gw_lit
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2003
- Messages
- 924
Here are some quick dining reviews from our trip May 26 - June 1. Diners were me, DW, DS6 & DS9, not on the dining plan, paid cash for all meals. DW and both DS are very picky eaters and won't experiment much with dining.
Biergarten Went for lunch, had noon ADR, arrived about 5 minutes prior, seated in about 10 minutes. They did a good job of gradually seating diners, so the line at the buffet was never long at all. Great if you like German food, not so great if you don't. I loved it, DW and DS1 & DS2 didn't like it so much. Had different kinds of sausage, roasted chicken, potatos, various salads, pretzel bread and rolls, and some great desserts. There really wasn't much for kids, both boys pretty much lived on pretzel bread and dessert.
Electric Umbrella Went for dinner. I had a grilled chicken sandwich, DW & DS9 had cheeseburgers, DS6 has chicken nuggets. Although I had seen lots of bad reviews of this CS location, it was much better than I expected. I would consider it good quality theme park counter service food. One bonus, the drink dispensers are out in the dining room, so you could refill your drinks. This was the only CS location we went were you could do this, nice for helping to stay hydrated!
Sci-Fi Dine In Went for lunch, had 11:30 ADR, arrived right at 11:30 seated in about 5 minutes. This was OK. I had the shrimp penne pasta (OK), DW had chicken sandwich (OK), DS9 had mac and cheese, DS6 had hot dog. DS6's meal came with cucumber slaw instead of the fries we ordered, but that was corrected, but it took quite a while. Drink refills were hard to come by. Atmosphere was neat, but it was very dark and difficult to read the menus. All-in-all the meal was OK, but I wouldn't do it again.
Ohana's Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch Had 7:30 ADR, arrived about 7:20, had our family picture taken, and they were calling our name to be seated. [Since we were going to MK that day we parked at the TTC and were about the 5th car parked right up front in the lot. I kind of felt like I was in the movie 'Vacation'... "First ones here, first ones here..."] Our cousin picked up our breakfast breads (cinnamon bread and pineapple bread) on the way to the table and then brought us each a glass of "tropical" juice, it was a mix of various juices, DW and I both loved it, the boys stuck with OJ and milk. Our "bowl" of food was brought to us promptly with scrambled eggs, potatos, sausage and bacon, with plenty for all of us to have including seconds if we wanted. Another CM was bringing around Mickey waffles. All of the food was good and hot! Got to visit with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch... all of the characters were great and spent time with the kids. They didn't rush, but didn't linger too long so it took them forever to get from table to table. When we were finished, we grabbed the resort monorail (rode in the front with the pilot!) and were at the Magic Kingdom in time to see the opening "show".
Pinocchio Village Haus Went for lunch... ugh... run away! Run fast! We went for an early lunch, and could find no where to sit. Service was slow and cast members here didn't seemed to want to be bothered by guests. After hovering over a family that was finished eating for about 5 minutes, they finally got up and we grabbed their table. I had chicken caesar salad (actually pretty good), DW and DS9 had chicken strips (OK), DS6 had pizza (nasty). DS9 actually ended up eating most of my caesar salad and skipped his chicken strips. I would definitely avoid this place. When we left one of the Disney Research CM's asked if they could survery us about our dining experience. My reply was, "Sure, how much time do you have?"
Plaza Restaurant After our CS experience, we wanted to sit down somewhere, so we called from the park and made an ADR for the Plaza Restaurant at 8:00. We had originally had an ADR for lunch here but cancelled it since we did the Stitch Character breakfast. This was the best meal of our trip by far! We arrived about 8:05 and were seated within 5 minutes. I had a Cheesesteak (excellent), DW had the Plaza Club (excellent, huge sandwich!), DS9 had cheeseburger (very good) and DS6 had grilled cheese (very good). The kids meals came with a great garden salad, not the little wimpy one you usually get, this one was a good size and had lots of great veggies. The kids meals also came with dessert, which was either mini chocolate cookies or a Mickeylodeon (a scoop of ice cream with a cone "hat" and two chocoate "ears". The service was great and the food was excellent, plus this was the best bargain of all of our meals, our total bill was about $44, including tip. The only slight negative is that the restrooms are outside around the corner, but they're really a lot closer than some of the walks to the restrooms in other TS locations. We loved this meal so much that we made another ADR for the Plaza Restaurant for when we'd be back at the Magic Kingdom in a couple days.
Animal Kingdom As a disclaimer, we hate Animal Kingdom, but only went here to could ride Expedition Everest and do the Safari, so we slept in, went to the pool and ate lunch at our condo before going to the park. We figured we'd snack, and maybe grab some dinner before leaving the park. The park wasn't crowded at all the day we were there, but we noticed that many of the snack and counter service locations started closing right after the parade. We didn't feel like trying to find someplace open for dinner, so we left and had dinner at the condo.
Liberty Inn Had an early lunch here, about 11:15. Service was sloooow, this was the slowest line we waited in, including attractions. (Disclaimer... I always find the slowest line. If you see me in line, get in another one, you'll be through in no time!) Food was pretty good. I had a cheeseburger, DW had chicken sandwich, DS9 had chicken caesar salad, DS6 had chicken nuggets. This was nothing to write home about, but definitely a good, serviceable counter service location in the World Showcase.
Plaza Restaurant Second time, same as the first. Excellent food, great service. This table service locaton is really a hidden gem in the Magic Kingdom... don't miss it!
Biergarten Went for lunch, had noon ADR, arrived about 5 minutes prior, seated in about 10 minutes. They did a good job of gradually seating diners, so the line at the buffet was never long at all. Great if you like German food, not so great if you don't. I loved it, DW and DS1 & DS2 didn't like it so much. Had different kinds of sausage, roasted chicken, potatos, various salads, pretzel bread and rolls, and some great desserts. There really wasn't much for kids, both boys pretty much lived on pretzel bread and dessert.
Electric Umbrella Went for dinner. I had a grilled chicken sandwich, DW & DS9 had cheeseburgers, DS6 has chicken nuggets. Although I had seen lots of bad reviews of this CS location, it was much better than I expected. I would consider it good quality theme park counter service food. One bonus, the drink dispensers are out in the dining room, so you could refill your drinks. This was the only CS location we went were you could do this, nice for helping to stay hydrated!
Sci-Fi Dine In Went for lunch, had 11:30 ADR, arrived right at 11:30 seated in about 5 minutes. This was OK. I had the shrimp penne pasta (OK), DW had chicken sandwich (OK), DS9 had mac and cheese, DS6 had hot dog. DS6's meal came with cucumber slaw instead of the fries we ordered, but that was corrected, but it took quite a while. Drink refills were hard to come by. Atmosphere was neat, but it was very dark and difficult to read the menus. All-in-all the meal was OK, but I wouldn't do it again.
Ohana's Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch Had 7:30 ADR, arrived about 7:20, had our family picture taken, and they were calling our name to be seated. [Since we were going to MK that day we parked at the TTC and were about the 5th car parked right up front in the lot. I kind of felt like I was in the movie 'Vacation'... "First ones here, first ones here..."] Our cousin picked up our breakfast breads (cinnamon bread and pineapple bread) on the way to the table and then brought us each a glass of "tropical" juice, it was a mix of various juices, DW and I both loved it, the boys stuck with OJ and milk. Our "bowl" of food was brought to us promptly with scrambled eggs, potatos, sausage and bacon, with plenty for all of us to have including seconds if we wanted. Another CM was bringing around Mickey waffles. All of the food was good and hot! Got to visit with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch... all of the characters were great and spent time with the kids. They didn't rush, but didn't linger too long so it took them forever to get from table to table. When we were finished, we grabbed the resort monorail (rode in the front with the pilot!) and were at the Magic Kingdom in time to see the opening "show".
Pinocchio Village Haus Went for lunch... ugh... run away! Run fast! We went for an early lunch, and could find no where to sit. Service was slow and cast members here didn't seemed to want to be bothered by guests. After hovering over a family that was finished eating for about 5 minutes, they finally got up and we grabbed their table. I had chicken caesar salad (actually pretty good), DW and DS9 had chicken strips (OK), DS6 had pizza (nasty). DS9 actually ended up eating most of my caesar salad and skipped his chicken strips. I would definitely avoid this place. When we left one of the Disney Research CM's asked if they could survery us about our dining experience. My reply was, "Sure, how much time do you have?"
Plaza Restaurant After our CS experience, we wanted to sit down somewhere, so we called from the park and made an ADR for the Plaza Restaurant at 8:00. We had originally had an ADR for lunch here but cancelled it since we did the Stitch Character breakfast. This was the best meal of our trip by far! We arrived about 8:05 and were seated within 5 minutes. I had a Cheesesteak (excellent), DW had the Plaza Club (excellent, huge sandwich!), DS9 had cheeseburger (very good) and DS6 had grilled cheese (very good). The kids meals came with a great garden salad, not the little wimpy one you usually get, this one was a good size and had lots of great veggies. The kids meals also came with dessert, which was either mini chocolate cookies or a Mickeylodeon (a scoop of ice cream with a cone "hat" and two chocoate "ears". The service was great and the food was excellent, plus this was the best bargain of all of our meals, our total bill was about $44, including tip. The only slight negative is that the restrooms are outside around the corner, but they're really a lot closer than some of the walks to the restrooms in other TS locations. We loved this meal so much that we made another ADR for the Plaza Restaurant for when we'd be back at the Magic Kingdom in a couple days.
Animal Kingdom As a disclaimer, we hate Animal Kingdom, but only went here to could ride Expedition Everest and do the Safari, so we slept in, went to the pool and ate lunch at our condo before going to the park. We figured we'd snack, and maybe grab some dinner before leaving the park. The park wasn't crowded at all the day we were there, but we noticed that many of the snack and counter service locations started closing right after the parade. We didn't feel like trying to find someplace open for dinner, so we left and had dinner at the condo.
Liberty Inn Had an early lunch here, about 11:15. Service was sloooow, this was the slowest line we waited in, including attractions. (Disclaimer... I always find the slowest line. If you see me in line, get in another one, you'll be through in no time!) Food was pretty good. I had a cheeseburger, DW had chicken sandwich, DS9 had chicken caesar salad, DS6 had chicken nuggets. This was nothing to write home about, but definitely a good, serviceable counter service location in the World Showcase.
Plaza Restaurant Second time, same as the first. Excellent food, great service. This table service locaton is really a hidden gem in the Magic Kingdom... don't miss it!
