Need your advice.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

We are wanting to try a new, to us, Disney restaurant during our up coming trip. We have the 29th of December available to do this. We will be going for a late lunch (2:00 pm).

Hers what's available that we haven't been to that we would like to try.

Kona Cafe

Grand Floridian cafe.

Whispering Canyon Cafe

The Wave at the Contemporary

Which one would you recommend and why?

Or which one would you recommend against and why?

Thanks

Ray

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I like every one of them. I will say this, if you want a steak, the Wave is not the place to go, because they only have about 4oz available. (Or at least when we went).

[DramaMama .......... Janet 75]

We have been to Kona and Whispering Canyon.  Love both.  If you want relatively quiet atmosphere and good food go to Kona.  If you want good food and a happily noisy atmosphere where the server gives you a hard time in a fun way (play along - it is more fun) then go to WC,  And ask for ketchup...

[ependydad...Doug 176]

Whispering Canyon was fun, but our waiter was very reserved. We did have fun asking for ketchup.

I'm not sure I've eaten at the others.

[Beckers 1,136]

Whispering canyon is fun and yummy

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

My favorite of those is The Wave. Best. Reuben Sandwich. Ever! Everything we've eaten there was good, and the service is excellent.

[Millermouseketeers MaryAnn 150]

Whispering Canyon has really good food & your daughter would like it. It's a lot of fun!

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

The only restaurant on your list that I've eaten at is Whispering Canyon.  The food is good, and it's a fun place -- especially for kids.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Whispering Canyon. Ask for ketchup, Slurp your drink when it's empty to let the waiter/waitress know you need more. Well only if they are having fun with it anyway. 

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

The waiter can make or break Whispering Canyon. We ate there twice - good food, but a waiter that made it less than enjoyable.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

My favorite of those is The Wave. Best. Reuben Sandwich. Ever! Everything we've eaten there was good, and the service is excellent.

Reuben Sammy!!!!

In of my two favorite Sammie's. (Patty melt is other)

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Whispering Canyon. Ask for ketchup, Slurp your drink when it's empty to let the waiter/waitress know you need more. Well only if they are having fun with it anyway.

I always slurp my beer. Will I get a free refill?

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Thanks. It looks like most of you are leaning towards WC. Has no one been to the Floridian Cafe? The menu looks good.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I've been there several times. Yes, the food is good, and it's a nice meal, but nothing "special". Relatively easy to get an ADR there.

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

I've been there, too. Good food - but as Carol said, nothing special. They have a fantastic breakfast, btw.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Thanks Carol and Ed.

I'm scratching the Cafe off of the list.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

The only one of those we have been to is Kona (we go every trip), great food and great deserts. In off season we have been able to do a walk in at lunch (usually late lunch). Busy season or dinner I would definitely try for a ADR.

[Family of Bears 98]

So we are talking lunch menus. I've eaten at all of these restaurants for all meals. Here's my take. Ranking wise for lunch based on food alone I would do first place kona, then wave, then WC and fc are hard to compare. All good. Kona has a great lunch menu.

Atmosphere is where you need to decide. Wave is very peaceful. Fc is hoity toity, in a good way. Pretty windows, natural light. Also pretty peaceful. WC annoys me, but that's just me. You have to be in the mood. Tables are super close together and it's loud and hard to just enjoy your meal. My dd is about the same age as yours and shes kind of over it too :) That said, sometimes that's fun if you are in the mood. Kona atmosphere is nice although I'm not sure what renovations have done to that.

Food at kona lunch is outstanding though. They've got a great steak on their lunch menu, pulled pork tacos, steamed buns, fish tacos, wings, potstickers, lots of yummy choices, especially on a cold day. Comfort food. I like them for lunch a lot.

I know we are talking lunch for now, but for future reference, had we been talking breakfast, i love the wave. Sweet potato pancakes with cinnamon butter and key lime eggs benedict. Best breakfast on property in my humble opinion. And you can always get in without reservations. Fc also has an outstanding breakfast. So does kona. Tonga toast and all.

Lets do dinner while we are at it. Kona wins for me. They've got great steaks and they add sushi to the menu at dinner. Wave serves up smaller portions of healthy choices that I love. (I'd rather eat a small amount of something delicious than a ton of so so)

So there you go. In summary, not a fan of WC, fc only for breakfast, wave is great all the time, kona is awesome for lunch and dinner. More than you asked for, but I take my disney dining very seriously. :)

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I'm with Brandy....I am not a fan of WC at all.  But I love Kona.  They have some really good lunches.  I've never had dinner there.  But...like she said, the construction might not make that a good option right now.  I just don't know.  Mo is there now and might be able to say whether it's a mess or ok.  

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Thanks y'all.

I think I've narrowed it down to kona or WC.

Any Fiends on the scene to give us a construction update for the Poly?

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Thanks y'all.

I think I've narrowed it down to kona or WC.

Any Fiends on the scene to give us a construction update for the Poly?

There's still a LOT of it! Lobby is still all walled up in the middle as of a few days ago. Construction equipment still takes up a big chunk of the parking lot.

We didn't venture out toward the beach area, or what's left of it now that the villas are well underway.

[Family of Bears 98]

I bet the foods still good though :)

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I bet the foods still good though :)

Yeppers! We had a bunch of sushi there a week ago. :)

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

I've decided on...Kona.

That way we can do the monorail loop and see all the Christmas decorations.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

One last question. Is there a bus that leaves TTC that goes straight to the Fort? I know we can take a boat from MK or Contemporary but of its cold DW would rather take a bus.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I've decided on...Kona.

That way we can do the monorail loop and see all the Christmas decorations.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

One last question. Is there a bus that leaves TTC that goes straight to the Fort? I know we can take a boat from MK or Contemporary but of its cold DW would rather take a bus.

 

Ray-  Good choice.  I was going to ask you about what you were doing for transportation.  That should be a factor in your choice.  The Lodge is a lot easier to get to from the Fort than the Polynesian is.

 

There is no bus from the TTC to the Fort.

 

If you want to avoid boats from the Poly to the Fort, you need to take the monorail to the MK, then grab a WL bus there.  At the Lodge, you can catch a bus to the Fort.  This actually goes pretty quick.

 

TCD