Hollywood & Vine is really that bad?

[msmith07101]

I am going to leave my ADR for now, but I am going to way my options.
I know if we leave for dinner, no one will want to go back.

I am trying to get my guys to hang around and see Fantasmic, the last time we saw it was 2003 and they were very young.

I just can not understand why Disney does not improve this place with so many bad reviews.
Thank you to everyone for their honest opinions.

Because they don't have too...no shortage of people lining up to eat here. I chose it last year pretty much because I wanted to sit down somewhere and it was the only place that still had openings available when I made dining ressies. Plus, I thought since it was a buffet it would have something to please all 3 of us. It was just so mediocre...we were hard pressed to fill our plates with things that appealed to us. Would not go back again...I wouldn't even use a free dining credit on it...I'd feel like it was wasted.

 

[msmith07101]

I am going to leave my ADR for now, but I am going to way my options.
I know if we leave for dinner, no one will want to go back.

I am trying to get my guys to hang around and see Fantasmic, the last time we saw it was 2003 and they were very young.

I just can not understand why Disney does not improve this place with so many bad reviews.
Thank you to everyone for their honest opinions.

Because they don't have too...no shortage of people lining up to eat here. I chose it last year pretty much because I wanted to sit down somewhere and it was the only place that still had openings available when I made dining ressies. Plus, I thought since it was a buffet it would have something to please all 3 of us. It was just so mediocre...we were hard pressed to fill our plates with things that appealed to us. Would not go back again...I wouldn't even use a free dining credit on it...I'd feel like it was wasted.

 

[twinspluscade]

It's rare for me to ever find a buffet I don't like. Heck, I even think Bonanza's and KFC's buffets are pretty good..

But we've eaten twice at H and V, and it was one of the worst buffets I've eaten at. We did lunch once and breakfast once, neither one were that good. Plus the decor of the restaurant itself isn't much to brag about, at least compared to other themed restaurants in WDW.

 

[pixarmom]

Thanks to everyone for confirming my decision to drop our H&V ADR! I'm tempted because it's the only TS in DHS we haven't tried, but I can't do it. We'll book another lunch at Brown Derby instead!

 

[yvettedem]

too funny....because of all the negative fb I have read not just on this thread but others too I canceled my ressie too and changed it to Mama Melrose's instead

 

[angiepangie8]

Wow
We went in 2008 and really enjoyed it. DD was 5 and DS was 7. they loved the characters even though they didn't know them as well as the others because they had kids get up and dance and were very interactive. Maybe we were just really hungry but we thought the buffet food was delicious too.

 

[Mamu]

My whole family thinks it's an over-priced cafeteria style restaurant with a few characters. Food is at times fair, but most times not even that good.

As bad as some say it is it's quite popular, I guess because it a charater meal.

 

[jasmom]

we went for dinner in sept and it was our worst meal of the trip. Will not eat there again. The kids liked the ice cream

 

[DisneyAnytime]

Our last WDW trip was in 2008 and we had a character meal every day as late lunch / early dinner and all were buffet. IMO if you've had one buffet at WDW, you've had them all.

I have to give Disney credit, though, for taking mass produced buffet food and trying to give it a gourmet flair. Also, the Playhouse Disney characters at Hollywood & Dine were very entertaining so, we weren't paying as much attention to the food.

If you're looking for heaven on a plate, don't go to a buffet. But if you're looking for something reasonably good to fill you up for your Disney adventures, the buffets are fine.

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

We haven't been since 2000 on our honeymoon and will NEVER go back. Wow, 10 years , that's crazy!! It left such a bad impression and paired with the bad reviews I still read here, we just can't bring ourselves to do it. .

 

[purpliequeen]

We hated H&V as well. Maybe it was an off-night, but our experience was so bad that there is no way that we will ever set foot in there again. Let me tell you all of our experiences..

When I was really young- about 6 years old, so 15 years ago, this place used to have an awesome bfast buffet with characters. Mickey and Minnie and their pals would come out and dance. It was all disco-themed with a disco ball and they would dress the kids up in feather boas. It was a great time. The food was a standard bfast buffet.

So come back 10 years later when I'm 16 for a Fantasmic dinner package. The atmosphere is still the same- it's a large venue with not enough bathrooms for the people who eat there (but I digress). The food wasn't bad- standard buffet fare. I remember good mashed potatoes, green beans, and carved roast beef.

Now, THE PEOPLE. We sat next to a rowdy table of 6 adults and 4-5 children (seemed more like 20). The kids were little devils. If they were mine, I would 1) be totally embarrassed, 2) never bring them out to eat, 3) and certainly not bring them to WDW. I have never seen demonic children before this, so maybe I am overreacting. I still can't imagine that dinner and can't think of what parenting those little guys would be like. These children were SCREAMING and RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE. Their parents would take them up to the buffet and ask them what they would want on their plates and they would: a) point at what they wanted and scream at their parent(s) until they got it, b) grab it themselves with their bare hands, and/or c) just throw a tantrum at the buffet line. The table was a wreck. There were ~3 servers hovering around their table just to clean up after them. I have never seen so many paper napkins. The children got ice cream from the make-your-own soft serve machine and then proceeded to dump the ice cream on the floor and carpet underneath their table.

I felt so bad for the wait staff. I can't imagine parents who were so hands off. If this is what America is going to be like, I am embarrassed for my country. Now, I'm really digressing and am fully aware of the fact that the stuff we saw at this restaurant was the fault of the patrons and not the restaurant itself. However, just thinking of what we had to endure turned us off from ever stepping foot in this place again. It has also turned me off from buffets. I just don't want to think of the dirt and grime and bacteria that people bring with them, especially on children that they choose to neglect.

On the restaurant itself, I think that the food is overpriced and much under quality. I actually do not like any of the restaurants at DHS and we much prefer to order counter service at this park if we don't get a chance to eat somewhere else.

Disney, if you're reading this- it's time to put in good restaurants in DHS!!!!!

 

[SplashMom]

We at there a few years back and none of us cared for it much. It wasn't terrible, but we had other choices that we preferred.

Just this past August, we decided to try it again since it was five or six years since we had been there. We really liked it! We were nervous to return but we wanted to stay in the park and it was a last minute trip so it was the only reservation I could get. We were very glad we returned. I don't love the buffets (because I find them all very similar) but we usually do one or two each trip. We always do the dining plan and I didn't want to use two credits for the Brown Derby and I really don't care for the other restaurants at HS.

We had very little wait, excellent service, good food and an overall good experience. We are returning for our February trip.

 

[crabbygal902]

We went as walk-ups and had an over-all good experience. Fresh, hot food, good service...nothing blew us away but it was certainly pleasant enough.

 

[rob3092]

When we went last January it was Ok at best.
Nothing to write home about, I guess it wasn't worth the price.
But it is a buffet, and after walking around all day some people (like myself) would eat anything.
So if you're not a picky eater, you could be alright with it.
But again the quality of the food wasn't too great.

 

[Belle5]

Personally, I would choose a QS option and stand in line for Fantasmic before subjecting our family to that food experience again.

 

[mjp12831]

Golden Corral with B level Disney Characters

 

[momto2inKC]

We had dinner there a few years back and it was the worst dinner we've ever had at Disney! The only place we will never return to. The food was bland and not even warm. The atmosphere is not that great, feels like you're in a cafeteria. Not what we expect at a table service restaurant at Disney.

 

[momto2inKC]

Personally, I would choose a QS option and stand in line for Fantasmic before subjecting our family to that food experience again.

 

[Mickeyfan333]

Probably won't eat there again unless cannot get another ressie. Food isn't "bad" just not as good as other buffets. I filled up on peel and eat shrimp and some items from the kids area. The buffet is huge and I am sure there will be something for everyone so they do not leave hungry. Dessert buffet is good!