Disney World Dining Review - Epcot Food!

Mediterranean Falafel Wrap - Tangierine Cafe

If you're a foodie and you've never been to Epcot, then you're in for a big surprise! Epcot is divided into two sections, Future World and World Showcase, but many families choose to spend most of their time in Future World where most of the attractions are located. World Showcase houses the 11 country pavilions arranged in a semi-circle around the Showcase Lagoon and is full of restaurants and shops. There are a couple of attractions (Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico and Frozen Ever After in Norway) but it's mostly a cultural experience. This is actually what makes Epcot my favorite park! I love interacting with Cast Members from other countries and immersing myself in the environment. It doesn't hurt that there is plenty of alcohol in the area, as well ;-)

For this post, we'll be focusing on the standard Epcot food offerings and we'll save the Food & Wine Festival for separate post. I wish I could put them together but, trust me, it's just too much information to share at once! I'll be giving a review of four locations in this post but we dined at these places over the course of two days.

Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria

This restaurant is usually referred to as just "Via Napoli" and was probably our most anticipated meal of the trip. We read a lot of reviews, most of which were positive. Every once in a while we would run across a negative review that basically summed the experience up like this: "I live in XYZ city and our pizza is so much better than this 'authentic' stuff." Something I try to do every time I visit a new place is forget what I'm accustomed to eating at home and keep an open mind. 

We already knew what we wanted to order because we had been salivating over the menu for months, and the food did not disappoint! We were slightly discouraged to wait for nearly 15 minutes even though we had a reservation but the service was otherwise impeccable. The wait staff offers water to start the meal and there are a couple of options: tap water, still water, and sparkling water with American and Italian versions of both the still and sparkling choices. We opted for the still Italian water. Next, we ordered the Arancini, which are fried risotto balls filled with mozzarella and meat ragu. Just take a look:

Arancini

It may look like a small appetizer but we were almost too full after eating just these risotto balls! There is extra sauce on the plate so you should definitely try to pour a little extra on top for extra flavor.

Via Napoli was our lunch option and we really should have kept our portions smaller but we were undecided on the pizza toppings and ultimately ordered a large pizza with 1/2 quattro formaggi (4-cheese) and 1/2 pepperoni. 

Large pizza: 1/2 quattro formaggi, 1/2 pepperoni

This was honestly the BEST pizza I have ever had. I can't even end that sentence with an exclamation point because I am so serious about this pizza. The crust is hand-tossed and wood-fired so it is slightly uneven and charred in some spots but, for me, that's perfect. I loved the slightly chewy crust on the bottom with the fresh tomato sauce and authentic toppings. You can even see the places where the slices of fresh mozzarella melted out of their circular shape. And the best part - this pizza is not greasy except for the natural release of fat from the cheese. The pepperoni was not like typical American offerings because it was much smaller and less fatty. Via Napoli deserves a 10/10 and has earned its place as my favorite restaurant on Disney property.

Le Cellier

The second signature meal of our trip was at Le Cellier located in the Canada pavilion. It is a steakhouse that is well-known for its filet, cheese soup, and poutine. That's right, poutine! While they don't offer the standard poutine, they have a signature dish with fries, Canadian cheddar, truffles, and red wine reduction that is ahhh-mazing. It was so good that we ate it without taking any pictures :-(

The restaurant is quite dim and the dining area is tiny. I was happy with our table because we had a partial booth in a corner with ample overhead lighting but the table next to us didn't have much room between our table and the table next to them and it was a challenge to get out of their seats at the end of the meal. The small size of the restaurant might make it seem more romantic but it mostly feels like we've all been ushered into a tornado drill and they offered us some great food to make up for the disturbance.

Le Cellier Filet Mignon

The filet mignon is what most people order when they visit Le Cellier; the AAA Canadian tenderloin is served on a bed of mushroom risotto with asparagus-tomato relish and truffle butter sauce. Patrick ordered this dish and thoroughly enjoyed it, although he would have preferred more asparagus on the plate. The steak was cooked perfectly and the mushroom risotto lived up to its hype.

Angus New York Strip

I ordered the Angus New York Strip, which is served with potato-turnip gratin, crispy paprika onions, and three peppercorn butter. I don't eat much steak at home but I will absolutely order this dish every time I visit Le Cellier! The gratin was creamy and delicious; I could barely taste the turnips. There were a lot of crispy onions on the steak, most of which I couldn't finish, but I ate nearly the entire steak and that's quite a feat. I like my steak medium-well and this cut of beef was just as juicy as Patrick's medium-rare filet. I have zero complaints about this dish.

While the food was perfect, the service was not. Our server could not answer my questions about a Pinot Noir on the menu and had to bring the bartender to the table (much, much later) to help me out. The recommendation was for the most expensive glass of wine they offered, which felt like more of an up-sell than an attempt to help me pick a wine that I would enjoy. Also, due to the limited space in the dining room, we had to wait 30-45 minutes beyond our reservation time to be seated. We will return to Le Cellier in the future but probably not on our next trip. 

Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe

SNACK STOP! The bakery in the Norway pavilion is a must-do for many Disney travelers. I've been there before but I had never tried the famous School Bread. I know the name doesn't give much away, but this pastry is anything but basic. 

School Bread

The menu says it's a "sweet cardamom bun filled with vanilla creme custard and topped with glazed and toasted coconut" ...but really all I am reading is "YUM". The bread itself is slightly sweet with the perfect amount of spice. The custard in the middle balances the flavors nicely and the toasted coconut adds extra texture to each bite. I will make a special stop at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe to order the School Bread on every trip!

Katsura Grill

Our second day at Epcot was mostly devoted to Food & Wine Festival but we wanted to try a couple of quick service options, as well, and decided to head to Katsura Grill for lunch. This restaurant is largely praised for its scenery because it is tucked behind another building in the Japan pavilion and is a quiet place to dine during most times of the day.

Top: Spicy Roll, Bottom: Veggie Roll

I'm still pretty new to the sushi game since I discovered vegetables rolls, but I think Katsura Grill delivers a pretty decent meal. We paid less than $20 for both rolls and two drinks, which is basically highway robbery at Disney. Patrick was a little more critical of his spicy roll and likened it to "upscale grocery store sushi" but I'm pretty sure that was the expectation when we chose to eat here. We plan to try Tokyo Dining at the Japan pavilion on our next trip so we'll have more sushi items to compare in the future.

Tangierine Cafe

I'm going to end this post with the restaurant that broke my heart. I love falafel and was really looking forward to Tangierine Cafe, especially since I had heard some pretty great reviews. We decided to make a stop at this restaurant for dinner and I quickly realized that I must be a serious falafel snob because my meal (picture at top of post) did not come close to my expectations. 

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

We both ordered wraps with lentils and couscous on the side, but Patrick picked the chicken while I opted for the falafel. Neither of us were impressed. The lentils and couscous both had great flavor but the couscous had raw chunks of peppers that were slightly off-putting. As you can see from the picture of the chicken wrap, there was a lot of lettuce but not much meat. Patrick is a proud carnivore and would have been happier with a bit more chicken and sauce. The falafel was pretty big so I don't think my wrap had any issues with too much lettuce but it was very dry and I would have preferred more tzaziki sauce or hummus.

The food wasn't great but the service was excellent. While waiting for our meal, I met a very friendly man that struggled to speak in complete English sentences but was eager to practice conversation. I enjoyed spending several minutes with him and hope he learned as much from me as I learned from him. These are the moments in World Showcase that make Epcot so special.

Overall, our days at Epcot were fantastic. We enjoyed the table service meals and will visit Via Napoli and Le Cellier on future trips. Katsura Grill was an average quick service option and Tangierine Cafe didn't meet our expectations so we'll probably try new quick service locations next time.

Disney and Universal Resources

I thought I would take a break from the trip review to share some sites that have been very helpful in years past. Of course there's nothing better than browsing around various media sources and finding what works best for you, but here are a few places to get you started:

1. DIS: DIS is made up of several different resources of information, but the core group behind this operation is an agency called Dreams Unlimited Travel. They are one of the premier travel agencies that specialize in Disney trips and they have several mediums for information. First, there are the forums at disboards.com; the threads are divided by major categories and subtopics including all Disney properties, Universal, and lifestyles (solo traveler, adult groups, and LGBTQ). They also have a popular podcast titled DIS Unplugged, as well as a YouTube presence with lots of video series on everything from Dining and Resorts to pop culture info sessions. And finally, there is a public Facebook group titled 'disboards on facebook!' that is also associated with this resource.

2. WDW and DLR Prep Schools: These websites are divided by destination to include Walt Disney World (WDW) and Disneyland Resort (DLR). You can find them at wdwprepschool.com and dlrprepschool.com, respectively. Each site is managed by a different contact but they include podcasts and blogs full of information that is primarily geared toward a family visit to the parks. I really like the passion behind these sites; I utilize them often for parade and fireworks location recommendations and other non-group related information. I highly recommend checking these websites out if you're planning a trip with a family and/or children.

3. Disney Tourist Blog: Fun fact - this was actually the first site I stumbled upon when I decided to expand my knowledge about Disney. Tom offers a lot of great advice about photography and he shares many of his photos as wallpaper downloads for free. He and his wife Sarah also offer a free ebook for Christmas, as well as a forum for conversation and itinerary suggestions. More than anything, I recommend this site to anyone that plans to travel abroad to the Disney locations in France, China, or Japan. Tom and Sarah have been everywhere and they have very detailed reviews of their experiences! Check it out at disneytouristblog.com.

4. Kenny the Pirate: Kenny is well-known in the Disney community for his expertise in character meet-and-greet planning. He offers an app titled Character Locator that will assist with tracking character schedules and other park events. I haven't used his services yet but I've heard nothing but positive reviews. You can find more information at kennythepirate.com.

5. Disney Food Blog: If you love Disney food - or if you just love food in general - then you won't want to miss the action at disneyfoodblog.com. This is the best place to find restaurant reviews, specialty food and drink information, as well as exclusive details about Epcot's Flower & Garden and Food & Wine festivals. They are usually the first site to update food kiosk information and they sell several guides to help you make the most of your dining experience at Disney.

6. Orlando Informer: The Orlando Informer (also referred to as "OI") community is an excellent resource for Universal news and tips. They have a website at orlandoinformer.com as well as a podcast and a group on Facebook by the name of "Universal Community by Orlando Informer". I've found OI to be very helpful with general Universal information, but especially with planning for Halloween Horror Nights this year.

There are a few other sites that didn't make the expanded list but are worth mentioning:

• MouseSavers.com - this site has recently changed management although the information appears to still be in good order. You can find a lot of valuable advice with user-friendly navigation. Their biggest asset is the monthly newsletter, which I recommend everyone sign up to receive. 
• TouringPlans.com - there is a free version of this site with basic information but the subscription option will provide access to their custom touring plan creator which will utilize your FastPasses to help you make the best decisions about when to visit certain attractions during your visit. They also have a dining reservation finder but it's free to use (no subscription required) - definitely use this tool if you need help snagging a particularly difficult restaurant! Please note: you will still need to create an account on the site but the tool is free: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/reservation-finder 
• Undercovertourist.com - site for discount tickets and crowd calendar

Of course I'm always available to answer questions about Disney and Universal - contact me any time! If I don't know an answer then I'll make sure we find it together. Thanks for reading this post and check out these websites when you get some extra time!

Disney World Dining Review - Magic Kingdom Food!

Food is a very important part of our Disney trips. In most cases, meals determine our schedule because we can book reservations 180 days ahead of arrival and set specific times to eat. Most of these reservations are not negotiable later on because they are for high demand restaurants or experiences. One such restaurant is Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom, which will be a highlight for this post. In case you hadn't guessed it, Be Our Guest is Beauty and the Beast themed with an extra special visit by the Beast himself during dinner hours. The restaurant has been open for a few years but it's still a priority reservation because of the atmosphere and, in some cases, the food.

But before we get to Be Our Guest, there are some other meals at Magic Kingdom that I would like to share with you.

Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen

We booked our Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party dinner at the restaurant most commonly known as Skipper Canteen. This is another of those options that is a bit more adventurous so be sure to check out the menu before snagging a reservation.

Schweitzer Slush

There are two specialty non-alcoholic drinks on the menu; the Schweitzer Slush is frozen apple and passionfruit juice topped with green apple boba balls. Not pictured is the Punch Line Punch, which is comprised of tropical fruit juices and mango puree. We ordered both and really enjoyed these options. I am a huge fan of boba (bubble tea) so this was an especially enjoyable find. 

Falls Family Falafel

We settled on the Falls Family Falafel for an appetizer (please excuse the two missing falafel that were hungrily devoured before the picture was taken.) I have to warn you that I'm a bit of a falafel snob and this dish didn't quite satisfy my picky palate. The falafel was extra dry and missed some of the distinctive herbs and spices that make it such a unique offering.

Dr. Falls Signature Grilled Steak

Skip's Beefy Baked Pasta

Our entrees couldn't have been further from each other in both portion size and flavor. Dr. Falls Signature Steak was a fairly standard cut of meat with average flavor, but the yucca planks were delicious and really brought this dish together. Skip's Beefy Baked Pasta was enormous; honestly, they could have omitted the green beans and I still wouldn't have been able to finish my meal. But I'm glad the green beans were on the plate because they offered a taste break from the fairly monotonous experience of eating this meat-and-pasta monstrosity. There is very little sauce in the pasta and the meat is pretty dry. The whole thing was reminiscent of leftover noodle bake from grandma's house - you know it probably tasted great at one point but the flavor is gone. 

Overall, we weren't amazed by Skipper Canteen but we'll probably give it another shot on a future trip. It's a fairly new location at Magic Kingdom and they still have some things to work on.

Be Our Guest

We love Be Our Guest so much that we booked both breakfast and dinner reservations on the same day. The perks of a pre-park-opening breakfast reservation is that you can get pictures of most park sites without many people around and you'll have first dibs on rides before the crowd is released at the front gate. While we enjoy these advantages, we also really like the breakfast offered at Be Our Guest.

Open-Faced Bacon and Egg Sandwich

We both ordered the Open-Faced Bacon and Egg Sandwich, which is served with brie cheese and tomatoes on a toasted baguette. The dish arrives with assorted fruit and a pastry plate to share. We really enjoyed this offering because the flavors work perfectly together, although the baguette presents a bit of a challenge to eat with fork and knife. The pastries are incredibly fresh and there is so much food that it was actually quite difficult to finish everything. The price is not great - currently $24 per plate - but it's a wonderful way to experience Be Our Guest in a casual atmosphere.

Potato Leek and French Onion Soups

I rarely order soup as an appetizer but the Potato Leek Soup at Be Our Guest is a must-order item on every visit! The consistency of the soup and depth of flavor make this a dish that I crave year-round. We also ordered the French Onion Soup, which was very similar to soups that we've had elsewhere. It was still a solid choice.

Grilled Strip Steak

Braised Beef

My apologies for the dark pictures, the lighting is quite low during dinner hours. Our entrees were the Grilled Strip Steak and Braised Beef, both very popular options at dinner. I always order my steak medium-well (go ahead, make fun of me) and was very surprised that this steak turned out extremely juicy! The green beans beneath the steak tasted really great because they had their own seasoning and then mixed with the juice from the cut of meat on top. But the star of this dish is the garlic-herb butter served with the fries (pommes frites). The fries are great on their own but the butter adds the WOW factor! The Braised Beef was served with broccolini and mashed cauliflower; Patrick really enjoyed the meat and broccolini but was not super impressed with the cauliflower. It was completely mashed as you might expect with potatoes but the flavor was still very much cauliflower and didn't pair well with the other items on the plate. 

Be Our Guest did not disappoint and continues to be the premier dinner location at Magic Kingdom. Definitely check it out if you can get a reservation for your trip!

Honorable Mentions

We didn't get any pictures but we enjoyed a late-night meal at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. Patrick ordered the Taco Burger and I had the Beef Nachos; both were pretty average and quite bland by typical Tex-Mex standards. The most appalling detail of this restaurant is that it was incredibly dirty. We cleaned our own table before taking a seat and watched as many tables nearby remained filthy for the entirety of our meal.

Gaston's Tavern is another quick-service stop that we often frequent for its huge cinnamon rolls and signature drink, LeFou's Brew. It's not often crowded during the day and is a wonderful place to escape the heat and sun.

And finally, no trip to Magic Kingdom is complete without a Dole Whip! Aloha Isle serves up the Dole Whip and Float concoctions although it is usually quite busy and may require a wait. 

I would love to see more delicious table service options available at Magic Kingdom to spread out the Be Our Guest crowd, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It's popular for good reason and I know that we will continue to make reservations there as long as it's open. There are a few other meals from this trip that earned equal respect from us and will be added to the 'must visit' list for every vacation but you'll have to stick around to find out more!

Disney World Dining Review - Resort Food!

If the colorful concoction in the picture above didn't draw you in, then I've already failed. This post is dedicated to the delicious dining we experienced while browsing the Contemporary and Polynesian Resorts. We had two reservations - one for Kona Cafe and another for California Grill - and they were honestly two of the best meals I've ever had at Disney. Without further delay, let's jump in.

Kona Cafe

This lovely table service restaurant is located on the second floor of the main lodge at Disney's Polynesian Resort. The ambiance isn't great because it's open to the passersby in the vicinity, but the service is excellent and the food is amazing. We had a brunch reservation for Kona Cafe and loved every item we tried.

French Press Coffee - Serves 2

We'll start with the coffee because it was our first taste of Kona Cafe. Their french press pot gets rave reviews and I can totally see why! I'm normally a 1 sugar, 2 creamers gal but this coffee required no additives! It was a nice full-bodied roast that had a very aromatic flavor. Not bitter at all! Highly recommend.

Tonga Toast

Tonga Toast is the signature dish at Kona Cafe so of course we had to try it! This sweet dish is thick-cut sourdough bread stuffed with bananas, deep-fried, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. It's served with a strawberry compote and choice of ham, bacon, or sausage. We really enjoyed this dish but it was almost too sweet for us - the strawberry compote was a nice addition and we didn't even need maple syrup!

The Samoan

The real star of our brunch was a savory dish labeled The Samoan. The plate consists of poached eggs served over pulled-pork hash, all covered in Hollandaise sauce and greens. This is hands-down the BEST breakfast item I have ever had in my life. It was so good that Patrick asked if we could return every morning of our trip just to order this one dish, to which I had to break the news that we could not return until we go back to Disney World in 2017 *cue the tears*. This one is a must-try!

Not pictured: we ordered a side of grits and they were cooked perfectly! The serving is enough for two or three people and it is served with butter on the side.

Kona Cafe has earned its spot at the top of our dining list and we will most definitely return! We don't normally make reservations for brunch but we will make an exception for this restaurant.

California Grill

There are several signature restaurants on Disney property and they typically have two things in common: good quality and high prices. With this in mind, we booked just two signature experiences for this trip, one of which was California Grill because it is located in the Contemporary Resort. The best piece of advice I would give anyone, especially picky eaters, is to study the menu and find online reviews before you dine here because they have some very interesting choices and I would hate for anyone to pay $30+ per plate to find out that it did not meet expectations. That said, I was wary of California Grill because they are known for their sushi and I am not a sushi fan. However, there were plenty of other great options for appetizers and entrees so I took the risk and kept the reservation - and I am so glad! 

Cucumber Fizz

Again we'll start with the drink because this was the first item to arrive at the table. This is one of California Grill's signature cocktails, the Cucumber Fizz. It's a mix of Chopin Vodka, Limoncello, cucumber water, and a splash of Sprite...and it's VERY strong. I'm a casual drinker and just one of these cocktails had me begging for mercy. Wonderful flavor, though (if you like cucumber!) 

Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread

This was 'my' appetizer because it was a non-sushi option but I couldn't have finished it by myself if I tried. It's huge! Plenty on the plate to feed multiple people. But beware, it's a little spicy: tomato and corn salsa, pepper jack cheese, queso fresco, and spicy crema.

Spicy Kazan Roll

This sushi was the main focus of the meal because Patrick could not stop raving about it! He says it was some of the best sushi he's ever had and he spent his college years in Seattle where quality sushi is plentiful. The Spicy Kazan Roll contains crab, shrimp, scallops, tuna, and fireball sauce.

Seafood Ramen

This isn't your dorm room-style ramen! We're usually pretty conscious of eating too much red meat so we had decided that we would try alternative sources of protein for this meal and Patrick chose the Seafood Ramen. The dish consists of lobster, Gulf shrimp, scallops, ramen, vegetables, and broth. The seafood portion sizes were generous and the broth was delicious. Patrick gave it very high praise!

Coconut-Vegetable Curry

When I'm abstaining from red meat, I usually turn to chicken or vegetables. This dish caught my eye from the first time I saw the menu and I knew I had to try it. In addition to its beauty, the smell of the decision is quite pleasing. The only complaint I had is that some of the vegetables were too crisp - raw, perhaps - and difficult to chew. The dish contains Garbanzo-cauliflower silk, marble potatoes, turnips, rainbow carrots, radish, and Marcona almonds. 

Banana Buzz

A fine dining experience isn't complete without dessert! We opted to share the Banana Buzz, a butterscotch custard with banana cream, coffee-dusted phyllo, fresh bananas, and fried plaintain chip. The butterscotch topping on the side was the perfect topping for this dish! I think we might have set a record with how quickly we devoured it.

We may not be able to afford the full meal at California Grill every trip, but we've decided that we will make an effort to be seated at the lounge to enjoy sushi, appetizers, and drinks as often as we can. Not only will our appetites be sated but our wallets will thank us, too.

Honorable Mentions

We had a few other items from various bars and quick service stops around the resorts, as well. 

Lapu Lapu from Tambu Lounge (Polynesian Resort)

Worms n Dirt and Candy Apple Cupcakes from Contempo Cafe (Contemporary)

Chicken Alfredo Pasta from Contempo Cafe (Contemporary Resort)

Tambu Lounge at Polynesian Resort is a pretty standard bar but it's got some great libations and excellent service - check it out! Contempo Cafe isn't great; the food we tried was sub-par and tasted like it came from a can. At $11 per meal, we'll skip this option next time.

Stick around as we continue with dining reviews from the Disney World 2016 trip!

Disney World Resort Review - Contemporary Resort

The best place to start for the in-depth review of our September trip is with the first Disney location we encountered: our resort. We sprang for a Deluxe Garden room at Disney's Contemporary Resort because it has monorail access and a walking path to Magic Kingdom.

First Impressions 

Getting to the resort was a little tricky. We had to drive through the parking turnstiles at Magic Kingdom and tell the attendant that we were going to the Contemporary Resort. She waved us through but we missed the right-hand exit for Contemporary Resort and had to drive through the parking lot, back out of the turnstiles, and turn around. If you stay here, I recommend going through parking lane that is as far to the right as possible so you can drive slowly and see the sign for the Contemporary exit. 

Once we actually made it to the resort, we were able to pull up to the valet for short-term parking while checking in. Normally you'll get a text when your room is ready but it was 3:15pm and we still hadn't received a notification (check-in is at 3pm). The valet was really nice and cheerful; he directed us perfectly and gave us wonderful advice for parking near our room. The front desk cast member, however, was less than pleasant. She seemed a little overwhelmed because she was working alone but she did not greet us with a smile and didn't offer directions to our room. Thank goodness for the valet because we would have been lost! The lobby is huge and luxurious; most of the dining and shopping establishments are on the second floor so we didn't see much when we checked in.

Parking was a breeze. The valet was correct about directing us to the best lot for our room and we had a very short walk to our building's entrance. Our room was on the third floor and the elevator ran quickly. The hallways seem a little narrow but we didn't have any issues unless housekeeping had the laundry bin outside of a room. Our room was a Deluxe so it's nearly the size of a suite because it's located in the L-bend of the building. The entry opens to a bathroom door on the left, coffeemaker/closet/fridge on the right, and sitting room straight ahead. There are large windows that wrap around the room, which is what provides the bulk of lighting in the room otherwise it is incredibly dark. There is no overhead lighting except near the bed and in the bathroom. The sitting area has three lamps that are very dim. The bed was King size and incredibly comfortable. A large number of pillows were provided but we didn't need all of them. The bathroom was huge with room for two sinks, a tub/shower combo, and a water closet with a walk-in shower. The walk-in shower is quite small and doesn't have any lighting. Patrick used it once and said it would be adequate if absolutely necessary (larger family with kids maybe) but it wasn't something we needed.

sitting area

bathroom view from bedroom entry looking toward sitting room entry 

 sitting room looking toward door to hallway

water closet

walk-in shower in water closet

The outdoor area was fantastic. There were two pools - one that was larger and only went to three feet deep and a quiet pool that was mostly frequented by adults (five feet deep). The larger pool has a water slide. There were also two hot tubs. Maybe I'm just not hot tub savvy but there is a button to turn on the bubbles and I didn't see it until I had been sitting in the water for several minutes and decided to leave, upon which another family moved in and pushed the button. And finally, there is a splash pad for small children behind the water slide area and it never seemed to be busy. In fact, most of the pool areas were pretty quiet. 

splash pad

large pool

quiet pool

You can see both the Electrical Water Pageant and the Wishes fireworks from the quiet pool at the Contemporary Resort!

Electrical Water Pageant

The dining options were pretty great; we had dinner at California Grill and ate at Contempo Cafe on a couple of occasions. The sushi at California Grill is absolutely amazing. It is a little expensive but well-worth the price we paid. The observatory deck for viewing the fireworks at Magic Kingdom is amazing and I would definitely return for that perk alone. The service was exceptional and we loved every dish that we tried. I'll be reviewing California Grill in-depth in a future post.

Contempo Cafe offered standard cafeteria-style food; nothing to write home about. The cupcake offerings are definitely interesting and I did not see the Candy Apple Cupcake offered anywhere else while on this trip.

Pros

The distance to Magic Kingdom and access to the monorail is key to this resort's success. We never waited more than 5 minutes for a monorail and it provided a very convenient option to the Polynesian Resort for one of our meals.We also really liked the pools because they were never crowded and the lifeguards let us in on a not-so-secret tip that the Contemporary Resort's pools open an hour later than all other resort pools but they also close an hour later (10am to 11pm instead of 9am to 10pm). This worked perfectly for us because we enjoyed visiting the pool in the late evenings. The Garden Wing was very quiet and we would probably choose to stay in this building again because the main building seemed loud and busy.

Cons

While we loved the pool, we wish that The Sand Bar would have stayed open later than 6pm. No kidding, this place is next to the pool and is only open 11am to 6pm. They serve food, too, and I have no idea who would frequent this establishment when there are much better options through the day. I guess if you spend an entire day at the pool then you would be able to order at The Sand Bar but we were only in the pool after long days at the parks so it was closed every night that we were there. 

Also, we don't like housekeeping to enter our room during our stay but Contemporary's staff will call every day to remind you that you haven't had housekeeping service and offer to set up a time that is suitable. While this may seem thoughtful to most, the blinking red light on the phone was a constant annoyance because we had to return to our room and see yet another pre-recorded message waiting to be played. We finally let them in on the third day.

And finally, the monorail is a wonderful option for transportation but it can also take forever if you're waiting at the end of the day to get a ride from Epcot to the Ticket & Transportation Center to transfer to the Resort Monorail. We found that we could take a bus to the Ticket & Transportation Center and it was much quicker than waiting for the monorail.

Worth It?

The Contemporary Resort is pricey and that's ultimately what keeps most people from choosing this option. It won't always be in our budget but if it is then we'll definitely consider it again. We prefer resorts with alternative transportation options and Contemporary Resort is perfect because of its monorail access and walking path to Magic Kingdom. I think next time we'll try an Epcot resort (I'm hoping for Boardwalk Inn!) so that we can use the boats for Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Orlando Post-Trip Discussion: Overall Impressions

I have a lot of information to update on this blog but I think a summary post is in order. I can say with complete certainty that this year's Orlando trip was by far my most favorite vacation to-date. I think it was a combination of research and experience that really helped us to make the most of our time; while many individuals in my Disney September planning group on Facebook were complaining about crowds on various days, I was happily strolling along nearly empty walkways because I utilized several crowd calendars and a little intuition to put together a touring plan before traveling. If nothing else is taken from this blog, I hope that you'll appreciate this piece of advice: a complete touring plan will make a world of difference for your trip regardless of the time of year that you plan to visit. Even if you can only go to Orlando in the dead of summer when everyone else is there, you can utilize a touring plan to visit attractions during slow parts of the day to see and do everything on your list.

Our first day at Epcot during Food & Wine Festival; minimal crowds

In order to keep this post as concise as possible, I'll divide the trip among the major categories to give a brief summary of our impressions. The goal is to dedicate a post to more specific topics in the coming weeks but please feel free to post any questions or comments below if you'd like an answer sooner!

Time of Visit

We chose to vacation in September because there are historically very low crowds this time of year. Disney's free dining offer, in addition to seasonal events, have resulted in higher crowds the past few years. I don't have another September visit to compare, but I would say that the crowds seemed very similar to those I experienced on my trip the first week of May 2015. The parks weren't empty but I would say they were on the lower end of moderate. We are planning our next trip to Disney World for the first week of December 2017 to see if that famed 'slow week' will live up to the hype.

Hotels

Disney's Contemporary Resort: I had no idea how convenient a monorail resort would be until we took our first walk to Magic Kingdom on arrival day and timed ourselves - less than 10 minutes to the security checkpoint and that's while walking in Halloween costumes that nearly suffocated us! Patrick has requested to stay at a monorail resort for every trip in the future although I'm unsure we'll always be able to fork out the money for it. The resort definitely feels luxurious but staying there for a week allowed us to notice a few dated details that served as tiny reminders of this resort's history. For example, our bathroom had worn edges on the wallpaper that probably wouldn't have stood out to us if we hadn't been there for a full 7 days. We made excellent use of the pool area and loved that we could see Magic Kingdom's fireworks from the quiet pool! I would rate this resort 8/10, knocking off a star for price and another star for minor dated decor.

Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort: I'm not sure that we really gained anything by staying in the Family Suite. It was a bigger room but we didn't utilize the extra space at all and we found that the separate water closet was a bit of a hassle because there wasn't much space between the toilet and the door (had to step into the water closet and around the door in order to close it.) Also, the mattress was sagging in the middle and was pretty uncomfortable for this reason. We really enjoyed the lazy river but will definitely select a room on that side of the resort next time because the walk from the Cabana Courtyard was a longer distance than I had anticipated. 5/10

Dining

I was very impressed with nearly everything we ate on this trip. I won't go into details on each experience because there will undoubtedly be another post for that purpose but I will share our best and worst recommendations -

Best Disney: California Grill, Via Napoli, Kona Cafe

Best Universal: Mythos, Cowfish, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen

Worst Disney: Tangierine Cafe

Worst Universal: Bayliner Diner

Special Events

There were three special events that we attended on this trip: Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, Food & Wine Festival, and Universal's Halloween Horror Nights. Of these three, we enjoyed Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party the most because it was a night dedicated to our favorite holiday and provided all attendees the opportunity to dress up, trick-or-treat, and watch event-specific parades, shows, and fireworks. It was a spooky good time! We also loved the Food & Wine Festival but we weren't especially impressed with a lot of the offerings and, compared to the Flower & Garden Festival in the spring, it seemed like it brought in a lot more crowds. For Epcot, specifically, I think I would choose to visit in early March or May to catch the Flower & Garden Festival because I prefer the food at those kiosks more and they are easily enjoyed any time of day or night because the crowds are lower. And rounding up the special events....well, we attended Universal's Halloween Horror Nights but they should really re-brand it as a frat party for Orlando's locals. While the houses and scare zones were pretty impressive, the event was too crowded and boozy. It's really not even worth attending unless you plan to purchase an Express Pass because the lines for the houses grow to 45+ minutes for most of the night and they all utilize the same scare tactics (fog machine + random props hanging from ceiling + too many scare actors jumping at the same intervals). We will definitely not return to this event in the future.

I hate to pick sides on the Disney vs. Universal debate but this trip cemented us as a Disney family. The layout of the parks, efficiency of the MagicBand and Fastpass, access to various modes of transportation, and plenty of resorts in every budget makes Disney World a destination that any family can aspire to visit. Universal charges a premium for many of the options that Disney offers for free and their resort options are pretty slim unless paying $250+/night is your preference. I'm glad they've recently opened Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Sapphire Falls to accommodate guests on a budget but even these options are typically more expensive than Disney's All-Star resorts. Also, perhaps it was because we spent a week at Disney World first but it seemed like the Universal employees were far less friendly than we had grown accustomed to witnessing from the Disney Cast Members. We haven't completely decided on our next Orlando trip but I think it's safe to say that we'll probably just take one day to drive over to Universal for Wizarding World of Harry Potter but we won't be staying onsite.

That's it for now - stick around for posts in the near future that will dive deeper into the specifics of our September 2016 Orlando trip!

Engagement in the Happiest Place on Earth!

This is supposed to be the post where I tell you my overview of the trip but you can probably guess from the title and the happy pictures that it was AMAZING! A dream come true! My own Prince Charming proposed in my favorite park (Epcot) and it was absolutely perfect.

Many people asked "did you see it coming?" and to that I will say, technically no. We've discussed marriage extensively and knew it would happen but he made the proposal happen on his own. I'm quite impressed! Patrick was unfamiliar with specific locations in Epcot but originally thought he would propose quietly during IllumiNations. After our dinner at Le Cellier, we walked out to a very angry rainstorm and he was afraid that the fireworks would be canceled so we grabbed some dry space under the nearest shelter and he asked right then and there!

But really, what's more iconic of a vacation to Florida during hurricane season than a rainstorm and our super fashionable ponchos? I look at these pictures and the good memories flood back in. 

I promise many more posts to come in the next few days as I break down our trip from overall impressions to dining, fastpasses, new attractions, events, and more!