[Update: Il Mulino] A 7-day solo dining review: food, wines, inflation and cast members

FredQc

Fred
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
I have regularly benefited of reviews posted by other forum members, so I'll try to contribute. But I wonder to what extent my discipline is strong enough to do all the work it requires. It would be a shame to not reach the 7th day, because the ultimate dinner, at Jiko, was phenomenal, thanks to an amazing cast member who almost made me feel as part of her family.

For this 7-day vacation, I stayed at Pop Century. I didn't have any Disney's Dining Plan, which are not flexible enough to my taste, and too expensive to actually cover the cost. However, I am an annual passholder, so I had 10% or 20% discount on non-alcoholic purchases at some locations. My review will provide the amount of money spent on each meal. For items which I had selected in previous trips, I will also provide comparative figures, so we can assess to what extent Disney has inflated its prices.

Day 1 - Baseline Tap House (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - A look
Day 1 - Il Mulino (Swan Hotel) - Dinner
Day 2 - Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom) - Lunch
Day 2 - Tood English's Bluezoo (Dolphin Hotel) - Dinner
Day 3 - D-Luxe Burgers (Disney Springs) - Lunch
Day 3 - Satu'li Canteen (Animal Kingdom) - Dinner
Day 4 - Everything Pop (Pop Century Resort) - Lunch (no picture)
Day 4 - California Grill (Contemporary Resort) - Dinner
Day 5 - Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Kiosks - Lunch
Day 5 - Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen (Magic Kingdom) - Dinner
Day 6 - Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Kiosks - Lunch
Day 6 - Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Beverage Seminars - Drinks
Day 6 - Flying Fish (Boardwalk Resort) - Dinner
Day 7 - Satu'li Canteen (Animal Kingdom) - Lunch
Day 7 - Jiko (Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort) - Dinner
 
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Looking forward to your report! I did my second solo trip this summer and also dined at Jiko.
 


Day 1 - Baseline Tap House (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - A look

After flying to Orlando International Airport in the morning and check-in at Pop Century in early afternoon, I spent a couple of hours at Disney's Hollywood Studios. I felt exhausted from the job rush I had to deal with prior to my vacation and a very short sleep before my departure. So I did no more than a couple of attractions, then I relaxed. I enjoyed a snack (popcorn and soft drink) next to the Chinese theatre. Before the nighttime entertainment (Disney Movie Magic and Star Wars fireworks), I walked toward the "new" Grand Avenue area. I was especially interested to have a closer look to the Baseline Tap House which opened in late September.

I devote a specific post to this location while I didn't drink or eat there. You may consider this as a starter, an amuse bouche, before my dining review. To be honest, I think this place deserves more attention because the amount of details put there by the Imagineers and its great storyline. This new bar is located where the Writer's Stop used to be. This coffee shop was a hidden gem, where customers could drink a hot drink or enjoy a snack in a peaceful location surrounded by books on the shelves. Some fans lamented when Disney closed the place in September 2016 (e.g., see this tribute from the Disney Food Blog).


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While coffee and carrot cake fans won't find these items in the new lounge, the storyline survives. The Baseline Tap House is affiliated with the Figueroa Printing Company, which used to collaborate with Disney Studios in California.

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Craig Williams from The DIS posted a review of the menu when Baseline Tap House opened (click here). While he emphasized this connection with Disneyland, he didn't highlight the tribute to the former Writer's Stop. Indeed, the Baseline celebrates those who performed printing and writing activities, especially those who worked with linotype machines and typewriters. Walls, shelves and boards inside the lounge are filled with items related to this old sector of activity, beginning with these metallic-look letters W-R-I-T-E-R-S / S-T-O-P on shelves in front of the entrance.

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The storyline of Baseline Tap House will remind a lot of souvenirs to many older guests. It is another way to celebrate the writing process behind movie productions. It is also a nice location in a (currently) quiet area of Disney's Hollywood Studios. But it is going to be busier with the opening of Star Wars Galactic Edge (similarly to Tiffins and the Nomad Lounge which used to be more quiet before the opening of Pandora). Generally speaking, I felt the new Grand Avenue area is going to look great.

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I then walk back to the Hollywood Boulevard and watched the Disney Movie Magic and the Star Wars Spectaculars. I then had a boat ride up to the Swan hotel for a first night dinner at Il Mulino.
 
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After a couple of hours spent at Disney's Hollywood Studios, watching the nighttime entertainment in front of the Chinese Theater (Disney's Movie Magic and Star Wars fireworks) and people leaving the park as I sat on benches and enjoyed the retro atmosphere, I exited a couple of minutes before 9pm. I had no reservation for that evening meal, but I suspected that I would not have any issue to be seated at Il Mulino at that time. Il Mulino is also a restaurant open late: whereas most Disney-operated locations in the Boardwalk area closed at 9:30 or 10pm, Il Mulino is open until 11pm or so, as far as I know. In front of DHS, I missed the boat and had to wait about 15 minutes for the next one, but I was not in a rush.

I was also very tired at the end of this travelling day, so I hoped that Il Mulino was going to be pretty quiet. Il Mulino is located on the ground level of the Swan hotel. It is typically not populated with families and children, but it can be crowded with people who attend conventions or other conference activities.

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The below pictures of the bar area, which is right at the entrance, and the dining room, have been taken on a previous trip.

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When I arrived at the podium, I inquired about available space in a smaller room which is located on the right side, at the back of the restaurant (when your face the podium). That section is partly isolated from the main dining room by tall and mobile wooden "doors". I was seated immediately and, for about one half of my time there, I was alone. In addition to some kinds of bread, Il Mulino also provides a complementary hors d'oeuvre made of tomatoes, eggplant, and parmesan. I didn't take a picture of it, but here is one from a meal taken there in May 2014.

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Among the appetizers listed on the menu, I ordered the arancinis ($9). There are always excellent, crispy outside and very tender inside. They are served with a (very) spicy tomato sauce. From the wine list, I also selected a glass of a Toscan red wine produced by the Antinori winery. It was a blend of sangiovese, cabernet-sauvignon and merlot ($15). It was an excellent choice.

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The menu of Il Mulino covers a lot of ground. In the pasta section, many options are available and I especially appreciate the possibility to order an half portion. It is cheaper and it is often enough, especially for a late night meal. I decided to order an half portion of pappardelle ($13). These fresh pasta were also served with a (far less spice) tomato sauce.

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I decided to not order any dessert, tea or coffee. Nonetheless, I had a complimentary glass of limoncello.

Later, I realized that it was a lot of tomatoes and my stomach had some issues to digest all that acidity. I remembered that I had ordered a meal of pasta with creamy sauce the previous time, which was a more balanced combination with the hors-d'oeuvre and the arancinis.

The service was absolutely correct, but it pretty common at Il Mulino to be assisted by multiple servers during a single meal. While it is standard to have runners who bring plates, it is a bit unusual to have different people to take the order, to bring and to process the bill, and to ask whether everything is correct in between. It doesn't help to establish a great contact and to personalize the experience. Furthermore, the young manager on duty that night was apparently not very experienced: he was not accustomed to wear a suit and a tie, and he was often in a spot hidden from the main dining room (which I could look at from my seat), texting or looking at his cell phone.

The subtotal was $37 + tax = $39.41. The gratuity was not specified on the bill and I forgot that 18% is standard at WDW: I mistakenly added $5.50 (i.e., 15%, which is the standard in Quebec) for a total of $39.41. There's no annual pass discount at Il Mulino (and other Swan & Dolphin restaurants).

In May 2014 and December 2016, the arancinis were also $9. In December 2016, I also had the same half portion of pappardelle for $13. So no huge inflation here.

There are many Italian restaurants in WDW. While I haven't experienced all them, Il Mulino is certainly the best among those I know. The food is consistently great and the complimentary hors d'oeuvre is a nice addition to the standard meal, more substantial than some complimentary amuse-bouches served in Disney's signature restaurants. The atmosphere is also warm and (when the place is not crowded) relaxing with lower lights. The service could be more personalized, though. Overall, an excellent quality-price ratio.
 
Il Mulino is one of our favorite places, as well. We like that it's generally quiet, has good service, offers small plates, and produces tasty dishes. Oh, and we like the wine list a lot, too. Your final destination, Jiko, is also a superb place to dine, so looking forward to that review. I will say, that another Italian place has grabbed our attention and now ranks above Il Mulino. . .though it's "off campus" so to speak. BiCE at Portofino Hotel is excellent--they have excellent service, topnotch dishes (their osso buco is exceptional), small plates, and an even better wine list. It's a 15-20 minute drive but well worth it. Anyway, looking forward to more reviews!
 
Joining in. I love Il Mulino. I found the Antinori toscana there several years ago. I regularly purchase it for home.
 

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