Advice: BOG or Skipper Canteen

[Hatbox]

For our upcoming trip, we have a slot for one dinner in MK. This is the first and last Disney trip my husband and I are taking alone: until now, we've only gone with my family - who don't eat anything "spicy", "exotic", "fancy", "weird", or fresh. And our own family of two will be growing very soon, so we'll be planning with kids in mind next time we go.

We currently have a reservation for BOG (after it switches to prix fixe). Thing is, my husband (a) hates Beauty and the Beast (I know) and (b) is a snob about French food. So I'm concerned we'll eat at BOG and he'll wrinkle his nose at it. BUT - the new menu/experience hasn't begun yet, so who can say?

I've heard mixed reviews about Skipper Canteen, from ecstatic to underwhelmed. The menu sounds like something we'd enjoy, so long as the food actually lives up. I'm tempted to switch our reservation from BOG, but here's my dilemma: I'd like to wait until after BOG makes the Signature switch and I can read some reviews. But by then it'll be three weeks to my trip and I worry I won't get a reservation at SC.

All this to say:
- What do you think of Skipper Canteen?
- Is it easy to get an early evening table at SC last minute? (we're going the last week of August)
- The new BOG entrees look pretty similar to the current menu. How would you rate the current dinner menu? Is the food great? Or is it pretty good but you go for the atmosphere?

 

[dminnie]

I haven't eaten at Skipper Canteen yet, but the menu looks pretty good to me and might be a good fit based on what you have said about your husband's preferences .
This is a case where I feel it's okay to make reservations at both and then cancel one of them as it gets closer.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I've eaten at both. I'm a big fan of Skipper Canteen, and don't much care for the food at BOG, so this would be a no-brainer for me. I think there is a good chance you could get a Skipper Canteen reservation three weeks ahead, but not necessarily close to 6PM, which is the most popular time for dinner.

 

[Hatbox]

This is a case where I feel it's okay to make reservations at both and then cancel one of them as it gets closer.

I thought of that but I’m constricted by the buffer window Disney has in place to keep people like me from hoarding reservations
I may revisit that and see how flexible I can be. Thanks!

 

[Hatbox]

I've eaten at both. I'm a big fan of Skipper Canteen, and don't much care for the food at BOG, so this would be a no-brainer for me.

Awesome! And the food at SC is fairly represented by the menu? IE: you wouldn’t order something described as “encrusted in a blend of exotic spices” only to receive a pork chop sprinkled with black pepper, right?

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Awesome! And the food at SC is fairly represented by the menu? IE: you wouldn’t order something described as “encrusted in a blend of exotic spices” only to receive a pork chop sprinkled with black pepper, right?

I have not tried every item on the menu, but the ones I had matched the descriptions.

 

[Hopefully]

I too have eaten at both. SC without a question. And that is not even considering your husbands thoughts.

 

[harddrive]

Like other here, I have eaten at both and in your situation would probably recommend SC over BOG.

The real reason we go to BOG is for the atmosphere and the chance to meet the Beast at dinner. The food there on their old menu is ok, but nothing to write home about, don't know about the new menu although we are hoping to get a reservation for our next trip in Jan.

Skipper Canteen exceeded our expectations and the appetizers and dessert alone made the meal worth it. The main meals were great too, although my DP and I both ordered the same main so cant really talk to how other items on the menu came out.

With the future you have ahead of you with kids i'd say wait for your next trip for BOG so you can enjoy it with your kids

Anyways that's just my 2 cents!

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I thought of that but I’m constricted by the buffer window Disney has in place to keep people like me from hoarding reservations
I may revisit that and see how flexible I can be. Thanks!

How big is that buffer window? 90 minutes, or what? I've generally avoided making two reservations for the same time frame, but I have an unusual situation coming up where I'd go to a different restaurant depending on whether family members can join me.

 

[heidijanesmith]

Big fan of Skipper Canteen. We have had quite a few items on the menu and everything has been really good.

BOG dinner was good, I liked the shrimp/scallop pasta. The atmosphere is beautiful, but it's not a must for me.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I've had two experiences at Skippers Canteen

#1--early dinner with two teen boys who are picky eaters. This was in August 2017. Our experience was fine. Service was good, but no "antics"/jokes. We were in that large main room

#2--late lunch with my whole family which included those teen picky eaters, but also my tweens who are adventurous eaters--they literally eat ANYTHING. This was in January 2018. Our server was way more into the "jokes"/corny humour. We were in one of the smaller rooms. One of my sons (one of the adventurous ones!) ordered the spicy noodles and they were WAY too spicy--inedible spicy. This kid will eat almost anything, but had hardly touched his noodles. We told the server and she even said they'd had some complaints about how spicy they were, and that they seemed to depend on who was preparing it that day. Everything else was great.

I would definitely try it out again, but I might avoid those spicy noodles.

 

[CynBeth]

We love dinner at BOG I would keep that.

 

[Hatbox]

How big is that buffer window? 90 minutes, or what? I've generally avoided making two reservations for the same time frame, but I have an unusual situation coming up where I'd go to a different restaurant depending on whether family members can join me.

90 minutes. I've just made a Skipper Canteen reservation for 90 minutes later than my BOG one (I'm going to sleep on it for another day and then probably cancel BOG and move up my SC res.)

 

[DaisyDuck001]

90 minutes.

Thanks, good to know!

 

[3gr8boys]

If you go with Skipper Canteen ... I suggest requesting a table in one of the two smaller rooms- the S.E.A. Room or the Falls Family Parlor. (If the corny jokes shtick sounds appealing, you can hope for server Darrin....he took care of us in April and had a pun for everything!) Enjoy!

 

[DaisyDuck001]

If you go with Skipper Canteen ... I suggest requesting a table in one of the two smaller rooms- the S.E.A. Room or the Falls Family Parlor. (If the corny jokes shtick sounds appealing, you can hope for server Darrin....he took care of us in April and had a pun for everything!) Enjoy!

I like all the rooms at Skipper Canteen!

 

[gharter]

We've eaten at both and much prefer SC. The food was much better. Much prefer the small rooms instead of the mess hall (large main room). Hopefully you get a good server. We have had 3 really fun ones, and last trip, a dud. Nobody knows what to expect with the change to pre-fixe. Maybe the food quality will go way up, or maybe it doesn't.

 

[Hatbox]

If you go with Skipper Canteen ... I suggest requesting a table in one of the two smaller rooms- the S.E.A. Room or the Falls Family Parlor.

Yes! I want to do this, but can’t figure out how. Can i do it through MDE, or do I have to just ask when I arrive?

 

[MomOTwins]

90 minutes. I've just made a Skipper Canteen reservation for 90 minutes later than my BOG one (I'm going to sleep on it for another day and then probably cancel BOG and move up my SC res.)

Yesssss, everyone who has a BOG reservation in August should cancel BOG. Do it now, while I’m online, I mean while some sucker who doesnt like BOG is online and will get it. Poor fools, BOG is the worst. Everyone should cancel. And PM me the moment they do so I can congratulate them on their good taste. Not because I want to nab their reservation or anything

 

[gharter]

We asked when we checked in. We had to wait about 10-15 minutes for a table to open up in one of the smaller rooms. Well worth the wait.