Please reassure me about the Garden Grill!

[Plutofan1]

I am soo upset. After listening to Walt Disney World Today: Episode 105, Len Testa said that the Garden Grill ratings went down a lot. We have an ADR for 11/18/06. We were really looking forward for this but now i'm worried. Please reassure me!

 

[JadenLayne]

First what is Walt Disney World Today?

We have ADRs for September and I would like to hear about this too.

 

[bicker]

We had a great time at Garden Grill in January with our DN6 and DN1.5. Great character interaction, and the food is pretty good. The atmosphere in unique (it's a revolving restaurant, and you can see bits and pieces of the Living with the Land attraction, which is on the level below the restaurant, off the side of the restaurant.

 

[mydogisbo]

Also interested in what WDW Today is . ..


But we ate there in January. I thought the food was really good. The character interaction was good too--Mickey, Pluto, Chip & Dale & the atmosphere was really cool--overlooking the Land & revolving. When we were there it was virtually empty (lunch).

 

[Lynne M]

There was a period of a few months when the Garden Grill experimented with a new menu. It didn't go over well, to say the least, and I'll bet that accounts for the lower ratings. They've since gone back to the original menu.

I've heard nothing but good things about Garden Grill since then, go and enjoy!

 

[jwfla422]

We loved the GG before they went and changed their menu. We went every trip (about 4x a year). Then they changed the menu and there were only bad reviews so we were apprehensive to go since we had enjoyed the "all you can eat" skillet they originally had. Then they changed their menu back to how it was prior to the 1st change....so we gave it a try last month and I'm happy to say it was VERY GOOD.

Pretty much as good as it used to be. And, IMHO the dessert is even better now!! As we are chocoholics and not fruit people so I never cared for the Strawberry Shortcake. I think they have pork tenderloin instead of the roasted chicken and the potatoes are even better now than before. It's back on our "must do" list again. Their ratings probably went down a lot from the first change.

 

[Kick Save]

Bah, Len's ratings are from the UG and taken at least a year ago, most likely. (Unless he's referencing the guide that's about to come out, then the survey's are a bit newer.) Even so...a crappy rating for a WDW resturant is still better than say Applebee's!

EDIT: Now that I looked at the site I see Len is referencing the '07 guide since the title of the episode is "2007 Unofficial Guide Restaurant Reviews."

BTW, if you read the show notes, Scopa said the resturant underwent a few changes that could have led to the negative reviews. Nothing sours a person's opinion on WDW more than it not being "just like last time." I wouldn't worry too much aobut your ADR, enjoy.

WDW Today is a podcast, for those wondering. Lots of good info from it, too. www.wdwtoday.com

 

[ptrbryant]

We got back from WDW this week and Garden Grill has been a favorite. But, when we went on Tuesday for lunch, we were really, really rushed through our meal and had very limited character interaction. This hasn't been our experience previously, so it may just depend on your server or the crowds that day. There was a huge number of people waiting to be seated, so while it shouldn't have, it may have encouraged the rushed meal. We were given our check almost as soon as we were served our dessert and had not had visits from each of the characters yet.
In terms of food, the steak in mushroom-cabernet sauce was very good, the cheese-potatoes were wonderful, the fried catfish was fried catfish--hard to mess it up, but the turkey seemed quite "processed"...weird texture and salty flavor. The dessert sampler was fabulous!

Karla B.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We ate at GG in 2004, and we liked it. I'm confused now though, since the two menu changes, is it still all you can eat of each item, or do you have to order one thing from the menu? Do they bring everything to your table, or only what people ask for?

 

[mjmcca]

We went for dinner on May 11. I thought it was very good.

 

[Plutofan1]

Thanks everybody!!! I feel so much better now that I have read your opinions. I just found out that Mike Scopa said the menu changed for several months and that may have caused the bad reviews (it has now changed back to its original menu). Walt Disney World Today is a podcast featuring Matt Hochberg, Len Testa, Mike Scopa, and Mike Newell. They have many, many episodes where all they talk about is Disney (it is spectacular). It is availible on iTunes and the website is wdwtoday.com. I feel so much better than I did when I heard that episode!!!

 

[jisom12]

I enjoy WDW Today also. My recommendation for the uninitiated is to download ITUNES from Apple com and Search for Disney under PODCAST Directory. There are several other Disney themed PODCAST that I enjoy. Such as the
MouseGuest
Mousetunes
The Meandering Mouse
A Window to the Magic
Beyond Mainsteet
Character Breakfast
Disney Insider
Inside the Magic
Inside WDW
Let's Talk about Disney
MiceCast
Netcot
Park Hopping Podcast
Traped on vacation
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod

to name a few.

With ITUNES, new episodes will download automatically if you are subscribed (no costs to u). Also u can download older episodes. U may listen to the podcasts on your computer or load them on your IPOD for enjoyment. Have fun

 

[wifey]

We went there in "04 and were "rehitched" and the food was the all you care to eat skillet ...mmmm... if you need more just ask but leave room for dessert....The character interaction was wonderful even Chip and Dale were teasing DH by hugging me and kissing my hands DS really enjoyed it too The CMs were very attentive but not intrusive while we ate lovely relaxed atmosphere and there was a hidden mickey on the wall. We didn't go last trip when the menu had been changed BUT will definately go back now the better menu is back WE love the GG

 

[Tiger926]

I'm confused! Garden Grill used to be our fav restaurant and it was a must do every trip, after our last trip there (messed up DH's birthday, and didn't care for new menu at all), we took it off our list. I got excited when I read the above posts that GG has returned to old menu, so I quickly hoped over to All Ear's to check menu, and it is not the old menu - it seems to be attempting to recreate the old menu with the flank steak, but it is not the old menu entirely - there was chicken, and now there is pork, the flank steak was without mushrooms (we are all allergic to mushrooms around here) and the potatoes were different. Based on this menu, we won't be dining there anytime soon as it is still not the old menu that we knew and loved!

Could someone please explain? Thanks, Tiger

 

[grinningghost]

The GG is the only restaurant in WDW that I will never return to. We couldn't stand the place. We visited in 2000.

 

[cannp123165]

I love The Garden Grill!!!

Caroline

 

[johnvree]

We haven't been there since May 2004. The food was pretty good. It's a little dark. We would definitely go back, but it's not a must-do.

 

[english rose 47]

sOMEONE i KNOW WAS JUSTTHERE AND i THOUGHT HE SAID THE MENU WAS hAM tURKEY AND BEEF. uNLESS HE HAD HIS RESTAURANTS CONFUSED. mY GANG ARE DEFINATELY NOT FISH EATERS OR THOUGH i AM

 

[mom2alix]

We celebrated my uncles's b-day there on Thursday and it was a great meal. The food was good and the characters were really great, some even came by more than once. Don't worry, you'll have a great time.

The meal was roast beef, turkey, and fried catfish with cheesy potatoes and veggies (green beans, carrots, baby squash). Also rolls with really yummy orange butter. Good stuff!

 

[themudd4]

There was a period of a few months when the Garden Grill experimented with a new menu. It didn't go over well, to say the least, and I'll bet that accounts for the lower ratings. They've since gone back to the original menu.

I've heard nothing but good things about Garden Grill since then, go and enjoy!

Do you know when the menus changed? I noticed the menu on allearsnet.com differs from what I remember last year.
Last year it was fun and the food was "alright" and we really enjoyed all the attention we got from Chip, Dale, Pluto & Mickey. All came to our table about 3 times. I was looking forward to the Family Style Platter
featuring:

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Specialty Cluster Bread with Orange Blossom Honey Butter

[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Salad (Dinner ONLY)[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

Brown Sugar Rubbed Pork Loin with Granny Smith Apple Raisin Chutney

Southern Fried Catfish

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak with Mushroom Cabernet Jus

Potato Gratin Casserole with Tillamook Cheddar

Fresh Cut Green Beans

Baby Greenhouse Vegetables

Dessert Medley[/font]​

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