Sit Down:
DHS- Here we have eaten at Mama Melrose’s, Sci-Fi Dine In, and 50’s Prime Time Café. Of the three, Prime Time is by far our family favorite with their excellent desserts, milkshakes, and Fried Chicken. After a few years away from Sci-Fi Dine in, we were hopelessly aggravated at our last return. The menu has undergone significant changes and no longer has some favorites. The food and menu is mediocre, and the film clips get irritating; this place has lost some Disney charm for me. Mama Melrose has some decent Italian food, and that is it. It is neither memorable nor very interesting.
MK- We have tried Tony’s here, and let me just say that it is a bigger letdown than Mama Melrose. The food is bland, and usually cold, which is disappointing for being such a prime stop. The Chicken Parm is possibly the most dissapointing thing ever.
Fast Service:
AK- We have eaten at Pizzafari and Flame Tree BBQ. We have found both to be excellent and claim that Pizzafari has the best Disney pizza on property. We have also eaten at the less successful and plain, Restaurantosaurus, there is absolutely nothing special here at all.
DHS- Backlot Express is another pretty ordinary fast service restaurant, while ABC Commissary is one of the worst I have ever eaten at. Toy Story Pizza Planet is usually a bit too loud for our taste, but still has pretty good pizza. Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner is a gem in this park where their new menu featuring some very different sandwiches. Give this place a try!
Epcot- By far, sunshine seasons has some of the most intriguing and different food around the WDW. It is a fresh, natural restaurant with Asian inspired food, sandwiches, and rotisserie food. Unfortunately, Electric Umbrella is another one of those ordinary restaurants, but I enjoy the toppings at this place. La Cantina de San Angel is usually the only place I get lunch in WS. It’s really fantastic and features some affordable Mexican.
MK- Mhmmmm Pineapple dole whip at Aloha Isle. Possibly the best invention and my favorite dessert at WDW. Casey’s Corner definitely features the best hot dogs on WDW property with some unique additions. I thoroughly enjoy the fish and mac and cheese at Columbia Harbor House, normally stopping their at least once on our trip. Pinocchio’s Village Haus is just another average, loud pizza place at WDW. Cosmic Rays is another one of my favorites due to the extensive topping bar and menu.
Well there is the first part of my review, be sure to post your short reviews of your favorite and least favorites too! I'd love to hear what other hidden gems there might be at WDW. Some of the new restaurants we are considering going to include The Wave, Il Mulion, Le Cellier, the Plaza Restaurant, and Porobello. Any suggestions on these are greatly appreciated!
I know I am still in the minority here, but I LOVE the Rose and Crown Pub Dining room. Easy to get reservations, they are an excellent place to watch Illuminations while eating on their deck, and so far, their food has never disappointed. I had both fish, and recently their grilled sirloin, which was cooked perfectly. My husband loves their bangers and mash more than life itself. Plus their ciders are a perfect beverage to sip while touring.
I still have a soft spot for the Liberty Tree Tavern, mostly for this one factor...everything is brought to your table hot and fresh. I don't have to get up multiple times to get my plate, my children's plate or anything else. I can do it all from a sitting position and rest (and hopefully dry off from the four times in a row of Splash Mountain).
If there is one resort restaurant that you can splurge on, then please, PLEASE try the California Grill. Have mercy upon me...it was perfect. The atmosphere, the fireworks, the music, and the FOOD. Words can never properly describe the perfection of this place. My husband (without children) and I were trying out the Deluxe Dining Plan, so we were able to each try an appetizer, entree and dessert. My mouth is watering just remembering.
Ahh the fun of planning out a menu for each night. I love looking at All Ears and checking out each menu for the snack kiosks, quick service, and sit down restaurants. Good luck planning Tim.
At EPCOT both the Oktoberfest restaurant in Germany and Le Cellier stick out. Oktoberfest is a wonderful restaurant with a buffet (I'll say it now - buffets aren't my favourite, I prefer to be served) and entertainment. It's good, hearty German food, with an oompa band. What's not to love? Le Cellier is simply exquisite. My family like their steaks well done, and Le Cellier didn't disappoint serving us perfection. The steak just melted in our mouths. Such a wonderful place.
You can never go wrong with Liberty Tree Tavern at MK. Their food is delicious and even in the middle of a hot summer, can remind you of the family warmth at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I wasn't a huge fan of Crystal Palace for dinner, but the choice of desserts was brilliant. I've also tried Hollywood and Vine but have similar feelings with it being a buffet.
For me, the resorts is where the culinary "magic" happens. Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge, California Grill at the Contemporary, Yachtsman Steakhouse at Yacht Club and Artists Point at Wilderness Lodge are all amazing. These restaurants offer great family dining with a nice range on the menu. California Grill is especially brilliant because of the Firework viewing - that if timed perfectly - allows you to enjoy dessert in paradise. O'hana isn't anything special, in my eyes, with the food often tepid when it reached my plate.
Well thats my short roundup. I've visited most of the character dining restaurants when I was younger, but don't fully remember the culinary experience, just the atmosphere.
Wilderness Lodge- At our first stay at a deluxe resort, we were a bit perplexed with dining. The Roaring Fork had a decent selection, but become fairly crowded! Whispering Canyon Cafe was fun, entertaining, and very family oriented. The breakfast is fantastic that is served in a skillet. Definitely give this place a try!
All Star Music- We ventured back into the value resorts to try the new family suites available which were very nice. The dining was decent here, comparable to all the other value resorts and featured most of the same food.
Old Key West- As our first stay as DVC members, Old Key West was very nice. However, the dining selections are few. But Olivia's, man this place is excellent! It is probably in my top 5 of Disney restaurants. It is homey and the food is out of this world, with its tropical theme. We ate here for both lunch and breakfast. They have an awesome Bananas Bread French toast which is the best breakfast Ive ever had at Disney. Lunch is equally great where I had the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Sandwich with Pineapple. The place is really a hidden gem, and I advise everyone to give it a try!
Saratoga- We only dined at Artists Platte, where the food is just decent for a DVC resort. Its usually hit or miss here. The breakfast is pretty standard Disney food. They do have some really good flatbreads here at an afforable price such as the Buffalo or Spinach and Artichoke.
Contemporary- We have frequently visited Chef Mickeys where it has always been fantastic, until we found Crystal Place which is the better of the two bufetts. However, Chef Mickey's is still a wondeful place, especially with younger kids. As for the Contempo Cafe, I love this place. It is a small little place similar in style to the value cafeterias. It has an excellent selection of food for breakfast and lunch/dinner. The baked goods here are really something too.
Matt, so you would definately recommend Ohana? I would love to stay at the Polynesian sometime, but it is near impossible to use DVC points at some of these hotels. I have been inside before at Christmas time....reminding me actually that I have actually eaten at the Grand Floridian - 1900 Park Fare and at the Gasparilla Grill.
Grand Floridian- Although never staying here we have visited twice. We have eaten at 1900 Park Fare and at The Gasparilla Grill. 1900 Park Fare, from what I can remember, had a good, fresh buffet for breakfast. I should probably return sometime soon. Gasparilla has some intriguing options on their cafeteria menu, trying to step away from serving fries with everything.
As for the T-rex Cafe, it is possibly the noisiest restaurant ever. I came out with a headache after eating here and vowed to never go back. I am a big fan of dinosaurs generally, but the overwhelming noise and loudness became irritating. The food was decent, but did end up in 3 out of the 4 people being sick afterwards.
DTD, skip dinner and pig out at Ghirardelli!
Our meal later that week at Artists Point at Wilderness Lodge was absolutely perfect, so much so that I bought some of the cookbooks and have tried to recreate the meal. I've come pretty close.
On a side note, I've seem to forgotten the Top of The World Lounge. While not a prime dining spot, the bar features some excellent flatbreads and intriguing drinks. However, the real reason for coming up here is to view Wishes. I believe that it is perhaps the best viewing that I have ever had. When it is time for the fireworks, the tvs are tunes down and the Wishes soundtrack is piped through. You get an excellent viewing without being surrounded by thousands of people and then having to rush to the exit. Seriously awesome views are up here, without having to have your head tilted! If you are a DVC member and staying at Bay Lake Tower, definitely check out the Top of the World Lounge!
MK: Columbia Harbor House (Best)
Tomorrowland Noodle Station (Worst)
EPCOT: China (a great Underdog in the park)
America (Worst- and an embarassment)
DHS: Brown Derby (best)
Mama Melrose (The WORST in all of WDW)
AK: Yak and Yeti (Best)
Pizzafari (Worst, but still great)