Table Service at DLR - worth it??

[carolinamama]

We are used to going to WDW, getting the Dining Plan and having one table service meal a day. We do character dining and the whole shabang.

I know that DLR table service overall is nothing like WDW. I've been reading the Unofficial Guide for reviews of restaurants, and with a few exceptions, the table service doesn't seem worth the time and expense.

Or am I wrong?

 

[blackjackdelta]

"Worth it" is different for everyone. We enjoy our sit down meals, gives us a break without retreating to the hotel.

Jack

 

[heatherleigh]

The food isn't as good, or so I hear. There are only a couple sit-down places in DL that I must do, and that's Carnation Cafe & Cafe Orleans. Neither is terribly pricey. Look at the menus and base your decision off of that. There aren't too many sit downs to choose from to begin with.

 

[Katiebell]

We are used to going to WDW, getting the Dining Plan and having one table service meal a day. We do character dining and the whole shabang.

I know that DLR table service overall is nothing like WDW. I've been reading the Unofficial Guide for reviews of restaurants, and with a few exceptions, the table service doesn't seem worth the time and expense.

Or am I wrong?

Well, DL doesn't have a dining plan, not like WDW. The dining vouchers aren't worth the cost, and can be confusing and wasteful to use. That said...

There are some great places to eat at DL -- not the same as WDW, because they just don't have the sheer size.

Our favorite CS are Rancho del Zocalo (Frontierland), Red Rockett's Pizza Port (Tomorrowland), and Whitewater Snacks (GCH). Riverbelle Terrace and French Market are pretty good, too. At DCA, we really like Taste Pilot's Grill, great burgers.

Good snacks at Bengal BBQ and the corn dog cart on Main St. has the best corndogs I've ever had! Fantasyland has a new Troubadour Tavern that is supposed to have great baked potatoes. Blue Ribbon Bakery is great for breakfast, and the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor is a must for us every trip.

Sit down -- Carnation Cafe and Cafe Orleans are both great. Blue Bayou is cool but over priced. Worth going to at least once for the atmosphere, it's really unique.

DTD -- there's Rainforest, of course. We like Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen a lot and usually go at least once per trip, and there is an express window that is cheaper takeout style menu -- great breakfast. HOB is fun -- the Gospel Brunch on Sundays is a blast, but not cheap and you must make reservations. Jamba Juice is a great quick healthy breakfast option. We ate at Uva Bar once and Catal once -- good, but nothing that makes us crave going back. GCH has the very upscale Napa Rose -- we have reservations for our anniversary, our first time there, but it gets fabulous reviews. Really pricey, though.

Character dining -- we like Goofy's for brunch, haven't had dinner there. We had breakfast in the park at the Plaza Inn once, but it was a long time ago, Pooh characters, not Minnie like now. It was good. We are doing the Mickey and Stitch breakfast at the PPH this time -- did it last September and it was really good. And we've had dinner twice at Ariel's in DCA with the princesses -- the menu has really improved, and it's wonderful for little girls!

HTH

 

[Monkey Monkey]

"Worth it" is different for everyone. We enjoy our sit down meals, gives us a break without retreating to the hotel.

Jack

I agree with this.

I love lunch at Carnation Cafe especially. The prices are reasonable for table service at DL, and I like not having to juggle a stroller and a tray!

 

[carolinamama]

Thanks for the input.

DH and I still have plenty of time to get this all together, but we've been looking at the restaurant profiles. And like I said, we're so used to the dining plan! I'm used to going to Chef Mickey's or Le Cellier and not thinking about how much the meal costs, KWIM?

I'm thinking that the BBQ with Woody et al sounds pretty much our speed.

 

[tksbaskets]

Don't forget about Wine Country Trattoria at DCA. We really enjoyed our meal there. I agree about the 'worth it' comments. We plan one table service meal a day because we need the break! We enjoyed PCH Grill for dinner at Paradise Pier Hotel also.

I would recommend avoiding Carnation Cafe for breakfast but their loaded baked potato soup at lunch is DELISH.

For counter service we all enjoyed eating at the Pacific Wharf where you can dine on several types of food and all eat together (think fancy food court). We also give a nod to White Water Snacks...yumm!

 

[pixiewings71]

BB, CO, CC are all faves for us for TS. We didn't like WCT that much but we love the places in DLR.

I don't think these are questions that people can answer for you, I think everyone should make their own choices for dining. Oh, almost forgot...Storyteller's at the GCH is delish!!!!

Ariel's Grotto....mmmmmmmmmmmmm oh and DBF and I LOVE the BBQ.

 

[Eeee-va]

I think that Table Service can be worth it, but that depends on your priorities. To me, if you want to make a whirlwind trip, Table Service might be frustratingly slow (or at least Wine Country Trattoria was). But if you need a break or just want to stop for a while, then it can be nice.

I would recommend going to Blue Bayou once (well, at least once in a lifetime ). But it is what I consider very expensive and I've never had great food there.

Cafe Orleans is quite good (I can't say it's a great VALUE, but the food and service were excellent). It's also something you wouldn't really get at WDW, right? I consider it worth visiting but depending on the length of your visit, you may not want to do that and Blue Bayou both.

I've never been to Carnation Cafe, but almost every review I've read has been good to great. if you sit down and do the math, the price isn't much more than it costs for a Counter Service meal. So in that regard, it's a great value.

Similar story for Wine Country Trattoria, if you need a break. I ate there last June and the food was very good, but I found the service to be very slow (or you might call it leisurely, I suppose).

Others can tell you about character dining. Except for Ariel's Grotto (and perhaps Storyteller's for breakfast) I think it's all only buffet-style.

There are some restaurants in the hotels too (as well as the easily accessible Downtown Disney). If money were no object I would totally try Napa Rose, but the price is too rich for my blood!

I'd just look at the menus online and see what catches your eye (or your stomach ) and start getting ideas from there. As others have mentioned, there is some excellent food that isn't Table Service. My very favorite is Bengal Barbecue, which is just a little stand where you get a skewer of grilled meat covered in sauce. There are few tables around (I tend to go to the area beside Aladdin's Oasis and eat from my lap ). But it's SO good! The Mexican place in Disneyland wasn't bad and the price is fair too.

Have a delicious trip!

 

[vettegirl]

I would recommend Blue Bayou, the atmosphere is amazing and we really enjoy the food. It is my favorite Disney restaurant every!

 

[blackjackdelta]

I would recommend Blue Bayou, the atmosphere is amazing and we really enjoy the food. It is my favorite Disney restaurant every!

I have to agree with Vettegirl. BB is an experience. I love to sit waterside and just enjoy the atmosphere.

Jack

 

[kailuagirl]

Last summer, silly me forgot to make PS's and we mainly had to eat counter service and wasn't very happy. Food to us was just ok, but we did get to eat carnation cafe and loved loved loved it, as well as cafe orleans. I'd look at the menu's online and decide, and make PS's or whatever they are called now, I forgot, sorry

 

[FallDisney]

We love eating at Le Cellier and various other spots at WDW. You realize that DL is different and that's why you're asking the question.

I challenge you to think a little differently. Don't try and recreate your experience at WDW - create a new one at DL. There are various options that aren't available at WDW that you can only find at DL.

First, Blue Bayou is a one-time family favorite. We are thrilled we ate there as the atmosphere is AMAZING! But, we decided this time that we can get similar food at Cafe Orleans, for less money. What's important to your group? Would you enjoy eating in a restaurant that sits at the beginning of the Pirates ride or would you constantly be concerned about price?

We enjoyed Napoli at DTD, but I don't believe that's a huge favorite around here. And of all of the restaurants we tried for our first visit, two are getting repeat business, Carnation Cafe and Ralph Brennan's.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[brergnat]

I'd highly disagree that the TS restaurants at DLR are not "worth it."

There are several that we love, and frequent as "locals".

In Downtown Disney/Resorts:

Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen (GREAT for lunch...)
La Brea Bakery Cafe
Naples
ESPN Zone

Storyteller's Cafe (great for dinner...excellent buffet, in terms of QUALITY, not necessarily quantity of food choices)
Hook's Point (DLH)
Steakhouse 55 (for special occasions...WAY better than Blue Bayou)

In the parks:
Cafe Orleans
Wine Country Trattoria

For what it's worth, since we're locals, we've NEVER made a reservation for any of these places, and never had an issue with being seated within 20 min every time.

I don't find it necessary to have reservations at DLR at all. I've been living here almost 9 years, and have been "winging it" all that time. This is the major way that DLR is different from WDW when it comes to dining.

 

[wvnative]

Well, let me start by saying that since our first experience at Carnation Cafe, we never visit without having breakfast there and plan to add a lunch/dinner there on our upcoming trip. I really enjoy Cafe Orleans as well. We did the BB for dessert once and it was well worth the price. We'll do it for an actual meal on a trip where we don't have pickier eaters tagging along.

I'd like to add a disclaimer though.. I almost always travel with at least one teenager and they would prefer to go go go and only do snacks and counter service. lol

That said, I am tying them down for one character breakfast and since my kid has requested gumbo, we'll take a little break at Ralph Brennans this trip. She's just starting to get into food and has suggested we try someplace new each trip. There are 4 new ones on our list this time. lol

I love food and have mild difficulties keeping up with the kids so I really enjoy the break a table service restaurant offers. So yes, it's worth it to me.

 

[Katiebell]

I had heard that Wine Country Trattoria is closed now for the DCA construction -- is that correct?

Also, if you are going to have dinner at Ralph Brennans and you like live music, they have music most nights, a great jazz combo on the weekends. We love the food there. They do a wonderful Bananas Foster for two, not sure if they still flambe it tableside, but that's great fun to see