Posts Tagged ‘dining’

After a year of declining sales of travel to virtually all destinations around the world, and strong discount offers on Disney products, changes are expected for 2010.

Disney C.E.O. Bob Iger recently announced the company’s plans to “dial back” specials during the upcoming year.  As we mentioned in the post Family Values the company has viewed promotions not only as a means of keeping attendance high, but as a tool to attract a new demographic of people who might otherwise not have taken a Disney vacation.  As most visitors know, once bitten, there is generally no cure for the Disney bug!  Guests can expect not just the usual rate increases that each new year brings, but fewer deep discounts than they may have seen in the past.

Whether you’ve chosen concierge-level accommodations at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, or are traveling on a budget for a stay at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort, you want the best value for your vacation dollars.  Here are some recommendations to help minimize the impact of increasing prices:

Pay attention to the season. The price for the same room fluctuates hugely over the course of the calendar year.  Room rates are affected by weekend dates, holidays, special events, and the Disney “season.”  If your travel dates are flexible, your Concierge will inform you about the differences in pricing from one season to another.  Often, moving your plans forward or backward just one week can save many hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars.

Consider a Disney Dining Plan. There are three major costs associated with a Walt Disney World vacation:  accommodations, park tickets, and food.  While transportation costs will vary from guest to guest, these three will be major components of just about everyone’s trip.  Although most guests find food prices very much in line with their expectations, they still add up quickly. A Disney Dining Plan is a wonderful way to plan ahead for this expense and saves most visitors money.

Review the inclusions for each package. The most commonly requested Disney vacation package is the Magic Your Way package with the standard dining plan, park tickets with the Park Hopper option, and Disney’s Magical Express transportation.  Guests often forget that there are several different types of packages and the Magic Your Way package is almost infinitely customizable.  Try to avoid paying for the elements you don’t need and spend those funds on the things that are important to you.

First-time visitors or those with very young children may not need the Park Hopper option but might really appreciate the convenience of private car service with a stop at a grocery store.  A couple celebrating an anniversary may find the Deluxe Dining Plan suits their wishes for a relaxed and indulgent experience.  The park-commando group may not want to take the time for a table-service meal and choose the Quick Service Dining Plan.  Golfers often discover that the Premium Package offers them the best value.  Your vacation is unique and your travel arrangements should suit your own style.

Some careful planning will help you put that Disney vacation on the calendar for 2010!

An elegant reception area leads to one of the most inviting dining rooms on Disney property.  Citricos, located on the second floor of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, welcomes diners with warm colors and crisp linens.  An entire wall of tall Palladian windows offers expansive views of the grounds.

The menu changes often to highlight seasonal ingredients, imaginatively prepared.  Many dishes feature flavors of the citrus for which the restaurant is named.  Originally open from Wednesday to Sunday only, it now serves dinner seven days a week.

A private room, the Chef’s Domain, is available for parties of up to twelve.  For a minimum charge of $650.00, guests have an up-close view of the show kitchen while dining a la carte or enjoying a menu customized for the group.

Review: I remain puzzled by the relative lack of interest in this restaurant.  One might argue that its location, tucked away down a secondary walkway off the main corridor, is a factor. Yet, it’s far more accessible than its sister, Narcoossee’s, which is not even in the main building, but located off on its own down by the boat dock.  As part of the recorded message, monorail passengers are reminded of Citricos every time the train approaches Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.  Nonetheless, it’s still fairly easy to obtain a last-minute reservation here.

Those who have dined at Citricos generally give it high marks, but it has never generated the buzz that other venues enjoy.  I’ve never found it memorable and it’s not on my list of must-do’s, although I can’t say exactly why.  Unlike many other dining rooms at Walt Disney World, the upholstered chairs, carpeting, and drapes make for a particularly serene atmosphere, which is a delight.  I have had excellent experiences here, both in terms of food and service, yet it always seems to fall short of intriguing.  Perhaps it lacks a signature style or special dish that would set it apart.

Menus

Dinner
Dessert
Children
Wine
Drinks

Citricos

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Chef’s Domain – one seating nightly at 6:00 p.m.

The octagonal building hovers serenely over the Seven Seas Lagoon, its façade frosted with gingerbread, its verandahs offerings exquisite castle views.  It’s the lovely Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.  Located on the water’s edge, this pleasant restaurant features outstanding seafood in keeping with its oceanside theme.

Diners can enjoy both the Magic Kingdom fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant from tables by the window, or step out onto the expansive verandahs for perfect outdoor viewing.

The menu is a crowd-pleaser with perennially-appealing items, nicely presented.  The preparation is imaginative without being abstruse, which probably contributes to its ongoing popularity.

The spare but attractive interior has a seaside-cottage ambiance with louvered shutters, casual woods, and accents of blue.  Pillars supporting graceful arches add architectural interest to the two-level dining room.

Review: I have never had anything less than an exceptional meal at Narcoossee’s, and always look forward to dining here.  One of Walt Disney World’s Signature Restaurants, the menu prices make it well worth the two-point cost for those on the Disney Dining Plan.  Those hoping for a reservation should make plans early as this venue books very quickly.

While I have often heard it referred to as a good choice for a romantic dinner, I can’t really agree.  The interior finishes of wood, glass, and marble make this an extraordinarily noisy room, and its family-friendly ambiance attracts many more young children than some of the other Signature locations.  It’s also generally very crowded, with lots of people jammed into an undersized waiting area.  Although these features don’t necessarily interfere with the enjoyment of a wonderful meal, they aren’t conducive to the romantic moment!

Menus

Dinner
Dessert
Cheese
Wine
Bar

Narcoossee’s

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Adjacent to Jiko sits a place of exploration, the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar.  Warm and intimate, this small lounge celebrates the exceptional collection of South African wines that Jiko is famous for.

It’s a wonderful place to begin a tour of South Africa before continuing on to a memorable meal at Jiko.  Request to see the dinner menu, decide on an appetizer, then get some advice about pairings for it.  Guests may choose to order the wine in the Cape Town Lounge and bring it with them into the restaurant to enjoy with that first course, or have their appetizer in the Lounge before going into dinner.

The savory aromas from Jiko may prove too much for the patrons who had only planned to stop for a drink.  Diners will be invited to move to an available table in the restaurant, but if it’s busy,  food can be ordered from the menu for service in the Lounge.

For those choosing to eat in the Lounge, we recommend ordering appetizers only.  The wonderful food at Jiko deserves attention.  While the full menu is available at the bar, the stools there are second only to those in the main restaurant in the race for most uncomfortable,  so last-minute diners should consider patience, or a reservation on another night!

 

Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

 

The music drifts in from the nearby Grand Floridian Society Orchestra. Low ceilings and furniture clustered into small conversation groupings give the space a cozy feel.

Named for Florida’s “society architect” Addison Mizner, this delightful lounge features a full bar with a nice list of brandies and ports as well as a variety of specialty drinks.

Limited appetizers from Citricos’ menu include a selection of cheeses, a shrimp dish, and an onion tart.

It’s a pleasant place to have a cocktail before or after dinner at one of the property’s fine restaurants, and a favorite destination for many who enjoy the lovely ambience of this resort.

Mizner’s Lounge

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

Second Floor

5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

 

 

In Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, the new Sanaa is spicing up Disney restaurant fare with hints of India.

From the Swahili word meaning “work of art” Sanaa carries the theme throughout the restaurant, beginning with the stylized acacia trees which spread their branches and leaves over the ceiling.  The acacia leaf is often used as a base to display artworks in Africa.  Glowing wall niches showcase African handworks and the room is filled with colorful details and unique lighting fixtures that reflect both African and Indian influences.

 

The beautiful arched windows that grace many areas of the resort have found their way into this lovely space, bringing the savannah, which is on the same level, right into the room.

 

Perhaps not as spicy as might be expected but with more of a zing than some American palates may be used to, the menu features curries made with traditional spice blends that include cardamom, chilies, cinnamon, cloves, saffron, coriander, nutmeg, fennel seed, cumin, tamarind, and turmeric.  There are selections from the restaurant’s two tandoor ovens, Indian-style breads, and the ubiquitous sustainable fish. Guests can select a trio from five interesting salads, there is a vegetarian option, and several American favorites including steak and pork chops.  Specialty cocktails, as well as some interesting wines and beers from Africa and India, are available from the bar.

 

Dinner service opens with African entertainment and an attractive lounge adjacent to the dining area seats 24 guests.

 

 

Review: Indian food is not high on my list of favorites, so I was surprised and delighted when lunch at Sanaa turned out to be the best and most interesting meal I had during a recent visit to Walt Disney World.

Although periodically slow, my server was cheerful and friendly and I could see that every table seemed to be receiving the same helpful and enthusiastic, if somewhat sporadic, service.

Not wanting heavy meat for lunch, I opted for – yes kids – the oft-maligned (at least by me) sustainable fish!  It was truly outstanding, served with crisp vegetables in a lightly curried broth.  I could eat this three times a week; it was that good.  Three unusual salads were a pleasant change from the usual lettuce, and an excellent and beautifully-presented dessert was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal.

While there are still some service kinks to be worked out, this is a great choice for a memorable meal; well worth the travel time for those staying at a different location.  Kidani Village is a charming resort, peaceful and inviting with a spectacular savannah.

Menus

Lunch

Dinner

Dessert

Wine

 

Sanaa

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village

Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Dinner 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The glass and steel entrance of The Wave restaurant on the first floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort complements the minimalist décor of the lobby and registration desk.  An atmospheric lounge washed in underwater blues and a spacious bar with twinkling stars above are both attractive areas to have a drink, although the lounge functions more as a holding area for waiting guests during busy times.

There is an interesting wine list featuring selections from the major wine-producing countries of the southern hemisphere:  Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Argentina.

Desserts are attractive presentations of three related selections: a trio of sorbets; three creamy concoctions including a cheesecake, a mousse, and a panna cotta.

The dining room itself suffers a bit from comparison to the other public spaces.  Without the gleam and glow of rippled glass, brushed metal, and colored lighting, it seems to announce the fact that it’s a windowless room.  Curvaceous ceiling sculptures and interesting chair backs reflect the theme but don’t mitigate the dungeon-like ambiance.

Review: Am I the only one who’s getting bored with the whole “sustainable fish” thing? It seems to be showing up on every Disney menu for both lunch and dinner.  I can promise you that I am far less interested in whether it’s sustainable than I am in what kind of fish will actually be on the plate.  It’s only been a little over one week since we dined at The Wave and, even after reviewing the menu, I cannot remember what I had for dinner.  It was that forgettable.  It may well have been something that swims and is being sustained.

What I do recall are the three attempts to get salt for whatever it was I ordered.  Condiments are removed from the tables for the evening meal and the first time I requested salt,  I was given an empty shaker without so much as a plug in the bottom.  The second container had the plug but no salt.  Finally, I did get a filled shaker but the meal was almost over.   Oh, and add me to the list of those who don’t like the cardboard straws.  The  milkshakes would have been so much more enjoyable with (gasp) plastic.  Otherwise, the service was excellent and the staff friendly and helpful.

While the food was tasty and well-presented, albeit unmemorable, I have trouble getting past the cavern concept – the main reason I’m not a fan of the wildly-popular Le Cellier.  Rather than seeming intimate and cozy, the room feels dark and dreary; exactly like something stuck in an unused corner on the ground floor of a building.  I’m perplexed by the decision to move the arcade up to the bright and busy concourse and place the restaurant here.  However, based upon the feedback of enthusiastic diners, and the crowds waiting to be seated the night I visited, I am, once again, in the minority!

Menus

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Wine
Dessert

The Wave

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Breakfast 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Lunch 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Dinner 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Lounge 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight

It’s the beautiful lamps, strung like pearls down the length of the bar, that make Victoria Falls such an inviting place.  Down a curving staircase off the main lobby of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, past gently flowing water, the intricately-themed space is the perfect choice for a drink before or after a wonderful dinner at Jiko or Boma.

As the sun begins to set in the late afternoon, this cozy lounge welcomes patrons, serving cocktails and light snacks.  In addition to cheese and fruit, crisp breads and dips, and nuts with African spices, guests can enjoy a taste of South Africa with wines by the glass from Jiko’s outstanding cellar, or sample teas and coffees.  Those on Disney’s Wine and Dine Plan can redeem wine entitlements at this location.

Since it is open to Boma restaurant, it can seem a bit noisy during dining hours or when entertainment is being featured in the small lobby below, but it becomes peaceful and intimate later in the evening.  With its comfortable seating, it’s also a pleasant retreat during the day before it opens for service.

 

Victoria Falls Lounge

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge; Jambo House

Daily 4:00 p.m. to midnight

 

There are some traditions worth keeping wherever you may find yourself during the holidays.  At Walt Disney World, the familiar Christmas dinner is served as an option at many restaurants throughout the parks and resorts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Of course, the Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom celebrates this favorite meal year round with turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing as part of the everyday menu.  Turkey is also regular fare at the Garden Grill in EPCOT.

A number of venues, including many of the Signature restaurants such as the California Grill, Artist Point, and Citricos, have a special prix fixe holiday menu.  Some offer holiday items as well as a la carte, while others serve only the holiday meal on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Most buffets feature holiday items in addition to the usual array of choices.  Those looking for “tradition” with a twist can find the enormous turkey legs at carts located in the parks.  If you’re planning a visit over Christmas in 2009, contact your travel agent, or call 407-939-3463 (407-WDW-DINE) for more information.  The 90-day window will still be in effect for the holiday this year, and it will open up in just a few days.  These reservations go very quickly, so be sure to make your plans early.

While you may come across some mistletoe growing in the water oaks of Florida, we suggest you bring along your own.  Holding a sprig over the head of a character makes for some great holiday photos, and decorations brought from home add a bit of Christmas cheer to your hotel room.  You can also order a Christmas tree from the Disney florist which arrives complete with lights and decorations.  Disney will pack it up and ship it to your house at the end of your vacation.

If you’re lucky enough to be staying in a suite at a Walt Disney World Resort over the holidays, most will already be decorated in keeping with the themes of the hotel.

It’s the most amazingly-themed restaurant in all of Walt Disney World.  It may be the most amazingly-themed restaurant on earth.  Guests enter the building and walk around the corner and straight into a summer evening at the drive-in.

Taillights glow from rows of cars lined up under the stars.  Vehicles sporting sleek fins and cool paint jobs in vintage colors like candy apple red, metal flake silver and Metropolitan turquoise, invite diners to slide in and enjoy film clips from old sci-fi movies.  Window speakers hanging on posts, a “snack bar” at the back, and the famous on-screen intermission clock with dancing food, add to the authenticity.  Smaller parties can expect to find “hitchhikers” seated with them in their cars.

Making advance dining reservations will help ensure your seating in one of the parked cars rather than tables at the back of the room

Review: It’s the most amazingly-themed restaurant in all of Walt Disney World.  It may be the most amazingly-themed restaurant on earth.  It boasts the worst table-service food in all of Walt Disney World.  It may be the worst table-service food on earth.  Having said this, I return to the Sci-Fi Dine-in at least once a year.  Admittedly, this is a sentimental favorite of mine, but few would not be delighted by the ambiance of this one-of-a-kind restaurant.

I had the good fortune to visit for the first time  during pre-internet days and was unprepared for the incredible sight of the twilit theater, but even those who know what to expect will be happily surprised.

Consider lunch or dessert here, rather than dinner, for two reasons.  Firstly, the effect is more dramatic coming in from the sunny day to the nighttime atmosphere.  Secondly, you will be kicking yourself if you pay too much for the meal; even a good burger doesn’t usually cost $12.00.  Plan on taking advantage of the less-expensive lunch menu, or enjoying a hot-fudge sundae or one of their “out of this world” specialty drinks.

Menus
lunch
dinner
dessert

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Lunch 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Dinner 4:00 p.m. to park closing

Assistive listening devices available

Park admission required