Shades of Green Buffet

[sonny]

I noticed that there is a buffet nightly at the Shades of Green. Has anyone tried their Monday nite all-you-can-eat crablegs? Or any other nite - is it worth the effort? Any advice on the other restaurants there? Do you have to be active military to eat there? My husband is a veteran. can we get in? Thanks for your advice - we want to try some different restaurants this time.

 

[Mrsjvb]

In all honesty: the food at SoG ain't all that, ESPECIALLY the Buffets. We actually did most of our resort meals at Poly. Mangiano's does get good reviews, however I LOATHE Italian( grew up with it and am just sick and tired of the cuisine) so I won't eat there.

The lunch and dinner buffets are not that great a quality and even the breakfast buffet is rather plain, although the price is fairly reasonable. Heard nothing but indifferent to horrid reviews of them while we were there in September.

In our nightly relaxation at Evergreen's( the poolside bar) we ran into several non guests/non Military types who stopped by for a bite and a beer after finishing up at the golf course.

We stay at SoG for the price, the room and the accessibility to almost everything staying at WDW resort offers. I can live without DDP and DME.

 

[DVC Sadie]

When we dined at SOG we had 3 adults and one 4 year old with us who absolutely loved the breakfast buffet and found the food to be very good. I would rate the breakfast buffet on par with places such as Hometown...etc. They did have a large assortment of fresh fruit, breads, and cereal. Of course they had all of the other stuff too.

The one night we went to the dinner buffet (the 4 yr old was exhausted) they had a standing rib roast that was excellent with all the sides. I didn't pay much attention to the rest of the meat choices.

 

[Melisa1]

Maybe I have just had good luck, but everytime I have been, the buffets are really good.

 

[sonny]

Thanks for the information. We might try it on the AYCE crab legs nite. My 3 yr old grandson can eat his weight in crab legs. (That's not saying much but at least he will eat them). The prices look good but we have usually found that you get what you pay for. Anyway - we will know to include it on future trips or cross it off.

 

[jeni1072]

Not sure if I'm reading you right, but it sounds like you are staying somewhere else and want to go there just to eat?

If I'm right, then the answer I was given was NO. We couldn't stay there last year because it was booked, but inquired whether we could eat some meals there and were told only registered guests were allowed to eat in the restaurants.

 

[Stew_Mouse]

We tried the buffet on Beefeater's Night (prime rib and other roasts) and it was not very good at all. The service was nice though.

 

[Sleepy]

If I'm right, then the answer I was given was NO. We couldn't stay there last year because it was booked, but inquired whether we could eat some meals there and were told only registered guests were allowed to eat in the restaurants.

That is intersting considering they don't check ID's at the restaurants and non-registered guests can gain access to the hotel to purchase tickets (both regular and Stars and Stripes).

Why can't employees be properly trained to give consistently correct information?

 

[hildarumpole]

I just checked the SOG website FAQs. It states that you can dine at one of their restaurants if you are not a resort guest, but you will need to present military id to access the property. www.shadesofgreen.org

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I am pretty sure you can indeed eat at SOG if you are not staying there.


Here is a thread on SOG restaurants...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1585999

and here is another where someone comments about non guests eating there...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1623014

I am planning on trying the breakfast buffet and *maybe* mangino's.

 

[Tikihula]

Do you have to be active military to eat there? My husband is a veteran. can we get in? Thanks for your advice - we want to try some different restaurants this time.

Shades of Green is limited to active or retired military, DoD civilians and other specific groups, NOT including veterans in general. Sorry.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I stand corrected! I was curious, so I called SOG right now. You must show a MILITARY ID ...OR, you must be meeting someone who is staying there.

 

[sk8ingmom]

Not sure if I'm reading you right, but it sounds like you are staying somewhere else and want to go there just to eat?

If I'm right, then the answer I was given was NO. We couldn't stay there last year because it was booked, but inquired whether we could eat some meals there and were told only registered guests were allowed to eat in the restaurants.

We've eaten & bought tickets there when we weren't staying. DH is active duty, so getting on property wasn't a problem. We even bought park tickets for non-military MIL & FIL.

The buffet was on par with just about very other buffet I've had at WDW. It was good for "feed tons of people" buffet food. What got me was the price - about 1/2-2/3 the price we would pay for any other WDW buffet meal for the same quality food.

 

[jeni1072]

Well poo, there went one cheap meal we could have had! :lol I can't remember how the girl said they would know, but she told me the restaurants were off limits to non-guests. We should have just tried it when we were there buying tickets!

 

[Qiana]

I am beginning to wonder just how bad the food can be?

I have had some pretty bad military food in my time...so is it on par with the chow hall? Or are we just talking about eating at your regular Golden Corral...

I heard the breakfast buffet was really good. So maybe that will be the one meal we eat there...you can't beat a good deal. Sometimes you just have to decide what is more important...
saving some cash...or having a 5 star meal...

in my family's case...we are going for a nice balance of both...so cheap breakfast buffet at SOG will be a must...and dinner will be elsewhere...I guess

 

[angelmav]

The only cheap meal is bfast. The bfast buffet isnt terrible but its rather limited. Make your own waffles (only a couple of waffle irons that back up quick), fruit (tasted like it had been canned for the most part) yogurt, assorted hot and cold cereals, bacon, sausage, bisquits and gravy, hash browns, juce (the tiniest glasses on WDW property, hash browns, pretty runny scrambled eggs and not much else. Its the same bfast menu every day. We ate dinner here as well on more than one occasion, tey recently upped the prices and I wish we had gone to trails end instead. Not only is the buffet not very good, when we were there the health department made them pull several dishes that were being undercooked and kept at the wrong temp. Its a great resort, but Garden Grill needs alot, ALOT of work. Like I said, if your trying to save a few $$ at dinner or lunch, hit the trails end instead. Also parties of 8 or more they add an automatic gratuity, I believe 15%

 

[sk8ingmom]

I am beginning to wonder just how bad the food can be?

I have had some pretty bad military food in my time...so is it on par with the chow hall? Or are we just talking about eating at your regular Golden Corral...

It's not military food - it's non-appropriated fund food (OK did anyone get that? I crack myself up...).

I'm not a big fan of buffet dining at WDW - we're park commandos - I want someone else to get my food for me when I actually do sit down! We haven't eaten at many of them but I would easily compare SOGs buffet to a place like Hollywood & Vine. Not as large a selection of food, but similar quality.