Help with Dining choices

[michellerose1579]

We are going to Disney in late September and I have been trying to get a head start on some things. We are on the regular dining plan. Can I have feedback on these places, as we "think" we may like them...thanks :mickey:

Ohana (dinner)
Whispering Canyon (dinner)
Mama Melrose (dinner)
Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch)
Chef Mickey (breakfast)
Crystal Palace (breakfast)
Planet Hollywood (dinner)
Coral Reef (dinner)
Sunshine Seasons (lunch)
Teppan Edo (dinner)

[Disneyfirsttimer]

My feedback:

Ohana (dinner) - we really like the one. Ate there our first trip and are going again this trip. My kids love the entertainment, the food is decent and we love visiting the Poly.

Whispering Canyon (dinner) - never been

Mama Melrose (dinner) - trying for our first time with trip. Were suppose to eat there our last trip, but arrived late and missed our reservation (:

Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch) - never been

Chef Mickey (breakfast) - ate there our last trip. At little crazy, but really good character interaction plus you get a lot of characters for your money. Celebrating my niece's 9th birthday there this trip. A lot of fun and the food is decent.

Crystal Palace (breakfast) - only ate here for dinner, but character interaction is good.

Planet Hollywood (dinner) - never been

Coral Reef (dinner) - never been

Sunshine Seasons (lunch) - we like this CS at Epcot because it offers a lot of choices. Very good.

Teppan Edo (dinner) - trying for first time this upcoming trip. Love hibatchi food and looking forward to trying this one.

Have a great trip!

[faline]

Ohana (dinner) - haven't eaten here in quite some time but have enjoyed it when we have eaten here.
Whispering Canyon (dinner) - ate here last summer. Food was good. We were by the fireplace so out of the "mainstream" but did enjoy our location.
Mama Melrose (dinner) - mixed bag. Have had good meals here and some mediocre meals here. Service has always been good.
Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch) - have not yet done this one.
Chef Mickey (breakfast) - just did this for the first time a couple of months ago. Good character interaction and good food.
Crystal Palace (breakfast) - love this location. Just dined here again a couple of months ago. Fun character interaction. Very good food.
Planet Hollywood (dinner) - haven't dined here in years. It's okay.
Coral Reef (dinner) - have had a couple of dinners here in the last couple of years. Food is generally good as is service though the folks at the front desk always seem rather snooty. It's fun to watch the fish in the tank.
Sunshine Seasons (lunch) - wide variety of options. Decent food.
Teppan Edo (dinner) - have not eaten here since before the do-over and the name change to Teppan Edo. Our past experience has always been positive here.

[michellerose1579]

Thanks for the responses! Any suggestions of places I havent mentioned that were outstanding? We don't want to do any signature places, as we dont want to use two credits. I think we will be paying out of pocket for either the Chef Mickey breakfast or the Crystal Palace Breakfast (to be able to have at least one sit down dinner per night) and I know the tea at the GF is not included in the dining plan, so that will have to be out of pocket too.

[SBETigg]

Commenting on a few:

Ohana (dinner) Something for everyone. Family fun and wonderful atmosphere, great family style service (set menu), all delicious.

Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch) A unique experience, great for princesses and tea party lovers. An alternative: Grand Floridian Cafe (good food, more satisfying meal, similar atmosphere, more pleasing to most men, on dining plan-- also a great choice for dinner).

Sunshine Seasons (lunch) This is a quick service location with lots to choose from- if you're looking for table service choices, maybe something in World Showcase.

Teppan Edo (dinner) A fun time for all, with food that I enjoy and I hope you do, too.

I think you will enjoy all of your other choices, too. Looks like a good line-up.

[Ms. Mode]

Thanks for the responses! Any suggestions of places I havent mentioned that were outstanding? We don't want to do any signature places, as we dont want to use two credits. I think we will be paying out of pocket for either the Chef Mickey breakfast or the Crystal Palace Breakfast (to be able to have at least one sit down dinner per night) and I know the tea at the GF is not included in the dining plan, so that will have to be out of pocket too.

Le Cellier is a wonderful TS dinner, and Sci Fi has a great theme. :mickey:

[Rhetoric2000]

Ohana (dinner) - A good choice, although there have been a few on here who have had bad experiences recently there still seem to be plenty who say it's as good as it's always been.

Whispering Canyon (dinner) - Wonderful place. Well worth it. MAY be better for lunch, but you're onto a good thing.

Mama Melrose (dinner) - I can't really recommend this. MGM isn't great for table service food if you're not forking out for the Brown Derby. Sci-Fi has a better atmosphere but to be honest you're better off going to a restaurant at the local resorts - I would recommend the Captain's Grill at the Yaght Club or perhaps the Big River Grill at the Boardwalk.

Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch) - Wonderful choice.

Chef Mickey (breakfast) - Not done it. Well, not for nearly two decades when it was at Downtown anyway.

Crystal Palace (breakfast) - A bit of a rite of passage! Still, I would perhaps only do one of this and Chef Mickeys - no real need to do both.

Planet Hollywood (dinner) - No. No. No. No. It's a rundown mess to be honest and not even a good Planet Hollywood. T-Rex is a MUCH better themed restaurant, and in that area you also have Raglan Road. Heck, save the credits, eat at the Earl of Sandwich and use the credits for an extra breakfast before you eat here. (apologies to anyone who likes this PH)

Coral Reef (dinner) - OK, but I'd recommend the World Showcase restaurants higher. Have you thought perhaps about the Rose and Crown, Le Cellier or Biergarten?

Sunshine Seasons (lunch) - as SETigg has already said, this is a CS rather than a full service. It's a great place to pick up lunch.

Teppan Edo (dinner) - Good fun if you haven't had this style before.

As for others - you haven't mentioned anywhere at AK, I would HIGHLY recommend Tusker House for lunch.

Perhaps if you go to Chef Mickey's but not Crystal Palace, you could save a credit for a lunch at the Plaza, which is a lovely place to go.

[BigThunderFan]

We love breakfast at Chef Mickeys, food is great and characters are awesome. Not a quiet place so don't go if you are looking for that! But you also have Whispering Canyon on there so I doubt quiet is on your list!

We also liked LeCellier as others have mentioned, as well as Kona Cafe. I liked Boma, but some people may not, like my DW...:secret:

[tmosier]

Ohana (dinner)-- my party of five wouldn't eat here again. We found the atmosphere horribly annoying and thought the food wasn't that special.

Whispering Canyon (dinner)-- loud but fun. Would eat here again but it wouldn't be a priority.

Mama Melrose (dinner)-- really liked this place. The chicken parm was good.

Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch)-- We LOVE doing this!

Chef Mickey (breakfast)-- a good way to begin your time at Disney, but boy is it loud.

Crystal Palace (breakfast)-- better food than Chef Mickey's. It's nice to make ADRs here before the park opens, plus, you can't beat seeing Pooh.

Planet Hollywood (dinner)-- haven't eaten here

Coral Reef (dinner)-- haven't eaten here

Sunshine Seasons (lunch)-- wonderful place to eat

Teppan Edo (dinner)-- good if you like this sort of thing..... the continuous bowing made me uncomfortable


We also really like Le Cellier! And Kona Cafe for breakfast.

[tmosier]

We also really like Liberty Tree Tavern.

[FriendsofMickey]

Whispering Canyon (dinner) - we like this a lot, not a must do, but we do enjoy it. Food is good, a lot of fun for little ones.

Mama Melrose (dinner) - did this years ago ('96), food was good, but haven't been back - have it scheduled for our next trip.

Chef Mickey (breakfast) - never been here for breakfast, but dinner food is good, characters are good. We visit each trip. On my girls top two list.

Crystal Palace (breakfast) - again never for breakfast, but we love dinner and characters. We visit each trip.

Coral Reef (dinner) - we like this dinner quite a lot (much better than LeCellier on our list). My MIL was with us last trip and it was her favorite.

[FriendsofMickey]

Thanks for the responses! Any suggestions of places I havent mentioned that were outstanding? We don't want to do any signature places, as we dont want to use two credits. I think we will be paying out of pocket for either the Chef Mickey breakfast or the Crystal Palace Breakfast (to be able to have at least one sit down dinner per night) and I know the tea at the GF is not included in the dining plan, so that will have to be out of pocket too.

Not sure if you have kids, but both my girls (each 7), absolutely love Chef Mickey's and 1900 Park Fare for dinner.

1900 has a fantastic Strawberry soup!

[Jennifer_and_Chris]

Ohana (dinner) - Excellent... love it. I have a trip report on our last Ohana experience in October. If you go here, you should make some time to explore the resort.
Whispering Canyon (dinner) - Ate here in 2007. Food was just ok. And while we thought we'd enjoy and get a kick out of the "antics" here, after a day at the parks, we found we didn't appreciate the "playful" rudeness. Probably won't go back.
Mama Melrose (dinner) - never been
Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch) - never been but, would like to one day
Chef Mickey (breakfast) - Good food. Good energy. Our "home" character breakfast is Ohana's so, when we ate at hef Mickeys, we kept comparing everything to Ohanas. But, as we reflect, they are really 2 different experiences as one is a buffet and one is family style.
Crystal Palace (breakfast) - never been but, would like to one day
Planet Hollywood (dinner) - never been to this one but, wasn't impressed with the one by us so, not interested.
Coral Reef (dinner) - First time was cool because we got a table against the tank. 2nd time was not so cool because our table was far from the tank and the food that time was just ok. Probably won't go back for awhile. Just too many other places to try.
Sunshine Seasons (lunch) - YES, YES, YES... great fresh food. a great spot to use CS credit and feel like you got a TS meal.
Teppan Edo (dinner) - Had fun here on our honeymoon in 2000. I'm sure things have changed. It really is Benihana at Disney but, my kids LOVE Benihana and since my DD has an egg allergy, this place makes me feel safe as I can see what is going into her food. We will probably be eating here our next trip.

Overall, great choices. Isn't this part of the planning one of the best parts? :thumbsup:

[poeticeclipse]

Ohana (dinner) - Love it! It's a must-do for my family. Tons of yummy food and great service. Plus, can you GET any prettier of a setting? Chef TJ was an absolute delight on our last trip. He made me something special... vegetarian friendly.

Whispering Canyon (dinner) - Never Been

Mama Melrose (dinner) - The first time I went to Mama Melrose back in 2007 I liked it. I've been another time and I didn't care for it at all. And... i've never said that about another WDW restaurant before.

Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch) - Never Been

Chef Mickey (breakfast) - Never Been

Crystal Palace (breakfast) - I've done breakfast once and dinner once. Both are quite loud and busy. The food is decent but I like the pace and characters better at 1900 Park Fare breakfast.

Planet Hollywood (dinner) - Never Been

Coral Reef (dinner) - I've been here a good handful of times and continue to be impressed. I know some people have had bad experiences here but I personally haven't. Make sure you get The Chocolate Wave for dessert! YUMMO!

Sunshine Seasons (lunch) - Best counter service in Epcot. Tons of selections. You get your counter service credit worth for sure!

Teppan Edo (dinner) - I've been here once in 2008 and I LOVED it. The food is always a hit. What can be a miss is if you're seated with another family and that family isn't very lively. That's what happened to us. Definitely be brave and do this one!

[Jennifer_and_Chris]

Thanks for the responses! Any suggestions of places I havent mentioned that were outstanding?

We like 1900 park fare, Boma's, Trail's End Buffet (great OOP option) and Sci-Fi for theming!

[jenperich]

Ohana (dinner) - never been, but want to go!

Whispering Canyon (dinner) - haven't been for dinner, but breakfast was wonderful! Great atmosphere, and fun, fun, fun!!!

Mama Melrose (dinner) - never been

Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch) - never been

Chef Mickey (breakfast) - haven't been in years

Crystal Palace (breakfast) - GREAT atmosphere! Great character interaction. Good food. We loved it there, and would love to go back.

Planet Hollywood (dinner) - decent, but may I suggest somewhere else in DTD...Raglan Road perhaps?

Coral Reef (dinner) - never been

Sunshine Seasons (lunch) - good variety...good food

Teppan Edo (dinner) - never been

Have a great time!

[Tygger7]

I'll add to what a previous poster said...do NOT waste your money or TS credits on Planet Hollywood. There are much better options out there. If you want something at Downtown Disney, I'd recommend Raglan Road.

[LandFan]

Ohana (dinner) Good but not our favorite - we like Kona better

Whispering Canyon (dinner) Never been - but lunch was ok.

Mama Melrose (dinner) Good but nothing spectaular. Probably the best you can find in DHS for 1 TS.

Tea at the Grand Floridian (lunch) We really like tea! It doesn't start until 2pm though so it is a late lunch. oh, and last time I looked it wasn't on the dining plan...

Chef Mickey (breakfast) Never been for breakfast but dinner was fun. Pretty good food but a bit noisy/loud. Good character interaction.

Crystal Palace (breakfast) Never been

Planet Hollywood (dinner) Wouldn't waste $$ on it. Raglan Road is better and it is on the dining plan.

Coral Reef (dinner) We love it! Their blackened catfish is awesome as is the macadamia crusted Mahi Mahi (I think that was the one).

Sunshine Seasons (lunch) GREAT selection of items. Even with all of the stuff in EPCOT, we end up eating here at least once because we love it!

Teppan Edo (dinner) We like it a lot. yes it is like a benihana but it is still dinner with entertainment, good food and ambiance which is what you want at disney.

We would also recommend BOMA, Le Cellier, JIKO (2TS but great!). Trail's end is really good for OOP as another poster stated. It's also a nice little boat ride away from the park - great for a lunch getaway/break!.

[Jillirose]

You did not mention LeCellier (our favorite, hands down) or Coral Reef, our top two faves. We all love SciFi too for lunch. These are the first three I book each year!

[forever a child]

Planet Hollywood (dinner) - No. No. No. No. It's a rundown mess to be honest and not even a good Planet Hollywood. T-Rex is a MUCH better themed restaurant, and in that area you also have Raglan Road. Heck, save the credits, eat at the Earl of Sandwich and use the credits for an extra breakfast before you eat here. (apologies to anyone who likes this PH)


We ate here for the first and only time in 2006. We were in Florida for spring break and had 2 day passes to Seaworld. We didnt get to visit the World but we went to DTD and at at PH. I dont have any other ones to compare it too but I though our meal was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised. I really thought it was going to be overpriced average food like Coral Reef and Rainforest Cafe. But DD had a BBQ chicken dinner and I had a pasta Dish and both were large portions and very good. I loved seeing the Beverly Hillbilly's Truck, Dorothy's Dress from the Wizard of Oz and all of the other wonderful movie icon items. It was loud (a negative for me) and it was busy but we had special passes to get us in rather quickly. I don't think we waited more than 10 or 15 minutes and there were long lines. I think it was a bit expensive but I was expecting that. Overall I was happy with our visit and would have definitely considered going again.

I thought I heard that is was closing though? Is that correct and if so, when is the closing date?