We always look forward to new dining experiences at Disney. The fun and rush of getting that coveted reservation makes the planning more exciting! Story Book Dining is the new must have, and we were thrilled to be trying it on the first night of our family vacation.
After checking in we waiting about 20 minutes to be seated. Waiting at the Wilderness Lodge is actually the best and you can take the time to checkout all the special things about this lobby! There is seating by the spring and by the roaring fireplace. The mercantile also has tons of fun camping themed souvenirs that you will want to take home!
Once we were called, we were seated mid dining room and had a view of the Evil Queen. She is the highlight of this experience. She is completely annoyed and over all the little Snow Whites coming to take pictures with her and she makes it VERY obvious. She holds court in the photo-op area and does not come around table to table. You will be allowed to line up for photos with her once you are done with your meal.
Snow White, Grumpy and Dopey are announced and visit each table signing autographs and taking photos. Snow is her usual soft spoken, lovely self and Dopey is just adorable. The standout is Grumpy, he also is cranky and annoyed but in a hilarious, lovable way. They will be announced and dance around a few times during your meal.
The food offerings are plentiful but you don’t get a say in what you eat. The appetizers and desserts are family style but you do get to select your entree and drink. The options are not necessarily for picky eaters and are a bit more adventurous.
Presentation of the food is wonderful, and they put a lot of thought into the theming. Everything from the jars, bowls and spoons are just perfect and you will want to take one million pictures of it all. That being said, there may have been too many presentations and none of the appetizers were memorable. Luckily, they are small tidbits of dishes and you won’t get full before your entree arrives. My favorite is the kids appetizer plate which kept them busy and had enough simple items that they would eat.
The entrees were solid in taste, cooked well and over all good. We were a big party and everyone tried something different. The sauce on the roasted chicken was flavorful and the horseradish mashed potatoes were a standout for me.
Dessert gave me the same impression as the appetizers. Gorgeous presentation but nothing memorable. Again, maybe offering less will give the kitchen the ability to do one or two things well. The meal itself feels a bit rushed because you have a lot of food to try and finish before the next course. They are also stopping you every few minutes to meet the characters.
Overall, we enjoyed the experience but we are not necessarily looking to go back again soon, which is how we felt at the Bon Voyage Breakfast. This would be a repeat if I was staying at a Magic Kingdom resort and could easily hop over for the meal. This experience is strictly for the characters and those Instagram pics!
