SlightlyGoofy said:
We are headed for our first free dining experience. Since I have lost a lot of weight and am struggling to keep it off and need to lose a whole lot more I am a bit scared.
I intend on eating just when I am hungry and as healthy as aI can but might I please ask if I can hitchhike on this journey? No calories and a whole lot of fun to dream about my second favorite thing, food.
Slightly Goofy (who appreciates all the hard work you guys did on this thread)
Well then, here's a slightly different take on the "best value" premise of free dining. This is closer to the way my family does free dining - focusing on good, interesting food that we can't easily get at home and that is reasonably good for us. I'm going to assume the same seven days, but a party of 2 that's willing to share.
I'll start at Epcot.
Lunch at the Coral Reef -
One Shrimp cocktail and one mixed greens salad with lime vinaigrette
One grilled MahiMahi and one grilled jumbo shrimp (or the blackened catfih if you don't want more shrimp)
Key lime brulee and coffee (if you're coffee drinker - it helps cut the sweetness of the brulee)
Eat dinner as you walk around world showcase - stop in the bakery in france and get a cheese plate and a baguette (I think they let you pick two items) some water and pay OOP for a glass of wine. Then stop again in China and split a Sichuan Guai Wei Chicken Salad or Shanghei Grilled Chicken with Oolong tea. Top it off with fresh fruit.
Now for the Magic Kingdom
Lunch at Liberty Square - maybe a half sandwich and some clam chowder. More water to drink and split a chocolate cake and get grapes for your other dessert. The garden galley salad is tasty too.
For dinner tke the monorail to the Grand Floridian.
an order of crab cakes and the cafe trio with veggie sticks should get you tarted nicely
broiled halibut with buerre blanc, and a land and sea
I'd probably splurge on the chocolate fondue with fresh fruit for dessert
Head to Animal Kingdom the next morning -
Lunch at Tusker House, the grilled Salmon and chicken salads are both excellent - and so is the rotissirre chicken. We get grapes for dessert because we really need them in the heat. You may be able to split the chicken, or you may not - depends on your appetite.
Stay late and have dinner at Flame Tree. Split an order of ribs or BBQ chicken and a giant fruit plate. Frozen lemonade and water will cool you off for the long trek back out.
On to MGM
Backlot express has some nice options like a grilled vegetable sandwich or a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich - both come with cranberry slaw. Push lots of water again, because MGM gets really baking in September. Chocolate Marshmallow mousse is tasty - but we usually snag more grapes for afternoon snacking (what can I say, I like red grapes and WDW seems to have excellent ones)
Book your dinner at the Brown Derby - we didn't have a TS on the Animal Kingdom day, so we can get away with it.
Have a mesclun and arugala salad and sake laced crab cake. Pan-Fired grouper and Filet mignon
Maybe grapefruit cake for dessert?
Another MK day?
Split the chicken and ribs combo at cosmic ray's and then drop in on Kona Cafe for dinner.
Maybe Kona salad and pot stickers for appetizers
macadamia mahi mahi and coconut almond chicken for dinner
The only dessert I've ever had there is the banana/caramel creme brulee and I can finish about half of one
Back to Epcot?
Sunshine seasons for lunch - grilled salmon with olive pesto maybe?
And dinner at LeCellier, of course
The asian shrimp cocktail is *tasty*, maybe a beef tenderloin kabob of the famous soup for your other app?
Filet or seared salmon for your entree
The raspberry sorbet is delicious
Lets call your last day Downtown Disney
Lunch at the earl of sandwich - split a sandwich, a large fruit salad - finish it off with an earl grey lemonade
Dinner at Wolfgang puck Cafe
spinach salad and calamari
macadamia nut crusted chicken
pumpkin ravioli
finish it off with a cup of coffee and the creme brulee sampler.
Not the most expensive things on any of the menus - but some of the most interesting and delicious in my opinion.