Coral Reef...lunch or dinner?

[anbouk]

I have reservations for Coral Reef for both lunch and dinner over a 10 day stay. Would like to cancel one...which one should I cancel? Does the menu change much? We have Never eaten here and would love for my 5yr old to experience this as he loves the entire NEMO gang.

 

[Quinn222]

It doesn't matter. Food is awful, service is spotty and you'll probably have to wait a long time for your table. Since you're only going so your child can watch the fish just decide what time is better for you to sit around (probably on the floor) of a dark ugly hall and wait. I'd say dinner just because I wouldn't want to waste that much daytime touring with a child.

 

[nessz79]

It doesn't matter. Food is awful, service is spotty and you'll probably have to wait a long time for your table. Since you're only going so your child can watch the fish just decide what time is better for you to sit around (probably on the floor) of a dark ugly hall and wait. I'd say dinner just because I wouldn't want to waste that much daytime touring with a child.

Wow, what a positive reply.

We're going for lunch in December. It looked to me like their menus were relatively similar for lunch and dinner. It is the atmosphere which is the neatest part, and lunch is cheaper

 

[anbouk]

I have read many unfavorable threads here for the Coral Reef. Starting to wonder if it is all that wise to keep the ressie. Thought it would be a fun experience though fpr my child. I am very undecisive now

 

[sheilag]

We're on the dining plan, and I have a lunch res for Coral Reef - I know many who've brought their kids and they just loved it. I'll probably pay for the lunch cause it'd be cheaper than using up a TS meal, plus we figure it'd be good to get out of the sun and give the kids a break. We don't have huge expectations for the food, but if you go in with low expectations, you won't be disappointed I guess

 

[Barbi]

We returned last week, had dinner on the 15th and was one of the best meals we had over a 10 day visit. I had the Mahi-Mahi, others had salmon, NY Sirlion and a salad entree. I would eat there again without hesitation. I hope you keep your ADR and decide for yourself.

 

[Gotta Love Eeyore]

I keep telling myself...One man's trash is another man's treasure.

We are going to try it for the first time this September, not so much for my kids but for my parents. I think they will really like it looking at the menu.

I've actually found mixed reviews on several sites, but I also see very unfavorable reviews for Tony's and it was one of my fav meals last trip. You just never know.

Good Luck!

 

[Quinn222]

I have read many unfavorable threads here for the Coral Reef. Starting to wonder if it is all that wise to keep the ressie. Thought it would be a fun experience though fpr my child. I am very undecisive now

Your child probably will enjoy it if they enjoy watching the fish. You can get them a drink with a glowing tink or pirate and they'll get a kick out of the big turtles and grouper. Just be aware that some people have enjoyed this a lot and said they have had great meals. Others have had not very good experiences here at all. And it's expensive. I hear they have a new chef so maybe it's better than when we went but I won't take a risk on it again. At least in our case it wasn't expensive because our meal was so bad they didn't charge us for it and we didn't even complain. The server requested the manager to not charge us.

 

[hildarumpole]

We had lunch there in June. It was one of the best meals of our trip. We only waited about 5 min. to be seated. The food was fabulous and the service was great. My daughter said it's her favorite restaurant ever. There are some differences between the lunch and dinner menus. Lunch tends to be a bit less expensive. www.allearsnet.com has both menus, so you can see for yourself which meal would work out best for your family.

 

[yngsj]

We love Coral Reef and will be eating there again in 23 days. I believe you hear more bad reviews then good mostly because people are faster to complain about a bad experience then praise a good one. We have only done dinner but this time will do lunch because we prefer to do our larger meal at midday so we don't feel full at bedtime. Everyone needs to try it for themselves and I would never cancel an ADR just because some didn't like it.
I don't like fish but it doesn't mean fish is bad, it just means that I don't enjoy the flavor.

 

[BLLB]

We ate dinner at the Coral Reef in April and loved it. One of our best meals in fact.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I also hestitated to do Coral Reef after reading negative reviews. But am I glad I went! I've gone for both lunch and dinner, twice for lunch and once for dinner. Lunch seems calmer, but it seemed to have the same offerings (at least all the things I was considering) at both meals. Come to think of it, I had the identical meal for the first two times, once at dinner and once at lunch-it appeared to be the same size serving at both meals. I'm going for lunch again in December-I love it there, but I slightly prefer lunch.

 

[NancyK]

My sister is at Disney this week. Talked to her last night. She was a bit apprehensive about eating at Coral Reef but it turned out to be an extremely good meal. She had the salmon, DBIL had pork, DNiece had chicken, and I forget what the other 4 people had - but she said everyone enjoyed it. I've eaten there on three occasions and haven't had a bad meal - nor much of a wait to be seated. I would definitely take your 5 year-old to eat there. Hopefully your experience will be as good as ours.

 

[anbouk]

I keep telling myself...One man's trash is another man's treasure.

We are going to try it for the first time this September, not so much for my kids but for my parents. I think they will really like it looking at the menu.

I've actually found mixed reviews on several sites, but I also see very unfavorable reviews for Tony's and it was one of my fav meals last trip. You just never know.

Good Luck!

Funny you mentioned, Tony's we have a ressie there for a 'quick' lunch while in MK and felt the same way....very mixed reviews. Think we will try both and see for ourselves, as we are trying to 'hit' some new eateries this trip...wish us luck...lol

 

[yearbook50]

I would cancel the dinner reservation. The times I've been there for dinner have been disappointing.

Lunch, I've always enjoyed. I love their caesar salad and their jack daniel's mousse. Enough for a refreshing lunch before going back out into the parks.

 

[Marie14625]

We will be there in November, and in fact, I have just made our dinner ressie for Coral Reef..for our first dinner of our trip. We are arriving at WDW the morning of the 10th of November, and decided that once we are settled in, Epcot would be our forst stop. Our plan was to go later in the day, eat dinner at CR and then hang for Illuminations.
Hope we like it well enough.

 

[minnieluvzmickey]

We are doing the cand. processional package and have our ADR at 4:10......do you think that will be the lunch or dinner menu?

 

[Marie14625]

Funny thing..our ressie is 4:10 also. My guess is that it will be dinner. Most restaurants around here at least switch over at 4.

 

[TinksTheBest]

We are looking forward to eating at the Coral Reef on September 15. We ate there last September on the dining plan and it was BY FAR the best meal of our trip! The atmosphere is amazing! You read all the negative comments concerning how dark it is. We didn't find this to be true at all. The lights are muted, but that is because the water in the aquarium is literally the HIGHLIGHT of the restuarant We didn't feel rushed at all and our waiter was very helpful. He even insisted on taking pictures of our family so we would have everyone in the pictures.

Everytime I read a negative report on the Coral Reef, I am bewildered I realize that some may have different experiences. However, I think I've figured it out--negative reviews lead to fewer customers, so those of us that love the place can get in easier

Seriously though, this is the one restuarant that we ate at last year that my children requested again. The funny thing is they don't especially enjoy watching fish. Eating it, however, is a whole different matter.

Don't forget to try the Chocolate Wave!

 

[anbouk]

Hmmm...you sound optimistic just like me! We certainly will try the "chocolate wave", sounds like a dessert we should NOT skip over