Restaurant in Contemporary - Need help remembering

[sbf0202]

I was looking through some old family pictures of my first trip to Disney World during the late spring / early summer of 1988. My family stayed at the Contemporary resort and on the first night, my grandparents met us for dinner on the 4th floor concourse, directly below the monorail tracks (near the end of the concourse where the monorail entered and exited the resort).

I'm trying to remember which of the many restaurants that were in that location we ate at, I remember it was a character dinner and our table was visited by Pluto, Chip & Dale, and the White Rabbit. also it was a buffet / taco bar with a southwestern theme (like most of the resort at that time).

My research tells me it could have been either the Pueblo Room or the Terrace Cafe as both occupied the space that is now Chef Mickeys, but can anyone tell me which part of that space was the Pueblo Room and which part was the Cafe? I have great memories of that first trip to DW, but I've been driving myself crazy trying to remember where these restaurants were located compared to the current layout of the Grand Canyon Concourse.

Thanks,

- Scott

 

[Kimberle]

The Concourse Steakhouse. We loved that restaurant and were very sorry to see it closed.

 

[sotoalf]

The Pueblo Room, open from the mid to late '80s. dominated the area that is now Chef Mickey's. As the name suggests, it served a mediocre blend of Italian and Tex-Mex.

The Terrace Cafe and Terrace Buffeteria carved out the rest of the space that is now Contempo Cafe and Chef Mickey's. We ate at all three in my childhood, and according to my parents there was no real difference in quality or presentation other than, yeah, one served buffet food.

It should tell you something about how much Disney cuisine has advanced since, say, 1986.

 

[Claki]

Wow, the Contemporary had a southwestern theme?

 

[si-am]

My memory is hazy. I think the character dinner must have been at Terrace Cafe-- it and the Pueblo Room made up most of the dining space on the 4th floor at one time.

Eventually the Pueblo Room closed, the Terrace Cafe expanded and turned into Chef Mickeys, and the Concourse Steakhouse existed where Contempo Cafe is now.

I don't think the Contemporary really had a true Southwest theme except for the mural, so the Pueblo Room was probably trying to tie in with that.

 

[sotoalf]

The fourth floor's still called the Grand Canyon Concourse.

 

[chalee94]

The Concourse Steakhouse. We loved that restaurant and were very sorry to see it closed.

me too.

 

[jeffbear]

My memory is hazy. I think the character dinner must have been at Terrace Cafe-- it and the Pueblo Room made up most of the dining space on the 4th floor at one time.

Eventually the Pueblo Room closed, the Terrace Cafe expanded and turned into Chef Mickeys, and the Concourse Steakhouse existed where Contempo Cafe is now.

I don't think the Contemporary really had a true Southwest theme except for the mural, so the Pueblo Room was probably trying to tie in with that.

Pretty sure you are correct. I remember having a character meal in the 80s in the same general area that houses Chef Mickey's and I want to think it was the Terrace Cafe, not the Pueblo Room.

And yes, the colors and artwork in the Pueblo Room tied in to Mary Blair's mural work ... although not very well, IIRC. I just remember it being a really weird room and food being very bland.

 

[sbf0202]

My memory is hazy. I think the character dinner must have been at Terrace Cafe-- it and the Pueblo Room made up most of the dining space on the 4th floor at one time.

Eventually the Pueblo Room closed, the Terrace Cafe expanded and turned into Chef Mickeys, and the Concourse Steakhouse existed where Contempo Cafe is now.

I don't think the Contemporary really had a true Southwest theme except for the mural, so the Pueblo Room was probably trying to tie in with that.

It sounds like it was the Terrace Cafe where I ate as it was a character dinner buffet.

In the 80's, and maybe the 70's as well (before my time), the Contemporary Resort was kind of bizarre in that it felt like was originally built to have a futuristic / contemporary theme, but at the last minute, someone high up at Disney decided that it needed to also have a Southwest feel, as ill-fitting as it was. Aside from the names of the concourse restaurants, there was the Fiesta Food and Fun Center which had Three Caballeros artwork on the walls,

As an 8 year old on his first trip to Disney World, I loved everything about the Contemporary. I'm not sure if I'd feel the same if I stayed there now.

 

[sotoalf]

To add to the confusion: in the nineties Terrace Buffeteria transformed into Contemporary Cafe, then Character Cafe before Chef Mickey's moved from the Village.

 

[GF Girl]

Our family stayed at the Contemporary for a little more than a decade, from 1982 to around 1993. We have great memories of the Pueblo Room, the Buffeteria, Fiesta Food & Fun Center (w/ movie theater), Top of the World breakfast buffet, Fantasia Gift Shop and Concourse Sundries/Spirits. The resort is not quite the same these days. I get a little sad when we visit there in passing now. That arcade was a blast for kids. We spent hours and hours there. The old Disney movies were the best! Parents could get a night away, and the kids would entertain themselves all night in that Fun Center. The concourse level was also much nicer without that eye sore pop up Fantasia Store. Now it's just sensory overload, and there is nothing nice about it. The sundries store was more than double it's size and lead right into the Fantasia Gift Shop. Not quite sure why they needed to remove the arcade from the 1st level, and add another restaurant. Subsequently, bumping the tiny arcade to Fantasia's old location. There is so much going on concourse level, between Chef Mickey's, Grab n Go, Outer Rim, and Fantasia's location out in the middle of the lobby.

 

[crazy4wdw]

The Pueblo Room was in the rear section of what is now Chef Mickey's. It's the section the overlooks the canal between Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon. There isn't much of a view there anymore because of the character cutouts on the windows.

 

[clapton]

The CR was the first resort we stayed at when my kids were little in 1981, have great memories of all those vacations at the CR. Enjoyed all the restaurants back then and agree with GF Girl about the store in the middle of the concourse, just ruins the whole atmosphere for me. I still really love the CR even with all the changes over the years. It will always mean Disney too me!!

 

[Nancyg56]

The Concourse Steakhouse. We loved that restaurant and were very sorry to see it closed.

Me too! My family really enjoyed this restaurant.

To add to the confusion: in the nineties Terrace Buffeteria transformed into Contemporary Cafe, then Character Cafe before Chef Mickey's moved from the Village.

My memory is hazy too, but think that is the character meal we took my kids to when they were young. I honestly think I blanked out most of that trip! 4 of them, and only two of us and 10 days! YIKES!

 

[wdwrich]

I remember all those CR restaurants as well. I also recall back in 1982 what is now the California Grill was called the "Top of the World" and they served a buffet lunch. We took our children to lunch up there on arrival day and the views made it an exciting way to start the trip!

 

[sotoalf]

TOTW also served Sunday brunch!

Wasn't the area now known as the Outer Rim another bar – Monorail Club Car or something?

 

[80sTerraceCafeFan]

IMO the breakfast experience at Terrace/Contemporary/Character Cafe was far superior to today's Chef Mickey. Like many things back then, it was far less hectic, you were more spaced out between guests, and it wasn't nearly as pricey for the time.

The characters would stroll by and interact as you enjoyed a relaxing breakfast, the buffet was very good - lead by the cinnamon sugar french toast. Ahh the good old days.

 

[Dansr731]

Where do y'all keep finding these old threads?

 

[crazy4wdw]

IMO the breakfast experience at Terrace/Contemporary/Character Cafe was far superior to today's Chef Mickey. Like many things back then, it was far less hectic, you were more spaced out between guests, and it wasn't nearly as pricey for the time.

The characters would stroll by and interact as you enjoyed a relaxing breakfast, the buffet was very good - lead by the cinnamon sugar french toast. Ahh the good old days.

You also didn't need a reservation. Just stop by and get in the line.

 

[crazy4wdw]

TOTW also served Sunday brunch!

Wasn't the area now known as the Outer Rim another bar – Monorail Club Car or something?

Yep, Monorail Club Car. It had different drinks named after the different monorail colors - Monorail Red, Monorail Purple, etc. It was actually located in the area near the shops are, roughly where a portion of Bay View Gifts is currently located (at least that's what I remember from my first stay at the Contemporary in 1972).