Be prepared to drop a lot of gold in this canyon.
Written: Jul 11 '09 (Updated Jul 11 '09)
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Pros: Unique interactive atmosphere
Cons: Slow service, expensive food for what you get.
The Bottom Line: Waitress interaction was cute if you know what to expect in advance. I don't feel the food was worth the price.
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| xyzwyatt's Full Review: Whispering Canyon Cafe |
Disney has a lot of options for dining, but this offsite location really sticks out as different that will likely be a memorable experience for the family.
The restaurant is located inside Disney's Wildreness Lodge so it does not require admission to the Disney park. We arrived a little early so used the time to take in the ambiance of the lobby while we waited to be seated.
This is a deluxe hotel, so the restaurant is tasteful in decor and despite all of the wood, does not have a smell to it. It had a log cabin feel with wood walls and floors, wood table and chairs, and complemented with rustic chandeliers for lighting.
We heard a few groups walk up without reservations and were told that they were booked until after 9 p.m. This is a pretty typical scenario for Disney restaurants. The sure bet is to make reservations in advance by calling (407)WDW-DINE. The Disney dining plan is honored at this location.
There were a few options to choose from on the menu, but our group ordered the canyon skillet which is an all you can eat option for $26.99 per person. The meal included pork ribs, pulled pork, chicken, smoked brisket, cornbread, mixed greens, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, beans, and seasonal vegetables. A big bowl of everything was brought to our table and I had to stick a fork in my son's hand because he was taking all of the food. We were given a little bit of everything but not enough for everyone to have everything. We ordered some more things, but we were done eating by the time it came out and it wasn't even what we ordered.
We also ordered bottomless milk shakes that were served in a canning jar. I thought it tasted gross but my son drank 4 of them.
I enjoyed most of the food, but that may have been because I was starving. I thought the ribs tasted disgusting and they didn't have enough meat on them to bother with. We were too full for dessert but ordered bourbon pecan pie for take out which ended up being the worst piece of pie I have ever had in my entire life. None of us liked it.
The children ordered something from the kids meal that came with French fries so they asked for ketchup. The waitress screamed “We need ketchup!” and dinner guests from all directions came to our table. We ended up with 14 bottles of ketchup. This was really cute and funny, but the laughter ended when we had to work around all 14 bottles to eat, not to mention none of our empty glasses or plates were cleared. We actually had a milk shake fall off of the table because the table was so ridiculously full.
My husband asked for napkins and the waitress brought him a stack and placed them on his shoulder as she walked by as part of her skit. The table next to us must have had special requests as well because one had a life size fork, and the other had straws three times longer than normal.
We watched a family sit down that clearly had no idea what to expect and they were absolutely appalled. It didn't get any better for them when they unsuspectingly asked for ketchup. I could tell they were miserable which really stinks because they were going to have to drop more than $150 for their experience...which adds a little more misery to the disaster.
Once in awhile the waitresses gathered all of the kids up, gave them wood stick horses, and raced them around the restaurant in a parade fashion. It was cute the first time, but they did it about three times while we were there.
Our waitress was really cool, but she was too busy and just didn't have time for us. We waited longer than we should have for everything including the check. We were really ready to go by the end because we had been in our seat for 2 hours.
Overall
We had a love-hate experience at this restaurant. We loved the unique things like yelling and little funny tricks, but the atmosphere spills into the dinner and kind of ruins the eating experience. Some of the food tasted great, and some of it was awful. We were happy to be there, and happy to leave.
We knew what to expect with the loud noise and crazy stunts when we made our reservations. It lives up to the hype, but that doesn't mean you're going to like it.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
xyzwyatt
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Location: Nashville, TN
Reviews written: 542
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