Opinions on Swan and Dolphin Restaurants - The DIS Discussion Forums

engle · 11-11-2009, 08:43 AM

I am specifically looking for details on Il Mulino, Fresh (breakfast) and Garden Grove (breakfast). Thanks for any and all opinions...pictures welcome!!

tdsbu · 11-11-2009, 08:55 AM

We love Fresh Mediterranean for breakfast! It has the typical omelet and griddle stations, other hot dishes, homemade granola, and a juice bar with everything from orange juice to wheatgrass juice. We try to make it for almost every trip, usually on the days we do Epcot or MGM. Even though it is a buffet, the service is generally very good. After an early breakfast, we get our coffee in a to-go cup then have a nice walk over to the park.

Uncleromulus · 11-11-2009, 09:45 AM

Love Il Mulino!! Large menu, upscale atmosphere. Been there 3x for dinner. Veal parm is excellent!
Fresh is nice, but once in awhile the omlette/waffle chefs can get overwhelmed with too many customers in the line--meaning a "wait" for your breakfast.

oybolshoi · 11-11-2009, 10:02 AM

We tried Il Mulino for the first time last month and thought it was terrific - extensive menu, good service, really tasty food. We have a lot of Italian restaurants where we live so it's not often that we will do those types of restaurants on vacation but this was well worth the stop and the money.

tony67 · 11-11-2009, 11:26 AM

Fresh has a good breakfast, better than most of the buffets in Starwood hotels.

A few tips since things may have changed since I was there last

If you want toast or a toasted bagel you need to ask your server.
They did not have a toaster available, but they will toast things for you.
This is great since you will not have to wait in line at a toaster like many buffets.

Also if you do not like the scrambled eggs on the buffet (they are usually runny) they will do fried, over easy, or poached eggs for you if you ask your server.

Robert P · 11-11-2009, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engle

I am specifically looking for details on Il Mulino, Fresh (breakfast) and Garden Grove (breakfast). Thanks for any and all opinions...pictures welcome!!

Ate at all three in the past two weeks:

Il Mulino - best Italian on property. Great meal last week, but pricey.

Fresh - very good breakfast. Arguably the best breakfast buffet on property in recent years. Love the extracts.

Garden Grove - another very good breakfast buffet. Almost as good as Fresh, and was maybe even better than Fresh this past trip. Only one person here making eggs to order, and I did not see anyone working a grill for fresh pancakes, like at Fresh. Weekend character breakfast not terribly crowded, but there were several parties waiting to be seated when we left, even though the place was less than 2/3 full. Note: they do not take ADR's for the w/e character breakfast.

MickeyNicki · 11-11-2009, 12:50 PM

Click on my Oct 09 link, there are tons of pictures for Il Mulino (INCREDIBLE) and Fresh breakfast...hope it helps you

ElizabethB · 11-11-2009, 02:39 PM

We tried Il Mulino recently for the first time. Loved it. Food was very good. Excellent and varied wine list. My only complaint was that it is very noisy. Next time we'll go on a weeknight, rather than a weekend.

oybolshoi · 11-11-2009, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElizabethB

We tried Il Mulino recently for the first time. Loved it. Food was very good. Excellent and varied wine list. My only complaint was that it is very noisy. Next time we'll go on a weeknight, rather than a weekend.

We dined there on a Monday night last month and thought it was going to be really slow and quiet based on things we heard around here ... SURPRISE!!! There must have been a convention because the place was busier than the fastpass return for Soarin.

I mean it was packed!

snookiedoodles · 11-11-2009, 02:42 PM

I never went there but I heard that the food was very good at both hotels!

webray · 11-11-2009, 02:54 PM

IL Mulino has always been great for us. Food/Service and wine list.

Fresh, very good for most part...the last couple times service has been very slow (even to get the check). Dirty plates/silverware, so we haven't been back again.

Garden Grove, we love it for breakfast. The made to order eggs/omelettes are great.

Also, Picabo does a great quick breakfast and wonderful lunch/dinner items if you are in a hurry. They are open 24 hours so that is excellent also.

11-11-2009, 08:43 AM	#1
engle DIS Veteran Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,357	Opinions on Swan and Dolphin Restaurants I am specifically looking for details on Il Mulino, Fresh (breakfast) and Garden Grove (breakfast). Thanks for any and all opinions...pictures welcome!!

11-11-2009, 08:55 AM	#2
tdsbu WDW Foodie Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 114	We love Fresh Mediterranean for breakfast! It has the typical omelet and griddle stations, other hot dishes, homemade granola, and a juice bar with everything from orange juice to wheatgrass juice. We try to make it for almost every trip, usually on the days we do Epcot or MGM. Even though it is a buffet, the service is generally very good. After an early breakfast, we get our coffee in a to-go cup then have a nice walk over to the park. __________________

11-11-2009, 09:45 AM	#3
Uncleromulus DIS Veteran Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Glen Rock Pa. Posts: 11,682	Love Il Mulino!! Large menu, upscale atmosphere. Been there 3x for dinner. Veal parm is excellent! Fresh is nice, but once in awhile the omlette/waffle chefs can get overwhelmed with too many customers in the line--meaning a "wait" for your breakfast. __________________ 1'st Disney experience-- Movie "Peter Pan", 1953, Naval Air Station Theatre, Pensacola Florida. WDW first meal-Papeete Bay Verandah, Sept. 1975 Victoria and Alberts first dinner Sept. 1988 Vacation Club since 1992 Next trip--May 1, 2010 at BLT!!

11-11-2009, 10:02 AM	#4
oybolshoi You say vacation addict like it's a bad thing...Viva le Mochaccino!!! Trips on painted lines in parking lots Plankton's evil minion Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: OFallon, Missouri Posts: 10,727	We tried Il Mulino for the first time last month and thought it was terrific - extensive menu, good service, really tasty food. We have a lot of Italian restaurants where we live so it's not often that we will do those types of restaurants on vacation but this was well worth the stop and the money. __________________ 2009 Food Reviews: Pie That Brownie, Fruitcake! 2008 Food Reviews: We Smelled It; It Had to be Eaten! 2007 Food Reviews: Hungry are the Damned!! 2007 Food Reviews: The Food was not Undelicious! 2006 Food Reviews: As God As My Witness, I'll Never Be Hungry Again! Join us on the community board for non-Disney food porn and continued good-time tomfoolery: Bendy Friendies V.3 Feeling Adventurous? Visit Our Food & Travel Blog: Gastropod Travels

11-11-2009, 11:26 AM	#5
tony67 I always get odd looks when I put mayo on my fries Ask for Pepe - "The Master" Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 512	Fresh has a good breakfast, better than most of the buffets in Starwood hotels. A few tips since things may have changed since I was there last If you want toast or a toasted bagel you need to ask your server. They did not have a toaster available, but they will toast things for you. This is great since you will not have to wait in line at a toaster like many buffets. Also if you do not like the scrambled eggs on the buffet (they are usually runny) they will do fried, over easy, or poached eggs for you if you ask your server. __________________ Disclaimer: Everything I've ever told you has been a lie. Including that. If you rob Peter to pay Paul, you can always depend on the support of Paul. "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own.” Be seeing you.

Sponsored Links
DIS ad Register to remove Join Date: 1997 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,000,000+	<div align="center">This information cannot be displayed because your browser does not support inline frames.<a href="http://www.wdwinfo.com">Click Here</a> </div>

11-11-2009, 12:50 PM	#7
MickeyNicki It is pretty darn sad when a valet picks you out as a big Boma eater Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Naples Florida Posts: 16,831	Click on my Oct 09 link, there are tons of pictures for Il Mulino (INCREDIBLE) and Fresh breakfast...hope it helps you __________________ November 2009 Dining Reviews October 2009 Live Dining Reviews F&W time! August 2009 Live Dining Reviews June 2009 Live Dining Reviews March 2009 Live Dining Reviews January 2009 Live Dining Reviews..with KIDS! October 2008 Live Dining Reviews August 2008 Live Dining Reviews June 2008 Dining Reviews! March/April 2008 Live Reviews

11-11-2009, 02:39 PM	#8
ElizabethB I have a raw meat fetish. Who knew!!?? Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,759	We tried Il Mulino recently for the first time. Loved it. Food was very good. Excellent and varied wine list. My only complaint was that it is very noisy. Next time we'll go on a weeknight, rather than a weekend.

11-11-2009, 02:42 PM	#10
snookiedoodles DIS Veteran Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: CT outside of NYC!!! Posts: 612	I never went there but I heard that the food was very good at both hotels! __________________ With all of our running and all of our cunning, If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane! -Jimmy Buffett Me DH DS: DS: Soooo many Disney Trips that I can't count them all!!! All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them. -Walt Disney

11-11-2009, 02:54 PM	#11
webray Love the wineauxs! Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Sunny South Florida Posts: 12,662	IL Mulino has always been great for us. Food/Service and wine list. Fresh, very good for most part...the last couple times service has been very slow (even to get the check). Dirty plates/silverware, so we haven't been back again. Garden Grove, we love it for breakfast. The made to order eggs/omelettes are great. Also, Picabo does a great quick breakfast and wonderful lunch/dinner items if you are in a hurry. They are open 24 hours so that is excellent also. __________________ save the wine!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

Similar Threads
thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Disney Rewards Dollars/Giftcard use at Swan and Dolphin?	MightyDuck001	Disney Restaurants	3	11-14-2009 02:48 PM
Restaurants with Thanksgiving Menus posted	Pumbaa_	Disney Restaurants	15	11-13-2009 10:38 AM
are you familiar with Acer brand laptops - your opinion?	chrismartinique	Budget Board	34	11-12-2009 02:56 PM
closing times for restaurants in the park	lilacgems23	Disneyland Paris Trip Planning & Community Board	7	11-12-2009 02:25 PM
Only 24 hrs in WDW: Which restaurants?	TotallyAngelic	Disney Restaurants	17	11-11-2009 02:59 PM