Which extinct WDW restaurant do you miss the most?

[KS Jeff]

Does anyone remember "The Cat Walk"? It was upstairs over the Brown Derby. It was such a great place for a cool drink or adult beverage. Always so cold and they had props hanging all over & boxes...I loved it!
Can you still use that for a private party????

The Catwalk Bar was our favorite watering hole in all of WDW. I was allowed to go up the stairs to see it a couple of years ago and everything was still in place, but that may have changed.

 

[MarieA]

It was an upscale Italian restaurant. The food was fantastic. It was one of the best Italian meals I've ever had at WDW.

Joe

I absolutely agree. My family loved Flagers. We used to dine there at least twice a trip. We also miss Sunday brunch at the Top of the World.

 

[Gamera]

I've seen people talking about the old Odyssey Restaurant at EPCOT. Did that have a character breakfast?

Back in 1991 my parents took my brother and me to our first character dining experience, with, IIRC, Donald as the main attraction. Even as a seven-year-old I recognized that the decor of the interior was in a very cheesy 70s/80s idea of what the future would look like. Thinking back on it it was somewhat reminiscent of the 80s Cafe from Back to the Future Part II.

I remember getting into the park early and being whisked away to this location. I could have sworn the restaurant was at EPCOT, although I suppose it could have been the Old Tomorrowland too, but I don't recall any sit-down restaurants being there (what used to be where Cosmic Ray's is now?)

Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

I have a vague idea. I remember when I was younger going to a character breakfast at EPCOT and the characters there were the standard Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, Chip, Dale type. I don't exactly remember the decoration but I don't remember it being themed, just a restaurant. Maybe it was just "futuristic" looking without anything blatent and "Hey look at me!!!" like many of the restaurants have now. This would have been in the 84-86 range of years but I've never really been able to figure out where we went, and my parents don't remember either, I should see if they have any pictures from the trip so I can at least see the restaurant in the background.

 

[TheSilverTherapist]

I have a vague idea. I remember when I was younger going to a character breakfast at EPCOT and the characters there were the standard Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, Chip, Dale type. I don't exactly remember the decoration but I don't remember it being themed, just a restaurant. Maybe it was just "futuristic" looking without anything blatent and "Hey look at me!!!" like many of the restaurants have now. This would have been in the 84-86 range of years but I've never really been able to figure out where we went, and my parents don't remember either, I should see if they have any pictures from the trip so I can at least see the restaurant in the background.

I definitely think we're on the same wavelength here. The restaurant was definitely not overtly spacey, it just had a more subtle '80s futurism design to it. I recall a lot of silver interspersed with stripes of orange and maroon or something. And the characters there were the usuals, but Donald still stands out to me as the particular host of this breakfast. I wish I could recall what place that was.

 

[LiteBrite]

I've seen people talking about the old Odyssey Restaurant at EPCOT. Did that have a character breakfast?

Back in 1991 my parents took my brother and me to our first character dining experience, with, IIRC, Donald as the main attraction. Even as a seven-year-old I recognized that the decor of the interior was in a very cheesy 70s/80s idea of what the future would look like. Thinking back on it it was somewhat reminiscent of the 80s Cafe from Back to the Future Part II.

I remember getting into the park early and being whisked away to this location. I could have sworn the restaurant was at EPCOT, although I suppose it could have been the Old Tomorrowland too, but I don't recall any sit-down restaurants being there (what used to be where Cosmic Ray's is now?)

Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

I definitely think we're on the same wavelength here. The restaurant was definitely not overtly spacey, it just had a more subtle '80s futurism design to it. I recall a lot of silver interspersed with stripes of orange and maroon or something. And the characters there were the usuals, but Donald still stands out to me as the particular host of this breakfast. I wish I could recall what place that was.

This may or may not be what you guys are remembering, but back in the late 80s, they had a "character breakfast" at The Electric Umbrella in Epcot (it may have been called something else at that time, but it was definitely that spot). You just ordered your food at the counter like any other time, but the characters came around to the tables and visited. I know Mickey and Minnie and Goofy were there, probably Pluto too. I'm not sure about Donald. All the characters wore their silvery "spacesuit" costumes, which were the only way you ever saw characters at Epcot back then.

This was our first introduction to character dining, and we were blown away that the characters would come around and visit! It was wonderful having it at a counter service, because back in those days, we were way too poor to pay for a sit down breakfast.

 

[OKW Lover]

I miss Ariel's at Beach Club. Even today when we walk by it we think what a lovely location it would be for a nice restaurant. (Yes, we do know about YSH next door, we were thinking about a nice seafood restaurant.)

 

[Zuzu03]

Ariels - I miss it too! The clambake was there, right? That was awesome!

 

[brianm27]

Dreadfully miss the old Akerhaus buffet with hot and cold all you can eat very authentic food. It was one of our favorites and we never missed going several times each stay. We've only been once since the princesses took over, what a change! So sad, wish they would keep just one meal princess-free and bring back the traditional hot and cold buffet!

Also miss the Adventureland Veranda hosted by Kikkoman, cs in the building to the right as you enter Adventureland with delicious teriyaki burgers, egg rolls, fried rice and South Seas fruit salad and then the cupcakes sold at stands in Mickey’s Birthdayland!

This is too scary! Exactly what I was going to write.

1. The ORIGINAL Akershus
2. Cupcake stand in Birthdayland
3. Adventureland Veranda

 

[OKW Lover]

Ariels - I miss it too! The clambake was there, right? That was awesome!

Actually, the clambake is at Cape May Cafe'.

 

[CrzyGmer789X2]

I don't know if this counts as a restaurant, but some place in the Magic Kingdom (Scuttle's or something?) had great snow cones!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Ahhhhhh, thinking of the Empress Room that used to be such a nice treat.

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

This may or may not be what you guys are remembering, but back in the late 80s, they had a "character breakfast" at The Electric Umbrella in Epcot (it may have been called something else at that time, but it was definitely that spot). You just ordered your food at the counter like any other time, but the characters came around to the tables and visited. I know Mickey and Minnie and Goofy were there, probably Pluto too. I'm not sure about Donald. All the characters wore their silvery "spacesuit" costumes, which were the only way you ever saw characters at Epcot back then.

This was our first introduction to character dining, and we were blown away that the characters would come around and visit! It was wonderful having it at a counter service, because back in those days, we were way too poor to pay for a sit down breakfast.

Do YOU have pics? This sounds really cool!!

 

[FirstMagic]

I don't know if this will help jog anybody's memories but here goes...

In the Communicores (what is now called Innoventions), there were two counter service restaurants, the Stargate and the Sunrise Terrace Restaurants. Stargate became the Electric Umbrella, and Sunrise Terrace became Fountainview and Pasta Piazza (and Pasta Piazza is now that character meet and greet and get your picture taken place).

It seems like a forever ago since I ate at Stargate or Sunrise Terrace now!

 

[philmagic]

We miss Breakfast at Tony's. We'd get our son Strawberrys and Cream ,as it was really hard to get him to eat fruit or vegetables.

 

[TheSilverTherapist]

I don't know if this will help jog anybody's memories but here goes...

In the Communicores (what is now called Innoventions), there were two counter service restaurants, the Stargate and the Sunrise Terrace Restaurants. Stargate became the Electric Umbrella, and Sunrise Terrace became Fountainview and Pasta Piazza (and Pasta Piazza is now that character meet and greet and get your picture taken place).

It seems like a forever ago since I ate at Stargate or Sunrise Terrace now!

Stargate and Sunrise Terrace are both ringing a bell. It was definitely one of those, but I can't remember which. The more I think about it, the more I remember it was definitely in what is now the Innoventions area (I couldn't remember what that area was called, thanks for the memory jog). It's amazing I remember that much, I was only seven and it was almost 20 years ago. I guess WDW makes an impression on you.

For some reason my gut is leaning towards Sunrise Terrace mostly because of the maroon/yellow/orange color scheme on the inside, but that could be a manufactured memory. Are there websites dedicated entirely to the parts of WDW long gone?

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Stargate and Sunrise Terrace are both ringing a bell. It was definitely one of those, but I can't remember which. The more I think about it, the more I remember it was definitely in what is now the Innoventions area (I couldn't remember what that area was called, thanks for the memory jog). It's amazing I remember that much, I was only seven and it was almost 20 years ago. I guess WDW makes an impression on you.

For some reason my gut is leaning towards Sunrise Terrace mostly because of the maroon/yellow/orange color scheme on the inside, but that could be a manufactured memory. Are there websites dedicated entirely to the parts of WDW long gone?

Look a couple of posts back I put in a link like that, she doesn't have many rest pics though. We need one as good as the linked one with more pictures in it. That would be cool!

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

I googled the name and it came up with some great pics by a wedding photographer named Taz. Here is the link to his pics. This place is gorgeous! It's a real shame they don't use it all the time!

http://www.tazfoto.com/webhtml/ariels.htm

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Found this old pic on Google too.


http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1011456958027869049wduKjqWmZg?vhost=travel

 

[Alexander]

Chef Mickey's at Downtown
The Empress Lily Riverboat
Diamond Horseshoe
Tusker House--NonBuffet!
The Concourse Steakhouse
The Minnie Luau for Kids

 

[Gamera]

Just remembered another one I miss. Not an actual restaurant but a little stand in the Canada section of EPCOT. It was called Trapper Bob's BeaverTails. I don't know exactly what they were (they reminded me of fried dough stuff you get at fairs with the powdered sugar on the top) but man were they good.