Dining with an Imagineer ?

[pooh2001]

I read it is about $74/pp to Dine with an Imagineer at the Hollywood Brown Derby.
You get a soup, Cobb salad, entree, dessert and a beverage.
Plus talk with an Imagineer.
Soups/Salads
Carrot and Ginger Soup - duck confit and chive oil
Individual Classic Cobb Salad - with finely chopped greens, turkey breast, bacon, egg, tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, chives, and cobb salad dressing

Entrees
Charred Filet of Beef - forest mushroom and white truffle oil mashed potatoes, sauteed rainbow carrots, haricot verts, red wine reduction

Vegetarian Pho - ginger-lemon grass broth, mushroom and tofu spring rolls, ginger-soy dipping sauce
Pan-seared Black Grouper - with a half a herb-crusted lobster tail, heirloom tomato, baby spinach, orzo salad, cognac-mushroom beurre blanc
Desserts
Three Mini Desserts - Brown Derby Original Mini Grapefruit Cake, Double Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mascarpone Sphere infused with apricot-orange jam
Beverages Coffee Tea

My DH would keep him/her occupied with questions.

My DH would eat all the food provided - however, I am a bit picky.

Could I get I get a plain salad - no egg, no blue cheese, no salad dressing?
I would try the soup - but most likely it would be a no-go for me.

The Charred Filet of Beef & desserts are edible for me.


Anyone try the Dining with an Imagineer ?
Reviews ?

 

[BriLovesDisney]

Pretty sure you can ask them to take whatever you want off the salad. That shouldn't change with a set menu.

I've never done the experience or heard/seen any reviews of it.

 

[HappyHaunts999]

I read it is about $74/pp to Dine with an Imagineer at the Hollywood Brown Derby.
You get a soup, Cobb salad, entree, dessert and a beverage.
Plus talk with an Imagineer.
Soups/Salads
Carrot and Ginger Soup - duck confit and chive oil
Individual Classic Cobb Salad - with finely chopped greens, turkey breast, bacon, egg, tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, chives, and cobb salad dressing

Entrees
Charred Filet of Beef - forest mushroom and white truffle oil mashed potatoes, sauteed rainbow carrots, haricot verts, red wine reduction

Vegetarian Pho - ginger-lemon grass broth, mushroom and tofu spring rolls, ginger-soy dipping sauce
Pan-seared Black Grouper - with a half a herb-crusted lobster tail, heirloom tomato, baby spinach, orzo salad, cognac-mushroom beurre blanc
Desserts
Three Mini Desserts - Brown Derby Original Mini Grapefruit Cake, Double Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mascarpone Sphere infused with apricot-orange jam
Beverages Coffee Tea

My DH would keep him/her occupied with questions.

My DH would eat all the food provided - however, I am a bit picky.

Could I get I get a plain salad - no egg, no blue cheese, no salad dressing?
I would try the soup - but most likely it would be a no-go for me.

The Charred Filet of Beef & desserts are edible for me.


Anyone try the Dining with an Imagineer ?
Reviews ?

They should be able to remove things from the salad. if not you could always skip it. It has been a long time since we did this but it was a lot of fun. It all depends on the Imagineer that day. They do volunteer for this .They will usually talk about previous projects and answer whatever questions they can.

 

[cigar95]

The current "out the door" cost is a bit under $105 per person. We just did it about a month ago.
I've done it multiple times - never had a bad time, but some have been more interesting than others. Plan to be there for 2 1/2 hours or so. Guests usually start out quiet and then loosen up as they've been there a while, so asking your questions early is a good way to get the opportunity.

 

[caribbeandream]

Please make sure you come back and give us a review! I really wanted to do this during our upcoming trip but the minimum age is 14 and DS isn't quite there yet.

 

[Disney_Alli]

I know when we went there was a 5 year old boy with another party who was provided with a plain garden salad and some other entree options...

 

[Disney_Alli]

Please make sure you come back and give us a review! I really wanted to do this during our upcoming trip but the minimum age is 14 and DS isn't quite there yet.

I'm sorry your DS hasn't reached the minimum age yet but I'm really hoping that they have instituted a minimum... our experience was nearly ruined by a 5 year old brought with another family who clearly didn't want to be there. As soon as he hits 14 if he's interested you should definitely do it though - overall they experience itself is amazing!

 

[wannabee]

We did this in 2015. I am a very picky eater and had no trouble having them leave several items off my salad. The filet was amazing. I really enjoyed the experience and hope to do it again some day.

 

[dcassetta]

We really enjoyed this two years ago. Our Imagineer was both interesting and a good storyteller. I recommend the experience highly.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I went to Dining with an Imagineer in August, but it was the dinner at Citrico's version. I am really glad we got to experience it. Our imagineer told us from the beginning that there were some topics he was not allowed to discuss--and a few times he did have to answer that he was not allowed to talk about a specific subject. I highly recommend doing it if you have the opportunity--I know I tried for a couple years to get reservations for it on our trips, with no luck. Finally, I just started looking for reservations FIRST, and then planning the trip around that date!

 

[caribbeandream]

I'm sorry your DS hasn't reached the minimum age yet but I'm really hoping that they have instituted a minimum... our experience was nearly ruined by a 5 year old brought with another family who clearly didn't want to be there. As soon as he hits 14 if he's interested you should definitely do it though - overall they experience itself is amazing!

I'm surprised that was allowed. The Dining with an Imagineer (at HS Brown Derby) sign-up page very clearly states that the minimum age is 14. Maybe this is a recent change?

 

[DVC Jen]

Is this a super hard reservation to get? I was hoping to do this with my husband in December. Tried to book at our 180 day window for December 13th and it was fully booked.

 

[Disney_Alli]

I'm surprised that was allowed. The Dining with an Imagineer (at HS Brown Derby) sign-up page very clearly states that the minimum age is 14. Maybe this is a recent change?

We did it in 2015 on our wedding/honeymoon trip and it's entirely possible that experiences like ours are the reason for the minimum age. While it's fascinating to those interested (ours happened to fall very shortly after the Star Wars lands were officially announced and our imagineer had already been working on the project for over a year so he was thrilled to finally be able to talk about that!) it's not something that would appeal to most children.

 

[Meriweather]

We've been 5-6 times. Love it.
I always ask for things left off the salad and an alternate dessert. Never a problem.
Last time there was a young woman (early 20s) that ate nothing.

 

[Narawen]

Is this a super hard reservation to get? I was hoping to do this with my husband in December. Tried to book at our 180 day window for December 13th and it was fully booked.

Yes, there are only 10-12 guests (can't remember exact limit) and they do this 3 times per week, so less than 40 guests total. The dinner at Citrico's is only once per month, I believe. It's just a function of a very limited number of seats. I got in at our 180 day, but not for the preferred day we wanted and I may have to cancel. I'd offer it to you, but it seems it's the week before your trip. Keep trying for cancellations!

We loved it in 2015, and yes you can leave things off the salad. It was a great value for 4 courses, discussion with the imagineer, and the souvenir plate.

 

[DVC Jen]

. Keep trying for cancellations!

Thanks. I am.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

I read it is about $74/pp to Dine with an Imagineer at the Hollywood Brown Derby.
You get a soup, Cobb salad, entree, dessert and a beverage.
Plus talk with an Imagineer.
Soups/Salads
Carrot and Ginger Soup - duck confit and chive oil
Individual Classic Cobb Salad - with finely chopped greens, turkey breast, bacon, egg, tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, chives, and cobb salad dressing

Entrees
Charred Filet of Beef - forest mushroom and white truffle oil mashed potatoes, sauteed rainbow carrots, haricot verts, red wine reduction

Vegetarian Pho - ginger-lemon grass broth, mushroom and tofu spring rolls, ginger-soy dipping sauce
Pan-seared Black Grouper - with a half a herb-crusted lobster tail, heirloom tomato, baby spinach, orzo salad, cognac-mushroom beurre blanc
Desserts
Three Mini Desserts - Brown Derby Original Mini Grapefruit Cake, Double Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mascarpone Sphere infused with apricot-orange jam
Beverages Coffee Tea

My DH would keep him/her occupied with questions.

My DH would eat all the food provided - however, I am a bit picky.

Could I get I get a plain salad - no egg, no blue cheese, no salad dressing?
I would try the soup - but most likely it would be a no-go for me.

The Charred Filet of Beef & desserts are edible for me.


Anyone try the Dining with an Imagineer ?
Reviews ?

We went in July. The soup was different (a corn chowder), but the rest of the menu was the same. I know our Imagineer left a couple things off her salad. Honestly, I eat more than average and didn't finish my meal.

 

[kittylady1972]

OMG I was *JUST* able to book this for my son as a surprise! He's 17.5 and really into drawing and I think this would be a great experience for him. I was able to get the Citricos dinner for NEXT week! Unfortunately they only had one opening and so I'm sending him alone. He's a very mature kid so I think he'll be fine. I just hope he enjoys it. The rest of us may try to have dinner nearby since we can't get into Citrico's at the same time.

So I think this is a prepaid thing, or do I need to be there to pay for him or send him with cash? Just want to make sure he has what he needs to get through the whole thing.

 

[Meriweather]

haven't been to the one at Citrico's, but at Brown Derby, we paid there

 

[HopperFan]

OMG I was *JUST* able to book this for my son as a surprise! He's 17.5 and really into drawing and I think this would be a great experience for him. I was able to get the Citricos dinner for NEXT week! Unfortunately they only had one opening and so I'm sending him alone. He's a very mature kid so I think he'll be fine. I just hope he enjoys it. The rest of us may try to have dinner nearby since we can't get into Citrico's at the same time.

So I think this is a prepaid thing, or do I need to be there to pay for him or send him with cash? Just want to make sure he has what he needs to get through the whole thing.

My DS goes on his own, he is also into the whole Disney thing. Just so you understand and he is prepared, that "imagineer" does not mean that they draw or part of the animation part. One my DS met was a financial guy in charge of the budgets for many projects. He had worked his way up from college program years (probably impossible anymore) and had lots of info on park operations. Another was one of Disney's TOP imagineers we often see in video who was in charge of NF and much more. He was recruited by Disney. These folks can come from any department so not guaranteed an "artist" that draws etc.

He takes cash to pay there.