Opinions - Lombards or Food Booths

[Erica Ladd]

We arrive this Saturday before noon and I made a late lunch reservation at Lombard’s at 1:30. We plan on getting the tasting lanyard for Mardi Gras food booths. We depart on Tuesday afternoon.

For those that have been recently how busy has it been? Were the food booths packed? I like the idea of having a rest at lunch after traveling but wonder if the food booths are better on the weekends or saved for subsequent days. Do they still offer all items on weekdays? Is everything still open?

 

[shawthorne44]

I have been wondering the same thing. On the passholder facebook page I asked about that. I was told that the lines for the food booths weren't too bad at all.
In late August, we were there on what had been predicted to be a CL3 and was a CL8. We left early afternoon just to get food. The lines were that bad.
It seems that everything is still open on weekdays.
Note, if you are a passholder, I think Lombard's still has the passholder area.

 

[puffkin]

We were there last week. We found the lines to be fine on Wed, Thurs and Friday at the food booths. It was AWFUL on Saturday. We had 4 selections to use up and waited at least 15-20 minutes in each line. Counter service food was even worse, trying to get in there was about an hour wait. We headed out to try a quick service in City Walk before our afternoon flight and it was packed there too. We did a mobile order at Bread Box which wasn't too bad, but youngest would only eat a burger and no line was reasonable enough for that so we fed him at the airport since all the lines were so long (I had a very hangry child at that point). I waited almost 30 minutes at the McDonalds at MCO too. Everything was packed on Saturday. City Walk restaurants were at reservation only the entire time we were there. They turned anyone away without one. That being said, we did change our plans on Friday and I was able to get a reservation for Friday night fairly easily that morning, so you do have some flexibility but you will need reservations.

 

[Erica Ladd]

Thanks. Currently we have 3 reservations-
Sat Lombard’s at 1:30, Toothsome 9:30pm
Sun The Kitchen at 10:45am (can’t miss family style breakfast!)

But that’s it. We are pretty flexible and will prolly get sushi at Orchids since they aren’t open on Monday and Tuesday. Hopefully Monday and Tuesday we can use mostly lanyard snacks and get a late night dinner Do you think we need a reservation if we go to Vivo Monday night?

I have been wondering the same thing. On the passholder facebook page I asked about that. I was told that the lines for the food booths weren't too bad at all.
In late August, we were there on what had been predicted to be a CL3 and was a CL8. We left early afternoon just to get food. The lines were that bad.
It seems that everything is still open on weekdays.
Note, if you are a passholder, I think Lombard's still has the passholder area.

wha exactly is the pass holder area at Lombard’s?

 

[shawthorne44]

This is from the Universal passholder page. I'd wondered myself when it ended. On our last trip it ended right before we got there, so I haven't experienced it myself.


For a limited time, Passholders have access to exclusive dining spaces and menus in Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure

Lombard’s Seafood Grille

• Your exclusive dining room is located upstairs and is available now through June 30, 2021 from 12:00pm until thirty (30) minutes before park close.
• For current menu selection, call (407) 224-FOOD, or visit the venue.

Confisco Grille

• Your exclusive dining room is located upstairs and is available now through June 30, 2021 from 12:00pm until thirty (30) minutes before park close.
• For current menu selection, call (407) 224-FOOD, or visit the venue.

 

[puffkin]

But that’s it. We are pretty flexible and will prolly get sushi at Orchids since they aren’t open on Monday and Tuesday. Hopefully Monday and Tuesday we can use mostly lanyard snacks and get a late night dinner Do you think we need a reservation if we go to Vivo Monday night?

When we checked in at Hard Rock (on Wednesday) she said that all City Walk restaurants were reservation only for dinner so make sure to make them. She did say the resort restaurants were taking walk ups. We personally experienced them turning away anyone without a reservation at all the City Walk restaurants we visited through the week (Toothsome, Cowfish, Margaritaville, Big Fire).

 

[princessebird]

Today was our first day in the parks, and we bought a lanyard with the AP discount. It was fantastic. The three of us got 12 items today, and we got all kind of things. Our favorites were the schnitzel slider, the beef empanada, and the fried risotto (but we haven't visited all the booths yet...we might find better things!). There were long queues set up, but on a rainy Tuesday, there was never more than one person in line in front of us. Most of the time we were the only ones. The traditional quick service carts and restaurants looked very busy (Richter's Burgers had a line at least 20 people deep at noon, and the Leaky Cauldron had an extremely slow moving line at least 50 people deep at 1.) We only wish the park was open later so we could have a post-dinner dessert from the booths.

 

[Gatrcruzer]

I was there this past Friday and Saturday and saw little to no wait at the food stalls. That said, perhaps we passed them at times that were less busy? The options were very interesting and sounded appealing. Definitely reminded me of EPCOT's Food and Wine Festival.

 

[crazycatlady]

We will be there May 20th to May 30th and I am really worried about those counter service lines, especially once the Mardi Gras booths are gone. Those at least help draw some of the crowds for quick food.

 

[shawthorne44]

We will be there May 20th to May 30th and I am really worried about those counter service lines, especially once the Mardi Gras booths are gone. Those at least help draw some of the crowds for quick food.

I would bring in some food, make reservations at the in-park full service restaurants, and buy food from places without tables. For us, I find that we don't feel deprived or cheap by bringing in food when we have whatever snacks strike our fancy and have at least one nice sit-down meal a day.

It is the social distancing at the tables that causes the problems. If you really want to eat at a particular QS place, I'd plan on an odd time like just when they open for lunch. Although it seems that in-park dinner isn't bad as far as lines go. Check the hours beforehand, but at the places I checked, they seemed very reasonable for dinner. As in, you start dinner at a half hour or so before close and then have an empty-ish park for your walk out.

 

[Erica Ladd]

I just made a final reservation at Vivo for Monday night. Big fire was my first choice but their first available isn’t until one hour after the parks close