Wow love your food reports. Thank you. The pictures are amazingly sharp. Can I asked what camera you used?

Porterhouse looks amzing

Roaring Fork (Breakfast)

We started the day with breakfast from Roaring Fork – the Counter Service restaurant at our resort, Wilderness Lodge. We actually brought it back up to our room as it was a lazy morning.

When it comes to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan and breakfast at a quick-service restaurant you are entitled to one entrée, and one non-alcoholic beverage for one credit per person.

Now, I am guessing that Steve paid out of pocket for the pastries, I really cannot remember, and don’t seem to have a picture of the receipt (which is how I keep track!). And the price I have written down, doesn’t seem to match, so who knows what went on here with this! All I can say is that a counter-service or table-service breakfast on the Dining Plan isn’t good value for money – a Character Breakfast (which are usually a buffet) are much better value. I’ll write down the figures I have and update it if I ever find the receipt.
Entrées…

Me: Bounty Platter – with Scrambled Eggs, Pancakes, Potatoes, Bacon, Sausage, and a Biscuit ($9.99)


Him: Breakfast Croissant – with Bacon, Egg, and Cheese. Served with Potatoes ($7.69)


The Boy: Bananas Foster Waffles – Mickey Waffles with Warm Bananas in a Buttered Rum-Flavoured Sauce ($8.99)


Pastries…

Sticky Bun ($3.79)
Danish ($3.59)
Cinnamon Scone ($2.99)

After seeing The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, we headed over to Hollywood Brown Derby for our dinner reservation. We have dined here before, and enjoyed it, so thought we would go for a second time. Sadly, the service was dire. Our main courses were brought out as we were still having our starters. And then they brought out the wrong dish for me. Drink refills were also lacking. We did complain to the management on the way out to voice our concern. It was quite a poor end to what had been a great night. More so, as we’d been looking forward to dining here again.

I do remember that the restaurant service in general seemed to be on the slack side this year – Disney restaurants need to step up their training game!

When it comes to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan at a signature restaurant you are entitled to one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert and one non-alcoholic beverage per person (usually refillable) for two credits per person.

Signature restaurants at Disney always (at least in our experience so far) present you with a bread basket and butter. These were welcomed as we were quite hungry by the time our reservation rolled around. The bread was your standard dinner rolls, an he butter was flavoured with herbs and salt – for some reason, in my head I have thyme and Hawaiian sea salt.


Appetizers…

Me: Togarashi-Pumpkin Seed-Crusted Ahi Tuna – House-Made Kimchi, Black Sesame Jasmine Rice, Sake-Ginger-Soy Glaze ($15)

Him: Crispy Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes – English Cucumber, Plum Tomato Slaw, Sweet Chili Sauce ($15)

The Boy: Local Greens Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette – Forelle Pears, Laura Chenel Goat Cheese, Spiced Candied Pecans ($11)

My son is a bit of a picky eater, and didn’t want a starter, so we ordered this salad as it was quite light, and Steve and I could share it with our main meal. We find that vegetables always seem to be lacking at Disney World restaurants! The starters were delicious – I really loved the tuna that I had.


Entrées…

Me: Beef Short Rib Wellington – Mushroom Duxelles, Carrot and Cauliflower Purée, Port Wine Reduction ($40)

Him: Lamb Two Ways – Grilled Lamb Chop, Slow-Roasted Shredded Lamb Shank, Apple-Balsamic Sauce, Butternut Squash Risotto ($42)

The Boy: Charred Filet of Beef – Cabernet and Shallot Butter, Forest Mushroom and White Truffle Oil Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Rainbow Carrots, Haricot Verts, Red Wine Reduction ($49)

Like I said, Liam is a no-fuss-food kind of boy, so he asked to have fries instead of the mash, and to not have the flavoured butter, or wine reduction. I insisted he keep the veggies!


Desserts…

Me: The Hollywood Brown Derby Dessert Trio – Chocolate Sphere with Hazelnut Praline Chocolate and Orange-White Chocolate Mousse; Double Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée; Brown Derby Original! Mini Grapefruit Cake ($9)

Him: The Hollywood Brown Derby Dessert Trio – Amaretto Flan and Opalys White Chocolate Whip with an Almond Cookie; Banana-Toffee Cake on Cocoa Crunch and Strawberry-Banana Pearls; Warm Blueberry Cobbler with Crème Fraîche and Orange Blossom Honey ($9)

The Boy: Vanilla Ice Cream ($2.49)

For desserts they only have one item on the menu – The Hollywood Brown Derby Dessert Trio. You pick three from the selection of mini desserts. I do love mini desserts, they’re a nice way to try out several things at once!

Tusker House

We enjoy Tusker House because it’s a bit different from other breakfast buffet restaurants. Not only do they have regular breakfast foods, but also other dishes with an African influence. There is also the added bonus, that it is a character dining experience, so you also get to meet Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Daisy Duck, dressed up in their safari gear. You can help yourself to as much as you care to eat, and the characters walk around from table-to-table; meaning you will get a chance to meet each one for a photo opportunity and autograph.


When it comes to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan at a buffet restaurant, you are entitled to one full buffet and one non-alcoholic beverage (usually refillable) for one credit per person.

We have loved Tusker House since our very first time dining here. The inside of the restaurant itself is wonderfully themed, and the food is always great. It is a noisy restaurant though – character dining always is – so if you have members in your party with noise issues, be mindful of that. The seating is split into two areas. There is a smaller room, which is generally a bit quieter, and then a larger room. We’ve sat in both areas. The buffet is laid out between the two rooms, and is really spacious. The food is laid out in different stations, so you are able to come and go as you please, rather than having to do any formal lining up.

I actually took photographs of the names of different dishes on offer, so will list them here, along with some photographs too. Whilst the menu can change at any time, these are the kinds of things you can expect to find on the buffet.

Breads, Pastries, and Sweet Treats

Apple Turnover, Coffee Cake, Strawberry Turnover, Orange Bread, Blueberry Bread, Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, Chocolate Twists, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Holes, Croissants, Warm Cinnamon Rolls, Baked Banana Cream Cheese French Toast, Cheese Blintz, Cherry and Mixed Fruit Toppings, Assorted Breads and Bagels, Gluten Friendly Options: UDI’s Whole Grain Bread, Bagels, and Muffins; Kinnicknick Cinnamon Sugar Donuts, Namaste Mickey Waffles & 100% Maple Syrup (made upon request).


Breakfast Dishes with an African Flavours

Coconut Sweet Potato Casserole, Beef Bobotie, Basmatic Rice with Lemon, Cinnamon, and Cardamom, Sweet Plantains, Spit-Roasted Bone-In Ham, Sweet and Spicy Honey Mustard, Jalapeño Corn Bread, Mealie Cornbread, Mealie Pap, Spiced Corn Beef Hash with Cornbread Topping,


Regular Breakfast Foods

Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage Patties, Oven Roasted Red Skin Potatoes, Mickey Waffles, Biscuits, Sausage Gravy, Oatmeal – Cinnamon, Brown Sugar, Raisins, Cubed Cheddar and Swiss Cheese, Plain & Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt, Dried Fruit and Honey, Seasonal Fruit Salad with Saffron Syrup, Grapes, Potato and Leek Frittata, Tater Tot Potatoes, Ham and Cheese Frittata, Whipped Butter, Cream Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Assorted Jellies and Jams, Chutneys, Fresh Bananas, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, and Rice Krispies, 2% Milk,


As I said before, the characters walk around from table to table. You can see them moving around the room, so time your trip to the buffet accordingly! You may feel like the server is rushing you out the door when they hand you the check, but if you’ve not met all the characters yet, do not feel that you have to leave! Make sure you have your autograph book(s) and pen ready for those important signatures, and have your camera out too. The gang have lots of people to see, so don’t waste your time with them by hunting for these things when they’re at your table to meet you!


Another fine breakfast at Tusker House for us! After having our fill, we paid the check (with our Dining Plan Credits) and made our way out into the hot sunshine. We had some time before our FastPass+ time slot at Kilimanjaro Safaris, so had a bit of wander around – which involved some time in the nearby shops!

As our day at Animal Kingdom was coming to an end, we of course stopped off in the shops to have a look at the merch, and no doubt buy some stuff! On the way out, we stopped at a cart and bought a couple of Mickey’s Ice Cream Sandwiches for Steve and myself, and Liam had a bottle of drink. We paid for these with Snack Credits.

Narcoossee's

After our day at Animal Kingdom, we drove back to Wilderness Lodge, and our last night at Walt Disney World *cries*. We have absolutely loved staying at this resort, and would definitely stay here again.

Instead of driving round to Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for our dinner reservation at Narcoossee’s, we took the boat from Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom, then one of the smaller resort boats to Grand Floridian. By now the sun was setting, and it was a delightful boat ride across the water. Don’t underestimate how long Disney transportation can take – by the time we reached the dock near Narcoosee’s, it was dark!


We dined at Narcoosee’s in 2014, when we had our first time on the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan. We decided to eat here on our last night, so that we could easily get over to Magic Kingdom to watch Wishes, and to see Cinderella Castle lit up with lights for Christmas. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to do this, as by the time we left the restaurant, there was thunder and lightning, and we didn’t want to take the chance of the fireworks being delayed – we still had packing to do before our departure in the morning! So I only got one rather crappy photo of the Castle; but we do plan to go back in the future for the holiday season.


When it comes to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan at a signature restaurant you are entitled to one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert and one non-alcoholic beverage per person (usually refillable) for two credits per person.

Signature dining seems to always come with a bread service. Which bread and butter you receive, depends on the restaurant.


Appetizers…

Me: Crispy Rhode Island Calamari – Peppadew-Banana Pepper-Olive Relish and Tomato Coulis ($16)

Him: Barbecue-Grilled Shrimp and Grits – Wild Florida Shrimp with Budgie’s Barbecue Sauce, Low Country Grits, Cherrywood-Smoked Bacon, and Pickled Green Tomato Chow-Chow ($19)

The Boy: Slow-Poached and Chilled Shrimp – with Citrus Rémoulade ($16)


Presentation on my calamari wasn’t the best, compared with the other two dishes, but all tasted good. The shrimp and grits was the tastiest of all three – we’re a family of sharers you see, so I know this to be true, even though it was Steve’s dish!

For the main dishes, I don’t actually have a photograph of the menu. I remember the server said he would let us take it home (they print them daily I believe) so I didn’t have to worry about remembering what we had. But then he forgot… so I’m having to judge from the most recent menu from the Disney website. It would seem the Surf ‘n’ Turf that Liam and I had isn’t on the menu any more as a combination. You can still buy steak, and add on a lobster tail – but combined as a meal on the dining plan is not longer available – boo! I’m taking the description for the Surf ‘n’ Turf from 2014’s menu, because I had exactly the same dish that year! You could have this dish with either filet or New York strip steak.

Just as before, the steak and lobster was very good. What a shame they’ve removed this as an option for those on the dining plan. I know Steve wanted to have a lighter meal, which is why he chose the pasta dish.

Entrées…

Me: Surf ‘n’ Turf – Grilled 7 Ounce Filet Mignon, Boniato-Idaho creamed potatoes with Farmer Jones Romano Beans, and Herbed Cabernet-Oxtail Reduction. Butter-Poached Canadian Waters Lobster Tail ($75)

Him: Wild Caught Shrimp and Garganelli Pasta – Wild Gulf Shrimp, Savoy Spinach, Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, Basil Pistou, Comté Cheese, and Chardonnay-Garlic Cream ($39)

The Boy: Surf ‘n’ Turf – 12oz Black Angus New York Strip Steak, Grilled 7 Ounce Filet Mignon, Boniato-Idaho creamed potatoes with Farmer Jones Romano Beans, and Herbed Cabernet-Oxtail Reduction. Butter-Poached Canadian Waters Lobster Tail ($75)


Desserts…

Me: Honey Pecan Tart with Pumpkin Butter – Chocolate Tart Shell with Honey Pecan Filling, Mascarpone Cream and Pumpkin Butter ($11)

Him: Chocolate Torte, a No Sugar Added Dessert – with Chocolate Crème and Raspberries ($11)

The Boy: Narcoosee’s Candy Bar – Dark Chocolate-Mocha Bar with House-Made Guanaja Chocolate Gelato ($11)

Extra Dessert: Almond-Crusted Cheesecake – with Lambert Cherry Sauce ($0)

I’m pretty sure that my dessert was a seasonal one – it was so good! Steve again wanted to say on the lighter side of things, so picked the no added sugar dessert, which look so pretty on the plate. The same can’t be said though for the Candy Bar that Liam had… we all giggled like immature brats at the presentation! Just scroll down, you’ll see what I mean. For some reason, our server felt that he had made some sort of mistake during the service, and by way of apology brought an extra dessert in the form of the cheesecake. We’d mentioned that it was soon to be our 10 year anniversary (the following week) so there was a little white chocolate plaque on the plate too.


Overall the meal was delicious (but pricey – thank God for the dining plan!) and a nice way to end our 2015 holiday. As I said at the top of this post, we had planned to go and watch the fireworks in Magic Kingdom, but it was not to be. Tomorrow is the final day (at last, and a year after it happened!) for this trip report. We spend some time at Magic Kingdom before flying back home to the UK.

Character Cookies

When I originally booked this holiday, I had hoped we would be able to catch both Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Sadly, my calculations were off by one day, and the latter was not meant to be. However, Christmas decorations had appeared at Magic Kingdom, and it was so cool to see the park decked out for the season. We have only ever seen it “bare” and for Halloween on past vacations, so this was a lovely treat.


We spent the remaining meal credits (you can use 1 meal credit for 3 snacks) and snack credits from our Deluxe Disney Dining Plan on lots and lots and lots of snacks – mainly character cookies and rice krispie treats! I don’t have any photos of them I’m afraid – I brought them home, and then started dishing them out to family and friends! However, I have got an older photo which I’ve included below. We didn’t buy the giant Mickey Mouse treat – not available as a snack credit!

Tony's Town Sqaure Restaurant

We had an early lunch reservation booked at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. I don’t think we’ve ever noticed this place on any of our previous trips, and we really enjoyed our meal here. The theme here is from the movie, Lady and The Tramp, and the food is Italian-American. There are three seating areas – one inside with booths and dark wood fixtures and fittings – plus lots of artwork on the walls; one inside a conservatory which is bright and airy; and finally there is room outside on the terrace as well. We sat in the conservatory area by a window, where you get a good view of the town square. If you get your timings right, and can sit outside on the terrace, this is a good spot for parade watching too.


When it comes to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan at a table service restaurant you are entitled to one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert and one non-alcoholic beverage per person (usually refillable) for one credit per person.

From experience, we always get a bread service at a Signature Restaurant, but I don’t think we’ve ever had bread at a regular Disney restaurant. Until now – we were given some slices of focaccia with a herb oil to dunk into. A nice freebie if you’re feeling a bit peckish!

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant is somewhere that we would visit again (in fact, we have on our 2016 trip!). Service was good, and the food was tasty and nicely presented. It feels like a no fuss, no frills restaurant with a homely feel to it. I liked that there were different areas to sit, I’m sure you could probably request when you check-in for your reservation, but might have to wait if it is busy. I also loved the Lady and The Tramp themeing – it’s such a classic Disney film!


Appetizers…

Me: Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Salad – Heirloom Tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella, Basil, and a Balsamic Dressing ($9.49)

Him: Zucchini Fries – Breaded seasoned Zucchini with creamy Sun-dried Tomato Dressing for dipping ($8.49)

The Boy: Pasta Fagioli – Traditional meatless Italian soup with Pasta and Beans ($6.49)

My started was delicious. I really liked that there were three different coloured tomatoes on the plate. I was surprised with Liam’s choice for starter – the only soup I have known him to eat is my chicken soup! But he told me he had, had this dish at an Italian restaurant with his dad and enjoyed it. It was a hearty soup, and full of flavour. Steve’s app was tasty. The dipping sauce was nice for dunking the crunchy zucchini fries.


Entrées…

Me: Cannelloni – filled with a mixture of Ground Beef and Sausage, Mozzarella, and Ricotta served with Marinara and Crème Sauce ($17.99)

Him: Joe’s Artisanal Pizza – Italian Sausage, Pepperoni, Roasted Peppers, Caramelized Onions, and garnished with fresh Basil ($17.99)

The Boy: Chicken Parmigiana – Lightly-breaded Chicken Breast with Marinara Sauce topped with Melted Mozzarella over Spaghetti ($21.99)

Once we received our dishes, our server offered grated cheese if we’d like, and with a deft hand, was using the grating contraption to shred some over the top of mine and Liam’s pasta. I really enjoyed the cannelloni – it was very filling. Both Steve and Liam enjoyed their main dishes – the chicken parm was a huge portion! The pizza was presented on a wooden board, which we thought was a nice touch.


Unfortunately, I don’t remember exactly what I had for dessert as it was a seasonal chef’s special. I am pretty sure it had something to do with pumpkins though, given the time of year that we were there! Steve opted for the lighter dessert with sorbet – I’m guessing it was raspberry flavour. Liam didn’t fancy a dessert, but we ordered a tiramisu, which came presented, rather cutely I think, in a coffee cup.

Desserts…

Me: Chef’s Selection – ($5.99)

Him: Seasonal Sorbet – with fruit ($5.49)

The Boy: Tiramisu – Espresso-soaked Lady Fingers, Whipped Mascarpone, and Dark Chocolate Shavings ($6.99)

Mickey Marshmallow Wand, Olaf Cake Pop, Gingerbread Mickey

We ventured into Big Top Souvenirs. Inside that store, in the centre, is Big Top Treats – a circular counter with lots and lots of Disney Snacks! We had saved some snack credits from our earlier purchases of cookies and stuff, and bought a Disney Snack each, and a couple of drinks to use them up.

We bought an Olaf Cake Pop, a chocolate covered Mickey Marshmallow Wand, and a Gingerbread Mickey. If it hadn’t been our last day, I think we’d have popped back here to get some more sweet treats!


And that is the food report for 2015 finally finished!

It has taken me over a year to get it written up on the Dibb. I have yet to update my actual trippie. Maybe one day I'll get around to doing it