Your thoughts on Garden Grill?

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I'll go against the grain! This is absolutely the ONLY restaurant in Disney that my whole family walked out of and unanimously said, "Never again!"

Service was atrocious. Our waiter disappeared for the longest time, never refilled drinks, never checked on us.

Food was bland at best. Make sure you study the menu. It's family style, so you get what you get. No menu to choose from. No buffet selection. We found the food very boring, bland. It wasn't bad--just not memorable.

We didn't care for the semi-circle type tables. Makes it difficult to have real family conversation. Just not our preference.

Characters are good. However, the restaurant does spin. So who knows where you'll be when they come around. For us, my kids got to meet Mickey when the restaurant had spun to the front. So while they're trying to interact with Mickey, the whole line out front is waving and calling to him, snapping pictures, etc. So much for our one-on-one time!

All in all just a bad experience. There are so many places in Epcot that are so much better, we'd never waste our time with this one again!

 

[jon18uk]

Ate here as a couple a few years ago (maybe 8 years ago) and loved it. I still remember how good the southern-fried style catfish was (not sure if it is still on the menu). Also loved Chip & Dale, a waiter was trying to move chairs to get a table ready for six, every time he moved a chair over, Dale took it back again! The waiter ended up using Dales neckerchief to tie his paws together!

 

[Dislover1991]

My parents just liked it but I loved it! Everything I tried was delicious. I typically don't eat steak but I ate almost the entire serving on the platter and requested 2 more servings

 

[*pixie*dust*]

I'll go against the grain! This is absolutely the ONLY restaurant in Disney that my whole family walked out of and unanimously said, "Never again!"

Service was atrocious. Our waiter disappeared for the longest time, never refilled drinks, never checked on us.

Food was bland at best. Make sure you study the menu. It's family style, so you get what you get. No menu to choose from. No buffet selection. We found the food very boring, bland. It wasn't bad--just not memorable.

We didn't care for the semi-circle type tables. Makes it difficult to have real family conversation. Just not our preference.

Characters are good. However, the restaurant does spin. So who knows where you'll be when they come around. For us, my kids got to meet Mickey when the restaurant had spun to the front. So while they're trying to interact with Mickey, the whole line out front is waving and calling to him, snapping pictures, etc. So much for our one-on-one time!

All in all just a bad experience. There are so many places in Epcot that are so much better, we'd never waste our time with this one again!

While our experience wasn't exactly like this poster's, we wouldn't go again. Character interaction was good but the food was really bland and didn't appeal to anyone in our group except the 2 year old. Servers stood in the kitchen doorway and chatted instead of being out of site or attentive. Not worth the time or ADR -- too many other good places to go!

 

[DisneyHardin]

We ate there last year for the first time last year and really enjoyed it. The food was great and the characters were fun. We really liked the set up of the semi circular booths because it made it seem more private.

 

[Planner2012]

We loved the Garden Grill! It was on our must do list for our upcoming trip. The character interaction was great, and the food was really good. I would recommend requesting a table on the lower deck.

 

[Coconut8473]

I was a newbie, it was 2006 and we booked through a travel agent. We got the DDP for free which at the time included an appetizer AND tip! And here's the kicker…we went down without one ADR! Crazy! So we ate at Olivia's a LOT and when we wanted to eat at the parks, we would call the dining reservation line and they would offer suggestions. I had the internet at home back then but didn't go on it much and certainly didn't have an iPad, smartphone or laptop. And as far as planning, I didn't really know what I didn't know, and planning that first trip was pretty overwhelming, as I am sure you know. I joined the Dis and read the Unofficial Guide cover to cover but that's all the research I did. I'm sure I didn't find the menus online until much later. That's why.

Miss those days!!!

And yes, love Garden Grill. The food is good (not the best meal you'll ever have, but slightly better quality than many buffets, in my opinion, with the benefit of being served to you). It was actually one of our more relaxing meals, in spite of being Character Dining (we were in an outward-facing booth, so it felt very private), and we saw each character at least 4-5 times. Our DS is a HUGE Chip & Dale fan, so seeing them was special as well.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Garden Grill was our first ever character meal about 7 years ago. We really did enjoy it.

We had only been once in 2003 and stayed with family.

I didn't even know Disney had restaurants let alone ADR's!! I found this site a few weeks before our trip and luckily landed GG, CP and I think one other place but I can't remember.

It was a good solid meal. The character spent tons of times with our kids. Came around probably 3-4 times. The food was good. The kids liked that the restaurant moved.

We've never been back just because there are other places we prefer to eat at when in Epcot. Also my kids are drawn to CM and CRT and they pick those are their must do's.

 

[athumann]

We love Garden Grill, the food is fresh and tasty and the character interaction is the best that we've ever experienced. I think it may be becuase the restaurant is a little smaller than some other character meal venues and the characters never seem rushed. Chip and Dale are hilarious and always seem to have some kind of antics going on. We had Mickey sit in our booth with us and on more than one occasion we've had the characters come around more than once. I highly recommend it.

 

[AllyinWonderland]

We don't care for the food at Garden Grill but love the atmosphere. It has a unique atmosphere and allows for more relaxed character interactions.

 

[andee515]

We have eaten there 3 times, and love it! You need to understand it is like going to grandmas, you are not going to receive a menu, you eat what they give you; but there is some variety and overall very good food. Every time we have been there we interact with the characters 2-3 times for several minutes; A++ on charachters

 

[Mommymarie]

We ate here for the first time in November...8 of us ages 2-60....we all loved it. We are a family that typically eats at a character meal each day of our trip, sometimes 2 and we agreed this was our favorite!! Food was great...kids can eat off of adult platter and adults can eat from the kids...they will refill it all--adults loved the kids sweet potato fries! Best character interaction of the trip and awesome service! We cant wait to go back!!

 

[rapunzels]

Is it really that different than Liberty Tree?? Considering they serve Turkey, beef, stuffing, gravy, salad,, ect.

 

[pixarmom]

Is it really that different than Liberty Tree?? Considering they serve Turkey, beef, stuffing, gravy, salad,, ect.

Yes, because of the salad at Garden Grill! The ingredients are often from the greenhouses in the Land, and quite yummy. And, of course, Garden Grill has the characters and Liberty Tree is no longer a character meal. There are a few other differences, like the veggies at Garden Grill and the chicken drumsticks and sweet potato fries on the kids' platter, and the fish option on the adults' platter. Oh, and the wine, because that's not available at Liberty Tree.

 

[disneybliss2]

Is it really that different than Liberty Tree?? Considering they serve Turkey, beef, stuffing, gravy, salad,, ect.

I wasn't impressed by the dinner food at LTT. It tasted rather bland to me and remind me of a microwave meal. I was leery to make an ADR for GG for a long time because I was afraid the preset menu would be too similar to LTT and be liken to a t.v. dinner. We tried it for the first time this past summer, and I was pleasantly surprised. The two weren't anything alike. The food at GG was far superior to the dinner at LTT. It tasted fresh, was flavorful, and there was a larger variety of options served. Overall, the food was delicious at GG and was a very solid meal. I left saying, "meh" to LTT and wouldn't return, however I wouldn't hesitate to go back to GG. I was really surprised there was such a stark difference.

 

[GillianP1301]

Love it!

We have done Garden Grill 4 straight trips now. My son loves Chip & Dale and this is the one place he always asks to go back to. Character interaction has always been the best of any of our character meals (and we do a lot of them, 6 - 7 a trip) and the food is quite good too. And a big factor for me is the family style instead of a buffet, it's far more relaxing.

 

[LadyDiznee123]

My former hubby and I went every year to GARDEN GRILL from 97 to 2000 only for the character breakfast. While the service was very nice we did not care for the meal. The only breakfast meat they had was PORK and i was really hankering for breakfast meat with my meal. They had no beef or turkey alternatives. With this country having so many Jews and Muslims i was surprised and sorry that Disney did not take non pork eaters into consideration. And aside from the breakfast meat the other food smply wasnt that great to me.

The characters came over on a timely basis and the servers where great and the amount of food was great.... but again... I would never return again if just for the food.

 

[MmmSuite]

I'm excited to try this!!!! My soon-to-be ex-husband loves Chip and Dale. My kids have just started watching Rescue Rangers. My son's favorite ride besides POTC is Living in the Land. Since POTC will be closed I picked this to stretch that experience for him.

Did someone say request a lower level table? Tell me more!

 

[pixarmom]

I'm excited to try this!!!! My soon-to-be ex-husband loves Chip and Dale. My kids have just started watching Rescue Rangers. My son's favorite ride besides POTC is Living in the Land. Since POTC will be closed I picked this to stretch that experience for him.

Did someone say request a lower level table? Tell me more!

We like the tables on the lower level for a number of reasons. They are high-back semi-circle booths, so all you see during dinner are the rotating scenes from the Land and the characters. It's best if not everyone in your party wants character photos - just the people on the ends. So, for example, my husband and I sit in the middle with the kids on the ends - they jump up for character photos and we just stay put and take the photo. No chairs to jump over or anything.

Our experiences on the upper level were fine - you can still see the rotating scenes from the Land, along with all the diners around you and on the level below. If everyone at your table wants to be photos, the upper level - with traditional tables and chairs instead of booths - is probably better.
We just prefer the more quiet and peaceful semi-circle booth.

 

[MmmSuite]

We like the tables on the lower level for a number of reasons. They are high-back semi-circle booths, so all you see during dinner are the rotating scenes from the Land and the characters. It's best if not everyone in your party wants character photos - just the people on the ends. So, for example, my husband and I sit in the middle with the kids on the ends - they jump up for character photos and we just stay put and take the photo. No chairs to jump over or anything.

Our experiences on the upper level were fine - you can still see the rotating scenes from the Land, along with all the diners around you and on the level below. If everyone at your table wants to be photos, the upper level - with traditional tables and chairs instead of booths - is probably better.
We just prefer the more quiet and peaceful semi-circle booth.

Awesome! I will request one of those! We will be coming in from a 14+ hour drive so I'd love to be more relaxed.