Going to Tony's-How do I make it the best experience it can be?

[PracPerfPatricia]

Please excuse this post if you are on Tour Guide Mike's site as I've posted it there as well-this is just bugging me.

I've read a lot of reviews that are less than favorable about Tony's, in fact some things I've read sound pretty awful. I know from what I read that just about everyone prefers the Italian food at Mama Melrose.

Here's my issue. My 3 1/2 year old son who will be 4 by the time of our trip in December, simply adores "Lady and the Tramp." He walks around with two stuffed dogs, one who is Tramp and the other who is "Pige" (Tramp's nickname for Lady? short for pigeon?) He make me put a collar and license on her but then later we have to break a leash off her that the mean Aunt put on. I think he would be ecstatic to go to a restaurant that in any way acknowledges his favorite characters (after Mickey and Donald-he loves the old cartoons from the 30's and 40's-go figure)

My self and my husband are foodies and so is my will be 12 year old (although she wants to go to Pizza Planet in MGM due to the Toy Story connection-(lol) when we're there and Beaches and Cream as well as Boma and Artist's Point-we stayed at WLodge last trip and she loved it there.)

Anyhow, I plan to make dinner reservations at Boma, Jiko, Hollywood Brown Derby (I really want to try for Fantasmic Pkg) Artists Point and others tbd. So we will be getting a chance to experience high end Disney Dining as well. I want to make sure that everyone in the family gets to go to some restaurants that will be special to them. I figure I can handle one or two restaurants where the food isn't perfect if the experience is fun. (We are also planning on doing Donald's Breakfast at AK since we'll be staying at AKL)

So this is my long, long winded way of asking-How do I make Tony's the best experience it can be? (My plan was to make it an early dinner before we attend the MVMCP-4:30-5ish)

Suggestions for food to order? Where to sit? And especially how to play up the L&T theming for my little guy. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated!

Thank you in advance,

Patricia

 

[TAKitty]

I have never had a bad experience at Tony's. I have been during busy and slow times of the day/year. Take what others say with a grain of salt. The worst that can happen is that you will decide that next time you will go someplace else. No matter how bad it could be, they will feed you and it is edible.

 

[Lewisc]

My pork chop was served raw, twice. Switched to fish. The server said the "chef" was new and thought they were pre-cooked and only had to be browned.

The pasta isn't bad, it just isn't any better than jarred sauce. It's edible.If the food isn't up to your standards just have the adults share a few items and grab something to eat at a CS restaurant later.

 

[Desnik]

We go to Tony's every trip and never had a bad experience. Never had bad food or a bad waitor.
We never even have ADR's either. We just walk up right when they open for lunch and usually have no wait.
I would say stick to simple foods. I like to get the pizza bianca and the breadsticks for appetizer. The kids like the ravioli, I forget what DH gets.

While we like Tony's we also go to Mama's and do think the food there is better. Still, nothing wrong with Tony's!

 

[drdelsol]

How to make it the best experience? Take pictures out front as you go on by to someplace else. Just kidding, it's ok but not good enough that we will ever go back.

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

I see people bashing restaurants I love all the time on here and it doesn't bother me. I just love Rainforest Cafe, Ohana's, Momma Melrose and I've seen negative reports about them. Everyone's taste is different.

That said, I personally didn't care for Tony's. My advice would be to stear clear of the spaghetti and meatballs. It was just too bland. I make better spaghetti at home with frozen pre-made meatballs and jarred sauce. (I am not a good cook )

 

[TinkGirl]

I really wanted to like Tony's. I needed a TS restaurant in MK for our first night. Because two of my children, 10 and 13, would be charged adult prices for family-style or buffet dinners, we booked at Tony's thinking it would also be nice to try something new. I read all the bad reviews here, and made reservations anyway. Well, the dinner was fine. Nothing great, nothing too horrible, just nothing special. Our kids did love the big individual pizzas. I got an eggplant dish, which was pretty good. My husband said his spaghetti was cold. Also, we waited a very long time for any server to acknowledge us after we were seated. That's not so great when we wanted to maximize our MK time. Also, the salad dressing just tasted like our Safeway brand Italian. We did get Lady's pawprint and a stamp from the restaurant in my daughter's autograph book. BTW, the one restaurant that is a must do for our family is, yep, Pizza Planet.

 

[Wendy31]

Last May, we did not eat at Tony's, but I had read somewhere (here maybe) that you could give your children's autograph books to the CM at the check-in desk & he/she would take the books back to the kitchen for Lady & Tramp to stamp them w/ their paws. You could also do this while you're eating by giving your autograph books to your server.

Lady & Tramp can't visit the tables, but they're in the kitchen eating Tony's spaghetti! They'll stamp the auto books w/ their paws. Tony & Joe will sign the books too. My kids thought it was very cool to get Lady & Tramp's pawprints in their autograph books. While we were waiting, I took a picture of them standing underneath the paintings of Lady & Tramp in the lobby.

I had not made an ADR for Tony's this June, but, last week, my DS, out of the blue, mentioned that he wanted to eat in Lady & Tramp's restaurant & wondered why we didn't eat there last year. So, I just made a lunch ADR for us on our last day. DS wants to eat spaghetti w/ meatballs like Lady & Tramp do in the movie.

The lunch menu on allears.net looked better to me than the dinner menu did. (Plus, we already have a FDP scheduled at Mama Melrose's.) I plan to order the Lady & Tramp combo - 1/2 of the veggie panini w/ the house salad.

I don't know what times the parades are for the time that you'll be there, but I've read some accounts where people have sat at tables on the porch at Tony's & had front row seats for the afternoon parade.

Have fun!!

We'll be there on 6/19!

 

[TikiGoddess]

We ate at Tony's last year for the same reason. My boys really enjoyed watching Lady and the Tramp on TV while we were waiting. I consider myself somewhat of a foodie as well and the food here is not great. However, if your son wants to go, go and enjoy it. The atmosphere is pleasant enough. The pasta wasn't terrible, it just was Spaghetti Warehouse type pasta. Same old, same old. The desserts were probably the worst part. They bring out a trio thing and I really didn't like any of them. I had the steak and it was very fatty...not a great cut of meat, but it was edible. But, we had fun and my picky eater who only ate french fries for an entire week finally ate some spaghetti...there's no accounting for taste
I think your son will appreciate your effort and he will enjoy it!