Walt Disney World has a handful of flagship eating experiences which have turn out to be iconic over time. Amongst these are Chef Mickey’s, Cinderella’s Royal Desk, California Grill, ‘Ohana, and extra. We’d add Be Our Visitor Restaurant to that record, which is now been in style for over a decade, providing Magic Kingdom’s second in-castle meal and themed design impressed by Magnificence and the Beast.
Ask 10 completely different Walt Disney World followers whether or not they agree with this “iconic” evaluation and also you’re prone to get 10 very passionate solutions. Some adore it, simply as many hate it. On the subject of overrated eating places at Walt Disney World, Be Our Visitor Restaurant is the one we hear talked about most continuously by readers. For our half, we’ve been lucky with constructive experiences at Be Our Visitor Restaurant and have dined right here over a dozen instances because it debuted over a decade in the past.
With that stated, lots has modified since Be Our Visitor opened, and the restaurant is inarguably a shadow of its former self in some regards. The desk service dinner expanded to interchange the beloved counter service lunch. As soon as top-of-the-line makes use of of a Disney Eating Plan credit score, breakfast nonetheless isn’t again. The prix fixe service that debuted to interchange the a la carte desk service menu has been scaled again and a few entrees have been simplified. Really, that final level is exactly why I returned to Be Our Visitor Restaurant for this meal–an expanded particular occasions menu that sounded very intriguing and begging to be reviewed…
Earlier than we get began, in case you’re planning forward for 2025 or perhaps a regular lunch, you would possibly wish to as an alternative learn our extra complete evaluation: Is Be Our Visitor Restaurant Nonetheless Well worth the Cash? That covers the traditional menu and what the expertise is like now, delicacies high quality, Advance Eating Reservation problem, and extra. It additionally addresses whether or not Be Our Visitor will probably be price it on the Disney Eating Plan.
This evaluation focuses on Be Our Visitor Restaurant throughout the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering, when the next particular menu objects can be found:
- Pumpkin Crème Caramel with bitter cherry jam and pumpkin seed brittle
- Roasted Beef Marrow Bone: Pinot noir-beef marmalade, toasted baguette, and pickled mustard seeds
- Beef Quick Rib and Purple Potatoes braised with pink wine, figs, peppers, and a contact of darkish chocolate
- Solid Iron Trout: Charred calamari, squid ink breadcrumbs, black garlic, and saffron aïoli
- Roasted Poulet Rouge Hen: Caramelized pumpkin, pomegranate, and pumpkin seed sauce
- The Good-looking Brute: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Chambord Liqueur, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice garnished with a sugared rim and raspberries
I searched excessive and low on Google and scoured social media for info on what time this particular menu began throughout the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering.
Lo and behold, it was proper there on the official on-line menu: “Beginning at 6:00 PM on Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Social gathering occasion nights, Be Our Visitor Restaurant will serve a particular themed menu together with modified seasonal and Halloween-inspired dishes.”
By this level, it was too late for me to make an Advance Eating Reservation for six pm, my desired time slot. Truthfully, I’m undecided whether or not I’d’ve even when it had been an choice. I prefer to take the 60-90 minutes earlier than Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering to do laps of Magic Kingdom, testing issues throughout the mix-in which might be related to my analysis or technique guides.
My hope was thus that the net menu was unsuitable, or that the restaurant would supply some wiggle room to get together attendees. So I made the newest doable ADR throughout mix-in, which was 4:40 pm on the date of my occasion. I continued to verify day-of for a later time, all to no avail.
Quick-forward to MNSSHP get together day, and I headed to Be Our Visitor Restaurant round 2 pm to see whether or not it’d be doable to order from the particular get together menu. Lengthy story quick, not one of the Solid Members knew for certain, however one appeared to substantiate that I’d have the ability to, as long as I had my get together bracelet. I made a decision to roll with this, figuring out it was nonetheless a bet and I might need to eat the cancellation price.
A little bit of an apart, however whereas I used to be ready for a Solid Member to ‘radio in’ my query and get a solution, 3 completely different teams of friends approached Be Our Visitor Restaurant and requested whether or not it’s a journey. I’m not stunned this occurs–I’m certain Solid Members get requested “is that this a journey?” about all the things from the Woody’s Lunchbox to the Tangled Bathrooms (though the latter would rapidly be answered by getting into the “attraction”). It was simply wild to witness 3 instances within the span of ~5 minutes.
After checking into Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering just a little after 4:15 pm, I made my manner over to Fantasyland and checked into Be Our Visitor Restaurant.
There was very clearly a shift change that occurred since my go to earlier within the day, as each Solid Member on the restaurant knew all in regards to the particular menu for MNSSHP and so they had been proactively advising friends of it. Though issues might all the time change, I’m thus fairly assured what follows is the unofficial coverage–not the above quote from the net menu.
Beginning at 4 pm on Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering dates, friends eating at Be Our Visitor Restaurant are requested whether or not they’re staying for the occasion. In that case, they should present proof of get together admission (they had been encouraging friends to go seize wristbands from PhilharMagic). Friends with legitimate admission to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering are capable of order from the particular occasion menu.
Friends who don’t have MNSSHP tickets are given yellow wristbands. This presumably dictates which menu they obtain as soon as seated and the way they’re handled upon exiting if it’s after 6 pm. (I say “presumably” as a result of I think there’s a YMMV component with the menu–however I solely dined right here as a MNSSHP visitor, so I don’t know the way it labored in apply for anybody else.)
Be aware that though that is written about MNSSHP, I’d assume the identical will apply for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering. Heck, I wouldn’t be shocked if the particular menu is usually and even precisely the identical.
As soon as seated, my server got here by with a menu–that gave the impression to be the common dinner menu with the above Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering choices highlighted–together with a chef’s particular flier for a limited-time entree choice of Steak Frites: Sluggish-roasted Butcher’s Steak, Home-cut French Fries, and Choron Sauce.
As famous above, Be Our Visitor Restaurant at the moment gives an all-day prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner. This prices $70 per grownup and $41 per youngster, plus tax and gratuity (minus any reductions). The meal additionally features a common drink (Coca-Cola merchandise) and bread service, which isn’t supplied in any respect Walt Disney World eating places.
I used to be seated on the very entrance of the restaurant, within the nook of the Grand Ballroom. Sarah and I’ve really been seated on this similar spot (plus or minus a few tables) on two earlier events. I don’t thoughts it. No different events subsequent to you or overhearing your dialog, and also you’re away from the motion however nonetheless get to benefit from the ambiance.
One of many greatest criticisms of Be Our Visitor Restaurant is that it’s loud, crowded and chaotic. The Grand Ballroom predominant eating corridor is cavernous and tables are tightly packed, making it really feel like a flowery mess corridor. We’ve voiced this concern in previous opinions, and that the Grand Ballroom is our least favourite eating room at Be Our Visitor Restaurant.
If it’s your first time at Be Our Visitor, we suggest requesting to be seated in a unique room. The West Wing is my favourite of the rooms, nevertheless it has a foreboding feeling and darkish look that may make it scary for young children. The Fortress Gallery is extra intimate, brighter, and quieter–making it a very good choose for households. You possibly can all the time stroll across the Grand Ballroom in case you so need (go as much as the home windows and take a look at the snow!).
Each dinner at Be Our Visitor Restaurant begins with bread service. To my shock, this wasn’t the usual hard-as-a-hockey-puck dinner rolls, however as an alternative a heat and delicate French baguette. This is rather like the baguettes bought at Le Halles Boulangerie Patisserie in World Showcase’s France pavilion at EPCOT.
Regardless of being a celebration of 1, I acquired a whole baguette! That is such a minor factor–these baguettes aren’t precisely costly–nevertheless it has a significant affect on the standard of the meal, making a powerful first impression. I actually hope it is a everlasting change, as a result of it’s the kind of consideration to element that has an outsized affect. It’s the “large little issues” that cumulatively add as much as make a giant distinction, and Walt Disney World must relearn how a lot they matter.
For appetizers, there are usually 5 completely different decisions, with the plain alternative from a value-for-money and high quality perspective being the Escargot de Bourgogne. I do know a whole lot of followers love the French Onion Soup, and so they’re proper–it’s good. Nevertheless it’s objectively horrible from a bang-for-buck perspective.
Nevertheless, this meal was all in regards to the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering menu, so I ordered the Roasted Beef Marrow Bone with Pinot noir-beef marmalade, toasted baguette, and pickled mustard seeds.
The roasted bone marrow was why I booked this ADR within the first place. I really like this dish, and have discovered it’s one which Walt Disney World can do fairly properly at its steakhouses. I used to be barely skeptical that Be Our Visitor, an in-park restaurant that’s centered on churning individuals out and in, might pull it off as properly, however wished to search out out.
This bone marrow appetizer is phenomenal–and sizable. It’s top-of-the-line dishes I’ve ever eaten at Magic Kingdom, and a spotlight of all of the menus Be Our Visitor has had over time.
The bone marrow offers a wealthy, creamy, and fatty taste that’s sweetened by the marmalade. It’s succulent and soften in your mouth scrumptious–actually a next-level dish that I’d count on from a Signature Restaurant at one of many resorts. (Be Our Visitor is technically a Signature Restaurant, nevertheless it’s not even remotely the identical.)
I extremely suggest the Roasted Beef Marrow Bone, even over the escargot. We’re each going again for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering, and I’m already getting ready to make an ADR within the hopes that this sticks round for that particular occasion so we each can strive it. (There’s nothing “Halloweeny” about Roasted Beef Marrow Bone. Nicely, possibly the ‘bone’ half?)
There are additionally 5 entrees on the traditional menu at Be Our Visitor Restaurant–the Seared Pork Tenderloin, Trout Amandine, Pan-roasted Squash, Roasted Poulet Rouge Hen, and Grilled Filet Mignon. The added choices for MNSSHP are the Beef Quick Rib, Solid Iron Trout with Charred Calamari, and a twist on the Roasted Poulet Rouge Hen (with caramelized pumpkin).
I’m a fan of the Pork at Be Our Visitor, however objectively, the Grilled Filet Mignon is one of the best choose of the entrees at Be Our Visitor Restaurant. Our experiences with each this lower of meat and the preparation thereof have been unequivocally constructive. Some followers have reported in another way, however we’ve all the time been impressed. I’d go so far as to say that it’s on par with among the Signature Eating places. Preparation differs, however the high quality of the lower is about the identical.
Suffice to say, the Grilled Filet Mignon is what you must order in case you’re a carnivore doing the common lunch or dinner menu at Be Our Visitor Restaurant. The Grilled Filet Mignon can be what you must order in case you’re doing the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering particular menu at Be Our Visitor Restaurant.
Wanting to stay with the precise MNSSHP menu, I ordered the Beef Quick Rib and Purple Potatoes braised with pink wine, figs, peppers, and a contact of darkish chocolate.
I had debated between this and the Solid Iron Trout with Charred Calamari, and looking back, ought to’ve carried out the latter. My abdomen was already feeling the burden of the bone marrow and a complete loaf of bread, and this was one other heavy dish on prime of that earlier than heading again out in 93 diploma warmth. The Solid Iron Trout would’ve made for, at minimal, a greater balanced meal.
This isn’t to disparage the Beef Quick Rib. It was excellent! It was extremely tender, falling aside when lower with the fork. The meat was flavorful, and juicy with a posh savory and candy (and barely acidic) dynamic because of the accompaniments. It has just a little little bit of fats for taste, however not a lot as to render any of the meat inedible. In isolation, I actually favored the Beef Quick Rib.
My quibble is that the portion wasn’t that enormous, solely barely larger than the Quick Rib I had ordered from Earth Eats solely at some point earlier. That dish caught with me and is likely one of the highlights of the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition. It solely prices $8.50. Now in equity, there are Beef Quick Rib dishes at Tony’s, Kona and Jiko–and people price $31, $38, and $52. However I’ve had the latter two and so they’re larger and higher than this.
Once more, this Beef Quick Rib at Be Our Visitor Restaurant is superb. My drawback is usually a matter of purchaser’s regret as I immediately regretted not ordering the Solid Iron Trout–even earlier than my entree arrived. On prime of that, the unfavorable comparability to the Earth Eats dish. However which may apply equally to you, so I’m presenting my thought course of right here as one thing of a cautionary story.
Lastly, the meal concludes with dessert. Usually, this implies the Dessert Trio: Lemon Jam Macaron, Chocolate Tart topped with the Gray Stuff, and a Darkish Chocolate Truffle. This trio is enjoyable, however nothing particular–it’s all fashion and no substance. It jogs my memory of particular person objects you could possibly get from a buffet, besides not limitless. Provided that it’s (supposedly) a Signature Restaurant, Be Our Visitor ought to supply a fully-fledged dessert menu.
From that perspective, ordering the Pumpkin Crème Caramel with bitter cherry jam and pumpkin seed brittle was a no brainer. Fancy identify apart, that is caramel pudding. You would possibly say it’s flantastic. Critically.
The pumpkin taste within the creamy custard added an earthy sweetness to the wealthy and semi-bitter taste of the caramel dessert. The bitter jam didn’t do a lot for me when paired with the pumpkin, however I appreciated the pumpkin seed brittle as added texture for the flan. (I did find yourself consuming the cherry jam with some leftover brittle–significantly better that manner.)
Now this Pumpkin Crème Caramel is definitely a dessert that’s worthy of a Signature Restaurant. I don’t wish to oversell it, because it’s not my favourite (and even prime 10) Signature dessert of all-time, nevertheless it’s a terrific style of fall with high quality that’s miles above the traditional dessert trio at Be Our Visitor Restaurant.
Earlier this summer time, Beast returned to assembly friends in his examine after dinner for an precise meet & greet with photographs, autographs, hugs, and Prime Gun (it needs to be a requirement that each character good this). Solid Members reported that this was in ‘trial or take a look at mode’ and know we all know why–as a result of it ended!
Social gathering Season has introduced scaled again daytime meet & greets resulting from ongoing staffing shortages, and if I needed to guess, this may be why Beast stopped doing the post-dinner meet & greet. But when so, why revert to it in July solely to undo the change from August by means of December?! I used to be actually trying ahead to that flawlessly executed Prime Gun high-five with the principle man, however I assume now it’ll have to attend till (at the very least) 2025.
In any case, there’s as soon as once more a personality ‘presence’ to the extent that the Beast walks by means of the varied rooms waving at friends. I don’t understand how continuously this happens, nevertheless it occurred twice throughout my dinner. In all probability round each half-hour, as I attempted to get out and in pretty rapidly.
Beast solely goes down the widest pathways, so whether or not you see him up shut or from an enormous distance relies on whether or not you’re seated in the course of the room. It’s an okay system…for 2020. 4 years later, the smile and wave whereas pausing ever-so-briefly for selfies simply feels lame. Particularly provided that this meal is now $70 and is handled as a 2-credit Signature Restaurant on the Disney Eating Plan. Do it proper, Disney.
In the end, my particular meal for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering at Be Our Visitor Restaurant was actually good–and it might’ve been nice had I made the fitting transfer and ordered the reliably-excellent Filet Mignon or maybe the riskier Solid Iron Trout. I’m nonetheless inclined to say that it’s “good once more” quite than one thing extra, as Walt Disney World fan opinions of this restaurant have been damage by unrealistic expectations.
We nonetheless suggest Be Our Visitor Restaurant as some of the iconic eating experiences in Magic Kingdom and even Walt Disney World as a complete. You simply must go in figuring out that it’s a Disney expertise and never a real-world superb eating institution. That Signature Restaurant standing appears to trick individuals.
It’s unattainable to dismiss the entire complaints about Be Our Visitor Restaurant. Being a high-capacity restaurant, dangerous experiences are inevitable. However so a lot of these could be minimized or prevented completely by requesting the fitting room, and ordering the highest-value and finest objects. Having fun with Be Our Visitor Restaurant for what it’s–a memorable meal with that can stand out within the minds of Magnificence and the Beast followers years–if not many years–later. With the bold particular menu objects for MNSSHP, you’re extra prone to have a memorable meal that makes that top price ticket appear price it.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about lodges on our Walt Disney World Lodges Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the things it’s worthwhile to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Be Our Visitor Restaurant? Will you be doing the particular menu for MNSSHP or MVMCP? Is Magic Kingdom’s in style Magnificence and the Beast restaurant definitely worth the hefty price ticket? Is Be Our Visitor Restaurant overhyped and/or overrated? Would you quite do a desk service meal elsewhere in Magic Kingdom, or is that this the most suitable choice? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
