a dining review but thought it might help others as they plan their ADRs.

Day 1 - Breakfast at Crystal Palace

This is always a favorite for us. There are a lot of choices in the buffet and hello ... breakfast pizza! We once again enjoyed this very much. It's also an added plus that you can now get mimosas here. The one complaint was that the characters were SLOW to come around. We actually left before meeting Pooh and we were there for over an hour. I would have said something but nobody in our party was concerned as we have met him many times before.

Day 1 - Dinner at Landscape of Flavors (AOA)

This was great. We really enjoyed all the offerings and it was nice to eat at our own resort and chill on our first night. I had the chicken and rice bowl and DH had spaghetti and meatballs. Kids liked their food too. They made a special meal for my son who loves pasta with butter and shrimp. He ate every bit of it. This is one of the better food courts we've been to at a Disney Resort. Definitely check it out if you are staying at AOA or can walk over from Pop Century.

Day 2 - Sci Fi Lunch

This is also usually a must do for us at Hollywood Studios. My kids love sitting in the cars and the dark cool vibe in there is great on a hot day especially. I have to say that I'm never really wowed by the food though. This trip was no exception. I had the vegetarian lettuce wraps and they were just OK. Nothing special. DH had a burger which he enjoyed but again, nothing to write home about. This place for us has always been about the atmosphere.

Day 2 - Mama Melrose Dinner

I had been here 20 years ago as a kid with my parents but hadn't been back since. I know this place gets panned over and over again but we actually really enjoyed it. They give out nice bread to start with dipping oil which is really yummy and nicely seasoned. I had the shrimp and pasta dish and it was really tasty. DH had the chicken parm which was very good. Kids all enjoyed their food as well. It has a really cozy atmosphere inside too. We would definitely try this again.

Day 3 - Coral Reef Lunch

This is another place we almost always visit. Kids love to watch the fish in the tank and the food has always been pretty good for us. This trip wasn't as enjoyable though. I got the vegetarian plate and it was just OK. DH got the chicken and mushroom plate and he didn't enjoy it at all. The kids menu is also lacking here. They have no basic offerings (chicken fingers, pizza, etc.) so that makes it tricky. Something to keep in mind if you are considering dining there and have picky kids.

Day 3 - Via Napoli Dinner

This was a first for us. I've been wanting to try it for years. It was a bit disappointing. To start, it was super hectic getting in here. Even though we had an ADR the waiting area was packed. You could barely move. They would come out and in broken English attempt to yell out your last name. It was hard to understand them (no fault of their own) and so everyone was looking at each other saying "what did they say? did they call us?" We finally got seated and were given bread and oil dipping but it was straight olive oil. No seasoning added. It was pretty bland. DH got the lobster raviolis which he enjoyed but the portion was small. I got the prosciutto pizza and it was just OK. Big clumps of cheese that weren't eventually distributed. I was waiting to be wowed with how people talk about their pizza but it honestly fell flat for me. It was also HUGE and no way I could have eaten it alone. The atmosphere of the restaurant is also nothing unique. A lot of places at Disney don't have "oh my god" food but they get passes because they are so cool inside. This is not one of those places. It was probably a one and done for us but glad we at least tried it.

More to come ...
 
Day 4 - Rainforest Cafe Lunch

This is again, another favorite for us. Many people have Rainforest Cafe's around their home so they don't find this unique to Disney but for us it is, so we almost always visit. It's really cool inside and my kids love all the sights and sounds. They also have a huge menu which can appeal to everyone. The kids all enjoyed their food and got the frog cups with slushies which they loved. DH had a pulled pork burger which he liked. I had the turkey wrap and in hindsight, wish I stuck with my original plan to get the Cobb salad. The turkey wrap was pretty bland. I also had the long island ice tea and it hit the spot. There are a lot of fun cocktail choices here.

Day 5 - Tony's Lunch

We almost always go here every trip. It's another place that gets bad reviews but we've always had good experiences. It's the one place you can "see" Lady and the Tramp and that's always been one of my favorite Disney movies as well as my kids. The day we visited, we waited almost 30 minutes past our ADR time which I was not happy about. I went up to ask several times but it turned out there were 2-3 large parties being sat ahead of us (10-15 people each) so I guess that's the reason. We enjoyed our food. I had the shrimp alfredo and it was really tasty. DH had the chicken parm (can you tell he loves chicken parm?) and he said Mama Melrose was slightly better. Despite people saying they don't like it here, it's always busy any time we've been. We always get a picture in front of the Lady and Tramp fountain. I love all the pictures from the movie that are scattered about too. The kids choices are great. My daughter got the spaghetti and meatball and the meatball was HUGE. My husband ended up eating most of it. The pasta in the kids meals wasn't the freshest but they didn't seem to mind.

Day 5 - Cali Grill Dinner

This was another first for us. We'd never been and were dying to try. It is a special experience for sure. They whisk you up in a special elevator and once up there, you see what the hype was about. It's so cool inside and the views at night are awesome. The castle was all lit up for Christmas and we had a great view. We started with bread and the dipping oil had tomatoes in it which nobody besides me really enjoyed. It would be nice to have butter as well. I had the filet and it was divine. My husband had the grouper and enjoyed the fish but not the offerings it was accompanied with. He didn't like the flavoring of the rice and vegetables. I think it was coconut. This is also another place that does not have standard kid fare so be prepared. 2 of them got the salmon which they liked and my 3 year old had the chicken but it came with squash which she stuck her finger in and declared it was "yucky." We had the chocolate cake for desert which was really yummy and the kids all got the fruit and yogurt which comes with their meal. This is a splurge place as the meal was pricey. I also would have enjoyed a more a la carte menu which you see often in places like this where you pick your meat/fish and then your sides. I think it's tricky for some of the more picky eaters. Just an FYI for those considering dining here. I'm really glad we tried it and would consider it again for a special occasion or with just adults. There are kids in there and my kids were fine but it is a more refined atmosphere. We actually enjoyed the food at the Yachtsmen more and it's a similar price and they do offer a la carte menu. But they don't have those views which are priceless!

Day 6 - 50's PT Lunch

This is my absolute favorite at Hollywood Studios. Such a fun time and the food is great. We had an awesome waiter who played it up and was a riot. He ended up "feeding" my son his green beans since he tried to hide them on his father's plate. It was hysterical. I had the pot roast which I almost always get. It's so good. DH had the fried chicken which was a switch for him. He usually gets the meatloaf. He loved it and ate almost all of it. Lots of great kid choices here. And the desserts were yummy too (brownie sundae and cheesecake). We had an awesome time here. Probably our favorite meal of the trip. Highly recommend.

Day 6 - Mickey's Verry Merry Christmas Party

We had "snacks" which were cookies and hot coco offered free as part of the party. The cookies were yucky. Sorry to say and the coco was watered down and you had to stand in long lines for it. It was really chilly that night (low 60's) so everyone wanted hot coco. We ended up eating at Casey's and watching the fireworks. Everyone had hot dogs (surprise) except for me as I got the mini corn dog meal. This was not really that good. They also give you more fries than you could ever eat in your life so that feels wasteful. The party itself was great and we got to do many rides with little wait. We also met Mickey in his Christmas outfit which was too cute. The one downside was the Space Mountain was down for most of the night. My middle was all into riding it (she had never done it before) and we got all the way into the cue and ready to board and they shut it down. It didn't open back up again before we left. The fireworks were great and the parade was cute. I enjoyed the Halloween party more and probably wouldn't go out of my way to do the Christmas party again but glad we experienced it.

On arrival and departure day we didn't do any Disney dining so no comments there. Hope this has helped people with their planning even in a small way!
 
Thanks for your posts! I have had them mix and match the sides at Cali Grill. They are always agreeable and I am not stuck with something I don’t like. I’m with you on the Christmas party. I enjoyed the Halloween party so much more
 

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