Valentine's trip to WDW

[Derb]

I've never posted a dining review, so here goes nothing. My bf and I have celebrated Valentine's Day at WDW since we've been together. This trip was our third Valentine's. We live in Western MA, so flying down to Florida in February is always a great idea. This trip was a relatively short one, Feb 13th through 16th. We stayed at POP Century, my newest favorite resort. I got a good deal off a discounted hotel site, and while it was a pain in the butt getting a confirmation number to access My Disney Experience, I did save some $.

I don't know how to post photos, but I will try to figure it out. We didn't have a Disney dining plan, we like to share food sometimes, eat at bars, etc., so we just don't bother with the plan. We had some new-to-us things at new-to-us places, and some were so good I just have to share. I love reading other people's reviews, so hopefully someone will find mine helpful.

 

[Derb]

Our first meal was lunch on the 13th, our arrival day. We took the skyliner (which we LOVE) from POP to the RIviera resort. Our first time there. The lobby and quick service place, Primo Piatto are small, but maybe it's done on purpose, to reflect actual French/Italian hotels. Just a guess. Anyway, we tried out Primo Piatto for lunch. I was craving something healthy, so I went with their greek salad and added grilled chicken. I hope I can get a photo on here, because the salad was gorgeous. The lettuces were so bright and everything just looked and tasted like it had just been picked from a garden. Exactly what I wanted, and much better than expected.

 

[Derb]

My 16 y.o daughter had to help me, or I never would have figured out how to get pics on this thing, lol. Anyway, the bf ordered a bacon cheddar burger with a side salad. They forgot his bacon, and brought him a plate of it. His salad also looked so good!

 

[Derb]

So the next day was Valentine's Day, and so we took the Skyliner to Epcot, my bf's favorite park, and were near the front of the line to get in, we were early. So when they finally let us in, we were allowed to walk around Canada, which we did, then walked back to the bridge to the World Showcase, and waited till they let us cross, and rushed to France to have breakfast at Les Halles. Just a perfect place for breakfast, we love it. I got the bacon and cheese roll, which of course has a French name I can't pronounce, spell, or even remember. It was my second time having that, and it was delicious warmed up. Bf had a plain croissant warmed up with butter and a coffee. I didn't get a pic of the croissant, but I did my roll.

 

[Derb]

For lunch I had gotten us a reservation at Le Cellier, a place we have both been to once each, but not together. I hadn't been there since 2000, so we were both looking forward to a special meal. And it was. We ate some of the rolls, which were okay but not incredible, and both ordered the Canadian filet. I got mine medium rare, and the bf medium. It was outstanding. It sat on a bed of mushroom risotto, which is something I love, but honestly I didn't enjoy their's. It was so incredibly salty! I have a pic of mine, but both looked identical. Wish I'd taken a pic of the inside of the filet, because it was beautiful.

 

[Derb]

We weren't wowed with the dessert menu, And though it was Festival of the Arts, we didn't have any food or drinks from the booths. W had our usual margaritas from Mexico, and Shofferhoffer grapefruit beer from Germany, no pics though. While in Germany we went to Caramel Kuche, which of course smelled heavenly, and got a snack. No pic, but I got the caramel apple oatmeal cookie, which was good but I wish it had tasted more oatmeal-y and less caramel apple-y. Bf got a bag of caramel corn, which a week later we still have much of, lol. It was good, but not outstanding.

 

[Derb]

The next day was out Hollywood Studios day. We took the bus from POP and got to the park before opening, trying to get to ride Rise of the Resistance. but no luck. We got boarding group 99, and by the end of the day they'd only gotten to 87 I believe. Whomp whomp, Guess we'll just have to go back and try again soon! We got to ride the Millenium Falcon ride, as single riders to avoid the long line, and shared a ronto wrap for breakfast. Our first time trying this, and I loved it. The sausage is so flavorful. I was glad they offered the lunch version in the morning, as the breakfast one has scrambled eggs in it. I can't stand scrambled eggs.

 

[Derb]

We rode Tower of Terror as a fastpass, and Rock and Roller Coaster as single riders. Then we stood in line and rode, is it called Midway Mania in Toy Story? We had a beer or two, and then put our name in to eat outside at the Brown Derby Lounge. We had eaten inside the restaurant before, but this time we wanted to try the lounge. We had to wait a while, so more beer was in order. Once in, we shared a bowl of curried butternut squash soup, which was delicious but I guess I forgot to take a pic, and then we both got their Cobb salad. So good!

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

Great review so far! That Cobb salad looks so good.

 

[Derb]

When we'd had enough of Hollywood Studios it just happened to be time for our reservation for dinner at Sebastian's Bistro at CB. We love the bar at CB, Banana Cabana, but had never eaten at Sebastian's. We were in for a treat. We started by sharing a bowl of the black bean soup, which they were so nice to split for us. I love black beans, and this soup was perfection. My bf got a recipe for black bean soup because of this one, and he made it yesterday for dinner. Not as good as Sebastian's, but we'll work on it, lol.

 

[Derb]

We then each got the jerk chicken, and it was moist, flavorful and delicious. We will certainly make sure to come back to this restaurant again!

 

[lorimay]

We were there last weekend too and stayed at the Rivera Resort, so sad we didn't get to try Primo, that salad looks so good.

 

[Derb]

I just realized I forgot that on Valentine's Day, the bf was not so much hungry, but wanted an order of fish and chips mostly because he loved fish and chips. It was evening by then, and that was not a great day weather-wise. We got a table by the water, and it was cold! The fish to me wasn't good, but he said he liked it well enough. The batter tasted like old oil to me, and the fish was a bit mushy and flavorless. The "chips" were proper British chips, as much as this Yankee understands, and I would've dunked them in vinegar, but the bf only grabbed ketchup and I was cold and lazy by then, lol.

 

[Derb]

Ah, the pic reminds me that we had first gone into Rose and Crown, which we love, and gotten a cider and black for me, and a black and tan for the bf. It's a must-do for us.

 

[Derb]

Okay, so I think I'm up to the last day of our trip, we checked out of POP and sent our bags to Bell Services, then hopped the bus to Disney Springs. I had gotten us reservations for brunch at Homecomin'. It wasn't easy either, I had to work like a dog to get that one! (Le Cellier also). We got there just in time, and I started with a Moonshine, I don't remember the name, but I do remember it was the "the purple one". It was good, but sweet. Bf got something with OJ in it, and muddled strawberries. It wasn't too sweet, but it also tasted watered down. He ended up drinking that and then getting a bloody mary, something he absolutely loves. I ordered off the brunch menu, the short rib hash, which was SO GOOD. As a side I got the grits, which were amazing! Bf got a salad, because while I was lying in bed that morning like I had all day (which I didn't), he left the room to get a coffee, and decided to get breakfast at the POP quick service. So he wasn't as hungry as he should have been. He had the 1981 salad. He said it was good, and almost finished it. It could NOT have been as good as mine though.

 

[Derb]

Sorry, I accidentally put in his salad twice!

 

[Derb]

And that's the end, I think!

 

[DKNHM]

What a wonderfully fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day! Your meals looked delicious. Thanks for sharing!

 

[lorimay]

Glad you had a good time and ate well!
The weather was so weird though.
One minute I was cold, the next (Sunday afternoon) I was dripping wet with sweat.
It was too quick, need to get back ASAP!

 

[nco91590]

Love your review and all your salaaaads! It's great to know where to get a good one as it's a real mixed bag in WDW. That grilled chicken salad from Primo Piatto looks amazing--exactly how I would make it at home.