Orlando Magical Dining Month - Thoughts?

[SoShiny]

Howdy all! Any thoughts on Orlando Magical Dining Month menus at Disney? We have reservations at Paddlefish and Jiko during late August/early September, and are thinking of adding Boatwrights. We just found out that each of these offers a special menu for Magical Dining.

A few questions:

1.) Can one of us order off the MD menu and one of us off of the regular menu?
2.) Do waitstaff/kitchen staff hate when people order off the MD menu?
3.) Is the MDM food inferior (or smaller) compared to what is served on the regular menu?

The prices seem crazy good, and the menus don't sound too shabby. Thanks for your input.

 

[Eastern]

Where did you see the prices?

 

[SoShiny]

Where did you see the prices?

http://www.visitorlando.com/magicaldining/

It appears to be $35 for 3 courses (from a special menu).

 

[jwfla422]

Il Mulino is on there as well, we will be taking advantage of that one...

 

[shoney]

My parents were in Orlando during this last year. They were offsite though. At the restaurants they went to they had to ask for the menu. It was not offered.
We have similar restaurant weeks here on Long Island. While they all must offer a 3 course meal for the specified price menu items and portion sizes vary greatly depending on the restaurant.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Not sure how the Disney restaurants will be, but every MDM restaurant I've gone to over 11 trips has always been so kind and gracious, with perfect waitstaff and no "looks" for asking for the menu or reduced service or crappy food after using it...hopefully, the onsite Disney ones will be as well...

You can have one person order off the special menu and one order off the regular menu, but I would not advise sharing the menu items. Since these are high-end places, there is an expectation you eat multiple courses, so they are not huge presentations of food...

And if you want the best place to go...hit Deep Blu (it's Lake Buena Vista so the Uber ride won't be more than $5/each way) and get the crab cake and any entree (cioppino or short rib are both excellent)...and you will have the best dinner of your trip...perfect for a date night for 2!

PS - And many do 3 course wine pairings for a reduced price to match your food...Deep Blu has each year...also a lot of fun and a way to really enjoy...

 

[SoShiny]

We have them in metro Detroit, as well, but we stopped doing them when we realized how much the servers hated it (decreased tips and a "different" clientele). Maybe it is better in Orlando area?

 

[SoShiny]

Not sure how the Disney restaurants will be, but every MDM restaurant I've gone to over 11 trips has always been so kind and gracious, with perfect waitstaff and no "looks" for asking for the menu or reduced service or crappy food after using it...hopefully, the onsite Disney ones will be as well...

You can have one person order off the special menu and one order off the regular menu, but I would not advise sharing the menu items. Since these are high-end places, there is an expectation you eat multiple courses, so they are not huge presentations of food...

And if you want the best place to go...hit Deep Blu (it's Lake Buena Vista so the Uber ride won't be more than $5/each way) and get the crab cake and any entree (cioppino or short rib are both excellent)...and you will have the best dinner of your trip...perfect for a date night for 2!

That sounds promising! Thanks! We wouldn't share. That seems dishonest.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I will add...during MDM, at somewhere like Deep Blu, we will tip 30% on the final bill to try and make up for the "discounted" food...just like if using a Groupon or Happy Hour, the expectation is to tip on the pre-discount, not post-discount. It could be why we went back 5 years running for our anniversary and got treated like royalty...

I'm not sure how many folks think about this when they order...

 

[JerseyJanice]

In NYC, the whole idea is for the customers to try somewhere that they wouldn't ordinarily go. Same thing here and there is also a charitable contribution attached to it.

I already made an Open Table reservation for Blue Zoo just in case work of mouth makes it harder to get a table there. Will probably hit up Il Mulino too since we're staying at the Swan.

 

[BigShot2421]

I would assume that TIW and AP Discounts are not available for this special menu?

 

[randumb0]

I would assume that TIW and AP Discounts are not available for this special menu?

correct

 

[jillt2ph]

I already made ADRs for STK and Turf Club. Trying to figure out if I can maybe squeeze Boatwrights in before I head the MNSSHP on the 7th... And Paddlefish or the Wave before the Sleepy Hollow event on 10/1...

I like Il Mulino's menu last year, but not so much this year.