Dining Reservations - your opinions please!

[Booknut]

Well, with your help today I made some reservations, am quite pleased that we got the 3 we wanted and the lady kinda talked me into doing a character dinner as its our first time and well, i'm all excited and everything, its kinda like going shopping when you're hungry isn't it, so we booked one of those too!

Just wanted your opinions and to hear from those who have eaten at these places:

California Grill - we got this for dinner at 7.10 and the fireworks will be at 8pm that night so we're really excited about this one!

Boma - Dinner

The Brown Derby - late lunch Fantasmic package (3 course lunch and priority seating passes for Fantasmic - no queuing!).

The Liberty Tavern - Character Dinner with Minnie, Pluto, Goofy et al I haven't read much about this one so would like to hear from anyone who has been there. She had me at 'Minnie will be there'...

Our budget probably won't stretch to any more full-service restaurants on-site so for the rest we'll have to eat off-site.

Thanks again to those who gave me that phone number today for Disney - I still can't believe how friendly that woman on the phone was, it was unreal! She even put down on all our reservations that this was our first time and she said they would treat us extra special

You gotta love Disney

Eloise

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi Booknut!

I can help out with a few. Bear in mind these are just my experiences and opinions, others may differ!

Brown Derby
This was our best table service meal of the trip (August 05). We preferred the food, service and atmosphere here to the Flying Fish and also Jiko (though they were both also fabulous). The food was melt in the mouth and we did not feel uncomfortable taking out 6 & 9 years olds in there. The server (David?) was the best of the entire trip. Attentive, yet not obtrusive. Oh and they did a pretty fine cocktail too

Boma
I had read so many reviews and had very high expectations of the dinner buffet - and to be honest didn't think Boma could possibly live up to them. Well, it did! The variety and choice was unbelieveable and the flavours fantastic. Obviously, it is a buffet and as such was a little bit noisy but good fun and rarely any queues to speak of at the pods (though it was very busy)

LTT
We had a less than stellar experience here in December last year, it was okay but not fantastic. Here is part of my review (sorry it is long!) But I would caveat this by saying that Allie5 who also posts on here (she is mentioned in my report below) was also there that night and had a great meal and experience. So we were probably just unlucky!

When we got to LTT it seemed very busy but we were ushered inside quickly. There seemed to be hundreds of people in the lobby and I wondered how long it would be before we got a table. Well, I’m never quite sure how Disney PS’s work but we only stood there for about 30 seconds when our name was called. Needless to say I felt very guilty about all the other people who had obviously been waiting for some time, but not guilty enough to offer them our table

The LTT has very pleasant surroundings; all dark wood and what I imagine as “colonial” décor. It is quite big but with lots of different areas so it feels vaguely intimate. It was extremely busy but we had a very nice server who welcomed us and explained how things worked. There was some lovely bread with delicious honey (?) butter and salad. Soon the main course arrived, Patriot’s Platter - A generous serving of roasted turkey breast, carved beef, and smoked pork loin chops, accompanied with Tavern-made mashed potatoes, market vegetables, herb bread stuffing, and Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese. Well, had we been a table of four it would have been a generous serving but we seemed to have the same sized plate of food (for six) that tables of two or three did. Consequently we ran out of mashed potato immediately (as in there was only enough for Julie & Derek and the girls) and unfortunately our server didn’t appear for quite some time after this. We ran out of meat too and he did replenish both the mash and the meat when we spotted him but it was a bit annoying having to wait so long for any mash. Did we look like we were on the Atkins Diet, perhaps?

I popped to the restroom (why are there only two cubicles for the ladies in this huge restaurant? There was a queue of about twelve people, and when there are only two toilets, twelve people take a long time to shift!) and when I came back I was disappointed that I had missed some of the characters. I’ll let Jon tell you about this but let me just say that Erin made her pleasure at seeing Minnie for the first time this holiday well known to the entire restaurant. The character interaction here was a lot of fun and the costumes really good.

I took Erin to the restroom (fortunately the line had gone down by now) and saw Allie waiting in the lobby so we had a brief conversation over the balcony (think Romeo and Juliet here ) and double checked the time for our Wishes cruise tomorrow.

As time was getting on and we wanted to get to the party we ate our pudding which was very nice! Apple Crisp and ice cream. Very flavoursome. This was also served family style and it was a bit sloppy (think hot Apple Crisp and icecream); I personally would have preferred six individual bowls but I appreciate this would have taken away from the whole theme of family style dining!

 

[ely3857]

Certainly sounds like a nice mix, I havent been to any so cant offer first hand advice but I am interested in doing to Fantasmic package next trip, probably at the Brown Derby.



Jodie

 

[Booknut]

Thanks for that, Liberty Tree Tavern is the one I wasn't too sure about but it sounds ok, its not too expensive and it will be worth it if I can see Minnie!

That's pretty shocking about the loos...that cannot have been designed by a woman!

 

[gilld]

We went to LTT on Christmas Day 1997 and it was WONDERFUL. We felt the food, the service and the character interaction was fantastic. My 70 year old Mum, a Diabetic, was with us and they really went out of their way to provide her with a "sensible" dessert and the characters paid her a LOT of attention.

Hope you enjoy ALL your choices.

 

[Bellis Belle]

We have not done LTT or Brown Derby. Would love to do California Grill but with 2 DD and 1 a very fussy eater I think its an extravagance best saved until they are old enough to entertain themselves and DH and I can enjoy together,

We have booked BOMA for the first time this holiday and looking forward to it. Will let you know what it like.

 

[KayleeUK]

OK here is my experience

California Grill - Lovely restaurant, great view and place to watch wishes, good food.

Boma - Love it, different foods, great atmosphere and good chance to peak around the lodge.

The Brown Derby - Not impressed with either the food or restaurant here.

The Liberty Tavern - not yet tried

 

[Booknut]

Thank you all, its great to hear about your experiences!

I think i've got booking fever...I booked one more today, the breakfast buffet at 1900 Park Fare, its the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast with Mary Poppins, Alice and the Mad Hatter!

Someone has to stop me...for someone staying off-site in a villa I seem to be booking WAY too many Disney meals!