Party of 12 - Restaurant suggestions?

[yellowfish78]

I'm trying to think of "group friendly" restaurants for our family reunion next year besides doing a Grand Gathering experience.

I think that Biergarten , Liberty Tree Tavern and Chef Mickey’s would be good choices – but am not sure about some others… I feel that some restaurants don’t seem group friendly to me – like Sci Fi wouldn’t be a good place because (at least to me) it’s hard to talk across the cars there.

Does anyone have any suggestions for some restaurants? I’ve never seen the inside of Hollywood and Vine or Garden Grill…it doesn’t have to be one long table either, just something so we can still talk and enjoy the company.

Thanks in advance!

 

[WDWisTheBest]

I'm trying to think of "group friendly" restaurants for our family reunion next year besides doing a Grand Gathering experience.

I think that Biergarten , Liberty Tree Tavern and Chef Mickey’s would be good choices – but am not sure about some others… I feel that some restaurants don’t seem group friendly to me – like Sci Fi wouldn’t be a good place because (at least to me) it’s hard to talk across the cars there.

Does anyone have any suggestions for some restaurants? I’ve never seen the inside of Hollywood and Vine or Garden Grill…it doesn’t have to be one long table either, just something so we can still talk and enjoy the company.

Thanks in advance!

I think your first 3 choices would be good. I would add the Hollywood and Vice restaurant as group friendly.

 

[Pakey]

We've done two large group vacations and I think one of the best was Cape May. Both times they set us up in the back corner so it was pretty quiet.

We did Sci Fi where they put us in 2 side by side cars. This isn't a place for conversation anyway, whether your are a large group or not. It was actually easier to talk across the cars than it is to talk to the ones sitting 2 benches in front of you.

 

[danall]

O'hana at the Polynesian Resort is our favorite Disney restaurant and they have tables for large groups.

 

[mom2travel]

O'hana at the Polynesian Resort is our favorite Disney restaurant and they have tables for large groups.

I agree w/ Ohana. We have done both breakfast and dinner there w/ a group of 14.

Other places where we ate together were:
CRT - technically we had to have 2 ADRs for this one, but we checked in together and were seated at 2 tables in a row (so shared a bench seat but there was a small space b/w the tables)

La Hacienda - one big table, but it was so jam-packed and loud that it was difficult to fit everything on the table and to hear each other

Mama Melrose - were at 2 tables

Fulton's Crab House - had one big table and a great meal

RFC @AK - 2 tables

Restaurant Marakesh - one big table

 

[yellowfish78]

Thanks guys! You're giving me places that haven't eaten at and it's great!

BTW - how to they seat two year olds at Sci Fi? Boosters in the seat or next to the car??

 

[cbg1027]

I've eaten with a large group at Boma and thought it was a good location for it. They put tables together for us, and since it's a buffet that makes things a lot simpler with ordering.

 

[Eastern]

Cape May Cafe would be good. There is also a nice lobby/waiting area right by the entrance or you could sit on the benches just outside.

 

[redzinner]

Via Napoli in the Italy Pavilion Epcot is made for families ... long tables for family style dining. It's Italian! They do have pasta dishes as well as pizzas.

 

[olive]

I think our grand gathering was 12, too (but it may have been 14). We had very good luck at California Grill, Rose & Crown (sat on the patio area and had a perfect Illuminations view) and San Angel Inn. We had a smaller group - maybe 8? - at Ohana, Akershus, Brown Derby and Chef Mickey's. All of those worked out well, too, in terms of seating and they might be able to fit all of you together (the reservations folks should be able to tell you). (We had an awful experience at Brown Derby and I can't imagine returning there, but the seating arrangements were absolutely fine. I have no idea if the other issues were related to our larger party size.) I recall being told that for some restaurants they could not confirm that we would be seated together, but it always worked out fine. We were at a large round table at Chef Mickey's, but we were able to hear each other just fine. Good luck!

 

[neodymm]

I don't think anyone has mentioned HDDR. It's entertaining for all ages and the food is decent. Have a great time!

 

[yellowfish78]

Thanks again everyone!

We are doing a Sat - Sat stay and I thought that the easiest thing to do was to let each family pick one restaurant that they want to eat at (there are 4 "individual" families in our reunion). With one travel day on each end, that gives us 6 meals...one GG or dinner show, one meal that each family picked...the one left over is for parents night out when the grandparents watch the kiddo's.

 

[LovetheTink]

Ohana was awesome...we had 14 of us and all sat together. Chef Mickey's we had 2 tables. Biergarten - we had two tables, but so much fun! Yak and Yeti - 2 tables. Hoopde do review - two tables. Good luck!

 

[GoofTroop]

Ohana, 1900 Park Fare, and Tusker House are the first 3 to come to mind.......

Elizabeth

 

[courtneylauren]

Ohana
Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace

Whispering Canyon Cafe would be very fun with a group!

 

[Art 1]

California Grill does well with large gatherings.

 

[darker_red]

Thank you so much for starting this thread! I am also going to Disney with a group of 12 and have been having a hard time finding places that can seat us. We were interested in eating at California Grill one night but when we called to make reservations, we were told that they can't seat a party of 12 together -- we would have to be at two separate tables. Since some of you mentioned that you had large parties there, how did this work out for you?

 

[jlstwinmommy]

We went to WDW in January with a party of 13. We ate most of our meals together. Although most restaurants told us we may be sitting at separate tables, our experience is as follows:

Whispering Canyon - had everyone at one large table
The Wave - Had 2 reservation numbers, but everyone sat at one large table
Liberty Tree Tavern - Had 2 tables right next to each other in a corner area that made it feel like one large table.
Chef Mickeys - one large table, but boy were we squished (would not do that again)
Prime Time - 2 or 3 tables pushed together in a section with half booth and half chair in a corner (similar to LT). Same result as a large table and could actually talk to everyone easily here.
Hoop de Doo - one large table (did category 1 seating)
Le Cellier - 2 tables. We've done this before with a large group and our tables were right next to each other. This time, our tables were quite a bit away. This was the only meal we really had to split up for.
Boma - had 2 reservations, but were sat at one large table.
Narcoosie's - one large table

Hope that helps you. We always travel with extended family and have had a lot of luck sitting together, even with a bunch of us.

ETA: We did Ohana's in 2009 for my sister's wedding rehearsal dinner with 35 people and sat at one huge table, so I would say they are also good with larger parties.

 

[aixia]

Another vote for Chef Mickey's. We went there with a group of 15 and not only were the CMs great, but we had tables in the corner by the windows and saw the fireworks perfectly. They really treated us fabulously, which, since it was our first night there, made for a brilliant start to everything.

 

[Wigit12]

We had a group of 14.
Biergarten--we had two tables.
Kona CAfe--one long table

Can't remember the name of the restaurant at The Yacht club--not the Steakhouse--one long table. Nice & quiet. Great meal for a large family

Turf Club at SSR--one long table.