Restaurant Nostalgia Thread

[poohbear227]

What were some of your favorite extinct restaurants?

Anyone have any pictures of restaurants that no longer exist in WDW?

I miss the CS restaurant that used to be in the Wonders of Life Pavilion. I think it was called Pure and Simple and they sold smoothies, turkey-based deli meat sandwiches, waffles, vegetarian options (tofu hot dogs!) etc....

From Lostepcot.com
Pure & Simple:

Their famous "Wonder Waffle" that you could load up with toppings:

I also miss the Odyssey restaurant in Epcot between FW and the WS. What a waste that that wonderful location is just collecting dust, aside from some select parties throughout the year.

& I miss the old character meal restaurant at the Contemporary. It was in a different location than CM's and I think it was called Terrace Buffeteria or something like that.....could not find any photos of this place online, but it was a traditional dinner for my family growing up.

Which restaurants of the past do you miss?
Any pictures of them to share?

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Concourse Steakhouse. The Wave just pales in comparison.

The Soundstage Restaurant at DHS was our favorite character meal. Great variety of characters that was ever changing & great for girls & BOYS!

 

[poohbear227]

Concourse Steakhouse. The Wave just pales in comparison.

The Soundstage Restaurant at DHS was our favorite character meal. Great variety of characters that was ever changing & great for girls & BOYS!

I don't remember the Soundstage-is this where JoJo the Clown or some other toddler character meal is now? Which characters were there in the past?

 

[GeorgeG]

So, so many...

The Top of the World (Contemporary - pre California Grill)
Concourse Steakhouse
The Pueblo Room (Contemporary)
Tangorora Terrace (Polynesian)
King Stefan's Banquet Hall (Castle - pre Cinderella's Royal Table)
Tony's Town Square (breakfast)
The Land Grill Room (breakfast)
The Beirgarten Menu Service
The Empress Room (Empress Lilly - although we like Fulton's)
Alfredo's (Epcot)

Ii know some on my list still exist, but not for certain meals that were always good. I can't let this go without mentioning the now extinct beef hot dogs at all the counter service restaurants. That is inexcuseable.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Yes the soundstage! They had an Aladdin character meal there that had the best food of any character meal I've had on property.

Tony's for breakfast had the best Mickey Waffles.

 

[JimmyV]

The Magnolia Room, which then became...
The Trophy Room
The Gulf Coast Room
The Catwalk Bar (which had a terrific bar menu)
The Empress Room
Tangoroa Terrace
Top of The World, especially the Sunday Brunch
Juan and Only's
Not a WDW restaurant, but on Disney property...Arthur's 27

Sorry. No pictures. My family was strictly "slides" back then, and I haven't gotten around to digitizing most of them.

 

[CindyCharming]

I miss the CS restaurant that used to be in the Wonders of Life Pavilion. I think it was called Pure and Simple and they sold smoothies, turkey-based deli meat sandwiches, waffles, vegetarian options (tofu hot dogs!) etc....

& I miss the old character meal restaurant at the Contemporary. It was in a different location than CM's and I think it was called Terrace Buffeteria or something like that.....could not find any photos of this place online, but it was a traditional dinner for my family growing up.

Oh my gosh, the Buffeteria!! Completely forgot about that name! That was the one with all the u-shaped booths, right? I remember it as Grand Concourse too. For some reason, the rolls stick out in my mind as something my sister and I used to love there. And was there some sort of fried chicken? That sounds vaguely familiar. The whole concourse would smell like that restaurant!

We loved Coral Island Cafe at the Polynesian, too. Always loved the kids' menu where they'd show you how to draw Mickey, we'd have a stack by the end of the trip.

Maybe this where Pure and Simple was too, but I also remember in Epcot- either in Wonders of Life pavilion or the Land pavilion- kind of like a food court? For some reason, a hot potato stand sticks out in my mind. Anyone remember that?

Remember when Chef Mickey's was in Downtown Disney?

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Yes I remember eating at Chef Mickey's I think it was where Rainforest is now and there were no characters.

I did eat a character breakfast on the Empress Lilly. It was "fancy". The orange juice was served in champagne glasses.

 

[Mrs. Bob Loblaw]

Not an extinct restaurant, but the BEST snack/dessert counter service around the world!! RIP Beaver Tails, oh how I miss your sweet, yet lemony pastry goodness.

 

[krb2g]

The pictures are film pictures in an album, and the restaurant's still there, but I miss character dining at the Liberty Tree Tavern!

 

[Carolina Blair]

Another vote for the old Chef Mickey's in Downtown. The only character was Chef Mickey himself. It was a nice TS (not buffet) place and as a child made me feel so grown up to eat there. They even had a "cocktail" (non-alcoholic) menu for the kids with this Rock Candy drink that was delicious.

The character breakfasts on the Empress Lily-they were seated with fixed menu with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Plute (maybe Daisy too).

 

[fla4fun]

Concourse Grill/Concourse Steakhouse - I used to stop there two or three nights a week after work for dinner. No other restaurant on property has ever tempted me to do that.

Fireworks Factory at PI - best hot wings EVER

Plaza Pavilion when they used to serve deep dish pizza.

Chef Mickey's at DTD - best peach cobbler EVER (make it at home, but it's not quite the same)

Bonfamilles at POFQ - wonderful atmosphere and delicious food

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Our "old" favorites . . .

1) Flagler's (GF, before Citricos)
2) King Stefan's Banquet Hall (Castle, before CRT)
3) Empress Room (Empress Lilly, before Fulton's)
4) Fife and Drum Snack Bar (MK, Frontierland)

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I remember having a great time at the Fireworks Factory. I also remember a Minnie character breakfast at the Poly!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

What were some of your favorite extinct restaurants?

I miss the CS restaurant that used to be in the Wonders of Life Pavilion. I think it was called Pure and Simple and they sold smoothies, turkey-based deli meat sandwiches, waffles, vegetarian options (tofu hot dogs!) etc....

Any pictures of them to share?

Darn! I don't have any pictures of old ones.

I wondered if I was the only one who missed Pure and Simple. They had the most delicious vegetarian vegetable soup.
I feel so old when I realize that every character breakfast we took our (then) young boys to is now extinct. Yes, I remember Minnie's Menehuene at the Polynesian, the Empress Lily with Donald Duck, the Contemporary meal-I only remember Goofy, and my favorite-Melvin the Moose at Fort Wilderness-"Wake Up, You Silly Moose!" we all yelled!
More recently I miss the buffet breakfast at Bonfamile's, lunch at CRT before the characters (I loved the chicken caesar salad), the Crystal Palace when it was a buffeteria, and, although the place still exists, I miss whe 80s when we could eat breakfast at the French Pastry shop in Epcot, because the WS opened at the same time as the rest of the park.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Add Fishermans deck, Steermans Quarters, Harrys Safari, Seasons,Sum Chows, Ariels--all excellent restaurants now no more.

And the very early Top of the World, when it was a supper club with live big name entertainment.

Oh--and Tony's when it served breakfast. That closing REALLY hurt!!!

 

[MinnieGirl33]

I don't remember the Soundstage-is this where JoJo the Clown or some other toddler character meal is now? Which characters were there in the past?

It's was actually where Playhouse Disney is now in the Animation Courtyard.

Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, Pocahontas, John Smith, Meeko, Pain & Panic, maybe Phil?... Now you have me wanting to dig out old photos to see who I am forgetting!

 

[splashmountainjaxson]

I miss all of those already mentioned .... much of it , is due to pure nostalgia as a little girl in the 80s...

Empress Lily
Top of the Word Dinner Shows & Brunch
Alfredo's
Tangora Terrace
Coral Isle ( I believe that was the name @ the Poly , it was upstairs , where I believe O'Hana now resides )

 

[si-am]

I miss King Stefan's Banguet Hall the most. And also Papeete Bay Verandah (where Ohana is now). Tangaroa Terrace at the Poly was also good for breakfast.

I miss the Councourse Steakhouse at Contemporary (mostly for the sticky mickeys!)

And someone mentioned the Soundstage restaurant at the studios upthread... they used to have a cool upstairs bar (The Catwalk) that I wish were still around!

Finally... I really miss the old Akershus before it was princess and back when it was a full buffet!

 

[MinnieLovesMickey]

As others have said, Concourse Steakhouse.