This is the Cheesiest Report Ever- Nov 2018 Deluxe Dining Report-updated 12/30 Mama Melrose

We have eaten at Y&Y several times, and while I think it's the best TS at AK, I'm kind of over it. If we absolutely need to eat somewhere at the park and must do a TS, I'm fine with it, but I can take it or leave it. I'd rather go to Flame Tree Barbecue, honestly.
We only kind of liked Yak & Yeti. I think we are in the minority on that, there is just so much good quick service at Animal Kingdom, that it's not really on our list to try.

We headed over to Toy Story Land where we frolicked away precious time on SDD, Alien Swirling Saucers, and toy Story Mania. At 7:15, we checked in at the Launch Bay only ti discover we were one of the last parties to arrived. We could have checked in at 5:30. SERIOUSLY!
OH NO!!!! That is terrible. You should have complained!!! Glad you still liked it for the most part.
 
Sorry to hear Yak N Yeti was a disappointment. We do love it, but it certainly does get a little bit repetitive. Of course I do love me the Landrys card, especially when its my birthday :-)

You have me so wanting to try the Star wars party. I know Jason would love it, but $50 for the kiddo seems insane.
$50 is a lot for a child. She will get the souvenir, but no alcohol to help it seem worth it. If we had children, I'm not sure we would have done it unless it was an older child that could really pack away some food.

hey...don't let him know you said that. :laughing:
Oh, I didn't. I'm just mad my memory failed me, ha.

I’ve tried the ant salt and didn’t care for it. I haven’t been to Yak and Yeti the last few trips because I cannot resist Nomad Lounge but was thinking I might give it another try. The Landry’s card is a good deal, when not on the dining plan. Argh on the dessert party check-in time! You’d think CMs would know this stuff. Glad you were able to salvage and enjoyed. I’m not a dessert person - are there enough savory options and the reserved space good enough to “justify” (using fuzzy Disney math, of course)? I love Star Wars and have been wondering about this party.
I agree, the Landry's card is helpful if you have a reward to use there. Of course, you could use it for The Rainforest Cafe, but I've never liked the food from that restaurant. It's just a novelty.

I would not say there are enough savory items to outweigh the lack of enjoying dessert. They served a few kinds of cheese, hummus, pita, and some meat options but that was about it. We had a really nice spot for watching the show as we were right in the front, but the projection is high enough that I think you would be able to find other good viewing spots without the reserved area. I think to break it down, here is what you should consider:

Without being a dessert person, would you be satisfied with only a few savory options and some alcohol to justify the cost of the food?
Do you want to meet Kylo Ren without a waiting time?
Do you want a souvenir that may retail for about $20?
Do you want to be able to walk right up to a viewing spot without having to wait for a long time to find a place to enjoy the fireworks?

Without the party, you can still meet the characters over at the Bay, but you'll have standard waiting time. Like I said, I'm sure you can find a good spot for the show on your own, but it may be like lining up for a parade in that you have to pick your spot early and wait.

These look delicious. I really liked this restaurant, but my Husband hated it so I have no idea when I'll ever get to go back there.


MMM this looks good!


That's really annoying that you were told one thing and it was really at 5:30pm that you could check in.

The food at the Dessert Party looked great. And maybe it was meant to be that you were late so you'd get the good table and table mates. It's good to know for the future that you can check in earlier and have more time to not rush.

Yes, that is good to know that we can go earlier. That was my rookie mistake. Oh, well, you live and learn.

We only kind of liked Yak & Yeti. I think we are in the minority on that, there is just so much good quick service at Animal Kingdom, that it's not really on our list to try.


OH NO!!!! That is terrible. You should have complained!!! Glad you still liked it for the most part.

We love Flame Tree BBQ, but did not get to go this time. I would much rather have had that.
 


Mama Mia, That's A Spicy Meat. . . Pizza- Day Four, Mama Melrose


November 4th, 2018- Mama Melrose

What do you do when you are hungry at 9:00 in the morning and the only place to really grab something nearby is the Boardwalk Bakery? Have a strawberry cupcake, of course!

Boardwalkcupcake.jpg

It was the day of the race, and I had forgotten that we would need to take the bus over to HS. I grabbed a cupcake to race watch and cheer on the runners while I stuffed my face with deliciousness. This was so good. It was yellow cake with a strawberry mousse and light, fluffy icing on top and the chocolate chips were a perfect crunch.

Once we made it to HS, it was time to face the crowds at Toy Story Land as we had a FP for Alien Swirling Saucers. Afterwards, we went under the sea with Ariel and all that swimming worked up an appetite.

We were going to spend our FP at RNRC when I saw the little kiosk with one of my favorite snacks of all time:
creamcheesepretzel.jpg
The cream cheese pretzel. Story time. My best friend's parents owned season passes for the Nashville Predators back in the day before they were any good. Because she had four seats, I always got to go to the games whenever her younger sister didn't want to go, which was quite often. During intermission, bestie and I always got cream cheese stuffed pretzels. Bam! My world was changed. In 2009, Jason and I discovered these again at MK at The Lunching Pad. In 2015, they were no longer served there and I had not found them since. At last! I was reunited with this sweet, warm goodness at HS. The cream cheese is very light inside the thick crust, and the two balance each other out well. I highly encourage trying these.

After our fantastic concert ended with Aerosmith, it was time to cross the park to pay homage to The Muppets before lunch at Mama Melrose.

I know this is another one of those hits or misses with some people, but I feel like it does not get enough credit. As far as food quality goes at HS, I think it's one of the best.

We started with drinks.
MMjasondrink.jpg MMgodivamartini.jpg
I think Jason had a Mai Tai. I don't know why I didn't write that down. Fail.
When I booked the dining plan for us, the CM was talking to me about the drink options. She insisted I try a Godiva Martini. Well, okay.
This was very strong, but it was also quite good. My mistake is that I should have waited until dessert to have this instead of with my meal.

MMbreadoil.jpg
Do you remember how I complained about Tony's oil being so bland? This is where MM shined. There was plenty of bread and plenty of oil to go with it. The bread was perfect: warm, crusty, and yet soft. It soaked up all that oil just like it should. The spices were abundant and flavored the oil aromatically. It was a great start.

For our appetizers, we each had the spicy meat flatbread. Carne di' Italia is proper, I think.
MMflatbread.jpg
Jason compared this to party pizzas, which he loves, but with a better quality. I could have made a meal of just this. Pepperoni, spicy sausage, and beef topping a wonderfully crispy and cheesy pizza? So good.

For his entree, Jason went with the classic chicken parmesean.
MMchickenparm.jpg
We've had a lot of chicken parm in our lives, but this is one of the very best. The chicken was done, which was important, but the breading was seasoned well. There's a big cake of chewy cheese and the sauce is not overpowering.

For my meal, I was inspired by @disneyAndi14 and went with the wood-grilled chicken and penne pasta.
MMpenne.jpg

If this looks like chicken alfredo to you, you're mistaken. This was so much more. It was a four-cheese sauce and was not as heavy as alfredo. It mixed thoroughly with the penne and the bites of chicken were just little accents to add to the already delectable dish.

Jason and I agreed in the future, we could share the flatbread and this entree. There was so much food that I slipped right back into feeling like I was about to be served on a platter.

MMtiramisu.jpg MMcherrytorte.jpg
For the forced dessert, Jason went with the Tiramisu and I had the chocolate cherry torte. His tiramisu was flavorful in its cup while my torte was very tart. The cherries were not at all sweet, and I just wasn't a fan.

Mama Melrose is still our go-to for Hollywood Studios. We have not had a meal here that we did not like, and I look forward to eating there again someday.

Cheese Count: 15
Totals:
Mama Melrose: $125.14 + gratuity
Pretzels: $14.00
Strawberry Cupcake: $6.48

Dinner is our traditional meal at Rose and Crown. How did we fare without our favorite dish there? Will we continue this tradition?
 
What do you do when you are hungry at 9:00 in the morning and the only place to really grab something nearby is the Boardwalk Bakery? Have a strawberry cupcake, of course!

boardwalkcupcake-jpg.372320
Of course! Disney breakfast of champions right there.

creamcheesepretzel-jpg.372324

The cream cheese pretzel. Story time.
And I thought I loved the cream cheese pretzel. That is some serious nostalgia right there. So glad you were able to be reunited with it. Hopefully I won't be too far behind you. :-)

mmflatbread-jpg.372332

Jason compared this to party pizzas, which he loves, but with a better quality. I could have made a meal of just this. Pepperoni, spicy sausage, and beef topping a wonderfully crispy and cheesy pizza? So good.
OMG I hadn't thought about a Totinos pizza in forever and now you saying party pizza that is totally what I am envisioning. Of course high quality Totinos :-)

mmpenne-jpg.372333


If this looks like chicken alfredo to you, you're mistaken. This was so much more. It was a four-cheese sauce and was not as heavy as alfredo. It mixed thoroughly with the penne and the bites of chicken were just little accents to add to the already delectable dish.
I am admittedly an Italian food snob (I'm Italian and Jason owned an Italian restaurant for a while) but this looks amazingly good and decidedly better than the leftover Christmas rib roast I'm getting ready to eat
 


Yummy! Everything looks so good in this post! You described the dish way better than me, it is really a good dish.

I would get that pasta dish again in a heartbeat!

The pizza looks quite tasty as well!
 
Just caught up on your report, and I'm thoroughly loving your food descriptions, as well as your touch of humor! Can't wait for the rest!
 
I know my response here is so belated but I have three important Liberty Tree FYIs for you:
1. They no longer have the amazing corn fritters!
2. They do have the most amazing cheese dip appetizer
3. They have an equally amazing cheese plate! One swiss, one goat/brie, one gouda and one blue, with delicious crackers, some real honeycomb and some fig jam. Hope you get to try it!
 
Hi Shannon! I totally lurker caught up and didn’t even do you the courtesy of a hello until now :headache: sorry about that! I was thinking about you tonight though - I stopped at the liquor store on the way home and saw this... shocked to see it was clear! Maybe you did get the right drink at La Hacienda after all...

F976F664-3791-42C5-A1F3-006E6DF0F840.jpeg

Thank you for writing about your trip and your dining. It’s made me smile a lot through the past month when life has been otherwise very tough. It’s so nice to take a virtual vacation with you!
 
Joining in! I’m sad that La Hacienda wasn’t great for you! I love that place and I had the carne asada and the flan and both were perfect. And yes that strawberry soup at 1900 is to die for
 
I'm along for the ride! I love your report so far. Fun to read on this COLD Ohio winter day.
 
Mama Mia, That's A Spicy Meat. . . Pizza- Day Four, Mama Melrose


November 4th, 2018- Mama Melrose

What do you do when you are hungry at 9:00 in the morning and the only place to really grab something nearby is the Boardwalk Bakery? Have a strawberry cupcake, of course!

View attachment 372320

It was the day of the race, and I had forgotten that we would need to take the bus over to HS. I grabbed a cupcake to race watch and cheer on the runners while I stuffed my face with deliciousness. This was so good. It was yellow cake with a strawberry mousse and light, fluffy icing on top and the chocolate chips were a perfect crunch.

Once we made it to HS, it was time to face the crowds at Toy Story Land as we had a FP for Alien Swirling Saucers. Afterwards, we went under the sea with Ariel and all that swimming worked up an appetite.

We were going to spend our FP at RNRC when I saw the little kiosk with one of my favorite snacks of all time:
View attachment 372324
The cream cheese pretzel. Story time. My best friend's parents owned season passes for the Nashville Predators back in the day before they were any good. Because she had four seats, I always got to go to the games whenever her younger sister didn't want to go, which was quite often. During intermission, bestie and I always got cream cheese stuffed pretzels. Bam! My world was changed. In 2009, Jason and I discovered these again at MK at The Lunching Pad. In 2015, they were no longer served there and I had not found them since. At last! I was reunited with this sweet, warm goodness at HS. The cream cheese is very light inside the thick crust, and the two balance each other out well. I highly encourage trying these.

After our fantastic concert ended with Aerosmith, it was time to cross the park to pay homage to The Muppets before lunch at Mama Melrose.

I know this is another one of those hits or misses with some people, but I feel like it does not get enough credit. As far as food quality goes at HS, I think it's one of the best.

We started with drinks.
View attachment 372327 View attachment 372328
I think Jason had a Mai Tai. I don't know why I didn't write that down. Fail.
When I booked the dining plan for us, the CM was talking to me about the drink options. She insisted I try a Godiva Martini. Well, okay.
This was very strong, but it was also quite good. My mistake is that I should have waited until dessert to have this instead of with my meal.

View attachment 372329
Do you remember how I complained about Tony's oil being so bland? This is where MM shined. There was plenty of bread and plenty of oil to go with it. The bread was perfect: warm, crusty, and yet soft. It soaked up all that oil just like it should. The spices were abundant and flavored the oil aromatically. It was a great start.

For our appetizers, we each had the spicy meat flatbread. Carne di' Italia is proper, I think.
View attachment 372332
Jason compared this to party pizzas, which he loves, but with a better quality. I could have made a meal of just this. Pepperoni, spicy sausage, and beef topping a wonderfully crispy and cheesy pizza? So good.

For his entree, Jason went with the classic chicken parmesean.
View attachment 372331
We've had a lot of chicken parm in our lives, but this is one of the very best. The chicken was done, which was important, but the breading was seasoned well. There's a big cake of chewy cheese and the sauce is not overpowering.

For my meal, I was inspired by @disneyAndi14 and went with the wood-grilled chicken and penne pasta.
View attachment 372333

If this looks like chicken alfredo to you, you're mistaken. This was so much more. It was a four-cheese sauce and was not as heavy as alfredo. It mixed thoroughly with the penne and the bites of chicken were just little accents to add to the already delectable dish.

Jason and I agreed in the future, we could share the flatbread and this entree. There was so much food that I slipped right back into feeling like I was about to be served on a platter.

View attachment 372334 View attachment 372330
For the forced dessert, Jason went with the Tiramisu and I had the chocolate cherry torte. His tiramisu was flavorful in its cup while my torte was very tart. The cherries were not at all sweet, and I just wasn't a fan.

Mama Melrose is still our go-to for Hollywood Studios. We have not had a meal here that we did not like, and I look forward to eating there again someday.

Cheese Count: 15
Totals:
Mama Melrose: $125.14 + gratuity
Pretzels: $14.00
Strawberry Cupcake: $6.48

Dinner is our traditional meal at Rose and Crown. How did we fare without our favorite dish there? Will we continue this tradition?

Where did you find the cream cheese pretzel at HS?! I see conflicting info on other sites.
 
Of course! Disney breakfast of champions right there.


And I thought I loved the cream cheese pretzel. That is some serious nostalgia right there. So glad you were able to be reunited with it. Hopefully I won't be too far behind you. :-)


OMG I hadn't thought about a Totinos pizza in forever and now you saying party pizza that is totally what I am envisioning. Of course high quality Totinos :-)


I am admittedly an Italian food snob (I'm Italian and Jason owned an Italian restaurant for a while) but this looks amazingly good and decidedly better than the leftover Christmas rib roast I'm getting ready to eat
Okay, I don't blame you for being an Italian food snob. Have you been to Il Mulinos? Or, I should ask, what do you think qualifies for decent Italian at Disney?


Ok all that food looks so good. I'm hungry now.
Yep. Whenever I look at Disney food, I have to have a drink or snack.

Yummy! Everything looks so good in this post! You described the dish way better than me, it is really a good dish.

I would get that pasta dish again in a heartbeat!

The pizza looks quite tasty as well!
Me, too! We think we will split a flatbread and entree next time. No dessert, though. . .

those are huge for an app! Impressive!!! But I can see how that was alot of food! The Godiva martini probably filled you up as well.
Yes! It was all so good and huge portions. The pizzas were definitely big enough for a meal.

Just caught up on your report, and I'm thoroughly loving your food descriptions, as well as your touch of humor! Can't wait for the rest!
Thank you for joining in! Happy to have you here.

I know my response here is so belated but I have three important Liberty Tree FYIs for you:
1. They no longer have the amazing corn fritters!
2. They do have the most amazing cheese dip appetizer
3. They have an equally amazing cheese plate! One swiss, one goat/brie, one gouda and one blue, with delicious crackers, some real honeycomb and some fig jam. Hope you get to try it!
I'm sorry, what!!!!! Booooo. Thanks for the update.

Hi Shannon! I totally lurker caught up and didn’t even do you the courtesy of a hello until now :headache: sorry about that! I was thinking about you tonight though - I stopped at the liquor store on the way home and saw this... shocked to see it was clear! Maybe you did get the right drink at La Hacienda after all...

View attachment 378040

Thank you for writing about your trip and your dining. It’s made me smile a lot through the past month when life has been otherwise very tough. It’s so nice to take a virtual vacation with you!
Melinda! So happy to see you, dear! Well, I had no idea, but I still don't think that was it. Thanks for thinking of me! I'm sorry for whatever is going on. Many hugs to you! Wishing things to be better soon.

Joining in! I’m sad that La Hacienda wasn’t great for you! I love that place and I had the carne asada and the flan and both were perfect. And yes that strawberry soup at 1900 is to die for
My entree at La Hacienda was so good, though! I was just stuffed already. I would go there again, but I'd skip the appetizer, margarita, and corn flan. Ew.

I'm along for the ride! I love your report so far. Fun to read on this COLD Ohio winter day.
Thank you for stopping by!

Where did you find the cream cheese pretzel at HS?! I see conflicting info on other sites.
It was at a kiosk near Rockin Roller Coaster. I've been told it's located at another kiosk as well.
 
Nooooo....I need the remaining reviews!!! I am a vegetarian and won't even eat 90% of what you've review, but I can't stop reading! I am living vicariously through the DDP. :)
 
Thanks for sharing photo's...we haven't been to WDW in ages and are trying to figure out now where to go for good eats!
 

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