Test your "obscure WDW restaurant" knowledge!

[Dreamfinder2]

Seasons was at the Disney Institute (soon to be Saratoga Springs.) Seems they had a rotating menu - different styles each evening.

Sum Chows - Swan or Dolphin? One of those...

Le Cellier used to be a cafeteria. And I'm still trying to remember the name of the fast food place in the Marketplace (once known as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, remember?). And was the pizza place Minnie Mia's Pizzaria?

Ah, memories.

 

[BCV23]

Originally posted by Dreamfinder2
Seasons was at the Disney Institute (soon to be Saratoga Springs.) Seems they had a rotating menu - different styles each evening.

Yes, I think this was called Lake Buena Vista Club originally...or at least in the '80s. Does anyone remember? It changed names twice at least I think. At any rate Lake Buena Vista Club was in the clubhouse by the golf course and was in the area that became Disney Institute.

(quote) And I'm still trying to remember the name of the fast food place in the Marketplace (once known as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, remember?). And was the pizza place Minnie Mia's Pizzaria?

What kind of fast food and what decade? In the '80s Heidleberg Deli was "fast food" of a kind. It was on the far North end of the Village. There was also a place fo hot dogs and burgers called Lite Bite. It was at the South end as I recall and later did become a pizza spot. I think it was in the spot now occupied by McDonald's...at least in that vicinity.

 

[DrTomorrow]

We once ate at the Fireworks Factory on PI. That was turned into Wildhorse Saloon, which (IIRC) is currently Motions.

Erick

 

[beccasmom]

Tangaroa Terrace – at the Polynesian in a separate building. Great French Toast! And terrific drinks at dinner!

Bonfamille's – at Port Orleans. I loved this restaurant and was very sorry to see it closed. They had great red beans and rice and I loved the ambience!

Top of the World – my all-time favorite! I dearly loved this restaurant and am still saddened by its demise. Remember the Ice Cream Pie at the lunch buffets? Mmmmmmm!

Good Turn – at The Land in Epcot. I ate here twice….both times with a nasty sunburn! :-D

Empress Room – had a terrific meal here once. Was very expensive, but we were on the meal plan back then and you could even order lobster! We were there for over 4 hours!

Anyone remember the Outer Rim at the Contemporary? Their menu was not large, but the view overlooking Bay Lake was a keeper!

Great posting......thanks for taking me down memory lane!

 

[Planogirl]

We ate breakfast at the Land Grille Room way back when. They had a stuffed pastry thingy that was real good.

And I'm still trying to remember the name of the fast food place in the Marketplace (once known as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, remember?).

Goofy's Grill?

Speaking of dining, does anyone remember having to rush to the kiosks inside Spaceship Earth to make PS the first thing in the morning? You spoke to a live attendant via monitor and it was the THING to do back then.

Also, don't forget that the Horseshoe is now a place of the past. I always remember a place called Juan and Only's too in either the Swan or the Dolphin. We never went there but the name fascinated me. And finally, I still miss the character meal at the Soundstage Restaurant. The food wasn't much but I have the best pictures of DS with Aladdin, Phoebus, Belle, etc.

 

[sueg]

DH & I were married 17 yrs. in June. On our honeymoon, we ate dinner, on our first night, at the Empress Room, on the Empress Lily-Belle. We loved it. We wish it was still around so we could take our 2 DSs to the place "where it all started".

 

[erikthewise]

Sum Chows and Juan and Only's were both in the basement of the Dolphin. I could never take them seriously because of their names. How were they?

I'm pretty sure the Tangaroa Terrace at the Polynesian was in the building where the arcade currently is. When we were there in '92, I believe it was only used for a breakfast buffet, and we didn't eat there. I regret not eating at the Papeete Bay Verandah, but we did eat at the Coral Isle Cafe (now Kona Cafe). I think the name was changed in part because of confusion with the Coral Cafe at the Dolphin.

 

[BCV23]

Erik you're right about the location of Tangaroa Terrace. It's now used for private functions. We've seen a wedding reception or two there. That building is deceptively large. Besides the arcade which used to be a snack shop called Tangaroa Snack Isle (had a few games in it too), it also holds the Neverland Club, the guest laundry, and loading docks.

Tangaroa Snack Isle had decent pizza. In those days Captain Cook's was called the Barefoot Snack Bar. Probably had to change the name in more recent years as some guests took the name too literally.

 

[BadgerBruce]

Loved Juan & Only's. Great & huge tacos & nacho orders. Good margaritas, too. And Goofy's Grill--do I remember having triple cheeseburgers there?

 

[PoohBWV]

The Adventureland Verandah was the very first place we ever ate at DW. Still wish it was there.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Erik:
Sum Chows was an upscale, pacific Rim cusine restaurant. Even had a chef's table. Was a favorite of Scott Joseph, restaurant critic for the Orlando paper. Was a beautiful restaurant with excellent service. Even had a good selection of beers from Asia!! My favorite dish was something called firecracker Salmon. Nice piece of fish and a sauce that was HOT!!!
Sadly, most people who came there wanted nothing more than egg rolls and chow mein. I recall our last meal there before it closed-our server told us that the opening of the Boardwalk restaurants was the final nail that put Sum Chow's out of business.
BCV23-Tangarora also served dinner--at least during the early years. I had a wonderful blackened Grouper there. But I guess it was more popular for the excellent breakfast buffet they had.

 

[Goofyposter]

Anyone remember the Outer Rim at the Contemporary? Their menu was not large, but the view overlooking Bay Lake was a keeper!

The food and the view is still great!

 

[BevS97]

Speaking of dining, does anyone remember having to rush to the kiosks inside Spaceship Earth to make PS the first thing in the morning? You spoke to a live attendant via monitor and it was the THING to do back then.

I remember doing this in 1986, when we went back in 2001 I was looking for the place with the monitors to show my husband (even though I'd already made all my PSs via info on these boards). I was quite disappointed to find they were gone.

I can remember in 1986 being really amazed that I could see a real person on a monitor - I thought it was a video, and said something to that effect, so the person at the other end, laughed and waved saying that she was definitely real!

Bev

 

[BCV23]

Originally posted by Uncleromulus

BCV23-Tangarora also served dinner--at least during the early years. I had a wonderful blackened Grouper there. But I guess it was more popular for the excellent breakfast buffet they had. [/B]

Yes, I remember that they did offer dinner. Didn't mean to imply they didn't. I think we only had dinner there once and that was after they had switched from a la carte to a different themed dinner buffet each night. Not too long after that they closed.

In our first trips, breakfast was only a la carte. They added that buffet after Papeete Bay stopped theirs I think. It was very good, wasn't it?

Uncleromulus, the Orlando Sentinel should hire you to write their Disney restaurant reviews.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well thanks!!
My writing career consists of a letter I once had published in the Weekly Reader way back in elementary school.
Which was before Disneyland was built--not to mention Disneyworld

 

[suzywindy]

Well, it's not gone, but the Grand Floridian Cafe is HALFWAY gone as they are now only open for breakfast and lunch...we used to LOVE going there for dinner! And how about the Jolly Holidays Dinner Show at the Contemporary? Not really a restaurant, but a meal we used to look forward to every December trip.

As a kid I remember the Pueblo well, my family went there for Thanksgiving dinner every year...so my "turkey day" feast was actually prime rib back then. It was so cool sitting and having dinner in a restaurant with a monorail going by overhead every so often.

 

[slp87]

I remember the monitors as well. We would always ride Spaceship Earth first and some were located at the exit of the ride.

I can remember in 1986 being really amazed that I could see a real person on a monitor

That seemed so futuristic at the time.

I remember my family traveling in '85 on the Gold Key plan. I know it's called something else now, but it included all our meals. We stayed at the Contemporary and thought we had "arrived". (We had camped out on our first trip in '75 and thought the CR was just a dream.) We ate at the Top of the World one night and had the best time. It was so fancy and so much fun. I also remember eating at The Good Turn. We enjoyed being able to see the ride below. We also ate a character breakfast in '83 at the Empress Lilly. That was the only time we ate there.

 

[BCV23]

Originally posted by Uncleromulus
Well thanks!!
My writing career consists of a letter I once had published in the Weekly Reader way back in elementary school.
Which was before Disneyland was built--not to mention Disneyworld:

How cool! Boy, I did love that Weekly Reader every Friday as a child. I wonder if grade schools still get it ? When I was teaching it was still available but that was many moons ago now.

OK, here's a rather easy one. Who remembers the Town Square Cafe? A more fitting name IMHO!

 

[BCV23]

Did I kill this thread?

C'mon...this is easy. Town Square Cafe...the name gives it away! Anyone?

 

[erikthewise]

OK, I'll bite. It sure SOUNDS like it was in MK, right on Town Square (near the entrance). No I don't remember it, but apparently it was a previous incarnation of Tony's.

I thought I was the "thread killer"! Even used that title under my name briefly.