Reviews

Restaurant Review: Grand Floridian Cafe

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Photo Courtesy of WDW Info Today

 

Restaurant Review: Grand Floridian Cafe

Location: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Meals Offered: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Rating: 

 

The Grand Floridian Cafe is a casual dining spot at this classic resort – it’s a staple that serves great food for breakfast, lunch AND dinner!

The Food:

I’ve eaten here for alllll of the meals, and the food is excellent! What I really love is that breakfast food is served through lunchtime. Mickey waffles for lunch?! Yes please! For dinner, my favorite entree is the delicious buttermilk-fried chicken. Every meal has great options for kids, so everyone will be able to find something they like. The price point is reasonable, which is another great perk of this spot, especially with all of the more expensive dining options at the Grand Floridian.    

The Atmosphere:

The atmosphere is the only reason I give this spot a 4-Mickey rating.It could definitely use some updating. While it fits in with the ambiance of the resort, it just feels worn down. What I do love though is the view from the windows (try to request a window table if you have the right size group!), as you look onto the beautiful property and might get a glimpse of the Polynesian nearby.

Reservations:

This spot is typically pretty easy to get into (especially for lunch). I’ve noticed more availability for day-of reservations, too, or you can join the walk-up waitlist! 

 

WDW Park Planners Tip:

If you aren’t staying at the Grand Floridian, it’s a beautiful resort to visit. Enjoy a yummy breakfast with Mickey waffles, and then hop on the monorail and head to Magic Kingdom for the day!

 

 

Reviews

Restaurant Review: Hollywood & Vine

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Restaurant Review: Hollywood & Vine

Location: Hollywood Studios

Standard Meals Offered: Disney Junior Character Breakfast, Minnie’s Seasonal Dine for Lunch & Dinner

Current Meals Offered: Minnie’s Seasonal Dine for Lunch & Dinner

Rating: 

 

Hollywood & Vine is a staple dining experience at Hollywood Studios. Pre-COVID, this location offered a Disney Junior character buffet breakfast, and then a Minnie’s Seasonal Dine buffet for lunch and dinner. Since reopening, the offerings and experiences have changed to only offer Minnie’s Seasonal Dine for lunch and dinner, with a set menu instead of the buffet (as of September 2020). The character interaction is modified as well for social distancing, but don’t let that stop you from seeing Minnie and the gang!

Our Experience

The Food

We dined here for lunch and were pleasantly surprised by our meals. Hollywood Studios is our least favorite park to dine in, so we had set the bar pretty low for Hollywood & Vine. That being said, currently the set menu is the same for lunch and dinner, and the food is very heavy. I imagine the set menu will be here to stay for a long time, if not permanently, and Disney will do away with buffets completely moving forward. 

The meal starts with a family style salad and yummy sweet rolls, and then each person orders their own entree and their own dessert. For our entrees, my husband ordered the pork dish, and I had macaroni and cheese with shrimp.We usually split meals for lunch, so this was much more than we are used to getting! The food was actually delicious, though!

 

The Characters

Minnie is the host of this special event. All of the characters were in their Halloween costumes which was so fun to see! Minnie, Mickey, Goofy and Pluto come around the restaurant several times while festive Halloween music plays. They “stop by” each table (staying socially distanced) and interact with guests – they’ll even pose for pictures behind you! Similar to our experience at Topolino’s Terrace, the characters do an AMAZING job with guest interactions.

Each “season” is a different theme for the characters, but the overall experience is the same. Here are the different seasons provided by Disney World’s website – they’re all so fun!

  • Halloween Dine
    • September – November
    • Visit Minnie’s favorite happy haunt for a spooktacular Halloween feast that’s frightfully delightful.
  • Minnie’s Holiday Dine
    • November – January
    • Deck the halls at a dazzling dinner party filled with holiday cheer and the joy of the season!
  • Silver Screen Dine
    • January – March
    • Join Minnie Mouse for a fabulous dinner party celebrating the glitz and glamour of Hollywood!
  • Springtime Dine
    • March – June
    • Shake off winter’s chill with a divine dinner party that marks the bright and beautiful delights of spring!
  • Summertime Dine
    • June – September
    • Head to Hollywood & Vine for a beach-inspired bash celebrating the sizzle of summer!
The Price

You are definitely paying for the character experience at this location. Right now because there are such limited character meals available across the parks and resorts, this spot might be worth the money if you’re looking to enjoy a character meal! 

The price is a flat charge for the family style appetizers, one entree and dessert (alcohol and gratuity is excluded). We paid $59.99 each, which is WAY more than we ever spend on lunch. Kids are $35 each (they get the appetizers, one entree, two sides and dessert), so for a family of five that adds up quickly. 

WDW Park Planners Tips:

This is a popular spot right now since character dining options are so limited around the parks and resorts. We were able to snag a lunch reservation the night before, so keep checking the app to try and get in! Check the “lunch” & “dinner” categories as well as the individual time slots – sometimes different options pop up. You might get lucky like we did!

This spot is also great for bigger groups since the restaurant can accommodate them 🙂

 

Reviews

Restaurant Review: Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera

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Restaurant Review: Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera

Location: Disney’s Riviera Resort

Meals Offered: Character Breakfast and Dinner

Rating: 

This rooftop restaurant at Disney’s Riviera Resort offers two incredible dining options – and we experienced them both! 

Character Breakfast:

Breakfast was our first time at the resort and restaurant, and we were in awe of the beauty of everything! Aside from the fact that the resort has that new smell and feel to it, the decor is just breathtaking. The resort is European inspired (French and Italian), and the amount of detail and Disney history found throughout  is unbelievable. The story for the character breakfast (because Disney always tells a story) is that Mickey and his friends are studying at an art school and are dropping by to say hi! Each of the characters has a different skill and are dressed accordingly (i.e. Mickey is a painter). 

The meal is definitely on the pricier side, but you’re paying for the character experience. It’s $42 for adults and $27 for kids, and you pick a meal from a variety of options on the menu. The food was delicious and the service was the best. We sat for about an hour and were able to see the characters come around three different times – they come out individually and then as a group and do a fun parade and dance around the restaurant! Also, be sure to check out the amazing views outside on the terrace. It’s one of the best views of Disney property!

COVID Breakfast Thoughts: 

This is one of the only character meals available on property. Disney has offered a modified experience since characters cannot come around to the tables for individual pictures and autographs. We were unsure of how it would really be when we went, and I have to say, we loved it! Seeing Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy parade around the restaurant was so much fun, and we got to see them a ton! Even though they can’t “stop” at your table, the characters were great about posing in the background (6 feet away) so you could get pictures with them. Instead of autographs, the restaurant provided a pre-signed card. So overall, we would highly recommend this spot, especially once the “regular” character interactions are allowed again. View the Breakfast Menu HERE.

Dinner:

We had a delicious dinner and wonderful experience at Topolino’s Terrace. Currently, the outdoor terrace is closed, but we would have loved to have sat out there for our meal (and will have to come back and try it!). We were seated in one of the booths in the middle of the restaurant which was great. For the best view, request a table by the window!

The French and Italian inspired food was to die for, and we loved everything we tried on the menu! Again, this spot is a little pricey but worth the expense for a nicer meal at Disney. Despite being a little nicer, Topolino’s is still very family friendly and has great kids meal options on the menu. Check out the Dinner Menu HERE.

 

WDW Park Planners Tips: 

For Breakfast: 

The Riviera Resort is located on the Skyliner transportation system. If you’re going to breakfast at Topolino’s, plan your Hollywood Studios or Epcot day around that since you can take the Skyliner to both of those parks! Super easy and fun 🙂

For Dinner:

Try to time your meal around the nighttime shows (when they come back) at Epcot and Hollywood Studios since you can see them from here!

 

Questions? Send me an email below!