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Category Archives: Dining Plan
One of a Kind Dining – Le Cellier Steakhouse in Epcot
While planning our ADR’s for our October 2010 trip, I knew one thing was for sure, we were going to Le Cellier one way or another. Many Disney World enthusiasts suggested the restaurant and just by looking at the menu, I knew I had to try it out. The thing about Le Cellier is that their food is so awesome that it is hard to get a reservation! It is a highly sought after dining experience in Epcot, and really needs to be booked as early as possible so you can try them! You cannot just walk in this place, a reservation is a must!
To find Le Cellier you must go to the Canada Pavilion at Epcot. Once you arrive, you will check in with the host/hostess outside of a beautiful landscaped area with a very small fence around it. Le Cellier is located near the O’Canada! attraction and also has a Kidcot Funstop area. When we went, we checked in and headed directly to the Kidcot Funstop area until it was time to actually check into the restaurant. The kids were able to color cut outs of Duffy the bear and take them home with us.
When you actually go into the restaurant there is ambient lighting and it is a little cool. It is made to resemble a wine cellar that would be seen in a classy Canadian Chatauesque hotel. Our wait was 10 minutes at the most and was seated in a location close to the kitchen area. We were given our pretzel bread as soon as we sat down, let me tell you, it is AMAZING!! I am not much into pretzels usually, but this bread was so yummy! I dipped my bread into some Canadian cheese soup that I got for our 2 year old. She didn’t eat much and she decided to try it my way as well!
When the server took our orders, our wait was minimal, the kids were given activity menus and crayons for the wait. Everyone got something a little different. I ordered a Filet Mignon with Mushroom Risotto, my hubby ordered a Steak with Yukon Gold Potatoes, our son ordered Steak and Fries, and our toddler ate Meaty Macaroni and Fries. All of the food was amazing! My filet was cooked to perfection, it didn’t require any steak sauce as the taste was magnificent. Upon cutting the steaks, they were very juicy and succulent. The sides were delicious, especially the mushroom risotto.
Since we were on the dining plan, we ordered desserts! My hubby and I both got chocolate moose (yes it is moose, you
will see why!), our son had an ice cream sundae topped his way, and our daughter got fruit salad. The chocolate moose was smooth and divine! The chocolate creaminess was so good it put a smile on our faces! My son was raving about the ice cream sundae and our daughter loves fruit, so she was a happy little girl!
Bottom line, Le Cellier is a MUST DO!! The atmosphere, staff, food, the whole package is just wonderful! If you love good food, you need to at least go here once. All it will take is one try and you will want to come back each trip, I guarantee it!
Le Cellier is now a signature dining experience as of March 1,2011. If you use the dining plan it will cost 1 credit for lunch or 2 credits for dinner. For more information call (407) WDW- DINE or contact your travel agent!
Angelica and family live in Evansville, IN, as a mother of 2 she knows how important memories can be! She works as a Pixie Vacations agent planning trips to Disney Destinations! Her affinity with the Disney brand started at a young age and has carried on into adulthood. Her Blog “Pixie Dust and Mouse Ears” is her newest undertaking, it is informative, fun, and even has giveaways!
Contact her for a free, no obligation quote!
Angelica Hawkins
(812)604-1618
angelica@pixievacations.com
http://pixiedustandmouseears.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/pixievacations.angelica
Related articles
- New Menu at Le Cellier Now That It Has Completed Its Conversion to A Signature Dining Experience (easywdw.com)
- Le Cellier Steakhouse Graduates to ‘Signature’ Dining Experience (chipandco.com)
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Related articles
- Answers to Your Questions About “The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining” e-Book (disneyfoodblog.com)
Character Meals: A Disney Do or Don’t?
With hundreds of restaurants all around Disney World property, how do you choose what’s right for you? Dining with characters is one of the most unique experiences you can have in Disney. Is there anything better than breakfast with Mickey? Well, the answer to that can be quite controversial!
Are you thinking of making an advanced dining reservation with characters? Before you do, consider these pros and cons.
The Pros
- At character meals, you are pretty much guaranteed to see each of the characters that are at the restaurant without waiting in line! As you enjoy the food, the characters will make their rounds around the restaurant, stopping for pictures and autographs. There’s no need to stand in those daunting lines on Main Street or Fantasyland to see Pooh and Friends when you can see them at your Crystal Palace meal.
- All of the character meals are buffet. Disney buffets include such a variety of food that even the pickiest eaters will find something they enjoy. From appetizers to entrees to desserts, there is so much to choose from. You can definitely get your money’s worth!
- Whether you’re dining in a park or at a resort, there are plenty of options to fit your busy schedule. Not all restaurants that host character meals have them at every meal time, but no matter what time of the day you’re looking for, you’ll have several restaurants to pick from. Also, it’s not just your standard Mickey and Minnie at the meals — you can dine with Princesses, Lilo and Stitch, Winnie the Pooh, Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, and more! There really is something for everyone.
The Cons
- Like other special experiences in Disney, character meals can come with a high price tag, and some might even require a down payment. My best money-saving tip? Plan a character meal during lunchtime. The same food is often served during both lunch and dinner, but the lunchtime price can be significantly lower.
- Character meals are often packed with kids, which can make for a hectic setting. If you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing meal, dining with characters are probably not be the best thing for you. Character meals can also be insanely popular and hard to reserve (think Cinderella’s Royal Table), so be sure to book as far in advance as possible (180 days is recommended).
- While there might be a wide variety of foods available at the buffets, it’s not the best food available on property. Some people have noted that the food isn’t as fresh as it could be, that it sits under the heat lamps at the buffets for too long. Also, the options for children are often limited to pizza, french fries and macaroni and cheese. If you’re looking for looking for the best cut of steak on property, you’re not going to find it at a character meal.
Overall, I’d say that character meals in Disney World are a DO! I highly recommend that everyone try one at one point to see if it’s right for you. While the food might not be signature restaurant quality, it is always delicious and has a lot of character!
Is Disney Brining Back Free Dining?
I don’t know about you but both my email box and postal mail box has been filling up with Disney Offers or Pin Codes. With a Walt Disney World vacation in the works the marketing team at Disney must have my number.
One of the best promotions in my opinion is the Free Dining Offer. I was sad when I heard last year that they were discontinuing it. For my family is had the best savings even over Kids Stay and Play Free Promotion.
With the free dining no longer on the table or so I thought I was surprised when I received this following promotion in the mail.
Here are the details:
Enjoy FREE Disney dining, The Chip and Company Family!
Everyone’s idea of the perfect Walt Disney World® vacation is different. That’s why we’ve got options to suit just about any taste and budget! Like the two great Magic Your Way package options below that include tickets, accommodations and FREE Disney dining!
Just choose the deal that’s right for you
for arrivals most nights 4/23–8/13/11.
| FREE Disney Dining Plan when you purchase a non-discounted, 5-night/5-day Magic Your Way vacation package that includes Theme Park tickets and accommodations at a select Disney Deluxe Resort or Disney Deluxe Villa Resort! For example, pay just $999 per adult Save $233 per adult! Over 100 select Walt Disney World restaurants, including some with Character Dining, participate in the Disney Dining Plan†! |
FREE Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan when you purchase a non-discounted, 5-night/5-day Magic Your Way vacation package that includes Theme Park tickets and accommodations at a select Disney Value Resort or Disney Moderate Resort! For example, pay just $627 per adult Save $175 per adult! Over 50 select Walt Disney World restaurants participate in the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan! |
So does mean that Disney is bringing back Free Dining? There is a lot of buzz in the forums and on many sites that they are.
Personally I don’t believe they are, while it is huge savings for the customer I am sure Disney takes a big hit in the pocket to shell out such a good deal across the board.
I talked to a travel agent friend of mine over at Pixie Vacations and she told me how the week we are going to WDW this fall the Value Resorts are completely booked already and that is still 6-7 months away, and in the slow season. So I am sure Disney is doing quite well. Not to mention Disney is turning huge profits according to various news outlets.
My suggestion would be to make your reservation with a Disney Travel Agent and tell them to let you know when and if Free Dining becomes available and then they can change your ressie to reflect the additional savings.
That is my two cents so lets hope I am wrong and there will be Free Dining for everyone!
Anytime is a good time to eat at Chef Mickey’s
On our most recent DisneyWorld vacation we had the opportunity to experience Chef Mickey’s not once but twice. We ate here for Breakfast and ventured in for Dinner as well. While the food is as different as night and day the experience was not. Like a cool breeze from an ice old AC unit on a hot summers day both meals were quite refreshing and extraordinary in their own individual way. Come with me as we journey to the Contemporary Resort and a little restaurant called Chef Mickey’s.
Chef Mickey’s is a buffet restaurant serving breakfast and dinner flavors—and your favorite Disney Characters!—at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. All the Disney Elite are there. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald and Daisy. They make their way around the dining room and stop at every table for autographs and photographs for you and your loved ones. The characters are dressed differently that you would see them in the parks which is very cool and as an added bonus you don’t have to wait in line to see them!
The star of the meals by far is the food.
Breakfast includes a premium fruit bar, cereal selections, American classics like pancakes, Mickey Mouse waffles, eggs, omelets, bacon, sausage, and pastries.
Quick Tip – Eating a big breakfast on a Disney Meal plan will help keep you fueled throughout the day..we always grab a few bananas and apples to take with us to snack on during the day till dinner.
Dinner is a delectable affair with roasted chicken, carved beef, savory sides and kids’ favorites. The make your own sundae bar was a highlight for me and I am not even a big Ice Cream person.
Quick Tip – The same characters are there for both breakfast & dinner so no worries if you are not a big breakfast eater, you can still meat Mickey & Friends.
The Contemporary Resort is one of my favorite resorts it is so huge and very open. Chef Mickey’s takes up a lot of real estate on the main floor. Whenever you get off the tram you can hear a buzzing from the diners and the food service people alike. Depending on the time of day before you even step foot into the open air restaurant you can smell those delectable dishes.
Quick Tip – If you have little children there is a sitting area with a TV running the Disney Channel for your little ones. We had to use this area for a time out and to settle our little one down. It’s off to the left of the enterance.
If you have never been here before of if you are a regular like us this is one Disney Restaurant that will remain a fan favorite for generations. We have never had a bad meal here or bad service so be sure to make an Advanced Dining Reservation as you will need it, and don’t forget to bring your appetite!
Enjoy!
