Anyone done Garden Grove character dinner lately?

[proud_canadian]

I found a coupon so I could save some money and think that this might be a better option than our booked CP lunch. Do the characters appear EVERY night? What characters? Anyone done this one lately? Is it the same character interaction you would find inside the parks?

 

[Robert P]

I found a coupon so I could save some money and think that this might be a better option than our booked CP lunch. Do the characters appear EVERY night? What characters? Anyone done this one lately? Is it the same character interaction you would find inside the parks?

We've found that the character interaction 'quantity' is better than any other meal, largely due to the lack of crowds. It's off the beaten path so to speak, so it is rarely more than 1/2 full for dinner. Last dinner there, the characters came around 3 times at least, maybe 4.
Quality interaction wise, it's like other meals, sometimes you have a very engaging character, sometimes not as much.
The characters each night are listed on the Swan & Dolphin website, if you want to confirm who will be there when. As I recall, it's Pluto &Goofy every night except Monday and Friday, when it's Rafiki and Timon.

 

[Tiger926]

We've found that the character interaction 'quantity' is better than any other meal, largely due to the lack of crowds. It's off the beaten path so to speak, so it is rarely more than 1/2 full for dinner. Last dinner there, the characters came around 3 times at least, maybe 4.
Quality interaction wise, it's like other meals, sometimes you have a very engaging character, sometimes not as much.
The characters each night are listed on the Swan & Dolphin website, if you want to confirm who will be there when. As I recall, it's Pluto &Goofy every night except Monday and Friday, when it's Rafiki and Timon.

Exactly! Just did it last month, and it was great! It's still costly, despite the 25.00 certificate, as you have to pay for extras like beverages, but there is no buffet upcharge/surcharge.

Characters are always good, restaurant is alwasy quiet and food is pretty good.

Happy eating, Tiger

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

I found a coupon so I could save some money and think that this might be a better option than our booked CP lunch. Do the characters appear EVERY night? What characters? Anyone done this one lately? Is it the same character interaction you would find inside the parks?

May I ask where you got the coupon...we will be staying in December and would love to get a coupon for meals at Swan/Dolphin.
Thanks

 

[Tiger926]

Here is the link to coupons:

http://www.restaurant.com/

Coupons are on sale, usually for $2.00 or $3.00 a coupon, you can purchase online with credit card or PayPayl, and you then print it off at home, and take to restaurant.

There are lots of restrictions, for things like: must purchase 2 adult entrees, must purchase a beverage with meal, etc., and each coupon will have those listed on it.

Good luck, Tiger

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Here is the link to coupons:

http://www.restaurant.com/

Coupons are on sale, usually for $2.00 or $3.00 a coupon, you can purchase online with credit card or PayPayl, and you then print it off at home, and take to restaurant.

There are lots of restrictions, for things like: must purchase 2 adult entrees, must purchase a beverage with meal, etc., and each coupon will have those listed on it.

Good luck, Tiger

thank you, I have to look into it.

 

[TinkerKell-ey]

Just want to say we loved our dinner at GG in Feb. It was a somewhat last minute trip and I couldn't get the ADRs I thought I wanted. We stayed at BCV, so I ventured to Swan/Dolphin for meal ideas and discovered GG. It was FANTASTIC! We were there for Mediterranean night (think it was Thursday) with Pluto and Goofy (DD's favorite). The food was SOOOO good! The place was more than half empty??? ---Definitely a hidden gem.

 

[sharadoc]

I thought characters were only at breakfast on weekends. So does this mean there are characters every night at dinner, or only weekends for that too?

 

[Tiger926]

I thought characters were only at breakfast on weekends. So does this mean there are characters every night at dinner, or only weekends for that too?

There are characters each night for dinnner M - F, as well as on weekends for breakfast only.

Tiger

 

[DOOM1001]

I went on a Friday night last month with the Restaurant.com certificate and as others have said the place is simply not busy for dinner,we went around 8pm,about an hour before they close and there were maybe 6-7 other tables throughout our entire meal.The best thing on the buffet is the risotto that they make for you when you order it,the rest was pretty good but some things like the skirt steak were not getting replenished after they ran out,probably due to it being so close to their closing time.Overall it was good,without the coupon I would consider it a bit too expensive for what it was.

 

[Kat&Dom]

There are characters each night for dinnner M - F, as well as on weekends for breakfast only.

Tiger

I just called the Garden Grove because we have a Saturday night dinner booked and they do have the characters both for breakfast and dinner on the weekends.

Another thing to consider is that there is a $12 parking charge for all Dolphin and Swan restaurants. It is not like the Disney resorts where you can get a free 3 hour parking pass to dine - you actually have to pay parking here.

 

[Tiger926]

I just called the Garden Grove because we have a Saturday night dinner booked and they do have the characters both for breakfast and dinner on the weekends.

Another thing to consider is that there is a $12 parking charge for all Dolphin and Swan restaurants. It is not like the Disney resorts where you can get a free 3 hour parking pass to dine - you actually have to pay parking here.

Hmmm....thanks for that. I must have misread the character meal posters outside of the restaurant last month. Sorry about that - I thought it was just characters for breakfast on the weekends...I could have sworn that is what the poster said.

I didn't mention parking because we stay at the Boardwalk quite often, and walk over. If not, you can just go eat there when you are at Epcot, and walk through the International Gateway to get to the restaurant as well.

Tiger

 

[DOOM1001]

The guard was totally cool with you parking at the Boardwalk to eat at Garden Grove when I went last month.