DVC Dining: Reinventing “Room Service” with Chef Caleb Wiley

For a long time, Paul and I had a bucket list goal of booking a lake view villa at the Polynesian, ordering the Twilight Feast, and watching the fireworks. The Twilight Feast is the entire meal from ‘Ohana. Room service would deliver it for $60 per person plus delivery fees in 2019. What can be better than a Polynesian feast and fireworks from the comfort of your room?

Unfortunately, Disney has yet to bring back room service at the Polynesian Resort. Without room service and no to-go options for ‘Ohana (believe me, we asked), the Twilight Feast and our bucket list dreams were all but unattainable. Or were they?

Due to the pandemic, many cast members lost their jobs when Disney closed. It was a sad situation for the many people who worked day after day to bring happiness and magic to so many of us. But with every challenge comes strength and growth and many cast members used the challenge to find new beginnings. A Facebook group called Ear for Each Other began and many furloughed cast members started new business ventures.

This is where we found Chef Caleb Wiley, a former Disney cast member who found his new beginning in starting his own business. Caleb now owns Cali King Cuisine where his specialty is in-home and traveling chef services as well as catered delivery. He also offers baked goods and fresh-squeezed juices. One of the most popular things he has been doing is the delivery of a Polynesian-style feast similar to dinner at ‘Ohana.

Paul and I were fortunate enough to be invited to spend an evening with friends in a Polynesian bungalow. With the absence of resort room service, we decided to see if Chef Caleb had availability. After hearing so much about him from social media, we were fortunate to be able to book a meal (or I should say feast) drop-off for our bungalow night. Our group ordered his Aloha Menu for six people and anxiously awaited its arrival.

Dinner was $50 each for six of us, plus we added a tray of shrimp that feeds 8 for an extra $50. For a point of reference, ‘Ohana is $59.99 per person. If we were able to order room service from Disney, we would have also incurred a delivery fee. Caleb was fantastic at communicating with our friend, David, who ordered the meal. He stayed in touch to schedule an arrival time and let us know when he was arriving a little early. You’ve got to love punctual food service. He explained each dish and set it out for us before leaving. He was kind and professional. Here are the specifics of the menu we had below.

Let’s talk food. Our dinner included two types of meat. We went with the steak and chicken and then added the shrimp. It also included salad, mixed vegetables with fried rice, teriyaki and garlic noodles, and potstickers. Our group of six all has pretty decent appetites. I loaded my plate and ate so much. We were given ample portions. Everyone was full and we still had leftovers.

All the food was really great, well-prepared, and flavorful. Some of my favorites I’m still dreaming about were the chicken, shrimp, and noodles. The chicken was tender and the sauce was tasty. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. The noodles I could have eaten by the bucket. My only regret is not taking the leftovers with us when they were offered by our friends (they were checking out of the room the next morning). I was too full at the time and now I regret it because I was craving those noodles the next day.

Caleb has been very popular amongst Disney World guests who are looking for a great meal delivered or even prepared in their rooms. It is the perfect meal opportunity for Disney Vacation Club members staying in villas, especially since you’ll have a fridge and a way to reheat leftovers! Caleb is a licensed caterer. You can check out his contact information and additional menus below. For more information, be sure to visit his website: https://calikingcuisine.net/

If you’re missing the convenience of room service at so many of the resorts, or simply want to try something new while on property or staying in the Central Florida area, we highly recommend giving Chef Caleb a try! Stay tuned to DVCFan.com and our YouTube Channel for the latest news, insights, and information on all things DVC.