Crystal Palace -- Two thumbs down!!

[CdnTink]

We were at the Crystal Palace for dinner on Feb. 11. I booked this character dining, because we needed someplace to eat dinner in the MK and thought that Tigger and Pooh would be fun. The food was fabulous as usual - no complaint there and the CP is quite beautiful.

The service was terrible, our plates were barely ever cleaned except after dessert and our drinks were not refilled. This was difficult to tell our server because she was hard to find between anticipating our character arrival. This Character Dining experience it is far far below all the others available at WDW. The Character experience was rushed and short short short!! One picture and the characters were off and running. We also had a hard time getting the characters to our table. We were told when we were seated that it could be and hour+ before the characters would get to our table and that a character rep. would stop by our table and give us a 5min heads up. Which of course didn't happen and my DS and mother were in the washroom when they started to come. So they missed Piglet and Pooh, which we later made up. But the worst was when Eeyore came by and my mom wanted a picture with him and he WOULDN'T do it!!! After much complaint to the manager I was informed that the CM was new to this position, but regardless we travelled from Canada for this trip and we didn't appreciate the lack of "Disney" in this dining experience. So diner beware, especially if you have small children who would be dissapointed.

 

[comicguy]

We stopped going to the Crystal Palace for a couple of reasons. First the quality of food was on the decrease. Second, the charactrer interaction was very little. The characters would barely pose for a single picture and take off.

 

[Sparkie]

I have to agree with you.

Our first experience with CP was in 1999 for breakfast. Service was wonderful food was great. Next 2003, early dinner. Service good, food acceptable.

Our next experience and our LAST: 8pm Dinner, July 2007. Food YUK!! Service non-existant. The characters were ok but finding our server to refill drinks or clear plates was mission impossible. We were on the dining plan - you know back in the day when the tip was included and this was the only resturant that I didnt leave extra. I thought that the lack of service was dining plan related but doesnt look like things have changed that much. I am hoping that it is a staffing issue and when word gets around and their attendance declines that CP will be an option for us again- but I wont be back anytime soon. Pooh and friends can be found in Epcot in United Kingdom and I will visit them there.

 

[LMO429]

I also have to agree with you.

We went to the CP this past May and will not be going back. The food at the buffet was just bad or ok. I felt that the restaurant was not as clean as it could be. Especially the carpet, it had seen better days. Our service was good actually so I cant complain about that. But overall I was just not satisfied

I have come to the conclusion from reading these boards that many people have different experiences when it comes to the same restaurant. Some rave about places others dont. When I go to WDW I try out new restaurants regardlesss of wheter the reviews posted here or anywhere are good or bad and just go in with a positive attitude and see what happens for myself.

In this case, like I said before I wasnt impressed with CP nor will I be going back anytime soon.

 

[debbiedoo]

I use to go to CP all the time BEFORE it was even character, and liked it.

I decided on my last trip(in May)I would go here for dinner, and what a total disappointment. I will not be going back there.

 

[BabyPiglet]

I'm sorry, we didn't have a real enjoyable experience either. I hope you had a great trip though.

 

[profdsny]

Interesting to read. Thanks for helping me make my decision. We were up in the air about this one again, but now reading these, it's off the list.

 

[pat fan]

Maybe you should stick with the character breakfast there? We do the breakfast every trip and have had wonderful food and character interaction every time.

This past summer I took my 2 DS's and my parents (both 70) here for brkfst. It was awesome! My parents had their pictures taken with each character , then I did, then my DS's...the characters were great to do us all in little groups..no rushing away from our table! Maybe the dinner time is just not a good time to do this. I'd try the breakfast next time.

 

[simonkodousek]

Hmmm... that doesn't really sound like the Crystal Palace to me, because every time we have been there the service has been outstanding. Last July our waitress asked if we wanted drink refills every 10 minutes, cleared our plates every 5-10 minutes, and alerted us when the characters would come. As usual, the food was excellent.

I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience at Crystal Palace. Maybe you should contact Disney and report your bad server, and the characters if you feel so strongly about it.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Sorry you did not have a good experience.

We ate there for dinner before the P&P party in August and had a wonderful time. Saw all the characters in less than an hour and they posed for multiple pictures - I would have been livid if I couldn't have had my picture taken with Eeyore! We also had a great server who was very attentive and nice.

 

[Gabrielsbigtrip]

Yikes~ We had breakfast there last May....
We loved it sooo much that we called and made another breakfast reservation for later in the week.

We are going again this May and we can't wait to go back.....We really thought the breakfast was great and we liked the food here much better than Chef Mickey's.

Maybe breakfast is the key......I can't wait for that pooh bear puff and breakfast lasagne ~ YUMMY!

I cried as soon as my son touched Winnie the Pooh.....he was just in awe.

 

[KorieDWnut]

We stopped going to the Crystal Palace for a couple of reasons. First the quality of food was on the decrease. Second, the charactrer interaction was very little. The characters would barely pose for a single picture and take off.

l

I would love that part. My kids like to see the characters and get a quick picture but they hate when they hang around. One of the reasons we don't do many character meals is because my kids want to say a quick hi and then be done.

 

[lvanleer]

My DH and I went last October for the character lunch and we had a wonderful experience....we loved the food and had plenty of interaction with the characters...I have great photos with each....I guess it's true what they say...to each their own...I plan to go back there on our next trip....need my Eeyore fix

 

[danny1649]

I hope this is not going to be the norm at CP it was a great place for good food and character interaction on oor last visit of two years ago. Danny

 

[Ktharee]

Twelve of us went for breakfast in May and it was TERRIFIC. It was my Dad's retirement and Piglet brought out a cupcake with a candle and a certificate for him. We found the food to be wonderful and are going again in two weeks. Can't comment on the lunch or dinner, but I would recommend the breakfast, especially if your kids are into the Super Sleuths and all that.

 

[Lorix2]

I am so sorry to hear you had dissapointing experience there.

We were there last August, just DH and I and I couldnt' get Pooh & Tiglet away from me, they kept coming around and around, it was almost too much, but all in good fun. Server was outstanding and thought food was good, but I really loved the atmosphere there and was about to suggest my group of 9 visit there for one meal. We'll have kids ages 4, 6, 10 and 16 who love those characters, in our group. Hoping it won't dissappoint us now.

 

[foxfire]

I really am sorry to hear some of you have had unsatisfactory experiences at CP. Maybe we've been lucky but we've never had anything like that happen and we go there every trip for lunch. The last was in November '07 and the food, service, and character interaction were all perfect. I have no complaints about any aspect of our meal. We will be eating there twice for lunch during our upcoming trip so I hope our good luck streak continues, especially since CP is our favorite place to eat in MK!

 

[marivaid]

Sorry you had a bad experience at CP, however we've been there 3 times (lunch, breakfast, and dinner), and each time we had great service and great character interaction. Tigger & Eeyore would not leave until I let them pose with me for a pic.

 

[creativeamanda]

Our dinner at CP last Jan was wonderful! Great character interaction, great service. Sorry yours was not what you hoped.

CP is on our "must do" list as often as possible.

 

[tinkandpan]

That's a shame you had a bad experience. We have never been there for dinner- but it is a staple for us for breakfast at each and every trip. We always enjoy the food, service is good (except when trying to get a check to get out the door for rope drop). The past two times the characters were a bit slow to get around and we didn't wait for Eeyore (it had been about an hour) and we wanted to get out before rope drop. Maybe you will give it another whirl and have a better experience!