Is Hollywood & Vine as bad as they say?

[sammy01]

Same experience as many others. Food was fine - pretty good for buffet. My DH loves it, but he loves most buffets. My problem is that it is SO LOUD! The music and the linoleum floors does not make for a calm dining experience. We do all character meals, so it wasn't that. We're trying Sci-Fi next time. I would describe H&V as overstimulating. My 3 year old didn't eat a bite and didn't want anything to do with the characters (not our experience at other character meals.) All in all, too loud for me!

 

[KatMark]

Truthfully, every one should try whatever restaurant they are interested in for themselves. That being said, we hated H&V and will not go back. We had terrible service two trips in a row, lukewarm food--when there was enough to select from and filthy conditions (and we were there at 5:30 p.m.). However, other people rave about it. We read great reviews about Boatwright's for dinner and it was the second worse meal (after H&V) that we've ever had at Disney. We also tried Mama Melrose a couple of years ago after really bad review and we really like and enjoy it. So it all comes down to a matter of personal opinion. So if it is something you want to try, go for it.

 

[englishrose47]

Well, it seems that the "nays" are winning this one.

I'll be traveling with my family: DW, DD(5) and a nephew (12) (D-What?).

I think I'll contact our travel agency and have the ADR changed, maybe to Mama Melrose's or the Sci-fi Dinner.

Have anyone visited the Sci-Fi Dinner? The kids could find it interesting, as they don't have the concept of seeing movies from a car…

Thanks to all for your help,

Luis

I have had breakfast at H&V and we enjoyed the food the service ., the atmoshere and the characters. We have also had dinner at Sci Fi WE all loved the atmosphere, the others liked their steaks , I did not care for my shrimp dish it was blah!! the apple dessert was bad !! Now the onion rings ,the artichoke dip were great and my oreo cookie milkshake will def. bring me bak there !!

 

[Luis Rodriguez]

After consulting with my travel agent, who agreed that H&V tends to get bad reviews, we changed our reservation to the Brown Derby.

Thanks to all (the "nays" and the "ayes" as well) for your input. They were all helpful.

Regards,

Luis

 

[mom2dzb]

We did the Fantasmic dinner package at H & V this past May. We are big fans of Disney's buffets in general. H & V was just so-so. It wasn't "bad" but the food wasn't as good as some of the other Disney buffets, crystal place, boma, park fare, for example. And it didnt' feel like anything special as far as theme or atmosphere, sort of run of the mill buffet. It was clean and the service was fine, but we'll try somewhere else next time. I wouldn't refuse to eat there or anything but it wasn't worth putting on my list to repeat when there are other more interesting places to try.

I second this opinion. Exactly. (Except we were there Feb 2007, not May.)

 

[Sherry047]

We had great service there in March 2008! We had breakfast and there was hardly anybody there. We got so much attention and never had to wait for anything.

 

[simpilotswife]

Yes.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

I have an ADR for breakfast at H&V, but all the mixed reviews have me second-guessing. However, it doesn't really seem like there are any other TS restaurants in Hollywood Studios that serve breakfast. We were planning on going for the Extra Magic Hours, then having a late breakfast, and then going back to the crowds. Is there anywhere else we could snag a good breakfast at Hollywood Studios?

 

[maj42169]

Here is our horror story for H and V..................The waitress was delivering drinks to a table across from us. She spilled the whole tray of sodas on the woman who's back was to her. THEN..........after apologizing, she proceeded to reach into the woman's low rise jeans.......we are talking almost crack showing...................and scoop out the ice! Now, can you believe that??

It was enough to make all of us want to leave! Oh, the food was the pits too!

 

[TinkerBrie]

We had breakfast (2008) at H&V and had no problems. We liked it. We had dinner at MM (2006) and did not like it a little bit! You can get a crappy waiter/waitress anywhere. We had the worst service EVER at the Crystal Palace, but I would still say we love the resturant. Great food and great characters. I would pick by the theme that appeals to your family and age groups. Just my two cents!

 

[MiaSRN62]

We had breakfast there in Aug '07 and dinner in Dec '07----enjoyed both. Nothing spectacular, but we liked it.

 

[lanand3]

We ate there last month for dinner and thought the food and service was good.I would eat there again.

 

[Disney Ella]

I wouldn't call it "bad" exactly. The food was okay and there was a lot of variety. It is very noisy. I'm the only one in my family who had a problem with H&V. Both times we went, I had stomach problems afterward, but I'm the only one in the family that the food bothered, which is very strange because we ate a lot of the same things.

 

[anabelle]

After consulting with my travel agent, who agreed that H&V tends to get bad reviews, we changed our reservation to the Brown Derby.

Thanks to all (the "nays" and the "ayes" as well) for your input. They were all helpful.

Regards,

Luis

Luis,
I don't know if you are on the dining plan, but The Brown Derby is a two credit restaurant.

 

[rkwells]

Out of all the table service restaurants at WDW that we have eaten H&V is the only one we will never go back to...not horrible, just not a pleasant experience overall.

 

[Belle4mygrl]

We have been twice. The first time I had no expectations and no attitude. It was the first time we were on the dining plan. The food was ok but nothing to get excited over. The service was bad. We just figured we had a bad server. We tried it a second time with another family. Food again was ok not special. It seems very bland and not enough choices for dinner. The waitress was horrible! We didn't get refills at all. We had to ask repeatedly when she came by and finally received one on the way out the door. she never cleaned the table. Because we were a party of 9 the tip was automatically added in. $30+ tip for absolutely horrible service. I now know you can ask for manager to have tip adjusted. I just wish I knew that at the time. I didn't discover this board until much later.

 

[CR88]

We liked it. We have only been there twice though. Both times were Fantasmic Dinner Packages, and both were the first week of December. Everyone in our party was pleased and said that they would like to go back. It was not, by any means, the best dinner of our trip; that was a toss up between LeCellier and Coral Reef, but it was good. Actually everyone liked it better than Crystal Palace, which really shocked me. Service was surprisingly good and everything was hot and fresh so we didn’t experience any of what people usually complain about. I warned everyone though that it may not be that great given the reviews, but it was between H&V and Mama Melrose for the 1TS dinner package and my family owns and operates an Italian Restaurant so no one really wanted Italian on their vacation.

 

[PortieOwner]

I have found that even a mediocre character buffet at WDW is superior to just about any regular restaurant meal in the "real world".

H&V has been on my list the last two trips but we always end up canceling that reservation.

 

[Mkrop]

I have an ADR for breakfast at H&V, but all the mixed reviews have me second-guessing. However, it doesn't really seem like there are any other TS restaurants in Hollywood Studios that serve breakfast. We were planning on going for the Extra Magic Hours, then having a late breakfast, and then going back to the crowds. Is there anywhere else we could snag a good breakfast at Hollywood Studios?

Breakfast was very good, you should be fine. Last week we went and we were there late enough that we had both breakfast and lunch food out, the lunch food was gross IMHO, I would stick with breakfast. First time we went service was fine, this time service was slow and June never made it to our table, it was taking too darn long.

 

[Tink2312]

We ate dinner there last November and thought it was wonderful! Loved the variety and quality of food, the desserts were gorgeous and the service was really friendly and efficient. We all agreed we'd definitely return!!