Garden Grill holds a special place in my heart. The playful interactions with Chip ‘n’ Dale are one of my oldest memories from my first trip to Walt Disney World when I was five. If you have ever been in The Land building at Epcot you have probably found yourself walking right by this unique dining experience without even realizing you are missing out on a delicious and entertaining meal that will please the youngest Disney-goers as well as the older, yet still young at heart guests. Last December, my family enjoyed this character dining experience which hosts some favorites including, Mickey, Pluto and Chip ‘n’ Dale.
This restaurant is a circular shape, with two levels that typically rotate allowing the characters to visit you as you dine. On this particular visit, the restaurant was not rotating, and we were stuck by the barking dog from “Living with the Land” (A boat ride through the Disney’s greenhouses located below Garden Grill). If you know anything about that barking dog, you know you don’t want to be stuck there for an entire meal. Lucky for us, we had a very attentive waiter who brought our drinks and bread for the table quickly, making for happy kiddos and even happier parents!
During this time, they were only seating guests on the lower level, which allowed characters to safely visit each table from the upper level in compliance with Covid protocols. I thought the characters did a fantastic job interacting with kids at each table. They would do their best to interact with each kid before moving on to the next table. We even ended up seeing each of the characters 3-4 times during the length of our meal!
Chip ‘n’ Dale Harvest Feast Menu ($55.00/Adult and $36.00/Child ages 3-9) (Lunch/Dinner)
Harvest-inspired Garden Salad
Grilled Beef with Chimichurri
All-Natural Sliced Turkey Breast
with Turkey Gravy
Seasonal Vegetables
Herb and Leek Stuffing
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Macaroni & Cheese
Berry Short Cake
with Whipped Cream
I have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed our meal and atmosphere. The characters were fantastic with their interactions. I could NOT get enough of the grilled beef with chimichurri and the boys loved the mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. It was definitely a heavier meal, so if members of your family are not big eaters, it may not be one you choose to reserve. You will come to find out that Hutson’s can eat, so meals like these are a home-run for us. As you can see by the prices listed, it is definitely a more expensive meal, so you will definitely want to include that in your budgeting.
Although it was pricey, seeing the smile on his face makes it all worth it! Overall, I would recommend Garden Grill and I am sure we will be back in the near future!
What A Whimsical World 