Coral Reef: Used to be a favorite. Not anymore.

[HeyIt'sMe]

We were in WDW Oct 18-24 and had a lunch ADR for my DH's favorite restaurant, Coral Reef, for Mon. Oct 20. My DH really looks forward to this meal because the theming of the restaurant is his very favorite. Neither one of us think the food is anything to write home about but the atmosphere always made up for it. We have eaten lunch there many times.

In all our prior trips the meal has been so calm and relaxing. Not this year. When we got to the restaurant to check in the waiting area was packed and the kiddos must have been tired and hungry because there several of them crying and screaming. We waited maybe 15 minutes to be seated and when we got into the restaurant it was packed and so noisy! When we got to our table DH & I commented that the calming atmosphere sure was gone.

We looked over our menus trying to decide what to have because honestly nothing looked really appealing to us. Well, we waited for the waiter to come to our table. And waited. And waited. And waited. We got to the point where we decided it wasn't worth it and took it as a sign to leave. We walked out. I took the ticket they put on your table and handed it to the manager who was standing at the front check-in area. I told her we were leaving because we had been sitting in the restaurant for 10-15 minutes and our waiter never came to the table. She looked at me, then the ticket, then back at me with this look on her face like "what do you want me to do"? I just said goodbye and walked out.

When we got outside DH mentioned that the couple sitting at the table behind us were still sitting there with their menus and DH remembered them being seated before us.

It was a sad thing because Coral Reef was our traditional EPCOT lunch and DH loved going there. But, things worked out for us - - we went to World Showcase and sampled all kinds of great food at the F&FW - - something I've always wanted to do but never did because I was always full from eating at sitdown restaurants. This will be our new EPCOT lunch tradition.

Debbie

 

[rstamm]

We waited maybe 15 minutes to be seated and when we got into the restaurant



Wow we have never been seated in under 30 minutes.

It is a bad place to wait since there are not enough seats and the kids are really fussy since they have to wait so long.

We just hated the waiting to get to our table, usually the service is pretty good.

 

[caroline1851]

We just went there for an early dinner on 10/22 and it was great. The wait was about 5 min., service great, sea turtle that sat in the tank right near our table for our whole meal was great, divers were entertaining. My only complaint.....the dessert menu is lacking. i didn't see anything that i wanted,. We ended up going to France and getting a chocolate crepe for dessert.

Don't count the restaurant out for a future visit if you normally love it. Maybe it was just a really random bad time there.

 

[jenscottvert]

This has been a favorite lunch spot of mine since a trip in 97. We ate there again this past February and my only complaint was that we weren't closer to the fish but hey...can't luck out every time!

 

[Pakey]

We now only go if we can get the very first lunch seating time. Otherwise, the place is too packed and yes, the screaming kids, oh gosh, the last time (in May) was just terrible. I remember taking my children outside if they were screaming but our last meal there, it was nonstop.

 

[disndatworld]

I had a similar experience. It was not peaceful at all, long wait to get in, (1/2 after reservation time) very slow service, and the appetizer and meal was not good at all. Oh well, at least I tried it. It was a nice aquarium. Too bad they are relying on the aquarium to keep people coming. They should make their restaurant service oriented...

 

[magchavez]

We ate there last week (Wed 10/22) and had a similar experience. While our order was taken promptly and food delivered on time, we had to wait for over a 1/2 hour for our desserts. We couldn't even find our waitress to tell her to skip dessert as we were ready to leave. Then it took our waitress a good 10 minutes to come back with the bill. I don't think I will be going back there again.

 

[rosiep]

Long waits: Valid complaint
Limited menu: Valid complaint

Screaming kids: Sorry, this one is not restaurants fault.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

It was such a disappointment after having eaten there many times before and having a nice experience. My DH & I were wondering if the change from "The Living Seas" to the more family-friendly "The Sea with Nemo and Friends" had anything to do with the crowd. It seems like before the change the restaurant was less crowded.

ETA: But like my post below says our main problem was with the service. Or lack thereof.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

Long waits: Valid complaint
Limited menu: Valid complaint

Screaming kids: Sorry, this one is not restaurants fault.

Yes, I agree. While the noise took away from the atmosphere that wasn't our main problem or why we left. Our main problem was with the service. Waiting 10-15 for a waiter to come to our table is not acceptable to us.

 

[Neesy228]

We had a pretty horrid experience there at the end of September too. We waited for about 25 minutes to be seated. Awful waitress...I was stunned by how rude she was - and then to top off the rudeness, she was very slow, never refilled drinks etc...We won't be going back, but we're glad that we at least gave it a try.

 

[WDisnut]

I think its now just a place to look at the large aquarium. From the food to the crowded atmosphere to the long wait to just about everything, I will probably never go there again.

 

[MassJester]

I'm sorry to hear there have been some tough experiences. I didn't make it there during my last visit but am looking forward to going there on my next. I didn't notice that the menu was limited, but then it's been over a year since I've been there. I hope things are in good shape when I get there.

 

[PoohsFan1]

This used to be our favorite sit down restuarant too in Epcot, but last June we decided to take my ILs there for a surprise dinner. When we got there (5 minutes before our ADRs) we found that there was an enormous line wrapped around the outside walls. When I went to go in and give them our name and such, they said that we will have to wait about an hour to an hour and half because the Kitchen was closed due to some sort of problem with the ovens. Well being the good sports that we are because we are in Disney, we decided to go ahead and do the wait, but decided to go on Figment just to keep the kids entertained. Well when we got back there, we were finally seated (away from the tank). When we got our food, I was very dissappointed in it because it did not taste anywhere as good as the previous times that we were there. The only thing that was awesome about that whole experience was that my DD spotted Mickey in a diving suit waving to everyone from the tank....we asked our waitress if this was common and she said that she had never seen it before ever. Now our favorite restuarant at Disney is CG....can't beat the view.

 

[Goofey Drool]

Unfortunately it can happen anywhere. A bad waiter, a new waiter, the best chef on his days off etc..... Hopefully your next favorite restaurant you are able to dodge the bullet.

 

[wezee]

We went to CR last month, for lunch. We had to wait outside just to be seated for an 11;30am ADR. The check in line was filled, mostly with people without ADRs, inquiring about availability.
Our server was ok, just not very friendly, and seemed very rushed.
I was not impressed with the food, especially for the price.

We decided next time we will trade our CR reservation for a trip to the restaurant in Italy, which would be a first time for us.

 

[MassJester]

We went to CR last month, for lunch. We had to wait outside just to be seated for an 11;30am ADR. The check in line was filled, mostly with people without ADRs, inquiring about availability.
Our server was ok, just not very friendly, and seemed very rushed.
I was not impressed with the food, especially for the price.

We decided next time we will trade our CR reservation for a trip to the restaurant in Italy, which would be a first time for us.

I will be interested to learn about your experience with that restaurant. The buzz hasn't been entirely favorable, and so it would be good to see a new review.

 

[lrf92984]

We have a reservation at CR on 12/28 at 9:15. We don't usually eat that late but it was the only one I could get. After reading the posts on this thread I'm thinking it will be to our advantage - hopefully all those screaming little kids will be/ should be in bed at that time. I can deal with bad service and/or food better than I can a screaming kid and an ignorant parent that refuses to take them outside so as to not disturb others meals! We always took our kids out or to the "bathroom" the minute they made a peep above a normal speaking tone - but I guess times have changed! Parents seem to be more tolerant these days. Guess I'm getting old!

 

[NMW]

In the past we have done lunches in Epcot at Rose and Crown. It's a wonderful place for a relaxing lunch. Several times we have sat outside if the weather is nice. Last trip we did Le Celliar and while the food and service were both good, we waited a long time for the table. Plus the restaurant was mobbed and very loud. I don't think I would choose to do lunch there again. I was thinking maybe Coral Reef, but now that I know it's similar to Le Celliar, I think I'll stick with our old fav Rose and Crown.