Did I make good choices?

[Luv2CtheMouse]

I am trying some restaurants I have never been to before. Did I make good choices?

Chef Mickey's for breakfast - First Time

Rainforest Cafe - have been to the one in DTD, could not image they are different.

Concourse Steakhouse - went there last year actually

Le Cellier - First Time

Mama Melrose - First Time

 

[Magic2000]

We enjoyed Chef Mickey's for breakfast!! Its been a couple of years since we went, and we made it our 'breakfast before we left' - and the kids really had a great time with the characters!!!
We've eaten at Rainforest Cafe (downtown Disney & Animal Kingdom) a few times - the kids really like it! We ate at the Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom last summer, and had a nice lunch! I had the barbecue wrap, which was very good! My DD had the chicken tenders, and she also got the "light up" glass! She loved it! We'll be back on our upcoming visit too!
We LOVE LeCellier - its a "must do" every trip! Never had a bad meal there - lunch or dinner!!!
We really enjoyed our dinner at Concourse Steakhouse - I remember ordering the ribs - very good. Its been a couple of years though! We had lunch there June 2004 and it was pretty good! We all had burgers - a nice, quiet lunch!
We've never tried Mama Melrose yet!

 

[4 DZNY NUTZ]

Le Cellier was my favorite on our last trip to the world. We are planning to go back again on our Feb "07 trip. My kids (11 & 9 ) are also looking forward to it !!! Another of our favorites was Ohana. We went twice and I really expected the worst after everything we read on the boards. But, it was awesome.

Have fun & happy eating!!!

 

[bicker]

You're asking, I assume, because you're looking for feedback based on our personal experiences, so here it goes. Please take my comments in that spirit!

I'm not too keen on a couple of these choices, and not just because of any personal preference.

Rainforest Cafe is my biggest concern: It's a national chain, and while it is kinda neat for kids, there are so many choices at WDW that are more special, more unique. So I suppose I need to understand your perspective better: Why did you choose Rainforest Cafe? Knowing that, I might suggest something that is even better for what you were trying to achieve...

Le Cellier is overrated. I've eaten there a couple of times and the food quality and ambience were both substandard, as compared to other choices around the World Showcase. I recommend it only for folks who have major objections to any type of ethnic/foreign cuisine or seafood. It's not even the best steak at Epcot.

Mama Melrose has great food; lousy service. If you're not in any rush, and just have to have some moderately-priced Italian food, then it's a fine choice.

Concourse Steakhouse has good food; great service; and a really equivocal atmosphere: The wow-factor of eating in the atrium wears off in about 5 minutes, and from there, it really fails to satisfy. If you want that atrium experience, eat at Chef Mickey's. If you want steak, though, well, I suppose that's the best you can get without getting really expensive.

Chef Mickey's isn't a bad choice if you have children. If you're just adults, I could suggest a better character breakfast. Regardless, of your choices, I don't have much objection to it.

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

Chef Mickey's isn't a bad choice if you have children. If you're just adults, I could suggest a better character breakfast. Regardless, of your choices, I don't have much objection to it.

It is actually me and my best friend. My husband and child, nor hers, are going this trip. What character dining do you suggest?

Also - a side note - Chef Mickey's was picked because my best friend said she loved the breakfast buffet there. Oddly enough, she is a very picky eater, so if she likes it, I assume it to be good.

I welcome your suggestions.

 

[bicker]

Well, if food is the main concern, I'd sooner do breakfast at Spoodles than anywhere else. I highly recommend it!

 

[Christine]

I agree with everything Bicker said as far as Chef Mickey's, RainForest, LeCellier. I haven't been to the others.

We *almost* did Concourse Steak House, but I heard to many reviews of the steak being "just okay" and along the lines of The Outback. So, I decided not to go.

Le Cellier was good and we enjoyed it, but not great. Again, it *really* depends on your expections.

As for Chef Mickey's--I have been there twice for breakfast and twice for dinner. If you've "got" to go there, I would go for breakfast (as you've planned). The food is just so-so. I've been to just about all the character buffets and, while Chef Mickey's is fun, I just don't care for the food. Also, this is one buffet this is overrun with kids and I find the buffet to be a bit "stressful" and sometimes messy, although they do a good job of keeping up on it. The servers here seem more rushed and hassled. I know all that sounds bad. It's really not. I'm kind of being nit-picky with it and comparing it to other buffets.

I really enjoy the breakfast buffet at the Cape May over at the Beach Club. It's got Goofy, Minnie, Chip and Dale there. Not as fun, but quite quiet and I think the food is a notch above this.

The Grand Floridian Breakfast buffet is also good but it was VERY busy and very loud.

I'm not saying don't do Chef Mickey's, it's just for me, it would now be my last choice. Back in 1994/1995, it was one of the better buffets. The food has gone downhill.

If you've done Rainforest before, is there any reason you are doing it again? And as Bicker said, there is probably something else that would really be more of an experience if you are looking for something in particular.

 

[estnh]

I am trying some restaurants I have never been to before. Did I make good choices?

Chef Mickey's for breakfast - First Time

Rainforest Cafe - have been to the one in DTD, could not image they are different.

Concourse Steakhouse - went there last year actually

Le Cellier - First Time

Mama Melrose - First Time

1. Chef Mickeys is a unique place, I think. As long as you go there for the fun and the experience, you will love it. The food is only so so at best, but it is a magical place.

2. The Rainforest is the Rainforest--we're not nuts about it but it seems like we end up going back every year or two.

3. We did the Concourse two years ago, and loved it. However, when we went back last trip, we had less than stellar service--it may be a result of the new popularity of the place because of the meal plan, or maybe we just caught a bad night. For a similar type of restaurant, we like the Kona much better.

4. LeCellier is one of our favorites--we go every year and we love it.

5. We did Mama Melrose last trip for the first time, and it was the most pleasant surprise of the trip. You don't see much about it on these boards, and most of what you do see is neutral or negative. But we had a great meal with excellent service, and are returning this year.

 

[bicker]

Just a little more on steak ... If you want a truly great steak on-property at WDW, then yes, you really are going to want to go to Shula's, or Brown Derby, or California Grill, or one of the other signature restaurants. Otherwise, you should really be prepared for Outback Steakhouse quality, at best. To be fair, though, Outback Steakhouse steaks are pretty good, overall. Personally, I feel our local Outback Steakhouse as far better steaks than Le Cellier or Concourse Steakhouse, but I don't consider that a condemnation of the WDW restaurants, but rather just a statement about how good the steaks are at Outback Steakhouse. However, "good" isn't "great".

As far as the breakfast buffets. I suggested Spoodles earlier. If you want characters, though, I still think there are better options for two adults. In addition to Cape May Cafe that Christine mentioned, I feel Crystal Palace is also a better option. I haven't been to 1900 Park Fare personally, but from what I've gathered, the food is even better than Crystal Palace, though as Christine mentioned, and I could tell from my breakfasts at Grand Floridian Cafe, it is quite noisy at 1900 Park Fare.

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

Thank you all for the feedback. I appreciate the thoughts.
Of course, I am only able to make half of the decisions on this trip as my best friend is going. When it is my family, I do all of the planning.

If you've done Rainforest before, is there any reason you are doing it again? And as Bicker said, there is probably something else that would really be more of an experience if you are looking for something in particular.

Why would I not want to do something again if I enjoyed it the first time? Isn't that why everybody RETURNS to Disney in the first place?

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

Just a little more on steak ... If you want a truly great steak on-property at WDW, then yes, you really are going to want to go to Shula's, or Brown Derby, or California Grill, or one of the other signature restaurants. Otherwise, you should really be prepared for Outback Steakhouse quality, at best. To be fair, though, Outback Steakhouse steaks are pretty good, overall. Personally, I feel our local Outback Steakhouse as far better steaks than Le Cellier or Concourse Steakhouse, but I don't consider that a condemnation of the WDW restaurants, but rather just a statement about how good the steaks are at Outback Steakhouse. However, "good" isn't "great".

As far as the breakfast buffets. I suggested Spoodles earlier. If you want characters, though, I still think there are better options for two adults. In addition to Cape May Cafe that Christine mentioned, I feel Crystal Palace is also a better option. I haven't been to 1900 Park Fare personally, but from what I've gathered, the food is even better than Crystal Palace, though as Christine mentioned, and I could tell from my breakfasts at Grand Floridian Cafe, it is quite noisy at 1900 Park Fare.

Bicker - thank you. I will mention this to my friend. I actually wanted to go to Crystal Palace, but she was adamant about Chef Mickey's. Maybe I can turn her onto Park Fare.

I would like to enjoy a good steak and I for one, am not a fan of Outback. I really like Texas Roadhouse and Saltgrass filets, so maybe we can do California Grill. I have been wanting to dine there.

 

[Princess Mindy]

Instead of Rainforest Cafe at AK I suggest you try Boma instead. Rainforest is a big chain and in my opinion very mediocre as far as food goes. Especially since you've already been to the one in DTD. Jiko could be another option.

And completely off topic-I find your Orlando Bloom pic so distracting! It is so difficult to take my eyes off him and read the text of the post.

 

[Christine]

Instead of Rainforest Cafe at AK I suggest you try Boma instead. Rainforest is a big chain and in my opinion very mediocre as far as food goes. Especially since you've already been to the one in DTD. Jiko could be another option.

She said her friend was picky. I would not go to Boma or Jiko with a picky eater.

 

[Christine]

Why would I not want to do something again if I enjoyed it the first time? Isn't that why everybody RETURNS to Disney in the first place?

Nothing wrong with doing that at all--just thought that you wanted to try some new things (that's the impression I got anyway). I certainly go back and "repeat" on all my trips. Always go to Artist Point, always do Cape May breakfast buffet, always do the afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian.

 

[bicker]

I would second the Boma-over-Rainforest Cafe recommendation, even with a picky eater, if the pickiness is a matter of quality, rather than a matter of only willing to eat a few things.