Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures

Tag: Dining Review

• An Afternoon at Epcot, Dinner at Coral Reef

  Posted at 12:36 pm by taryngirl, on December 8, 2020

  

  Continuing on with our day at Epcot, we finished up our Germany snacks and headed toward Mouse Gears to do some shopping. The entire center where the fountain used to be, is all blocked off and under construction at the moment. They are redoing things in there. That means that Mouse Gears is now moved to a different location. It’s still in Future World East, just a different building. The selection is still really good!

  From there we headed to Spaceship Earth. Wait time posted was 20 minutes. We waited 25 minutes. Once exiting there are no games anymore. It’s completely silent! I’m assuming this is because of Covid, and the fact that they don’t want people touching the games and crowding. We went over to Journey Into Imagination with Figment, which had a 20 minute wait time posted. We waited 5 minutes. Also, at the end of this attraction there are no games or anything interactive!

  

  

  Of course at the end of this, we went and enjoyed the DVC Lounge which is upstairs in this building. We sat for about an hour and enjoyed some drinks and snacks while recharging our phones and resting our feet.

  While there are no character meet and greets available at the moment, there are characters out and about. We were able to see Joy and Pooh right outside of the Figment attraction.

  

  

  We headed into The Land and went directly to Living With the Land. Wait time posted was 10 minutes, but we walked right on.

  

  

  After this, Alex went to ride Soarin’. The wait time posted was 35 minutes. She was on and off in 35 minutes.

  

  Here’s a picture of Garden Grill. The characters are there, but walking in the row of tables behind the patrons.

  

  From there, we went to The Seas with Nemo and Friends, where there was no wait. We also stayed to explore the SeaBase since we had some time to kill before our dinner reservation at Coral Reef.

  

  

  

  

  It was finally time for our dining reservation at Coral Reef! I hadn’t eaten here since my husband and I went for our anniversary many, many years ago…pre kids I think.

  

  The entrance may be hard to find. If you are standing facing the entrance to the Nemo ride, go right around to the side of the building.

  

  There are (for the most part) no paper menus anymore. You have to scan the QR code at the table or outside of the restaurant to see the menu. The menus have all been paired down for sure! Offering less selections than normal.

  

  

  

  

  

  Note…I don’t eat any seafood! At all!

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Our reservation was for 7:15 p.m. We were in and out and at the bus stop to the resort by 8:25 p.m.

  I would definitely eat here again, and would recommend anyone who needs a break from the countries to give it a whirl! When I travel with our big family, we always eat in the countries. This was a nice break from that since we had all of the food booths in the afternoon. The staff here was very friendly and accommodating.

  Up next…our day at Magic Kingdom!

  Posted in Coral Reef, Dining Review, Disney, Epcot | 0 Comments | Tagged Coral Reef Restaurant, Dining Review, Epcot, Table Service

• Kona Cafe Breakfast Review

  Posted at 10:31 am by taryngirl, on October 21, 2020

  January 2020

  I took this quick trip with my cousin Alex. One of the doctors where she works was also going to be in Disney at the same time, and he wanted to meet up for breakfast. We found ourselves at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort at Kona Cafe with a reservation.

  

  I’ve written about this resort a few times, and I always take this picture! I absolutely love this resort and all it has to offer.

  

  The theming is my favorite, as I love tropical places. And the restaurants are some of my favorites! The location is also amazing. It’s a quick monorail ride away from Magic Kingdom, and walking distance to TTC to catch a monorail to Epcot.

  

  

  

  

  

  We started off sharing the Tropical Fruit Plate $10. This had fresh fruit, boba balls, and some really good kind of honey type drizzle.

  

  One of us had the French Toast $13. It came with a really good caramel banana sauce and your choice of bacon, sausage or ham. It was standard French toast, but the caramel banana sauce made the dish!

  

  We also had the Polynesian Egg Platter $16. Also delicious!

  

  Overall we enjoyed our meal and time together. The prices compared to a quick service location are more. The food quality is a little bit better than counter service. If you want a relaxing atmosphere and have time to sit, try this table service breakfast! If you are in a rush to get to the parks or on more of a budget, skip the table service and go quick service.

  

  Posted in Breakfast, Dining Review, Polynesian Village Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Breakfast, Dining Review, Kona Cafe, Polynesian Village Resort

• Grand Floridian Cafe Breakfast Review

  Posted at 11:07 am by taryngirl, on October 2, 2020

  1/30/2020

  I am writing this post Covid closure. This is from my trip in January! In looking at the current menu, it seems they have taken several things off of the menu for now. Boo! Hopefully they will be back!

  After briefly checking out the Club Level area at the Contemporary Resort, we hopped on the monorail, which is conveniently located right inside the resort, and headed to the Grand Floridian. Our breakfast reservation at the Grand Floridian Cafe was at 9:00 a.m.

  This is the glorious site when you are dropped off from the monorail and head inside the doors to the resort. It’s amazing!

  

  

  I wanted to get a glimpse of the new Enchanted Rose Lounge that opened just a few months prior.

  

  

  The entrance was roped off, so I couldn’t get inside to take any pictures, but here are a few from outside the rope.

  

  

  You can click my link above to check out the details and menu. It’s definitely on the pricier side, with just a few food items available, but lots of beverages.

  From there, we just walked down the steps to the Grand Floridian Cafe. Neither of us had ever eaten here, so it was on our list to check out. The menu was a brunch menu and looked really good!

  

  

  

  

  I started with a cup of hot tea, and Alex started with coffee.

  

  They brought her a whole pot, so that was nice!

  

  

  Complimentary biscuits with an orange butter were served. They were warm and good.

  

  Alex ordered the Brioche French Toast–Madagascar vanilla bean scented brioche French toast with bacon–$17

  

  Fun fact…if you ordered pancakes, waffles, or French toast, you could also order an “add-on.” We chose: Fresh blueberries, granola, lemon curd and blueberry sauce $3.50

  

  This was a fabulous addition and we were really happy we got it!

  

  

  I ordered the Steak and Eggs–sirloin steak, cheesy hash brown casserole, 2 eggs, housemade steak sauce $20

  

  This was so good! I would definitely order this again. All of it was wonderful.

  Overall, I give this breakfast/brunch a 10/10! I had a reservation set for May, but that trip was canceled due to Covid…and then I made a reservation for August, and that trip was also canceled. I will return! There was too much on the menu I wanted to try.

  Posted in Breakfast, Dining Review, Grand Floridian, Grand Floridian Cafe, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Breakfast, Brunch, Dining Review, Grand Floridian, Grand Floridian Cafe

• Lunch at Enzo’s Hideaway – Disney Springs

  Posted at 4:55 pm by taryngirl, on September 10, 2020

  1/29/20

  Upon leaving Animal Kingdom, we hopped on a bus to Old Key West so we could get to Disney Springs for our highly anticipated lunch at Enzo’s Hideaway. Usually when I go to Disney Springs, I like to eat at the same places because I have my favorites! Before the huge expansion, my favorite place was Wolfgang Puck Express. Then I tried Raglan Road and that was yummy and entertaining. And then I tried Morimoto and that was super delicious and just beautiful inside. And finally Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, which has become my #1 favorite restaurant at Disney Springs. The appetizers, main courses, and desserts are SO GOOD!

  For this trip, I was traveling with my cousin. We decided to try something brand new! Enzo’s Hideaway was available, so we grabbed a reservation for it. But first…transportation! There is no direct transportation from a Disney park to Disney Springs before 4:00 p.m. You have to take a bus to a resort for a transfer. We decided to take the bus to Old Key West and then enjoy a boat ride over.

  

  

  Some views on our ride:

  

  

  

  

  We made our way towards Enzo’s. Now, it was slightly confusing because there are actually two different Enzo restaurants. There’s Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante, which features authentic Italian cuisine set in a transformed airline terminal. And then there’s Enzo’s Hideaway, which is set underground in a tunnel bar, with a speakeasy vibe! This one was down the steps, and almost hidden. Here are some pictures of the inside:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The atmosphere was AMAZING! Really, really AMAZING! I would love to come back on a busy night just to see the difference. There were so many details that were perfect for the speakeasy vibe.

  

  

  

  As usual, I checked out the menu before we arrived. Of course I couldn’t decide exactly what I wanted, so made a decision on the fly! One word about the wait staff…very good and attentive. Almost too attentive, I think because there were so few tables. They had nothing else to do but check on us repeatedly!

  

  Of course the bread was warm and perfect.

  

  I knew I had to have some wine, because…how could you not in this setting?! I went with my favorite, which is Moscato.

  

  I ordered the Bucatini Bolognese. This was absolutely delicious! The meat sauce was so tasty. The portion size was normal. The pasta was actually not just your average spaghetti. It was like a thick spaghetti with a big hole running through the center. It is pricey at $25, but alas, we are in Disney at a table service meal. I would definitely order this again!

  

  My cousin ordered the Classic Lasagna. This was also delicious. Super rich and a big portion! I don’t think she finished it.

  Needless to say, we were way too stuffed for dessert. Overall, we really liked it here. It was a nice change from what we are used to at Disney Springs. I would definitely return in the future!

  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Disney Springs, Enzo's Hideaway | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Disney Springs, Enzo's Hideaway

• La Hacienda de San Angel Dining Review

  Posted at 2:39 pm by taryngirl, on April 9, 2020

  January 28, 2020

  After our jaunt on the Skyliner, we rode it back to the Epcot Station and entered through the International Gateway.  We had dinner reservations in Mexico at La Hacienda de San Angel, but before that, we made our way through the countries a little bit.

  It’s always a joy to listen to Mariachi Cobre located just outside the Mexico Pavilion!  They sound really good and are super talented!

  

  There are two table service restaurants in Mexico.  San Angel Inn is located INSIDE the pavilion.

  

  (By the way, I love my iPhone 11 Pro!  This pic was taken with it.   No flash!)

  

  We took a quick ride on the Gran Fiesta Tour before our dinner.

  

  From there, we headed outside of the pavilion and across the walk to the second table service restaurant…La Hacienda de San Angel.

  

  The view from our table (Yes we are inside!  We just had a window seat.):

  

  The menu:

  (A side note…I have only eaten at this restaurant one other time in my life, and it was several years ago.  I absolutely did not find the menu appealing at all, but my cousin wanted to try it.  It ended up being my favorite meal of the trip!  So I couldn’t wait to get back here.)

  

  Chips and Salsa come complimentary.  The salsa was really good!

  

  I ordered the Pollo al Pastor, which was adobe marinated chicken breast with vegetables.  It was spicy but delicious!

  

  My cousin ordered the Enchiladas de Vegetales.

  

  All entrees come with family style rice and beans.

  

  Overall thoughts…our server was a little crazy, but efficient.  One example, when filling my water, he basically dumped the pitcher onto me and my plate of rice.  The meal was so good, and I love the setting right on the lake.  If you have dined inside at San Angel Inn, give this a try!  I prefer the food here!  They only serve during dinner.

  

  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Epcot, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Epcot, La Hacienda de San Angel, Mexico Pavilion, Table Service

• Beaches and Cream Lunch Review

  Posted at 2:51 pm by taryngirl, on March 31, 2020

  January 28, 2020

  After the craziness of riding Rise of the Resistance, we headed out the gates and to the boat.  We took the boat to the Beach Club for our reservation at Beaches and Cream.

  Beaches and Cream had a makeover!  The seating area was expanded and the menu received a small makeover.  We couldn’t wait to check it out!

  

  The check in podium is located outside the restaurant.  Generally to dine here, you must have a reservation.  There is some counter seating that may be open for walk ins, but it’s tough to get in here!

  The menu:

  

  I can never decide what I want here, because I love this kind of food.  It’s usually a toss up between the burger or the chili cheese dog (which by the way is not on the regular menu anymore), and then a dessert decision is also a struggle!

  Here you can see he expanded seating area inside the restaurant:

  

  I ordered the chili cheese dog, even though it wasn’t listed on the menu!

  

  Alex ordered the Reuben.

  

  Both were delicious!

  And for dessert, we went with the no fail No Way Jose to share.

  

  This is probably my favorite ice cream sundae in Disney!  I love peanut butter and chocolate together.

  If you are staying in the area of Beach Club, Yacht Club or Boardwalk, this is a great lunch spot.  Or even if you are going between Hollywood Studios and Epcot as we were.  It’s reasonably priced for a table service, and the desserts available are fabulous!

  Next up…the Sky Liner and Riviera Resort!

  Posted in Beaches and Cream, Dining Review, Disney, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Beach Club, Beaches and Cream, Dining Review, Food Picture, Foodie, Table Service

• Exploring Galaxy’s Edge and Breakfast at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo

  Posted at 4:02 pm by taryngirl, on February 13, 2020

  1/28/20

  After Alex’s breakfast at Woody’s, we headed to Galaxy’s Edge through the entrance in Toy Story Land.  The sun was finally shining after being cloudy all morning!

  The attention to detail and theming all throughout the land are amazing!

  

  I had done some breakfast research prior to arriving, and decided I wanted to either eat at Ronto Roasters or Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo.  Since Docking Bay 7 was newer and had more options, I opted for that.

  This is the lunch menu:

  

  I’m just noticing this menu says Breakfast available until 9 a.m., but online I’ve seen 10 a.m.  I have no idea what time we got there, but there was a line and I MOBILE ORDERED!

  

  I’m also noticing the lunch entrees say available from 9 a.m. until close.  I did not see anyone with these entrees!  Only breakfast, soooo, I don’t know?

  

  The inside of the restaurant was really neat.  There were various seating options…high tables, low tables, etc.

  

  I chose the Bright Suns Breakfast Platter–three cheese egg bite, pork sausage, purple potato hash, mini mustafarian lava roll. $10.99

  

  This was really good!  And I liked the variety.  I’m funny about eggs, but this was great.  I also love Disney sausage!  The mini roll was actually like a cinnamon roll with frosting and cookie crumbs.  I would definitely get this again!

  We exited out a side door and found some outdoor seating as well.

  

  We looked for the Rise of the Resistance entrance so we knew where to go when we came back.

  

  Overall, if you are a Star Wars fan, there is more to check out than what we did.  We kind of whipped through quickly.  There were Storm Troopers walking around interacting with people, and you can also make a reservation to make your own light saber or droid.

  Up next…the rest of Hollywood Studios and riding Rise of the Resistance!

  Posted in Dining Review, Galaxy's Edge, Hollywood Studios, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, Galaxy's Edge, Hollywood Studios

• Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Woody’s Lunch Box Breakfast, and Rise of the Resistance Madness!

  Posted at 12:02 pm by taryngirl, on February 12, 2020

  1/28/20

  One of the main goals of this trip of mine, was to check out the process of securing a boarding group and ride Rise of the Resistance!  Park opening was 7 a.m., so our goal was to be at the park by 6:30 a.m. at the latest.  At the moment, you have to be through the gates before 7 a.m. (park opening) so that you can be on the app to secure your spot.

  Everyone in the party must be scanned into the park.  You cannot send one person to the park to secure for everyone.

  We planned to take a Lyft from All Star Movies to Hollywood Studios.  We were in the lobby by 6 a.m. summoning our pick up.  I do want to note that the whole time we were sitting there waiting, we did not see one bus come to pick anyone up.  So we were happy with our decision to Lyft!  Apparently we were not the only ones…this whole line of cars are Lyft/Uber drop offs!  (Lyft/Uber drop off is closer than the buses.  It’s a short walk to the entrance.)

  

  There was no real line at security, so we got right in.

  

  This is the line before scanning into the gates.

  This is behind me.

  Once onto Hollywood Boulevard, they don’t stop you at the end anymore.  You can go in the shops, get coffee, or proceed to either the Galaxy’s Edge area, or Toy Story Land area.  I walked by so fast that I don’t even know what was happening on Sunset Boulevard on the way to Rock N Roller Coaster!  You may be able to line up there too??

  

  We headed directly to Toy Story Land.  They stopped people from entering the actual land, but had us gathered down the whole lane leading to it.  They were telling people, DO NOT GO THIS WAY FOR GALAXY’S EDGE!  (There is an entrance to Galaxy’s Edge through Toy Story Land.). That entrance was closed off, so don’t try to take a shortcut or avoid the Galaxy’s Edge crowd through the normal entrance!  We had about a half hour to wait until 7 a.m.

  

  At 7 a.m. on the nose, you could hear the murmurs of the crowds and gradually cheering as people secured their boarding group!  On this particular day, in order to get a boarding group for Rise of the Resistance, which is the only way to ride this new ride, you have to log onto the My Disney Experience app at posted park opening time.  Smack dab in the middle of the screen is Star Wars: RISE OF THE RESISTANCE–ACCESS BY BOARDING GROUP.  You click on that and then JOIN BOARDING GROUP.  Here you will select those in your party and then it will hopefully generate your boarding group number.

  

  

  You can check the land status throughout the day.  Just click on the FIND OUT MORE again and it will tell you what groups are currently boarding.  We were able to enjoy most of the rest of the park until our group was called, including our 3 FP+.

  Simultaneously, the line started moving for the opening of the park.  We were rope dropping Slinky Dog Dash since we couldn’t get a FP+ for it.  This is my favorite ride in this park!

  

  After getting off, we checked the wait time for Toy Story Mania, and it was already long, so we bailed on that and Alex got some breakfast at Woody’s Lunch Box.  She chose the kid’s meal:  S’more French Toast Sandwich–Sandwich Half with Marshmallow and Chocolate Ganache stuffed in Grilled Custard soaked Brioche encrusted with Graham Cracker Crumbs served with a Cuties® Mandarin and Potato Barrels with your choice of Beverage $6.19.

  

  She liked it!  Kid’s meals are so underrated.  It’s the perfect portion size, especially for breakfast, and it comes with the two sides AND a drink.

  I also want to mention Mobile Ordering.  I encourage you to use it!  Below you can see the line just to order your food.  You can skip that by ordering on the My Disney Experience app.  It’s very user friendly, you can see pictures of the food when you order, and you can customize things.  You skip the ordering line and head to the Mobile Ordering Pick Up Window once you arrive at the location.

  This is especially helpful during super busy meal times.  You can order when you are on the other side of the park, away from the location, and just select that you are here when you get closer.  When using Mobile Ordering, you pay directly through the app with the credit card on file or add a new card, or use your Disney Dining Plan.

  

  Once finished with her breakfast, we used our Toy Story Mania FP+ before heading into Galaxy’s Edge for my breakfast.

  

  Up next…Galaxy’s Edge!

   

  Posted in Dining Review, Galaxy's Edge, Hollywood Studios, Uncategorized | 1 Comment | Tagged Dining Review, Galaxy's Edge, Hollywood Studios, Quick Service, Rise of the Resistance, Woody's Lunch Box

• Yacht Club and Ale & Compass Dinner Review

  Posted at 6:04 pm by taryngirl, on February 11, 2020

  November 2018

  On our arrival day, we only had dinner planned and no parks.  Since the trip was planned well within 180 days, we had slim pickings for a dinner reservation!  We didn’t want to use a park day, so were limited to resorts or Disney Springs.

  Ale & Compass was available and since we were staying at the Boardwalk, it was very convenient.  To get to the Yacht Club, you can either take a short walk, or take the boat.  Either way, it’s super easy!

  All of the Christmas decorations were up, and it was really beautiful at night!

  

  We arrived and checked in at the podium and they informed us they were running about an hour behind.  WE WERE STARVING!  So this was not good news for us.  But we stuck it out.  We walked around the lobby and to the store.

  

  A quick stop at the Market to check out the menu.  This is the Yacht Club’s quick service option.  Just a note the menu is super limited and there are limited tables to sit here to eat!

  

  Some of the holiday items at the store:

  

  They finally buzzed us and our waiter was apologetic about the wait.  They had an extensive wine list:

  

  I had read so much about the Parker House Rolls and Spreads, so I had to order them!

  

  They were reallllyyyy good, and all of the spreads were good in their own way too!

  Megan ordered the Catch of the Day:

  

  The rest of us ordered the Bacon and Vermont Cheddar Burger.  This was also really good!

  

  I would definitely eat here again!

  After dinner, we walked over to the Beach Club lobby to look at the gingerbread display.  It really is amazing!  It’s carousel that actually moves.  There are hidden Mickey’s on it also, so you can look for them!

  

  And Megan wasn’t really leaving until she found them all…

  

  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort, Yacht Club | 0 Comments | Tagged Ale & Compass, Dining Review, Table Service, Yacht Club

• Gasparilla Island Grill – Grand Floridian

  Posted at 2:51 pm by taryngirl, on December 11, 2019

  August 2018

  On our departure day, we had some time to kill, so we hopped on the monorail and made a stop at the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian.  The Grand Floridian is so…..GRAND!  I absolutely love the lobby.  At any given time there may be live music, it smells so good, and the decor is amazing.  I had been wanting to try the quick service option, Gasparilla Island Grill, so that was our choice for a meal.  To get to the restaurant, you actually walk through the lobby and exit the back doors.

  

  The “food area” is u-shaped.  On the left you can get pastries and order specialty coffees.

  

  

  

  Straight ahead is the “hot” section.  Sandwiches, pizzas, etc.

  

  And then on the right you can get cold sandwiches or salads.

  

  This is Kinsey’s kid pizza, and not pictured is the Artisan Burger.  I forgot to get a picture!  Everything was really good and I would definitely return here to eat again for lunch or dinner.

  

  One other note…there is both indoor and outdoor seating here.  It was way too hot to sit outside, but it would be very pleasant if the weather was normal.  The scenery is really nice!

  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Grand Floridian, Quick Service, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Gasparilla Island Grill, Grand Floridian, Quick Service

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