The Peffers return...a week of Standard Disney Dining ** Updated 10/21 with snacks, Caseys, Polite Pig and Wolfgang Puck Express

[OasterP]

Hello! This is my first dining report in quite a while! I think the last one was when we went with friends about five years ago? I didn't attempt one for our last trip to Disney, but even that was nearly four years ago! Time flies.

This trip has been planned for a while. We were staying for a week at Pop Century resort and had the standard dining plan. We upgraded because my daughter (4) is all about princesses and we knew we would likely do a ton of character meals. Spoiler alert....we did. We also did a bunch of others and some that we hadn't done before. My report will mostly be pictures of my food and sometimes my kids, and I'll admit it is snack light because we just didn't get many.

The cast of characters is similar to before, but a little different too. It's me (OasterP/Stephanie) (40), my son Owen(9), my daughter Isabella (4) who wasn't in the last trip report, and Todd (45), who was my husband last time and is now my ex husband. Luckily we get along great and decided we would take the kids together since it just made more sense. We feel incredibly lucky that we could pull this off without wanting to kill each other (much).

Here are some of the places we ate at, and I know that there will be more. I just need to remember them once I look through the pictures.

Via Napoli
Akershus (lunch)
1900 Park Fare (breakfast and lunch)
Hollywood and Vine (breakfast and lunch)
Be our Guest (breakfast)
Trattoria al Forno
Polite Pig
Wolfgang Puck Express
Caseys Corner
Liberty Tree Tavern
The Lunching Pad
The terrace Fireworks Dessert Party
Satu'li Canteen
Pop Quick Service
Art of Animation Quick Service
Some others that I'm forgetting now, but will see in pictures

I will mention we utlized mobile ordering at most/all of our quick service restaurants and it's something I will definitely do when I go again.

 

[OasterP]

Day 1 Travel Day and a brief trip to Epcot!

We had an afternoon flight and were leaving from a local small airport so we could relax and get to the airport at a relaxing pace. We did have a lot of luggage for a relatively small group, but there were a LOT of princess dresses brought along on this trip. The flight was uneventful and we got to our resort, Pop Century.

Despite knowing that the rooms had been revamped and included a "hidden" bed - I somehow forgot. We went to explain that we definitely needed two beds and they explained how it worked. I felt a little silly but hey - I wasn't sharing a bed with an ex husband and two kids. Sharing one room was tight enough. The fold down bed was actually incredibly comfortable - I had no complaints!

We had a reservation that night for Via Napoli. We decided to pay out of pocket for this one because we did not want to order four separate meals. The evening started off rough when a kid vomited about five feet from where we were waiting. I felt bad because his parents were absolutely nowhere to be found. An extremely kind woman ended up helping him out and they went to look for his parents.

After that somewhat shaky start we ordered the Large cheese pizza to share. I missed taking a picture of it when it arrived because I had taken my daughter to the bathroom, but I did get some random pictures.

 

[OasterP]

I also got a chance to hit the one food and wine stand I ate from this trip (I may cry). I was originally supposed to go in November as well, but that's not going to work out, so I guess I wasn't meant to taste all the food and wine goodness they had to offer. This one, at least, was very good! It was the maple bourbon cheesecake at the Cheese Studio. If you do end up getting this, I don't think it would disappoint!

My picture is kind of dark since the lighting isn't great there and it was at night, but it gives you the general idea!

 

[goofy78]

Joining in! Your trip looks fantastic and your kids are adorable!

 

[DLo]

Following along. Looking forward to reading more. Great start

 

[ariane37]

Joining! I haven't had the maple bourbon cheesecake yet this year but did last year and it's delicious. Hope to have some next week!

 

[amytech]

Joining in! Great start!

 

[nursejackie]

Your daughter looks like she means business with that pizza and I don't blame her, it looks tasty.

 

[kastoney]

Hi Stranger!!!! Its great to see you back here again. I can't believe how big Owen is and now there's another one!!! Can't wait to hear all about your food adventures

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I am joining in!

The evening started off rough when a kid vomited about five feet from where we were waiting. I felt bad because his parents were absolutely nowhere to be found. An extremely kind woman ended up helping him out and they went to look for his parents.

Yikes! Where in the world was that kids parents!

Glad you had a good first meal.

 

[OasterP]

Joining! I haven't had the maple bourbon cheesecake yet this year but did last year and it's delicious. Hope to have some next week!

I hope you do - it was definitely good!

Your daughter looks like she means business with that pizza and I don't blame her, it looks tasty.

Oh my daughter always means business with food!! And I agree - it's very good!

Hi Stranger!!!! Its great to see you back here again. I can't believe how big Owen is and now there's another one!!! Can't wait to hear all about your food adventures

I can't believe it either! I have to say he was much easier at 4! I also wanted to let you know - I thought of you guys and your daughter many times when my kids were acting like little buttheads at dinner, and I thought of your extremely well behaved daughter

I am joining in!


Yikes! Where in the world was that kids parents!

Glad you had a good first meal.

Thank you! Yeah - it was so crazy.

I just got back from the beach so I will be catching up soon. We don't normally do so many vacations in a row but my friend had invited us as she was offered the condo free. So....yes please! It was great, but I'm really ready to be done with kid vacations for a small time!

 

[quietly]

I think parents who have broken up and put aside their differences for family holidays are bad ***! You’re amazing parents. Can’t wait to hear more of your trip you look like you’ve got some great options in there!

 

[kastoney]

I thought of you guys and your daughter many times when my kids were acting like little buttheads at dinner, and I thought of your extremely well behaved daughter

Something tells me if Casey had a sibling to argue and fight with our dinners would look very different

 

[OasterP]

I think parents who have broken up and put aside their differences for family holidays are bad ***! You’re amazing parents. Can’t wait to hear more of your trip you look like you’ve got some great options in there!

Thank you! We are incredibly lucky that we do get along so well! We've been divorced for a little over a year and a half, and I think some people still think we are married!


Also a quick update - I originally had canceled my adult only November trip but then decided I really didn't want to lose the money for the race and the hotel was already booked (I had originally had a value resort for the quick race weekend and then moving to another hotel for the remainder of the week). So I have my flight booked and I will be going down in a couple weeks again for the race!

 

[OasterP]

Ok I feel like I may be missing a day or so of pictures, but I will find them! I know for a fact I am missing the Be Our Guest breakfast, so once I find it I will put it here.

First I did find some snack pictures so I will start with those. On our first day in Magic Kingdom, the kids of course "needed" a treat! This caused some fighting because I insisted if they were getting a cookie the size of a child's head...then they needed to share. How dare I....
They eventually decided on the Mickey head cookie dipped in chocolate.



I got something I have wanted to try for a while - the cream cheese pretzel! This was so good for me! I found it sweet, but I don't love sweet icing so if you do - it's not exactly like that. More like the cream cheese in a danish I would think? Either way - I really loved it!



I don't know why I'm having trouble remember the order of things, since it wasn't that long ago! I can't remember if this was my lunch or not, but next up I have the Casey's meal for Todd and the kids and I definitely did not eat there.

But here it is....Casey's corn dog nuggets, fries and hot dog! This place is super cute. Not food I love, but if you like hotdogs - it was incredibly popular. I know they have a ton of fun flavors, but my group went basic. Todd got the regular hotdog and the kids shared the corn dog nuggets. I think they all shared the fries.



We had absolutely perfect weather the ENTIRE time we were in Disney so we spent time at the park that day, went back to "rest" at the resort for a bit and then went down to Disney Springs. Next up is Wolfgang Puck Express and the Polite Pig!

 

[OasterP]

I have to say I love Disney Springs. I loved it when it was Downtown Disney and I love it now. I don't actually ever really shop but I am not a huge shopper in general. But I just like the atmosphere, like the food and thinks it's a fun place to spend time. Particularly when it's absolutely gorgeous out. It was hot - I mean it was still September in Disney, but most days were around 90 or so and no rain.

We spent some time walking around and looking at everything and the kids started to get antsy. I knew I wanted Polite Pig for dinner and I was willing to wait in the long(ish) line out the door, but Todd wanted Wolfgang Puck Express and my kids were already showing why long lines with children, hot weather and my patience are not always the best combination; so I suggested that they go look at the Lego Store and other fun stores and I would meet them at WPE.

The Polite Pig line took about 40 minutes to get through. But the food is SO delicious. You order and sit, and I believe they bring the food to you. However, I ordered mine to go. They gave me a buzzer and it didn't take too long until it was ready! I didn't take photos until about 30 minutes later, and the food was cold but still SO good.

I got the glazed salmon (and it came on the wooden plank even though I got it to go. I also ordered the brussels sprouts (for the WIN), the cornbread and it came with coleslaw that I didn't try. The dining plan allows you to get alcoholic or other drinks and I mostly just got bottled water and I think I did this time too.



I'm not sure if photos are showing up sideways because of the size or what - they are "normal" on my computer when I saved them. Either way - you get the idea.

The salmon was perfect for me, and everything else I ate was delicious. Without question I would eat there again. It's probably my favorite place to eat in Disney Springs.

 

[OasterP]

Todd and the kids got their food from Wolfgang Puck Express. For the record, in case people wonder - I just took my food in with me and sat at a table in the back room with the kids while Todd ordered. The waitress knew I brought food in and they didn't say a word. Now maybe if the others hadn't ordered it would be a bigger deal but they didn't care.

Todd got the spaghetti and meatballs (it's an awful picture) and the kids split a pizza. Everyone thought the food was delicous. I didn't try it this time but I have had it before and it was always solid. Here is where my daughter struck up a conversation with the waitress and invited her over to the hotel with her "hidden bed" to have a sleepover and a pillow fight. The waitress was amazing and said that she would have to go home and tell her daughter! It was cute.



It was dark out and the restuarant in that back room was dark, so the photos didn't turn out great, but you get the idea of what it looks like. Another solid choice that I wouldn't mind returning to.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

We did a similar thing, we got our girls pizza at blaze and brought it over to D-Lux Burger where we ordered burgers for DH and myself. So, I have to think it happens a decent amount.

 

[kastoney]

I got something I have wanted to try for a while - the cream cheese pretzel! This was so good for me! I found it sweet, but I don't love sweet icing so if you do - it's not exactly like that. More like the cream cheese in a danish I would think? Either way - I really loved it!

Oh one of our favorites. It keeps leaving and then popping back up again and thankfully for you it was the latter this time.

I have to say I love Disney Springs. I loved it when it was Downtown Disney and I love it now. I don't actually ever really shop but I am not a huge shopper in general. But I just like the atmosphere, like the food and thinks it's a fun place to spend time. Particularly when it's absolutely gorgeous out. It was hot - I mean it was still September in Disney, but most days were around 90 or so and no rain.

Funny I'm the opposite. I hated DTD and we never went. I like you am not a shopper but I really wasn't big on the restaurants in our limited visits either. But I am totally sold on Disney Springs. Of course its the food that really got me, but its just a gorgeous place to walk around.

YUM!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure everything else was great but give me burnt Brussels sprouts all day long!!!

 

[jacksmom]

Great reviews