Tell me all about...

[darthmacho]

It's hard to believe, but we're booked to visit WDW THIS YEAR! While it's almost two months until our 180+10, I've been thinking about our ADRs since we got home from our last trip, so here are a few questions I'd appreciate answered. Thanks in advance for any help!

1. Tell me all about Liberty Tree Tavern. Tell me anything you can, including if there are characters!

2. Tell me all about Garden Grill. We haven't been there since 1999. What's going on there now?

3. If I choose Artist Point or Jiko, how dressed do I need to be, particularly footwear?

4. How does the Fantasmic Dinner Package work with DDP?

5. What time should I book La Hacienda if I want to be there during fireworks? Also, is that even worth it?

6. Tell me about Tusker House, particularly the breakfast...

7. Seriously, I can't decide. Boma, Jiko, or Sanaa? Been to Boma, and can't wait to go again, but would love to try the other two, and could probably spare the points for Jiko. Opinions?

I think that covers it! If I think of anything else, I'll post again!

[Strmchsr]

I can answer two of your questions. First, Boma is great, but if you've been there I would definitely vote for Sanaa. Ate there last month with the Dine with an Animal Specialist and it was a great experience. Wonderful food.

And with Fantasmic the meal package you get a "sampler" with appetizer, meal and dessert. Then they give you a certificate for the Fantasmic showing that evening.

[lighteningqueen]

Liberty yucky dried out no service never again there are no characters anymore
San Angel Inn ....the worst just ask most

Tusker is the BEST breakfast in all the parks

BOMA did that 3 times and each time it was worse than the last..

So not to helpfull on the rest I cannot see paying big bucks on Jiko when nits like Boma but if you like bland weird food then its a must.
Like i said we gave it 3 times and its just weird and always had cold food when its supposed to be warm and the wait staff was horrible all 3 times never a refill and we were really friendly to them.

[darthmacho]

And with Fantasmic the meal package you get a "sampler" with appetizer, meal and dessert. Then they give you a certificate for the Fantasmic showing that evening.

Thanks for the info. Does the DDP cost of the package correlate to the restaurant, i.e. Hollywood and Vine 1DDP, Brown Derby 2DDP?

[Strmchsr]

Thanks for the info. Does the DDP cost of the package correlate to the restaurant, i.e. Hollywood and Vine 1DDP, Brown Derby 2DDP?

Yes, that's correct.

I should also note that if you go about 7:30 to the outdoor CS place at Mexico you can get a great seat for the fireworks. We enjoy eating there. Haven't done the TS since they revamped it so I can't speak to the quality.

[SBETigg]

Thanks for the info. Does the DDP cost of the package correlate to the restaurant, i.e. Hollywood and Vine 1DDP, Brown Derby 2DDP?

Yes, at least, so it used to be and I assume still is.

Of your other questions, I can answer:

3. If I choose Artist Point or Jiko, how dressed do I need to be, particularly footwear?

Dress code is pretty relaxed. You can even wear T-shirts and jeans, as long as nothing is ripped, torn, or somehow unsavory (like sporting bad language or questionable motifs). No bathing suits, no flip flops. People do tend to get a little dressed up, so you might feel out of place in very casual park attire, but dressy casual or even dressier park attire would be fine. Polo shirts, dress shorts, sneakers, all acceptable.


5. What time should I book La Hacienda if I want to be there during fireworks? Also, is that even worth it?

I would say between around 7:20-7:40, and I haven't been but have heard good things from the staff at Cava del Tequila (who might be biased).

7. Seriously, I can't decide. Boma, Jiko, or Sanaa? Been to Boma, and can't wait to go again, but would love to try the other two, and could probably spare the points for Jiko. Opinions?

Jiko is not my favorite of the Signature meals, but a lot of people love it. It's good, I just prefer to go to California Grill or Citricos, Narcoossee's, Flying Fish over Jiko. I also prefer Boma and Sanaa to Jiko. Of the three, I would say that Sanaa is our new can't miss. We like Boma but we really love Sanaa.

Congratulations on going back!

[LVT]

La Hacienda:

We did 730 dinner and enjoyed it. The dinner reviews are somewhat varied. We will return.
I liked the fireworks from inside. The windows framed them well. We have seen them often, so that now I try for comfortable viewing rather than fighting for any viewing space.
We did get a bonus set of fireworks, We could see some of the fireworks from Magic kingdom
as well ( after illuminations ended.)

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I think I can help with a couple of these:

1. Tell me all about Liberty Tree Tavern
LTT for dinner is still all-you-can-eat, family-style Thanksgiving dinner. Lunch is a la carte, and is very yummy. There used to be characters, but they don't appear anymore.

2. Tell me all about Garden Grill
Garden Grill is one of our favourites. It is still served family style, all you can eat salad, bread, turkey, stuffing, flank steak, fish of the day. We consistantly have some of the best character interaction here. You'll meet Mickey, Pluto and Chip & Dale.

6. Tell me about Tusker House, particularly the breakfast...
Breakfast is great at Tusker House. There are all of the traditional favourites, plus a smattering of different and unique food. DH loves the african-insipired dishes and I love the chocolate crossiants. All-in-all, probably the best character breakfast at Disney.

Enjoy your upcoming trip!

7. Seriously, I can't decide. Boma, Jiko, or Sanaa? Been to Boma, and can't wait to go again, but would love to try the other

[Kairi_7378]

We've eaten at Artists' Point twice. During both of these dinners, my husband wore a Disney polo shirt, khaki shorts, and sneakers. (Now that I think about it, it was the same outfit both times!) I wore a dressy denim skirt/ t shirt once, and a sundress the other trip. Most people seemed to be dressed similarly. I did see a family with children in princess dresses.

Of the AK places, I have only eaten at Sanaa. That being said, it was a wonderful meal. We were in the main dining area and were able to see the animals from our table. We were able to wait for the table on the observation deck for the savanah. The food was excellent. Sort of Indian, sort of Moroccan, but with a twist all of its own.

[Jared]

Congratulations on your triumphant return to Disney. Always nice to see you around the boards. I'll give my best shot at all your questions:

1. Liberty Tree Tavern no longer offers a character dining experience. Mickey and friends used to roam about at dinner, which is a Thanksgiving feast served family-style. The menu is quite similar to what you probably serve on Turkey Day: stuffing, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese -- and turkey, of course. The loss of the characters severely hurts the worth of the meal. I like lunch at Liberty Tree a lot, though. It's a traditional a la carte menu with surprisingly good food for a theme-park restaurant. It's probably the best table-service option at the Magic Kingdom.

2. Honestly, not that much has changed at Garden Grill since 1999 -- besides the price, of course. It also stopped serving lunch a few years back. Dinner still includes characters, and much of the food comes straight from the pavilion greenhouses.

3. The signature dress code is pretty lenient and not worth stressing over. Throw a polo shirt and some khaki shorts in your suitcase and consider wearing shoes other than flip-flops. Sneakers are certainly fine.

4. Seems like this one has been thoroughly answered, but just to repeat, the restaurants cost the same amount of credits as they ordinarily would. Using the Fantasmic! Dinner Package does not change that.

5. Anytime after 7:30 should be fine. I actually haven't tried La Hacienda yet, so I cannot comment on whether you should go there or not.

6. I never go to character meals. Tusker House for breakfast is the exception to that rule. I think Tusker House is the best character dining experience on property by far. The buffet is of a higher quality than most others, and the characters seem to give each table a little more attention here than they do at the more popular places like Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace.

7. All three Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants are phenomenal. You really can't go wrong. Gun to my head right now, I would probably go to Boma for the soup bar, but I promise you won't regret your decision either way.

[cuteduck223]

2. Tell me all about Garden Grill
Garden Grill is one of our favourites. It is still served family style, all you can eat salad, bread, turkey, stuffing, flank steak, fish of the day. We consistantly have some of the best character interaction here. You'll meet Mickey, Pluto and Chip & Dale.

6. Tell me about Tusker House, particularly the breakfast...
Breakfast is great at Tusker House. There are all of the traditional favourites, plus a smattering of different and unique food. DH loves the african-insipired dishes and I love the chocolate crossiants. All-in-all, probably the best character breakfast at Disney.

EXACTLY! These are 2 of my family favorites! We'd also vote for Cape May Dinner.

[mom2morgan]

Liberty yucky dried out no service never again there are no characters anymore
San Angel Inn ....the worst just ask most

Tusker is the BEST breakfast in all the parks

BOMA did that 3 times and each time it was worse than the last..

So not to helpfull on the rest I cannot see paying big bucks on Jiko when nits like Boma but if you like bland weird food then its a must.
Like i said we gave it 3 times and its just weird and always had cold food when its supposed to be warm and the wait staff was horrible all 3 times never a refill and we were really friendly to them.

Why on earth did you go three times if it was so bad? ;-)

[darthmacho]

Got a lot of great info and advice here. Thank you very much! It actually helped a lot with my decision making. Some things are still pending, but here's an update/explanation to my inquiries for anyone that cares to read it, lol:

1. Liberty Tree Tavern: Still Undecided. If there were characters, I'd do it. As one of the few park restaurants I haven't tried yet, I want to go, and it would be more convenient than leaving MK to do Chef's, giving me more time in MK, but to be honest Thanksgiving food on a hot summer Florida day does not sound appealing. Chef's is also a bit of a tradition.

2. Garden Grill: Must Do! Our 1999 meal was a breakfast, but it was the best breakfast I've ever had at WDW with great character interaction. Kids love Chip and Dale!

3. Artist Point: Must Do! We always visit WL, but last two trips we did W.Canyon. Artist Point is our favorite restaurant in the whole world, and we haven't been since 1999, and we have the DDP to spare. I'll be sure to buy a new pair of fancy sneakers, because I won't want to pack a second pair of shoes.

4. Fantasmic Dinner: Must Do! Kids haven't seen it, and the package is the way to go as far as I'm concerned. Haven't decided between Hollywood & Vine and Sci Fi, both of which I like.

5. La Hacienda: Must Do! I literally have never had a good view of Illuminations, and I can't wait to try this restaurant, so why not give it a shot? If the view is sub-par, we'll be going to Epcot twice after, so I'll have two more chances to catch it! The advantages of a long trip!

6. Tusker House: Must Do! I'm convinced. We'll be spending one whole day exclusively on the Africa side of AK, and that will be a great way to get it started. I love character meals, I have to admit!

7.Boma or Sanaa: Still pending! It's a must do, but I will do one of these. I've eliminated Jiko because we can't spare the points since I'm adding Tusker House, but I can't wait to visit AKL, so it will be between these two.

[SBETigg]

4. Fantasmic Dinner: Must Do! Kids haven't seen it, and the package is the way to go as far as I'm concerned. Haven't decided between Hollywood & Vine and Sci Fi, both of which I like.

I will make this easy for you. I could be wrong, but I believe Sci Fi doesn't offer the Fantasmic Package. You have a choice between Hollywood and Vine and Mama Melrose, or Brown Derby (2 credits). So if you are between H & V and Sci-Fi, it's going to be H & V (unless I am wrong and they have added a choice for Sci-Fi in the mix).

[darthmacho]

I will make this easy for you. I could be wrong, but I believe Sci Fi doesn't offer the Fantasmic Package. You have a choice between Hollywood and Vine and Mama Melrose, or Brown Derby (2 credits). So if you are between H & V and Sci-Fi, it's going to be H & V (unless I am wrong and they have added a choice for Sci-Fi in the mix).

See, this is exactly why I come here. I hadn't thought about that. We're doing Mama Melrose earlier in the week, so I could use that for FDP, and still do SciFi, so I still have a decision to make, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a fun one. Glad I have a month or so to decide.

[AgentC]

Got a lot of great info and advice here. Thank you very much! It actually helped a lot with my decision making. Some things are still pending, but here's an update/explanation to my inquiries for anyone that cares to read it, lol:

1. Liberty Tree Tavern: Still Undecided. If there were characters, I'd do it. As one of the few park restaurants I haven't tried yet, I want to go, and it would be more convenient than leaving MK to do Chef's, giving me more time in MK, but to be honest Thanksgiving food on a hot summer Florida day does not sound appealing. Chef's is also a bit of a tradition.

. . .

6. Tusker House: Must Do! I'm convinced. We'll be spending one whole day exclusively on the Africa side of AK, and that will be a great way to get it started. I love character meals, I have to admit!

7.Boma or Sanaa: Still pending! It's a must do, but I will do one of these. I've eliminated Jiko because we can't spare the points since I'm adding Tusker House, but I can't wait to visit AKL, so it will be between these two.

(1) I like lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern. We often do a late lunch there around 2:45. It has a regular menu which includes a nice pot roast and a salad with chicken as wells as a nice desert.

(6) I love Tusker House. One thing to know is the meeting with Donald is before you enter the restaurant with a posed picture that they will later try to sell you. The other characters circulate. Our last trip we tried an early lunch (11:10) which was quite cool. They were still serving breakfat (Yay! Mickey waffles!) when we got there, but at around 11:30 switched to lunch food so we got the best of both.

[Jared]

I will make this easy for you. I could be wrong, but I believe Sci Fi doesn't offer the Fantasmic Package. You have a choice between Hollywood and Vine and Mama Melrose, or Brown Derby (2 credits). So if you are between H & V and Sci-Fi, it's going to be H & V (unless I am wrong and they have added a choice for Sci-Fi in the mix).

You're not wrong -- only Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose's and the Brown Derby offer the Fantasmic package.