Convince me to keep Blue Bayou reservation!

[MacMama0930]

I was underwhelmed by BB. I already have vision issues, and the darkness was really annoying. My eyes just couldn't adjust. I was second row from water and couldn't see anything inside the ride, it was just too dark. I barely saw the silhouettes of the boats pass by. And the food wasn't my style. And the service was sllllloooooow.

 

[ktlm]

For Blue Bayou- think San Angel Inn at EPCOT. It is the same concept with different theming. The atmosphere is great, it is like you are sitting outside on a terrace at night after dark with the POTC boats going down the Bayou past you. It is dark-- so dark that when DD was little, she always used to fall asleep at the table when we had dinner there. The food to us has always been mediocre at best. We actually had quit going there, until they got rid of the Fantasmic dessert package and did the dinner package FP - then we put BB back in rotation solely to get the Fantasmic pass. For us, it is been there, done that, we can see the atmosphere riding through it on POTC. That said-- it is a place that I am glad we experienced at least once.

Café Orleans, we have always thought the food was very good. We far prefer it to BB. It does not have the atmosphere, of BB, but to us, it is a better meal. It is a must do for us.

 

[jenng1983]

I think you're going to get a different answer depending who you ask. I've talked to people who love it and make it a point to go there every trip, others who say it's alright and they go every once in a while, and yet others who say it's over rated and not to waste your money. I haven't been yet, but have reservations for our trip in June. I'm excited for the experience. I may hate it, I may love it, I may be impartial to it, but I really want to go and experience it

 

[biochemgirl]

If you do want to experience BB for less money, try sharing or splitting an entree. Sharing costs nothing. The server will bring an extra plate, and you will divide the portions yourself. The portions are generous and the food is rich. The split fee is $12. Each person will get an appetizer, and the kitchen will divide the entree and sides. We love BB, but not for the food. Mainly for the experience and fun. CO is fun, too, and much less expensive than BB. Fun people watching from the patio. But not the same atmosphere at all. Ride POTC and look at the restaurant as you go through the bayou section. Try to ride when there will be people dining there so you can really see what it will be like. If you want to dine there, fine. If not, you can cancel your reservation right after the ride using the app.
And if you want an earlier reservation time, keep checking online/the app/calling the Dine Line to look for cancellations. It is quite possible that you could get an earlier time before your trip starts.

Just to clarify, if we want to share by doing the splitting on our own, there is no fee and we get the entree with it's one associated bowl of soup or salad?

For a fee ($12), you each get the soup or salad and the entree is split for you by the kitchen?

Thanks!

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

I think you're going to get a different answer depending who you ask. I've talked to people who love it and make it a point to go there every trip, others who say it's alright and they go every once in a while, and yet others who say it's over rated and not to waste your money. I haven't been yet, but have reservations for our trip in June. I'm excited for the experience. I may hate it, I may love it, I may be impartial to it, but I really want to go and experience it

Yeah, it's kind of like the Mona Lisa. Some people love it, some people say it's just a tiny painting of a random woman, but if I'm going to fly 5000 miles to Paris, I figure I should at least try to see the most famous painting in the world, just at the minimum to say I've seen it, lol.

 

[oakleycat]

If you're going solely for the atmosphere/experience keep it. If you're going for the food, I'd do Carthay Circle or Steakhouse 55. For me, the darkness and mediocre food are not worth the price, I'd rather ride the ride and go to Cafe Orleans for a Monte Cristo.

 

[katejc]

I'm on the "love it" side. Not for the food necessarily, though it's perfectly fine, not earth-shattering, but more for the Disney magic. We're doing it for the good MSEP parade viewing this time. Almost didn't and when I asked my daughter if she still wanted to do it, there was an enthusiastic "Yes!! of course!!"--something you don't get that often from a 16 year old...

 

[BayouQueen]

I personally don't care for BB. I love Cafe Orleans.

Me, too.

 

[DDhunter]

We have gone to BB twice. The ambiance was great but the food was meh and definitely not worth the high price, IMHO. Carthay Circle in DCA is far superior food wise. As for Cafe Orleans, we go there every single trip. Our opinion is you can ride Pirates to get the "ambiance" of BB.

 

[Disney_Alli]

Just to clarify, if we want to share by doing the splitting on our own, there is no fee and we get the entree with it's one associated bowl of soup or salad?

For a fee ($12), you each get the soup or salad and the entree is split for you by the kitchen?

Thanks!

Yes that's correct

 

[Barbanellie]

Thanks everyone for all the answers!

I think you're going to get a different answer depending who you ask.

Yes, I am, and I was expecting that. But at the same time, the reasons people state for why they liked (or didn't like) BB help as well, they just add arguments to both sides, and help flesh it out aside from just wondering "should I or shouldn't I?".

I'll keep thinking it over, but all comments help and are immensely appreciated!

 

[Malcon10t]

Here's my problem. If I am spending $30-40 a head for lunch or $40-60 a head for dinner, I don't want "meh" food with ambiance. Too many other good experiences in the park.

 

[gillep]

Personally, I much prefer the various counter service restaurants in the two parks to any of the table service restaurants. The only table service that we ever book in the parks is Carthay Circle when we want to do WOC. Blue Bayou was ok but the various counter service restaurants around it were better (food wise) and cost less.

 

[jessieroo]

We ate here on last trip for our 25th anniversary. Atmosphere and service were great but the food wasnt as good as we hoped. We did eat at Carthay Circle and that was really good. We are planning on trying Cafe Orleans in November. Happy Planning!!

 

[Gisele]

We ate here on last trip for our 25th anniversary. Atmosphere and service were great but the food wasnt as good as we hoped. We did eat at Carthay Circle and that was really good. We are planning on trying Cafe Orleans in November. Happy Planning!!

Oooh for your next anniversary, make a reservation for the Chef's Counter at the Napa Rose. They have two seatings, 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Just to clarify, if we want to share by doing the splitting on our own, there is no fee and we get the entree with it's one associated bowl of soup or salad?

For a fee ($12), you each get the soup or salad and the entree is split for you by the kitchen?

Thanks!

"Share by splitting" can be a bit confusing in this context. If you want to share, not split, then make sure you communicate that clearly to your server. I know what you mean, but in a noisy restaurant, your CM may hear something different. If you say "split," the CM may charge you the split fee. If you only want to "share," be very clear that you do not want the extra appetizer and only want one entree and one extra plate.

 

[tasha99]

We love BB. PoTC is one of my favorite rides, and I've been going to BB since I was a teen. It's an iconic experience to me. I love it for that and the atmosphere, but part of that atmosphere is going from a hot afternoon (or really late morning) into a cool night. Not sure it would be as appealing for dinner. The food is somewhat meh and portions are large.

 

[justafigment27]

We went to DLR several years ago for the first time and I did not make reservations for Blue Bayou because so much of my research told me it was "not worth it", particularly with young kids. I really wound up regretting it b/c I just LOVED the way the restaurant looked. We made lunch reservations for this trip. I figure it's a "one and done" kind of thing for us ... doubt we will make a third trip to DLR.

 

[Rabb it]

If it's your first time at Disneyland then Blue Bayou is a must! At the very least some when people ask "did you eat at the restaurant inside Pirates of the Caribbean?!" You can say "yes!"

The food is excellent and the ambience cannot be beat. Sure it's a little pricey, but it's so worth it. And, it's a special occasion, your first trip to Disneyland

 

[BriannaRuth]

I think a lot of it really depends on how important the $$ is to you. Would you be upset spending over $30 a person for dinner if you didn't think the food was great? If I was at home and went to a restaurant here in town, the answer to that would be YES, even if the atmosphere was great.

But I'm not at home, it's Disneyland, and what's important to me is totally different. When I go to Disneyland, I know I'll be spending more than I normally do and I don't worry about it much. It's the Disney experience I'm looking for that's why I love Blue Bayou.