Where to eat dinner on MGM day?

[mudpuppysmom]

On our arrival day we always go to MGM, since for our family it is a "half day" park. That said, I had ADR's for H&V for dinner, then I read a bunch of reviews and changed my mind and figured we'd find something else along the way.

Now, we do not have to eat in the park, in fact I'd rather not. We can go anywhere!! On site or offsite. We're not real picky (although DS does sometimes decide to assert his being 5 and picky). I thought about maybe riding the boat over to the Boardwalk area and grabbing something there -- any recommendations?

As far as offsite, we do usually go to Macaroni Grill one evening with family from Daytona and also Sweet Tomatoes for lunch the day we get in, so we can travel around. I thought even maybe going to Dixie Crossroads, but not sure how seafood will sit with the being pregnant aspect and seems what I can keep down is potatoes and strawberries.......I am having trouble mostly with protein.

Anyway, sorry for the TMI, but suggestions are greatly apprectiated and also with your recommendations, do you think we'll need an ADR.

Other places we will be eating thru the week are: Cali Grill, Biergarten (L), The Plaza (D) and Crystal Palace (B).

[Darbylew]

We really like Mama Melrose's. They have great
Italian food plus chicken, seafood and steak.
There brick oven pizza as well. I advise a
reservation as the wait can be long at times.
Have a fun time! :thumbsup:

[May524]

Our favorite place in MGM is 50s Prime Time Cafe. We love the atmosphere and the food. It's great theming and a LOT of fun!
We also have enjoyed Sci-Fi, the food isn't that great (mostly burgers and such) but the kids loved it (I remember it most as a child visiting disney). The theming there is great also and again...a lot of fun!
We have also dined at HW&V, and found it pretty norm between the buffets.
What about trying O'Hana or Boma? Those are other great choices.

[SBETigg]

Spoodles at the Boardwalk sounds like the ideal choice for you.

[Hull-onian]

If you are spending a short time at MGM, go over to the Boardwalk, and make a ressie for Cape May buffet. It is very close by, but gives you a good change of atmosphere.:thumbsup:

[disneydeb]

In park, I like Mama Melroses or 50's Prime Time. Eating in the park would save some time.

[princessimagineer]

50s - good food & fun atmosphere :thumbsup:
Sci Fi - fun atmosphere... food so-so...

planning on making a quick trip to the boarwalk could be a good idea. also in that neck of the woods is the y&b club and epcot to choose from.

[GoofyScooter]

The 50s PrimeTime Cafe and Mama Melrose's are good at MGM.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

We're fans of 50's Prime Time!

The food is good, and the interaction (for us) has been great. DD still talks about Cousin Tom jumping through the "window" while we there.

[jszczur5]

On our arrival day we always go to MGM, since for our family it is a "half day" park. That said, I had ADR's for H&V for dinner, then I read a bunch of reviews and changed my mind and figured we'd find something else along the way.


Our family had 3 TS meals at MGM last summer: Sci-Fi, 50's Prime Time Diner and H&V. Of the 3, the food was best at H&V. I was pleasantly surprised, as I am not usually a fan of buffets. We only went because it was part of the Fantasmic package, and my sons didn't like anything on the on-line menu for Mama Melrose's.
There was one particular cold salad with oranges in it which was outstanding, and a hot pasta dish which was also wonderful. There was plenty for the kids to enjoy, and of course, they loved the self-serve ice cream station.
While it certainly doesn't have the atmosphere of the other two eateries, the food is at least as good as the 50's P.T. Diner next door, and a million times better than Sci-Fi which proved to be the worst meal of the entire trip!

[mrsHerbie53]

I have to say we LOVED H&V in October. All the food was very good. It is a buffet and onsite, which can save you time on both counts.

Suit yourself...I wasn't sure when I read those reviews either, but tried it. We were very happy with that meal (dinner).

Good luck deciding...

[DrWorm2008]

The Brown Derby at Disney/MGM Studios is decent. :thumbsup:The chopped Blue Cheese Salad is awesome! It's a bit pricey, but the food is pretty darn good. It gets crowded, especially around Fantasmic time, so calling ahead is a good idea. :mickey:

[dteed]

The only place we have yet to do in MGM is The Brown Derby. We always seem to eat at resorts or Boardwalk & DTD. I would go to the Boardwalk and do Flying Fish or Spoodles.

[bobpfef]

I'd recommend Spoodles. We ate that 50s Prime last trip and it was incredibly disappointing. Bad food and the wait staff weren't into the roles at all. The one place everyone in the family votes to never return to, which it too bad because we were all really looking forward to it. It was really really bad.

[katzctkpt]

I don't care for much at MGM.....ABC Commissary is OK......we do love the turkey legs you get at a counter service right beside TOT....I think it's called something like Toluca Leg Turkey Co.

[Natazu]

Your MGM day is a great opportunity to have CS at the exceptional Starring Rolls or Backlot Express.

Going to Boardwalk is also a great idea. Flying Fish is one of the best places in Central Florida. (no swordfish for you though).

[Cinderelley]

Your MGM day is a great opportunity to have CS at the exceptional Starring Rolls or Backlot Express.

Going to Boardwalk is also a great idea. Flying Fish is one of the best places in Central Florida. (no swordfish for you though).


:ditto:

[Jared]

Spoodles at the Boardwalk sounds like the ideal choice for you.
I agree with this suggestion. I don't particularly like the restaurants in the Disney's Hollywood Studios and recommend leaving the park for dinner. The BoardWalk offers a wonderful atmosphere, and Spoodles is generally a good place to enjoy a good dinner.

[mudpuppysmom]

Thanks for all the suggestions......DH and I enjoy the Boardwalk very much and that is more than likely where we will end up! I did look at the menu for Spoodles and it looks like something I can live with (I looked at Flying Fish too). At any rate, we can walk over if I can make it or boat over too, but can we leave our car at MGM and then come back or should we drive over to the BW area and can we leave our car in their lot while we walk around and grab something to eat?

[laprana]

Spoodles is a great choice! We've eaten there twice and it has been wonderful both times. I highly recommend the steak kabobs and the chocolate apricot pistachio cake for dessert! Yummmm!!! :eat:

It might be a good idea to drive over to the Boardwalk and park there while you eat instead of leaving your car at MGM, if you're day at the park is done when you leave for your meal. That might be a lot of walking (espectially when you're pregnant!) if you walked to the Boardwalk and then back to MGM to get your car...But, if you're planning to go back and spend some more time in the park, leaving your car at MGM makes the most sense.

Have a great trip!!:mickey:

[Kidsmom]

In august when we went, MGM was our first stop and 1/2 day (after early morning flight from NY).

Mama Melrose was perfect for us and 4 kids. We were all pretty tired and it was at the park and we loved the food. We actually made it a must for our next trip in April. Also, we had a booth and one our children was able to lay down with his head on my lap and fell asleep and stayed asleep for the rest of the night.

To get tired kids to do one more stop after the park can lead to a bit if whining or crying, especially on that first day when they are wiped out.

I am sure you will have a great meal where ever you go. Just remember you will be tired too being pregnant and the more time spent traveling around (leaving the park, getting the car, driving, finding parking) with hungry kids....more chance of melt down with empty stomachs.

Just my two cents.

[tennantsrwe]

My vote would be for Whispering Canyon Cafe @ FWLodge. We ate there in December and loved it. The food was great...everything from appetizer to dessert and the atmosphere was fun. We had our DD 10 & 2 and our nephew, also 2, with us and they all really seemed to like it. We had a great waitress, named Prarie Grass Skirt, lol. She interacted with the kids, as did a great deal of the staff. That will be our first ADR for our 01/09 trip!

[Tez]

50's Prime Time is a blast. It has comfort food and nothing better than that sometimes. The CM are a lot of fun so play along with them!

Spoodles is great at Boardwalk and Cape May Cafe is has a great breakfast buffet.

[Vinny]

I have to say we LOVED H&V in October. All the food was very good. It is a buffet and onsite, which can save you time on both counts.

Suit yourself...I wasn't sure when I read those reviews either, but tried it. We were very happy with that meal (dinner).

Good luck deciding...

I totally agree with you on H&V. We were also there in October and I too was skeptical after reading some of the reviews on here. However, we were pleasantly surprised by both the quantity and quality of the offerings at the buffet, especially the carving station and desert bar.

Some of my other favorites around WDW are Hollywood Brown Derby, Ohana, Le Cellier and the Columbia Harbor House.

Have fun deciding!!

[DizneyFreak2002]

50's Prime Time Cafe is my choice for Hollywood Studios.... This is one of the few places I must eat at during my trips....

[Donald A]

I totally agree with you on H&V. We were also there in October and I too was skeptical after reading some of the reviews on here. However, we were pleasantly surprised by both the quantity and quality of the offerings at the buffet, especially the carving station and desert bar.

Some of my other favorites around WDW are Hollywood Brown Derby, Ohana, Le Cellier and the Columbia Harbor House.

Have fun deciding!!

I ate at Hollywood and Vine last Wednesday. I thought it was pretty good while others in our group of 8 did not like it. We had ate a buffet at Cape May a few nights earlier and I thought H&V was better. Of course, I am not a patient person and Cape May was packed while H&V was not that busy :cool: