Need opinons on GF Cafe, Crystal Palace for dinner

[JrsyDebs]

I am interested to know your opinions about Grand Floridian Cafe for dinner. Perusing the menu, I see that there are dinners under twenty dollars, looks like a good value...

I have not heard much about the Crystal Palace for dinner. Is it a real "zoo" at dinnertime? What about the food quality, characters?

Thanks in advance for your input!
Debs

 

[uktigger]

debs

please excuse me for jumping in on your post but i'd also like to know about this place for dinner

eve

 

[raparker13]

We love the GF Cafe. We always go there for lunch on our trips (which usually aren't during the summer, so it isn't open for dinner). We were there last week, and it was open for dinner so we tried it. It's a very nice place and quiet place. The dinner menu is somewhat limited, but I had a steak and it was as good as any I've had at WDW. Their salads are also very good. If you want a good burger, I think it is one of the best places to go.

 

[uktigger]

hi
raparker13,thank you for sharing your experience at the GF i am going to have another look at the menu and then make my ps i also want to order the glass slipper and dog bones

eve

 

[hezzie]

We had lunch as the GF Cafe and really enjoyed it. We were planning on staying at the MK for the entire day and night and knew we would need a break midday.

We took the monorail over around 1 and we were seated promptly with no PS. The restaurant itself is very relaxing with the light decor and overall relaxed atmosphere. We could see out to the pool area, which the kids enjoyed.

Our meal was served quickly and the servings were very generous (we just had a light snack for dinner b/c we really were still full from dinner). My DS ordered a kids meal that came with 3 items (I forget exactly what) but both kids could have easily split the meal b/c she only ate a small portion of it.

After lunch we grabbed a couch in the lobby and the kids took a quick nap (with DH) while I looked around at the different shops. It was the perfect break to get us ready for the 2nd half of the day!!

We will definitely return for lunch again!!

 

[MinnieGi]

We have eaten lunch twice at the GF Cafe and enjoyed it very much. It is very relaxed and the service and food were good.

 

[Princess Michelle]

I had dinner at the Crystal Palace back in December and it was definitely a full house. It wasn't overly crowded or crazy by any means but I don't think there were any empty seats either. This was on a MVMCP night so I don't know if that had anything to do with the number of people eating there or not.

The characters stopped at all of our tables, we had a large group, I think about 5 tables in all and they were very good about taking multiple pictures at each table too.

I thought the food was excellent, there is a good selection. The jerk chicken and pulled pork were some of the best I've ever had.

I haven't eaten at the GF Cafe' so I can't give a comparison but I liked Crystal Palace at dinner and plan to do it again in the near future.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I recently had lunch at the GF Cafe, not dinner, but I can tell you the service there was the best we had all trip, and the atmosphere is bright, clean, and relaxing. A nice change from the craziness of the parks =) The food was good, and reasonably priced. We ordered the glass slipper desserts for our meal there, and they were gorgeous and DELICIOUS.

If you dine at the Cafe for dinner, be sure and share your exp! THey just recently added dinner again, so there haven't been many reviews yet!

 

[Eeyore2003]

We just ate at the Grand Floridian Cafe last week for lunch and it was really good. Definitely better than the usual buffet "fare" you'll find at Crystal Palace. We plan on going back to the GFC next December for dinner.

 

[scroot]

Had dinner at GF cafe in May. It was wonderful. The food was very good, our server was excellent, and the atmosphere was relaxing. We ate there on our first night after having flown from AZ in a completely full Southwest flight. The experience on the plane was uncomfortable, long, and bumpy. We found GF cafe to just what we needed, relatively quiet and a good vaule. The chocolate fondue for desert was amazing. Of all of the places we ate at for the first time on this past trip GF cafe made it to the list of 'must do again.'

 

[MLAinVA]

Crystal Palace is too busy and noisy for me these days. I love Pool and Eeyore; but I love the Cobb Salad at the GF Cafe even more! It is a nice quiet break for from the crowds, noise and heat of MK. By the way, you can take a boat from the MK to the GF and return to MK by boat via the Poly. It is a nice relaxing trip, too.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Another thumbs up for the GF Cafe. I was so happy to learn that they re-opened for dinner. IMO it's the perfect spot if you want a casual dinner at a great price and a wonderful atmosphere. We always ask for Izzy if he's around. He's a terrific guy and an amazing server. They also have mini desserts available, so you can leave feeling comfortable and not overly stuffed. If you go for dinner, take a few extra minutes to stop into the grand lobby. Sit on the sofa for a while and enjoy the orchestra.

The GF Cafe is conveniently located right off the MK monorail. If you are coming from the MK, I'd suggest that you take the resort boat. The dock is located just to the left of the monorail entrance and the GF is the first stop. It's a beautiful way to see the resort and if you need some time out from the MK for an afternoon or early evening break, this is perfect. It's a short walk across the GF grounds to the main building where the cafe is located. Enjoy your meal, relax on the comfy couches in the lobby (trust me, you'll see some nappers) and the monorail back to the MK is located right above you on the 2nd floor.

Tammi

 

[disney queen]

are the portions at dinner large enough to share?

 

[uktigger]

all

thank you all so much for taking the time to tell us your veiws on the GF cafe
i will be adding this on to my ps schedule and i'm also going to try and order the dog bones and glass slipper for our desserts

eve

 

[JrsyDebs]

Thanks to everyone for your opinions on GF Cafe and Crystal Palace for dinner!

I think, from reading all the info, that if I had to choose one of these options, I would go with GF cafe. They both sound good to me, but with DD13 in tow, I think it would be good to take a nice break from the parks in a sit-down restaurant at the lovely Grand Floridian.

Debs

 

[Eeyore2003]

We just ate at the GF Cafe two weeks ago and really enjoyed it. We're looking forward to going back in December. We also had the dog bones and glass slipper. It was my surprise and everyone thought they were just awesome!!! When we were at CP it WAS a zoo!!!