Could I perhaps have a small smackerel of honey?
Written: Jul 06 '09 (Updated Jul 06 '09)
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Pros: Character dining, all you care to eat buffet
Cons: Lack of flavor, busy atmosphere
The Bottom Line: The charcter experience was better than the food.
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| xyzwyatt's Full Review: The Crystal Palace |
We were hesitant about going to this restaurant because our kids have outgrown the Pooh theme, but we were interested in the buffet so we went for dinner on our last day at Disney.
Character dinners are very popular at Disney so reservations months in advance would be a wise choice. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-WDW-DINE.
Atmosphere
This is obviously a place where you're going to find a lot of children and families so it was a bit hectic with the constant flow to the buffet, the kids with characters, and overall dinner chatter that was amplified by the way the room was designed.
I didn't care for the way the dining room was set up. The tables were round and positioned closely together with many chairs sticking out every which way so there wasn't a clear path to the buffet and was even more challenging when a character was visiting a table.
The room had a Victorian look to with wall to wall windows and mirrors. There were lots of hanging lights and the room was very bright which worked out well for taking pictures.
Characters
Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore are the four characters that work the room at this restaurant. All of the characters will visit your table, though there is no rhyme or reason to which table they go to next. We took turns going to the buffet so my husband missed one of the visits. We were done with our dinner and had to wait for awhile to see the final character.
This is a great location for photo opportunities. The characters were patient with poses and encouraged a couple pictures for each character. We did not feel rushed at all like we did at other Disney character meals. The characters were very cuddly and didn't mind giving big hearty hugs to the adults as well as the children. The characters approached children slowly and didn't insist that a child take a picture if they weren't comfortable doing so.
There were plenty of adults taking pictures with the characters too so don't be bashful to go as a group of adults, or to get into the photo with the kids. This is a casual environment so you'll have all of the people in the restaurant pictured in the background of your photos.
Don't forget your autograph book and character pen which can be purchased from any Disney shop ($7). An autograph book from home is acceptable, but the Disney character size ink pen ($4) is required because the characters can't hold a traditional pen due to the size of their hands. The autograph book is a fantastic keepsake and the kids love it.
A personal camera is a must because that's the only way to get pictures of the characters when they're at your table. This restaurant does not have the group photo option before being seated of the entire family with a professional photographer, nor does it offer a chance to get a photo with all of the characters at once.
Food
This restaurant serves American cuisine, so don't expect anything exotic or different. The adult selection was less than impressive. We checked the menu posted online but they must have changed the menu because we didn't see some of the things on the buffet that we had anticipated. We were looking forward to the prime rib as listed on the menu, but instead they were serving a cheaper cut of mock prime rib that was tough and lacked flavor. I didn't see much that I cared to eat. I was particularly disappointed with the selection of desserts because they were the same ones that would be found in any all you can eat cafeteria (cookies, ice cream and sheet cake). Nothing wowed me and it was a huge disappointment in comparison to our fantastic experience at the Boma buffet.
It was a buffet so we didn't have much interaction with our waitress. She was friendly and was quick to remove dirty plates and kept our glasses full.
Price
Admission to Magic Kingdom is required to dine at this restaurant. We went for dinner so the evening buffet was $28.99 per adult, and $13.99 for children ages 3-9. Drinks and desserts are included in the price so we spent less than we would have at a traditional sit down restaurant in the park. The dining plan can be used at this location.
The price is a little steep for a child considering how little they eat, but our kids really put the food away at this buffet. The buffet had plenty of children's favorites like mac and cheese and chicken nuggets so they won't go away hungry. The kids also enjoyed the process of picking out their own food.
The experience is at least an hour which is consistent with most Disney dining. This is a long time for young children and there's a lot going on so it was difficult for some of the kids to say seated. Pooh and the gang gathered the children up for a parade around the room which was fun for all.
Overall
We enjoyed our overall experience at Crystal Palace. The characters were a nice touch. The food was not exciting, but didn't taste bad. We probably would have enjoyed it more if we went here earlier in the week before going to the finer restaurants. I'm glad we went, but once was enough for us.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Be sure to make reservations months in advance!
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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Epinions.com ID:
xyzwyatt
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Location: Nashville, TN
Reviews written: 542
Trusted by: 171 members
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Be a coffee-drinking individual - espresso yourself!
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