Biergarten questions

[DJFan88]

The food looks really good and like there is something for everyone, but different stuff than all over the place.

The tables look like theyre for 8. So, it looks like others sit with you. Is it awkward? I'm friendly, but my familys not great at it.
Do they take your order separate? I guess there's nothing to order. So are all eight seated at once, or are one party there and then they may leave and another may come, or you may or what?
Are there certain times of the day when music stuff plays or is it every so often?

Overall do you like it?

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

It is a buffet, so no need to worry about ordering, except for drinks. The waitstaff knows that you are separate parties. We are a family of 4, so we have typically shared a table with another family of 4. Make conversation with your table mates, or not. At least smile and say hi, not much more is required or needed. Once, my daughter (age 8 at the time), talked for most of the meal with the mom of the family we were seated with - they just seemed to hit it off. On our most recent trip, the family next to us seemed to be having a rough day, so we didn't engage them in conversation. We ate, they ate, it was all good. We love the food, and have had the same great waiter twice.

There is a schedule for the band. I think I've found it by doing a quick google search.

We love the food and the drinks. We always have fun and a good meal. We aren't typically chatty with strangers, and we've done fine sharing the table.

 

[mdelano4]

Went once, probably never again. Sitting with another family was the only part where we didn't have a problem. We were seated late, and at the very end of a show, so we didn't see anything . The food was basically awful except for the desserts. Met a nice family from NJ and chatted with them for a bit. Overall, not a good experience.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We’ve eaten there 3 or 4 times and don’t mind sitting with others. Last year we were seated with another couple and we chatted with them non stop. Other years we have been with people that preferrred to talk among themselves, so DH and I just talked to each other.

 

[DJFan88]

Thanks for your inputs!

 

[Marc D]

Biergarten has been a must-do on all of my trips since 1982. We love the setting. Unlike what a PP said, I do not find the food to be awful but rather constantly good and varied. The band comes on at specific times. If it’s not playing when you arrive, you’re pretty sure they’ll come on during your meal. They want crowd participation and kids often end up dancing in front of them.

We’ve been seated with plenty of different parties over the years. A quick nod, a hello and you’re good to go. No need to engage in conversation and, if the band is playing, you’ll have difficulty maintaining it since it gets loud. You only order drinks from the servers, so you’re not waiting for the other party for anything. The servers are usually very efficient, so you’ll never run out of a drink.

 

[DJFan88]

Thanks all, I think I'm going to do it, the food looks different enough to get my youngest some variety, but he likes all the stuff. Googling the photos looked good

 

[disneyvoice]

We love Biergarten! My son can sometimes be a picky eater but he ventures out and eats some things he normally wouldn't at Biergarten. I think it is one the better quality buffets at WDW and the entertainment is fun!

They will wait until all parties assigned to one table are there and then they will walk everyone in together and explain how everything works. We have been there many times and have never had them seat additional people at our table when another party has left. We don't find the seating arrangement awkward at all but we are pretty outgoing and like talking to people. Sometimes you are seated with some people who clearly aren't comfortable with sitting others and they prefer not to converse which is just fine.

We had one of our best WDW experienced at Biergarten. We were seated with a Native American man and his wife. I don't remember how it started but somehow he started talking to us about all the Native American history in Florida. He was seriously a walking history book of native American culture! My son was about 13 at the time and was fascinated (we all were); this man clearly enjoyed sharing the information with us. Our son had recently done a unit on Native American history in school and had a lot of questions for him which is was so happy to answer. Everytime we go to Biergarten now we always talk about that experience.

 

[WEDWDW]

It can be a little awkward-it just depends on if everyone at the table are extroverts,introverts or a mixture.

There is a "sizing up" period as everyone tries to determine how much,if any,converstaion will take place between groups.

 

[amcnj]

I have found when we go to Biergarten, that between getting your food, eating, watching the entertainment, being on a slightly different time schedule than others (not seated at exactly the same time so at different stages of the meal) and each group having their own internal conversations, interaction with others around usually is not extensive.

 

[HopperFan]

We have been walked in with our whole table of guests and we have been walked in a few minutes apart.

We have been two groups, three groups and even four groups (4/2/1/1).

We have had tables where the others kept to themselves, some talked and some didn't, and we all talked together.

At first I was not keen on it but can't say any meal was awkward .... to those that didn't want to talk, it was fine we still had fun among ourselves. And like others say you are up and down getting food, eating, watching show and interacting with server if they are good.

The servers are from Germany so we have had some great convo about the different dishes, they tell us how they may be made different from theirs at home.

And convo on beers as they don't necessarily think what is served is good beer.

It is one of our favorites, good food, nice variety, PRETZEL ROLLS and honestly I could get my monies worth just eating the desserts.

 

[Dis703]

We have eaten at Biergarten many times now. Most of the time the other families we've been seated with have been pretty friendly. Once in a while we get seated with someone who isn't interested in talking but that's fine. We have always been seated at the same time with the other family at the table and they server goes through the explanation of how things run for all of us at once and then takes drink orders. It's one of our absolute favorite places to dine at Disney.

 

[Lilsia]

We go every trip, my kids love it. The band is great and the food is really good too. The food is the old world, eastern European type of cuisine that is nothing like the over salted American food. So some who have never had that type of food are not used to it and may not like it. I have found that most who try it, do like it. It is definitely worth going at least once.

 

[Gussie Granger 1969]

I loved it there. I love the food and atmosphere. My husband hated it. He didn’t care for the food. We are a young family of 4 and we’re seated with two older couples who didn’t know each other but soon became fast friends. They ignored us which was fine, didn’t bother me.

 

[nkereina]

Our first visit at Biergarten, DH and I as just a party of two were sandwiched between a family of 4 who didn't speak English and another couple who were about 30 years our senior. We were all seated around the same time. DH and I don't necessarily initiate conversation and tend to keep to ourselves, but we were prepared to be friendly and chat with our table mates. Instead, it ended up being very awkward and the other couple opted to keep to themselves as well. The seating was also squished and I felt intrusive to the individuals sitting next to me each time I got up to go to the buffet or restroom. So, the seating arrangement was awkward for us but food and atmosphere were very good.

On our second visit last summer, we were a party of 7 so we had one empty seat at our table that they did not fill, but did caution they could put someone there if a solo traveler came. No one ever did. It was a more enjoyable experience all around.

 

[princesspiglet]

We also go every trip and love the food and atmosphere. A few times we have been seated at a full table and the other family(s) were already eating their meal, so we would sit, order our drinks and then get up and get our food. By the time we would get back, they were almost done, so no long conversations. Other times, we chat for a few minutes in between trips to the buffet. My husband can sell snow to an Eskimo, so I always put in near the other guests. DD and I usually keep to ourselves, but we will chime in every now and then if it's interesting- otherwise, I let my DH talk away!

 

[danielle782001]

We haven't been in all the years we have gone. I have a 12:00 lunch booked for July. Is is quiet in July? Possible to get a table alone? I have a child with special needs and I didn't even think about the seating issue until I saw this thread, so thank you

 

[HopperFan]

We haven't been in all the years we have gone. I have a 12:00 lunch booked for July. Is is quiet in July? Possible to get a table alone? I have a child with special needs and I didn't even think about the seating issue until I saw this thread, so thank you

Been going for many years ............ they leave tables empty rather than seats so plan on having table mates. I've been when there have been guests at only about dozen tables, but those tables were full.

My DS is also special needs ... adult ... and obvious .... and we are seated with strangers. I suggest you be close to doors so when they call your name you could possibly be in the front of the group seated first .... putting him in first and able to control the seating OR place yourself to sit last so you can have an easy exit from table if need be.

I have seen people ask to be seated at their own table, told no, and some actually walked out. Once a Mom and two boys didn't want to sit with us .... whatever, we sat down while they discussed it with hostess. In the end they were told no and sat with us. She gave me an excuse she was afraid her boys would be disruptive ........... they were very well behaved and they are regulars so she knew what was going to happen. In the end it was fine, I found a common interest with her and we talked through the meal.

You can see here, full tables and lots of empty tables.

 

[heidijanesmith]

It's our must do for arrival night! We always to go EPCOT our 1st night and eat at Biergarden, it's tradition!!

We love the atmosphere, it feels like we are really at an outdoor festival. The Ompa band is such fun, makes for great entertainment. The kids have so much fun dancing up front, adults too!

We have met so many great families at the communal tables. It's a great way to start out our trip. I think we have only had one family who was not enjoying the seating arrangements.

 

[bashuck]

We've been there 12 times, hated it every time. Actually, only once but it was great. Enjoyed the food, show, and were seated with a family of 4 we didn't talk to much and someone who was by themselves who we talked to quite a bit and he gave my DD7 a pin that he had just bought (still had the packaging) as we were wearing our lanyards so that was cool. Will be back.