Good morning, folks!  Happy Monday?  I know.  I’m not very happy about the fact, either.  Let’s talk about something more pleasant, shall we?  How about … Disney Dining!

Every good “competition” needs a re-cap, doesn’t it?  Well, here is my handful of “cents” as to why this past weekend’s Table Service Draft poll ended up as it did.

Did you listen to the show?  Did you vote?  Did you catch the results?  If you need some reminders, click these links …

The “Live” Podcast!
The “Scoreboard”!

What a wild ride!  You know, just after the draft ended, I found myself convinced that this was going to be an epic “horse race”.  Having said that, I was confident in my “team”.

Before I tell you why, let’s take a look at the culinary “empires” constructed by my comrades …

Dennis Conroy built an impressive collection of MY personal favorites.  The BOATHOUSE.  Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room.  Kona Cafe.

All of them are phenomenal … and, all of them are home to some of my favorite dishes on WDW property – Firecracker Shrimp, Bangers and Mash, and Pan-Asian Noodles with Chicken!

To see pictures of these three delicacies, check out the “still being built” WDW Main Street Pub Menu!  Yum!

Hey!  But, shouldn’t Be Our Guest Restaurant have put him over-the-top?  Belle and her beast weren’t quite enough, it seems.

John Peters capitalized on the character-filled popularity of Tusker House Restaurant, Chef Mickey’s, Cape May Cafe, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, and Cinderella’s Royal Table to power his conglomerate.

Of course, it didn’t end there.  Excellent strategy led John to claim several Signature favorites – Le Cellier Steakhouse, Flying Fish, and Victoria & Albert’s.  Strong effort, John!

With a group that included Jiko – The Cooking Place, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Morimoto Asia, Yak & Yeti Restaurant, and Spice Road Table, Doug Davis was true to his heart.  Only the “theft” of his Rose kept him from his own personal “Dream Team”.

Finally, that brings me to my “crew”.  What logic did I follow as I selected my restaurants?  Well, first, I owe Mr. Davis my thanks.

Why?  He kindly passed on my centerpiece – the “Crown Jewel” of Disney Springs.  Yes, my friends, Paddlefish led the way for my group!

I saw one comment from a reader – Curt Stone of the Geekin’ on WDW Podcast.  He summed up his feelings with, “Bob, you’re the only one with O’hana.  You win!”  Thanks, Curt!  Its selection was very intentional.

The science behind my choices was pretty straightforward, to be frank.  I mixed some traditional, old favorites – ‘Ohana, California Grill, Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and Liberty Tree Tavern – with some brand new “attractions” – Paddlefish and Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’.

At the same time, I worked hard to cover the spectrum of cuisines and experiences – seafood, character opportunities, buffets, Signature dining, Italian, steakhouse, homestyle, barbecue, and bowling!

What did that all get me?  Well, it certainly was a clear-cut recipe for a hard-fought victory!

My friends, thank you from all four of us for your dedicated participation over the last few days.  We hope you enjoyed the show.  We hope you had fun with the vote!  See ya’ again … sometime really soon!