Hollywood & Vine- How bad is it, *really*?

[JenXMickey]

Last time I went, it was absolutely awful; however, it has been five years since my last visit.

 

[HeidiGW]

I avoided this place like the plague for years...three years ago, when the "Minnie' s dine" was a newish thing, I tried it on Christmas Day...short story with proper perspective, it was great! (I am pretty sure i posted then about it.) We went back this past Christmas--possibly the day after---and had a great time, too!

As a party of seven, all Disney adults, I was worried about service with the auto-gratuity and a 8ish pm ressie...we got terrific and attentive, but not-making-us nutty service. She was quite busy too.
I have a bunch of food allergies, when I asked a line chef for a small piece of salmon without capers, he got a fresh spatula and took a (huge) beautiful piece right out of the oven, and offered to get/make me anything else I might need!

But, most importantly the character interaction was the VERY BEST that we have experienced during visits over the past 22 years. (Mickey and Minnie even face-timed with another table's family in Japan. Yes, I called a manger over to tell him how exceptional they were.)

My 30-year old son-in-law, Disney skeptic and parks first timer said it was his favorite meal! It really was fun.

Is the food gourmet? Of course not.
Was it hot, fresh and clean? Certainly. Everyone had meat, mashed potatoes, salad and hot, pretzel rolls, that I remembered. And, nobody left hungry.

Yes, it was noisy, but it cleared out fairly quickly and we still got the royal treatment.
If I had to split hairs, I'd say the cute little holiday desserts were not at the same level as our first time, yet fine.

I would not hesitate to book it again.

 

[MomOTwins]

Agree with everyone here. There was a major shift in the menu a couple of years ago. General consensus seems to be the food was very bad before that, and very good after.

 

[goofy4prez]

I will admit it has been quite some time since I have tried this place with the two times eating there it was awful. To date, I have only written off three restaurants; Chef Mickey, ABC Commissary, and Hollywood & Vine. I will admit, I am also not a big fan of buffets so that may jade my opinion a bit. But perhaps with the change and the more frequent positive reviews I may have to give it one more chance.

 

[ToxicRoyalty]

I will admit it has been quite some time since I have tried this place with the two times eating there it was awful. To date, I have only written off three restaurants; Chef Mickey, ABC Commissary, and Hollywood & Vine. I will admit, I am also not a big fan of buffets so that may jade my opinion a bit. But perhaps with the change and the more frequent positive reviews I may have to give it one more chance.

I like ABC Commissary.. it's hard to find steak fries in WDW! Well, maybe that gives me a better chance of liking H & V? I hope so

 

[goofy4prez]

I like ABC Commissary.. it's hard to find steak fries in WDW! Well, maybe that gives me a better chance of liking H & V? I hope so

I guess somebody has to like that place. Seriously, I've been reading many more positive reviews of ABC as well, just don't know if I can give it another try...

 

[zebrastreyepz]

I like buffets and do not like H&V. It's a giant lunch room with zero atmosphere and so so food. Service both times I've been has been spotty.

Character interaction there was OK.

Character costumes/unique photos is a plus.

 

[Jackiemarie21]

We went two years ago to the holiday dine dinner and we thought it was pretty good. We liked everything we tried and it’s become a must do for us on a trip that surrounds a holiday. The characters were really fun and in costumes you couldn’t see anywhere else.

 

[Gentry2004]

My complaints are not with the food. It is loud, crowded, $$$ for what you get and slow if you care about seeing all the characters. So, you know, a standard Disney buffet. I’m so glad my kids don’t care about character buffets and we don’t have to do them anymore.

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

Glad to hear it’s not completely awful! We are doing it solely for the Disney jr characters and glad to know we can have hopes for somewhat decent food!

 

[E_Bec]

It’s ok. It’s def not awful. We’ve done both breakfast and dinner with the fantasmic package- and it was, in my opinion, way too expensive for what it was. Food was fine. The Atmosphere is not really my style. Character interactions were pretty good though!

 

[Mickeynutty]

Do they still have the chocolate dipped desserts?

 

[epcotobsessed]

We went for "Minnie's Seasonal Dine" last summer. It was absolutely disgusting. Had we not been on the DDP I would have asked for our money back, which I have never once done at a restaurant - I don't even send individual dishes back but this was truly terrible quality/terrible preparation.

 

[HMcH]

We went March of 2016 for dinner, and the characters in cute costumes couldn't overcome the crowded, loud environment and bad food. We've eaten at several of the "unpopular" Disney restaurants (I love an underdog), but H&V is the one my wife refuses to go back to.

That said, Disney pays attention. Disney restaurants tend to be cyclical, so it's entirely possible that it's much better now.

 

[chinarider]

We did it 3 years ago and enjoyed it (we are usually buffet people and not picky eaters )- went back a little over a year ago and really did not like the food at all. While I would love see the characters in their Halloween costumes, we will not be going back this trip

 

[B-Ride]

I'd say go for it. The experience is worth it and if the food is okay it is a bonus. It's not like there are many great alternatives at DHS.

 

[MrsDuck]

We went once and hated it.

 

[Mickeynutty]

I asked upthread, do they still have the chocolate dipped desserts?

 

[MarkinNM]

In having never been there, I read the reviews, here and on TA and the DIS UNplugged and it was not good, I canceled our ADR's as the cost and poor quality food, why suffer through average food, FWTIW the DIS UNplugged called it Hollywood and Slime.....