Dinner at Hollywood & Vine vs. The Brown Derby

[Evilboy]

My family will be making our first ever trip to Disney World, in July, and we need help.
We are making our various reservations for meals, and we are torn between Dinner at Hollywood & Vine vs. The Brown Derby.

So, which one is better and why? What should be know, and what should we avoid?

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

I haven't been to H&V, but I've read countless reviews and it's one of the worst-reviewed restaurants in all of WDW (along with Chef Mickey's and Tony's). I'd avoid H&V.

 

[Evilboy]

OK. Thanks

 

[UnderTheRialto]

We really enjoyed breakfast at H&V, but we had a pre-opening ADR and have a preschooler so YMMV. There are no characters at the evening buffet so I'd go somewhere else at DHS. Last trip we had a quick meal at the HBD lounge, which was great, but no reservations are taken.

 

[JJZMgailey]

I feel like reviews are so hard sometimes. If you go in expecting 5-star quality food on one of the Character buffets, you'll surely be disappointed. That being said, Chef Mickey's is one of my favorites! We're trying H&V during SWW for the first time and I'm hoping we'll enjoy it.

 

[VeronicaBride]

This is interesting and kind of like comparing apples to oranges. HBD is by far better but I guess it depends on what you are looking for. The character interaction at H&V is awesome and if your family likes the characters there then that may be the better choice. BUt if you are strictly looking at food quality, I would go HBD.

 

[minnie mum]

My family will be making our first ever trip to Disney World, in July, and we need help.
We are making our various reservations for meals, and we are torn between Dinner at Hollywood & Vine vs. The Brown Derby.

So, which one is better and why? What should be know, and what should we avoid?

IMO H&V is the worst restaurant on property, buffet or otherwise. If your only other choice is HBD, defi itely go with that. It is a signature restaurant, so is considerably more expensive, but worth it , I think. We have always enjoyed the food quality and service there.

 

[jenjersnap]

Are those your only options because you want to do the Fantasmic Dining Package? If so, I would choose HBD without question. If not, I would explore other options at DHS. We are partial to 50s Prime Time.

 

[Trinity88]

We did H&V this past week and would not recommend it. I'm really easy to please (I like Chef Mickeys), but had a really hard time eating there. I think I ate mostly rice and bread. lol

 

[bcarey2k]

We did H&V pre-park opening last year and were not impressed.

However, bailey's and coffee are available for breakfast... So that's worth at least one star.

We love HBD. We always go there at lunch and have never been disappointed.

 

[Hopefully]

H & V is one of only 2 restaurants I will Never return to.

 

[itchin2go]

We love the Brown Derby. It is expensive, but we have enjoyed the meals we've had there.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Are you looking to do the Fantasmic package? If so, my recommendation is Mama Melrose.

 

[acc82]

I actually disagree with most on this board! we love hollywood and vine. Out of all the buffet type restaurants at the world, I think hollywood and vine has some of the best food. The brown derby does have good food, but I have to admit, we felt like all the waiters treated us like we were 'less than' when we ate there! we literally go to disney almost every weekend as we are florida residents and I've never encountered the 'stuck-uped-ness' that we got at brown derby. I'd choose hollywood and vine.

 

[Mikka]

H&V is one of the worst places to eat in all Disney World. Brown Derby is probably the best in park restaurant only competing with MP's at Epcot. The only reason to ever go to to H&V is if you have kids that love the Disney Junior characters in mad crazy obsession (and those characters aren't there at dinner), or if it is literally the only option for Fantasmic package on a night that only has one show and no fastpasses (otherwise, do the second show or get a fastpass).

I don't think I've ever even seen a positive review besides a sort of vague 'Well, it didn't kill me, and the kids liked the characters' besides the one above me about H&V. It's worse then Chef Mickey's by far, and Chef Mickey's is already pretty urgh besides the character interaction.

 

[22Tink]

We love the Brown Derby. It is expensive, but we have enjoyed the meals we've had there.

If you don't mind me asking, what is the other restaurant you'd avoid? I was planning to eat at H&V with my Fantasmic! package but maybe I'll rethink that!! My booking window opens Thursday. Oops! It quoted the wrong post!! Sorry!

 

[22Tink]

H & V is one of only 2 restaurants I will Never return to.

If you don't mind me asking, what is the other restaurant you'd avoid? I was planning to eat at H&V with my Fantasmic! package but maybe I'll rethink that!! My booking window opens Thursday.

 

[huggybuff]

H & V is one of only 2 restaurants I will Never return to.

I'm curious too. Luckily H&V wasn't on the possibilities list for my upcoming trip that I'm taking with friends, but we are doing dinner at HBD.

 

[DisneyDizzy]

We just ate at Hollywood and Vine on Monday May the 4th for the Star Wars Character meal. We thought it was wonderful. Our server told us the buffet was completely new as of the Star Wars meals. It was hot, fresh, diverse. I would not hesitate to eat there again. My personal favorites were the lobster mac and cheese and the salted caramel cupcake as well as the caprese salad. There was a lot to choose from. We left full and happy. The character interaction with Star Wars Mickey and the gang was amazing.

 

[Hopefully]

Yachtsman Steakhouse. We didn't like our food. But the restaurant was beautiful, the service was wonderful and the onion rolls are to die for. I may go again
At H & V we were surrounded by dirty, unbussed tables, our waitress was RUDE - the only Disney restaurant I have ever experienced that. The buffet was dirty. The hot food was not hot. The cold food was not cold, The Ladies Room was filthy. Never Again