Coral Reef - is it really that bad?

[pens4821]

We went in 2014, and enjoyed it but won't go back any time soon. I'd go if you've never been for the experience though. We felt the food was good. Some seafood, a steak, and chicken. All we felt was tasty. The atmosphere was cool and we enjoyed looking at the tank.

We started off disappointed. Our ADR was early in the day, and we waited about fifteen minutes after it to go in. No big deal but when we walked in there were only a handful of tables taken. Like I said it was early too so not like they just got done being busy.

The menu didn't have many selections, and we felt the portions were small.

All in all you go for the atmosphere id say. I didn't hate it, but wasn't thrilled especially waiting to go into an empty dining room.

 

[PurpleKomodo]

I have been twice. Once in 2007 and once in July 2015. Both times, I had a good experience. Our waitress this last trip was very good and attentive. My DS loved the aquariums and watching the fish, sharks, and sting rays. They also have one of my favorite desserts at Disney World. It is a chocolate mousse that is infused in sections with Kahlua and Jack Daniels. It is really good! We also enjoy their appetizers and main courses. EPCOT is always so hard to choose TS because of WS and all the lovely options there, but Coral Reef was really good for our kiddo and we all had a good meal too.

 

[fairy oma]

We waited in line for 25 minutes before we were seated for our 5pm ADR. We were disappointed with views of the aquarium...we had to take DGDs down to the lower level so they could see as we were seated next to the kitchen and the view is not so great here. Food was OK but we live in KS and believe it or not Bonefish Grill is better and so is Red Lobster. The wait staff was lovely though. It was an OK experience but we decided on this trip to skip it and just go straight to the aquarium instead.

 

[Masonmj84]

I've eaten at over 30 WDW table service restaurants and had my worst overall experience at Coral Reef.

Food was bland, server was jaded, and the restaurant seemed somewhat dark, dated, and dirty (the tank was a cool novelty for about 30 seconds).

By contrast, on the same day we did Coral Reef (lunch) we did Flying Fish for dinner. Now I know this isn't apples to apples as Flying Fish is a signature restaurant, but the difference in food, service, and atmosphere cannot be understated (think Applebee's versus Morton's).

I know some people love Coral Reef. Maybe we hit it on a bad day. But there are too many better choices in Epcot (and the nearby resorts) for me to take a chance on this place again.

 

[wdwjeffc37]

We have eaten at Coral Reef twice since 2011. The first meal (2011) was great. The food was good, the service was great and the view was nice. We were on the first level off of the floor. Our second meal (2013)was not so great, however Disney made it right. My and my kids food was good but the entree that my wife ordered was not. It tasted bad and was not even hot. The server was apologetic and offered to get her another entree. He rushed it through the kitchen and it was out before I had finished eating. She said it was quite good. Then the manager came to our table to apologize about that entree. He then comped our desserts and both of my wife entrees(which was quite good). We have not been back because there are other places we want to try, but we wouldn't hesitate to go again. Cheers!!!!!

 

[SouthJersey]

We really enjoyed it for lunch.
We save a signature for dinner in the evening each night, so we use a 1TS credit left over for a lunch and our experience there was actually decent despite the reviews and absurd wait to be seated even with an ADR. The service was great, the drinks were excellent and appetizers were great. The steak was nothing to rave about, on par with any cheap steak place like Outback or Long Horn, but was cooked to a perfect medium rare and surprisingly the salmon was pretty good as opposed to the dried out salmon I was served at Flying Fish. Desserts were kind of bland and nothing thrilling though.

The atmosphere is why we'd return, the only drawback is if you're seating next to the tank, a lot of ignorant parents who allow their kids to run up to the tank for pictures regardless if they're right up in your face or banging into your seat to get to the ledge for a picture or pound on the glass to see the fish.

 

[Daisy62]

Last trip we didn't care for it. To top it off we asked if My daughter could get the lobster mac and cheese without the lobster. She is allergic to shellfish. The said sure! When we got the bill it was $35 for that small dish of Mac and cheese. Needless to say we had to talk t a manager to revise the bill. The waitress had refused.

 

[olecow]

My family has always enjoyed our meals at Coral Reef, and the atmosphere is fantastic. We have another ADR there for our upcoming October trip.

 

[disney_bob]

We've had two "just OK" meals there. It might have been a little better if we were close to the aquarium but so few tables are. I don't know that I'd spend the money to go a third time.

 

[nilla]

We love it. We request tankside seating, and since our ADRs are always relatively early, the difference in wait time by doing that is negligible.

The jumbo shrimp and grits I had were awesome, my wife always loves their steaks, and the desserts are some of our favorites in all of WDW. Oh, and the view and ambience are unique

But hey, don't take my word for it. Read the review in my Trip Report!

(which is also my word, but oh well)

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

We don't think the Corel Reef is bad at all....The Food, theming and service has been great the times we have gone.

AKK

 

[River Country]

ya know number 1 I wouldn't cancel an ADR or experience based on reviews from here or any other place. I would use others experiences to better prepare myself for something that I may be interested in trying. I have had good and bad meals at Coral Reef, but this is one of those places that has been open as long as Epcot has I think. It has changed over the years and there was a time I took it off the list but DW made me make an ADR for last August and it was probably the best service and the best meal we had all week and we ate at a couple signatures as well. So did it make my favorite of all time list? No but it was good and I think a very good option for 1 TS

 

[ms_missy66]

Let me tell you why I don't like Coral Reef. I had the lobster mac and the pasta tasted as if it had been frozen, as did the lobster. Nothing seemed fresh and the service was exceptionally quick. Sometimes that's a good thing because who wants to wait an hour for food. Other times, as was our experience at Coral Reef, it's more like they want to rush you through your meal to open the table for someone else. If it was reasonably priced, I'd overlook it. But man...it's really pricey for what it was.

The one good thing I'll say is that our waiter said they'd basically create a kids' portion for almost anything on the menu!

 

[olecow]

If you want to go then go. I would never cancel an ADR based off of reviews here. I am looking forward to our lunch there in December.

This is some of the best advice you'll find on these boards. I would NEVER let a review in a online forum (even an online forum as great as this one) influence where or what I eat. My family enjoys Coral Reef, both the food and the atmosphere. Is it high end dining? I wouldn't know because I don't do high end dining. For us it's been an enjoyable meal in a wonderful atmosphere.