Coral Reef Restaurant - Diver/menu - Discontinued for 2009

[Sneezie]

I have the diver and personalized menus arranged for our visit Nov 13, and am in the process of getting pics and message to Debbi, but I am wondering how do the divers know where you are, to show you the sign? Are they going by the pics that you sent them, and scouring the room? That seems rather hit or miss. Should I mention at check in at the podium that we have it scheduled, so that they can tell the diver where we are? Also, I read that the tables next to the glass are not the best, due to the thick glass, plus other people hovering over you while your eating to see the fish. So, do they automatically put you there, so the diver can find you? If not, and they put you in the middle of the room, how would that work?
Thanks in advance to recent diners. ( this is our first visit there, so I don't know the room setup).

I would guess that when you check in and are given a table the diver is told where you are seated and finds you there. We went at the beginning of September and had the diver and menu for my brother's birthday. We didn't have a table by the glass (10 people in our party) we had a booth on the lower level facing the aquarium. The restaurant has three tiers that face the aquarium (kind of like stadium seating with rounded booths and tables) so you get a good view. However, I don't believe they would put you on the top tier if you are set up for a diver. When we went in September 2006 we had a table beside the glass and didn't have any problems with people standing over us. I guess we lucked out.

 

[savannahjean85]

how long does it take for debbie to e-mail back? I sent her my e-mail about a week ago and still no word. I was wondering if someone could PM me her e-mail incase I misspelled her name some how. I would be forever greatful.

Anyone? please

 

[Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo]

Thank you for the info. I won't worry about that now!

 

[eeyoresnr]

Anyone? please

if you didn't request a reply in your email Debbi doesn't always send one...just send her one more to verify that she got your info

 

[savannahjean85]

if you didn't request a reply in your email Debbi doesn't always send one...just send her one more to verify that she got your info

that did the trick awesome thank you!

 

[eeyoresnr]

kinda funny actually...we got a second one from her today verifying she had received our pics and info she is the greatest

 

[Disney8704]

Has anyone heard more if they are gonna be charging for the menus and divers starting next yr? I sure hope they dont start charging! I was gonna do this next Aug for our 4th anniversary for DH. After hearing some of the problems people have, with loosing the menus, not getting the divers, etc. I really wouldnt wanna pay for this only to have something go wrong. Why do you suppose they would start charging? Maybe to cut down how many requests they get? If its less then $50, I'll prob will still do it, but anymore then that, not worth it!

 

[KATHINOWA]

I haven't heard anymore about them charging. But I think if they do start charging for the service, there will be a lot less "lost" menus and pictures.

 

[MRNsMommy]

Another fan of Debbi here! I called her, left a message, and she called me back the next day. She gave me her email so that I could send the pics to her. She is seriously one of the nicest CMs I've talked to!
As for them possibly charging after the first of the year, she did say that's a possibility, but they haven't even seriously discussed it yet.

 

[disneyfan2]

i heard that someone on this board says the divers are being discontinued in Jan? Has anyone booked a diver for the new year? We are celebrating 10yrs anniversary and would love to arrange this?

 

[danjoan14]

We just had the diver and menu on Wednesday night 11/14. It was great! DS and DW were really excited. We had great service and a great meal at the Coral Reef!

 

[eeyoresnr]

we just returned from WDW for 8 days... we ate at Coral Reef our second night...Our menus said happy anniversary and the diver held up a birthday banner for me...the food was great too

 

[savannahjean85]

just thought I would share my sign experience!


Back in June DBF suggested that we start saving for a trip to Disney to celebrate our 7 year anniversary (all part of his plan). We went down early Nov 4 thru Nov 9 (our annverisary is Nov 29) since I work retail that would be the closest we could go.

Anywho I heard about the Coral Reef personalized menus and divers. Well I schedule to have this done as a annverisary gift to DBF. So I sent in photos and lyrics to our song "sh-boom" for the menu and had a saying for a sign made. So we get there and the place is just beautiful and amazing. When we get there we are seated right next to the tank, were the gaint sea turtle happens to be sleeping. Our waitress gave us our special menus which Jacob is suprised by. While we wait for our food, DBF ask me questions about the divers becuse I had told him about them before the trip; not wanting to give to much away I play dumb. I am excited to see Jacob's face waiting to see the diver. Finally I see the diver hop in, he swims towards us then swims away. The diver playful hids from us, Jake said the diver was getting everyone's attention and pointing towards us but I could not see him (diver). Finally he comes to us and pulls out his sign which reads "Savannah I love you" and everyone in the restaurant says who is savannah? & I am thinking thats NOT my sign...wait a second I am Savannah. Then the diver flips the sign which reads "Will you Marry me?" DBF then get down on his knee and proposes. I start crying and of course I said yes. Everyone in the restaurant cheered and the diver tossed the shells in the tank. It was truly romantic and magical. So I tired to suprise DBF but in the end he really suprised me.


Anywho we all know I am such a photo nerd but alas I was so shocked from the proposal I have no photos of it. I have before and after. The waitress tried to take a photo but the camera option slip to video so I have like a 1 second clip.

 

[dishm12/08]

I'm so glad I decided to read this thread. I definitely have to do this.

Congrats Savannah. What an awesome way to get engaged.

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

i had the menu/diver on December 3 for our anniversary!!!!

here are pics

debbi is AWESOME!!!! & the sweetest thing!!! THANK YOU DEBBI S!!!

 

[mmkk]

We celebrated our 10th anniversary and my DH's 36th birthday at Coral Reef on November 30th and I arranged the menu and the diver. Everything went very well-except our waiter spilled the beans about the diver but thats okay, it still went well and my DH was very surprised. It was a magical end to a very magical Disney vacation!

BTW, Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[emh1129]

I had booked the special menu, diver, and cake for the 18th of December for our 7th anniversary. We had such a fantastic meal and were seated right by the tank. It was great! (and the kids were thrilled to watch the fish & divers, so we were able to eat at a leisurely pace- something to treasure when you have little ones!)
DH was completely surprised and the menu made him tear up. We had a fabulous server (Tim, I think?) and he really made the evening that much more enjoyable.
We never ended up getting our diver (there had been a goof with the banner not getting left for the diver) but that was ok.. we had such a special evening and it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. The cake was really pretty, too
Kudos to the great staff at the Coral Reef. We will definitely be eating there on our next trip.

 

[Disney8704]

Has anyone heard more if they are gonna be charging for the menus and divers?

 

[pixiedust!]

We were at the Coral Reef on January 6th and I had arranged with Debbi to have personalized menus for the 5 children in our group as well as a banner with the diver. I asked her about the possibility of a cost being involved now or in the future and she said there were no plans for that. However, she did say that there are only a certain number of divers available during an evening. It was really great - a magical moment for all! Debbie was absolutely great to deal with - very pleasant and efficient in terms of confirming that the emails were received and the attachments available. At my request, she was even was even able to write saluatations on one menu as well as some of our banner in French. What a special touch!

By the way I only set this up about 8 days before our dinner so it may be possible even that close to your departure.

The food was quite good. Certainly one of the better meals we have had at Disney. We will definitely return!

~Annette

 

[Disney8704]

Next month im booking our ADRs for August. Would next month be to soon to set up the diver and menu or should I wait until it gets closer? If closer, how soon can I set it up?