Down memory lane at some Disney restaurants.

[majortom]

I loved the Fireworks Factory too!! I loved their skillet dessert. I never understood why it closed, as it was always busy.

Disney wanted to open BET on Pleasure Island in The Neon Armadillo's space. They convinced the Levy Group that they should replace Fireworks Factory with a joint venture with Gaylord Enterprises called The Wild Horse Saloon that was going to be food and entertainment to cater to the Neon Armadillo's former crowd.

It was a terrible idea. BET has never been very popular on PI. The Wild Horse was a disaster (Levy pulled out leaving it to Gaylord). It lost the Neon Armadillo's crowd, was not able to draw the Fireworks faithful, and never found a clientele of its own. It eventually closed and was replaced by Motion.

Before it closed, it was the most profitable restaurant at Disney. That was in a large part why Disney changed Empress Lilly into a Levy-run Fulton Crab House (giving them a 3 restaurant block in their area).

/carmi

 

[kaybird]

Early Early days of WDW when Campgrounds and Contemporary were the only resorts. There was a Charater Breakfast at the campground with Chip and Dale, and Buff and the gang from the Wall at Country Bears. It was a SUPER breakfast with plated Scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, hash browns, juice, milk, coffee, HUGE chocolate chip muffins, fruit and a breakfast granola bar. The show was cute and funny, and we all got kazoos. Pretty sure it was in what is now the HDDR building. This was probably around 1976, we had a blast, and still remember those muffins, and Buff.

 

[GailT]

Who remembers when Fulton's was the Empress Lilly?
We had a wonderful meal here years ago, and we also made a special trip back to go to the Lounge. They had good drinks, great atmosphere, good appetizers and an entertainer who was awesome. I think his name was John Thomas? Anyone remember. We had a great relaxing evening then.

I remember going to the Empree Lilly for a plated breakfast with all the characters. My son wasn't even two yet and we have pictures of him crying because he must of been scared. Like someone tole me that just went down there with his daughter, Mickey Mouse might be just that to us but to a little kid he is a mouse.

 

[La2kw]

We *loved* breakfast at Tony's. There's no longer anything available like it - a nice, sit down breakfast in a park that's not a buffet and doesn't involve characters. It is sorely missed. I also miss the old, non-character breakfast at Hollywood and Vine, when it was a cafeteria rather than a buffet. Another great start to a park day.

I also miss Hollywood and Vine as a cafeteria. I remember they had a separate dessert counter where you could just order desserts. They had the best 7 layer chocolate cake (or maybe 8 layers). I also miss Crystal Palace as a character-free cafeteria and Le Cellier before it became a steakhouse. It was always so quiet and calm in there. Now the place is a madhouse.

 

[La2kw]

Early Early days of WDW when Campgrounds and Contemporary were the only resorts. There was a Charater Breakfast at the campground with Chip and Dale, and Buff and the gang from the Wall at Country Bears. It was a SUPER breakfast with plated Scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, hash browns, juice, milk, coffee, HUGE chocolate chip muffins, fruit and a breakfast granola bar. The show was cute and funny, and we all got kazoos. Pretty sure it was in what is now the HDDR building. This was probably around 1976, we had a blast, and still remember those muffins, and Buff.

Was it just Buff's head, or was the rest of his body there?

 

[TastefullyChris]

Went to the Empress Lilly character b-fast YEARS ago...also Papeetee Bay Veranda at the Poly for Minnie's Menehune Breakfast (sp?) Also LOVED the C&W place at PI...don't remember if it was Neon Armadillo or Wild Horse Saloon when we were there. My dad is a huge C&W fan and they had a great band and cloggers dancing. Hearing my straight-laced dad singing "Jose' Cuervo, you are a friend of mine" the rest of the night is a cherished memory!

I also loved eating at CRT pre-character for dinner. I believe the first time we ate there it was called King Stefan's (why Sleeping Beauty's pop had a dining room in Cindy's joint, I'll never know!)

Hubby and I also ate at Fireworks Factory on our honeymoon...mmmmm yummy! (I'm referring to the food at this point!)

Fun thread...thanks!

 

[kaybird]

Was it just Buff's head, or was the rest of his body there?

It was just the trophy's, but they talked all during the show. My husband still talks about this meal, we were newly married. We were surely amoung the first to have honeymooned at WDW, there was only Magic Kingdom and River Countyr, and people thought we were crazy when we said that we were going for our honeymoon. Now its an Empire

We are nothing if not trend setters.

 

[Paul in TX]

Also miss Crockets at FW ---now just a bar with some snacks---used to be a great full service restaurant

also way back when at the POLY I think it was the Tangerine Cafe or something---did a breakfast buffet and then a polynesian buffet at dinner with sushi


Paul in TX

 

[LiteBrite]

What was the name of the little fast food joint at Downtown Disney where they had the best takeout spaghetti I've ever had, better than most sitdown restaurants in fact! I THINK the place was where Puck's Express is now or close to that area.



.

Now that you mention it, I remember that place too - was it Minnie Mia's? I remember it being all decorated in green, red, and white (the Italian flag colors).

 

[k5thbeatle]

Ditto on the OP regarding Narcossee's being different AND ...better!

 

[MyGoofy26]

When I was little I always had spaghetti and meatballs at the MK (I think it's whatever was Tony's before it was Tony's, LOL) I can never remember what that place was though and my memory is so completely fuzzy since this had to be 25 years ago and I was just a few years old at the time. For the longest time I associated the MK with spaghetti and meatballs, LOL.

 

[majortom]

Also LOVED the C&W place at PI...don't remember if it was Neon Armadillo or Wild Horse Saloon when we were there.

Easy way to tell: do you remember if you walked in on the second floor and then went down to the dance floor (Neon Armadillo), or went in on the first floor and walked up to the restaurant (Wild Horse)?

Second way to tell: was it so loud that you could not talk at all (Wild Horse) or was the music played at a volume reasonable for chatting (Neon Armadillo)?

Third option: Did you have to pay to get into PI to go into the bar (Neon Armadillo) or was it outside the Island (Wild Horse)?

Finally was it before January of 1998 (Neon Armadillo) or after May of 1998 (Wild Horse)?

/carmi

 

[susan137]

Does anyone remember when the California Grill was Top of the World (?). I remember having an awesome brunch there on Sunday monrnings. Pricey (for the time), but wonderful. Anyone else remember that?

Also, Chef Mickey's used to be the Contemporary Cafe, I think. As a young married couple with a young child, we thought the buffet there was quite a bargain, lol!!

Susan

 

[Simba's Mom]

Early Early days of WDW when Campgrounds and Contemporary were the only resorts. There was a Charater Breakfast at the campground with Chip and Dale, and Buff and the gang from the Wall at Country Bears. It was a SUPER breakfast with plated Scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, hash browns, juice, milk, coffee, HUGE chocolate chip muffins, fruit and a breakfast granola bar. The show was cute and funny, and we all got kazoos. Pretty sure it was in what is now the HDDR building. This was probably around 1976, we had a blast, and still remember those muffins, and Buff.

That character breakfast is one of my fondest memories. When we went in 1987, it was called the Melvin the Moose character breakfast and I can still remember us all yelling out, "Wake up, you silly moose!" then all being given kazoos to play. And I can remember when we got on the bus afterwards and the bus driver said, not too kindly, "All right, everyone, put your kazoos in your pocket-no playing kazoos on the bus" and half the kids ignoring him. And I remember taking our Donald Duck-loving DS to the Empress Lily in 1989 because that was the only place at WDW (at least the CM said) where Donald dined. What's really sad is that when I remember back to those first couple trips, when our kids were little, I realize that all the character meals we went to (5 of them) have since been discontinued. Parents-take a lesson-take lots of pictures!

 

[bookworm61]

Yes,I remember when the California Grill was the Top of the World! We saw a dinner show there. I also remember the original Chef Mickeys, but not fondly, since we waited forever to be seated and then the food was terrible. I like the present Chef Mickeys much better, even though the food is just so-so.
I also remember when the Canada restaurant was a cafeteria style restaurant and it was a great bargain. You could get the maple salmon and the beer cheese soup and it was an inexpensive meal to boot. I also miss the Diamond Horseshoe Revue. We thought that was great, so of course it is gone now. We joke that any restaurant we like at WDW disappears or changes.
I also remember from way back eating at a restaurant at the WDW golf club called Pompano Grill. We had an excellent meal. Of course, that place disappeared quickly enough since we thought it was so great.

 

[sweetp267]

I got one for you. Back before the BCV were built there was a place at the Beach Club called Ariel's. It was one of those restaurants with an "open kitchen". It was supposed to be like Ariel's underwater grotto. My wife and I ate there so long ago I can't remember the year. I had one of the best meals ever at that restaurant. I really miss it now more than ever because my 8 yr old daughter is an absolute Ariel freak and I would love to take her there. It is still there but now it is a banquet facility now, no public eating there anymore. Very disappointed.

Next!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Paul in TX:
That spot might have been the Tangarora Terrace?? A seperate building away from the "main" house. They had an excellent bkfst buffet there--.

 

[Cookie Princess]

Does anyone remember when the California Grill was Top of the World (?). I remember having an awesome brunch there on Sunday monrnings. Pricey (for the time), but wonderful. Anyone else remember that?
Susan

I do! We used to have breakfast there when I was little...delicious belgian waffles with a hot apple topping...mmm...memories. I haven't found belgian waffles that delicious since then.

 

[BCV23]

Paul in TX:
That spot might have been the Tangarora Terrace?? A seperate building away from the "main" house. They had an excellent bkfst buffet there--.

That does sound like the Tangaroa Terrace. In the early years it was a la carte for breakfast and the Papeete Bay Verandah had that great buffet. Later TT had the buffet or a la carte.

Uncleromulus, remember the alligator butter that came with the sour dough bread at Narcoossee's along with a couple of other spreads? We usually ate there at lunch. It was delightful to take the launch over after a busy am at the MK and enjoy a great lunch overlooking sparkling Seven Seas Lagoon.

Remember Steerman's Quarters and the seafood place on the Empress Lily? Name escapes me this am. How about the Heidelberg Deli at the Village? It was great for sandwiches on the way to the airport.

 

[bookworm61]

I remember Ariels. It was the fancy beach club restaurant, just as the Yachtsman Steakhouse was the fancy Yacht club restaurant. I think it had a fish tank (or maybe I am just misremembering?).