First family WDW trip. Prepared for the worst...

[Shellbells]

Ok fellow Disers, I really meant to take photos of every meal, save receipts and take notes. I was so excited to do a well written, detailed and maybe even a little funny dining report... So. Yeah. That's not going to happen. But I did take some pictures so I'm going to do the best I can.

My DH and I went in May to "scope out" the place and plan a trip to bring my two step son's back with us at the end of September. They are 17 and 12. They also fight like nobody's business. They literally argue about everything no matter how trivial it is. And I mean everything. I was a worried that it was going to be a fight fest every second of everyday but it ended up not being all that bad. There were a few disagreements but overall, it went pretty good. They both had a great time and that was the point of the trip, so it was a win.

Here they are in the front. They road RRC about 15 times and every time tried to get a different picture. It became a theme over the course of the trip.




I'm the Disney freak and my husband just goes along with whatever I plan. His only request was to eat at Raglan Road again. I couldn't get an ADR for our first night so I booked one on Open Table. It worked like a charm. Our flight from Vegas landed at 2:50 and we booked it to the Magical Express and within 60 minutes were were at Wilderness Lodge. We had a nature view room, it was on the 2nd floor facing the Contemporary. I didn't love the swampy view and there were a lot of spider webs out on the balcony but everything else was heaven. It such a beautiful resort. I can't say enough about how gorgeous it is. It smells SOO good too. As soon as we got home I bought the wax melts from Magic Candle Co and I don't regret that purchase at all! Here is the view of the room. You all have seen pictures of the lobby so I'll spare you those.


I also got up early one morning went for a walk. It was really quite and peaceful, I just loved it.



Now onto the food! Our first two nights were OOP for food. Once we moved over to the AKL we had the dining plan. We planned on trying to save money the first two days by eating mostly counter service but we really wanted to start off the trip with Raglan Road so that was going to be our one table service. (spoiler- it didn't work out that way) We ended up getting to Disney Springs about 2 hours early and we were starving after not eating all day. We went to Raglan Road and checked in hoping to be seated early but they were packed and we didn't get lucky. We walked around the gift shop and checked out the menu. We picked out what we wanted to eat and then changed our minds and then changed them again. Then we ordered a couple of drinks from the kiosk and waited outside for our Buzzer to go off.
We were called to our table at our reservation time and were seated at a high-top with a pretty good view of the stage.



We had agreed that since we were paying OOP and ate to much in May we weren't going to order apps. My husband seems to be incapable of not ordering apps though so we started out with apps to share of onion rings and Dalkey Duo. I didn't take a pic of the apps but here is a pic of the Daulky Duo from our May trip.
They were just as delicious and the mustard sauce they are served with is a little cup of heaven. Everyone loved them. I'm not a fan of onion rings but all the guys said they were good but they all thought the batter was a little light. The boys said they were good but "different"



I had planned on ordering the Dalkey Duo and fries for my entree. Their fries are thick steak fries and are delicious with the mustard sauce but I decided to order something new and so I went with the Pampered Chicken. The description from Allears: Pan-roasted herb buttered Bell & Evans chicken, fava beans, smoked pancetta with crispy barley on wholegrain mustard mash.
It doesn't look as impressive in the picture as it did in real life but this was a winner! I have found my new go to entree at Raglan. I liked it so much I bought the cookbook on the way out and much to my disappointment it wasn't in the book. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the veggies and fava beans were ah-may-zing! The mashed potato's had a great flavor and were much better than the plain mashed ones that came with the bangers and mash that I got in May. I gave it a 9 out of 10. I docked it one point because it needed more of the sauce and veggies. I wanted an entire bowl of the veggies and beans.



Next up, my DH surprised me and got the bangers and mash. I had them last time and told him that while the sausages were very, very good, I didn't think the gravy was as good as the gravy from our local Irish pub back home. I had already decided not to get them again. He said they were ok but he probably wouldn't get them again. Raglan is his very favorite restaurant in all of DW. He would eat here everyday if he could. He loves the food but he also loves the vibe, the Guinness and the people that work there. He wasn't wow'd by the bangers and mash but he cleaned his plate so it couldn't have been all that bad, lol. He gave it a 6 out of 10.



My DS17 ordered the OMG burger: Dry-aged ground prime burger, Irish bacon, Dubliner Irish cheddar, crispy potato straws with Jameson Irish whiskey BBQ sauce. He said it was a really good BBQ bacon burger. He gave it a 10



My DS12 ordered the Boaring Burger: grilled wild boar burger, Cashel blue cheese, crispy onion strings, arugula, port & pear chutney with herb aioli served on a floury potato bun. I thought this was a mistake since he tends to be a picky eater and was having a hard time deciding what to eat. He was getting tired after the long day of travelling and really just wanted to go to the room and take a nap. Buuut, he surprised me and ended up eating most of it. He said it was a really, really good burger. He took the review thing very seriously and when I asked him on a scale of 1-10 what he'd give it he said 14.5. Pretty high praise! My husband had this in May and he really liked it too.



I ordered a drink with my meal but I can't remember what it was other than they do not skimp on the alcohol. DH got another Guinness.

We were getting ready to leave and the waitress brought over a Bread pudding for DS12 since he had his birthday button on. It was such a sweet and nice surprise. We were all stuffed but how can you not at least try it right? I mean that would just be rude. Well, it lives up to all the hype. It's so good guys. DS12 was full and tired and getting cranky and he still managed to eat about 1/2 of it. I took a few bites and DS17 finished it off. Bread pudding is one of my DH's all time favorite things but he was too full and couldn't even take one bite. Such a rookie.



The staff is so friendly and the dancers are amazing and fun. It's very loud at dinner compared to lunch so if that bothers you make sure you go during the afternoon. The menu is a little different so check them both and see which appeals to you more. Dinner at Raglan Road was a huge hit and we will definitely be going back on our next trip. Well, to be honest we will probably be going back at least once on every trip we ever take to DW. We just love it that much.

 

[RealBlast3]

Great review! I love Raglan Road! Always a wonderful time and the entertainment is top notch, loved your pic of the step-dancers - I always try to schedule my ressie when they are on. And that chicken looks wonderful, and I am intrigued by the Dalkey Duo, I may have to get that for my December trip. Bread pudding looks fantastic, may have to get that, too.

 

[Shellbells]

Continued from prior post.

Night 1.

Now, this is going to sound crazy that I forgot all about this, but its true. About a month before we left I ordered a cake for my SD12's birthday. We had originally planned on staying at Beach Club and changed it about 2 weeks before the trip. I had to cancel the first cake and call the bakery at WL. They told me they don't do the cakes there and I would have to order one from the Contemporary. I almost didn't call. The cake thread here has some pretty bad reviews and it's a lot of money to pay for a cake. We really wanted him to have it though so I called. After a few back and forth emails with them, we locked it down. The cake had less details and was more expensive than the one at the Beach Club but I went ahead and ordered it. I was actually really worried about it but cake is cake and I knew he'd be happy no matter what.

We got back to our room and SURPRISE this was waiting for us on the table. I completely forgot it was even coming. I have to say they did a great job. My SH plays golf with all 3 of his boys almost every weekend. DS12 loves golf so we thought this would be a fun cake. He LOVED it! The best part was it tasted delicious. The fridge was large enough to store it and we actually ate off it for the 3 days were were there.






And no, his name isn't Roo, lol. It's a nickname that my husband has called him since he was a baby.


Day 2-

Today would be a resort day-sort of. We had tickets to go to DAH that night at the MK at 7 so we had planned to take it easy, maybe hit the pool and see where the day took us. I had originally booked an ADR and then cancelled it when we decided to eat counter service the first two days. We had bought Disney gift cards leading up to the trip to pay for the first 2 days of foof. We had also given the boys a $75.00 gift card each for whatever they wanted. On our first family trip together after we got married, we spent way too much on stuff they never used or wore again. There was a few meltdowns over being told no that blew up into bigger deals than they would have been. So, I told my husband that from now on they each get a prepaid card for all trips. I did it with my son when he was young and it worked really well (although then it was cash). Whatever amount that is on the card is all they are getting so they know not to ask for anything other than food and snacks and it makes them think twice before buying anything. It's worked like a charm and the trips all go a lot smoother now. This time they actually didn't spend a dime until the last day. They really put a lot of thought into what they wanted to spend them on.

We had planned on going to go back to DS but we all work up pretty hungry and there are very few places for breakfast there. I checked the app and I was able to score a Kona for breakfast. We got ready and took the boat to the Contemporary. We walked around a bit and we all agreed, its not a resort that appeals to us. For the money, I can't see us ever staying there. It seems pretty sterile and lacks the charm of the other resorts we've been to. I know some people love it. I think that's one of the great thing about wdw actually. There is something for everyone.

We then rode the Monorail to the Poly. I haven't stayed at the Poly before but its so pretty. And it smells so good! I should have ordered the wax melts for Poly but I wanted the CBR smell since that's where we are staying next time. I also ordered Banshee's flight and the AKL scent. All of them smell fantastic! Sorry, I got a little off track there.

When we checked in for the ADR they couldn't find us. I showed her the reservation on the app and she asked if I had booked it that morning. I told her I had booked it about 2 hours before then and she said that they can't see ADR's that are made the day of. It didn't end up being a problem and we were actually seated right away.
Our table was right along the rail so we were next to the open lobby/atrium area. I didn't love this. At one point the line to get into Kona went past our table. It's a little awkward having people standing right next to you while you're eating. I wish they would put up a wall or something there. Our waitress was friendly and the service was great. The restaurant itself doesn't have much ambiance unless you look out into the atrium area.

I had the Two Egg Platter- with Home-fried Potatoes and your choice of Ham, Spiced Ham, Bacon, or Sausage. I ordered it with spam and a side of bacon. Because.. bacon. I know spam is pretty polarizing but our family really likes it. We eat it fried at breakfast alot and it makes a crazy good hash.
I thought it was ok. Nothing special but it was good.




DH got the Tonga Toast after I told him how famous they are on the boards. I told him they are supposed to be really sweet but he's fine with that. He ordered it with spam. He didn't try the strawberry sauce and if I remember correctly he actually poured maple syrup on it. He absolutely LOVED it. He said it wasn't too sweet and would have been good even without the bananas. He loved whatever bread they used. He also are most of my eggs and potatoes. He liked them too, lol.






DS17 had the Loco-moco - traditional island brunch staple which features a tower of rice, a grilled hamburger patty, house-made chorizo gravy, two eggs-any style, and topped with a tomato salsa. He raved about this. He cleaned his plate. He asked later in the trip if we could go back so he could get it again. He also ate the potatoes off his brothers plate and he said they were really good too. He also tried the Tonga Toast and he liked it too.




DS12 ordered the Polynesian Egg Platter: two eggs-any style with fresh fruit poke, bakery-fresh muffin, and home-fried potatoes with your choice of spiced ham, bacon, or sausage He liked it fine but said that the scrambled eggs were the best he ever had. I question that but he was really digging them and ate some of mine too. And seriously, how cute is that muffin!?



We went back to the room and I took a nap while DS17 played on his phone. DH and DS12 went to the gym. They all then went to the pool. I wandered around the WL for a while and stopped at Geyser Point and ordered a Worth Melting For. Its one of the new Frozen themed drinks. It was pretty good and I loved the flavored sugar rim and snowflake ice cube.



Before we caught the boat to MK we stopped at Roaring Fork for a quick dinner before DAH. I forgot to take pics but I had the Grilled cheese: Mozzarella, Arugula, Tomato and Caramelized Onions on Multigrain Bread with French Fries. It was actually pretty good. It was more than just your typical grilled cheese sandwich and I enjoyed it.
Dh and DS12 each had the burger and they said it was fine. DS17 had the pulled pork sandwich and he seemed to enjoy it but he said it didn't taste like the ones he gets back home. I saved the reciept and the total came to $67.01 with drinks. Which is crazy but pretty typical for Disney.

We took the boat over to MK and headed straight for BTMR since we had booked a FP. We then road Haunted Mansion and then hurried over to Tomorrow Land Terrence for the dessert party. I didn't take any pics of the desserts but they weren't anything special. The cheeseburger egg rolls and spinach dip were a nice addition but they ran out of the egg rolls almost as soon as they were put out. The humidity was already getting to me so I enjoyed the water and lemonade. I would definitely not book this for the food, it was mediocre at best. There is also nothing special about the venue. It looks like a school cafeteria. We were the 2nd to the last people to leave and were walked over to the closed off area. I was a little worried about the grass area because DS12 has a mild allergy to grass and I was worried it would trigger his asthma but there was no reason to worry... its fake grass. Lol.
It was pretty full when we got there but there was still plenty of places to sit or stand. Here was out view. Sorry its sideways. We were in the back left. The tree did block the left side of the castle so some of the show but overall, I don't think there is a bad view in the area.

We wouldn't pay for it again but we're glad we did it once. The boys felt like VIP's in the private viewing area and DS12 said Happily Ever After was his favorite thing from the entire trip so it was money very well spent. I liked the show a lot but I wish I wouldn't have watched it on-line so many times. I think I kind of ruined for myself.



For those interested, DAH was an AMAZING night. No lines for ANYTHING. The boys road 7DMT 3 times in a row. DAH was a highlight of the trip and I will happily fork over the money to do more DAH in the future. It was also nice to be able to take a break and get water or soda and ice cream. We were all pretty full but the boys still managed to get popcorn not once but twice! Lol

We stayed until the party ended and I didn't realize the boats would not be running to go back to WL so we had to take the bus. The lines were kind of long and we waiting a bit for the bus, that is never fun when you're tired. But if you don't end the day hot and tired at the bus stop were you even at Disney? Lol. All in all day 2 was a success and we all had a really great time.

 

[1andrea]

Great reviews thank you x

 

[Shellbells]

Day 3
It was time to say good bye to the breathtaking WL. I was sad to leave but excited to see the AKL. We hadn't stayed at either resort before so they were new to us.

We slept in a bit and were going to Yak and Yeti for lunch. I knew I would be getting a large meal so I didn't want to eat breakfast. DH and the boys stopped by Roaring Fork while I wondered around the lobby and gift shop and soaked it all in before we had to leave.

DH and DS12 both got the Roaring Breakfast Platter



DS12 got the 10 hour pulled pork and grits. He's never had grits before and he didn't like them. My DH said he didn't eat them. This kid eats everything so he really must have disliked them.



I however love grits and they look good to me! Lol.

We then handed over our luggage to bell services and took the bus over to AK. This is my favorite park. I think its so beautiful and I love the vibe there. We had a great morning and road a lot of rides. Around noon we all started getting hungry and DS17 and I were actually really hungry since we didn't eat breakfast. We had a 2pm ADR at Yak&Yeti but we didn't want to wait that long. We headed over early after riding EE and with my Landry's card we were able to get in within 15 minutes. I love that card!

I really like Y&Y but I wasn't sure how the boys were going to like it. We all the Dim Sum basket to share - I forgot to take a picture but there are a lot of pics on Google. And here, I'm sure.

Last time I got the Garlic Noodles and mixed in some of the firecrackers shrimp and I loved it. This time since we were on the regular dining plan so I thought I'd go all out and order the Lobster Garlic Noodles. I thought they would taste the same as the regular Garlic noodles with the addition of
lobster, shrimp, scallops. They don't. Don't get me wrong, they aren't bad they just weren't my beloved Garlic Noodles. Serves me right for getting something new. I wouldn't get them again but they weren't bad. I have no idea why but I don't have a picture of them. I took a pic of everyone else's entrees and even their desserts but somehow forgot mine. I'd find a pic on Google and post it but I'm not sure its allowed.

DH got the Korean Surf and Turf off the seasonal menu. It's described as Korean BBQ Beef, roasted broccoli, cucumber kimchi, pickled vegetables, soft boiled egg with jasmine rice
He really liked it a lot. He's a pretty meat and potato guy but he is also surprising me when we eat at DW.



DS17 ordered the Korean BBQ Rib Tips- half rack of slow roasted St. Louis pork ribs, zesty BBQ sauce, crispy shoestring fries, kimchi slaw. He gave these a 10 out of 10. He raved about them for the rest of the day. He said they were kind of spicy but he really went to town on them so it must not have been too bad.



DS12 ordered the Kobe burger. He didn't actually like this. He took 2 bites and didn't eat any more. His fries were also cold. Like, really hard and cold. Since he wasn't going to eat his burger, we asked if they could bring him some fresh fries. They were very nice about it and brought him a big bowl of fries.


I ordered the Fried Wantons for dessert. I had never had them before and have read about them for years on here. I really liked them. I'm not typically a dessert person and I don't like things that are too sweet and I found these to be perfect. I was really full so I only ate a little bit but they were really good.



Dh ordered the Pineapple Upside Down Cake. He loved it and I tried a bite and it was delicious. I actually liked his dessert more than mine.



DS17 skipped dessert. He was still working on his ribs when we ordered and he ended up sharing dessert with me and my DH.

DS12 got the cheesecake with mango and strawberry coulis, and whipped topping This kid loves his cheesecake. He said he wasn't that hungry after the Dim Sum and fries but I think he was still a bit hungry because he ate the whole price of the cheesecake.



DH and I also ordered drinks. I got my favorite Kiwi Kimono (green one) . I think DH got the Yak Attack but I can't say for so that's what it is.





Lunch was very good. In fact it was so good we ate there again later in the week. This time we didn't have an ADR at all and again, the landry's card got us in with about 15 minutes. This time we ordered the Firecracker shrimp and Dim Sum Basket for apps and I saved some of the shrimp to add to my Garlic Noodles. They were just as yummy as they were in May. DH ordered the Kobe burger (see pic above) and he loved it. He said its a really good burger. DS17 wasn't feeling well and stayed at the room. DS12 ordered the kids burger. I didn't take a picture but it looked like every sad little kids burger at all the restaurants.

 

[nursejackie]

Great dining review, thanks for sharing.

I ate at Yak & Yeti on my last visit as a few years prior they stopped serving beef lo mein at the QS, which was my favourite etnree in AK. Then I discovered chicken lo mein was served at the restaurant, and managed to get an ADR, so when I relayed thie tale to the waitress she said the chef can make me beef lo mein no problem. It was delicious, and I am defintely returning next visit.

 

[DrunkJam]

Thanks for sharing, great reviews, I am trying to decide my ADRs for my upcoming trip so, love reading the reviews and seeing the pics, thanks!

 

[running2disney]

Thanks for the review! My DD is obsessed with Irish dancing so I may have to add this to our ADR list!

 

[kastoney]

Awesome reviews so far. Glad you hubby got some Raglan Road in early in the trip. We've had those sausages once and they are so good. I really enjoy the food and atmosphere at Raglan, the waits are usually just too long for us. I think they definitely overbook.

Looks like you all had a great experience Kona. I'll get to my review soon enough, but that was not our experience. We've always enjoyed it but safe to say it will be a long time before we go again.

The cake your ordered for your step-son is awesome. Now I do not want to know what you paid for it but so happy to hear he enjoyed it.

 

[Shellbells]

Great review! I love Raglan Road! Always a wonderful time and the entertainment is top notch, loved your pic of the step-dancers - I always try to schedule my ressie when they are on. And that chicken looks wonderful, and I am intrigued by the Dalkey Duo, I may have to get that for my December trip. Bread pudding looks fantastic, may have to get that, too.

Oh my gosh you have to try the Dalkey Duo! We LOVE them. Although, I have to admit I might order them just as a vessel to get that yummy mustard sauce into my mouth! Lol

Great dining review, thanks for sharing.

I ate at Yak & Yeti on my last visit as a few years prior they stopped serving beef lo mein at the QS, which was my favourite etnree in AK. Then I discovered chicken lo mein was served at the restaurant, and managed to get an ADR, so when I relayed thie tale to the waitress she said the chef can make me beef lo mein no problem. It was delicious, and I am definitely returning next visit.

Thanks for the tip! I'll make sure my husband knows this on our next visit. He's a beef kind of guy, lol

Thanks for sharing, great reviews, I am trying to decide my ADRs for my upcoming trip so, love reading the reviews and seeing the pics, thanks!

I love them too. Without the reviews on these boards I wouldn't have tried half the places we ate at. It's really invaluable.

Thanks for the review! My DD is obsessed with Irish dancing so I may have to add this to our ADR list!

The Irish dancers were fantastic! This is the first time we ate there at dinner and I'm so glad we did. Its a totally different experience. We usually do lunch but I think we'll be booking dinner from now on.

Awesome reviews so far. Glad you hubby got some Raglan Road in early in the trip. We've had those sausages once and they are so good. I really enjoy the food and atmosphere at Raglan, the waits are usually just too long for us. I think they definitely overbook.

Looks like you all had a great experience Kona. I'll get to my review soon enough, but that was not our experience. We've always enjoyed it but safe to say it will be a long time before we go again.

The cake your ordered for your step-son is awesome. Now I do not want to know what you paid for it but so happy to hear he enjoyed it.

Thank you so much @kastoney I have to be honest, I just love your reviews. You always make me laugh out loud when I'm reading them. You also try foods that I never would have considered and they give me some great ideas on new foods to try. If you don't have a blog, you should definitely think about starting one. It would so good!

I found Kona to be just ok. My family however loved it. Our next trip is just my husband and I and I'm not sure I'm going to book it. He did love that Tonga Toast though. Nothing on the lunch or dinner menu looks good enough to pay those prices though. The restaurant isn't anything special to look at and I don't like how its open to the atrium. Not worth paying signature prices for imo.

Ah the cake.. It was..... pretty pricey. I'm not sure I would do it again but it was a fun surprise for DS12 and it did taste good. Plus they all ate on it for a couple of days. But for the price its not something I would do a lot, that's for sure.

 

[DLo]

Following along. Enjoying your reviews so far and looking forward to reading more