Mystery: What restaurant from the early 2000s was this?

[DramaTurtle23]

Okay, this has been bugging me ever since I got super into Disney, but there was a great restaurant my family ate at in the early 2000s in WDW, and I would love to know what restaurant it was. I was 8 or 9 the first time I ate there for the first time, and we did go back at one point when I was 12, but my memories are still fuzzy! That would have made the restaurant operational around 2000 - 2004 at least.

I remember we went into a quite ornate hotel lobby to get there. It seemed like a NICE restaurant, but us kids were able to draw on the table (and the waiter did so too, he was the absolute best!) so it wasn't like a Victoria & Albert's level. We were able to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from a dock right off the restaurant (I really strongly feel it was a dock and we were at water level). I think we were close because my toddler cousin was really upset at the booms. And when I was older we went back for a Thanksgiving dinner, so it offered that, but I'm sure that doesn't narrow it down.

I have thought that it was maybe what is now California Grill, but I don't think it was on the top floor of the hotel, which I know Cali Grill is...

If anyone has any thoughts about what restaurant this might have been, I will send you so much good karma!

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Okay, this has been bugging me ever since I got super into Disney, but there was a great restaurant my family ate at in the early 2000s in WDW, and I would love to know what restaurant it was. I was 8 or 9 the first time I ate there for the first time, and we did go back at one point when I was 12, but my memories are still fuzzy! That would have made the restaurant operational around 2000 - 2004 at least.

I remember we went into a quite ornate hotel lobby to get there. It seemed like a NICE restaurant, but us kids were able to draw on the table (and the waiter did so too, he was the absolute best!) so it wasn't like a Victoria & Albert's level. We were able to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from a dock right off the restaurant (I really strongly feel it was a dock and we were at water level). I think we were close because my toddler cousin was really upset at the booms. And when I was older we went back for a Thanksgiving dinner, so it offered that, but I'm sure that doesn't narrow it down.

I have thought that it was maybe what is now California Grill, but I don't think it was on the top floor of the hotel, which I know Cali Grill is...

If anyone has any thoughts about what restaurant this might have been, I will send you so much good karma!

Sounds like you're describing Narcoossee's at the Grand Floridian.

 

[_19disnA]

The restaurant at the top of the Contemporary used to be called 'Top of the World' as I recall. We ate there a number of years ago and there used to be a dinner show with the meal. When they opened BLT next door, they took that name with them to the new location. California Grill is the current name for that restaurant. Perhaps after you had dinner you went back to ground level where the dock is located to watch the fireworks.

Contemporary is the closest hotel to MK, both GF and Polynesian are further away.

 

[DramaTurtle23]

Interesting! There was definitely no dinner show, I feel like I would have remembered that.

I had considered Narcoosee's, but that does seem like further away, and I have this memory of the big windows that I see in pictures at the California Grill. I could absolutely be wrong.

I imagine the lobby to the Grand Floridian would have been more ornate than the Contemporary at this time, so I'm leaning Narcoosee's because of that memory, but I would love confirmation if they did the drawing-on-the-table thing or were too fancy to do that.

 

[focusondisney]

If viewing MK fireworks from the Contemporary dock, you’ll be looking back towards the hotel, not over water. From my experience there in recent years, you see mostly high fireworks. You don’t see the castle at all, or any lower fireworks. From the 4th floor observation deck or the one outside CG, you again aren’t looking over water, but you do see the castle.

 

[zackiedawg]

It was actually fairly common at higher end restaurants at Disney to give the kids crayons to draw on tables - it was a way to keep them distracted and quieter and not running around the room to allow kids but keep a slightly more upscale environment. Artist's Point at WL, Yachtsman Steakhouse at Beach, Citrico's at Gf all used to do it (I don't travel with kids anymore so have no idea if they still do).

Narcoosie's is the most obvious choice due to being at water level, right next to docks, and having easy fireworks views. Citrico's is an outside chance too - there are some tables that would be able to see fireworks. It's on the 2nd floor - so not ground level. Any other MK-area restaurant I can think of that might have been 'nicer' would have been on a high floor or not had a fireworks view.

 

[beccasmom]

There were two restaurants I remember at the CR (one now closed, the other open as a bar/lounge area) besides the Top of the World.

The Pueblo Room was on the fourth floor roughly back in the area where Chef Mickey’s is, but there were no windows as I recall it. We only ate there once.

The Outer Rim on the 4th floor was a restaurant at one time and the windows overlook Bay Lake.

 

[Mouse Tracker]

great restaurant my family ate at in the early 2000s

any other family members that can add a "memory" to the puzzle?

How did you get there / leave? Where were you staying on those trips? etc.

 

[Robber Baron]

Well, late 90's vs early 2000's but Flaglers was on the 2nd floor of GF where Citricos is now.

The view was similar to what you describe.

This was one of our favorite restaurants.

 

[focusondisney]

Well, late 90's vs early 2000's but Flaglers was on the 2nd floor of GF where Citricos is now.

The view was similar to what you describe.

This was one of our favorite restaurants.

Except he thinks he watched fireworks from a deck at water level right off the restaurant. Flaglers/ Citricos is 2 nd floor with no deck.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

Maybe Geyser Point at the Wilderness Lodge? The lobby is jaw-dropping, and there is a dock, but maybe not adjacent to the restaurant. Not sure what kinds of fireworks views there might be. Could also be Whispering Canyon but you'd likely remember the antics of the staff if you'd eaten there.

 

[zackiedawg]

Geyser point wouldn't have been there in the early 2000s. And Whispering Canyon doesn't have any fireworks views, inside or out...so probably not those.

Grand Floridian does seem the most likely spot.

 

[Anthony1971]

The only place I can think of is Narcossee's There are large windows and it is next to the Dock at GF.

However Ohana does have some picture type windows and is a great view. Back then the Dock was the place to view the fireworks and you can also see the boat dock from those windows.

Ornate lobby... you need to think and expand on this. The poly had a huge fountain with tropical plants at that time.

CR is ruled out as the only view at that time was from the Bar that anyone could go and it had an amazing view for the price of a drink or 5... I spent more than a few nights here. Top of the world was on the side which would view Bay lake.
WL you could only see the higher fireworks from the beach but I would guess you would recall being in a laying chair or beach chair as they were plentiful and is near a boat dock. WL had boat rentals the dock is still there today. Whispering canyon has huge windows but looks at trees. The beach is now gone replaced with Geyser point.

 

[CarolynFH]

I wonder whether OP was so impressed by the GF lobby that they don't remember walking through it and then outside to get to Narcoossee's. IOW, the memories are of the lobby and of Narcoossee's deck and the fireworks, but not of how they got from the lobby to the restaurant.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

If not Narcoosee's, then maybe the walk was a little longer to the dock and it was the Grand Floridian Cafe.

 

[sanibel93]

I am showing my age now, when we first went to WDW in 1973 with our 2 sons and stayed that year and a few times after at the Contemporary the Outer Rim (best Prime Rib at the time) was the one that l remember. Not a good view for Magic Kingdom fireworks even from the docks, we used to watch Electrical Water Pageant from there. I don't remember what year it changed over to only bar service, which is located in the same area only now smaller now.

Found this on the internet.
The Outer Rim would continue offering its limited dinner menu through the bulk of the 1980s and would remain physically present until 1995, making it one of the longest-lived facilities to remain essentially unchanged in the history of the hotel. Traces of it continued to linger all the way up until 2007.

With a back-of-house area that small, Outer Rim had to offer something simple and good. A December 1973 "Walt Disney World News" says it offers "prime rib and fried chicken entrees", which sounds about right. A June 1975 menu reads:

Outer Rim Appetizers
Gulf Shrimp Cocktail - 2.25
Macedoine of Fruit - .75
Cream of Mushroom Soup - .75
French Onion Soup - .75

Entrees - Roast Prime Rib of Beef Au Jus
(Creamed Horseradish, baked potato, seasonal vegetables and tossed garden greens)
Contemporary Cut, a generous slice, or English Cut, three thin slices - 7.25
Grand Canyon Cut, to satisfy hearty appetites - 9.25
Children under 12 - 3.95

Accompaniments
Sauteed Mushrooms in Red Wine - 1.00
Baked Potato - .50

Our Wine Recommendation
Beaujolais, Louis Jardot - 8.75 and 4.50

Desserts
Pecan Pie - .75
German Chocolate Cake - .75
English Trifle - .80

 

[CraigInPA]

I'd guess this was 'Ohana, which was (and is) very child friendly. The Poly lobby was very impressive then, before the latest renovation, and the boat dock was a convenient place to watch the fireworks from.

 

[kiford]

My first thought was Narcoosee's which is the only one that seems to fit the location description. It is at the water level, there is a dock right beside it and some of the windows face MK.

It could have been 'Ohana, but it isn't at the water level, and the dock is farther away. And I wouldn't call the Poly lobby ornate in the way GF is.

 

[DramaTurtle23]

So it sounds like the consensus is mostly Narcoosee's. From my limited research online it doesn't match the decor/overall dining experience I remember, but maybe it's changed in 20-something years? Very possible.

Second possibility in Top of the World (maybe we took an elevator down to look at the fireworks? I wish I could remember). This seems to fit the vibe more, but I'm fixated on the ornate lobby that I wish I could remember more. Having been to neither I would guess Floridian > Contemporary for ornateness.

To clarify we didn't see fireworks from the table, we went to the dock to see them.

Thanks everyone for your help! Maybe one day I can try out Narcoosees and CG and see if either of them feel right!

 

[WDWLODGE]

I'd guess this was 'Ohana, which was (and is) very child friendly. The Poly lobby was very impressive then, before the latest renovation, and the boat dock was a convenient place to watch the fireworks from.

I thought it might have been 'Ohana as well, but the OP said it was ground level.