How bad is H&V?

[tgiving cruisers]

we are going to WDW at the end of June. Seeing how crowded it is going to be we wanted a Fantasmic package so we souldn't have to wait 90 minutes to get in to the show. The only package available during our stay was H&V. I have read so many bad reviews that i am wondering if i should cancel our reservations. any advise?

 

[sunshinegirl]

My mother-in-law actually really loves it. In fact, they ate Thanksgiving dinner there a few years ago! There are restaurants at WDW that I absolutely cannot stand that other people really like. It's so hard telling! I think sometimes it depends on the expectation that you have going into it.

 

[melomouse]

We've done H&V three times and always Fantasmic Package.

Since it's one of the few buffets at WDW WITHOUT characters, I think folks inevitably make subtle comparisions and H&V always loses!!

DS is STILL talking about the chocolate mousse cups. One our trip last fall, H&V was better than our CP experience. We're doing it again in September.

Different strokes for different folks - I think you might try it yourself instead of crossing it off completely because of the negative reviews on here.

 

[Barbers2005]

Don't cancel, Hollywood and Vine isn't that bad. Actually, it's a pretty good meal, just not as good as some of the other restaurants at WDW. We picked this restaurant for the Fantasmic package and thought it worked out quite well. The thing about this restaurant is that it's forgettable. The food was good, but nothing spectacular...no "you've gotta try this." Ditto for the atmosphere- its a clean and attractive restaurant, but it's not memorable...nothing you'd want to take a picture of to show your friends. That being said, it is good food and not having to wait in line was great. We only had to show up about 30 minutes before the show started and got a good seat in the reserved Fantasmic seating while the rest of the theater was already packed.

 

[momandseandodisney]

I was thinking of switching H&V (wich I have book) for the fantasmic package and moving it to mama mel.

I called and the CM said he would recommend H&V over M Mel. so I just left it and will keep fingers crossed lol

 

[pooch]

seems like the bad reviews have become rampant lately. But we don't like the menu at MM's and are doing Alfredo's later (another place that seems to be love it or hate it!) and don't want to use 2 TS for HBD (did like it last visit though) So that leaves H & V. I keep telling myself, "Self! It's a buffet, there'll be something to eat!" If it's really awful, and I'm sure it won't be, we can get something later somewhere else!

You can drive yourself crazy over ADR's. I made the best decisions I could based on what I know the family would like. If we hit an oinker, what are you gonna do? Of course, we've got FREE DINING , so if we have to order pizza delivery one night, no biggie!!

Good luck & remember a bad meal at WDW is still better than a good meal anywhere else!!!

 

[Demon Llama]

I went to H & V once with my mom and sister and we really enjoyed it. It's not the best, but it's not terrible either. I'd go again if there weren't so many other restaurants to try!

I read somewhere that they were doing a character meal here too.

 

[RyMickey]

I read somewhere that they were doing a character meal here too.

The character meal with the Playhouse Disney characters will be during breakfast and lunch only.

My thoughts on H&V - Personally, I don't like it...but everyone else in my family does and it's the only restaurant in MGM where there's something for everyone. You can't beat not having to wait in the hour+ line for Fantasmic. While I don't think it's great, the food is acceptable. And if the food doesn't suit your fancy, there's always the make-your-own sundaes!

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

We have had the dinner package and H & V twice and really liked it both times. Especially the mini dessert selection yummy!!

 

[mollyseven]

You couldn't pay us to eat there again. Mama Melrose's twice last week though. Way better selectiona at MM, nicer quieter atmosphere and only about a 3minute longer walk.
By the way..I wouldn't worry about the package next time I go either. The people entering without the dinner package tickets were getting better seats in the middle than us who got seated off to the side.
Of course this was last week and not in high season so....?
Buffett food though can never compete with a menu item...lukewarm food other people have picked over....

 

[JoiseyMom]

We have eaten there 5 or 6 times, and it has been consistently good each and everytime. The kids buffet is good, I love the meatballs! The sliced steak is yummy, and so are the other options. The food has always been hot and the buffet very clean. My dd loves the peel and eat shrimp. I find more to eat there then I do at Boma's.

 

[mollyseven]

we were there last friday and there was no meatballs on the buffet. The sliced steak was there but very mediocre. There were peel and eat shrimp. There was thai peanut chicken skewers, artichoke hearts, mashed potatoes, polenta, sliced tomatoes, some sort of yellowy cold rice that I think was supposed to be warm, and maybe a few other things.
Kids buffet consisted of mac/cheese and nuggets.
Ice cream bar was o.k but the bowls were so hot that the ice cream melted before they got back to the table with it...they should be chilled if anything and not hot. The small desserts (pecan bars, key lime tarts, choc. mouse tarts, apple crumble and I think cherry crumble) were just o.k nothing that you couldn't get frozen from any grocery store at home.
Definitely mediocre food at best and very loud and congested inside not a relaxing atmosphere. It seems hard to believe that it is in the same ballpark as Le Cellier or others...I would prefer a bus ride to another park to go to dinner than go here again, especially on the meal plan.

 

[binky]

I was in the same boat as you, and I cancelled my H&V res. I would eat somewhere good and skip the Fantasmic pkg. We got to the theatre for Fantasmic at about 8:25, walked right in (no line), and found there were plenty of seats available. We were on the second section from the left, could have sat low but chose high up, near the concessions in order to get out early. Thank goodness I didn't use up a TS on H&V! Saved that for LeCellier and Teppanyaki. Good luck!

 

[Plutofan1]

A lot of people love it!!!!!! The quality has improved over the years. . I say, eat there, you WILL enjoy it, especially with the seats for Fantasmic!

 

[PlainJane]

I ate there last November on the Fantasmic package. I thought the food was really good. Our server was wonderful. We were traveling with two disabled people so the package was worth it to us, because it guaranteed seating for them(which is quite limited).

 

[Sarnia]

We ate there a month ago and everybody was very pleasantly suprised.

There was a good selection of food, and everything that I tried was very good. I am not a fan of buffets, so I really wasn't expecting to like it.