Dinner at 1900 Park Fare

As a blogger, I may be compensated in some way (either pay, product, or experience) for sharing the post below All opinions are my own. ~Heidi

I always try to plan a more “relaxed” day into our Disney vacations.  We normally take this day to go around to different resorts and look at their decorations, gift shops, etc.  We also like to spend some time strolling and shopping at Downtown Disney.  Sometimes we do other things, like fishing, etc.  For our relaxed day, we like to plan a nice, sit-down dinner at a resort.  This past trip, we chose to dine at 1900 Park Fare on that day – Thursday, December 19th.

The pictures above are actually from our first visit to 1900 Park Fare, back in 2010.  (We had to be in the area for the homeschool convention anyway, so we left a few days early to enjoy some time at Disney.  1900 Park Fare was our “welcome home” meal on that trip, and we really enjoyed it.) We returned again in January of 2012.

The Atmosphere

The restaurant is really lovely.  The entrance sign shown above gives you some idea of the restaurant’s theme.  It’s white and gold with carousel horses. It’s just very pretty and very princess-like.

Before being seated, you have an opportunity to have your picture taken by a PhotoPass Photographer.  Of course, there is an extra charge if you want to buy the photo package (which they bring around to your table later, during your meal).  We had purchased PhotoPass+, so our package was included.  However, with the new Memory Maker plan, I believe you can get the photos added to your card, so you can later print them out on your own (don’t quote me on this, as I have no personal experience with this new program!)

The Food

On our first two visits, we were literally blown away by the food here.  There is a HUGE variety of items on the buffet.

The strawberry soup is absolutely delicious!  In the past, we’ve enjoyed the hand-carved meats and some delicious pasta creations.  This year, though, I have to admit that we all felt a little bit disappointed.  The food selections just didn’t seem as varied and delicious as they have in the past.  I don’t know if they menu has actually changed, or if it’s dependent upon the chef who is in charge at any particular time or what.  (The pictures in the above collage were taken on our visit in January 2012).

The Character Interaction

On our first visit, we were really pleased with the character interaction.  Our favorite was probably Lady Tremaine.  She gave Ian a few lessons in proper meal etiquette, which was actually quite funny!  The stepsisters were a hoot, and Cinderella and Prince Charming were just sweet.

On our second visit, we were even more impressed with the characters!  Ian had just woken up before our reservation and he was not in the mood to interact with the characters.  So the girls had fun getting to know Lady Tremaine and Prince Charming.  Even Brian got in on the fun with Anastasia.  Drizella was really offended that Ian refused to have his “portrait made” with her.  She stomped off in a huff.  Quite some time later, she looked over from way across the restaurant and noticed that he was willingly being photographed with Cinderella.  She came flying across the restaurant, demanding that Ian give her the same privilege!  She even remembered him by name!  It was so much fun and quite a memorable moment for all of us.

On our visit in December, with the exception of Prince Charming, I felt like the rest of the characters were in a rush.  I didn’t feel like we got the good quality time that we had experienced with them in the past.  Prince Charming, though, was awesome.  He stood and conversed for quite awhile.  Wanted to know why we didn’t need his autograph and if maybe we had met “him” earlier in the week at the Christmas party at the Magic Kingdom.  He was quite fun.

The Details

• 1900 Park Fare is located inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.
• It’s a buffet style meal and character dining experience.
• It’s open for breakfast and dinner only.
• Breakfast characters include Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter, and Winnie-the-Pooh & Tigger.  It’s called the “Supercalifragilistic Breakfast.”
• Dinner characters include Cinderella & Prince Charming, Drizella & Anastasia, and Lady Tremaine.  Dinner is referred to as “Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner.”
• Breakfast prices range from $15-30 for adults, while dinner prices range from $30-60.
• This meal is considered one table service credit on the Disney Dining Plan.
• The full menu is available here.

Would we recommend it?

I’m hesitant to recommend it, only because our most recent experience wasn’t nearly as pleasant as the first two.  However, if you’re looking for an alternative to dining at Cinderella’s Castle, this is definitely a good option. (Akershus is another.)  We’ve never experienced the breakfast here, so I can’t speak for that.

Will we dine there again?

Probably not.  Our family is buffeted-out.  And I think three times here has been enough.

What about YOU?
Have you dined at 1900 Park Fare?
I’d love to hear your experiences.

I’m linking this post up to Favorite Food Friday at Disney Day by Day.