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Hello everyone,
A couple of weeks ago we had lunch at The Garden Grill, inside The Land pavilion at Epcot. We had eaten there several times in the past, but it had been several years, so we thought it was time that we went back to get an updated view.
The Garden Grill is a character dining experience, which has its own title of Chip 'n' Dale's Harvest Feast. Throughout your dining experience, Chip and Dale, as well as Mickey Mouse and Pluto, make their way around the restaurant for hugs, photos and autographs. Prices can be up to $60 per adult, depending on the time of day, plus tax and tip. You should plan to be in the restaurant for at least an hour. Reservations are accepted, and can be made on the My Disney Experience app.
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Hello everyone,
On our most recent trip to Tokyo Disney Resort we had the pleasure of dining at the Polynesian Terrace for Mickey and Minnie's Polynesian Paradise dinner show. The Polynesian Terrace is a table service dinner show venue that offers two different shows daily (the other being Lilo's Luau and Fun at lunchtime).
Reservations are always required, but sadly can only be made on the Japanese Tokyo Disney Resort website or by calling their reservation line, both of which are in Japanese language only. Fortunately we have some very good Japanese friends who are able to make the reservations for us. If you are able to get someone to make reservations for you, or you can read Japanese (which if you're reading this report is unlikely), then you should ensure that you do it well in advance of the date and time you want. In our experience, reservations for table service and buffet dining at Tokyo Disney Resort sell out virtually instantly, unfortunately.
On the plus side, the respectful and thoughtful nature of the Japanese means that if they cannot make their reservation they usually call to cancel it, which means times can show up at any moment. We have actually gotten several reservations this way in the past, so it's definitely worth checking back everyday before your trip to see if the venue you want has any availability.
On the day of your reservation you will need to go to collect a ticket for the meal at the will call window at the side of the restaurant. This must be done at least half hour before show time, I believe, but it might be more than that. You will not be allowed to enter later on without the ticket. Once you have the reservation ticket you simply come back later at the time specified (printed on the ticket). The Japanese are very particular about details, and so once you have your reservation there is no need to show up any more than about 5 or 10 minutes before the specified time. There will be a line outside the restaurant, but once the doors open everyone is let in very quickly, and your table is preassigned which means that you do not stand any better chance of a better table than if you were in line half hour before opening.
There are three categories of seating available for the shows, "A", "B" and "S", which all increase in price the closer you are to the stage (with "S" being the closest to the stage). The most expensive category was just short of US$50 per person. Prepayment is required and is non-refundable.
The restaurant is located at the back of Adventureland near the Western River Railroad and Enchanted Tiki Room.
Once you have entered the restaurant and taken your seat dinner is served and the show begins shortly after.
The food is a set menu and is very difficult to change, however, being the awkward westerners that we are, we are vegetarian, which is non-existent in Japan. We had a Japanese friend with us who was able to call over the manager, and after some discussion they said that they could prepare something just for us! We have to say that we were exceptionally impressed with their willingness to accommodate us and the fact that we actually got something fairly decent to eat, despite their restaurant not being equipped for vegetarian diners.
For starter on the regular menu, there is ham, salad, cheese and various mixtures of seafood cocktails. The regular set main item is a pork steak with rice.
For dessert the regular menu was yellow and soft, but honestly, I don't know what it was! It was served with fruit, sauce and a cracker of some sort. It's probably best you see the photo below! Drinks are included, and are refillable.
For our vegetarian selection they prepared us some rice, carrot, broccoli and potatoes, with fresh salad. For dessert we had mixed fruit. The vegetarian option was a bit lacking, but honestly, this is a country where everything has some sort of meat product in it, so by all accounts we were grateful for their efforts! Next time I think we would make sure to have something else in the park beforehand, as the food we received was not substantial enough. Otherwise it tasted good, and it's not their fault we are vegetarians in a country that doesn't know that means!
The show doesn't really have a story, but is more a wonderful showcase of Polynesian style dancing and music, which is beautifully presented. The show features Mickey, Minnie, Chip and Dale who all dance and play along with the performers and musicians. There are several costume changes for the characters and performers, which include some really amazing ones for Mickey and Minnie. The entire show from start to finish is a delight to watch and really adds something enchanting and magical to their Adventureland.
During the show there is an audience participation section. The hula dancers will come to tables and invite the men in your party up onto the stage for what appeared to be a dance off competition! I have to say, without any disrespect to the men who were brave enough to do it, it was an odd sequence, and almost fascinating to see how competitive Japanese men are when presented with a hula dancing competition at a Disney dinner show!
Overall we really enjoyed the show and the food, even if it was a little limiting for us. The cast members were amazing and went out of their way to help us with our needs and our food was very nice.
If you can make a reservation then I'd definitely recommend it, just remember that to do so will require someone who reads or speaks Japanese.
Dan.
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Hello everyone,
On our most recent trip to Tokyo Disney Resort we had the pleasure of dining at the Diamond Horseshoe for the Mickey and Company dinner show. The Diamond Horseshoe is a table service dinner show venue that offers two different shows daily (the other being the Horseshoe Roundup at lunchtime).
Reservations are always required, but sadly can only be made on the Japanese Tokyo Disney Resort website or by calling their reservation line, both of which are in Japanese language only. Fortunately we have some very good Japanese friends who are able to make the reservations for us. If you are able to get someone to make reservations for you, or you can read Japanese (which if you're reading this report is unlikely), then you should ensure that you do it well in advance of the date and time you want. In our experience, reservations for table service and buffet dining at Tokyo Disney Resort sell out virtually instantly, unfortunately.
On the plus side, the respectful and thoughtful nature of the Japanese means that if they cannot make their reservation they usually call to cancel it, which means times can show up at any moment. We have actually gotten several reservations this way in the past, so it's definitely worth checking back everyday before your trip to see if the venue you want has any availability.
On the day of your reservation you will need to go to collect a ticket for the meal at the will call window at the side of the restaurant. This must be done at least half hour before show time, I believe, but it might be more than that. You will not be allowed to enter later on without the ticket. Once you have the reservation ticket you simply come back later at the time specified (printed on the ticket). The Japanese are very particular about details, and so once you have your reservation there is no need to show up any more than about 5 or 10 minutes before the specified time. There will be a line outside the restaurant, but once the doors open everyone is let in very quickly, and your table is preassigned which means that you do not stand any better chance of a better table than if you were in line half hour before opening.
There are three categories of seating available for the shows, "A", "B" and "S", which all increase in price the closer you are to the stage (with "S" being the closest to the stage). The most expensive category was just short of US$50 per person. Prepayment is required and is non-refundable.
The restaurant is located on the left hand side of the entrance area to Westernland (Tokyo's equivalent of Frontierland), and looks very similar to its sister restaurants in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom (both inside and out).
Once you have entered the restaurant and taken your seat, the show will begin very promptly. There is a warm up part which introduces some of the characters (not Mickey and friends, they come later!) and dinner service begins soon after.
The food is a set menu and is very difficult to change, however, being the awkward westerners that we are, we are vegetarian, which is non-existent in Japan. We had a Japanese friend with us who was able to call over the manager, and after some discussion they said that they could prepare something just for us! We have to say that we were exceptionally impressed with their willingness to accommodate us and the fact that we actually got something fairly decent to eat, despite their restaurant not being equipped for vegetarian diners.
The regular set items are potato wedges, sausage, grilled vegetables, pumpkin, chicken, corn on the cob and I think shrimp, but since I didn't eat it I can't remember exactly (the picture below shows the food, but I can't make out what is on the back of the plate).
For dessert the regular menu consisted of a fun cake that looks like Donald Duck's bottom! Drinks are included, and are refillable. Bread is in a basket on the table and can be refilled upon request. There is a bowl of salad on the table also, which is prepared and has salmon and eggs in it.
For our vegetarian selection we had basically the same, except we were given rice, and potatoes shaped like stars! For dessert sadly we only got strawberries, but it's nice that they made the effort to find out that the dessert had gelatine in it. Strawberries aren't even on the menu, so they must have put some effort in to obtain them, which we appreciate.
The show involves Mickey and his friends helping a hapless young romantic gain the affections of Slue Foot Sue. There are some really great scenes, including Mickey playing the drums! It's a great show and has a nice happy feel to it. It's something which I really wish that the other parks would bring back to their Horseshoe venues. It adds a life and vibrance to Westernland that sadly the other Frontierland's lack.
Overall we really enjoyed the show and the food. The cast members were amazing and went out of their way to help us with our needs and our food was very nice.
If you can make a reservation then I'd definitely recommend it, just remember that to do so will require someone who reads or speaks Japanese.
Dan.
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Hello everyone,
Chef Mickey is a buffet service character dining restaurant located at Disney's Ambassador Hotel at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Reservations are always required, but sadly can only be made on the Japanese Tokyo Disney Resort website or by calling their reservation line, both of which are in Japanese language only. Fortunately we have some very good Japanese friends who are able to make the reservations for us.
If you are able to get someone to make reservations for you, or you can read Japanese (which if you're reading this report is unlikely), then you should ensure that you do it well in advance of the date and time you want. In our experience, reservations for table service and buffet dining at Tokyo Disney Resort sell out virtually instantly, unfortunately.
On the plus side, the respectful and thoughtful nature of the Japanese means that if they cannot make their reservation they usually call to cancel it, which means times can show up at any moment. We have actually gotten several reservations this way in the past, so it's definitely worth checking back everyday before your trip to see if the venue you want has any availability.
The Japanese are very particular about details, and so once you have your reservation there is no need to show up any more than a minute before your scheduled time. You won't be allowed in at least until your time, and in our experiences here, you'll nearly always have to wait ten minutes anyway for a table even once you check in.
The restaurant is located on the ground level of the Ambassador Hotel and can be reached by bus from the two theme parks, by walking from Tokyo Disneyland through Ikspiari, or via the bus station and across the street from Tokyo DisneySea.
The restaurant has some elements that I find reminiscent of Cafe Mickey at Disneyland Paris, as well as the Hollywood Hotel (and indeed its own Chef Mickey) at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Once you have checked in and eventually got to your table, you'll be served your drinks, which are refillable, and you can start on the buffet.
The variety of food here is actually pretty good. There's a wide variety to chose from, with the desserts selection being especially generous.
While you dine Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Donald will make their way around the tables, dressed in their cute Chef Mickey outfits.
The restaurant closes at 10pm, but if you have a late reservation and are already inside, the food will not be taken off until 10.30pm and the characters also stay until this time.
The good thing about character dining in Tokyo is that the characters are very efficient at getting around the tables. Even when they go to take their quick break, they are only gone for a moment and return to the table they left and carry on with excellent time keeping. This past trip when we ate here, we had a late reservation and I was thinking that the characters would not get to us before 10.30pm, but the cast members were doing a great job at pacing the greetings and we were one of the last tables before the characters had finished everybody left in the dining room, minutes before their set ended at 10.30pm.
If you are vegetarian, there are a few options, such as vegetables, potatoes, rice etc, but unfortunately nearly every menu item in Japan has some sort meat, seafood or poultry in it. Chef Mickey was no exception to this, and so we asked a manager about what options were available to us, and what we could eat (as the signs aren't always clear, and even something that shouldn't normally contain meat, for some reason does in Japan!).
The restaurant cast were amazing to say the least. We were walked around the buffet by the manager and the chef, and they told us what was in every item, pointing out what we could and could not eat. They were very helpful and friendly, and to cap it all they offered to custom prepare a pasta bowl with vegetables for us, and a vegetable pizza each! We were there pretty late and it was about 25 minutes before closing, yet they still cooked for us a huge bowl of pasta and a vegetarian pizza each! I cannot thank them or commend them enough on their efforts to accommodate us!
One final note; you pay at the end of the meal at the cash register. At time of writing, it costs 4740 Yen per adult. Your server will bring the bill early in the meal usually, but they aren't trying to get rid of you! The servers don't accept payments, and nor should you leave them a tip as this is actually against custom in Japan. Simply take the bill to the desk at the end and pay what is owed.
Overall our experience this time at Chef Mickey was excellent. The food was very good, and we were exceptionally impressed with the service we got when asking about vegetarian options. The characters are always fun and we love their costumes here. If you can make a reservation then I'd definitely recommend it, just remember that to do so will require someone who reads or speaks Japanese.
Dan.
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Hello everyone,
The Crystal Palace is a restaurant at Tokyo Disneyland that for some reason is technically listed as being in Adventureland. However, the only way to access the restaurant is from the front entrance on Central Plaza, just the same way the Crystal Palace is located in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida.
First thing in the morning the restaurant offers character dining with the 100 Acre Wood friends. There are no reservations for the Crystal Palace, and it is only offered on a stand and wait basis. Although it doesn't get immediately full, if you wish to dine here them you should definitely get here right after park open to ensure you actually get in. When we were here this past trip we were in line right after park open at 8am, and it still took us 20 minutes to get seated, and by the time we were eventually at a table, the line I think was closed and guests were being turned away. The restaurant only offers the characters for 90 minutes, and only on days that the park opens before 10am. No character dining is available if the park opens at 10am, as this would conflict with their preparations for lunch (which does not feature characters).
Their setup is interesting, and is not a system which I've seem anywhere else before.
Once you enter the restaurant you will have to pay right away. Once you have paid you enter a line to collect your food - you cannot get a table as this has to be assigned by a cast member.
When you get to the serving area you are personally attended to by a cast member for your group. The odd thing is that there are no options. Everything is a set menu item, and while it's prepared in front of you, everybody gets the same things.
Pancakes, fruit, eggs, sausage, potatoes, orange juice, salad and a hot drink.
We are vegetarian and asked our cast member to tell the person preparing the plates to leave the sausage off, which they did with no problem.
Once the cast member has your tray in hand (yes, they carry it all for you), then they show you to a table. From here you are left to dine in peace (as much as one can have peace at a character meal!). If you want water there are taps with cups in the corners of the dining rooms where you can help yourself.
The seating arrangement is odd though, and I can't seem to fathom why this system is in place. You don't chose your own food, it's a set menu, so why have your entire party stand in a long line with all their bags while the characters bypass empty tables? Surely it'd be easier to seat you, then while they are getting the food for you, you could at least be settling in (taking jackets off etc), and possibly saving time by meeting a character who may be passing by.
Anyway, odd setups aside, the food is pretty good, though the eggs were a little runny (which seems to be the case in Japan in general, to be honest), and the overall service was friendly and efficient. The cast had no problem in accommodating our "no sausage" request, and there was plenty else on the plate so we weren't completely wasting our time or money.
Characters in attendance are always the same. Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger and Rabbit will make their way around to you with the usual Tokyo speed and efficiently. It should be noted though that they seem to rotate through entire dining rooms all at once, and it you just miss the rotation then all five will move to the other room, and you'll have to wait for all of them to finish on that side before they all come back to your side (by which time you'll probably be sitting with an empty plate, but the cast know you're there for characters, so don't panic - it just feels odd!).
The meal costs 1850 Yen per adult, which is about US$19 (making it one of the cheapest character meals we've ever had anywhere!), and this is the only time you will need money as tips are not accepted in Japan. As I mentioned above, you pay upon entering the restaurant and should not leave a tip at your table as this is not Japanese custom - you wouldn't want to offend them.
Overall we had a pleasant experience at the Crystal Palace, and because there are no reservations it is one of the easier character dining experiences to get into at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Dan.
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 | Cafe Mickey at Disneyland Paris, A Review | |
| DisneyDan
Sunday, March 2, 2014 7:27:39 AM |
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This week's dining review is of Disneyland Paris' character dining venue, Cafe Mickey.
Cafe Mickey is situated at the Lake Disney end of Disney Village, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
We used to dine fairly regularly at Cafe Mickey when we were in Disneyland Paris, but since we discovered the wonders of the Inventions Sunday Brunch (click for my detailed review), we stopped going to Cafe Mickey. However, this past trip (February 2014), we decided that we should visit once again and see if anything had changed, improved or even gone down hill. With that, we made reservations for dinner at 9pm, once the park had closed one evening.
We did not have to wait long, and requested to sit upstairs, which they had no problem accommodating.
Having recently decided that we were going to be vegetarian, Jon and I found it a little difficult to chose from their menu, as there was unclear guidance on which dishes were suitable. We used our common sense though when choosing, and asked our server for confirmation of ingredients/vegetarian suitability before we ordered, and we ended up being ok with what we got. Our friends ordered meat dishes, and were equally satisfied with the regular menu for non-vegetarians, and soon we had ordered our staters and mains.
For our starters we were tempted to get one item each, but decided that we would share the garlic bread. When it came up we were very glad we did decide to share, as it was virtually a full sized pizza base with garlic butter on! The other members of our party ordered various different items, of which they had no complaints. I should also mention that you get fresh bread rolls on the table, and a decanter of water. Every item we tried or saw tasted and looked good. We had no complaints.
After our huge starters the main meals came up, and once again, I was pleasantly surprised. The meals were hot and fresh, and of a good size. Again, no member of our party had any problem. I ordered the four cheese pizza, and Jon had a tofu and pasta dish. Admittedly I enjoyed the pizza more, as I am not a tofu person, but it was good nonetheless.
Finally it was time for dessert, which by this point seemed like a real challenge! We each ordered something different, and I have to say they all were completely amazing. I had the tiramisu, and Jon had the Mickey cupcake. Our friends ordered different items, and all of us were happy with our choices.
Of course this would not be a character dining venue without the Disney Characters! During our meal we were greeted at our table by Mickey, Pluto, Goofy, Eeyore and Tigger. I understand that Minnie also makes appearances too, but she did not make around on this evening. I also know from our friends who have dined here more regularly, that the line-up on this evening is now standard, and rarely waivers from the ones we saw (plus Minnie).
I have to say that although the character variety has severely dropped since we used to come often (back in the day we would regularly see the likes of Frollo, Smee, Hook, Robin Hood and more), the character interactions were fantastic, and they did not at all seem tired from already having greeted guests all day in the park! Mickey and his friends sure had some stamina this evening! They all made it around more than once, and they were super friendly and gave lots of hugs. The interactions and experience we had more than made up for the drop in variety, and I am more than happy to have paid what we did to have those kinds of experiences.
We came away from Cafe Mickey positively buzzing, having had excellent food and great character interactions. We now have no problem in dining here again if the Brunch theme is not one we wish to do, or if we find ourselves wanting an extra character meal per trip. I think what helped was going later, after park closing, because a lot of people with younger children would have dined earlier. Going in at 9pm probably allowed us to have more quality time with the characters and food that was prepared with more care. By the time 10pm came around we were virtually the only ones still there, and we had the characters more or less to ourselves! I of course cannot guarantee that fact for everyone's visits, but I imagine that had we been downstairs in the main part right at 6pm when everyone wanted to dine, service would have been longer and the characters would have been more pressed for time. If you're a party of adults like we were, and you don't mind dining a bit later, I would highly recommend doing it the way we did.
Cafe Mickey does also offer lunch, and is the same menu as dinner. Breakfast is also served in two sittings, but is only available to Disney Hotel guests and Disneyland Paris partner hotel guests. Breakfast is advertised as being "American style" and consists of the standard DLP Hotel offerings such as croissants, plus hot food such as eggs, sausages, bacon and potatoes. It should also be noted that during breakfast you are likely to also get Chip and Dale greeting you. For some reason they only show up at breakfast at Cafe Mickey these days, and not at dinner.
Prices for lunch dinner can vary depending on what you order, but are upwards of around €20 per person for lunch and dinner main dishes. The drinks available for purchase are varied, and include wine, fruit juices and soft drinks. Birthday cakes can be arranged, and come at a significant extra cost (at least €25 for a cake that serves up to 8 people).
Breakfast is one set price for on site Disney Hotels guests, which I believe is around €14. The Davy Crockett Ranch and partner hotel guests pay a little more that that. You would have to check with Disney for confirmation.
Reservations are highly recommended at Cafe Mickey as it can be very popular. You can make reservations with any Disney Hotel concierge, any guest relations location at the theme parks, directly at the restaurant itself, or 60 days in advance over the telephone by calling +33 1 60 30 40 50. There is a stand and wait line, and in the past we haven't had a problem getting a table without a reservation by waiting, but just be aware you might have to wait a long time.
Annual Passholders get a maximum of 10% discount (as it's table service), and Shareholder Club members get 15% with a valid Club Card and ID.
You can leave your comments by clicking here, where you will be magically transported to our forum.
Dan. |
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Hello everyone,
Today's dining review is of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show with Mickey and Friends, at Disneyland Paris' Disney Village.
We have experienced Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show (BBWWS) several times over the past few years, most recently in October 2013 with family members who were visiting Disneyland Paris for the first time.
BBWWS is located in the same building complex as the Gaumont Cinemas and IMAX, which is at the "front end" of Disney Village (nearest the parks and Marne La Vallee Chessy train station).
To begin your experience you have to wait in the lobby area; there are double doors which people usually start forming a line in front of about forty five minutes before showtime, though Disney suggests arriving an hour in advance. There is some vague theming and the menus are displayed. Once it is time for you to enter, the doors will open and you will proceed down the line to the check in area. You'll be assigned a coloured zone and given a straw hat with the appropriate coloured band on it to wear during the show and keep afterwards.
Once checked in and with your groovy new hat on your head, you'll find yourself in the Colonel Cody's Saloon. There is a bar selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, a stage (which I'll explain in a moment) and a character greeting area. You'll often find Mickey Mouse meeting his fans wearing his special BBWWS costume if you arrive early enough, or sometimes another character, but nearly always Mickey. There is also a store selling Western Disney themed merchandise.
The stage in the bar area comes alive shortly before the main show with a band and lasso demonstrations performed by a talented stuntman. Near the end of the show Goofy joins them on stage for a few minutes, before it's announced the main show is about to begin.
Once you're allowed into the main arena you'll have to follow the coloured signs to your appropriate section. You'll have to go up some stairs on the bar side, and down stairs into the arena on the other side. If you have a disability when you check in they'll assign you the green section, and once in the bar you can ask a cast member to use the elevator to the arena, where you'll be seated at the top of the green section.
The main show is quite lengthy and features Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chip, Dale, alongside historical figures William Cody (Buffalo Bill), Chief Sitting Bull, Auguste Durand-Ruel and Annie Oakley. There are several different acts, featuring stunts which include live animals (buffaloes and horses), so if you have allergies or asthma you should be aware that the dirt and sand can be spread throughout the arena. You'll get to see stunts such as lassoing, rough riding, gun slinging, races, buffalo herding and competitive cowboy games between the performers and characters.
During the show you'll be presented with all your food and drink directly at your bench. You'll get a chilli starter, cornbread, a main consisting of potatoes, sausage, chicken and ribs and a dessert which is usually ice cream and crumble. The food is actually pretty good (the pictures don't do it justice really), but it is hard to eat in the dark while trying to watch such a lively performance! Some may find picking at the chicken on the bone a pain while watching the show. There are vegetarian and pork free options available, too.
The show lasts for about an hour and a half, and while enjoyable I do feel that it needs some updating. About three years ago they added the Disney characters, after having the same show for nearly 20 years, but even now I feel that the show needs some reworking. Some scenes last too long, and it can feel a little drawn out. Having said that, it is fun, and I do recommend it for first timers.
During seasonal times of the year, such as Halloween and Christmas, the show usually receives an overlay meaning you'll get to see a slightly altered, festive version.
The show runs up to twice nightly during peak times (6.30pm and 9.30pm), but off peak it often only operates a few nights per week, or even only one performance per night. Reservations are encouraged, though the show is rarely sold out. Typically, shows are daily, except Wednesdays and Thursdays, but this can change with season and demand.
There are two tiers of seating; first category and second category. Prices for 2nd category seating start from 59,90€ for adults and 46,90€ for children. Prices for 1st category seating start from 74,90€ for adults and 61,90€ for children. Disneyland Paris quite often have special offers for the show, with tickets occasionally even as low as 20€ per person, so be sure to keep an eye out for those.
Annual Passholders receive up to a maximum of 20% discount, depending on the pass they hold. Shareholder Club members also receive up to a maximum of 20% discount on presentation of a valid Shareholder Club card and ID.
Reservations can be made 60 days in advance by calling the Disney Dining line on +33 1 60 30 40 50, by visiting the BBWWS box office at its Disney Village entrance, through any Disney Hotel concierge, or by stopping into guest relations at either theme park.
You can leave your comments by clicking here, where you will be magically transported to our forum.
Dan. |
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Hello everyone,
Today's dining review is of the Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch, at Disney's Polynesian Resort in Walt Disney World.
Located on the main level of the Great Ceremonial House, inside the 'Ohana restaurant, the breakfast is simply superb, and one of our absolute favourites at WDW.
The Polynesian Resort can be reached from the Magic Kingdom and TTC by monorail, and from all other resort areas by bus.
The food is served what they call "family style", whereby the food is brought out on great platters for your entire party, and you can just pick what you want. It's like having a buffet, but the food options are all brought to you! Items include potatoes, sausages, bacon, Mickey waffles, fruit and tasty breads, including a pineapple bread. If there is anything else that you want or need, you can just ask. For those with food allergies, as with all WDW restaurants, just tell your server and they will do their best to accomodate your needs. For example, Jon has an allergy to melon, and of course being the Polynesian Resort, the fruit on the breakfast inevitably includes melon. We asked for additional other fruits and our server was more than happy to provide us with copious amounts of pineapple instead!
We have always had excellent service here, and the restaurant is very well themed. The views towards the pool and Seven Seas Lagoon are so pretty, and from certain areas of the restaurant you can even see the spires of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom!
Of course, it is a character dining experience, and you can normally expect to find Lilo, Stitch, Mickey and Pluto. Mickey wears a special costume, while Pluto gets a Hawaiian lei over his collar.
In the past Chip, Dale and Goofy used to be in attendance, but I haven't seen them there in a long time.
During the meal children will be invited to parade around the dining room with the Disney characters, making for cute photo opportunities.
Overall I would highly recommend breakfast at 'Ohana to anyone. The setting is perfect, the food and service are excellent, and the character interactions are always fun.
Prices start from $22 per person for adults, and $12 for children aged 3 through 9 inclusive. All prices are plus tax, and plus gratuity.
Standard drinks are included. Beware that prices at Walt Disney World table service locations can vary from season to season, and may be considerably higher during peak times.
Annual Passholders are not entitled to discounts at most Walt Disney World dining locations, including 'Ohana. Tables in Wonderland members may receive up to 20%, but again this may vary depending on the time of year.
Reservations are recommended, and can be made at any guest service location at the four theme parks, any Disney Hotel concierge, on the official Walt Disney World Resort website, or by calling the Disney Dining line up to a massive 180 days in advance on (407) 939-1947.
You can leave your comments by clicking here, where you will be magically transported to our forum.
Dan. |
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