Re-Thinking ADR at Brown Derby HELP!

[Kerri G]

HI! As I am getting closer to our trip I am starting to second guess plans that I made 6 months ago. Please help me to decide if I should switch. We are arriving at DHS around noon on Thursday May 1st. I have ADR at Sci Fi for lunch at 1:25. I wanted to be a part of the Fantasmic Package so made ADR at 4:50 PM (it is the latest I could get) at the Brown Derby. Part of the reason I made the ADR there is b/c of one a dessert on their menu called the Banana White Chocolate tower with "Bananas Foster" sauce. Bananas Foster is our favorite desert and hard to find were we live (LI, NY). Anyway is this worth keeping
1. for the Fantasmic Show (in other words is this a busy day?)
2. Is this dessert all that great for 2TS
3. Should I plan at later dinner somewhere else for the simple fact that we are eating lunch at 1:25?

Thanks
Kerri

 

[ChelleinNC]

HI! As I am getting closer to our trip I am starting to second guess plans that I made 6 months ago. Please help me to decide if I should switch. We are arriving at DHS around noon on Thursday May 1st. I have ADR at Sci Fi for lunch at 1:25. I wanted to be a part of the Fantasmic Package so made ADR at 4:50 PM (it is the latest I could get) at the Brown Derby. Part of the reason I made the ADR there is b/c of one a dessert on their menu called the Banana White Chocolate tower with "Bananas Foster" sauce. Bananas Foster is our favorite desert and hard to find were we live (LI, NY). Anyway is this worth keeping
1. for the Fantasmic Show (in other words is this a busy day?)
2. Is this dessert all that great for 2TS
3. Should I plan at later dinner somewhere else for the simple fact that we are eating lunch at 1:25?

Thanks
Kerri

We love Brown Derby, one of our favorite restaurants on property that said, I wouldn't want to eat there right after having eaten

1. I don't know how busy it'll be for Fanstasmic, sorry can't help with that. That is probably the latest dining you'll be able to get for any restaurant for Fantasmic package. May be better to move your lunch time.
2. Have not tried that. The Flourless Chocolate Cake, Pumpkin Cheesecake and famous Grapefruit Cake are all very good.
3. I would not want to do Sci-Fi & BD that close together. I'd probably skip the lunch and then have the nice dinner. If you do go to BD, I highly recommend the Cobb Salad, the Hatfield Roasted Rib Pork Chop, the salmon or the grouper for dinner. All very good, but the pork was to die for

 

[daisy112878]

I'd skip sci-fi and go to Brown Derby. It's one of our favorite places to eat at WDW. And I've had that dessert and it's really good. We've never done the fantastmic package we usually just eat around 530 then go over to the show area.

 

[Nienor]

That's definitely too close. The lastest possible Fantasmic package is 5:30. The times after 5 go really quick. Can you schedule the lunch earlier? Sci-Fi opens @ 11 a.m.

The seating for the Fantasmic package is pretty good. I'd keep the Brown Derby package over Sci-Fi.

 

[Mom2PixiePrincess]

BD is one of our favorites throughout all WDW. The bananas desert is fabulous. Grouper dinner is wonderful, nice big piece of white meat that melts in the mouth!

We did Sci-fi once and didn't really care for it. Mostly over priced fried diner food. I'd suggest a late breakfast or early CS lunch and then BD.


We did the fantasmic package once. Didn't really care for where the reserved seating was located. (all the way to the right of the stage) We prefer sitting in the middle. However, if you keep your package then you can scoot over a few rows to a more enjoyable seat before the main crowd enters.

Good luck with all your plans!

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

We did not enjoy BD - service was poor and food was not worth 2 TS. We also prefer the seating in the middle. Have not tried Sci-Fi.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

It might depend on what your groups' interests are? I LOVE the Brown Derby. Delicious. Best cobb salad EVER (should be since they invented it!). And it's a very grown-up restaurant - great service, atmosphere etc. Haven't had that particular dessert so if that's the only item of interest, can't help you. The Sci-Fi diner I haven't eaten in but from what I read it is a fun atmosphere, great to do at least once-- especially w/ kids-- but the food isn't that great. For me lunch at ~1:30 and dinner at 5ish would be too close together. But then again one's stomach expands when on vacation!!

Whatever you choose will be great. Have a terrific trip. Be sure to share a trip report or dining reviews when you return! Say hi to Mickey for me!!

 

[Kerri G]

Thank you for all of your responses. I was thinking about changing the ADR at Sci Fi to noon. I think my girls will like it there, they are 4 & 5. What happens if I dont show up for the ADR at Sci Fi? Nothing, right?

 

[fostrmom2mny]

Must you eat an entire meal for the Fantasia package? If not, save the TS and go and just order and pay out of pocket for the desert. I don't know if the Fantasia package requires you to eat a meal though. Perhaps someone else can chime in that knows the answer.

 

[KatMark]

We did not like Brown Derby when we went five years ago. We had terrible service--the waiter acted as if he didn't want to be there. When we asked him about menu selections he kept saying "I don't know." The food we had was mediocre at best (I had some kind of steak which was fatty and overcooked). My DH, who LOVES desserts, had the grapefruit cake and thought it was the worse thing he had ever tasted in his life. We have thought of going back and giving it a second try which we do every other restaurant, but we just can't see using two table service credits per person for it. In any event, if you are set on BD, I would try to move Sci-Fi up earlier.

 

[MississippiMamma]

We just did the Fantasmic! Dinner Package at the Brown Derby on April 7. Our reservation was at 3:50, so we definitely didn't do lunch that day. We had a huge breakfast & a lunchtime snack instead. We loved the whole experience. The food wasn't the best we had at Disney, but our waiter was great and the food was good. We liked the seats for the show very much, although they were on the right as someone said. One thing you might consider is the Fantasmic! package at Mamma Melrose or Hollywood & Vine if you think the 2TS isn't going to be worth it for you. I think I'd reconsider the SiFi ADR simply because I wouldn't want to feel "rushed" to make an ADR so soon after I arrive. Especially if you aren't a Disney "pro" (I'm not) getting from your hotel to the parks can be time consuming and tough the first few times. If I were you, I'd just catch lunch wherever (food court?) and keep the Brown Derby ressie.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Must you eat an entire meal for the Fantasia package?

Each adult must order an entree to be eligible for the F!DP.

 

[SorcererDonald16]

I love the HBD, so I would say leave that as it is. If you can't get an earlier ADR for Sci-Fi, I'd suggest just getting a light snack there and/or dessert, such as a sundae. No law says you can't just go in there for dessert; that was our plan in 2006, but we ended up eating dinner there anyway. The Dining CMs were the ones that told us even that there was nothing wrong with just getting dessert there. I didn't think there would be, but you just never know sometimes.

I am not a fan of the food at Sci-Fi, but the atmosphere is neat enough in that I think everyone should try it at least once. Maybe the above idea would be a good compromise for y'all.

Regardless, have a great trip!