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MouseDining Community Review: California Grill

General, Restaurant Reviews By Alison Haselden April 5, 2023 No Comments

Ever wondered if Disney’s California Grill is actually worth the hype? Real life MouseDining user, Ashley recently used MouseDining to score a prime time dining reservation to enjoy the special 50th Anniversary 3-course tasting menu and fireworks show with a friend. And lucky for you, she gave us a play-by-play of her experience!

Here’s what Ashley of Pixie & Magic had to say about her experience dining at Disney’s California Grill restaurant:

“Now my experience at California Grill was absolutely amazing! For this being my first time it definitely gave me a good impression! The service from the Cast Members were exceptional! Our waiter, Walter, was so much fun and helped us picked some yummy dishes! Right now they have a 3-Course Meal to celebrate the 50th Celebration! From the drinks to the main course and ending with dessert everything was to perfection! And it didn’t hurt that you saw Space Mountain (my fave) and Cinderella’s Castle as your view.”

Ashley ordered the Rainbow Roll (Tuna, Salmon, Hamachi, Avocado, Mango, Pickled Watermelon Radish) for her California Grill appetizer:

For her main course, she ordered the Cast Iron-grilled Pork Tenderloin (Goat Cheese Polenta, Forest Mushrooms, Lacquered Pork Belly, Root Spinach, Corn, Zinfandel Glaze):

For dessert, she enjoyed the California Grill’s Meyer Lemon Chiffon Cake (Chevre Whip, Meringue, Blueberry Foam, Blueberry Gel):

Here’s a quick rundown of the California Grill restaurant highlights:

This restaurant is located in Walt Disney World at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
On the 15th floor of the hotel, guests enjoy a view of the Seven Seas Lagoon and Magic Kingdom park while they dine. This dining experience is known as one of the best for catching the Magic Kingdom fireworks display.
Only dinner reservations are available at California Grill.
The dress code for the California Grill restaurant is described by Disney as, “Sophisticated and upscale aesthetic. Clothing should be clean, neat and in good condition. Please no swimwear.”
The 3-Course Tasting Menu at California Grill is $89 for adults and $39 for children.

Ashley said that using MouseDining has transformed her Disney planning experience into a more peaceful one.

She said, “I was finally able to mark California Grill off of my Disney Dining Bucket List all thanks to my beautiful friends over at MouseDining. They are an online service that set alerts for when when certain dining, tours, special events are available for the time & date that you want! Especially for the rare places we want to try; once it’s available MouseDining will send you that alert immediately and you’ll be able to book. No need to pound the app (which I used to do in the past a lot). Now this has me covered & I can book in peace.”

Want to plan your very own California Grill dinner date night? Try MouseDining today.

Paddlefish Blackened Catfish Sandwich with a Surprise

General, Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self January 31, 2023 Tags: blackened catfish sandwich, catfish, cheesecake, crab topped fries, Disney dining, Disney Springs, lunch, paddlefish, seafood, walt disney world No Comments

Poor Paddlefish, you get overlooked so often. How can this happen? Your restaurant looks like a huge boat. This restaurant located in The Landing at Disney Springs often plays second fiddle to The Boathouse when it comes to seafood at Disney Springs. As Walt Disney World’s own website says, “Turn lunch or dinner into a unique occasion! Board an iconic steamboat anchored on Lake Buena Vista to feast on sensational seafood and savory steaks.” Despite that description, Paddlefish restaurant ranks slightly below average in terms of Disney Springs restaurants searched for. Yes, the competition will always be tough with 21 table-service dining options in Disney Springs currently. Still, this place offers some good options for your dining dollars. For example, during my October 2022 trip, I ordered the “Blackened Catfish Sandwich” at Paddlefish.

The catfish sandwich entree costs $18. This sandwich can only be bought during lunch hours here though. The standard lunch hours are from noon to 4 pm each day, The sandwich comes with a large portion of fries. The components of this sandwich qualify as simple. On a brioche bun, you receive lettuce, tomato, onion, and some remoulade sauce on top of the catfish.

As someone who grew up in Arkansas, I have enjoyed many catfish meals in my life. The catfish for this sandwich came well prepared. This type of fish blackens nicely. I found the seasoning to be solid. Yet, I would have preferred more seasoning of the catfish itself. The catfish offered a flaky texture without too much batter. The flavor overall of the catfish matches what one would expect at a table service restaurant.

The bun offered some additional positive flavor. However, this sandwich struggled to hold together. In addition, I failed to really taste the remoulade sauce included with this sandwich. After having the “Crab Topped Fries” as an appetizer, this condiment functioned in an understated way compared to the sauce with the appetizer. Maybe it is just me, but I expected remoulade sauce to announce its presence with authority.

As mentioned, the side of the fries provides plenty. The fries brought the right amount of crispiness. I found they lacked enough seasoning though. They also lowered in quality noticeably as you got near the bottom of the container.

Overall, I found this sandwich a reasonable lunch entrée at Disney Springs. I would order this again. Yet, I enjoy catfish. If you are not a catfish fan, then this might not appeal to you. However, if looking for a lighter style lunch, you should consider this sandwich.

However, my meal came with a special surprise. With some expected chicanery by my dining companion on the day, Tom from Vacationeers Podcast, our server, Sandra, brought me one of their New York-style cheesecakes. Tom qualifies as a large fan of cheesecake so we both enjoyed this dessert. This simple, but well-made, cheesecake comes with some whipped cream and fruit. The fruit tastes great. Of course, fruit just tastes better in Florida compared to many other places. We found this cheesecake to be a good dessert. The Paddlefish menu says it costs $10 coming with farm-fresh strawberry compote. Well, we got strawberries but also two lonely blackberries also. If dining here, this dessert deserves consideration for the completion of your meal.

I have another cautionary tale about Walt Disney World’s technology and website. The Disney website lists this dessert as $9. I confirmed with the staff that the cheesecake has cost $10 for some time. As always, when possible, search the official restaurant website when planning a visit to Disney Springs for accurate information on menu items and prices.

If looking to visit here, I suggest making a reservation here. Of course, MouseDining’s service helps with that. Whatever you decide, enjoy your vacation. As always eat like you mean it!

Rainforest Cafe Disney Springs Dining Review: Trying to Find a Good Sandwich

General, Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self January 20, 2023 Tags: animatronics, Blue Mountain Chicken Sandwich, Disney dining, Disney Springs, Landry's Select Club, Rainforest Cafe, reservations, walt disney world, zesty sauce No Comments

One of the most straightforward patterns in the theme park dining reviews involves mocking the chain-type restaurants on theme park property. You can rant about why anyone would eat at that place when you can find those restaurants in other locations away from the theme park resort. After you do that, then you rant again about the low quality of food offered at many of these highly themed chain restaurants. For example, those valid criticisms apply when writing a review about Rainforest Cafe. Since the main reason to visit Rainforest Cafe revolves around kids loving animatronics, the food often takes second place (and sometimes third place). What should you order here if you want something decent instead of overpriced (even for Disney Springs) food? Visitors have tried to solve this mystery for so long. Yet, I decided to give it a try also.

Rainforest Cafe in Disney Springs consistently falls in the top five most searched-for advanced dining reservations in Disney Springs. Despite the weaknesses of this place, reservations can be tough to acquire. I used MouseDining, of course. I received an alert about two weeks before my latest trip to Orlando. Some reservation drama with Rainforest Cafe involves this being a Landry’s restaurant. The Landry’s restaurant group holds back reservations for their club members and holds walk-up spots for them. If you really need a reservation here, you should consider joining Landry’s Select Club.

However, the food quality rarely earns high marks if you obtain a reservation. People become frustrated before eating when you add in the awkward check-in process, even with a reservation. For example, with my 11:00 reservation, I waited in a queue from 10:50 am until 11:13 am just to move to another line to wait five more minutes to be seated. This pattern is typical here. We even have circumstantial evidence during my visit that they knew to expect a food blogger, which still happened.

Eventually, I reached my table. I wanted to try out one of their sandwiches for this dining review. The sandwich choices led me to the “Blue Mountain Chicken Sandwich.” Before I could order that, my server started aggressively pushing the alcoholic beverages before noon. I know a few weeks of theme park research during the daytime hours and typing all night can be challenging, but maybe he thought I needed a drink. Once we moved passed that awkwardness, I ordered the sandwich. This sandwich cost $21.99. This sandwich consists of lemon grilled chicken, bacon, Swiss cheese, roasted red peppers, lettuce, and Rainforest Cafe’s Zesty Safari Sauce. Like most entrees, this comes with fries.

You are not alone if you find that price point a bit high for a table service sandwich. This place often gives guests sticker shock. The price point indicates that most guests expect a higher quality of food. Yet, Rainforest Café tends to produce food at Applebee’s or Chili’s level for far more money. For the record, I enjoy chain bar & grill places but would not expect to pay $21 for a sandwich and fries there.

While I waited for my lunch, I gazed at the animatronics nearby. The fact that a simulated tropical storm happens within this restaurant every so often is noticed by me. The real tropical storm, of a different sort, Nicole approached Florida on the day I had this lunch.

When my lunch arrived, the presentation lacked any natural flair. I tried one of the fries first. They tasted better than average Walt Disney World fries to their credit, so I found a positive there. The first few bites of the sandwich offered a better-than-expected flavor. The chicken itself faces being overwhelmed a bit, however. As I continued to eat this sandwich, I discovered that the flavor mainly came from the pepper jack cheese and peppers. When I tasted the chicken, I found it lacked an upbeat flavor. This may be why my server brought some yellow mustard.

Since adding mustard seemed odd with the zesty sauce already on the sandwich, I had to see if mustard helped. I cut off a sandwich section and then placed mustard on it. I found the mustard to be a neutral factor. Still, I spilled some mustard on my favorite generic Marvel shirt when visiting theme parks in the Orlando area. Since I sometimes do not know which major theme park resort, I will be visiting when packing my clothes, I prioritize Marvel clothing since it is appropriate at both major Orlando area theme park resorts. It says something about my weaknesses, but I despise seeing Disney shirts at Universal and Universal shirts at Disney. Yes, that counts as a “me” issue but back to the sandwich.

In evaluating the rest of the sandwich while sitting with mustard on my shirt, the bread worked well as a palate for this sandwich. The quality of bacon ranks as average to below average. When I consumed the second half of my sandwich, I found it lacked as much cheese and peppers as the other half, so the quality dropped dramatically.

My initial reaction to this sandwich would be to declare it a decent lunch option. Yes, even in Disney Springs, the price point exceeds a reasonable level by at least a few dollars. However, this could work for you if you want a chicken sandwich with flavor but not an overwhelming amount of spice. Yet, be prepared for inconsistent levels of flavors with this sandwich. However, when you can order the new Britton’s Chicken Salad Sandwich at Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming for less money, this sandwich should be a low priority for most guests.

One last thing, the interior of Rainforest Cafe will be dark to allow special effects to be maximized. When you leave, be prepared for the bright Florida sun. For the record, I forgot about this. Please learn from my mistakes. As always, eat like you mean it!

MouseDining Community Spotlight: Lamplight Lounge

General By Alison Haselden December 8, 2022 No Comments

Cassi from the popular Disney YouTube channel, Cassi’s Castle took us on her trip to Disneyland’s California Adventure featuring a special brunch at the Lamplight Lounge!

The Lamplight Lounge is the perfect restaurant to sit back and relax while still feeling like you’re part of the action at California Adventure, thanks in large part to the spectacular view of Paradise Pier.

The Lamplight Lounge offers brunch, lunch and dinner as well as a casual bar for Guests to grab a drink or snack if they’re not looking for a full meal.

What to eat at the Lamplight Lounge for brunch

Cassi and her friends raved over the The Falling with Style Festive non-alcoholic drink ($7) with Pixar ball-themed straw accessory and the Mimosa Flight ($27). They also enjoyed several of the fan-favorite brunch dishes on the Lamplight Lounge menu including:

Crab and Potato Cake Benedict ($22) – Cassi gave this Disney meal a 10/10!

This meal is made up of Potato Cake Benedict with Sautéed Spinach, Soft-poached Eggs, and Chipotle Hollandaise with Fresh Fruit

Lamplight Chilaquiles ($20)

This dish consists of House-made Tortilla Chips tossed in a 3-Chile Red Sauce, Cheddar-Jack, Two Eggs-up, Queso Fresco, Red Onions, Cilantro-Serrano Sour Cream and Sliced Avocado, topped with Pepitas

Indulgent French Toast ($20)

This decadent brunch includes Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Challah Bread, Irish Cream Whip, Maple Syrup, Macerated Berries and House-made Almond Brittle

Getting Disney reservations with MouseDining

Here’s what Cassi had to say about using MouseDining to help plan her Disney trips and dining reservations:

“It’s super easy. I feel like it’s great for when you’re planning your Disney trips because reservations are always the hardest and fill up so fast. I feel like MouseDining is the best way to go about planning your Disney trip!”

Click the image below to watch Cassi’s full video on her experience! (View from 0:00 – 05:53)

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNAABME3IfE&ab_channel=Cassi%E2%80%99sCastle

Here’s a quick rundown of the Lamplight Lounge restaurant highlights:

This restaurant is well-loved for it’s cocktail selection as well as popular dishes such as the lobster nachos, tuna poke, and the Pastrami-spiced Impossible™ plant-based burger.
Animation lovers will enjoy featured sketches and characters around the restaurant’s decor, napkins, and menu.
Most meals range between $15 to $34.99 per adult
This location tends to get particularly crowded later in the evening for the prime view of the pier and World of Color light and water show. You’ll definitely want to use MouseDining to help snag a reservation during peak hours!
Brunch is only offered on weekends, don’t forget to double check your schedule if a brunch meal is on your must-do list.

Lamplight Lounge Hours:

On weekdays (Monday – Thursday)

Lunch – 11:30 AM to 3:55 PM

Dinner – 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM

On weekends (Friday – Sunday)

Brunch – 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Lunch – 2:00 PM to 3:55 PM

Dinner – 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Click here to try MouseDining for yourself and make your next Disney dining reservation magical – just like Cassi!

The 6 Best Disney Foodie Podcasts

General By Alison Haselden November 14, 2022 No Comments

When there are so many amazing Disney dining opportunities to choose from, it’s easy for even the most experienced Disney foodie to fall into “analysis paralysis” and get overwhelmed.

What’s the must-eat Disney meal of the moment? Is the cool atmosphere and theming worth the hype? Does the price point actually match the quality?

If you’re anything like our team, the first place you go to get the real scoop on the best Disney tips and tricks are Disney podcasts! And since we’re all about the food here at MouseDining, we rounded up 6 of our favorite Disney foodie podcast episodes to inspire you!

Happy listening…and eating!

Dining at Disney Podcast

The Dining at Disney Podcast is hosted by Kristen Hoetzel-Go and Vincent “Bubba” Alvarez and is the number one Disney podcast for non-stop Disney foodie information. Kristen and Bubba provide delicious discussion on the wonderful world of dining at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Episodes release weekly and always include the latest food news, expert tips, recommendations, and trip planning advice related specifically to Disney dining, making it one of our personal favorites on the list.

This is one of our favorite episodes.

Main Street Magic Podcast

Main Street Magic is a Disney podcast hosted by Jeremy and Rhonda Stein. Fun fact about these hosts? They (along with their two daughters) have visited Walt Disney World every single month for over 5 years and counting. They provide the latest content, news and reviews on both parks and resorts in Orlando, Florida. Main Street Magic podcast has been running since 2017. They aim to provide an “informative, realistic, unbiased and entertaining podcast to help serve the Disney and Universal community for both veterans and rookies.”

We suggest tuning into Episode 381.

My DVC Points Podcast

Host Chad Pennycuff leads the My DVC Points podcast. If you are a Disney Vacation Club member, this is the Disney podcast show for you! According to their website, “We are a member-to-member community dedicated to helping each other maximize their DVC memberships by learning about other members’ perspectives, experiences, and personal preferences”. My DVC Points is a positive show with a healthy dose of realism.

Check out Episode 212.

DLWeekly Podcast

Disneyland Weekly (The DLWeekly Podcast) is hosted by Tage and Theresa. This duo provides weekly news and information specifically about the Disneyland Resort, with the occasional feature of one of the other parks or resorts. One unique element of this Disney podcast are the unique featured guests including former Disney Imagineers, cast members, and current Disney-adjacent CEOs. Listeners can expect a variety of insider information with a nice focus on dining scattered throughout. New episodes are released every Wednesday.

Episode 192 is our favorite!

A Dose of Magic Podcast

The A Dose of Magic Podcast is hosted by your new favorite set of brothers from Philadelphia, Ryan and Brett Sheplock. This Disney podcast show offers a wide variety of conversations under the Disney umbrella, from theme park hacks to Disney+ chats to parks and resorts food favorites and observations about the people of Disney. Each episode is “bite-sized” at around 30 min or less, making the show an easy car ride or binge listen.

Tune in to Episode 45 for a little extra magic.

No-Guilt Disney Podcast

Hosts Patty, Theresa, and Jane are self-proclaimed “Disney fan girls” who highlight year-round tips and tricks on the No-Guilt Disney Podcast, but with a heavy focus on special events like the runDisney marathons, D23 expos, and more. Their friendship and banter is the star of the show as they share candid stories of the Disney parks experience. “Segments include listener-submitted memorable moments and unpopular opinions as well as travel planning tips and discussions”.

We loved this episode of the show.

Whether you’re just tuning in on the journey to Disney World or Disneyland or are a regular listener, we’re curious…what’s your favorite Disney podcast? Who should we add to our list?

MouseDining loves to support the Disney Creator community. If you a Disney podcast host looking to collaborate with MouseDining, send us a message: alison@mousedining.com

Best Caramel Treats of Fall Season at Walt Disney World Resort

General By Courtney Harris November 13, 2022 No Comments

This time of year means changing leaves, crisp air, time spent with family, and, of course, delicious treats and flavors – apple, pumpkin, cinnamon and caramel! Just thinking about the perfect harmony of sweet and savory snacks makes us excited for all this season has in store. Here at Disney Parks, they’re celebrating with specialty menu items fit for anyone who’s craving the flavors of fall, as well as those wanting to kick-off winter festivities, too!

The sweet smells pouring out the door at the Karamell-Küche in EPCOT never fail to draw me in for a special treat. This shop in the Germany pavilion – the only Werther’s Original store in the world – features classic caramel treats as well as delectable limited-time offerings that are sure to make your mouth water.

Experience sweet magic as our cast members toss freshly-popped kernels into a basin of warm caramel to create a signature bag of guest-favorite Werther’s Original Hand-Crafted Caramel Popcorn (fun fact: this delightful popcorn is only available at the Karamell-Küche at EPCOT and Big Top Treats at Magic Kingdom Park!). Then, select a velvety treat from the glass case – perhaps a Werther’s Original Caramel Square with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt or a Werther’s Original Caramel S’more. Whatever you decide, don’t forget to check out the mobile order service, which can put your favorite treat in your hands even faster with just a few taps on the My Disney Experience app.

Today, we’re excited to announce the new seasonal menu items found exclusively at the Karamell-Küche. Check out all of these new items that are covered in our favorite smooth, creamy Werther’s caramel and feature flavors to fuel our festive fall spirit.

First up, the Werther’s Original Caramel Holiday Flight: Four Werther’s Original Caramel mini-Squares inspired by Cranberry, Eggnog, Gingerbread, and Snickerdoodle flavors.

Werther’s Original Caramel Snickerdoodle Cookie: Cinnamon Sugar Cookie drizzled with Werther’s Original Caramel.

Werther’s Original Caramel Gingerbread Cookie Sandwich: Two soft Gingerbread Cookies with Buttercream Icing and Werther’s Original Caramel.

But that’s not all! The caramel craving you’re after can be cured in select confectionary locations at Walt Disney World Resort, too, including:

Big Top Treats at Magic Kingdom Theme Park
Zuri’s Sweets Shop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Candy Cauldron and Goofy’s Candy Company at Disney Springs
Bayview Gifts at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Screen Door General Store at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

And don’t forget these delicious, seasonal menu items featuring Werther’s Original Caramel that are available now:

Werther’s Original Caramel Hot Cocoa Square: Werther’s Original Caramel Hot Cocoa flavored Square with Dark Chocolate and Mini Marshmallows.

Werther’s Original Caramel Fruit & Nut Granola Bar: Granola Bar with Almonds, Oats, and Cranberries layered with Werther’s Original Caramel and a sprinkle of Sea Salt.

Minnie Reindeer Apple: Granny Smith Caramel Apple with a White Chocolatey Coating and Red Bow, Marshmallows, Milk Chocolate Antlers, and Fondant features.

Mickey Red Ornament Apple: Granny Smith Caramel Apple with a White Chocolatey Coating, Marshmallows, Red Sugar, and Fondant Snowflakes.

Mickey Blue Ornament Apple: Granny Smith Caramel Apple with a White Chocolatey Coating, Marshmallows, Blue Sugar, and Fondant Snowflakes.

Be sure to savor these delectable treats as they make their holiday debut. And if you’re planning ahead for your next Walt Disney World vacation, not to fret – we keep sweet treats stocked all year long!

Best Pizza Within Walt Disney World Domestic Parks

General By Jon Self November 9, 2022 No Comments

Recently, Disney Parks Blog put out a promotional piece linking with the Hulu streaming service show declaring the not-at-all-definitive best pizza options in Disney domestic parks. When I saw this list, I drew back in horror at first. I could name at least ten better pizza options than the ones listed just on Walt Disney World property. That would not even include the California parks. However, that blog says in the Disney Parks—not on Disney property. With that very narrow range of choices, only one place qualifies as good pizza within the domestic Disney theme parks. In that blog, at least they got that correct. If you are just looking for pizza to fill your stomach so you can keep going, Disney Parks have plenty of that. Yet, the quality rates as below average most of the time.

If you have read many of my theme park food reviews, you know how I feel about pizza and burgers in Orlando area theme park resorts. For transparency, if you were to check my mobile phone for fast food apps, you would find many burger places on it. I enjoy burgers. I recommend burgers often—just not the counter service ones at Walt Disney World. Also, in fairness, I love pizza. However, at this stage of life, I do not want to spend large amounts of money on below-average pizza. Walt Disney World offers a significant amount of sub-par pizza. We can debate the water use or the dough as the culprit. However, I avoid paying about $10 for a below-average slice of pizza at any of the Orlando area theme parks.

Photo Credit: Via Napoli social media

This begs the question: “Where do you find decent pizza inside Walt Disney World Resort?” You could visit Disney Springs for counter-service pizza at Pizza Ponte. The price point will not destroy your budget. Still, that pizza will not change your life either. Several of the Italian options at Walt Disney World offer pizza. I recently visited Terralina Crafted Italian. That pizza experience went well (with their burger) there. However, Walt Disney World veterans continually insist that Via Napoli Ristorante offers the best pizza on the property. Though I might dispute that claim, Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria in Epcot easily wins the battle of in-park pizza options. Remember, the blog focused only on in-park pizza options.

Photo courtesy of Rope Drop Radio

I must advise you that this recommendation tends to overlook the high price point for this Epcot table service dining option. For example, an individually portioned pizza here costs around $25. In fairness, the individual-sized pizza would not be the correct decision here anyway.

The pizzas here magically appear from a wood-fired oven. Some guests find watching the chefs work on these pizzas very entertaining. Some find themselves amused by the faces featured in these ovens. Still, the quick preparation process involving these ovens does create a consistent appearance and texture.

As the recent Disney Parks Blog wrote: “It comes as no surprise that the traditional Neapolitan pizza of Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria is on this list. Nestled into the Italy Pavilion at EPCOT, a trip to Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria will transport you across the boot, with Venetian architecture from the North to Sicilian artwork from the South. This pizza is crafted with San Marzano tomatoes and real Caputo flour imported straight from Southern Italy earning the stamp of approval from authentic Italians.” Once again, some of those words qualify as toeing the company line. Still, the pizza produced here exceeds the quality found elsewhere in the area theme parks.

The pizza comes in a thin-crust style. Yet, something magical happens when the pepperoni emerges from the wood-fired oven. The pepperoni curls up into cup fashion looking delicious and greasy, of course. Though some debate exists about the type of cheese being used on Via Napoli pizzas these days, the portion of cheese will excite most pizza fans. Of course, you can order a pizza without pepperoni. Still, that topping seems to work best here. The crust tastes light and crispy, The sauce tastes better than most commercial sauces and matches this type of pizza well.

The largest drawback of pizza here would be the price. The best way to play the price game here would be to order a “Metro Mezzo” size pizza. This half-meter pizza should feed three to four people. Even at $50 or so, dividing that among three or four people make a reasonable value for table service dining in Epcot. However, if you have been settling for counter-service pizza, then this pizza will taste incredible. I have heard some people complain that the pizza crust is so thin that even this size pizza will not satisfy three or four people.

Photo courtesy of Rope Drop Radio

If dining here, expect slower than normal service. This place continues to be popular and busy. Also, depending on where you find yourself seated, this place generates a large amount of noise. In addition, if you were planning to order a larger pizza than you need intending to take some back to your room, they rarely have boxes for to-go pizza here.

Despite some of these potential negatives, Walt Disney World fans adore Via Napoli. Pizza plays the role of the star of the show. If craving good pizza while in the theme parks, Via Napoli reigns as the best, if not only good option. Though this would be classified as the toughest place to get an advance dining reservation in Epcot, these reservation slots will go quickly. If you want to dine here, be ready 60 days in advance and consider setting an alert at MouseDining.com. As always, eat like you mean it!

Breakfast Buffet Under $25 at Walt Disney World

General, Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self October 28, 2022 No Comments

Narrowing down your breakfast options when vacationing at Walt Disney World can be difficult. Do you want to eat simple breakfast food in your room? Are you going to try to get a basic quick-service breakfast at Starbucks or a food court for example? Do you want a buffet breakfast? Most of the breakfast buffets involve character dining. Do you need/want to experience character dining? If so, how much are you willing to spend? Since character breakfast often possesses a higher price tag around $45 or more, how many times will you do that? A few places on-site offer a type of buffet breakfast to start your day well without that higher price point. An example of this connects to the Ale and Compass buffet at Disney’s Yacht Club.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Ale and Compass restaurant serves breakfast from 7:30 am to 11:00 am each day of the week. Reservations would be recommended here. When I checked on availability when typing this, I found options most days. I did notice most of the open times were the earlier time slots. Based on that unscientific data, if you want a later breakfast time, then you should probably set an alert at MouseDining and/or book a reservation 60 days in advance.

Some of the “buffet” items here
(Photo courtesy of Claudia McCain)

This restaurant offers an interesting set-up for a buffet. In addition, guests may purchase an entrée only. However, I suspect you will lean towards getting this place’s version of a buffet, The menu description of the buffet reads like this “Seasonal Fruit, Assorted Yogurt Parfaits, Assorted Breakfast Pastries, House-made Granola, Cheddar Biscuits and Country Gravy, and Warm Cinnamon Rolls. Includes choice of one (1) Entrée. Coffee, Tea, Juice, or Soft Drinks are included.” So, this would not be a traditional buffet but more of an add-on. This add-on becomes very appealing since you get a beverage included this way. Since most beverages here cost over $4, the add-on buffet brings some value. The cost for this add-on-style buffet for adults is $23. This add-on buffet includes an entrée which serves as an important variable.

For full disclosure, I started initial work on this article several months ago. The price of many of the entrees has increased noticeably since then. Yet the buffet price itself has not changed much. In my opinion, this location wants to sell more of its version of a buffet so this pricing steers guests that way. In fairness, this Ale and Compass buffet offerings make a good value if looking for a full hearty breakfast. If looking for a light breakfast, the entrees could provide that, but the price point might not be as appealing.

I will attempt to highlight the breakfast entrée options. Whether you get just an entrée or the buffet add-on, your entrée choice will matter.

Some traditional breakfast options here are an American Breakfast (Two Eggs-Any Style, choice of Sausage or Bacon served with Potatoes) for $16 and a Country Ham and Cheddar Omelet (with Arugula and Breakfast Potatoes) for $17. Another “safe” but quality offering would be the Blueberry-Bacon Pancakes (with a choice of Sausage or Bacon) for $15. If pancakes are not enough for your sweet tooth, then you might want to try the Salted Caramel-Apple French Toast (with a choice of Sausage or Bacon) for $16.

Photo courtesy of Caludai McCain

At this point, you should start to see why a $23 “buffet” looks appealing. For about $6 more, you get a beverage and all the buffet items with your entrée. Once again, considering character breakfasts cost twice as much, the buffet offers some vacation budget relief. With a breakfast protein bowl, shrimp and grits, and crab cake benedict costing $19 or more, the add-on buffet makes a good deal.

I Should not break down every one of the current ten breakfast entrees offered here. Yet, waffle fans need to try Dark Chocolate Waffles. They consist of dried cherry compote, espresso-mascarpone cream, chocolate shavings, and a choice of sausage or bacon. You get three small waffles that might be able to be shared. These black forest-style waffles possess an almost cupcake-like flavor and texture. If you love cherries and chocolate, then this will be your dish. These cost $15 for just the entrée.

For the savory breakfast choices, you can get a breakfast flatbread for $14. This includes a sunny–side style egg, applewood-smoked bacon, ham, provolone, and arugula. This provides a unique savory combination to start your day. Also, you could order the smoked salmon and toasted bagel sandwich for $!7. This includes herbed cream cheese, pickled red onions, vine-ripened tomatoes, and avocado. You also receive house-made chips. You can substitute another side with this, even French fries if desired. The bagel tastes reasonably good but will not impress any bagel expert. However, it holds together while eating this sandwich.

Overall, Ale and Compass will not blow you away in terms of fine dining. Still, a quality table service breakfast for under $25 requires consideration on-site at Walt Disney World. Especially if looking to avoid high price character meals, Ale and Compass deserve a look. As always, eat like you mean it!

Should You Consider Sebastian’s Bistro for Dinner?

General By Jon Self October 6, 2022 No Comments

I sat down for my theme park writing morning (of course for a while every morning is theme park writing morning now) to see an update of the most searched for dining reservations at Walt Disney World. The MouseDining system tracks this. Some restaurants I just get used to seeing at the top of a list like Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, Space 220, and Cinderella’s Royal Table for example. I looked at the ranking for the Walt Disney World Resort hotel restaurants to see a different restaurant in first place instead of Topolino’s Terrace. To my surprise, Ohana ranked as the top searched for restaurant in that category.

I tried to determine what caused this change in rankings. My conclusion revolves around the return of characters for dining there increasing searching for those advance dining reservations. Then, I pondered what one would do if they wanted to eat at Ohana, but a reservation was not possible. I asked myself where you would go if you did not want to pay for the upcharge tat character dining creates. Sure, you could order from a nearby lounge to get some of the Ohana menu for dinner. However, what if your group really wanted table service dining?

Since I have been doing a large amount of research about more budget friendly table service dining at Walt Disney World, I had a thought. Ohana costs $55 for dinner for an adult. My easily distracted brain scanned through the list of restaurants until I reached Sebastian’s Bistro at Caribbean Beach Resort. Now, the food at Sebastian’s fails to match quality at Ohana. Still, a similar meal at Sebastian’s costs $29 per adult. Please respect that I took a long way to get to discuss Sebastian’s Bistro, but what is done is done.

Why would I even suggest Sebastian’s as a “poor man’s alternative” to Ohana? Well, this place costs less, of course, and it will be easier to get an advance dining reservation. According to the latest MouseDining search data, Sebastian’s Bistro falls a little below middle of list of most searched for resort hotel restaurants. In addition, this menu will satisfy most any appetite or dietary need.

Like Ohana, your meal comes with unlimited refills of the food skillets or plates. Also, your meal starts with signature bread. At Sebastian’s Bistro, they bring buttery house-baked pull-apart rolls. These come with guava butter and caramelized onion jam. The butter and the jam make this bread taste wonderful. Based on my recent experiences with bread at Ohana, I prefer the Sebastian’s version.

Soon after the bread service, you receive the salad course for dinner at Sebastian’s Bistro. The Spice Necklace Salad includes mixed greens and kale with spiced candied pumpkin seeds, tropical fruit, and radish with key lime dressing. The overall balance of this salad offers diners a good quality salad. One complaint I hear, and agree with, involves the radishes sometimes being lower quality. Still, I have heard of guests requesting more than one serving of this salad for their group.

The main course earns the title of “Taste of the Caribbean.” Guests may order this in standard form or vegan friendly version. The standard selection comes as a plate of oven-roasted citrus chicken, slow-cooked mojo pork with mango sambal, grilled chili-rubbed beef with mojito relish served with cilantro rice and beans, vegetable curry, and grilled seasonal vegetables. Just like the salad, guests may request unlimited amounts of these dishes. Consider the cost for an adult is $29, that makes for excellent value especially at Walt Disney World. You can upgrade your dining experience for $8 more per person by adding shrimp.

The vegan version of “Taste of the Caribbean” offers some expected alternatives. Vegan diners may enjoy an Impossible™ kabob, fried jerk tofu, and Impossible™ sausage served with cilantro rice and red beans, vegetable curry, and grilled seasonal vegetables. I have not consumed this version at Sebastian’s Bistro. However, my friends dining exclusively vegan stated this meal holds up very well in terms of vegan dining on Walt Disney World property.

Like Ohana, dessert consists of bread pudding. Sebastian’s Bistro offers a plant-based version also. Sebastian’s calls their version a coconut-pineapple bread pudding. This bread pudding gets drizzled with caramel sauce. Vanilla ice cream finishes this concept. The vegan version involves plant based caramel sauce and vanilla rice milk frozen dessert.

I love Ohana. I see why many people want to dine there. However, often overlooked Sebastian’s Bistro offers an incredible theme park resort value for an excellent meal. Once again, the food at Ohana rates higher. Does it deserve to cost almost twice as much as Sebastian’s Bistro? I suggest it does not. Especially if looking to save a bit of money during your vacation, a trip to Caribbean Beach Resort for Sebastian’s Bistro might be what your budget ordered. As always, eat like you mean it!

MouseDining Community Review: Skipper Canteen

General By Alison Haselden September 6, 2022 No Comments

Want to hear from a real MouseDining user like you? Meet Liz!

She recently used MouseDining to secure her Disney date night reservation at The Skipper Canteen, and made a vlog about her experience, from setting her MouseDining alert, to picking the perfect outfit for her date, to the actual meal.

Liz said, “Robby and I have been wanting to go to Skipper Canteen for YEARS! Thanks to MouseDining, we were finally able to make that happen. Come along with us as we outfit plan, do a little last-minute DIY, and have a romantic date night in the most magical place on earth! Check out my YouTube video to see my full experience.”

In her YouTube video, Liz shares, “If you’ve ever tried to book dining reservations at Disney, you know it isn’t the most…intuitive or easy way to do things. The way that the dining reservations are organized, sometimes the reservation that you want is like hiding away. It’s so nice that you don’t have to keep checking the site manually.”

“So MouseDining just does it all for you! In my experience of using the service for two or three reservations so far, I’ve been able to get all the reservations I wanted which is incredible! The process of booking it was absolutely fantastic. Thus far I’ve had great success with MouseDining.”

We love seeing how much joy is part of our clients’ experience of a Disney dining adventure. Liz celebrated the fun night out by creating her very own DIY Skipper Canteen Hat with Mickey Ears to fit the theme of the restaurant (check out her video above to see how she did it!).

Here’s a quick rundown of the Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen restaurant highlights:

Skipper Canteen has three quirky dining areas: the crew’s colonial-era Mess Hall; the Jungle Room, former parlor of Dr. Albert Falls himself; and the S.E.A. Room – a once-secret meeting place for the Society of Explorers and Adventures.
This restaurant is located in Walt Disney World at Magic Kingdom in Adventureland
Both lunch and dinner reservations are available at Skipper Canteen, with times reflecting park hours daily
The menu varies, borrowing flavors from African, Asian, and Latin cuisine, offering both meat and veggie-forward options
Most menu options at The Skipper Canteen range between $15 – $34.99

Liz and Robby enjoyed a wonderful meal at Skipper Canteen and ended their Disney date night with a romantic waltz before heading home. Liz says she already has signed up for a few more reservation alerts from MouseDining to make sure she scores the perfect spots for when her friends come for a joint Disney trip next month!

Want to plan your very own Skipper Canteen date night? Try MouseDining today.

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