Originally Posted By fkurucz >>Perhaps it's at the whim of the people at the front. It's worth a phone call to find out, though.<< I was told this when I made reservations. They said they could not join tables. Something about fire codes, etc. I had to make two separate reservations. I suppose that its worth a try though.
Originally Posted By MomofPrincess I'd go for Goofy's or Rainforest. I think they're both more fun. I had a bad experience at BB (terrible seating, so-so food, overpriced, bad service) and won't go back, esp now that they raised their prices. At least at RF the service is still decent. (Food isn't fantastic but it isn't bad, either.) There's so much to see there! And Goofy's would be fun, too, though more hectic.
Originally Posted By fkurucz Its a shame that they raised the lunch menu prices at the BB. It is kind of a tradition for us to go there every visit, but it really seems that with entree, beverage and dessert we're looking at $40 per person. I guess we will just do something else next time.
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM Well, I got hooked up with one of my sisters to get her opinion. I gave her the 4 choices, and told her to give me her thoughts. Without hesitating, she said Goofy's. Her reasons are... 1) Our family loves corny things, and this seems right up our alley 2) DH's birthday has a Goofy theme, so why eat anywhere else 3) With a buffet, everyone would surely find something worth eating So, I looked at the info on Goofy's kitchen and checked out the birthday treats you can get there, and I guess I'll go with my sister's opinion that we need to go Goofy for DH's birthday. I am STILL pouting about the Bayou. I know that many of you have had not too great meals there, and I know it's overpriced, but I really want to go there...I guess mainly for the atmosphere. RED ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told DH that we were going to Goofys for his birthday. He said he was glad because he likes Goofy...whatever...Goofy ain't gonna actually have dinner with us. Well, he knows I really had my heart set on the BB. The lip dragging on the floor and the whining like a spoiled baby might have given him a clue...did I mention he was VERY perceptive? And I'm very obnoxious. Anyhow, he said that DD can hang out one night with her cousins, and just the two of us can go have dinner at the BB. DD is 12, so it doesn't take much to look after her, and we'll only be gone a couple of hours. Gosh, he's awesome...I only had to whine and pitch a fit for 24 hours and he was right on top of things. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! I'm goin' to the Bayou and eat really expensive food in a really dark place with cloth napkins and everything. Just the two of us??? Can't remember the last time that happened. He said all he wants for his birthday is for me to be happy...he kept a straight face for about 12 seconds before we both busted a gut. I asked him what the heck took him so long to promise to take me to the BB, and he said he loves to see me squirm and grovel and sigh big long sighs. That stinker...I'm tellin' his mom.
Originally Posted By Dalia3001 LOL. this was one of the funniest threads ever! I am in the midst of planning a trip for 9 in September, and planning dining has been one of the biggest challenges. I think you made the perfect choice, and I'm so glad you get to go to BB!!!
Originally Posted By danyoung >....and won't go back [to the Blue Bayou], esp now that they raised their prices.< They didn't just raise prices - they completely rewrote their menu, changed almost every item - in other words, it ain't the same place you went to before. I'm personally worried about that, cuz I LOVED what it was before. We'll see next summer . . .
Originally Posted By junglejoy MM, you made a great choice! Goofy's is so fun! I also love BB, but with such a large group I don't think it would be so great. Going with DH is a great solution! I personally don't like RFC. The food is lousy, and the service is so-so. We've tried to eat there two times and each time left very disappointed. We've eaten at Goofy's probably 10 times - never disappointed, always fun. BB, probably 5 times, always loved it too. But we haven't been since the menu change - we haven't been to DL in almost a year (sob). And the balcony. You must do this sometime! It is so worth the price. Although we lucked out and went when DD was 2, so we only had to pay for the two older kids and us. They thought it was magical and loved the hot chocolate!!
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM After "sleeping on it" I'm feeling pretty good about the end result. I haven't heard anything from you all that is bad about Goofy's, so I'm happy there...I still get to go to the BB, so I'm happy there...and I'll set the folks up with the Fantasmic buffet so they have something really special for their anniversary, so I'm happy there. I'm so happy that I just might break out into a song. All is once again well with the world. I have my airline, hotel and dinner plans decided, so nothing is left to do. Maybe just one thing....anyone want to loan me 12,000 to pay for all this!?!?!? LOL Once again, you guys are the best...I feel the need for a group hug.
Originally Posted By jacobsmom Go for the Blue Bayou! You can always go to another Rain Forest Cafe outside of Disneyland. We just got back and I was also debating on the Fantasmic buffet as well. Glad we didn't! We showed up one hour before and found seats just to the right of the buffet seats still available. People were crowded right in front of the stage but to the left, right next to the buffet seats , it was still available. The steps were full but there is an area between the top level of steps and the bottom level of steps that you can sit on the ground. Bring something soft to sit and there you are. Good luck and have a wonderful time!
Originally Posted By fidoprincess "Gosh, he's awesome...I only had to whine and pitch a fit for 24 hours and he was right on top of things." OMG! This is so funny, sounds like my DH. I am glad that you are all set and happy with your choice. Now I will give you my tips on Goofys-lol. We always eat there at least once each trip sometimes twice or more. If you can, make your PS for the first dinner seating, I think it is 5 or 5:15. Get there about 5-10 minutes early cause there are 2 lines, one to check-in and then you move over to the other one to pay. When paying, this is when you say you have AAA, AP or whatever discounts you might have. Next you will see Goofy or Pluto past the registers on the right side of the entrance to the restaurant. Get in line there and you can do pictures while waiting to be called. The seaters will wait if you are doing pictures when they come to get you. While the photographer takes pictures, you are more than welcome to use your own camera and take photos too. Don't wait to do this after dinner cause it just gets more and more crowded. The good part about having a large group as opposed to our small group of 4 is that you generally get the "prime" tables. It you don't like your table (ie. back in the corner) speak up NOW and they will change it. We always want to sit in a spot that we can see the kids go to the buffet since we do let them go up alone. This is one of the perks of going early. If you go later, there will not be many tables open to switch to and going early ensures having the freshest food with the least crowds at the buffet! The buffet is not one line. You can pop in and out to get what you want but the longest wait is usually the "hot" entree line where they have the carving station. My suggestion here is to try a little bit of everything. For example, I usually don't really like fish but they have a really good fish dish that is stuffed with crab. I also don't really like chinese but some days they have the best potsickers I ever had-lol. One the right of the roast beef, there are hot entrees like the fish, pork, turkey, etc. and then on the left, they change it around and have ethnic type foods like the chinese or sometimes mexican. I guarantee you that everyone in your group will find something they like! On the right is the salad bar and DH loves the asparagus and I love the candied walnuts-lol. I add them to the dessert! In the middle, there is a circular kids table with chicken nuggets, waffle fries, fried popcorn shrimp, pizza including PB&J, mac and cheese and lots of stuff the kids love but most adults get something off of there too so don't be shy-lol. I don't like my beef to moo, so I always ask for a well done piece. They will slice it and give it back to one of the chefs to put on the grill and it is soo good. Once I asked for 2 pieces and they only gave me one but I had forgotten about it. The chef actually brought it over to our table!! I almost fell off of my chair. THAT was service but...remember the people that bring your drinks know that you have already paid your tip in advance so they are not falling all over you. It's okay and just ask them to take away used plates and to bring you refills. Don't expect 5 star service in this area but you can expect them to quickly refill the dishes in the buffet! I have seen them replace dishes that are still 1/2 full!! The desserts are beautiful, make sure you at least notice the details in the castles, etc. They do have a full bar and at the end of your meal, you will get another check for any drinks/beer/wine you have ordered. If you don't "order" any special bday thing for DH, they will still bring him a piece of cake and all sing with some characters (usually Goofy, Chip and Dale) as long as you tell them it is his bday. They also have bucket and bag type party things that you can order for the kids too! I think they are $5. Here is my last and most important tip: The first few time we ate there, I got indigestion! Really! I was so excited and uptight over the characters and getting the pictures and it was a mess. I was afraid to leave the table just in case the characters would come by at the precise moment. I would practically have a heart attack if they went to the table next to us and for some reason, skipped us. I was worse than the kids. Not so much at Goofy's because they are pretty good about each character getting to your table but at the Plaza it was terrible. I swore I would NEVER go to another character meal again. Finally, I realized I just needed an "attitude adjustment"-lol. Now I tell myself and the kids, we are going to EAT and the character interaction is just an extra bonus. If they come, they come and if not, oh well...that is the way it goes. Ever since I relaxed about the whole thing, I really really love going there. If a character misses us, no big deal, they may come around again, maybe not, but it is not going to ruin my meal. If there is one special character we really wanted to see who didn't come to our table, I ask now! They always send them over eventually once they know you really want them to come and you were missed for some reason. So this is probably more than you ever wanted to know about Goofy's-lol but I hope you have a great time and everyone loves it! I think it is perfect that you and DH get to do a romantic dinner at BB too.
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM fidoprincess...that was the VERY best restaurant review I could hope for. I am definately going to take your advise and reserve for 5:00. I am also going to get the birthday party bags for all of us. This is going to be a blast! Whatever doubts may have lingered are certaintly gone now. Thank you for ALL the info...I can't say that enough. After reading your post, my stomach is making all kinds of noises.
Originally Posted By wonderingalice Just a quick note on the seating of large parties at Blue Bayou... Labuda or Ursula would probably know for sure why this worked, but there was a big group of LP'ers at one LONG table last year (January 2005) during the same visit we were hosted at Club 33 for breakfast. It may have been a CM who's also an LP regular that arranged it, but I'm sure we were about 14-16 people for that meal. The table was set up back near the entrance... we had a blast!
Originally Posted By joeysmommy Mollysomom- I called Vacation Planning today to book all of my dining ressies. I also have always wanted to eat at the BB! So we have a party of 11 (6 adults and 5 kids). They can seat all of us at a family table which is not a water side table. If we wanted to be by the water then we would have to split up into 2 tables. I went ahead and made the ressie for the family table for 11 people. I was hoping a family member would offer to babysit so my husband and I could have a romantic lunch together. Oh well, I should just be glad we can go at all. : )
Originally Posted By danyoung Thanks, joeysmommy, for your post. And you jogged a memory for me. Yes, they do say that you can't have big groups down by the water. But again I'm pretty sure I've seen them moving around tables and serving some fairly large gatherings. Not 50 poeple or anything, but a dozen shouldn't be impossible.
Originally Posted By joeysmommy fidoprincess-Do they have pictures available while you wait during breakfast too or only at dinner?
Originally Posted By atinkfan joeysmommy, Yes, you can take pictures at breakfast. We did it last year. The kids all took pictures with Pluto! However, we did it right after we ate since Pluto was there. I don't remember seeing him when we went in.
Originally Posted By oneroberta I Love the Rainforest Cafe..In fact whenever I visit a major city..I find one, Which brings me to my point there are alot of RFC but only one Blue Bayou, I have been to both and would choose the Rainforest Cafe... But Everyone should dine at the BB at least once..... HAVE FUN
