Coral Reef Questions

[ColleenLovesMinnie]

This is a new choice for us this year and was hoping the experienced DIS'ers can help!

Can you see the aquarium from all the tables in the restaurant? We don't have to be sitting right next to it but my DD would love to be able to see the fish during dinner. If you have to request a table close to the aquarium do you do it at the time you make your ADR or do you have to wait until you get to the restaurant?

Has anyone with picky kids had success at Coral Reef? Quite honestly the only thing I can see my 6 yo DD eating is the mac and cheese! My DS is 13 and last time he ordered off either the kids menu or the adult menu depending on the choices - unfortunately his tastes run to either burgers or chicken tenders. I have to admit the menu sounds more appealing to hubby and I than to them, but we deserve a treat too, don't we?

Thanks for any input!!

 

[AStamm]

We've eaten at CR twice and loved it both times...so much so that we have it booked four times over our next three trips.

You'll have no problems seeing the tank and fish wherever you are seated in the restaurant. The first time we ate here we were seated up in the 5th grouping of seats (out of a possible six groups). We had absolutely no difficulties seeing the fish, turtles, or sharks--and were treated to a group of at least 10 divers in the tank (they must have been part of a diving tour or something since they didn't have signs). On our last trip we were seated at the bottom tier in grouping 2 and thought these were the perfect seats. The people smack dab against the tank had lots of children coming up to get a closer look at the fish--pretty intrusive IMHO.

DS was 6 when we first ate here and was extremely picky (pretty much still is) at the time. We ordered him the kids pizza and he didn't like it at all. DH coaxed him to try a bite of steak and he went crazy for it. Worst case scenario--your kids eat lots of the bread they serve.

Have a great time and don't worry too much about the seating arrangements.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I actually think you can see the fish better from a higher up table. If you are right up next to it your view is limited to what is right in front of you. If you are not, you can see the whole tank more easily. Also, I am weird maybe but that thick glass sort of makes me dizzy if I am too close to it!

If you are on the DDP, have your 13 year old order the steak maybe. Its really good and my picky kids love steak. If you aren't on the DDP, have your son eat a burger beforehand at the burger place that is right near the Living Seas (Electric Umbrella maybe?). Then he can just order a dessert at Coral Reef!

And yes, you and your hubby do deserve a treat. Heck, you are taking those lucky kids to WDW, so you need to treat yourselves too! My kids love Coral Reef, partly due to the Full House episode of many years ago and also for the atmosphere. I think your kids will have a lot of fun there too!

 

[mericletwins]

We just at there on Tuesday. Everyone in our group of 11 really liked it. We had 5 kids ranging from 10 to 6. The kids got grilled chicken or mac and cheese. Three of the kids got the lobster soup and LOVED it. The adults loved it also and after tasting the kids soup, several ordered it. My one son is very picky and he liked the grilled chicken.

 

[suzimar57]

we prefer not to be seated right up against the aquarium (although since it's always just DH and me, that's where we usually get seated)

when you're in the first row apart, you can "see" more of a panorama of several tank windows

 

[dancemomnj]

I actually think you can see the fish better from a higher up table. If you are right up next to it your view is limited to what is right in front of you. If you are not, you can see the whole tank more easily. Also, I am weird maybe but that thick glass sort of makes me dizzy if I am too close to it!

If you are on the DDP, have your 13 year old order the steak maybe. Its really good and my picky kids love steak. If you aren't on the DDP, have your son eat a burger beforehand at the burger place that is right near the Living Seas (Electric Umbrella maybe?). Then he can just order a dessert at Coral Reef!

And yes, you and your hubby do deserve a treat. Heck, you are taking those lucky kids to WDW, so you need to treat yourselves too! My kids love Coral Reef, partly due to the Full House episode of many years ago and also for the atmosphere. I think your kids will have a lot of fun there too!

Was it on Full House? My 7 year old will go nuts now! We're going fo rthe first time to Coral Reef in July.

 

[stagemomx3]

I actually think you can see the fish better from a higher up table. If you are right up next to it your view is limited to what is right in front of you. If you are not, you can see the whole tank more easily.

This is great information to know! Thanks to all who shared about the view from wherever you sit. Now I don't have to stress about asking for a "good view" when we go!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Was it on Full House? My 7 year old will go nuts now! We're going fo rthe first time to Coral Reef in July.

Full House had a few epsisodes where the whole family was in WDW. They stayed at the GF and it showed them in the parks. It was pretty cute. On one of the episodes, the dad was trying to propose to his girlfriend at the Coral Reef. But Michelle had run off and he got a call telling him that, ending his meal and proposal plans! So he ended up having to propose in front of the castle during the fireworks instead.

My kids love that show and once they saw that episode we had to try Coral Reef! We ended up really loving the food there and now go back just for the food and the atmosphere, Full House aside!

 

[dancemomnj]

Full House had a few epsisodes where the whole family was in WDW. They stayed at the GF and it showed them in the parks. It was pretty cute. On one of the episodes, the dad was trying to propose to his girlfriend at the Coral Reef. But Michelle had run off and he got a call telling him that, ending his meal and proposal plans! So he ended up having to propose in front of the castle during the fireworks instead.

My kids love that show and once they saw that episode we had to try Coral Reef! We ended up really loving the food there and now go back just for the food and the atmosphere, Full House aside!

I know the episode. We have the DVDs. I'll have to watch it and look for the Coral Reef now. Thanks for the info!

 

[ColleenLovesMinnie]

Thanks for the info everyone - I feel better knowing you really can't get a bad table. One less thing to stress over!

 

[casaazul]

A couple of weeks ago they tried to put us at a booth in the first row away from the glass. It had a view of the wall between 2 of the tank windows. One look and I said, no, can we sit there... and pointed to a 4 top right at the glass. The hostess had that confused deer in the headlights look and had to ask someone if we could, LOL!

We loved the seat I picked out, and throughout the evening many people asked to be moved from that booth, it stayed empty!

The only problem with being right at the glass is that SOME people do not understand personal space. This family walked up and started crowding my DH while he was trying to eat dinner, so they could get a good view of the fish. I gave the dad a look of "if you don't move right now, you will be fed to the sharks!!!" AND he moved his little brood away.

I'm not really mean, but this was OUR fancy dinner and we did not really want to share with these folks from lackofmanners land!!

Have fun and enjoy. The Mahi Mahi was the best of our 3 entrees!!! The Lobster soup was wonderful!