solo dining review 1/6 coral reef

[pokci]

Just got back from a week of solo bliss - loved it! Am planning next year's solo trip already!

Dining review #1:

Sunday 11/29 Coral Reef: sat at the tank window! Dining plan included an appetizer (this was dinner), mixed field greens - wonderful; an entree - grouper, not so good, but edible. I'm not a fan of tough fish so this may have been a great meal but won't be getting it again; a dessert - almond gelato - refreshingly pleasing! This was a CP package so used up two DDP credits but the ambience was nice, the fish were being fed while I was being fed and the server was lovely.

Caveat: as had been said before on these boards, be prepared to have little ones running by your table to get to the tank window! Otherwise, a bit noisy but I recommend it!

My ressie was for 3:30 and I was seated at 3:30on the dot.

[pokci]

11/30 Ressie for 11:50. I go to Akershus for the food and continue to be disappointed that EVERY meal is a princess meal, makes it very noisy.

Had the koldtbord which I love. Asked to be seated directly and bypass the picture. Ordered the salmon burger, very good, came with a soup, vegetable barley, very good as well and the chef's dessert. Chocolate moose, apple strudel type school bread and rice cream. My server was Trine who taught me 'tusentaag' as thank you very much!

Funny side bar, as the little kids were having meltdowns all around because a princess had not come to see them yet, a young mother of two girls, maybe 7 and 9, looked over at my peaceful table for one and said "I envy you!" "And you don't have to share desserts!" There is something to be said for travelling alone!

I always recommend Akershus in Norway and encourage parents to have their children try non-"Amercian" food. It's very good. Three of my counter service meals were at the Kringla Og Cafe! Best deal in town! Soup or salad, entree, dessert and beverage.

[pokci]

12/1 Dinner at the Biergarten at 4pm. I was seated with a lovely couple from the Villages who come to Disney each week. Our table also included a family of 5 from the West. The drinks are plentiful, the buffet very filling, though confusing for some folks, and the dessert selection was lovely. Try the berries and cream! The Musicanten performend and for the holidays, which I love, they invited everyone to sing along and gave gold coins to each child!

This is a great meal with a great festive atmosphere! A must do each time! This was also a CP package but I paid OOP for this one rather than use 2 more DDP credits.

[pokci]

12/2 I hitchiked with a family from Michigan! The DDP included an entreet, beverage and dessert. The beverage could be a milkshake. Knowing the portions are huge here, I opted for iced tea, the turkey club - huge and scrumptious, and a hot fudge sundae! So filling and so good! You don't have to get an appetizer because you'll burst if you do! The clips, as usual, are a hoot and the atmosphere is quite "real"!

Try it! My ressie was for 12:50 and I was seated by 12:55.

[pokci]

12/3 I know people often write on here that Le Cellier is overrated and that local steakhouses are better. Well, maybe your local steakhouse is better - but Le Cellier is always my best meal of any place I eat! I was seated within five minutes of my ressie and except for a rather obnoxious table next to me, the experience was lovely. I ate the pretzel and multigrain breadsticks, had the mushroom filet - done to perfection over creamy risotto, and ended with the maple creme brulee! A dream. The chance to sit alone gave me the unexpected luxury of watching the "choreography" of the restaurant. Le Cellier is the smallest eatery on property so the service and turnover have to work like a well flexed ballet! My compliments to the staff and management. Even when something unexpected happens, like an obnoxious table for four deciding to add one more half way through their meal and taking my extra chair and placing it squarely in the lane of server flow, the servers gave little away of their irritation and just rerouted themselves quickly and smoothly.

I will agree with previous posters, that the extention of the free DDP has lessened the experience of some of the places, including Le Cellier. It was noisier than usual and more families which almost automatically means, someone, namely a youngster, will have a meltdown half way through dinner. I'm hoping "free" dining goes away soon and is only offered at the end of the summer season.

Le Cellier is a must do every visit!

[pokci]

12/4 Mama Melrose

The only saving grace at thsi one, and this is my second chance for Mama is the Creme Limona. The seating took an extra 15 minutes post ressie time, the staff were a bit surly, the food was underwhelming and the atmosphere was entirely too noisy. Having said that, this was the only place the entire week where kids seemed mroe calm and more content with very few outbursts. I had the seared tuna, only so-so. I ordered the new mixed field greens with cumbled cheese and walnuts off the DDP, OOP, and enjoyed that very much. The creme Limona is why I came back and IT was better than I remembered. Next time I would come for the salad and dessert and pay OOP.

Caveat: The day I went is was a steady soaking rain in WDW. Be very careful of the wet floor at Mama's - it's very slippery and several people tok spills or near spills while I was waiting to be seated.

[pokci]

I'm a social person so going alone and eating alone didn't really worry me. The only place I got a little anxious was at Beirgarten. If you are seated with people who prefer not to talk to strangers, it can be a very lonely experience. But I lucked out!

Pros of dining alone: faster services, better server conversation, no one to wait for, no one to discuss the pros and cons, mostly cons, if they don't like their meal, or the food or experience, no one to have to share dessert with and no one to argue about tipping.

Cons: if you do want to engage in a conversation, and you are not a social person, I suppose it can be lonely, but I didn't find it to be.

I recommend trying it. ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS: many remarked at how lucky I was to be eating alone!

[artyboy]

Thanks for the reviews. I have also enjoyed solo dining at WDW. No better place on the planet to dine by yourself.

I leave after work...can't wait!

[BluewaterBrad]

Thanks for sharing!

[KylesMom]

Most excellent reviews. It sounds like, for the most part, that you were seated in accordance with your ADRs and that the dining experiences presented well. Thanks for sharing!

[SBETigg]

Sounds like you had some lovely experiences! Mostly lovely. Not sure I would repeat Mama Melrose.

[PopeCharming]

Nice reviews, sir! Having gone to WDW solo last year (within the confines of a longer research trip to Orlando), I appreciate your thoughts. But good heavens, it must have been akward going to a Princess buffet by oneself.

[PoohRules]

Thanks for the reviews. I so miss Norway and Cindy's. We no longer go as all meals are princess. I do wish they would serve one meal at each place that is non-princess, perhaps lunch.

Great reviews...I leave in three days and we are dining at Coral Reef and Biergarten. YUM!

[beksy]

Thanks for the reviews and for the different perspective of traveling solo. I've never done it but may have to give it a try!

[Ms. Mode]

I've traveled solo before and found that eating alone made the servers more uncomfortable than it made me

Sorry you don't care for the food at Mama's, we found it to be very good and the atmosphere very relaxing.

[Bass T-bone]

I've traveled solo before and found that eating alone made the servers more uncomfortable than it made me

Sorry you don't care for the food at Mama's, we found it to be very good and the atmosphere very relaxing.

I know what you mean, I also went by myself several years ago with a drum & bugle corps. Well, they went their way and I went mine...

Anyway, I went to Alfredo's and had a wonderful time. I got to use my limited Italian musical terms... "More cheese?"
"poco..."

[DisneyFr33k]

Thanks for the review. We tried Sci Fi years ago with the opposite experience as you had - seated 30 minutes late, grumpy staff, small portions etc. We may have to try it again!

And, thank you for the post about going solo. Gives me food for thought. I am not a social person, but can make conversation. My fear is that I would get depressed being there alone. You posts make me re-think that!

[pokci]

Yes, I too wish that at least one of the meals at Akershus was a non-princess meal. Awkward? Well, lets just say that telling the hostess that I was not interested in the photo op and preferred to be seated was interesting. But when I explained that I come for the food, there were smiles and relief all around. I'm not sure how many diners come solely for the food. Not so awkward. I was seated at a table for two by a post/column in the front room. One one side of me was a family of 4 and on the other a party of 6. The awkwardness was when the princesses came around and asked if I wanted a photo with each. Thank you, but no. They are very pleasant and play along. I decided that by opting out, I provided more time for the princesses to go the ones that really came for them and not the food.

Dining alone was fairly easy. I realized how little attention anyone pays to anyone else.

[mouseketeer mom]

Loved all the reviews! We have always avoided Askerhus, but I'm thinking we should give it a whirl. I wish it wasn't a princess meal., we would really like to just experience the dining without all the hoopla. Thank you!

[Gator]

I've been to all these places except Biergarten, and my wife won't let me go there. Bummer.

Next time at Mama's Melrose, try the Pork Marsala. It's only on the dinner menu, but it's the best meat I've ever had, bar none. The service always seems slow there, which is strange because I've never been there when it's full. And the creme Limon is unbeleivable.

As far as Coral Reef goes, I'm guessing you got seated right away because of your ressie time. I've always waited 20-40 minutes. But the catfish and mahimahi plates are fantastic.

As far as the Akershus goes, I love the food there. And I really love getting to pose with all those beautiful princesses. But don't tell my wife.

Thanks for the reviews. Makes me look forward to my trip.